The cellular mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii against obesity

Tripterygium wilfordii (Celastrol), a root extract of a white flower plant in China, has received more and more attention in recent years because studies have shown that it can prevent and reverse obesity in mice

A new study from Southwestern University of Texas may solve this mystery to a certain extent

The key to the findings: The mice did not seem to tolerate the same physical illnesses recorded in previous studies taking Tripterygium wilfordii

Research author, Dr.

The research published on JCI Insight is the latest research by Dr.

The new research focuses on a class of cells in the brain called POMC neurons, which, when activated, are associated with decreased appetite, decreased blood sugar levels, and increased energy expenditure

In the latest research, the Williams laboratory found that this neuron also plays a key role in how celastrol affects weight loss

Dr.

The Food and Drug Administration reminds people not to use Tripterygium wilfordii, although Tripterygium wilfordii has a long history of being used in traditional Chinese medicine

The compound has given scientists an important understanding of how to develop safer weight loss strategies in the laboratory

"This shows that in addition to POMC, there are other cell populations that can be used for the effect of celastrol on metabolism," said Dr.

Zhenyan He, Linh Lieu, Yanbin Dong, Sadia Afrin, Dominic Chau, Anita Kabahizi, Briana Wallace, Jianhong Cao, Eun-Sang Hwang, Ting Yao, Yiru Huang, Jennifer Okolo, Bo Cheng, Yong Gao, Ling Hu, Kevin W.