J Nutr Health JNH Journal of Nutrition and Health 2288-3886 2288-3959 The Korean Nutrition Society 10.4163/jnh.2015.48.2.133 Research Article Effects of a Pueraria lobata-root based combination supplement containing Rehmannia glutinosa and aerobic exercise on improvement of metabolic dysfunctions in ovariectomized rats Oh Sang A 1 Ok Hyang Mok 1 Kim Hye Jin 2 Lee Won Jun 2 Kwon Oran 1 Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, Korea. Department of Exercise Science, College of Health Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 120-750, Korea. To whom correspondence should be addressed. tel: +28-2-3277-6860, orank@ewha.ac.kr 04 2015 30 04 2015 48 2 133 139 03 12 2014 03 02 2015 27 03 2015 © 2015 The Korean Nutrition Society 2015 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Purpose

There is a fair amount of evidence indicating that increased risk of obesity and insulin resistance is associated with postmenopausal state, but can be modulated by diet and exercise. In this study, we explored whether a Pueraria lobata root-based supplement containing Rehmannia glutinosa (PR) and/or aerobic treadmill exercise can modify the metabolic changes associated with estrogen deficiency.

 Methods

Seventy rats were randomly assigned to the following groups for 8 weeks (n=10 per group): SHAM, sham-operated; PR0, ovariectomized (OVX) control; PR200, OVX with PR200 mg/kg B.W; PR400, OVX with PR400 mg/kg B.W; EPR0, OVX with exercise; EPR200, OVX with exercise and PR200 mg/kg B.W; EPR400, OVX with exercise and PR400 mg/kg B.W.

 Results

OVX induced significant increases in body weight, food intake, fat mass, LDL-cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose, confirming induction of menopausal symptoms. PR supplementation or exercise significantly suppressed the above mentioned changes through different regulatory elements in adipose tissue: PR supplement upregulated adiponectin gene expression and aerobic exercise upregulated adiponectin and insulin receptor gene expression and a combination of PR supplement and aerobic exercise showed an additive effect on adiponectin gene expression.

 Conclusion

Taken together, the results of this study suggest that PR supplement has a potential to provide health benefits in OVX rats through leptin and adiponectin secretion. In addition, the data suggest that combination of exercise and PR would have additive effects on metabolic dysfunction associated with estrogen deficiency.

 Pueraria lobata Rehmannia glutinosa aerobic exercise metabolic dysfunction ovariectomized rats Rural Development Administration PJ00845002

This work was carried out with the support of "Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project title: Research on New Functional Food Materials with Domestic Agricultural Products, Project No. PJ00845002)" Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

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SHAM, sham operated; PR0, ovariectomized control; PR200, ovariectomized with PR200 mg/kg B.W; PR400, ovariectomized with PR400 mg/kg B.W; EPR0, ovariectomized with exercise; EPR200, ovariectomized with exercise and PR200 mg/kg B.W; EPR400, ovariectomized with exercise and PR400 mg/kg B.W. <sup>*</sup>p < 0.05 SHAM vs. PR0. Values not sharing the same letter were significantly different in the OVX group at p < 0.05. Effects of PR and aerobic exercise on IR gene expression in the organ of ovariectomized rats: (A) liver and (B) adipose tissue. SHAM, sham operated; PR0, ovariectomized control; PR200, ovariectomized with PR200 mg/kg B.W; PR400, ovariectomized with PR400 mg/kg B.W; EPR0, ovariectomized with exercise; EPR200, ovariectomized with exercise and PR200 mg/kg B.W; EPR400, ovariectomized with exercise and PR400 mg/kg B.W; IR, insulin receptor. <sup>*</sup>p < 0.05 SHAM vs. PR0. Values not sharing the same letter were significantly different in the OVX group at p < 0.05. Effects of PR and aerobic exercise on final body weight, food intake, and fat mass in ovariectomized

Values are expressed as Means ± SE.

SHAM, sham operated; OVX, ovariectomized; PR, Pueraria lobata-root based combination supplement containing Rehmannia glutinosa; Ex, exercise; PR0, ovariectomized; PR200, ovariectomized with PR200 mg/kg B.W; PR400, ovariectomized with PR400 mg/kg B.W; EPR0, ovariectomized with exercise; EPR200, ovariectomized with exercise and PR200 mg/kg B.W; EPR400, ovariectomized with exercise and PR400 mg/kg B.W.

*p < 0.05 SHAM vs. PR0. Values not sharing the same letter were significantly different in the OVX group at p < 0.05.

 Effects of PR and aerobic exercise on lipid and glucose metabolism in ovariectomized rats

Values are expressed as Means ± SE.

SHAM, sham operated; OVX, ovariectomized; PR, Pueraria lobata-root based combination supplement containing Rehmannia glutinosa; Ex, exercise; PR0, ovariectomized; PR200, ovariectomized with PR200 mg/kg B.W; PR400, ovariectomized with PR400 mg/kg B.W; EPR0, ovariectomized with exercise; EPR200, ovariectomized with exercise and PR200 mg/kg B.W; EPR400, ovariectomized with exercise and PR400 mg/kg B.W.

*p < 0.05 SHAM vs. PR0. Values not sharing the same letter were significantly different in the OVX group at p < 0.05.