Effects of Pear Extracts Containing Herbal Medicine (lycii Fructus, Coicis Semen, Alimatis Rhizoma, and Astragali Radix) on Body Weight, Lipid Metabolism, and Immune Responses of Rats Fed with High Fat Diets ( I )

Objectives : This study was conducted to 9% compared with the previous experimental obesity-induced metabolic function in rats that it was a mixture of pear extract and herbal drugs(Lycii Fructus, Coicis Semen, Alimatis Rhizoma and Astragali Radix) on high fat diet-induce obesity rats. Methods : The animals were used in male rats. Control group fed high-fat diet only. Experimental groups were divided four, ExpI group was fed high-fat diet with a mixture pear extract and Lycii Fructus 9%, Exp II group was fed high-fat diet with a mixture pear extract and Coicis Semen 9%, Exp III group was fed high-fat diet with a mixture pear extract and Alimatis Rhizoma 9%, and Exp IV group was fed high-fat diet with a mixture pear extract and Astragali Radix 9% for 4 weeks. Results : The body weight gain increased in all groups, but attenuated gradually in the experimental groups compared to the control group. The food intakes were significantly lower in all Exp groups than the control group. The concentrations of serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol, and free fatty acid were significantly lower in Exp II than in the control group. Also the concentration of serum free fatty acid was significantly lower in the Exp IV group than in the control group. In inflammatory activities, the Exp II, IV group was significantly lower than the control group. Conclusion : The results indicated that Exp I group (administered a mixture of pear extract and Lycii Fructus) reduced fat accumulation, body weight and the highest elevated lipid metabolism, while the Exp II group (administered the mixture of pear extract and Coicis Semen) and Exp IV group (administered the mixture of pear extract and Astragali Radix) had the highest elevated immune activity.