Effects of crude drugs on lipolysis in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes

In the present study, aqueous fractions extracted from Radix Ginseng, Radix Rehmanniae, Radix Puerariae, Radix Asparagi, Cortex Phellodendri and Radix Scutellariae were investigated for their effects on lipolysis measured the glycerol release in cultured 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes cells. Following treatment of cells with various concentrations of water-soluble extracts ranging from 0.1, 1 to 10 mg/ml for 60 mim, the basal glycerol release from 3T3-L1 cells was changed from 71 nmole/mg protein of control to 48, 46 and 31 nmole/mg protein in Radix Ginseng-treated cells. Amount of glycerol was reduced to 60, 26 and 20 by Radix Rehmanniae. In the presence of Radix Puerariae, glycerol release was decreased to 35, 34 and 30, respectively. After exposure to Radix Asparagi, amount of glycerol became 108, 73 and 70 nmole/mg protein, respectively. In the case of Cortex Phellodendri, amount of glycerol was increased from 126, 112 to 90, respectively. In the presence of Radix Scutellariae, the glycerol was changed to 118, 77 and 29, respectively. In isoproterenol-stimulated cells, the glycerol release from cells by Radix Ginseng was changed from 169 of control to 76, 73 and 72 nmole/mg protein, respectively. After incubation with Radix Rehmanniae, amount of glycerol decreased to 52, 35 and 11, respectively. In the presence of Radix Puerariae, the glycerol was changed to 26, 25 to 20, respectively. In the presence of Radix Asparagi, the glycerol became 160, 96 and 64, respectively. In the case of Cortex Phellodendri, the glycerol was increased to 160, 92 to 88, respectively. In the presence of Radix Scutellariae, the glycerol was changed to 149, 83 and 50, respectively. These results indicated that the water-soluble substances from Radix Ginseng, Radix Rehmanniae and Radix Puerariae decreased the lipolysis in basal and isoproterenol-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes.