Facilitative effects of Eucommia ulmoides on fatty acid oxidation in hypertriglyceridaemic rats

Tea made from Eucommia ulmoides leaves is widely consumed as a health food, since recent studies have revealed various pharmacological effects of the tea, e.g. a hypotriglyceridaemic effect. This study was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the plasma triglyceride-lowering effect of E. ulmoides leaves.

Rats were divided into four groups: a normal group, a group fed a high-fat/high-fructose diet (untreated group) and two groups fed a high-fat/high-fructose diet and E. ulmoides tea (4 or 20 g L(-1) extract, treated groups). Plasma triglyceride concentrations were reduced in treated groups in a dose-dependent manner compared with the untreated group. DNA microarray analysis revealed that genes involved in hepatic α-, β- and ω-oxidation, mainly related to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and δ signalling pathway, were up-regulated in the treated group. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that E. ulmoides leaves contain three phytochemicals that make up 60 mg g(-1) of the material and are likely to be the active components.

This study indicates that the promotion of fatty acid oxidation, probably by the action of phytochemicals, participates in the ameliorative effect of E. ulmoides leaves on hypertriglyceridaemia. These findings provide the scientific evidence for the functionality of E. ulmoides.