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Wang MN, Zhai MX, Wang YT, Dai QF, Liu L, Zhao LP, Xia QY, Li S, Li B. Mechanism of Acupuncture in Treating Obesity: Advances and Prospects. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE 2024; 52:1-33. [PMID: 38351701 DOI: 10.1142/s0192415x24500010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Obesity is a common metabolic syndrome that causes a significant burden on individuals and society. Conventional therapies include lifestyle interventions, bariatric surgery, and pharmacological therapies, which are not effective and have a high risk of adverse events. Acupuncture is an effective alternative for obesity, it modulates the hypothalamus, sympathetic activity and parasympathetic activity, obesity-related hormones (leptin, ghrelin, insulin, and CCK), the brain-gut axis, inflammatory status, adipose tissue browning, muscle blood flow, hypoxia, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) to influence metabolism, eating behavior, motivation, cognition, and the reward system. However, hypothalamic regulation by acupuncture should be further demonstrated in human studies using novel techniques, such as functional MRI (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), electroencephalogram (EEG), and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Moreover, a longer follow-up phase of clinical trials is required to detect the long-term effects of acupuncture. Also, future studies should investigate the optimal acupuncture therapeutic option for obesity. This review aims to consolidate the recent improvements in the mechanism of acupuncture for obesity as well as discuss the future research prospects and potential of acupuncture for obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Na Wang
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Life Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Miao-Xin Zhai
- Yinghai Hospital, Daxing District, Beijing 100163, P. R. China
| | - Yi-Tong Wang
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Life Science, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
| | - Qiu-Fu Dai
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
| | - Luo-Peng Zhao
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
| | - Qiu-Yu Xia
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
| | - Shen Li
- Department of Emergency, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Neuromodulation, Beijing 100010, P. R. China
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Mei L, Zhu Q, Bai X, Zhang Y, Huang H, Yang M, Shi Y, Liang C, Zhang Z, Chen Q. Cellular Evidence for Telocytes Mediating Electroacupuncture to Ameliorate Obesity in Mice. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2023; 29:1746-1754. [PMID: 37639834 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozad092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Electroacupuncture has been generally applied to target obesity, the principle of which is based on the meridian in traditional Chinese medicine. Although Telocytes (TCs) have been reported as the potential essence of meridians, their specific role in the electroacupuncture treatment of obesity remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the cellular evidence for TC-mediated electroacupuncture to alleviate obesity. Mice were divided into three groups as follows: electroacupuncture group (EA), control group (CG), and normal group (NG). The present study showed that the weight of perirenal white adipose tissue (rWAT), the serum level of total cholesterol, and the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were all significantly decreased after electroacupuncture. Ultrastructurally, the prolongations (telopodes, Tps) of TCs were in direct contact with adipocytes, and lipid droplets were distributed on the surface of Tps. The proportions of double-positive fluorescent areas of TCs (CD34 and PDGFRα) were significantly elevated with concomitant elongated Tps in EA mice, as compared to those in CG mice. The expression of Cx43 and CD63 (gap junction and exosome markers) was significantly enhanced. These characteristics facilitated the transmission of electroacupuncture stimulation from skin to rWAT. We conclude that electroacupuncture relieved obesity by activating TCs morphologically, upregulating the gap junctions between TCs, and increasing the exosomes around TCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Mei
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Qianmei Zhu
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Xuebing Bai
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Yingxin Zhang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Haixiang Huang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Min Yang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Yonghong Shi
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ziyue Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Chunhua Liang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Zhenwei Zhang
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
| | - Qiusheng Chen
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210095, China
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Pharmacological Treatments and Natural Biocompounds in Weight Management. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16020212. [PMID: 37139804 PMCID: PMC9962258 DOI: 10.3390/ph16020212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The obesity pandemic is one of society’s most urgent public health concerns. One-third of the global adult population may fall under obese or overweight by 2025, suggesting a rising demand for medical care and an exorbitant cost of healthcare expenditure in the coming years. Generally, the treatment strategy for obese patients is largely patient-centric and needs dietary, behavioral, pharmacological, and sometimes even surgical interventions. Given that obesity cases are rising in adults and children and lifestyle modifications have failed to produce the desired results, the need for medical therapy adjunct to lifestyle modifications is vital for better managing obesity. Most existing or past drugs for obesity treatment target satiety or monoamine pathways and induce a feeling of fullness in patients, while drugs such as orlistat are targeted against intestinal lipases. However, many medications targeted against neurotransmitters showed adverse events in patients, thus being withdrawn from the market. Alternatively, the combination of some drugs has been successfully tested in obesity management. However, the demand for novel, safer, and more efficacious pharmaceutical medicines for weight management does exist. The present review elucidates the current understanding of the available anti-obesity medicines of synthetic and natural origin, their main mechanisms of action, and the shortcomings associated with current weight management drugs.
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Dai W, Peng Q. Efficacy of Dapagliflozin Combined with Lifestyle Intervention in Obesity Control. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:7745873. [PMID: 35602349 PMCID: PMC9122717 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7745873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objective To explore the best treatment of obesity in middle and old age. Methods 80 obese patients in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2021 were randomly divided into the control group and the intervention group according to the numerical table method. The control group was treated with lifestyle intervention, while the intervention group was treated with dapagliflozin combined with lifestyle intervention. The effects of body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and blood lipids (LDL, HDL, TC, and TG) were measured and compared. Anxiety and depression scores were assessed using the 2018 Revised Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results There were no significant differences in body weight, BMI, and waist circumference between the control group and the intervention group before treatment. After treatment, the weight, BMI, and waist circumference of the intervention group were lower than those of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, LDL, TC, and TG in the two groups were decreased, and HDL was significantly increased (P < 0.05). After treatment, the blood lipid level in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Anxiety and depression symptoms improved in both groups, and there were no serious adverse effects. Conclusion Dapagliflozin in combination with a lifestyle intervention effectively and safely treats excess weight in middle-aged and older adults, reverses obesity-related markers, and improves psychological symptoms. Its curative effect is better than that of using lifestyle intervention alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Dai
- Taizhou Jiangsu Province, Taizhou People's Hospital, Blood Purification Center, 225300, China
| | - Qiaolin Peng
- Taizhou Jiangsu Province, Taizhou People's Hospital, Endocrinology Department, 225300, China
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