{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T14:06:19Z","timestamp":1779890779317,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,1,4]],"date-time":"2017-01-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1483488000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Health &amp; Welfare, Republic of Korea","award":["HI15C0127"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["HI15C0127"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Radix Pueraria lobata (RP) has been reported to prevent obesity and improve glucose metabolism; however, the mechanism responsible for these effects has not been elucidated. The mechanism underlying anti-obesity effect of RP was investigated in high-fat diet (HFD) induced obese mice and skeletal muscle cells (C2C12). Five-week-old C5BL\/6 mice were fed a HFD containing or not containing RP (100 or 300 mg\/kg) or metformin (250 mg\/kg) for 16 weeks. RP reduced body weight gain, lipid accumulation in liver, and adipocyte and blood lipid levels. In addition, RP dose-dependently improved hyperglycemia, insulinemia, and glucose tolerance, and prevented the skeletal muscle atrophy induced by HFD. Furthermore, RP increased the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1\u03b1) expression and phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle tissues. RP and its main component, puerarin, increased mitochondrial biogenesis and myotube hypertrophy in C2C12 cells. The present study demonstrates that RP can prevent diet-induced obesity, glucose tolerance, and skeletal muscle atrophy in mouse models of obesity. The mechanism responsible for the effect of RP appears to be related to the upregulation of energy metabolism in skeletal muscle, which at the molecular level may be associated with PGC-1\u03b1 and AMPK activation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu9010033","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,1,4]],"date-time":"2017-01-04T09:39:32Z","timestamp":1483522772000},"page":"33","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":80,"title":["The Root Extract of Pueraria lobata and Its Main Compound, Puerarin, Prevent Obesity by Increasing the Energy Metabolism in Skeletal Muscle"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Hyo","family":"Jung","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Herbology, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"},{"name":"Korean Medicine R&amp;D Center, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"An","family":"Kang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Herbology, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"},{"name":"Korean Medicine R&amp;D Center, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Seok","family":"Kang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Herbology, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"},{"name":"Korean Medicine R&amp;D Center, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yong-Ki","family":"Park","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Herbology, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"},{"name":"Korean Medicine R&amp;D Center, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mi","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Korean Medicine R&amp;D Center, College of Korean medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"},{"name":"Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Dongdaero 123, Gyeongju-si 38066, Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,1,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"804","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(11)60813-1","article-title":"The global obesity pandemic: Shaped by global drivers and local environments","volume":"378","author":"Swinburn","year":"2011","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Obesity and Overweight, Fact Sheet. Available online: http:\/\/www.who.int\/mediacentre \/factsheets\/fs311\/en."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"367","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.biochem.75.103004.142512","article-title":"Obesity-Related derangements in metabolic regulation","volume":"75","author":"Muoio","year":"2006","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Biochem"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1038\/nrd3138","article-title":"Cellular bioenergetics as a target for obesity therapy","volume":"9","author":"Tseng","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Drug Discov."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"113","DOI":"10.1007\/s001250051123","article-title":"Intramyocellular lipid concentrations are correlated with insulin sensitivity in humans: A 1 h nmr spectroscopy study","volume":"42","author":"Krssak","year":"1999","journal-title":"Diabetologia"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.2337\/diabetes.51.1.144","article-title":"Insulin resistance in morbid obesity reversal with intramyocellular fat depletion","volume":"51","author":"Greco","year":"2002","journal-title":"Diabetes"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnu.2012.06.010","article-title":"Sarcopenic obesity: A critical appraisal of the current evidence","volume":"31","author":"Prado","year":"2012","journal-title":"Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Srikanthan, P., Hevener, A.L., and Karlamangla, A.S. (2010). Sarcopenia exacerbates obesity-associated insulin resistance and dysglycemia: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. PLoS ONE, 5.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0010805"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1152\/advan.00052.2006","article-title":"Pgc-1\u03b1: A key regulator of energy metabolism","volume":"30","author":"Liang","year":"2006","journal-title":"Adv. Physiol. Eudc."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16260","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0607795103","article-title":"PGC-1\u03b1 protects skeletal muscle from atrophy by suppressing FoxO3 action and atrophy-specific gene transcription","volume":"103","author":"Sandri","year":"2006","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1097\/MCO.0b013e3282fb7b76","article-title":"LKB1 and AMPK and the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism","volume":"11","author":"Koh","year":"2008","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Clin. Nutr. Metab. Care"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12017","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0705070104","article-title":"AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) action in skeletal muscle via direct phosphorylation of PGC-1\u03b1","volume":"104","author":"Handschin","year":"2007","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"787","DOI":"10.1002\/jcph.96","article-title":"Radix puerariae: An overview of its chemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and clinical use","volume":"53","author":"Zhang","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Clin. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"499","DOI":"10.1016\/S0031-9422(97)00723-1","article-title":"Kudzu root: An ancient chinese source of modern antidipsotropic agents","volume":"47","author":"Keung","year":"1998","journal-title":"Phytochemistry"},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"17","article-title":"The Chinese Pueraria root extract (Pueraria lobata) ameliorates impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in obese mice","volume":"20","author":"Prasain","year":"2012","journal-title":"Phytomed. Int. J. Phytother. Phytopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zheng, G., Lin, L., Zhong, S., Zhang, Q., and Li, D. (2015). Effects of puerarin on lipid accumulation and metabolism in high-fat diet-fed mice. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0122925"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.15429\/jkomor.2015.15.2.131","article-title":"The effects of cinnamomum cassia blume, aconitum carmichaeli debx, and pueraria lobata benth on glucose and energy metabolism in C2C12 myotubes","volume":"15","author":"Song","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Korean Med. Obes. Res."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-411619-1.00006-9","article-title":"Quantifying size and number of adipocytes in adipose tissue","volume":"537","author":"Parlee","year":"2014","journal-title":"Methods Enzymol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1097\/MOL.0b013e328328d0a4","article-title":"PGC-1alpha, SIRT1 and AMPK, an energy sensing network that controls energy expenditure","volume":"20","author":"Auwerx","year":"2009","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Lipidol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1423","DOI":"10.1172\/JCI114857","article-title":"Skeletal muscle metabolism is a major determinant of resting energy expenditure","volume":"86","author":"Zurlo","year":"1990","journal-title":"J. Clin. Investig."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1016\/0026-0495(88)90033-9","article-title":"The disposal of an oral glucose load in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes","volume":"37","author":"Ferrannini","year":"1988","journal-title":"Metabolism"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1013","DOI":"10.1016\/j.metabol.2009.02.027","article-title":"Inverse associations between muscle mass, strength, and the metabolic syndrome","volume":"58","author":"Atlantis","year":"2009","journal-title":"Metabolism"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Williams, L.M., Campbell, F.M., Drew, J.E., Koch, C., Hoggard, N., Rees, W.D., Kamolrat, T., Ngo, H.T., Steffensen, I.-L., and Gray, S.R. (2014). The development of diet-induced obesity and glucose intolerance in C57Bl\/6 mice on a high-fat diet consists of distinct phases. PLoS ONE, 9.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0106159"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1509","DOI":"10.2337\/db08-1637","article-title":"Butyrate improves insulin sensitivity and increases energy expenditure in mice","volume":"58","author":"Gao","year":"2009","journal-title":"Diabetes"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"71","article-title":"Effects of Pueraria lobata on body weight and gene expression in obese rats muscle with estrogen difficiency","volume":"25","author":"Shin","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Korean Obstet. Gynecol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1851","DOI":"10.2337\/diabetes.51.6.1851","article-title":"Antidiabetic effects of panax ginseng berry extract and the identification of an effective component","volume":"51","author":"Attele","year":"2002","journal-title":"Diabetes"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.1016\/j.metabol.2009.02.017","article-title":"Is obesity associated with lower body temperatures? Core temperature: A forgotten variable in energy balance","volume":"58","author":"Landsberg","year":"2009","journal-title":"Metabolism"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"856","DOI":"10.1053\/meta.2001.24192","article-title":"Metformin Reduces weight, centripetal obesity, insulin, leptin, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in nondiabetic, morbidly obese subjects with body mass index greater than 30","volume":"50","author":"Glueck","year":"2001","journal-title":"Metabolism"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1813","DOI":"10.1016\/0024-3205(92)90066-X","article-title":"Subchronic treatment with metformin produces anorectic effect and reduces hyperinsulinemia in genetically obese Zucker rats","volume":"50","author":"Rouru","year":"1992","journal-title":"Life Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1016\/0014-2999(94)00669-X","article-title":"Anorectic effect of metformin in obese Zucker rats: Lack of evidence for the involvement of neuropeptide y","volume":"273","author":"Rouru","year":"1995","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainres.2012.01.028","article-title":"The effect of metformin on food intake and its potential role in hypothalamic regulation in obese diabetic rats","volume":"1444","author":"Lv","year":"2012","journal-title":"Brain Res."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Le, N.H., Kim, C.-S., Park, T., Park, J.H.Y., Sung, M.-K., Lee, D.G., Hong, S.-M., Choe, S.-Y., Goto, T., and Kawada, T. (2014). Quercetin protects against obesity-induced skeletal muscle inflammation and atrophy. Mediators Inflamm.","DOI":"10.1155\/2014\/834294"},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"235","article-title":"Involvement of myogenic regulator factors during fusion in the cell line C2C12","volume":"46","author":"Dedieu","year":"2002","journal-title":"Int. J. Dev. Biol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1685","DOI":"10.1152\/japplphysiol.00255.2006","article-title":"Metformin increases the PGC-1\u03b1 protein and oxidative enzyme activities possibly via ampk phosphorylation in skeletal muscle in vivo","volume":"101","author":"Suwa","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Appl. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1042\/bse0470069","article-title":"Regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis","volume":"47","author":"Jornayvaz","year":"2010","journal-title":"Essays Biochem."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"797","article-title":"Transcriptional co-activator Pgc-1\u03b1 drives the formation of slow-twitch muscle fibres","volume":"418","author":"Lin","year":"2002","journal-title":"Pflugers Arch."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"140","DOI":"10.1096\/fj.06-6604com","article-title":"Rapid disuse and denervation atrophy involve transcriptional changes similar to those of muscle wasting during systemic diseases","volume":"21","author":"Sacheck","year":"2007","journal-title":"FASEB J."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"S\u00e1inz, N., Rodr\u00edguez, A., Catal\u00e1n, V., Becerril, S., Ram\u00edrez, B., G\u00f3mez-Ambrosi, J., and Fr\u00fchbeck, G. (2009). Leptin administration favors muscle mass accretion by decreasing FoxO3a and increasing PGC-1\u03b1 in ob\/ob mice. PLoS ONE, 4.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0006808"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"426","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gde.2008.07.018","article-title":"Pgc-1 coactivators and skeletal muscle adaptations in health and disease","volume":"18","author":"Arany","year":"2008","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev."},{"key":"ref_40","first-page":"1030","article-title":"PGC-1\u03b1 is associated with C2C12 myoblast differentiation","volume":"9","author":"Lin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cent. Eur. J. Biol."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/9\/1\/33\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T18:25:27Z","timestamp":1760207127000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/9\/1\/33"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,1,4]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,1]]}},"alternative-id":["nu9010033"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu9010033","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,1,4]]}}}