Metabolic syndrome (MS) is one of the syndromes known as an underlying lifestyle-related diseases. Recently, the number of obese people keeps on increasing, and visceral fat accumulation has been reported as the most important risk factor for the development of MS. In this study, the effects of Daisaikoto, a Kampo preparation, on metabolic disorders were investigated using TSOD mice, an animal model of spontaneous obese type II diabetes.
Four-week-old TSOD mice that had not yet developed obesity and TSNO mice that do not develop metabolic disorders were given ad libitum powder feed containing Daisaikoto at a concentration of 1% or 3% for 2 months. After 2 months, the control TSOD mice developed various metabolic disorders such as marked obesity and visceral fat accumulation, increase of the blood glucose level, the insulin level, T-Cho level, TG level and LDL level, abnormal glucose tolerance, hypertension and neuropathy as distinct from the control TSNO mice. In the TSOD mice treated with Daisaikoto, the body weight gain and visceral fat accumulation were suppressed, and the abnormal glucose tolerance, elevation of blood pressure and peripheral neuropathy were also significantly suppressed. On the other hand, in TSNO mice, Daisaikoto showed no noteworthy impacts on most parameters. The above results suggested that Daisaikoto would be effective for the prevention against various symptoms of MS.