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Tao Zhong [1] and Xiao-Yue Duan [1] and Hao Zhang [1] and Li Li [1] and Hong-Ping Zhang [1] and Lili Niu [1]

Academic Editor: Ming D. Li

Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China, sicau.edu.cn

Received Apr 7, 2017; Revised Jun 12, 2017; Accepted Jul 24, 2017

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

1. Introduction

Obesity is a global health priority and resistance to diet induced obesity has been studied in many animal models. A diet rich in sugar and containing up to 45% fat has been widely used to induce obesity in mice [1–3]. Scientists have found that some Chinese herbs like berberine, curcuma longa, and Sibiraea angustata could effectively ameliorate obesity by inhibiting the synthesis, growth, and accumulation of fatty acid in adipocytes [4–6]. The functions of Chinese herbs have been investigated in vivo in mouse models of high-fat-diet (HFD) induced obesity [7].

The root of Angelica sinensis (Chinese named Danggui), a well-known herbal medicine, has been historically used as a tranquilizer or a tonic agent [8, 9]. As a functional food, RAS can also be used for the amelioration of inflammation, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. Previous studies have shown that the Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP), the active chemical components of RAS, had hematopoietic effects in animal and cellular models [10]. Two acidic polysaccharides (APS-3b and APS-3c) significantly inhibited the growth of S180 tumors and increased the life span of S180 tumor-bearing mice [11]. Furthermore, the antioxidant effects of ASP could stimulate the endothelial production of nitric oxide and resist ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury [12].

The fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene has a relative effect on obesity [13]. FTO is located on chromosome 16 in humans and encodes a protein with a double-stranded b-helix fold, homologous to the members of the nonheme and 2-oxoglutarate oxygenase superfamily (which mainly impact the metabolism of fatty acid) [14]. Further, studies in humans and rodents suggested that FTO is involved in food intake regulation and lipid metabolism [15]. Histological studies revealed that the localization...
     
     

      

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