Novel weight-reducing activity of Galega officinalis in mice

Galega officinalis (galega, Goat's Rue, French Lilac) is well known for its hypoglycaemic action and has been used as part of a plant mixture in the t reatment of diabetes mellitus. During pharmacological investigations of an ethanolic extract of a powdered mixture of equal proportions of G. officina lis, Cressa cretica, Mangifera indica and Syzygium jambolanum, a weight red ucing effect of galega was discovered. In this study we have investigated t he novel weight reducing effect of galega in mice. Galega herb (10% w/w in the diet) caused a significant reduction in body we ight in both normal and genetically obese (ob/ob) animals treated for 28 da ys when compared with respective controls (P < 0 . 01). In normal mice, the weight loss was reversible and initially associated with a transient reduc tion in food intake but was then maintained even in the presence of increas ed eating above the control level. Pair-fed normal mice receiving galega fo r seven days also showed significant weight loss (P < 0 . 01, compared with the control) in the presence of increasing food intake. In sharp contrast, weight loss in galega-treated ob/ob mice was accompanied by a persistent r eduction in food intake over the 28-day treatment period. Post-mortem exami nations of all galega-treated mice revealed a striking absence of body fat. Serum glucose was significantly reduced in both strains of mice receiving galega for 28 days (P < 0 . 01), whereas serum insulin was significantly re duced only in obese mice (P < 0 . 01). In summary, together with its established hypoglycaemic effects, galega has a novel weight reducing action that, in normal mice, is largely independen t of a reduction in food intake. The mechanism of the weight reducing actio n of galega is unclear but involves loss of body fat.