An ursolic acid-enriched Cynomorium songarium extract attenuates high fat diet-induced obesity in mice possibly through mitochondrial uncoupling

• Cynomorium songarium extract reduces body weight and white fat pads in HFD-fed mice.
• The extract induces mitochondrial uncoupling in skeletal muscle.
• The extract ameliorates HFD-induced glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia and fatty liver.

It has previously been demonstrated that HCY2, an ursolic acid-enriched fraction derived from Cynomorii Herba, induced mitochondrial uncoupling in heart, liver and kidney tissues of rats. In the present study, we investigated whether HCY2 co-treatment can reduce the body weight in high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice by virtue of mitochondrial uncoupling in skeletal muscle. The results showed that HCY2 co-treatment significantly reduced the body weight gain and white fat pads in HFD-fed mice. The weight reduction effect of HCY2 was associated with the induction of mitochondrial uncoupling in skeletal muscle, amelioration of HFD-induced hyperglycaemia and impairment in glucose tolerance as well as dyslipidaemia and fatty liver in HFD-fed mice. It is likely that HCY2 reduces body weight by increasing energy expenditure, presumably via mitochondrial uncoupling in skeletal muscle. HCY2 may therefore offer a promising prospect in preventing obesity and the associated metabolic syndrome and health consequences.