EF-010 treated mice displayed less body weight gain, reduced accumulation of intra-abdominal fat, protected from non-alcoholic fatty acid liver accompanied by reducing serum hyperlipidemia. Regarding the molecular mechanism study, AMPK was activated by EF-010 in converted cells, and the browning effect could be reversed by AMPK inhibitor. Here we also show that EF-010 inhibits body weight gain, improves metabolic profiles, increases insulin sensitivity, enhances energy expenditure, stimulates adipose browning in WAT, decreases body size and WAT mass in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Further investigations shows that EF-010 increases the expression of beige adipocyte marker genes (CD137, TMEM26) and brown adipocyte marker genes (UCP1 PRDM16, PGC1α, PPARγ). Our findings provide novel insights into the application of EF-010 in regulating energy balance, and suggest a developmental utility of EF-010 in clinical use on obesity and related diseases.

AMPK plays a key role in regulating cell and systemic metabolism. It can be activated in liver cells, fat cells or muscle cells through exercise or starvation.  Therefore, through exercise or pharmacological activation of AMPK has become a potential way to reverse the metabolic abnormalities of obesity.  At present,our technology has completed the exclusive authorization of Biotech. Under the continuation and development of the Biotech Company, the product will carry out the production of raw material medicines, production and analysis of preparations, GLP toxicology tests, safety pharmacology tests, and PK tests. In the near future, it will soon apply for FDA registration with the US FDA and Taiwan TFDA for the purpose of entering the clinical trial and subsequent market development.

The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008 US dollars; the medical cost for people who have obesity was $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. OECD projections show a steady increase in obesity rates until at least 2030. Obesity levels are expected to be particularly high in the United States, Mexico and England, where 47%, 39% and 35% of the population respectively are projected to be obese in 2030. The level of obesity in France is projected to nearly match that of Spain, at 21% in 2030. EF-010 can increase AMPK and PGC-1α interaction, which shows that EF-010, a Chinese herb medicine that has a multiple function in fat browning to target obesity and obesity-related disease.