Page 251 - 2025中醫藥與天然藥物聯合學術研討會-中醫藥與天然藥物的挑戰Ｘ機遇與未來大會手冊

PP-68

SH003 reduces high-fat diet-induced myosteatosis through gut microbiota-

associated effects

2
2
2
#,1
2
Hye-Lin Kim, Mina Boo, Hyunyoung Choi, Suhyeon An, HyunSoo Yang, Jae Heon
1,2
1
,3
2
Sim, Dong-Hyun Youn, Jinbong Park, Seong-Gyu Ko*

1 Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul,
Republic of Korea
2 Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul,
Republic of Korea
3 Korean Medicine-Based Drug Repositioning Cancer Research Center, Seoul, Republic of
Korea
* E-mail: epiko@khu.ac.kr

Abstract
SH003, a standardized herbal formula composed of Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica
gigas, and Trichosanthes kirilowii, has known anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects.
However, its impact on skeletal muscle lipid metabolism (myosteatosis) and gut microbiota
remains largely unexplored. The anti-adipogenic effects of SH003 were assessed in 3T3-L1
adipocytes using Oil Red O staining. For in vivo studies, C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat
diet (HFD) for 4 weeks to induce obesity, followed by 6 weeks of SH003 administration. Body
weight, oral glucose tolerance (OGTT), and intramuscular lipid accumulation were evaluated.
Gut microbiome composition was analyzed in HFD and normal diet mice with or without
SH003 treatment. SH003 treatment dose-dependently inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1
cells and modulated serum-mediated adipogenic signals. In HFD-fed mice, SH003 reduced
body weight gain, improved glucose tolerance, and significantly attenuated intramuscular lipid
deposition, indicating alleviation of myosteatosis. Microbiome profiling revealed enrichment
of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing taxa in SH003-treated mice, suggesting that gut
microbiota modulation may contribute to systemic metabolic benefits. SH003 mitigates HFD-
induced metabolic dysfunction and myosteatosis by reducing adipogenesis and improving
skeletal muscle lipid metabolism. These findings highlight a potential link between herbal
intervention, gut microbiota composition, and muscle lipid homeostasis, providing a foundation
for future research on dietary or herbal strategies targeting metabolic health.

Keywords: SH003; Myosteatosis; Gut microbiome; Short-chain fatty acids; High-fat diet