Traditional Korean medicine theory based-therapeutic potential of Gung-Gwi-Tang on postpartum obesity: psychosocial aspects of postpartum obesity

Obesity is psychological and socioeconomic problems as well as health problems related to physical disease and disorder. The obesity epidemic, including a marked increase in the prevalence of obesity among pregnant women, represents a critical public health problem throughout the world. Gung-Gui-Tang (GGT), a prescription of traditional Korean medicine, has been used to treat dizziness due to loss of blood as well as static blood after childbirth. However, the therapeutic potential of GGT on postpartum obesity has not been fully elucidated in an experimental model. In our research, GGT inhibited the increases of body weight and adipose tissues in postpartum mice fed a high-fat diet. GGT also inhibited the elevations of plasma lipid profiles such as triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and glutamate pyruvate transaminase. Overall, these results provide evidence that GGT can help to inhibit postpartum obesity and open new perspective to recover the shape of mother into the moment of conception.