> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Celastrol may be the most potent anti-obesity agent
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/celastrol_antiobesity_0523150459/
- Published: 2015-05-23T17:59:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:45:04.000Z
- Description: In mice, celastrol, a compound from thunder god vine roots, suppressed food intake and produced 45% weight loss by restoring leptin sensitivity, and did nothing in mice lacking leptin or its receptor. The authors say clinical trials must still confirm efficacy and safety.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Obesity, Avoiding Illness, #vivvo-import

Saturday May 23, 2015 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new animal study published in the medical journal Cell suggests that a chemical compound called celastrol isolated from the roots of [Tripterygium Wilfordi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripterygium%5Fwilfordii?ref=foodconsumer.org) (thunder god vine) plant could be a potent anti-obesity supplement.

The study led by Junli, Liu and colleagues shows that celastrol suppresses food intake and blocks reduction of energy expenditure leading to 45% weight loss in hyperleptinemic diet-induce obese mice by sensitizing leptin.

Celastrol does not induce weight loss in mice with leptin-deficiency and leptin receptor deficiency suggesting that the compound causes weight loss by increasing leptin sensitivity.

Leptin is a hormone made by adipose cells that helps regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger. Leptin when used to treat obesity may cause leptin resistance, that is, leptin does not work as effectively as it is supposed to.

Celastrol can increase the sensitivity of leptin and the elevated sensitivity of leptin can drastically lower energy intake and prevent obesity or induce weight loss in obese individuals.

Still, this is an animal study and clinical trials need to be conducted to confirm the efficacy and safety of celastrol as an anti-obesity supplement. (David Liu)

Junli Liu, Jaemin Lee, Mario Andres Salazar Hernandez, Ralph Mazitschek, Umut Ozcan, Treatment of Obesity with Celastrol, Cell. Volume 161, Issue 5, p999–1011, 21 May 2015