Objective: To explore the relationship and mechanism about brown adipose tissue

uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)

high fatty diet and Chinese herbal decoction during the process of energy metabolism. Method : Rats were divided into four groups (n=16 each). ①Control group was fed with ordinary food

also ig given 0.9% NaCl 10 g ·kg-1 during d70-d98 daily. The ability of ISO deducing heat generating was tested on d98

and the curve of the rectal temperature was monitored

and the peak within two hours and the area under the curve were determined. ②Yang deficiency syndrome group: the same procedure was carried out as the control group except removing brown adipose tissue on d42. ③Spleen yang deficiency syndrome group: the same procedure was carried out as the yang deficiency syndrome group except of being fed with high fatty diet (including 83% ordinary diet

15% triglycerides

2% cholesterol) from d49 to d98 and placed in 19 ℃ environment every other day.④Chinese herbal decoction group: the same procedure was carried out as the spleen yang deficiency syndrome group except giving 4 g ·kg-1 ig daily with Aconitum Lizhong decoction and the body weight was measured every week.The index of the weight growth rate

the peak of temperature and the area under the temperature curve were all investigated. The content of UCP1 was determined by using brown adipose tissue. Result: ①Weight growth rate: compared with yang deficiency syndrome group

weight growth rate in spleen yang deficiency syndrome group was lower(P<0.01); compared with spleen yang deficiency syndrome group

weight growth rate was higher in the Chinese herbal decoction group (P<0.01).②Temperature: compared with yang deficiency syndrome group

the temperature peak of heat generating in spleen yang deficiency syndrome group was higher(P<0.01); compared with spleen yang deficiency syndrome group

temperature peak of heat generating was higher in Chinese herbal decoction group (P<0.01). There was a positive correlation between weight growth rate and temperature peak of heat generating.③Area under the temperature curve: Compared with yang deficiency syndrome group

the area in spleen yang deficiency syndrome group was increased (P<0.01); compared with spleen yang deficiency syndrome group

the area was increased in Chinese herbal decoction group (P<0.01). There appeared a positive correlation between weight growth rate and area under the temperature curve. Compared with yang deficiency syndrome group and spleen yang deficiency syndrome group

Chinese herbal decoction group up-regulated content of UCP1

and the difference was highly significant (P<0.01). Conclusion :Chinese herbal decoction with function of heat generating and tonifying spleen is inclined to make high fatty diet turn into brown adipose tissue and advance its activity. Chinese herbal decoction with function of warming middle energizer and tonifying spleen can upgrade level and expression of UCP1 in brown adipose tissue

and then make brown adipose tissue decomposed by the mechanism of uncoupling with UCP1

finally dispelling coldness from the bodies in the rats with yang deficiency syndrome.