Eucommia ulmoides Oliver leaf extract (ELE) has been shown to have 
anti-hypertensive and anti-obesity effects in rats that are fed a high-fat diet 
(HFD). To explore the effects of chronic administration of ELE on body weight, 
blood pressure and aortic media thickness, 7-week-old male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) 
rats were orally administered a normal diet, a 30% HFD, or a 5% ELE plus HFD ad 
libitum for 10 weeks. The HFD treatment caused mild obesity and hypertension in 
the normotensive rats, while rats receiving both ELE and the HFD had 
significantly lower body weights, less visceral and perirenal fat, lower blood 
pressure and thinner aortic media than the control rats receiving the HFD only. 
The plasma adiponectin/leptin ratio also improved in ELE-treated rats. Although 
plasma leptin levels were elevated in all HFD rats, adiponectin levels increased 
only in the ELE-treated rats. Anti-hypertensive and anti-obesity effects may be 
caused by the geniposidic acid (GEA) and/or asperuloside present in ELE. These 
findings suggest that chronic ELE administration prevents aortic media 
hypertrophy in early-stage obesity with hypertension. Long-term administration 
of ELE might inhibit the development of arteriosclerosis.