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Celastrol, which is derived from the root of the tripterygium Wilfordi or the Thunder God Vine, has been showing promise in the war on obesity. Traditionally used for rheumatoid arthritis, heavy menstrual flows and muscular sclerosis and is an herb.
Besides being medically used in the treatment of the above-mentioned conditions, use has also included inflammation, the treatment of systemic lupus and the skin condition psoriasis. It is thought that it aids rheumatoid arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory elements.
It was once thought that obesity could be controlled by the hormone leptin, which can control the portion of the brain that rules hunger. However, patients may eventually develop leptin resistance and therefore creating problems with a leptin-centric diet. Leptin works in tangent with insulin. It may possibly be one of the key hormones in the body as it works through regulation of energy intake and expenditure. Leptin resistance is generally associated with obesity. This realization came to be through a better understanding of Leptin and its receptors.



Celastrol was found through silico drug screening procedures Celastrol that is a pentacyclic triterpene (found in most plants) and is derived from the tripterygium Wilfordi root. It controls the food intake by means of suppression while arresting the energy reduction. Celastrol has demonstrated a 45% loss of weight in the hyperleptinemic diet induced mice through the raising of the leptin levels. It does not however show promising results for leptin deficient mice.
There are side effects associated with the use of Thunder God Vine. Some of these side effects may be:
Stomach upset
Skin reactions
Missed menstrual periods
Diarrhea
Kidney problems
More problematic side effects may come by of the weakening of the immune system. Those with already weakened immune systems should not use Thunder God Vine in either of the 2 methods of use (application on the skin and by mouth). Studies of this use are not extensive enough to demonstrate its safety during breast-feeding. It has also been suggested that use of the Thunder God Vine may diminish bone strength and therefore is not advised for those with osteoporosis.
The use of Celastrol as an option for obesity has thus far only been researched on mice. Celastrol is available on various websites but its true effectiveness (medically) is not yet completely known. This is also true regarding the negative side effects. There is very little medical research and information on Thunder God Vine in general. Its medical uses thus far do not yet have enough information available as to demonstrate whether or not it is truly a successful compound, though a great deal of research is being done on Celastrol.
Because Thunder God Vine is thought to decrease the immune system: caution should be used if taking medications such as Imuran and Simulect that are known for their decreased immune system properties.
Celastrol at this time while promising for obesity still has unknown factors. If you decide to use Celastrol, do so under the supervision of a medical professional and avoid taking large doses.