Bionovo Inc., of Emeryville, Calif., published preclinical data showing use of either estrogen or Bionovo's botanically derived tissue selective estrogen receptor modulators resulted in weight loss in mouse models of postmenopausal obesity. However, Bionovo's compounds did not adversely affect the breast or uterus, while estrogen stimulated proliferation of cells in the mammary gland and uterus. The data were published in the Journal of the Public Library of Science One.