• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.586-592
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• 2010

This study investigated the effects of Stevia rebaudian bertoni leaf extract on lipid profiles in C57BL/6J mice, as compared to stevioside. Fourty mice were divided into four groups: NC (normal diet and DW), HC (high fat diet and DW), HLSV (high fat diet and stevia leaf extract, 1 mL/kg/day), and HSS (high fat diet and stevioside, 1 mL/kg/day). Serum triglyceride concentrations were significantly lower in the HLSV and HSS groups than in the HC group. Epididymal fat pad weights were significantly lower in the HLSV and HSS groups than in the HC group. We also evaluated the serum and liver carnitine levels (NEC, AIAC, ASAC, TCNE) of all the groups. These results were supported by the mRNA expression of enzymes related to lipid metabolism (ACC, PPAR${\alpha}$, ACS, CPT-I) assessed by RT-PCR. Overall, the results show the antiobesity effects of stevia leaf extract as compared to stevioside in high fat diet induced obese mice.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.103-108
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• 2010

To obtain the best yield of the beneficial ingredients in green tea, such as catechins, green tea powder is most often prepared by ethyl alcohol extraction. However, the taste, cost and composition of ethyl alcohol extract is different from aqueous spray-dried green tea extract (aq-GTE). Specifically, aq-GTE has a better flavor, lower production costs and higher purity when compared to ethyl alcohol extract. In this study, we elucidated the effect of aq-GTE on diet-induced obesity in male C57BL/6J mice following dose-dependent oral administration of aq-GTE. After eight weeks, the body weight was reduced by 13-17% in mice fed 200 mg/kg bw aq-GTE ($12.468{\pm}0.45\;g$; p<0.05) and 20-25% in mice fed 400 mg/kg bw aq-GTE ($11.259{\pm}0.61\;g$; p<0.05) when compared with the high-fat diet (HFD) control group mice ($14.714{\pm}0.95\;g$; p<0.05). The correlation between epididymal fat accumulation and body weight also decreased by approximately 26.6% (p<0.05) in mice fed a HFD with aq-GTE 400 mg/kg bw. Finally, serum parameters such as the triglyceride, glucose and cholesterol levels in the HFD groups were reduced by the aq-GTE 400 mg/kg bw diet. Analysis on glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, blood urea nitrogen and development of hepatic steatosis revealed no histologic evidence of hepatotoxicity in HFD mice fed aq-GTE. Overall, our results imply that aq-GTE is able to regulate body weight and fat accumulation in mice.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.163-167
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• 2014

This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Enterococcus faecalis MD366, isolated from raw milk, in diet-induced obese mice. To examine the effect, male C57BL/6J mice were fed for six weeks on three different diets, i.e., a normal diet and orally administrated saline solution (ND), a high-fat diet and orally administrated saline solution (HFD), and a high-fat diet and orally administrated E. faecalis MD366 ($10^9CFU/day$) in saline solution (HFD+MD366). After six weeks, the rate of increase in body weight was 18.1% lower in the HFD+MD366 group compared to that in the HFD group. In addition, the weight of epididymal fat pad in the HFD+MD366 group was lower than that in the HFD group. The average levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were slightly reduced in the HFD+MD366 group compared to those in the HFD group. However, there were no significant differences between the groups. Measuring the adipocytes revealed that the percentage of adipocytes with a size of $2,000{\mu}m^2$ was higher than the percentages of other size classes in ND and HFD+MD366 groups, while the percentage of adipocytes larger than $5,000{\mu}m^2$ was highest in the HFD group. The mean adipocyte size in the HFD+MD366 group was smaller than that in the HFD group.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.12
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• pp.1739-1744
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• 2010

In this study, the bioactivities of ethanol (EEAR) and water extract (WEAR) from the leaf of Aceriphyllum rossii were investigated. In the anti-oxidative activity, IC50 of DPPH radical scavenging activity was respectively 549.86 and $62.14{\mu}g$/mL by EEAR and WEAR. Anti-inflammatory activity of EEAR and WEAR has been evaluated on inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) release by the macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. EEAR and WEAR inhibited inflammatory by 5.58 and 16.85% in 10 mg/mL, respectively. In the anti-diabetic activity, $IC_{50}$ of $\alpha$-glucosidase inhibitory activity was 5.62 and $425.63{\mu}g$/mL by EEAR and WEAR. $IC_{50}$ of $\alpha$-amylase inhibitory activity of EEAR and WEAR was 4,623.87 and over $10,000{\mu}g$/mL, respectively. In the anti-obesity, all lipase inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$) of EEAR and WEAR was up $10,000{\mu}g$/mL. Finally, EEAR and WEAR exhibited anti-oxidative and anti-diabetic activity. It suggests that Aceriphyllum rossii could be potentially used as a resource of bioactive materials for health functional foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2020

Distylium racemosum is an evergreen tree growing wild on Jeju Island, which has been reported to exert biological activity. Obesity is induced by genetic, metabolic, environmental, and other factors. Among these, certain bacterial and viral infections have been shown to cause obesity, which is known as infectobesity. Human adenovirus (HAdV)-36 is one of the viruses that are known to cause infectobesity in humans. Unlike extensive research on preventing obesity and developing anti-obesity drugs, little research has been conducted specifically on the prevention and treatment of infectobesity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of phytochemicals from D. racemosum on the replication of HAdV-36. A549 cells infected with HAdV-36 were treated with an ethyl acetate fraction of a D. racemosum leaf extract (DRE), and the virus titer was calculated based on the hemagglutination (HA) titer. The results showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of DRE treatment on HA titers. DRE treatment was also found to inhibit the cytopathic effects of the virus and the expression of viral genes. Quercitrin was identified as the constituent of DRE exerting an inhibitory effect on HAdV-36 replication. This study shows that DRE can be used as a candidate substance for the development of treatment for HAdV-36 infections. In addition, this study provides a basis to further investigate DRE for the development of anti-infectobesity medication.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2016

It has been generally accepted that obesity and overweight are associated with metabolic diseases and cancer incidence. In fact, obesity increased risks of cancers i.e. breast, liver, pancreatic and prostate. Celastrol is a pentacyclic triterpenoid isolated from Thunder god vine, was used as a Chinese traditional medicine for treatment of inflammatory disorders such as arthritis, lupus erythematosus and Alzheimer's disease. Also, celastrol has various biological properties of chemo-preventive, neuro-protective, and anti-oxidant effects. Recent studies demonstrated that celastrol has anti-proliferation effects in different type of obesity-related cancers and suppresses tumor progression and metastasis. Anticancer effects of celastrol include regulation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, heat shock protein, JNK, VEGF, CXCR4, Akt/mTOR, MMP-9 and so on. For these reasons, celastrol has shown to be a promising anti-tumor agent. In this review, we will address the anticancer activities and multiple mechanisms of celastrol in obesity-related cancers.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.67-73
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Lespedeza Caneata (LC) extracts on atopic dermatitis. For the experiment, mice were divided into a normal group, an AD group, and AD-LC groups (100 mg/Kg, 300 mg/Kg, and 500 mg/Kg). For the AD and AD-LC groups, 1% DNCB $200{\mu}{\ell}$ was applied at a hair-removed site for 2 weeks, and then 0.1% DNCB $150{\mu}{\ell}$ was applied every 2 days for 4 weeks. Skin thickness is a symptom of atopic dermatitis, and in this experiment, the AD group had the thickest skins, and the AD-LC group (500 mg/Kg) had the same skin thickness as the normal group. Mast cells show inflammatory reaction, and in this experiment, the AD group had the largest number of mast cells. Collagen fibers are usually observed on normal skins, and in this experiment, the AD-LC group (500 mg/Kg) had a uniform level of those fibers. Based on the study results, it turned out that LC extracts have the anti-atopic efficacy improving keratinization, erosion, and uredo.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.341-348
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• 2014

We investigated the anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of extracts of two roasted coffee beans (Vietnam robusta and Ethiopia mocha sidamo G2) and fermented coffee beans with Monascus rubber mycelium (MR) by solid-state culture. C57B/L6 mice were divided into seven groups: normal diet (ND) group, high fat diet (HFD) group, and HFD groups with hot water extracts from Vietnam robusta coffee beans (HFD-VR), MR-fermented Vietnam robusta coffee beans (HFD-VR-MR), MR-fermented Vietnam robusta coffee beans with 10% brown rice (HFD-VR-MR-BR10), Ethiopia mocha sidamo G2 coffee beans (HFD-ES), and MR-fermented Ethiopia mocha sidamo G2 coffee beans (HFD-ES-MR). After 6 weeks, body weight gain and food efficiency ratio were higher in the HFD group, but significantly reduced in the coffee extracts-fed groups. The HFD-ES-MR group showed greater body weight reduction than the HFD-ES group. The serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels as well as the atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor all tended to decrease in groups fed Vietnam robusta coffee extracts compared to the HFD group. These results suggest that Vietnam robusta and Ethiopia mocha sidamo G2 may be used to make functional coffee beverages with anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic activities.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.602-611
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• 2008

We compared antiobese, hypocholesterolemic, antiplatelet and antioxidant effect of 10% green tea powder and 3% green tea extract in rats pair fed 5% cholesterol diets. The final body weight was decreased significantly compared with the control (p < 0.05). Plasma and liver total cholesterol were lower in group of green tea powder or extract, but not statistically different. HDL cholesterol was increased significantly in group of green tea powder compared with the control or green tea extract (p < 0.05). Plasma triglyceride was significantly decreased in group of green tea extract compared with green tea powder, and green tea powder compared with the control respectively (p < 0.05). Liver triglyceride was significantly decreased in group of green tea powder or green tea extract compared with the control (p < 0.01). Platelet aggregations in the maximum and initial slope were not different among groups. Hemolysis was significantly lower in group of green tea powder compared with the control (p < 0.05). Plasma TBARS production was decreased in group of green tea extract compared with the control (p < 0.05). Na passive leak in intact cells was not different, but Na leak in AAPH treated cell was significantly decreased in group of green tea powder than the control (p < 0.05). The leak increase (${\Delta}Na$ Leak) after AAPH treatment was significantly decreased in groups of green tea powder and extract compared with the control (p < 0.05). Isotope excretion after $^{14}C$-cholesterol ingestion was significantly increased in group of green tea extract compared with the control or the green tea powder (p < 0.05). Consumption of green tea in powder or extract may give beneficial effects in weight control and plasma lipid profiles, impeding metabolic syndrome. More studies are needed to clarify what component of green tea and what mechanism are involved in antiobese and hypolipedemic actions of green tea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.713-722
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• 2024

Zanthoxylum schinifolium Siebold et Zuccarini, which belongs to the Rutaceae family, has been widely used as a spice and medicinal herb in East Asian countries, such as Korea, China, and Japan. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity mechanism of the methanol extract from the leaves of Z. schinifolium (MEZS). Using the 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte model, our findings showed that MEZS significantly inhibited adipocyte differentiation and fat formation induced by adipocyte differentiation inducer in a dose-dependent manner. MEZS' anti-obesity effects could be attributed to their ability to block the expression of adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα), and C/EBPβ, and adipocyte-specific genes, such as adipocyte-specific lipid binding protein, leptin, and fatty acid synthase. MEZS also attenuated the activation of the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway, and when the PI3K/Akt pathway was artificially blocked, the inhibitory effect of MEZS on adipocyte differentiation and fat formation was further enhanced. Furthermore, MEZS blocked the generation of reactive oxygen species in differentiated adipocytes, which was associated with the activation of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and induction of Nrf2 downstream proteins, such as heme oxygenase 1 and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1. Although analysis of the physiologically active substances contained in MEZS and validation in animal models are required, the results of this study suggest that the extract of Z. schinifolium leaves has excellent potential as a food or pharmaceutical material with anti-obesity effects.