• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2020

Natural products are widely used due to their various biological activities which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-obesity effects. In this study, we determined the antioxidative and anti-obesity effects of Polygonum cuspidatum 50% ethanol extract (PEE). The antioxidative effect of PEE was evaluated using its radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, and reducing power. The anti-obesity effect of PEE was investigated using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The antioxidative activity of PEE was progressively increased in various concentrations, mainly due to the presence of phenolic compounds. PEE also alleviated lipid accumulation on 3T3-L1 adipocytes and downregulated the mRNA and protein production of adipogenesis-related (SREBP-1c, PPARγ, C/EBPα) and lipogenesis-related (aP2, FAS, ACC) markers. Furthermore, we found that the inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation via PEE was caused by the alleviation of NF-κB, p38 MAPK, ERK1/2, and JNK at the protein level. Taken together, our results imply that PEE is a potential antioxidant that can prevent obesity-associated disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.837-844
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• 2014

This study was carried out to analyze the differences in p-hydroxylbenzyl alcohol (HBA) content, antitumor and anti-obesity activities and tyrosinase inhibitory activity between non-fermented G. elata (NFGP) and fermented G. elata powder. The HBA content, which is an index-component of G. elata decreased from 1.58 mg/g before fermentation to 1.07, 0.32, and 0.13 mg/g after the $1^{st}$ fermentation ($1^{st}$ FGP), $2^{nd}$ fermentation ($2^{nd}$ FGP) and $3^{rd}$ fermentation ($3^{rd}$ FGP), respectively. The anti-proliferation effects on the cell lines HT29 and AGS were significantly higher for the fermented G. elata than the NFGP. The antitumor activity was also increased in a fermentation number-dependent manner. During adipocyte differentiation, the ethanol extract of the $3^{rd}$ FGP inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells significantly better than NFGP and the $1^{st}$ FGP, treated at the concentration of $10{\mu}g/mL$. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the $2^{nd}$ FGP at $600{\mu}g/mL$ over was higher than that of kojic acid. At the concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$, the tyrosinase inhibitory activity was increased in a fermentation number-dependent manner. From these results, the fermented G. elata, especially the $3^{rd}$ FGP, is expected to be good candidate for the development of functional food and agents with antitumor, anti-obesity, and tyrosinase inhibitory potential.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2024

In this study, we aimed to verify the anti-obesity activity of R. acicularis leaves (RAL) and elucidate its mechanism of action in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. RAL dose-dependently inhibited the accumulation of lipid droplets and triacylglycerol. RAL did not affect cell proliferation and survival in undifferentiated 3T3-L1 cells, but it inhibited cell proliferation in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. RAL increased ATGL, p-HSL, and HSL, and decreased perilipin-1 in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, RAL reduced lipid droplet accumulation and increased free glycerol content in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. RAL increased ATGL and HSL in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Also, RAL increased p-AMPK, PPARγ, UCP-1, and PGC-1α in differentiating 3T3-L1 cells. AMPK inhibition by compound C attenuated RAL-mediated increase of ATGL, HSL, PPARγ, and UCP-1 in 3T3-L1 cells. Taken together, it is thought that RAL may inhibit lipid accumulation through lipolysis and thermogenesis via the activation of AMPK in adipocytes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.888-895
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• 2017

Salsola collina (S. collina) is an annual plant widely distributed in drought and semi-drought areas, which has been used for a long time as a kind of folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Previously, the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities of S. collina were elucidated in our research group. In this study, the anti-obesity activities of S. collina ethanol extract (SCEE) were evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and cell culture model. The results showed that SCEE effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride (TG) content, and triggered lipolysis on insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Its anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene, as well as protein expressions. Taken together, these results offer the important new insight that S. collina possesses anti-obesity properties, such as pancreatic lipase inhibition and anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects through the modulation of their upstream signaling pathway. It could become a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals, and the identification of active compounds that confer the biological activities of SCEE may be needed.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2023.04a
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• pp.55-55
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• 2023

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increasing interest in anti-obesity strategies. According to the National Statistical Office, the obesity rate in Korea was 38.3% in 2020 and 37.1% in 2021. Obesity is a risk factor for several severe diseases, including stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Pinus rigida × Pinus taeda is a hybrid of Pinus rigida Mill and Pinus taeda Linn, and its cones are considered a by-product. Although previous studies have investigated their pharmacological effects on antioxidant activity and protection against oxidative DNA damage, few researchers have explored their potential as functional natural materials. Therefore, we evaluated the anti-obesity effects of the cone of ethyl acetate fraction of P. rigida × P. taeda (ERT), specifically its ability to inhibit lipid accumulation. Our analysis showed that ERT contains phytochemicals (catechin and caffeic acid) which are known to improve immune function and inhibit cell damage. ERT inhibited lipid droplet accumulation at the cellular levels through Oil Red O staining. Furthermore, ERT suppressed the expression of adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ and CEBP/α) as well as downstream lipogenic target genes (FAS and SREBP-1) thereby inhibiting adipogenesis. ERT also down-regulated key adipogenic markers, including aP2α, while inducing the phosphorylation of AMPK. It has been reported that PPARγ and CEBP/α are expressed in the early stages of adipose differentiation, while SREBP-1 is expressed in the late stage. Therefore, our findings suggest that ERT activates AMPK signaling pathways, which inhibits adipogenic transcription factors (PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1) and lipogenic genes (FAS and aP2α), thereby blocking lipid accumulation and preventing obesity and related disorders. ERT showed potential as a new resource for developing a functional material for anti-obesity agents.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.269-275
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• 2021

The in vitro anti-obesity activity of 12 species of tree sprouts in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and the mechanisms underlying their activity were evaluated. (+)-Catechin and quercetin concentrations in the sprouts were analyzed by HPLC/UV at 270 and 254 nm, respectively. Euonymus alatus (EAT) and Fraxinus mandschuria (FMS) extracts at doses of 50 and 100 ㎍/mL inhibited the accumulation of lipid droplets in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, EAT and FMS downregulated the expression of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α, adipogenesis-related proteins peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and adipocyte P-2α in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Tree sprouts with an abundant flavonoid content exerted the highest anti-obesity activity. Concentrations of total flavonoids were the highest in FMS (24.281 mg/g DW) sprouts. These findings could be used to develop health-promoting functional foods or supplements derived from tree sprouts.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.554-569
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• 2018

This study aimed to investigate the physiological characteristics and anti-obesity effects of Lactobacillus plantarum K10. The ${\alpha}-amylase$ inhibitory activity, ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ inhibitory activity, and lipase inhibitory activity of L. plantarum K10 was $94.66{\pm}4.34%$, $99.78{\pm}0.12%$, and $87.40{\pm}1.41%$, respectively. Moreover, the strain inhibited the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells ($32.61{\pm}8.32%$) at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$. In order to determine its potential for use as a probiotic, we investigated the physiological characteristics of L. plantarum K10. L. plantarum K10 was resistant to gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, vancomycin, and chloramphenicol. It also showed higher Leucine arylamidase, Valine arylamidase, and ${\beta}-galactosidase$ activities. Moreover, it was comparatively tolerant to bile juice and acid, exhibiting resistance to Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus with rates of 90.71%, 11.86%, 14.19%, and 23.08%, respectively. The strain did not produce biogenic amines and showed higher adhesion to HT-29 cells compared to L. rhamnosus GG. As a result of the animal study, L. plantarum K10 showed significantly lower body weight compared to the high-fat diet group. The administration of L. plantarum K10 resulted in a reduction of subcutaneous fat mass and mesenteric fat mass compared to the high-fat diet (HFD) group. L. plantarum K10 also showed improvement in gut permeability compared to the HFD positive control group. These results demonstrate that L. plantarum K10 has potential as a probiotic with anti-obesity effects.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.385-389
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• 2022

In this study, we measured the inhibitory activity of Pinus densiflora leaf (PDL) against excessive lipid accumulation in mouse preadipocyte, 3T3-L1 cells to investigate whether PDL exerts anti-obesity activity. Lipid accumulation and the protein level were measured using Oil red O staining assay and Western blot analysis, respectively. We observed that PDL inhibited excessive lipid accumulation and decreased the expression of CEBPα, PPARγ and perilipin-1 related to lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. Therefore, considering these results, PDL can be used as a potential agent for anti-obesity.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.69-79
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the anti-obesity effects of raw and pickled garlic in vitro in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Methods: The pickled garlic samples comprised the following: garlic aged in vinegar (VG), garlic aged in soy sauce, and vinegar (1:1, v/v) (PG) and raw garlic (RG) as control. Hexane, butanol, and distilled water were used to prepare the fractions. The pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity was used as a measure of anti-obesity effects of the extracts. The lipid droplet accumulation and triglyceride content in the 3T3-L1 cells were measured using Oil red O staining and triglyceride assay kits, respectively. The adipogenesis related protein expression levels were analyzed using the kits and the western blot method. Results: The pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of the garlic extracts (VG, PG, RG) was the highest in the butanol fraction, and the inhibitory effect was the highest in RG, followed by PG and VG. All garlic butanol extracts suppressed triglyceride accumulation in differentiated adipocytes (P<0.05) through the activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP), AMP-activated protein kinase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1, and the inhibition of fatty acid synthase. Raw garlic extracts significantly inhibited the expression of proteins involved in adipogenesis as compared to pickled garlic. Conclusions: Raw garlic has the potential to be an effective natural material for reducing obesity compared to pickled garlic with vinegar or soy sauce.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.290-297
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the dietary effects of chitosan mixture (CM), an herbal medicine mixture with Sukjihwang (HS), and CM containing HS (CHS) on obesity in an induced obese model of rats fed high-fat only (HF), in which supplemented diets of 5% CM (HCM), 5% HS (HHS), or 2.5% CM-2.5% HS (HCH) was tested for 6 weeks. Body weight gains, obesity indexes, and body fat contents in the experimental groups (HCM, HHS, HCH) were decreased compared with HF group. The levels of serum triglyceride, total lipid, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in the experimental groups were markedly decreased, however HDL-cholesterol levels in the experimental groups were slightly increased compared with HF group. In addition, although serum ALT and AST activity, and relative organ weights were lower than those of HF group, serum albumin contents were not significantly different in all experimental groups including the normal control group (NC). In conclusion, there are improved effects on obesity in the obese model of animals with all experimental diets supplementations, and the improvement degrees on obesity depend on the content and compositions of the herbal medicine mixture. Further study is needed on the anti-obesity mechanism of these diets.