• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.1043-1053
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• 2013

We investigated the ability of soybean curd residue (SCR) and its fermented products to inhibit obesity and improve the blood lipid profiles of obese mice fed a high-fat diet. Samples were prepared by fermenting SCR with Aspergillus oryzae var effuses KACC 44990 (ASCR), a microbe used for the fermentation of traditional Korean Meju, and with Monascus pilosus IFO 4480 (MSCR), a microbe used for the production of red rice. In addition, AMSCR, a mixture composed of equal amounts of ASCR and MSCR, was also prepared. Male mice were divided into six groups and fed with either a normal diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with SCR, ASCR, MSCR, or AMSCR. After 8 weeks, body weight gain, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, and the activities of enzymes that generate or scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated. Compared with the high-fat diet group, all the test groups showed a significant reduction in body, organ, and epididymal fat weight gain. These effects were observed with supplements in the order AMSCR>ASCR>MSCR>SCR. Similarly, supplements of test samples reduced high levels of serum and hepatic triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol caused by hight-fat diet, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was increased. Interestingly, the ability of ASCR to lower serum TG was stronger than that of MSCR, while MSCR showed a stronger hypocholesterolemic effect than ASCR. Meanwhile, AMSCR returned comprehensively serum lipid levels to normal. In addition, hepatic damage was prevented with effects in the order AMSCR>ASCR>MSCR>SCR. Hepatic ROS generating system including xanthine oxidase (XO) and ROS scavenging system including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were recovered to normal level by all test diets. In conclusion, this study suggests that SCR and its fermented products can inhibit obesity and improve lipid profiles.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2015

Myelophycus simplex Papenfuss is distributed over the northern Pacific and southern coast of Korea, and is a member of the brown algae family. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of M. simplex methanol extract on adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Treatment with M. simplex methanol extract significantly suppressed terminal differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by a decrease in lipid droplet content observed by Oil Red O staining. Also, the M. simplex methanol extract significantly suppressed the triglyceride content of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 300 and $500{\mu}g/ml$ of M. simplex methanol extract caused a 42% and 76% reduction in lipid droplet content, respectively. In order to understand the anti-adipogenic effects of M. simplex methanol extract, the changes in the expression of several adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\gamma}$-cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$, were investigated using immunoblotting. M. simplex suppressed the expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$, $C/EBP{\alpha}$, and $C/EBP{\beta}$ proteins compared with control. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that M. simplex methanol extract inhibits adipocyte differentiation and thus may have applications as a potential source for an anti-obesity functional food agent.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.969-974
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory activity of Ecklonia cava (EC) against lipase and the stability of this activity under various heat and pH conditions. As a result, EC ethanol extract showed lipase inhibitory activity of 59, 34 and 19% at concentrations of 5, 2.5 and 1 mg/mL, whereas the water extract showed low inhibitory activity at all concentrations compared to that of the ethanol extracts. In a heat and pH stability test, the inhibitory activity of the EC ethanol extract increased with heat treatment at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min compared with the control and was stable in the pH range of 2~10. Therefore, the EC ethanol extract could be useful as a natural anti-obesity agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1052-1058
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• 2017

Gelidium amansii shows antioxidant and anti-obesity effects; however, the effect on postprandial blood glucose levels is not known. The objective of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of Gelidium amansii extract (GAE) on carbohydrate-digesting enzymes and its ability to alleviate postprandial hyperglycemia in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Gelidium amansii was extracted with 80% ethanol and concentrated for use in this study. The ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and ${\alpha}-amylase$ inhibition assays were performed using the colorimetric method. ICR normal and STZ-induced diabetic mice were orally administered GAE (300 mg/kg body weight) or acarbose (100 mg/kg body weight) alone or soluble starch (2 g/kg body weight). Blood samples were taken from the tail vein at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min. Our results indicated that GAE markedly inhibited ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and ${\alpha}-amylase$ activities with $IC_{50}$ values of $0.099{\pm}0.009mg/ml$ and $0.178{\pm}0.038mg/ml$, respectively, and was a more effective inhibitor than acarbose, the positive control. Further, the postprandial blood glucose levels of STZ-induced diabetic mice in the GAE-administered group were significantly lower than those of control group mice (p<0.05). Moreover, the area under the curves (AUC) significantly decreased with GAE administration in STZ-induced diabetic mice (p<0.05). These results indicate that GAE may be effective in decreasing postprandial blood glucose levels by inhibiting carbohydrate-digesting enzymes such as ${\alpha}-amylase$ and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$. Therefore, GAE could be used as a potential functional food for alleviating postprandial hyperglycemia.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.186-196
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated inhibitory effect of red sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) on triglyceride biosynthesis in Rhodosporidium toruloides. There was no significant difference in the total lipid content of all the experimental groups including 0.02, 0.1 and 0.5% (w/v) of red sweet pepper 70% ethanol extract treatment (RSPE). However, the triglyceride content was significantly decreased in RSPE group campared to the control group. When the formation of lipid droplet in the oleaginous yeast was examined, a small amount of fluorescence was observed compared to the control as the concentration of RSPE increased. The number of cells and free fatty acid increased in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that RSPE has an anti-obesity effect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2009

This study investigated the beneficial effects of crude saponins from soybean cake on body weight and glucose tolerance in high-fat (37% calories from fat) diet fed C57BL/6 mice. The mice were supplemented with three doses of saponins (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, wt/wt) and 1.0% Garcinia cambogia (wt/wt), positive control for 9 weeks. The body weight, visceral fat weight and epididymal adipocyte area were significantly reduced in the saponin supplemented groups in a dose dependent manner compared to the high-fat group. Saponins did not significantly affect food intake; however, cambogia significantly lowered food intake compared to the high-fat fed control group. The crude saponins from soybean cake supplement significantly lowered plasma leptin, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, whereas they significantly elevated the fecal excretion of triglyceide in a dose dependent manner compared to the high-fat group. Cambogia did not affect the fecal excretion of lipid in the diet-induced obese mice. Supplementation of 1.5% saponin reduced the hepatic triglyceride content compared to the high-fat group. High-fat induced glucose intolerance with the elevation of blood glucose levels compared to the normal group; however, the saponins supplement significantly improved postprandial glucose levels. After 9 weeks of being fed a high-fat diet, the mice presented with significantly increased activities of hepatic fatty acid synthase and fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation; however, saponins and cambogia normalized these activities. These results indicate that saponins from soybean cake exhibit a potential anti-obesity effect and may prevent glucose intolerance by reducing body weight and plasma lipids, increasing fecal lipid excretion and regulating hepatic lipid metabolism in high-fat fed mice.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.81-89
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• 2019

This study was performed to confirm the influence of chlorogenic acid (CGA) and 3,5-dicaffeyolquinic acid (3,5-diCQA) intake on problems caused by high-fat diet. CGA was more effective in suppressing weight gain than 3,5-diCQA. In contrast, 3,5-diCQA was more effective in improving glucose tolerance than CGA. In the biopsy, it was confirmed that CGA inhibited visceral fat and liver fat accumulation. 3,5-diCQA also inhibited visceral fat accumulation, but 3,5-diCQA increased liver fat accumulation. The liver fat accumulation induced oxidative stress, but 3,5-diCQA reduced oxidative damage through its antioxidant activity. The increased liver fat accumulation was because a 3,5-diCQA greatly increased Akt phosphorylation and decreased AMPK phosphorylation in the liver. Consequently, CGA was effective in alleviating the problems caused by high-fat diets, while maintaining normal balance. 3,5-diCQA also showed a positive effect on problems caused by high-fat diets, but it increased liver fat accumulation and thereby had negative consequences.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.855-864
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• 2022

The pharmacological efficacy of Dipterocarpus tuberculatus Roxb. has been verified in only several fields including photoaging, inflammation, hepatotoxicity, acute gastritis and osseointegration. To identify the novel functions of Dipterocarpus tuberculatus Roxb. on anti-obesity, inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation and stimulatory effect on lipolysis were investigated in MDI (3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin) stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with methanol extracts of Dipterocarpus tuberculatus Roxb. (MED). Lipogenic targets, including lipid accumulation, level of lipogenic transcription factors, and expression of lipogenic regulators, were downregulated in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with MED without any significant cytotoxicity. Also, MED treatment inhibited the mRNA levels of adipogenic targets including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ and CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) α, as well as lipogeic targets including adipocyte fatty acid binding protein 2 (aP2) and fatty acid synthetase (FAS) in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. A similar decrease patterns were detected in Oil red O stained lipid droplets of MED treated MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, several lipolytic targets, such as cAMP concentration, concentration of free glycerol, expression level of lipases, including ATGL, perilipin and HSL, were upregulated in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with MED. These results show that MED has a novel role as a lipogenesis inhibitor and lipolysis stimulator in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.418-428
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• 2012

Objectives : Ojeok-san, a traditional herbal formula, has been used for the treatment of cold illness and its related symptoms such as headache, nausea and indigestion. This study was performed to compare effects of water (OJSW) and 70% ethanol extracts (OJSE) of Ojeok-san on inflammation and its related diseases atopy, asthma and obesity in vitro. Methods : We performed HPLC to investigate contents of index components of OJSW and OJSE. We investigated the effects of OJSW and OJSE with an in vitro model, using 5 cell lines, specifically RAW 264. 7, HaCaT, MC/9, BEAS-2B and 3T3-L1. Results : HPLC analysis displayed that the contents of index components were higher in OJSE than OJSW. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, OJSE significantly inhibited productions of interleukin (IL)-6, nitrite and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PEG_2$). In TNF-${\alpha}$/IFN-${\gamma}$-treated HaCaT keratinocytes, OJSE significantly lowered levels of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) as well as regulated and normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). OJSE also had a protective effect on inflammatory response by decreasing RANTES secretion in TNF-${\alpha}$-stimulated BEAS-2B cells. Conclusions : We conclude that OJSE could be more appropriate to enhance the biological activities against inflammation and its related diseases, and could be applied as a bioactive material for developing the potent anti-inflammatory agents.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.857-863
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• 2018

This study examined whether the supplementation of Salicornia herbacea L. (SH), a member of the Chenopodiaceae subfamily, affects tissue specific triglyceride (TG) accumulation and the peroxisome proliferator-activated $receptor-{\gamma}$ $coactivator-1{\alpha}$ ($PGC-1{\alpha}$) and peroxisome proliferator-activated $receptor-{\gamma}$ ($PPAR-{\gamma}$) protein expressions of skeletal muscle in rats with a high-fat diet. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three groups: control normal diet group (CD), high-fat diet group (HD), and 5.0% SH supplemented high-fat diet group (SD). The weights of fat tissue of the SD group were reduced by approximately 25%(p<0.01), while the skeletal muscle weight of the SD group increased approximately 5% compared to those in the HD group (p<0.01). The serum and hepatic TG of the SD group decreased approximately 20% compared to those of the HD group (p<0.05). In the protein expression levels in the skeletal muscle, the $PGC-1{\alpha}$ and $PPAR-{\gamma}$ expressions of the SD group were 1.5-folds higher than those of the HD group (p<0.01). From these results, SH supplementation contributes to the improvement of the serum and hepatic TG concentrations, and the $PGC-1{\alpha}$ and $PPAR-{\gamma}$ protein expression levels in the skeletal muscle of fed a high-fat diet. Thus, SH supplementation was effective in reducing fat mass and increasing muscle mass.