• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.110-117
• /
• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and is closely associated with metabolic syndrome. In the present study, we observed the effect of ethanol extract of Allium fistulosum (EAF) on NAFLD and have suggested the possibility of using EAF as a natural product for application in the development of a treatment for NAFLD. MATERIALS/METHODS: The preventive effect on hepatic lipid accumulation was estimated by using an oleic acid (OA)-induced NAFLD model in vitro and a Western diet (high-fat high-sucrose; WD)-induced obese mouse model. Animals were divided into three groups (n = 7): normal diet group (ND), WD group, and WD plus 1% EAF group. RESULTS: EAF reduced OA-stimulated lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells in the absence of cellular cytotoxicity and significantly blocked transcriptional activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and fatty acid synthase genes. Subsequently, we investigated these effects in vivo in mice fed either ND or WD in the presence or absence of EAF supplementation. In comparison to the ND controls, the WD-fed mice exhibited increases in body weight, liver weight, epididymal fat weight, and accumulation of fat in hepatocytes, and these effects were significantly attenuated by EAF supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Allium fistulosum attenuates the development of NAFLD, and EAF elicits anti-lipogenic activity in liver. Therefore, EAF represents a promising candidate for use in the development of novel therapeutic drugs or drug combinations for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.129-138
• /
• 2019

In many cases, obesity is associated with metabolic disorders. Recently, natural compounds that may be beneficial for improving obesity have received increasing attention. Bitter melon has received attention as a diabetes treatment. $NAD^+$-dependent deacetylase (Sirtuin 1, SIRT1) has emerged as a novel therapeutic target for metabolic diseases. In this study, ethanol extract of bitter melon (BME) suppressed adipocyte differentiation and significantly increased the expression of SIRT1 in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, it enhanced the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In high-fat diet (HFD)-fed induced-obesity mice, BME suppressed HFD-induced increases in body weight and white adipose tissue (WAT) weight. BME also increased the expression of SIRT1 and suppressed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 expressions of WAT from HFD-fed mice. These findings suggest that BME prevents obesity by activating the SIRT1 and AMPK pathway and that it may be a useful dietary supplement for preventing obesity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.284-290
• /
• 2005

The ginseng root has been used as a tonic remedy, and its antidiabetic activity has been demonstrated as early as 1920s. Although wild ginseng was anecdotally thought to be superior to cultivated ginseng in terms of pharmacological properties, there have been no prior reports on its improvement of metabolic syndrome. In this study, we figured out whether wild ginseng ethanol extract (WGEE) exerted the preventive effects on high fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome as well as treatment effect in ICR mice. In the preventive mode experiment, WGEE at 500 mg/kg significantly inhibited body weight gain $(16\%)$, fasting blood glucose $(37\%)$ and insulin $(37\%)$, triglyceride $(15\%)$, and free fatty acid levels $(32\%)$ when compared to those in high fat diet (HFD) fed control group. WGEE-treated mice at doses of 250 and 500mg/kg improved the insulin resistance index by $55\%\;and\;61\%$ compared to the HFD control group, respectively. In the treatment mode experiment, WGEE also markedly reduced the blood glucose levels (210 mg/dl in control group was lowered to 167 mg/dl).Taken together, WGEE has potential as a preventive and treatment agent for metabolic syndrome and deserves clinical trial in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.163-169
• /
• 2020

Alcoholic fatty liver disorder has become a frequent health concern worldwide. To investigate the effects of Brassica oleracea (B. oleracea) sprout extract (BOE), the present study was designed with alcoholic fatty liver in the rat. Initially, the effects of BOE on liver parameters were examined. Male rats were divided into five groups. The normal control group was fed the normal diet, and the BOE group was fed the high fat diet and ethanol with/without BOE for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks feeding period, rats were sacrificed and their livers and blood were used for fatty liver-related biomarkers analyses. As a result, BOE ameliorated fatty liver-related enzymes profiles in liver tissues and also reduced blood alcohol concentration in rat model. We demonstrated that BOE protected the high fat diet and alcohol-induced fatty liver in rat model. Furthermore, BOE increased detoxificative abilities against alcohol.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.133-141
• /
• 2010

The protective effect of a mixed powder from solid-cultured and liquid-cultured Lentinus edodes mycelia (2:1, w/w) (designate LED) on the carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)- and ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity of male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat was investigated. In the $CCl_4$-induced rat hepatotoxicity experiment, rats of 4 groups (6 rats/group) were administere with Normal (0.2 ml distilled water), Control (0.2 ml distilled water), LED (LED 200 mg/kg BW + 0.2 ml distilled water), and Silymarin (200 mg/kg BW + 0.2 ml distilled water), p.o., daily for 2 weeks. Afterwards, all groups except for the Normal group were subjected to abdominal injection with $CCl_4$ ($CCl_4$ : corn oil, 1:1 v/v; 0.5 ml/kg BW). For the ethanol- induced rat hepatotoxicity experiment, rats were divided into 5 groups (5 rats/group): Normal; Pair-fed control (PFC); Control (ethanol); LED (ethanol + LED 200 mg/kg BW); and Silymarin (ethanol + silymarin 200 mg/kg BW). Rats of the Normal and PFC groups were fed a basal liquid diet, and rats of the Control, LED, and Silymarin groups were fed a liquid ethanol diet containing LED or Silymarin. Eight weeks later, blood and liver samples were collected to analyze biomarkers. In $CCl_4$-induced SD rats, LED elevated hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH peroxidase) activities and thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) were reduced, resulting in the reduction of glutamate-oxalate transaminase (GOT), glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in plasma. Similar results of these enzymes and biochemical markers in both liver tissues and plasma were seen in ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity of SD rats. In addition, elevated alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity and reduced expression of cytochrome p450 mixed monooxygenase enzyme (CYP2E1) were seen in liver tissues from ethanol-treated rats by LED treatment. These effects of LED were similar to those of Silymarin. In in vitro experiments, LED showed antioxidant activity in a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) system and mouse liver mitochondria system induced by NADPH/$Fe^{2+}$ and cumine hydroperoxide (CuOOH). These results indicate that LED protected SD rat hepatotoxicity, induced by $CCl_4$ and ethanol, through its antioxidative activity and might be useful as a material for protection from hepatoxicity in humans.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.40 no.10
• /
• pp.1411-1416
• /
• 2011

In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity activity of Aceriphyllum rossii ethanol extract on rat fed a high fat diet. Male SD rats were divided into four groups. Group 1 was the control. Group 2 was fed a high-fat diet. Group 3 was the positive control, fed a high-fat diet supplemented with Garcinia Cambogia extracts. Group 4 was fed a high fat diet supplemented with ethanol extracts of Aceriphyllum rossii (EEAR). Precisely 166 mg/kg of powdered Garcinia Cambogia extracts was used for Group 3. Also, 250 mg/kg of EEAR was used for Group 4. The Body weight increased Group 2, but decreased Group 4. The serum total cholesterol in Group 2 increased by 15.26% when compared to Group 1, but only increased 5.29% in Group 3 and 4.29% in Group 4. The liver and mesenteric adipose tissue weights of Group 2 increased compared to Group 1, whereas they decreased in Group 3 and Group 4. As a result of measuring the concentration of triglycerides in extracted livers, Group 2 showed a significant increase compared to the Group 1, and Groups 3 and 4 showed significant decrease compared Group 2. These results suggest that Aceriphyllum rossii ethanol extracts may be useful as an anti-obesity agent.

• Nutritional Sciences
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.71-75
• /
• 1999

Epidemiologic studies consistently demonstrate an inverse relationship between risk for colon canter and consumption of fruits and vegetables. Wheat bran, flax and soy contain dietary fiber and phytochemicals, such as lignans and isoflavones, that may inhibit colon carcinogenesis. Orange juice contains hesperidin, a flavanone glucoside that protects against colon carcinogenesis. This study determined if feeding orange juice, wheat bran, soy and flaxseed (combined diet) would inhibit azoxymethane (AOM) induced colon cancer. Cancer was initiated in male Fisher 344 rats by injecting 15 mg AOM/kg of weight at 22 and 29 days of age. One week after the second AOM injection, rats (N = 30) in the combined diet group received dry diet containing wheat bran (4%), soy with ethanol soluble phytochemirals(13%) and flaxseed (8%) and orange juice replaced drinking water. The control group remained on the control diet and received distilled water to drink. The rats were killed 28 weeks later, and colon tissues and tumors were removed for histologic analysis. Feeding the combined diet significantly reduced tumor incidence (p < 0.05), however tumor multiplicity was not changed (p > 0.05, 0.9 tumors/rat fed the combined diet vs 1.2 for controls). Also, tumor burden was only marginally reduced in rats fed the combined diet vs control rats (65 vs 210 mg of tumor/rats, respectively). The reduction in tumor incidence was associated with a decreased labeling index and proliferation zone in normal appearing colon mucosa. Therefore, this study shows that phytochemicals in wheat bran, soy, flax and orange juice reduce colon carcinogenesis, presumably by decreasing cell proliferation and enhancing cell differentiation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.309-318
• /
• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the cholesterol lowering and anti-obesity effects of an ethanol extract of broccoli sprouts (BS) in rats fed high fat diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing $150{\sim}155g$, were divided into 6 groups; a normal diet group (ND), a high fat diet group (HFD), a normal diet and BS with 200 mg/kg treated group (ND-BSL), a normal diet and BS with 400 mg/kg treated group (ND-BSH), a high fat diet and BS with 200 mg/kg treated group (HFD-BSL), and a high fat diet and BS with 400 mg/kg treated group (HFD-BSH). The body weight gain and mesenteric adipose tissue weight were increased by high fat diet, but gradually decreased to the corresponding level of ND group after administration of BS extract. The liver and epididymal adipose tissue weights of HFD group were the highest among the six groups, although the difference was not significant. Food intake was lower in high fat diet groups compared with normal diet groups. The serum ALT and AST activities that were elevated by the high fat diet were significantly decreased after BS administration. Levels of serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and the atherogenic index tended to be decrease in the BS administered groups compared with HFD group. However, HDL-cholesterol level in serum decreased in HFD group and markedly increased in BS administered groups. There were no differences in the contents of serum triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol between normal diet groups. Levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in liver and adipose tissues were also lower in BS administrated groups than in HFD group. The activities of heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase (HR-LPL) and total-extractable LPL (TE-LPL) in adipose tissue were increased in HFD group compared with the BS administered groups, but those of the ND-BSL group and ND-BSH group were similar to ND group. These results suggest that BS ethanol extract may exert cholesterol-lowering effect and potentially reduce lipid storage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.673-681
• /
• 2011

We investigated the effects of an ethanol extract of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (loquat) leaves (EJ) on the lipid metabolism of serum, liver, and adipose tissue, and antioxidative activity in rats fed a fat/cholesterol diet for four weeks. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 207 g were divided into 4 groups: a normal diet group (N), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group (HFC), a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group administered 200 mg/kg day EJ (HFC-EJL), and a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet group administered 400 mg/kg/day EJ (HFC-EJH). The serum ALT and AST activities of the EJ groups were lower than those of HFC group, but there was no significant change in serum ALP or LDH activities. The serum total and LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index, and cardiac risk factor tended to be decreased in the EJ groups compared to the HFC group, while the serum HDL-cholesterol decreased in the HFC group and increased only minimally in the EJ groups. The total cholesterol in liver and mesenteric adipose tissues was lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. Triglycerides in the mesenteric and epididymal adipose tissues were lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. The liver GSH levels of the EJ groups were significantly lower than the HFC group. The liver TBARS content was significantly lower in the EJ groups than in the HFC group. These results suggest that EJ ethanol extract may improve the lipid metabolism of serum, liver, and adipose tissue and prevent oxidative stress by stimulating antioxidative systems in rats fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.867-873
• /
• 1995

This study was done ot investigate the effect of chronic alcohol feeding and acetylaminofluorene(2-AAF) treatment on hepatic mitochondrial ATPase activity andmembrane lipid composition. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 120~125g, were fed for 6 weeks on a liquid diet containing 35% of calories as ethanol. After 4 weeks of experiment diet feeding, 2-AAF(100mg/kg body weight) was injected twice a week intraperitoneally. Body weight and percent liver weight per body weight were significantly changed by ethanol feeding. Hepatic mitochondrial ATPase activity significantly decreased by ethanol feedings but not by 2-AAF treatment. In comparison to control, the ATPase activity of ethanol-AAF group decreased 29.3%. Since phospholipid(PL) content of mitochondria has an interaction effect between ethanol and 2-AAF treatment, 2-AAF treatment significantly increased phospholipid content in only ethanol fed group. Total cholesterol(C) level of mitochondria significantly increased by ethanol feeding. Consequently C/PL ratio of ethanol group was significantly higher than that of control group. The analysis of mitochondrial PL composition showed that cardiolipin(CL) significantly increased by 2-AFF treatment in control group. Phosphatidyl choline(PC) significantly increased by ethanol feeding, whereas PC significanlty decreased and phosphatidyl ethanolamine(PE) significantly increased by 2-AAF treatment. 2-AAF treatment also showed a significant increase in PE/PC ratio. Fatty acid patterns of mitochondria were also changed by either ethanol or 2-AAF although the severity of the changes was not great. These data suggest that the reduced mitochondrial ATPase activity in ethanol-AAF group may be a consequence of a changes in mitochondrial membrane lipid composition such as PE/PC ratio, C/PL ration and fatty acid patterns.