• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.397-400
• /
• 2018

Rhodosporidium toruloides, an oleaginous yeast, can be used as a fast and reliable evaluation tool to screen new natural lipid-lowering agents. Herein, we showed that triglyceride (TG) accumulation was inhibited by 42.6% in 0.1% red radish coral sprout extract (RRSE)-treated R. toruloides. We also evaluated the anti-obesity effect of the RRSE in a mouse model. The body weight gain of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) with 0.1% RRSE (HFD-RRSE) was significantly decreased by 60% compared with that mice fed the HFD alone after the 8-week experimental period. Body fat of the HFD-RRSE-fed group was dramatically reduced by 38.3% compared with that of the HFD-fed group.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.220-225
• /
• 2012

To develop a ginseng product possessing an efficacy for diabetes, ginseng radix ethanol extract was treated with pectinase and obtained the GINST. In the present study, we evaluate the beneficial effect of GINST on high fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and action mechanism(s) in ICR mice. The mice were randomly divided into five groups: regular diet group (RD), high fat diet group (HFD), HFD plus GINST at 75 mg/kg (GINST75), 150 mg/kg (GINST150), and 300 mg/kg (GINST300). Oral glucose tolerance test reveals that GINST improves the glucose tolerance after glucose challenge. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels were decreased by 4.3% and 4.2% in GINST75, 10.9% and 20.0% in GINST150, and 19.6% and 20.9% in GINST300 compared to those in HFD control group. Insulin resistance indices were also markedly decreased by 8.2% in GINST75, 28.7% in GINST150, and 36.4% in GINST300, compared to the HFD control group. Plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acid levels in the GINST300 group were decreased by 13.5%, 22.7% and 24.1%, respectively, compared to those in HFD control group. Enlarged adipocytes of HFD control group were markedly decreased in GINST-treated groups, and shrunken islets of HFD control mice were brought back to near normal shape in GINST300 group. Furthermore, GINST enhanced phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). In summary, GINST prevents HFD-induced hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia through reducing insulin resistance via activating AMPK-GLUT4 pathways, and could be a potential therapeutic agent for type 2 diabetes.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.680-687
• /
• 2017

Recently, there has been a marked increase in the use of bioactive products resulting from the fermentation of natural substances by microorganisms. In this study, Opuntia humifusa (OH) was fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum (fermented Opuntia humifusa; fOH). We then examined the anti-obesity effect of fOH in mice fed a 45% Kcal high fat diet (HFD). In this study, mice were treated with fOH concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg. The mice in the control group were treated with OH at a concentration of 400 mg/kg based on previous animal experiments. All of the mice given a continuous HFD showed an increase in their weight, the density of abdominal fat, and the accumulated periovaric and abdominal fat. All of these obesity-linked factors, however, were significantly decreased in the groups treated with fOH at concentrations of 200 and 400 mg/kg. Mice treated with fOH at 100 mg/kg did not show a significant decrease in these obesity-linked factors compared to the control group. It appears that fOH fermented by L. plantarum has a greater anti-obesity effect in HFD-supplied mice compared to unfermented OH. While further studies of fOH are needed to examine its effect on obesity, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, renal function, and type II diabetes with its relevant complications, fOH may have significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of metabolic syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.46-52
• /
• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the cholesterol and Triglyceride (TG) lowering and anti-obesity effects of water extract of vegetable formula (onion 25%, carrot 20%, Cabbage 20%, Sweet Pumpkins 20%, Chinese plum 5%, turmeric 5%, morus leaves 5%, SLS) in mice fed high fat-diet. ICR mice were divided into 3 groups; a normal diet group (ND), a high-fat diet group (HFD), a high-fat diet and SLS with 300 mg/kg treated group (HFD+SLS). Body fat gain was increased by high-fat diet and HFD+SLS group showed a definite weight loss. The total cholesterol level in the HFD+SLS group was 328.4 mg/dl which was 27.4% lower than that in the HFD group and the cholesterol-lowering effect of SLS was confirmed. The HFD + SLS group showed 118.1 mg/dl and the triglyceride level in the serum was decreased by 88.7% compared to the HFD group and SLS significantly decreased blood triglyceride levels. RT-PCR showed that the expression of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and the target gene SCD-1 was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner in the SLS-treated group. These results suggest that the SLS water extract may have a cholesterol and triglyceride-lowering effect and inhibit the expression of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and SCD-1 to have an anti-obesity effect.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.341-348
• /
• 2018

The polyherbal drug Gyeongshingangjeehwan 18 (GGEx18) from Rheum palmatum L. (Polygonaceae), Laminaria japonica Aresch (Laminariaceae), and Ephedra sinica Stapf (Ephedraceae) has traditionally been used as an antiobesity drug in Korean local clinics. This study investigates the effects of GGEx18 on pancreatic fibroinflammation in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese C57BL/6J mice and the molecular mechanism involved in this process. After HFD-fed obese C57BL/6J mice were treated with GGEx18 (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) for 12 weeks, variables and determinants of obesity, pancreatic inflammation, and fibrosis were measured using histology, immunohistochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Administration of GGEx18 at 500 mg/kg/day to obese mice decreased body weight gain, mesenteric adipose tissue mass, and adipocyte size. GGEx18 treatment not only reduced mast cells and CD68-immunoreactive cells, but also decreased collagen levels and ${\alpha}$-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in the pancreas of HFD-fed mice. Concomitantly, GGEx18 decreased the expression of genes for inflammation (i.e., CD68 and tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$) and fibrosis (i.e., collagen ${\alpha}1$ and transforming growth factor ${\beta}$) in the pancreas of obese mice. These results suggest that GGEx18 may inhibit visceral obesity and related pancreatic fibroinflammation in HFD-fed obese mice.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.26-32
• /
• 2013

Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schltr. has been reported to possess anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Boesenbergia pandurata extract (BPE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice model. C57BL/6J mice were fed with either the high-fat diet or a 0.5% BPE-supplemented HFD for 8 weeks. The BPE-containing HFD significantly reduced body weight gain and the accumulation of visceral fat mass in mice model without altering the amount of food intake. Moreover, mice fed with BPE-containing HFD had lower concentrations of lipids in their blood, lower hepatic lipid accumulation, and lower serum leptin levels compared with the HFD-fed mice. RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor ${\gamma}2$ ($PPAR{\gamma}2$) and CCAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) genes in the epididymal fat tissue of mice fed the BPE-containing HFD increased 1.16- and 1.30-fold, respectively, compared to mice fed HFD only. In conclusion, BPE attenuated visceral fat accumulation and improved dyslipidemia in a mice model with HFD-induced obesity.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.12
• /
• pp.1697-1703
• /
• 2012

Obesity is a risk factor for numerous metabolic diseases. Recently, naturally occurring compounds that may improve obesity have received increasing attention. Xanthigen is a mixture of fucoxanthin and punicic acid derived from brown seaweed and pomegranate seed, respectively, which have been traditionally used for lipid-lowering effects in humans. In this study, we investigated whether Xanthigen attenuates high-fat diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6N mice. The mice were fed on a normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD plus 1% Xanthigen or HFD plus 1% green tea extract (GTE) for 11 weeks. Food efficiency ratio (FER) and body weight were significantly reduced in mice fed HFD plus Xanthigen compared to HFD-fed mice. Consistent with the results in body weight change, Xanthigen also significantly decreased the weights of epididymal adipose tissue, retroperitoneal adipose tissue, and liver in HFD plus 1% Xanthigen-fed mice. The serum level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol was significantly decreased in HFD plus Xanthigen-fed mice compared to HFD-fed mice. These results suggest that Xanthigen may be useful in the development of a functional health food for anti-obesity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.289-297
• /
• 2017

The objective of this study was to identify and compare the anti-diabetic effects of mulberry leave (ML), silkworm (SK), mulberry fruit (MF), and Cudrania tricuspidata BUREAU (CT) extracts in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese and diabetic mice. C57BL/6N mice were assigned to six groups: normal diet (ND, n=7), HFD (n=10), HFD with 5% ML powder (ML, n=10), HFD with 2% SK powder (SK, n=10), HFD with 5% MF powder (MF, n=10), and HFD with 5% CT powder (CT, n=10). Mice were fed their assigned diet for 14 weeks. ML group showed significant reduction in levels of plasma glucose and insulin compared with the HFD group. Plasma total cholesterol (T-C) was significantly reduced by ML and SK compared with the HFD group. Plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HTR (HDL-C to T-C ratio) levels of the ML, SK, MF, and CT groups were significantly elevated compared to the HFD group. Moreover, concentrations of hepatic T-C and triglycerides in the ML, SK, MF, and CT groups were significantly reduced in comparison to the HFD group. Levels of pAKT, pS6K, and pAMPK significantly increased in the ML group compared with the HFD group. Taken together, ML appears to be the most potent anti-diabetic and anti-dyslipidemic substance among sericultural products. ML could be developed as a potential agent for diabetes and its complication management.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.283-288
• /
• 2015

In this study, we investigated anti-obesity effect of isoegomaketone (IK) isolated from leaves extract of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. cv. We verified differentiation and lipid accumulation by Oil Red O staining in 3T3-L1 cells after IK treatment with differentiation media. IK inhibited mRNA expression of adipocyte specific genes that were related with differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. We confirmed the effects of IK on body weight and visceral fat mass in obese mice. Mice were randomly divided into three groups; normal diet group (ND), high-fat diet group (HFD) and high-fat diet with IK group (HFD-IK). The obesity mice were induced by feeding the 45% high-fat diet to the C57BL/6J mice during 4 weeks. After HFD-IK was orally administered 10 mg/kg of IK. As a result, the body weight of HFD and HFD-IK was increased 2.4 times and 1.7 times of ND, respectively. Also visceral fat mass of HFD was increased 24 times but in the case of HFD-IK was increased to 13 times in comparison with ND. Taken together, our findings suggest that IK reduced differentiation and adiogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells, decreased the body weight and visceral fat mass in obesity mice. These results suggest that IK may have a potential benefit as anti-obesity material.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.11-20
• /
• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Gabyeobda tea (GT) on anti-inflammation in ice induced high fat diet (HFD). Methods: The C57BL/6 mice fed HFD were administrated with GT once daily for 8 weeks. The changes of body weight, calorie intake levels were measured in mice. The level of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were measured in mice by enzyme-based assay. It was also observed the histological changes of liver, and fat tissues with hematoxylin and eosin staining. Further real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were employed to detect inflammatory cytokine levels such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-𝛼, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1𝛽. Results: HFD+GT group, which was administered with GT with HFD, showed no body weight gain compared with HFD group. However, levels of GOT, GPT, and inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-𝛼, IL-6, and IL-1𝛽 in the blood of HFD+GT group were significantly reduced compared with HFD group. In addition, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of the IL-12 gene was significantly reduced and the mRNA expression level of the IL-10 was increased in the liver. Conclusions: It suggests that Gabyeobda tea can alleviate inflammatory responses induced by high fat diet by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines production.