• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.205-217
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• 2008

Objectives : We investigated the effects of Herba Ephedrae and Rhizoma Amorphophalli on high fat diet induced obese male mice. Methods : 8 weeks old, high fat diet induced obese male mice were divided into 5 groups: C57BL/6 normal control, obese vehicle control, GGEx55 (Herba Ephedrae), GGEx61 (Rhizoma Amorphophalli), GGEx62 (Herba Ephedrae + Rhizoma Amorphophalli). After mice were treated with GGEx for 8 weeks, we measured body weight gain, food intake, feeding efficiency ratio, rectal temperature, fat weight, plasma leptin and lipid levels. We also took micro-computerized axial tomography (micro-CT) on the mice. Results : 1. GGEx55 and GGEx62 groups significantly decreased body weight gain and feeding efficiency ratio compared with vehicle control. But they significantly increased rectal temperature. 2. Plasma total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly increased by GGEx55 groups, whereas were significantly decreased by GGEx62 groups compared with vehicle control. 3. GGEx55 and GGEx62 groups significantly decreased total, subcutaneous and visceral fat as well as fat areas in micro-CT analysis of abdomen compared with vehicle control. 4. Plasma GOT and GPT concentrations were significantly increased by GGEx55 groups compared with vehicle control. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that GGEx55 and GGEx62 effectively reduces body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio in high fat diet induced obese mice, leading to the modulation of obesity. In addition, GGEx55 and GGEx62 decreases visceral adipose tissue mass and improves plasma lipids, suggesting that GGEx55 and GGEx62 may act as a therapeutic agent for obesity.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.8-27
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• 2018

Objective This study investigated the effects of Jeoreongchajeonja-tang in a high-fat diet-induced obesity mouse model. Methods The study examined 9-week-old male mice (C57bl/6J) divided into four groups: the normal(C57bl/6J-Nr), control (high-fat diet only; HFD-CTL), positive-control (high-fat diet with Garcinia cambogia), and experimental (high-fat diet with Jeoreongchajeonja-tang; HFD-JCT) groups. After 7 weeks, the body weight, food efficiency ratio, organ weight, and visceral fat weight of the mice were measured. Blood serum tests, mRNA, liver histopathology, and epididymis adipocytes were also examined. Results Compared with the Control(HFD-CTL) group, the Experimental(HFD-JCT) group given Jeoreongchajeonja-tang showed significant reductions in absolute body weight and food efficiency ratio. The serum alanine aminotransferase, total-cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, insulin-like growth factor-1, and leptin levels were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. The serum adiponectin levels were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed significant reductions in absolute abdominal subcutaneous fat, epididymal adipose tissue, kidney adipose tissue, intestine adipose tissue, and liver, kidney and spleen adipose tissue weights. The C/EBP-${\beta}$, leptin, and SREBP1c/ADD1 mRNA expression were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group, while the UCP-2 and adiponectin mRNA expression were significantly higher. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in the absolute adipocyte area in the liver and epididymal adipose tissue. Conclusion Jeoreongchajeonja-tang has an anti-obesity effect. Additional clinical studies are expected.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.551-560
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nine times repetitive steaming and drying process Sunsik diets on antioxidant activity in obese mice fed high fat diets to prevent oxidative stress, using drying materials comprising 23 kinds of cereals (61.5%), beans (30.0%), sweet potato and potato (3.0%), fruits (2.0%), vegetables (3.0%), and stevioside, a natural sweetener (0.5%). We produced three samples: the experimental group was classified into the normal diet group (control), the high fat diet group (HF), and the high fat diet group + the Sunsik group (3HFS, 7HFS, 9HFS) fed to the mice for eight weeks. As a result, the serum, liver lipid peroxide, and nitric oxide levels were significantly higher in the HF group than in the C group at p<0.05 level, and the NO level was lower in the Sunsik supplemented groups. The antioxidant enzyme catalase activity significantly decreased in the HF group at the p<0.05 level compared to the C group. The total antioxidant activity of the C group was significantly higher in serum, liver, and kidney tissues than the HF group (p<0.05). The anthocyanin level in liver and spleen tissue was significantly higher in the group fed Sunsik than in the HF group.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.489-495
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dried Momordica charantia aqueous extracts (MCA) and ethanol extracts (MCE) on obesity and lipid profiles in mice fed a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: Forty two ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups. The normal group was fed a basal diet, and other groups were fed a 45% high-fat diet (HFD) for 7 weeks. The normal and HFD groups were also orally administered distilled water each day for 7 weeks. The remaining groups received Momordica charantia extract (0.5 or 1.0 g/kg/day MCA, and 0.5 or 1.0 g/kg/day MCE). In order to measure the anti-obesity and lipid profile improvement effects, body and visceral tissue weight, lipid profiles, plasma insulin levels, hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured. RESULTS: Both MCA and MCE significantly decreased body and visceral tissue weight relative to those of the HFD group (P < 0.05). Additionally high doses of MCE and MCA significantly reduced the plasmatic insulin levels compared to the HFD groups (P < 0.05) to concentrations comparable to those found in the normal group. MCA and MCE supplementation also significantly modulated the lipid profiles in plasma, liver, and feces compared to mice fed the HFD (P < 0.05). Furthermore MCA and MCE significantly increased hepatic SOD activity, and reduced MDA generation in the liver of the HFD mice (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study suggest that Momordica charantia extracts have anti-obesity effects and the ability to modulate lipid prolife of mice fed a HFD by suppressing body weight gain, visceral tissue weight, plasma and hepatic lipid concentrations, and lipid peroxidation along with increasing lipid metabolism.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.315-323
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• 2018

Rapid increase of diabetic population is a major health concern in Korea. In a trial to develop food components which can prevent and/or cure diabetes, we investigated the anti-diabetic activity of curcumin in high fat diet (HFD)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) animal model. C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: normal diet (ND), high fat diet (HFD), and curcumin (CUR, HFD+0.02% curcumin). Mice were fed each diet for 16 weeks. CUR significantly reduced body weight gain, the levels of plasma glucose, insulin, total-cholesterol (T-C), and LDL-C, whereas increased HDL-C compared to those of HFD group. Notably, insulin signaling pathway was activated by CUR. This suggests that CUR improves obesity-associated T2DM by overcoming insulin resistance in part.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2014

Obesity is an epidemic disease characterized by an increased inflammatory state and chronic oxidative stress with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, obesity alters cholesterol metabolism with increases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols and triglycerides and decreases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterols. It has been shown that mulberry leaf and fruit ameliorated hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic conditions in obese and diabetic subjects. We hypothesized that supplementation with mulberry leaf combined with mulberry fruit (MLFE) ameliorate cholesterol transfer proteins accompanied by reduction of oxidative stress in the high fat diet induced obesity. Mice were fed control diet (CON) or high fat diet (HF) for 9 weeks. After obesity was induced, the mice were administered either the HF or the HF with combination of equal amount of mulberry leaf and fruit extract (MLFE) at 500mg/kg/day by gavage for 12 weeks. MLFE treatment ameliorated HF induced oxidative stress demonstrated by 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and modulated the expression of 2 key proteins involved in cholesterol transfer such as scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) in the HF treated animals. This effect was mainly noted in liver tissue rather than in cutaneous tissue. Collectively, this study demonstrated that MLFE treatment has beneficial effects on the modulation of high fat diet-induced oxidative stress and on the regulation of cholesterol transporters. These results suggest that MLFE might be a beneficial substance for conventional therapies to treat obesity and its complications.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.481-487
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• 2013

High-fat diet up-regulates either insulin resistance or triglycerides, which is assumed to be related to the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-${\alpha}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$. The beneficial effects of vitamin E on insulin resistance are well known; however, it is not clear if vitamin E with a high-fat diet alters the expression of PPAR-${\alpha}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$. We investigated the effects of d-${\alpha}$-tocopherol supplementation on insulin sensitivity, blood lipid profiles, lipid peroxidation, and the expression of PPAR-${\alpha}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$ in a high-fat (HF) diet-fed male C57BL/6J model of insulin resistance. The animals were given a regular diet (CON; 10% fat), a HF diet containing 45% fat, or a HF diet plus d-${\alpha}$-tocopherol (HF-E) for a period of 20 weeks. The results showed that the HF diet induced insulin resistance and altered the lipid profile, specifically the triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels (P < 0.05). In this animal model, supplementation with d-${\alpha}$-tocopherol improved insulin resistance as well as the serum levels of TG and very-low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the treatment decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum and liver while increasing hepatic PPAR-${\alpha}$ expression and decreasing PPAR-${\gamma}$ expression. In conclusion, the oral administration of d-${\alpha}$-tocopherol with a high-fat diet had positive effects on insulin resistance, lipid profiles, and oxidative stress through the expression of PPAR-${\alpha}$ and PPAR-${\gamma}$ in a high-fat diet-fed male mice.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.95-106
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• 2013

Objectives : The researcher investigated the anti-obesity effect of Alismatis Orientale Rhizoma(AP) water extract in mice fed a high fat diet and focused on the analysis of local area adipose tissue. Methods : Male ICR mice were divided into three groups, which were fed either a normal AIN diet, a 45% high fat diet (CT group), or a high fat diet and orally administration with a concentrations of 100 mg/kg (AP100 group) and 300 mg/kg body weight (AP300 group) for eight weeks. Results : As compared with CT group, AP100 group showed significant reductions in absolute weight of liver. As compared with CT group, AP100 group and AP300 group showed significant reductions in weight gain and relative weight of total fat. AST, triglyceride, total-cholesterol levels from the AP 100 group and 300 group were significantly lower than those of the CT, and ALT, LDL-cholesterol levels from the AP 100 group was significantly lower than those of the CT. But serum HDL-cholesterol levels from the AP 100 group and 300 group were significantly higher than those of the CT. And serum adiponectin levels from the AP 100 group was significantly higher than those of the CT. In result of real time PCR, all mRNA expression(PEPCK, G6Pase, PGC-$1{\alpha}$ and $ERR{\gamma}$) of two experimental groups were significantly decreased compared to those of CT group. The treatment with AP on local abdominal area made a fat cell size lessen on the fat tissue in the abdominal cavity and subcutaneous area. Conclusions : These results suggest that AP has an anti-obesity effect and the effect is mediated by inhibition of fat gain.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.352-358
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• 2013

Korean pine nut oil (PNO) has been reported to have favorable effects on lipid metabolism and appetite control. We investigated whether PNO consumption could influence weight gain, and whether the PNO-induced effect would result in an improvement of immune function in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. C57BL/6 mice were fed control diets with 10% energy fat from either PNO or soybean oil (SBO), or HFDs with 45% energy fat from 10% PNO or SBO and 35% lard, 20% PNO or SBO and 25% lard, or 30% PNO or SBO and 15% lard for 12 weeks. The proliferative responses of splenocytes upon stimulation with concanavalin A (Con A) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Con A-stimulated production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, and LPS-stimulated production of IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) by splenocytes were determined. Consumption of HFDs containing PNO resulted in significantly less weight gain (17% less, P < 0.001), and lower weight gain was mainly due to less white adipose tissue (18% less, P = 0.001). The reduction in weight gain did not result in the overall enhancement in splenocyte proliferation. Overall, PNO consumption resulted in a higher production of IL-$1{\beta}$ (P = 0.04). Replacement of SBO with PNO had no effect on the production of IL-2, IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-6, or $PGE_2$ in mice fed with either the control diets or HFDs. In conclusion, consumption of PNO reduced weight gain in mice fed with HFD, but this effect did not result in the overall improvement in immune responses.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.322-329
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• 2015

Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense are often used in treatment of human diseases such as hemorrhage, blood congestion and inflammation in Korea. However, there was not report on the anti-obesity efficacy of water extracts from different organs of C. japonicum var. ussuriense. Here, we investigated the antioxidant effects of water extracts of flowers, leaves and roots from C. japonicum var. ussuriense. Total polyphenol amounts of the flower extract showed higher than those of leaf and root extract. Flower extract also showed the high antioxidant activities such as DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power. We also investigated the anti-obesity effects of water extracts of flowers, leaves and roots from C. japonicum var. ussuriense in 3T3-L1 cells and high fat diet-induced obesity mice. The mice were divided into four groups [high fat diet (HFD) control, HFD + leaf extract, HFD + flower extract and root extract] and administered with each extract (200 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. The flower and leaf extract significantly suppressed the levels of oil red O and triglyceride content. The flower and leaf extract also significantly reduced the triglyceride, total cholesterol and lower density lipoprotein levels of plasma as well as body and abdominal fat weight. Furthermore, oral glucose tolerance in the flower and leaf extract groups were significantly ameliorated in comparison to the high fat diet group. Therefore, these results indicate that the flower and leaf extract could ameliorate obesity and attenuate blood glucose level in high fat diet-induced obesity mice. We conclude that this study may provide positive insights into water extracts of flowers and leaves from C. japonicum var. ussuriense as a functional food ingredient for treatment of obesity.