• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.143-152
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• 2022

We investigated the serum cholesterol and visceral fat lowering effects of Momordica charanatia (MC) and Withania somnifera (WS) extracts in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Combination of fermented MC and WS extracts (FMCWS) as well as that of non-fermented extracts (MCWS) were orally administered to HFD-induced obese mice along with the HFD supplementation for 8 weeks. During the experiment, body weight, food intake, and levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol were analyzed. Body weight and the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly increased in the HFD-fed mice compared with the normal control (NC) group. However, supplementation of the extracts showed a tendency to reduce body weight gain and suppressed the levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride with the increment of HDL-cholesterol levels. Abdominal fat weight was significantly increased in the HFD group, and the size of adipocytes within the epididymal adipose tissue was markedly expanded compared with the NC group. However, in the FMCWS and MCWS groups, the abdominal fat weight was significantly reduced and the sizes of the adipocytes were noticeably diminished compared with those of the HFD-fed mice. Moreover, the deposition of giant vesicular fat cells observed in the liver tissue of the HFD group was prominently reduced in these groups. These results indicate that the combination of extracts from MC and WS tends to have potent synergic effects in reducing body weight gain as well as significantly lowering the visceral fat and the serum lipid levels, and thus improving anti-obesity efficacy in HFD-induced obese mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1421-1429
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• 2017

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of dietary provision of lactic acid bacteria (LB) and sea tangle (ST) on the obesity-associated intestinal microbiota in rats with obesity induced by a high-fat diet. Forty-eight 8-wk-old Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a basal diet (CON), a high fat diet (HFD; CON supplemented with 10% lard), HF supplemented with LB [HFL; $5{\times}10^8cfu$ of each of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium lactis], or HFL containing 10% ST (HFLS), with 4 replicates (cages) of 3 rats per dietary treatment, for 6 wk, and the intestinal microbiota were determined by pyrosequencing. The HFL and HFLS groups exhibited reduced rates of weight gain than the HF group, and the former groups had smaller ratios of Firmicutes and greater ratios of Bacteriodetes, with decreased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratios, than the latter at the level of the phylum. Compared with the results for the HF group, HFL and HFLS had reduced ratios of the families of Roseburia, Mollicute, Erysipelotrichi, and Oscillibacter within Firmicutes associated with obesity and increased ratios of the families of Prevotella, Alistipes and Bacteroides within the Bacterioidetes phylum known to have an anti-obesity effect. The content of butyric acid in feces was greater in the HFLS group vs. HF and HFL. In conclusion, the present results suggest that dietary provision of LB plus ST has an anti-obesity effect and induced changes in intestinal microorganisms, and enhanced the content of butyric acid, which is an intestinal metabolite.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2014

This study was performed in order to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Polygala tenuifolia on lipid mechanism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The chemical composition of the P. tenuifolia was analyzed in order to assess its nutritional value. Total dietary fiber was the highest among the proximate component of the P. tenuifolia. These results showed that the P. tenuifolia may be used as a potential functional ingredient for anti-obesity effect. Intracellular lipid droplets in the adipocyte were stained with oil-red O dye and quantified. In comparison to the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 40.1% and 22.4% when treated with the water extract and 70% EtOH extract of the P. tenuifolia at the concentration of $10{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The anti-adipogenic effect of the water extract was stronger than that of the 70% EtOH extract. The gene expression levels were measured via Western blot and real-time PCR. As a result, the water extract was found to have decrease the gene expression of SREBP-1c, PPAR, $C/EBP{\alpha}$, FAS, ACC in a dose-dependent manner. These indicate that the water extract inhibits pre-adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by blocking the SREBP-1c gene expression in 3T3-L1 cells. Therefore, P. tenuifolia can be used as an effective anti-obesity agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2020

Distylium racemosum is an evergreen tree growing wild on Jeju Island, which has been reported to exert biological activity. Obesity is induced by genetic, metabolic, environmental, and other factors. Among these, certain bacterial and viral infections have been shown to cause obesity, which is known as infectobesity. Human adenovirus (HAdV)-36 is one of the viruses that are known to cause infectobesity in humans. Unlike extensive research on preventing obesity and developing anti-obesity drugs, little research has been conducted specifically on the prevention and treatment of infectobesity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of phytochemicals from D. racemosum on the replication of HAdV-36. A549 cells infected with HAdV-36 were treated with an ethyl acetate fraction of a D. racemosum leaf extract (DRE), and the virus titer was calculated based on the hemagglutination (HA) titer. The results showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect of DRE treatment on HA titers. DRE treatment was also found to inhibit the cytopathic effects of the virus and the expression of viral genes. Quercitrin was identified as the constituent of DRE exerting an inhibitory effect on HAdV-36 replication. This study shows that DRE can be used as a candidate substance for the development of treatment for HAdV-36 infections. In addition, this study provides a basis to further investigate DRE for the development of anti-infectobesity medication.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.13-25
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• 2018

Objectives We investigated anti-obesity effects of essential oils extracted from Cnidii Rhizoma (CR) in immature adipocytes to magnify it's clinical therapeutic usage. Methods Essential oil of CR was extracted with ethyl acetate or petroleum ether and through steam distillation, respectively. Oil red-O staining for monitoring its inhibition effect on adipogenesis and differentiation in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes and 3-(4,5-methylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyletetra zolium bromide (MTT) assay for cell safety were done. Also phospho-adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activted protein kinase (P-AMPK), AMP-activated protein kinase, phospho-acetyl-CoA carboxylase (P-ACC), acetyl-CoA carboxylase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\alpha}$ (PPAR-${\alpha}$), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$ (PPAR-${\gamma}$) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ${\alpha}$ (C/EBP-${\alpha}$) expressions as obesity-related factors were measured by western blot analysis. Results Protein expressions of P-AMPK, P-ACC and PPAR-${\alpha}$ were increased in essential oils-treated adipocytes compared to those of control group, respectively. Furthermore, protein expressions of PPAR-${\gamma}$ and C/EBP-${\alpha}$ were decreased in essential oils-treated adipocytes compared to those of control group, respectively. Conclusions These results demonstrate that essential oils of CR inhibit adipogenesis and differentiation. Also they promote the oxidation of fatty acids in adipocytes. Thus, results suggest that essential oils of CR could be used as a valuable material for anti-obesity therapeutics via control of lipid metabolism.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.201-208
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• 2020

This study examined the anti-obesity effect of krill oil (KO) by regulating adipokines in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. The mice were fed a 60 kcal% HFD for 16 weeks, and KO was then administered at an oral dose of 100, 200, and 500 mg/kg/day for four weeks before the end of the experiment. The administration of KO at concentrations of 200 and 500 mg/kg/day decreased body weight gain significantly compared with the HFD-fed control group. In addition, the HFD-fed control group showed the abnormal release of adipokines by an increase in leptin and decrease in adiponectin, compared to the normal diet-fed normal group. On the other hand, KO (500 mg/kg/day)-administered group attenuated the abnormal release of adipokines by the down-regulation of leptin and the up-regulation of adiponectin. Therefore, KO could be a promising therapeutic agent for obesity by the regulation of adipokines.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.619-627
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Colitis is a serious health problem, and chronic obesity is associated with the progression of colitis. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of natural raw meal (NRM) on high-fat diet (HFD, 45%) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS, 2% w/v)-induced colitis in C57BL/6J mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Body weight, colon length, and colon weight-to-length ratio, were measured directly. Serum levels of obesity-related biomarkers, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), insulin, leptin, and adiponectin were determined using commercial kits. Serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 were detected using a commercial ELISA kit. Histological study was performed using a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining assay. Colonic mRNA expressions of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were determined by RT-PCR assay. RESULTS: Body weight and obesity-related biomarkers (TG, TC, LDL, HDL, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin) were regulated and obesity was prevented in NRM treated mice. NRM significantly suppressed colon shortening and reduced colon weight-to-length ratio in HFD+DSS induced colitis in C57BL/6J mice (P < 0.05). Histological observations suggested that NRM reduced edema, mucosal damage, and the loss of crypts induced by HFD and DSS. In addition, NRM decreased the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 and inhibited the mRNA expressions of these cytokines, and iNOS and COX-2 in colon mucosa (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that NRM has an anti-inflammatory effect against HFD and DSS-induced colitis in mice, and that these effects are due to the amelioration of HFD and/or DSS-induced inflammatory reactions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.194-199
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Lentinus edodes water extract powder (LEP) in mice fed a high fat diet (HF, 45% kcal fat). Mice were administrated a HF diet supplemented with 1%, 3%, or 5% LEP for 12 weeks. Consumption of HF diet caused increases in body weight, serum lipid profiles, and adipose tissue weights. Serum TC and TG levels in the LEP-supplemented groups were lower than those in the NC group. Supplementation with 5% LEP significantly suppressed body weight gain and reduced the weight of subcutaneous adipose tissue compared to the HF group. HF diet ingestion resulted in higher lipid content and increased lipid peroxidation in the liver. However, LEP supplementation inhibited accumulation of hepatic lipids induced by HF diet, considerably decreased MDA levels, and elevated total antioxidant activity in the livers of mice in the 5% LEP group. Histopathological analysis indicated that the livers of mice fed HF diet developed hepatic steatosis, whereas LEP-treated groups showed small fat droplets. These results suggest that long-term supplementation with LEP may also have an ameliorating effect on HF-induced obesity.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.13-31
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• 2016

Objectives In this study, it was investigated whether Gami-Handayeolso-Tang (HDYST) medication has anti-obesity effects in high fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice. Methods The experimental animals were divided into five groups-normal diet-fed (ND), high fat diet-fed control (HFD), HFD+HDYST 150, HFD+HDYST 300, and HFD+orlistat as a positive drug. The obese markers such as body weight, diet efficiency ratio, serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, lipid contents, leptin, adiponectin, and GOT/GPT were measured. Also, white adipose tissue, liver weight, abdominal fat mass, hepatic lipid contents, and mRNA expression of obese-associating genes were examined in obese mice. Results In high fat diet-fed mice, HDYST administration significantly decreased body weight, diet efficiency ratio, serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, as well as leptin and GOT/GPT, compared to the HFD group in a dose-dependent manner. HDYST increased significantly the serum levels of HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin. It also reduced the accumulation of lipids, such as total lipid and triglycerides, in organs such as liver and abdominal adipose tissue. Moreover, HDYST administration significantly decreased the expression levels of fatty acid synthetic genes, such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), FAS and Stearoyl-Coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD-1), in the liver tissues, while it increased the messenger RAN (mRNA) levels of fatty acid catalytic genes, such as Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR-${\alpha}$), acyl-COA oxidase (ACO), and Carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1a (CPT-1a). Conclusions Based on the results above, HDYST reveals anti-obesity effects declining body fat accumulation through the regulation of fatty acid metabolism and leptin/adiponectin serum levels. It therefore suggests that HDYST can be clinically useful for the treatment of obesity.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.31-48
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• 2011

Objectives : In order to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Wolbi-tang(here in after referred to WBT) on the obese gene and obese inhibitory, C57BL/6 mice were induced by high-fat diet. Methods : C57BL/6 mice were divided into 5 groups(normal, only high-fat diet, high-fat diet with Reductil, high-fat diet with WBT 400, 200 mg/kg extract) and fed for 5 weeks. And observed body weight change, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-cholesterol), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol), triglyceride, glucose, leptin change, alanine transaminase(ALT), aspartate transaminase(AST), serum creatinine, the expression of ${\beta}3$-adrenergic receptor(${\beta}3AR$), leptin, uncoupling protein(UCP2) gene in 3T3-L1 adipocyte, 3T3-L1 adipocyte proliferation, histological analysis of adipose tissue and liver tissue. Results : 1. Refer to cell cytotoxicity, viability of human fibroblast cells(hFCs) showed not significant changes. 2. The amount of ALT, AST was decreased significantly in WBT 400 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg groups. The amount of creatinine showed not significant changes. 3. Body weight was decreased significantly in WBT 400 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg groups. 4. The amount of total cholesterol and triglyceride was decreased significantly in WBT 400 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg groups. LDL-cholesterol was decreased and HDL-cholesterol was increased significantly in WBT 400 mg/kg groups. 5. The amount of glucose was decreased significantly in WBT 400 mg/kg groups. 6. The amount of serum leptin was decreased significantly in WBT 400 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg groups. 7. The revelation of ${\beta}3AR$ in 3T3-L1 adipocyte was increased significantly in WBT $100{\mu}g/ml$, $50{\mu}g/ml$ groups. The revelation of leptin was decreased significantly in WBT $100{\mu}g/ml$, $50{\mu}g/ml$ groups. The revelation of UCP2 was decreased significantly in WBT $100{\mu}g/ml$ group. 8. 3T3-L1 adipocyte proliferation was decreased significantly in WBT $100{\mu}g/ml$, $50{\mu}g/ml$ groups. The size of adipocyte was decreased relative to the control group in WBT 400 mg/kg group. 9. The adipose vacuoles in liver tissue was decreased relative to the control group. Conclusions : These results suggested that WBT has inhibitory effects of obesity. WBT might be applicated on treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Further studies analysing its effects were needed.