• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2011

This study was carried out to estimate beneficial effects of Foeniculi fructus water extract on activities of key enzymes such as lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS), and hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) on lipid metabolism related with obesity. LPL and ACS were extracted from the epididymal adipose tissue and liver of C57BL/6J normal and obese mouse. Foeniculi fructus water extract treatment significantly reduced the activity of normal and obese LPL. When 100 ppm of Foeniculi fructus water extracts were tested, they decreased obese LPL activity by 12.0%. Foeniculi fructus water extract activated obese ACS activity by 7-fold compared with control at 1,000 ppm concentration. Expression of HSL mRNA was increased in Foeniculi fructus water extracts treated cells compared with non treated cells. All things considered, Foeniculi fructus water extract efficiently inhibits the influx of fatty acid into the cell, and activates metabolic process that uses fatty acids flowing as an energy source. Thus, it suggest that Foeniculi fructus water extract may have great potential as a novel anti-obesity agent.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.153-157
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• 2012

Obesity, which is characterized by excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissues, occurs by fat absorption by lipase and sequential fat accumulation in adipocyte through adipocyte differentiation. Thus, inhibition of pancreatic lipase activity and adipocyte differentiation would be crucial for the prevention and progression of obesity. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate anti-adipogenic activity of several algae extracts employing preadipocytes cell line, 3T3-L1 as an in vitro assay system. The effects on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro were also evaluated. Total methanolic extracts of Cladophora wrightiana and Costaria costata showed significant inhibitory activity on adipocyte differentiation as assessed by measuring fat accumulation using Oil Red O staining. Related to pancreatic lipase, C. wrightiana and Padina arborescens showed significant inhibition. Further fractionation of C. wrightiana, which showed the most potent activity, suggested that $CHCl_3$ and n-BuOH fraction are responsible for adipocyte differentiation inhibition, whereas n-BuOH and $H_2O$ fraction for pancreatic lipase inhibition. Our study also demonstrated that n-BuOH fraction was effective both in early and middle stage of differentiation whereas $CHCl_3$ fraction was effective only in early stage of differentiation. Taken together, algae might be new candidates in the development of obesity treatment.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2020

Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene helps to regulate energy homeostasis in mammals by controlling energy expenditure. In addition, FTO functions in the regulation of obesity and adipogenic differentiation; however, a role in osteogenic differentiation is unknown. This study investigated the effects of FTO on osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells and the underlying mechanism. Expression of osteogenic and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers were characterized by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was performed to assess ALP activity. BMP2 treatment increased mRNA expression of osteogenic genes and FTO. Overexpression of FTO increased expression of the osteogenic genes distal-less homeobox5 (Dlx5) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). Activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) increased FTO expression, and there was a positive feedback loop between FTO and p-AMPK. p-AMPK and FTO induced mild ER stress; however, tunicamycin-induced severe ER stress suppressed FTO expression and AMPK activation. In summary, FTO induces osteogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells upon BMP2 treatment by inducing mild ER stress via a positive feedback loop with p-AMPK. FTO expression and AMPK activation induce mild ER stress. By contrast, severe ER stress inhibits osteogenic differentiation by suppressing FTO expression and AMPK activation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of fermented Samjung-hwan (SJH) extracts on weight, serum lipids and blood glucose. Methods: SJH was fermented using three different probiotic bacterial strains (Lactobacillus plantarum [LP], Leuconostoc mesenteroides [LM], Bifidobacterium longum [BL]) separately. Thirty-six rats were divided into normal, control (high fat diet), SJH-UF (high fat diet+unfermented SJH 200 mg/kg), SJH-LP (high fat diet+LP fermented SJH 200 mg/kg), SJH-LM (high fat diet+LM fermented SJH 200 mg/kg) and SJH-BL (high fat diet+BL fermented SJH 200 mg/kg). For 8 weeks later, we examined body weight, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and blood glucose. Results: The control group showed significantly increased weight gain compared with normal group and SJH-LP and BL groups had less weight gain than control group, significantly. In the lipid serum tests, control group showed significantly increased total cholesterol levels compared with normal group and only SJH-LP represented decreased total cholesterol levels compared with control group. However there was no significant change in the HDL-cholesteol levels. In the blood glucose tests, that of control group significantly incereased more than that of normal group, SJH-BL showed significantly decreased blood glucose levels compared with control group. Conclusions: SJH-LP, SJH-BL showed weight control effect, SJH-LP decreased TC and SJH-BL reduced blood glucose.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.11-18
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• 2015

Objectives : Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Jeokhasuo in Korean) is a Oriental traditional herbs widely used in East Asian countries. Overconsumption of fructose results in hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and impaired glucose tolerance which have documented as a risk of cardiovascular diseases. This experimental study was designed to investigate the beneficial effects of an ethanol extract from Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) in high-fructose (HF) diet-induced metabolic syndrome rat model. Methods : Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups; Control group, receiving regular diet and tap water, HF group, and HF + PMR group both receiving supplemented with 65% fructose (n=10), respectively. The HF + PMR group initially received HF diet with PMR (100 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks. Results : PMR significantly prevented the metabolic disturbances such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance. Chronic treatment with PMR significantly decreased body weight, fat weight and adipocyte size, suggesting a role of anti-obesity effect. PMR led to improve the hyperlipidemia through the increase in HDL cholesterol level as well as the decrease in triglyceride and LDL cholesterol level. In addition, PMR suppressed adhesion molecules and endothelin-1 (ET-1) expression in aorta resulting in the decrease of hypertension. In muscle tissue, PMR significantly recovered the HF-induced insulin resistance through increase of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), p-$AMPK{\alpha}1/2$, and p-Akt expression. PMR improved HF-induced metabolic disorders and its action was caused by energy metabolism-mediated insulin signaling activation. Conclusions : These results demonstrate that PMR may be a beneficial therapeutic for metabolic syndrome through the improvement of hyperlipidemia, obesity, insulin resistance and hypertension.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.123-134
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• 2023

This study presents a meta-analysis research to test the improve effects of obesity and blood lipids on Salicronia herbacea L. (S. herbacea) intake in rats. Individual research materials were selected from database such as PubMed, Embase, RISS, DBpia, and NDSL. The Review Manager 5.3 version was used to estimate effect size through meta-analysis. A total of 9 studies were finally included. Body weight gains were decreased in S. herbacea-treated groups as compared to the high fat diet groups. But, no significant effect was observed on FER, liver index, and total cholesterol. In addition, the effect size of triglyceride was reduced, whereas high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol was increased in S. herbacea-treated group. In this meta-analysis, the results indicated that S. herbacea have a strong effect on anti-obesity through the blood lipids improvement.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.328-337
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• 2023

We investigated the effects of single and combined administrations of Lactobacillus species (L. plantarum, LP; L. gasseri, LG; L. casei, LC) on blood lipid metabolism and obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The mice were continuously supplemented with LP, LP/LG, or LP/LG/LC, along with HFD, for 12 weeks. The consumption of HFD led to significant increases in body weight, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels compared to the normal control group. However, administration of LP, LP/LG, or LP/LG/LC to HFD-fed mice reduced body weight gain and showed a tendency to suppress the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-cholesterol, while increasing HDL-cholesterol levels. The HFD group exhibited increased abdominal fat weight and larger adipocytes in the epididymal adipose tissue compared to the NC group. However, the administered probiotics led to a significant reduction in adipocyte size with decreasing tendency in abdominal fat weight compared with the HFD group. Additionally, the deposition of giant vesicular fat cells in the liver of the HFD group considerably decreased in the probiotic-administered group. Microbiome analysis revealed an imbalance in intestinal microbes in the HFD group, characterized by lower Bacteroidetes and higher Proteobacteria ratios. However, probiotic administration tended to restore the microbial distribution by controlling the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, resulting in decreased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria/Bacteroidetes ratios. These results suggest that single and combined administration of LP and other probiotics holds enormous potential in reducing obesity in HFD-fed mice as they regulate lipid metabolism, reduce adipocyte size, and restore the balance of intestinal microbes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2018

This study aimed to identify the effects of extracts of fermented Angelica gigas Nakai (A. gigas) with a Monascus purpureus strain on anti-obesity in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven dietary groups (n=8 per group), as follows: a normal diet group (N) and six HFD groups (C: control, HFD and no treatment; AG: HFD +10% A. gigas extracts; FAG2.5: HFD +2.5% fermented A. gigas extracts; FAG5: HFD +5% fermented A. gigas extracts; FAG10: HFD +10% fermented A. gigas extracts; GC: HFD + Garcinia cambogia extracts). FAG-fed rats exhibited effectively lowered rates of increasing body weight and visceral fat accumulation in the HFD-induced obesity model. The activities of several hepatic marker enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were increased with HFD-induced obesity, but levels of these marker enzymes were significantly decreased in FAG-fed rats. The consumption of FAG reduced triglyceride concentrations in serum to normal levels. FAG-fed rats showed effectively increased leptin concentrations in the HFD-induced obesity model. HFD ingestion induced a significant increase in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, which was decreased in FAG-fed rats. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Oil Red O staining of the liver showed that the lipid deposits were decreased via FAG feeding. Moreover, hematoxylin and eosin staining of epididymal adipose adipose tissue showed that the adipocyte were decreased by feeding FAG.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.356-363
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• 2013

Clinical and preclinical trials of involving drugs with anti-obesity effects have focused on screening for herbal medicines suspected to have anti-obesity activities. In this study, an extract of Aster scaver Thunb., which was prepared in 80% methanol (ASE), was assessed for its total phenol content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity ability to scavenge the ${\alpha}-{\alpha}$-diphenyl-${\beta}$-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid radical, and anti-adipogenic effects. The anti-adipogenic effect of ASE on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes to adipocytes was investigated by assaying the suppression of adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation by using western blot analysis and the Oil Red-O assay, respectively. The staining results showed that ASE significantly inhibited 3T3-L1. Western blot analysis results showed that ASE decreased the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-${\gamma}$, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$, and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c. These results demonstrate that ASE directly inhibits the differentiation of preadipocytes, and might be an important adjunct in the therapeutic efforts to reduce adipogenesis.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 2021

Objectives We evaluated the improving effects of Taeksa-tang (TST) using 3T3-L1 cells and C57BL/6 mice were fed on a high-fat diet. Methods The anti-radical activities of TST were studied using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid). The content of total polyphenol was measured using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, whereas aluminum chloride colorimetric method was used for the content of total flavonoid. Moreover, the factors related to lipid profile and the protein expressions such as 𝛽-oxidation and anti-oxidant enzyme were analyzed using serum and western blotting of 3T3-L1 cells. Additionally, we examined lipolysis through glycerol appearance in mouse adipose tissue. Results TST treatment showed strong free radical scavenging activities with half maximal inhibitory concentration and the presence of a amount of total polyphenol and total flavonoid. TST treatment significantly increased factors related to 𝛽-oxidation such as carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 and uncoupling protein 2 via the phosphorlyation of liver kinase B1 (LKB1) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Moreover, the protein expressions of anti-oxidant enzyme and lipolysis were significantly elevated by TST administration. In addition, TST supplementation lowered serum malondialdehyde, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels compared with the control group. Taken together, these data suggest that TST treatment regulated lipid parameters via the increase of 𝛽-oxidation by LKB1-AMPK signaling pathway. Conclusions TST may have a potential remedy in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Therefore, this study may provide the scientific basis for TST use.