• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.11
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• pp.599-608
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• 2014

As the prevalence of obesity has increased explosively over the last several decades, associated metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases, have been also increased. Thus, new strategies for preventing and treating them are needed. The nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are involved fundamentally in regulating energy homeostasis; thus, they have been considered attractive drug targets for addressing metabolic disorders. Among the PPARs, $PPAR{\gamma}$ is a master regulator of gene expression for metabolism, inflammation, and other pathways in many cell types, especially adipocytes. It is a physiological receptor of the potent anti-diabetic drugs of the thiazolidinediones (TZDs) class, including rosiglitazone (Avandia). However, TZDs have undesirable and severe side effects, such as weight gain, fluid retention, and cardiovascular dysfunction. Recently, many reports have suggested that $PPAR{\gamma}$ could be modulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs), and modulation of PTM has been considered as novel approaches for treating metabolic disorders with fewer side effects than the TZDs. In this review, we discuss how PTM of $PPAR{\gamma}$ may be regulated and issues to be considered in making novel anti-diabetic drugs that can modulate the PTM of $PPAR{\gamma}$.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2018.04a
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• pp.80-80
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• 2018

Chlorogenic acid is a phenolic compound found in Cudrania tricuspidata fruits. In the present study, the effect of chlorogenic acid on the inhibition of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was investigated. Cells were stained with Oil red O reagent to detect lipid droplets in adipocytes. The 3T3-L1 cells were lysed and measured for intracellular triglyceride and adipokine by ELISA kit. The protein expression of adipogenesis-related gene was evaluated by Western blot analysis. Chlorogenic suppressed lipid droplet and intracellular triglyceride accumulation in a concentration manner and also decreased secretion of adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin, compared with fully differentiated adipocytes. Treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with chlorogenic acid reduced the protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and, CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins alpha ($C/EBP{\alpha}$). This indicates that chlrogenic acid was effective as an anti-obesity agent by repressing the differentiation of 3T3-L1 into adipocytes and inhibiting triglyceridef formation in adipocyte and that it exerts its role mainly through the significant down-regulation of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.136-141
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the action mechanism of the roots of Adenophora triphylla var. japonica extract (ATE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Cell toxicity test by MTT assay and lipid accumulation was performed to evaluate the inhibitory effect on the differentiation of adipocyte from preadipocytes induced by MDI differentiation medium, while adipogenesis related proteins expression level were evaluated by western blotting. As a result, ATE inhibited MDI-induced adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells dose-dependently without cytotoxicity. Our results showed that ATE inhibited the phosphorylation of IRS1, thereby decreasing the expression of PI3K110α and reducing the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR, resulting in attenuated protein expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ, ap2 and FAS in 3T3-L1 cells. These results suggest anti-adipogenic functions for ATE, and identified IRS1 as a novel target for ATE in adipogenesis.

• Journal of Menopausal Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.156-159
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• 2017

Some species of traditional herbal medicine has a history of use, most traditional natural herbs have been used for various diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Among them, Passiflora incarnata L. is a traditional natural medicine, flowers as well as berries, roots, and leaves have been used as a medicine. It has been used as a natural medicine for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety for a longtime in Europe, and it has been used primarily for sedation tea in North America. Moreover, Passiflora incarnata L. is widely used anti-asthmatic, analgesic and sedation in Brazil. In other words, Passiflora incarnata L. has been used to treat a sedative, dysmenorrhea, insomnia, cancer, etc. in many countries. Present review of the plants showed a wide range of pharmacological activity in anxiolytic relax the clinical disease, such as anti-inflammatory, anxiety and antioxidant. In addition, Passiflora incarnata L. affects menopause symptoms such as vasomotor symptoms, insomnia, and depression. This review aims to provide the latest information on specific functional components of Passiflora incarnata L. especially the results of clinical trials will provide new insights into opportunities for the future development of natural medicines and doors will be used for purposes of analysis.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.213-218
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• 2018

Background: Body fats, especially both of abdominal fat pad mass and skeletal muscle fat content, are inversely related to insulin action. Therefore, methods for decreasing visceral fat mass and muscle triglyceride content may be helpful for the prevention of insulin resistance. Methods: Thalidomide, used for its anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties, was administered to rats for 4 weeks. A 10% solution of thalidomide in dimethyl sulfoxide was injected daily into the peritoneal cavity as much as 100 mg/kg of body weight. Results: The total visceral fat pad mass in the thalidomide-treated group was 11% lower than in the control group. The size of adipocytes of the epididymal fat pad mass in the thalidomide-treated group was smaller than in the control group. The intraperitoneal thalidomide treatment increased triglyceride concentrations by 16% in the red muscle, but not in the white muscle. Conclusion: The results suggested that intraperitoneal thalidomide treatment inhibited abdominal fat accumulation, and that the free fatty acids in the blood were preferentially accumulated in the red muscle rather than in the white muscle.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2023

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from kimchi (a traditional Korean dish typically made of fermented cabbage) can provide various health benefits, including anti-obesity, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial effects. In this study, we examined the antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WiKim0125 cultured in de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) medium containing vegetable waste. Live bacterial cells were eliminated via supernatant filtration or heat treatment. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) obtained from culture broth containing kimchi cabbage waste (KCW), cabbage waste (CW), or onion waste (OW) showed significantly higher antimicrobial activity against skin pathogens (Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus) and foodborne pathogens (Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium), with inhibition zones ranging between 4.4 and 8.5 mm, compared to that in conventional MRS medium (4.0-7.3 mm). In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, both supernatant and heat-inactivated Lb. plantarum WiKim0125 from culture media containing KCW and CW suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines (72.8% and 49.6%, respectively) and nitric oxide (62.2% and 66.7%, respectively) without affecting cell viability. These results indicate that vegetable waste can potentially increase the antimicrobial and immunoregulatory potency of LAB while presenting a molecular basis for applying postbiotics to health products.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2021.04a
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• pp.45-45
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• 2021

This study aimed to explore research on bibliometric features of cannabis by applying scientometric analysis method, and to approach experimental research evaluation based on it. A total of 30,352 articles on cannabis published since 2001 from SCOPUS were analyzed using KnowledgeMatrix Plus and VOSviewer software. Results showed differences in research activities in countries where cannabis is legalized (Canada, the United States, the Netherlands) and Asian countries where its use is illegal. Related to medical cannabis, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of studies on pain, epilepsy, seizures and brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis. In the field of basic research, the number of pharmacological studies of cannabis on the cannabinoid type 1 receptor signaling pathway and inflammation and obesity has increased significantly. Subsequent experimental studies have compared the anti-inflammatory effects of four parts of Korean cannabis such as root, stem, leaf, and bark. Consistent with the predicted results of the scientometric analysis, all parts of C. sativa showed inhibitory effects on COX-2, NO/iNOS and TNF-α expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These attempts provide an experimental research approach based on scientometric assessment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.979-988
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• 2022

Halophytes have been reported to possess a variety of physiological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity. Studies on the roots of the halophyte Rosa rugosa, in particular, have shown a variety of physiological activities and are known to be effective for nursing diabetic complications in traditional Korean medicine. In this study, the effect of R. rugosa on adipogenesis was investigated in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes treated with crude extract and solvent fractions (H₂O, n-BuOH, 85% aq. MeOH, and n-Hex) obtained from R. rugosa roots. Treatment with extract and the solvent fractions inhibited the formation of intracellular lipid droplets in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes compared to the untreated group. In particular, n-BuOH and 85% aq. MeOH fractions effectively decreased the expression of adipogenic transcription factors: peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) in both mRNA and protein levels. In conclusion, these results suggest that R. rugosa contains anti-adipogenic molecules that can be utilized as a nutraceutical against obesity. Further refining of n-BuOH and 85% aq. MeOH fractions and analysis of their action mechanisms could yield potential therapeutic agents with anti-adipogenic effects.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2015

Purpose: Poncirus trifoliata has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune activities. However, its anti-obesity activity and the mechanism by which the water extract of dried, immature fruit of Poncirus trifoliata (PF-W) acts are not clear. This study suggests a potential mechanism associated with the anti-obesity activity of PF-W. Methods: We measured the effect of PF-W on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) regulation using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an activity assay. The LPL regulation mechanism was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to measure the mRNA expression of biomarkers related to protein transport and by western blot for analysis of the protein expression of the transcription factor CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ($C/EBP{\beta}$). Results: The total polyphenol and flavonoid content of PF-W was $52.15{\pm}4.02$ and $6.56{\pm}0.47mg/g$, respectively. PF-W treatment decreased LPL content in media to $58{\pm}5%$ of that in control adipocyte media, and increased LPL content to $117{\pm}3.5%$ of that in control adipocytes, but did not affect the mRNA expression of LPL. PF-W also increased the mRNA expression of sortilin-related receptor (SorLA), a receptor that induces endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of LPL, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Finally, cell fractionation revealed that PF-W treatment induced the expression of $C/EBP{\beta}$, a SorLA transcription factor, in the nuclei of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Conclusion: The LPL secretion and activity assay showed PF-W to be an LPL secretion inhibitor, and these results suggest the potential mechanism of PF-W involving inhibition of LPL secretion through $C/EBP{\beta}$-mediated induction of SorLA expression.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2015

Purpose: The objective of this study was to examine whether Hamcho freeze-dried powder and Hamcho freeze-dried nano powder have an anti-obese effect on high fat diet-induced obese rats. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were divided into 6 different groups, each of which was bred for 8 weeks with a different experimental diet: normal diet group (NC), high fat diet group (HFC), high fat diet + 2% Salicornia herbacea L. freeze-dried powder group (2% HS), high fat diet + 5% Salicornia herbacea L. freeze-dried powder group (5%HS), high fat diet + 1% Salicornia herbacea L. freeze-dried nano powder group (1% HSN), high fat diet + 2% Salicornia herbacea L. freeze-dried nano powder group (2% HSN). Results: The 5% HS group showed a weight loss effect in body weight, liver and adipose tissue by reducing the amount of dietary intake and food efficiency ratio. In addition, the 5% HS group showed a significant reduction of serum leptin concentration, while having a beneficial effect on the improvement of lipid metabolism such as increase the serum concentration of adiponectin. However, Hamcho freeze-dried nano powder did not show a weight loss effect. Conclusion: Overall data indicated that Hamcho seemed to have anti-obesity effects. In particular, consumption of 5% Hamcho freeze-dried powder might have beneficial effects on body weight, serum adiponectin level, and lipid profiles since it led to reduced body weight and growth of adipose tissues by suppressing dietary intakes. However conduct of further research studies is needed for analysis of active components and biochemical action mechanism of Hamcho.