• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.476-484
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• 2014

Obesity, which is characterized by a state of mild chronic inflammation, is known to cause metabolic diseases. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of lyophilized dropwort vinegar powder (DVP) on adipocyte differentiation and inflammation in T3-L1 preadipocyte and RAW 264.7 macrophage cell lines. DVP inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes induced by a mixture of IBMX, dexamethasone, and insulin (MDI). Western blot analysis of cell lysates showed that DVP decreased the levels of two major transcription factors involved in adipogenesis, peroxisome proliferator- activated receptor-${\gamma}$ (PPAR-${\gamma}$) and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$). DVP also significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), and this was accompanied by a decrease in inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression. These results demonstrate that DVP inhibits MDI-induced adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells and LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The findings indicate that this natural product may be a good candidate as to prevent metabolic diseases.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.513-519
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• 2012

Aged garlic extract (AGE) is known to have a protective effect against immune system, endothelial function, oxidative stress and inflammation. We examined the effects of exercise with and without aged garlic extract administration on body weight, lipid profiles, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress marker in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats. Forty-five Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a HFD (HFD, n = 40) or a normal diet (ND, n = 5) for 6 weeks and thereafter randomized into ND (n = 5), HFD (n = 10), HFD with AGE (n = 10), HFD with Exercise (n = 10), or HFD with Exercise+AGE (n = 10) for 4 weeks. AGE groups were administered at a dose of 2.86 g/kg body weight, orally. Exercise consisted of running 15-60 min 5 days/week with gradually increasing intensity. AGE (P<0.01), Exercise, and Exercise+AGE (P<0.001) attenuated body weight gain and food efficiency ratio compared to HFD. Visceral fat and liver weight gain were attenuated (P<0.05) with all three interventions with a greater effect on visceral fat in the Exercise+AGE than AGE (P<0.001). In reducing visceral fat (P<0.001), epididymal fat (P<0.01) and liver weight (P<0.001), Exercise+AGE was effective, but exercise showed a stronger suppressive effect than AGE. Exercise+AGE showed further additive effects on reducing visceral fat and liver weight (P<0.001). AGE significantly attenuated the increase in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol compared with HFD (P<0.05). Exercise+AGE attenuated the increase in triglycerides compared with HFD (P<0.05). Exercise group significantly decrease in C-reactive protein (P<0.001). These results suggest that AGE supplementation and exercise alone have anti-obesity, cholesterol lowering, and anti-inflammatory effects, but the combined intervention is more effective in reducing weight gain and triglycerides levels than either intervention alone.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.286-292
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• 2009

In this study, we investigated the anti-obese activity of HPJ extract in C57BL/6J mice. The C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal control group (Con), high fat diet control group (HFD), treatment groups with HPJ at 125 mg/kg (HPJ125), 250 mg/kg (HPJ250), or 500 mg/kg (HPJ500). To induce an obesity, mice were fed by a high fat diet for 6 weeks, and mice were administered with HPJ extract once a day for 8 weeks. At the end of treatment, we examined the effect of HPJ extract on body weight, plasma lipid, and lipogenic enzymes. HPJ extract was found to lower whole body and epididymal adipose tissue weights and lowered plasma levels of glucose, insulin, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and leptin, compared to those in HFD group. Histological analyses of the liver and fat tissues of mice treated with HPJ extract revealed significantly decreased number of lipid droplets and decreased size of adipocytes compared to the HFD group. In addition, HPJ extract preserved the morphological integrity of pancreatic islets. To elucidate an action mechanism of HPJ extract, Western blot and RT-PCR were performed using epididymal adipose tissues. HPJ extract up-regulated the levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its substrate, acetyl-CoA carboxylasse (ACC). HPJ extract also attenuated lipogenic gene expressions of sterol regulatory element-binding protein $1{\alpha}$ (SREBP$1{\alpha}$), fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) in dose-dependent manners. In contrast, expressions of lipolytic genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-$\alpha$ (PPAR-${\alpha}$) and CD36, and fatty acid $\beta$-oxidation gene, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) were increased. These results suggest that HPJ extract ameliorates obesity through inhibiting synthesis of lipogenic enzymes as well as stimulating fatty acid oxidation resulting from activation of AMPK, and HPJ extract could be developed as a potential therapeutic agent for obese patients.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.250-255
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• 2011

As part of our continuing search for novel bioactive natural products, antioxidant and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of the aqueous ethanolic extract of Polygonum aviculare were investigated. In addition, the total phenolic content was quantified by a spectrophotometric method. The antioxidant properties of the extract were evaluated by radical scavenging assays such as DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals. The anti-obesity efficacy of P. aviculare extract was tested by porcine pancreatic lipase assay. All tested samples showed a dose-dependent pancreatic lipase inhibitory and radical scavenging activities. In terms of the $IC_{50}$ value, the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) soluble portion was most potent than other solvent soluble portions. The results suggested that P. aviculare could be considered as a new potential source of natural antioxidant and anti-obesity agent for food, nutraceutical, cosmetics industries.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.138-143
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• 2012

The anti-obesity activity of the $Cucubita$ $moschata$ Duch. extracts was investigated. The inhibitory effect on triglyceride accumulation was shown in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte. The lipid accumulation of the ethanol extract in 5 mg/mL concentration was shown to be 75.4%, where as that of water extract was shown to be 85.2%. The survival rate of the cell in the viability test was shown to be 86.5% in the 0.5-5 mg/mL concentration. Total polyphenol content was highest in the water extract($46.54{\pm}0.02$ mg). These results suggest that $Cucubita$ $moschata$ Duch. extracts have a potential as anti-obesity material by reducing the lipid accumulation.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 2014

In this study, the antioxidant and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of aqueous methanolic (70% methanol) extract from the roots of Anemarrhena asphodeloides were investigated. The extracts of four solvent fractions (the n-hexane layer, EtOAc layer, n-BuOH layer, and $H_2O$ layer) of the 70% methanol extract were also investigated. Furthermore, the total phenolic content was quantified using a spectrophotometric method. All the tested samples showed dose-dependent radical scavenging and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities. In particular, the pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate soluble portion (the EtOAc layer) from the rhizomes of the A. asphodeloides was higher than that of the other solvent-soluble portions. The antioxidant property of the extracts was evaluated using radical scavenging assays with DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals. 1000 mg/ml of the n-BuOH layer extract showed 91.2% DPPH radical scavenging activity. The EtOAc layer extract and the n-BuOH layer extract showed $IC_{50}=20.5{\pm}1.7mg/ml$ and $IC_{50}=50.5{\pm}0.7mg/ml$ $ABTS^+$ radical scavenging activities, respectively. The anti-obesity efficacy of the A. asphodeloides extract was tested via porcine pancreatic lipase assay. A pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity ($IC_{50}$) of $31.3{\pm}0.1mg/ml$ was obtained from the EtOAc layer extract. These results suggest that A. asphodeloides can be considered a new potential source of natural antioxidant and anti-obesity agents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2012

To evaluate the anti-obesity effect of Agrimonia pilosa L., this study investigated that ethyl acetate extract from A. pilosa L. (EAAP) suppresses lipid accumulation and inhibits expression of adipogenic marker genes, such as peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ${\gamma}$ (PPAR${\gamma}$), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ (C/EBP${\alpha}$), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), and adiponectin in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. We demonstrated that EAAP inhibited adipocyte differentiation and expression of PPAR${\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, EAAP reduced the PPAR${\gamma}$ transcriptional activity stimulated by rosiglitazone in HEK 293T cells and decreased the expression of GLUT4 and adiponectin in 3T3-L1 cells. These results suggest that EAAP inhibits preadipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by blocking of PPAR${\gamma}$ and C/EBP${\alpha}$ gene expression in 3T3-L1 cells.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.837-847
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• 2009

In order to investigate the anti-obesity effects of Gambibang-2(here in after referred to GBB2) on the obese gene and obese inhibitory, C57BL/6 mice were induced by high fat diet. C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups(normal, high fat diet with control, high fat diet with Reductil(here in after referred to RDT), high fat diet with GBB2 extract) and fed for 8 weeks. And observed that, body weight change, the weight change of the adipocytes in body and liver, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, leptin change in the serum, the expression of ${\beta}3AR$ and leptin gene in 3T3 cell and primary adipocyte cell, histological analysis of adipose tissue and liver tissue. GBB2 and RDT group showed that the revelation of ${\beta}3AR$ in primary adipose cell and 3T3 cell were increased considerably, and that the revelation of leptin in primary adipose cell and 3T3-L1 cell were decreased considerably. GBB2 and RDT group showed that the body weight were decreased considerably after 7-8 weeks. GBB2 and RDT group showed that the weight of adipocyte and liver were decreased. GBB2 and RDT group showed that the amount of HDL-Cholesterol were increased, the amount of glucose, LDL-Cholesterol and Triglyceride were decreased considerably. GBB2 group showed that the amount of leptin in the serum were decreased. GBB2 and RDT group showed that the size of adipocyte in adipocytes tissue and the adipose vacuoles in liver tissue were decreased. Taking all these observations into account, GBB2 considered to be effective in treating on the obese gene and obese inhibitory. Therefore we have to survey continuously in looking for the effective substance and mechanism in the future.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.5646-5657
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• 2013

In this study, to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of mulberry leaf tea and its fermented product by Monascus pilosus, we investigated body and organ weight, blood and liver biomarkers in mice fed 1% tea infusions instead of water for 8 weeks. Mice were divided into three groups such as a normal control (NC), unfermented mulberry leaf tea infusion (UMI) and fermented mulberry leaf tea infusion (FMI). Although it is not significant, tea infusion groups showed reduction of body weight gains compared with NC group. Moreover, contents of LDL-cholesterol and lipid peroxide (LPO), altherogenic index, and xanthin oxidase (XO) activity were significantly decreased, and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly elevated. The results from this study suggested that UMI and FMI may have an anti-obesity activity, upregulate antioxidant enzymes and reduce levels of oxidants related to liver damage.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.112-118
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the possible use of Eisenia bicyclis (EB) ethanol extract to inhibit activity against lipase. In tests, the lipase inhibitory activity of EB ethanol extract was noted as being 43, 27, and 24% at concentrations of 5, 2.5, and 1 mg/ml, respectively. Isolation was carried out by liquid and liquid extraction, silica-gel column chromatography, and HPLC. The results showed that the lipase inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate (EA) fraction from EB ethanol extract exhibited the strongest lipase inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 1.31 mg/ml. The EA fraction was separated using silica-gel column chromatography and we obtained 22 sub-fractions. Amongst them, the EA1 fraction showed the highest lipase inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 0.54 mg/ml. Eight peaks were obtained from the EA1 fraction by HPLC. Fraction 5 also showed a strong lipase inhibitory activity with an $IC_{50}$ value of 0.37 mg/ml. The fraction 5 was identified as dieckol and the inhibition pattern analyzed from Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed a non-competitive inhibitor. These results suggest that EB has potential as a natural anti-obesity agent.