• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1094-1099
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• 2021

Hermetia illucens (Black soldier fly) is attracting attention as an environmental purification insect because it can supply a wide range of by-products of the agricultural food industry. Also, it has a potential feed for fish, birds, and pets due to a short life cycle and excellent nutritional components. Several pharmacological effects, including antimicrobial, of H. illucens have been reported. However, no study has focused on antiobesity effects of ethanol extract of H. illucens. In this study, we aimed to assess the anti-obesity effects of ethanol extract of H. illucens larvae (HIE) through inhibition of differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes. The amount of lipid accumulated in adipocytes was measured by oil red-O staining, and the inhibitory effect on adipogenesis was confirmed. The expression levels of factors related to adipocyte differentiation and fat synthesis were determined using Western blot analysis. Lipid droplet formation in adipocytes was remarkably inhibited by HIE. In addition, treatment with 400 ㎍/ml of HIE significantly reduced the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α-transcription factors involved in adipocyte differentiation. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that HIE is a potential anti-obesity agent because it inhibits adipocyte differentiation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2015

Myelophycus simplex Papenfuss is distributed over the northern Pacific and southern coast of Korea, and is a member of the brown algae family. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of M. simplex methanol extract on adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Treatment with M. simplex methanol extract significantly suppressed terminal differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by a decrease in lipid droplet content observed by Oil Red O staining. Also, the M. simplex methanol extract significantly suppressed the triglyceride content of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with 300 and $500{\mu}g/ml$ of M. simplex methanol extract caused a 42% and 76% reduction in lipid droplet content, respectively. In order to understand the anti-adipogenic effects of M. simplex methanol extract, the changes in the expression of several adipogenic transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ${\gamma}$-cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$, were investigated using immunoblotting. M. simplex suppressed the expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$, $C/EBP{\alpha}$, and $C/EBP{\beta}$ proteins compared with control. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that M. simplex methanol extract inhibits adipocyte differentiation and thus may have applications as a potential source for an anti-obesity functional food agent.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.969-974
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the inhibitory activity of Ecklonia cava (EC) against lipase and the stability of this activity under various heat and pH conditions. As a result, EC ethanol extract showed lipase inhibitory activity of 59, 34 and 19% at concentrations of 5, 2.5 and 1 mg/mL, whereas the water extract showed low inhibitory activity at all concentrations compared to that of the ethanol extracts. In a heat and pH stability test, the inhibitory activity of the EC ethanol extract increased with heat treatment at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min compared with the control and was stable in the pH range of 2~10. Therefore, the EC ethanol extract could be useful as a natural anti-obesity agent.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of Sargassum confusum extracts on the reduction of body fat for eight weeks in overweight women ($BMI{\geq_-}23kg/m^2$). Methods: Subjects were classified by double-blind randomized trial as the control group (C group, n = 14) and the Sargassum confusum extract supplementation group (SC group, n = 16), which consumed 12 tablets per day. Questionnaires related to their health status were assessed twice (week 0 and week 8). Their dietary intake status was evaluated by 24-recall method and body compositions were measured using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer. In addition, we assessed the anti-obesity effect and the occurrence possibility of health risk factors during the supplementation periods by hematological and clinical analysis of blood. Results: Waist circumference and body fat (%) were significantly decreased in the SC group. Serum leptin level was also significantly decreased in the SC group. Defecation frequency was significantly increased in the SC group. The above results indicate that Sargassum confusum extract supplementation improves overweight on visceral fat and blood leptin level by increasing bowel movement. These results imply a decrease of health risk factors in overweight women. Seven subjects withdrew from the study due to adverse events; however, no differences regarding adverse events were observed between the control and treatment group. Conclusion: Therefore, Sargassum confusum extract is a plausible effective agent for body fat reduction in humans.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.745-750
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• 2014

This study investigated the effects of squid Todarodes pacificus liver oil on the serum lipids and adipose tissue weight of rats. The rats in the soybean oil (SO) group received a basic diet prepared according to the recommendations of the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN-93G), with 7% SO as lipid source. The rats in the Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides muscle oil (PTFO) group received 5% PTFO and 2% SO as the lipid source, while the rats in the eco-friendly squid liver oil (EFSO) group received 5% EFSO and 2% SO. EFSO was prepared according to the method outlined in the author's patent. PTFO was extracted from muscle using a physical method in the author's laboratory. The prominent polyunsaturated fatty acids in the dietary oils were 18:2n-6 (54.3%) and 18:3n-3 (5.64%) in SO, DHA (6.77%) and EPA (3.61%) in PTFO, and DHA (26.2%) and EPA (9.94%) in EFSO. After feeding for 4 weeks, the serum lipid levels (e.g., triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) of the rats in the EFSO group were significantly reduced as compared with those in the SO group (P<0.05); those of the rats in the PTFO group were also reduced, albeit not significantly, compared with the SO group. On the other hand, the total white adipose tissue (visceral, epididymal, and perirenal) weight was significantly reduced in the EFSO and PTFO groups compared to the SO group. These results demonstrate that EFSO is an effective lipid modifying agent in rat blood, and that EFSO and PTFO have greater anti-obesity effects than SO.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.390-396
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• 2011

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a well-known herb that is widely consumed as spice for the flavoring of foods. As part of our continuing search for bioactive materials, the in vitro pancreatic lipase inhibition and antioxidant properties of an aqueous ethanolic extract of Z. officinale were investigated. The total phenolic content was determined using a spectrophotometric method. The antioxidant efficacies of the extract was studied with radical scavenging assays using DPPH and $ABTS^+$ radicals. Further more, the antiobesity effect of the extract was evaluated by porcine pancreatic lipase assay. In particularly, the pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble portion from Z. officinale was significantly higher than that of the other solvent-soluble portions. The results suggest that Z. officinale may have therapeutic potential that may be useful in development of an anti-obesity agent or its precursors.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.484-491
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• 2019

Proanthocyanidins are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds abundant in many vegetables, plant skins (rind/bark), seeds, flowers, fruits, and nuts. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated myriad effects potentially beneficial to human health, such as antioxidation, immunomodulation, DNA repair, and antitumor activity. Among immune cells, macrophages are crucial players in a variety of inflammatory responses to environmental conditions. However, it has been widely reported that macrophages cause chronic inflammation and are involved in a variety of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. In this study, we report the suppressive effect of proanthocyanidins via the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)-related system, on the immune response of the LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Increased HO-1 expression at mRNA and protein levels were found in proanthocyanidins-treated RAW264.7 cells. Further, proanthocyanidins enhanced nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 translocation into the nucleus. RAW264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without proanthocyanidins, and inflammatory mediator expression levels were assessed. Proanthocyanidins treatment resulted in the attenuation of nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, mRNA and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and interleukin-6, was inhibited by proanthocyanidins treatment in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These findings support proanthocyanidins as a promising anti-inflammatory agent.