• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.357-366
• /
• 2022

Background: Withania somnifera (Solanaceae), generally known as Indian ginseng, is a medicinal plant that is used in Ayurvedic practice for promoting health and longevity. This study aims to identify the bioactive metabolites from Indian ginseng and elucidate their structures. Methods: Withanolides were purified by chromatographic techniques, including HPLC coupled with LC/MS. Chemical structures of isolated withanolides were clarified by analyzing the spectroscopic data from 1D and 2D NMR, and HR-ESIMS experiment. Absolute configurations of the withanolides were established by the application of NMR chemical shifts and ECD calculations. Anti-adipogenic activities of isolates were evaluated using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes with Oil Red O staining and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results: Phytochemical examination of the roots of Indian ginseng afforded to the isolation of six withanolides (1-6), including three novel withanolides, withasilolides GeI (1-3). All the six compounds inhibited adipogenesis and suppressed the enlargement of lipid droplets, compared to those of the control. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of Fabp4 and Adipsin, the adipocyte markers decreased noticeably following treatment with 25 µM of 1-6. The active compounds (1-6) also promoted lipid metabolism by upregulating the expression of the lipolytic genes HSL and ATGL and downregulating the expression of the lipogenic gene SREBP1. Conclusion: The results of our experimental studies suggest that the withasilolides identified herein have anti-adipogenic potential and can be considered for the development of therapeutic strategies against adipogenesis in obesity. Our study also provides a mechanistic rationale for using Indian ginseng as a potential therapeutic agent against obesity and related metabolic diseases.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.499-503
• /
• 2015

We investigated the anti-obesity effects of ethanolic extract (ID1216) of Polygonatum sibiricum rhizome and its potential underlying mechanism in an animal model. ID1216 treatment decreased body weight gain and white adipose tissue weight in the prevention study. The mRNA levels of sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator-$1{\alpha}$ ($PGC1{\alpha}$), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\alpha}$ ($PPAR{\alpha}$) significantly increased in the epididymal white adipose tissue of ID1216-administered mice. The stimulation effects of ID1216 on these gene expressions were also observed in a cell-based assay using differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, similar to orlistat, ID1216 treatment improved weight gain and reduced epididymal fat in the treatment model. These results suggest that ID1216 has potential as an anti-obesity agent by modulating the expression of genes related to thermogenesis, lipid metabolism and fatty acid oxidation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.200-203
• /
• 2008

Obesity has become a worldwide health problem. Orlistat, an inhibitor of pancreatic lipase, is currently approved as an anti-obesity drug. However, gastrointestinal side effects caused by Orlistat may limit its use. In this study the inhibitory activities of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) against pancreatic lipase in vitro and in vivo were measured to determine its possible use as a natural anti-obesity agent. The inhibitory activities of the 95% ethanol extract of T. officinale and Orlistat were measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl oleate (4-MU oleate) as a substrate at concentrations of 250, 125, 100, 25, 12.5 and $4\;{\mu}g/ml$. To determine pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity in vivo, mice (n=16) were orally administered with com oil emulsion (5 ml/kg) alone or with the 95% ethanol extract of T. officinale (400 mg/kg) following an overnight fast. Plasma triglyceride levels were measured at 0, 90, 180, and 240 min after treatment and incremental areas under the response curves (AUC) were calculated. The 95% ethanol extract of T. officinale and Orlistat, inhibited, porcine pancreatic lipase activity by 86.3% and 95.7% at a concentration of $250\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. T. officinale extract showed dose-dependent inhibition with the $IC_{50}$ of $78.2\;{\mu}g/ml$. A single oral dose of the extract significantly inhibited increases in plasma triglyceride levels at 90 and 180 min and reduced AVC of plasma triglyceride response curve (p<0.05). The results indicate that T. officinale exhibits inhibitory activities against pancreatic lipase in vitro and in vivo. Further studies to elucidate anti-obesity effects of chronic consumption of T. officinale and to identify the active components responsible for inhibitory activity against pancreatic lipase are necessary.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.48 no.4
• /
• pp.331-342
• /
• 2022

Obesity is one of the metabolic diseases caused by excessive differentiation and accumulation of adipose tissue due to an imbalance between energy intake and consumption. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of SliMax, a natural-derived 6 compounds mixture, by using 3T3-L1 cells. As a result, SliMax showed the inhibitory effect on adipocyte differentiation through down-regulation of the PPARγ and C/EBPα expression, which are known to regulate the late adipogenesis stage. In the process of lipolysis on differentiated 3T3-L1 cells, SliMax accelerated decomposition of large-sized unilocular lipid droplet into numerous small-sized multilocular lipid droplets through up-regulation of the expression of lipolysis-related proteins ATGL and HSL. Finally, in order to confirm the effect of SliMax on induction of brown adipocyte, the expression of UCP-1 and the amount of mitochondria were confirmed by immunofluorescent staining, and as a result, SliMax increased the expression of UCP-1 and the amount of mitochondria in fat cells. Taken together, those results suggest that SliMax, a naturally-derived mixture, have a potential to be anti-obesity agent through exerting inhibitory effect on the formation of lipid droplet by suppression of adipogenesis and stimulation of lipolysis, and browning effect associated with generation of heat energy and energy consumption.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2023.04a
• /
• pp.51-51
• /
• 2023

The world-wide rate of obesity is increasing continuously, representing a serious medical threat since it is associated with a variety of diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and numerous cancers. Sophora japonicais used as a traditional herb for medicinal purposes in eastern Asia. However, the anti-obesity effects of S. japonicafruit have not been explored. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation and adipogenesis by an ethanol extract of S. japonicafruit (EESF) in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Our results demonstrate that EESF suppressed the terminal differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, as confirmed by a decrease in lipid droplet number and lipid content through Oil Red O staining. EESF significantly reduced the accumulation of cellular triglyceride, which was associated with a significant inhibition of the levels of pro-adipogenic transcription factors, including PPARγ, C/EBPα and C/EBPβ. In addition, EESF potentially down regulated the expression levels of adipocyte-specific proteins, including aP2 and leptin. In particular, EESF treatment effectively enhanced the activation of the AMPK signaling pathway; however, the co-treatment with compound C, an inhibitor of AMPK, significantly restored the EESF-induced inhibition of pro-adipogenic transcription factors and adipocyte-specific genes. These results indicate that EESF may exert an anti-obesity effect by controlling the AMPK signaling pathway, suggesting that the fruit extract of S. japonica may be a potential anti-obesity agent.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.34 no.8
• /
• pp.2487-2490
• /
• 2013

SA51, a medium potency inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), was identified to be a potent inhibitor of $I{\kappa}B$ kinase ${\beta}$ ($IKK{\beta}$). Consistent with this, SA51 prevented lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced breakdown of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ in macrophages. The effects of SA51 in mice were compared with those of structurally related compounds, SA18 and SA32, which were previously reported as inhibitors of both enzymes - less potent against $IKK{\beta}$ but more potent against PTP1B compared to SA51. SA51 improved glucose tolerance and lipid parameters in mice, consistent with the results reported for $IKK{\beta}^{+/-}$ mice. In contrast, SA18 and SA32 showed anti-obesity effects without anti-diabetic effects. Collectively, the effects of SA51 could be due largely to the inhibition of $IKK{\beta}$, whereas SA18 and SA32 may be more likely to inhibit PTP1B, consistent with their relative in vitro inhibitory effects.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 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
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.263-268
• /
• 2013

The inhibitory effects of adipogenesis on ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction from leaves of the Tulip tree (TT) were evaluated. Exposure to TT EtOAc fraction (25~200 ${\mu}g/mL$) for a 72 hr incubation period did not significantly change cell viability. TT EtOAc fraction, with concentrations of 100 and 200 ${\mu}g/mL$, inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose dependent manner in adipogenesis. The expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$, essential adipogenic markers, was significantly decreased when TT EtOAc fraction was added to cells for 8 days as compared with the untreated control group. These results suggest that TT EtOAc fraction might be a potential therapeutic agent as an effective, natural alternative material for obesity treatment.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2015

Nuruk has been used as fermentation starter in the alcohol industry for some time in Korea. Various bioactivities, such as antiproliferative and anti-obesity, of R4 nuruk made from Rhizopus oryzae KSD-815 have been previously reported. In this study, the hot water and ethanol extract of R4 nuruk and their subsequent organic solvent fractions were prepared, and their antithrombosis activities were evaluated. The ethylacetate fraction showed strong anti-coagulation activity, and the ethylacetate and butanol fraction from hot water extract demonstrated platelet aggregation inhibitory activity, without hemolysis against human RBC. Our results suggest that R4 nuruk has the potential to act as a new anti-thrombosis agent.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.455-461
• /
• 2012

Obesity is associated with numerous diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cancer. Inhibition of adipogenesis is a effectite strategy to anti-obesity. In this study, Galla Chinenisis extract (GCE) inhibited adipocyte differentiation in OP9 cells. There was no cytotoxicity when cells were treated with GCE in designated time intervals, unaffected by concentration. In this cell model, increases in fat storage were inhibited by 2 days treatment with various concentration of GCE, visualized by Oil red-O, BODIPY and DAPI staining. To understand the underlying mechanism at the molecular level, the effects of GCE were examined on the expression of the genes involved in adipogenesis by real-time PCR. In the progress of adipocyte differentiation with GCE-treated, the mRNA level of adipogenic genes such as peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptors gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$), computer-assisted axial tomography/enhancer binding protein-alpha ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) were decreased. Also, GCE treatment inhibited increase of mRNA expression, which is adipogenic factor such as fatty acid synthase (FAS), hormone-sensitve lipase (HSL), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and adipocyte-specific lipid binding protein (aP2). Therefore, the result of this study suggest that Galla Chinenisis extract can prevent adipocyte differentiation and GCE may have a great potential as a novel anti-adipogenic agent.