• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.786-794
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• 2018

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae have been widely worked in wound dressing, hepatoprotective activity, antigenotoxicity, control of glucose level and anti-cancer activity. To investigate the anti-obesity activity of ethanol extract of silkworm pupae powder fermented with Cordyceps militaris (ESfC), the free glycerol release and cAMP concentration as well as fat accumulation were measured in the primary adipocytes of SD (Sprague Dawley) rats and high fat diet (HFD)-treated C57BL/6 mice treated with 12 weeks. Firstly, the presence of the cordycepin with lipid lowering effect was confirmed in ESfC using HPLC analysis. The level of free glycerol and cAMP concentration was significantly increased in the primary adipocytes treated with high dose of ESfC ($400{\mu}g/ml$) although these levels were consistently maintained in other dose ESfC treated groups. In HFD-induced obesity model, the increased fat weight and size of adipocytes in HFD+Vehicle treated group was recovered in HFD+ESfC treated group. Also, the liver weight and the number of lipid droplets were higher in HFD+Vehicle treated group than No treated group. But, this level was significantly decreased in HFD+ESfC treated group compared with HFD+Vehicle treated group. Furthermore, a similar recovery was detected on the phosphorylation of periliphin and HSL, and ATGL expression. Overall, the results of the present study provide some scientific evidences that ESfC can stimulate lipolysis in primary adipocytes and prevent fat accumulation in HFD-treated obesity model, and therefore have the potential for use as anti-obesity agents to treat obese patient.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.580-592
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to further investigate the potential health beneficial effects of long-term seaweed supplementation on lipid metabolism and hepatic functions in DIO mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Four brown seaweeds (Undaria pinnatifida [UP], Laminaria japonica [LJ], Sargassum fulvellum [SF], or Hizikia fusiforme [HF]) were added to a high fat diet (HFD) at a 5% ratio and supplemented to C57BL/6N mice for 16 weeks. Triglycerides (TGs) and total cholesterol (TC) in the liver, feces, and plasma were measured. Fecal bile acid (BA) levels in feces were monitored. Hepatic insulin signaling- and lipogenesis-related proteins were evaluated by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Fasting blood glucose levels were significantly reduced in the LJ, SF, and HF groups compared to the HFD group by the end of 16-week feeding period. Plasma TG levels and hepatic lipid accumulation were significantly reduced in all 4 seaweed supplemented groups, whereas plasma TC levels were only suppressed in the UP and HF groups compared to the HFD group. Fecal BA levels were significantly elevated by UP, LJ, and SF supplementation compared to HFD feeding only. Lastly, regarding hepatic insulin signaling-related proteins, phosphorylation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase was significantly up-regulated by all 4 types of seaweed, whereas phosphorylation of protein kinase B was up-regulated only in the SF and HF groups. Lipogenesis-related proteins in the liver were effectively down-regulated by HF supplementation in DIO mice. CONCLUSIONS: Brown seaweed consumption showed hypotriglyceridemic effects in the prolonged DIO mouse model. Specifically, combinatory regulation of BA excretion and lipogenesis-related proteins in the liver by seaweed supplementation contributed to the reduction of plasma and hepatic TG levels, which inhibited hyperglycemia in DIO mice. Thus, the discrepant and species-specific functions of brown seaweeds provide novel insights for the selection of future targets for therapeutic agents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.193-202
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• 2010

In vitro activities of Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) 70% ethanol extract and its fractions (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water) were examined by total polyphenol content, reducing power, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-$\beta$-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. The ethyl acetate fraction from CL ethanol extract (CLEA) showed the highest total polyphenol content (22.7 mg/g) among five fractions, and also exhibited an excellent reducing power (0.42~1.27 at $250\sim1,000\;{\mu}g/mL$). CLEA at $100\sim400\;{\mu}g/mL$ concentrations had 27.7~70.3% of ABTS radical scavenging activity and the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (81.6% at $400\;{\mu}g/mL$). CLEA had dominantly higher $ORAC_{{ROO}{\cdot}}$activity compared to other fractions. CLEA and butanol fraction had significantly higher $ORAC_{{OH}{\cdot}}$ activities than 70% ethanol extract, hexane, chloroform and water fractions. The CLEA exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in CL 70% ethanol extract and its fractions. Thus, effect of CLEA treatment on antioxidant gene expression under the oxidative stress conditions by a high fat diet in animal model was studied by microarray and RT-PCR methods. The 31 antioxidant genes were expressed but the genes were not up-regulated at least a two-fold by CLEA treatment. We concluded that CLEA does not have an indirect antioxidant effect but a direct antioxidant effect by up-regulation of antioxidant genes in high fat diet-induced obese mice.