• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.489-497
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• 2018

Purpose: Obesity is often associated with disturbances in the mineral metabolism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high-fat diet-induced obesity on tissue zinc concentrations and zinc transporter expressions in mice. Methods: C57BL/6J male mice were fed either a control diet (10% energy from fat, control group) or a high-fat diet (45% energy from fat, obese group) for 15 weeks. The zinc concentrations in the serum, stool, and various tissues were measured by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-atomic emission spectrophotometry or ICP-mass spectrophotometry. The levels of zinc transporter mRNAs in the liver, duodenum, and pancreas were measured by real-time RT-PCR. The levels of serum adipokines, such as leptin and IL-6, were determined. Results: The total body weight, adipose tissue weight, and hepatic TG and cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher in the obese group, as compared to the control group. The obese group had significantly higher levels of serum leptin and pro-inflammatory IL-6 concentrations, and had significantly lower levels of serum alkaline phosphatase activity. The zinc concentrations of the liver, kidney, duodenum, and pancreas were all significantly lower in the obese group than in the control group. On the other hand, the fecal zinc concentrations were significantly higher in the obese group than in the control group. The serum zinc concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups. The ZnT1 mRNA levels of the liver and the pancreas were significantly higher in the obese group, as compared to the control group. Hepatic Zip10 mRNA was also increased in the obese group. Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that obesity increases fecal zinc excretion and lowers the tissue zinc concentrations, which may be associated with alterations in the zinc transporter expressions.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2017

Objectives: In this study, the lipolytic effects of Eriobotrya folium extract (EFE) on local fat was investigated in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods: C57BL/6J mice (5 weeks) were fed HFD for 6 weeks to induce obesity. EFE (20 mg/ml, $100{\mu}l$) or saline ($100{\mu}l$) as a normal control was injected into left inguinal fat pad region, 3 times per a week for last 2 weeks. After sacrifice, body weight, and histological changes of the inguinal fat pad were evaluated. The expressions of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) in inguinal fat pad were analyzed by Western blotting. Also, lipid accumulation and lipases release were determined in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by oil red o staining. Results: EFE significantly reduced the weight of inguinal fat pad and the size of adipocytes in HFD-induced obesity mice compared to control. The treatment of EFE up-regulated the expressions of HSL and ATGL in inguinal fat pads of obesity mice, as well as 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, EFE inhibited the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose dependent manner. Conclusions: EFE showed lipolytic effect on local fat of HFD-induced obesity mice by up-regulation of the lipases secretion. This suggests that EFE could be considered as anti-obese substance with lipolytic property on local fat.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Atherosclerosis is associated with increased inflammation in the visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Vitamin D has been reported to modulate the inflammatory responses of stromal vascular cells (SVCs) and adipocytes in adipose tissue, but the role of vitamin D in atherosclerosis biology is unclear. This study examined the effects of in vitro 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ (1,25[OH]₂D₃) treatment on the inflammatory responses of SVCs and adipocytes from atherosclerotic mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: C57BL/6J (B6) mice were divided randomly into 2 groups and fed a 10% kcal fat control diet (control group, CON) or 41% kcal fat, 0.21% cholesterol (high fat + cholesterol, HFC) diet (obese group, OB), and B6.129S7-Ldlr^tm1Her/J (Ldlr^-/-) mice were fed a HFC diet (obese with atherosclerosis group, OBA) for 16 weeks. SVCs and adipocytes isolated from VAT were pre-incubated with 1,25(OH)₂D₃ for 24 h and stimulated with lipopolysaccarides for the next 24 h. Proinflammatory cytokine production by adipocytes and SVCs, the immune cell population in SVCs, and the expression of the genes involved in the inflammatory signaling pathway in SVCs were determined. RESULTS: The numbers of total macrophages and SVCs per mouse were higher in OB and OBA groups than the CON group. The in vitro 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment significantly reduced macrophages/SVCs (%) in the OBA group. Consistent with this change, the production of interleukin-6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) by SVCs from the OBA group was decreased by 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment. The 1,25(OH)₂D₃ treatment significantly reduced the toll-like receptor 4 and dual-specificity protein phosphatase 1 (also known as mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 1) mRNA levels in SVCs and MCP-1 production by adipocytes from all 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that vitamin D can attribute to the inhibition of the inflammatory response in VAT from atherosclerotic mice by reducing proinflammatory cytokine production.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.570-582
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• 2020

Purpose: Obesity is a risk factor for various adult diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardio-cerebrovascular disease, and cancer. With an increasing obesity population worldwide, the prevention of obesity with natural components has emerged as an alternative health care strategy. Ramulus mori (Sangzhi, RM) is widely used as a traditional herbal medicine in East Asia. It contains various phytochemicals, including stilbenes and 2-arylbenzofurans. In this study, we compared the anti-obesity effects of RM extracts and its major stilbene components (mulberroside A [MSA] and oxyresveratrol [ORT]) in high fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice. Methods: Five week-old, male C57BL/6J mice were grouped into 7 experimental groups: normal diet (ND), HFD, HFD + 1% RM water extracts (MW), HFD + 0.1% MSA, HFD + 1% RM ethanol extracts (ME), HFD + 0.1% ORT, and HFD + 1% Garcinia cambogia extracts (GC) as a positive control. All mice were fed experimental diet for 13 weeks. Results: Compared to the HFD group, total body weight and weekly body weight gain were significantly decreased in the ME, ORT, and GC groups. Glucose tolerance level was significantly decreased in all experimental groups, whereas plasma insulin level was decreased in MSA, ME, ORT and GC groups. Plasma glucose, triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol levels were significantly decreased, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased in the MSA, ORT, and GC groups. Hepatic TG accumulation was also significantly decreased in the MSA, ME, ORT, and GC groups. Adipose tissue weight and size of adipocytes were significantly decreased in the MSA, ME and ORT groups, and were comparable to values obtained in the GC group. The levels of adiponectin and SREBP1c mRNA expressions were increased in the ORT and GC groups. Conclusion: These results indicate that ME, ORT and MSA exert significant anti-obesity effect, and have the potential to be developed as a weight control ingredient of functional foods.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2017

Hyperlipidemia, which is closely associated with a fatty diet and aging, is commonly observed in the western and aged society. Therefore, a novel therapeutic approach for this disease is critical, and an immunological view has been suggested as a novel strategy, because hyperlipidemia is closely associated with inflammation and immune dysfunction. In this study, the effects of an aqueous extract of Rubus occidentalis (RO) in obese mice were investigated using immunological indexes. The mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce hyperlipidemia, which was confirmed by biochemical analysis and examination of the mouse physiology. Two different doses of RO and rosuvastatin, a cholesterol synthesis inhibitor used as a control, were orally administered. Disturbances in immune cellularity as well as lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production were significantly normalized by oral administration of RO, which also decreased the elevated serum tumor necrosis factor $(TNF)-{\alpha}$ level and total cholesterol. The specific immune-related actions of RO comprised considerable improvement in cytotoxic T cell killing functions and regulation of antibody production to within the normal range. The immunological evidence confirms the significant cholesterol-lowering effect of RO, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic agent for hyperlipidemia and associated immune decline.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.629-634
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The aim of this experiments was to show anti-obesity effects of Korean solar salt from different salt fields in diet-induced obese mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Diet-induced obesity (DIO) was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD; 45% cal from fat) in C57BL/6J mice for eight weeks. The mice were fed with the designated diets (chow diet for Normal, HFD for Control, 0.47%-salt-mixed HFD for purified salt (PS), Guerande solar salt from France (SS-G), solar salt from Y salt field (SS-Y), solar salts from T salt field (SS-T) and S salt field (SS-S)) for another eight weeks. We checked body weight, food efficiency ratio (FER) and tissue weights (liver and epididymal adipose tissue (EAT)), and observed serum concentrations of triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), leptin and insulin. We also evaluated gene expressions of adipogenic / lipogenic mRNAs of $C/EBP{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$ and FAS and beta-oxidation-related factors ($PPAR{\alpha}$ and CPT-1) in liver and EAT. The mineral composition of salt samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). RESULTS: SS-T and SS-S significantly reduced body weight gain, FER, and weight of EAT compared to control and other samples (P < 0.05). SS-T and SS-S also significantly decreased serum levels of TG, TC, leptin and insulin (P < 0.05). SS-T and SS-S suppressed expressions of adipogenic / lipogenic mRNAs in liver and EAT, while promoting expression of beta-oxidation-related factors. The lowest sodium concentration was observed in SS-T ($30.30{\pm}0.59%$), and the lowest sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio was found in SS-S (17.81). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that well-processed Korean solar salt may have anti-obesity effects in vivo, probably owing to its differences in mineral composition and other components, presumably resulting from the manufacturing processes. Further research is needed into the mechanism and to explore optimal manufacturing processes.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.47-55
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• 2017

Objectives : Obesity is caused by the excess accumulation of fat in the body due to energy imbalance, and it causes various diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate an anti-obesity efficacy and an antioxidant activity of water from herbal mixture extract (SM17). Methods : The antioxidant activities were evaluated through radical scavenging assays using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radicals. To evaluated anti-obesity effect of SM17, we used a high fat diet fed mouse model. The SM17 (150 mg/kg body weight/day, p.o.) was treated every day for 6 weeks to C57BL/6 mice. Body weight and food intake were measured every day. The changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS), alanine aminotransferanse (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglycerids (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in serum were analyzed after experiment. Also, expression of lipid metabolism related proteins were investigated by western blot analysis. Results : It was effective in antioxidant measurements, SM17 administration inhibited the biomarkers of lipid metaboism in serum and tissues. The administration of SM17 showed a significant reduction of body and tissue weight. Morever, it decreased ROS, ALT, AST, TG and TC in serum, compared with those of the obese mice. Adipogenesis-related protein expressions increased in obese mice compared to normal mice. However, SM17 group exhibited the down-expression of these proteins. Conclusion : A SM17 aqueous extract has a great effect on the stimulation (AMPK) activation, and may have a benefit to reduce a fatty acid metabolism through inhibition of lipid accumulation.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2016

Objectives: This study investigated the effects of water extract of Coix lacrymajobi var. mayuen on obesity and its associated factors in high fat diet (HFD) induced obese mice. Methods: Male C5BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups, normal group (chow diet), a HFD, HFD with water extract of Coix lacrymajobi var. mayuen 100 mg/kg (W-Coix), and HFD with phentermine 5 mg/kg (Phen) as positive control. Body weight, food intake, fasting blood glucose were checked every week and then organs, blood serums were collected after 16 weeks of treatment. Results: Body weight and adipocyte size were significantly lesser in W-Coix than in HFD group; however energy efficiency in W-Coix were not different with HFD. The oral glucose tolerance test, serum glucose and insulin were significantly decreased in W-Coix, also lipid accumulations in liver tissue and lipid levels (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol) were improved with W-Coix treatment. However skeletal muscle loss with HFD was not changed in W-Coix compared with HFD group. Conclusions: The W-Coix treatment decreased body weight, adipocyte size and it is associated with improved glucose and lipid metabolism. Further studies are needed to know the mechanism of antiobesity in W-Coix.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

Obesity has become one of the main public health problems. Saussurea lappa (Asteraceae), syn Aucklandia lappa and Saussurea costus, is a well-known herbal medicine that has been used for treating various ailments, such as inflammatory and gastrointestinal diseases. The present study examined the anti-obesity effect of S. lappa extract (SLE) in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. SLE significantly inhibited the differentiation from preadipocytes to adipocytes of cultured 3T3-L1 in dose-dependent manner. In addition, SLE significantly decreased the body weight gain and the food efficiency ratio of mice fed HFD during 9 weeks. Further study must be performed for the pharmacological mechanism and safety of SLE as well as the identification of active compound in SLE. Our results revealed that S. lappa suppresses the adipogenesis in cultured cells and the obesity in rodent models. Therefore, S. lappa may be useful toward the development of new potent anti-obesity drugs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2017

In a series of investigations to develop a potential anti-obese agent, we prepared a immature Citrus fruits (IMF) and compared its lipid excretion effects to those of Citrus fruits (MF, CP, JP) in an ICR mouse model of obesity induced by a high fat diet. The body weights of IMF fed mice were found to be significantly lower from 2 weeks oral administration, despite the fact that their food intakes were similar to that of the HFD control mice. The fecal cholesterol content showed a significant increase in IMF (52.0 mg/g) at 7 weeks oral administration, and mature Citrus fruits (MF, 41.3 mg/g), immature Citrus peel (CP, 32.2 mg/g), mature Citrus peel (JP, 30.0 mg/g) respectively. And also, the triglyceride content in the feces showed a significant increase in MF (14.6 mg/g), and IMF (14.2 mg/g), CP (10.5 mg/g) and JP (10.0 mg/g), respectively. On the other hand, in the inhibition activity of pancreatic lipase, MF (0.78 nmol/min/ml) showed the greatest decrease in glycerol, CP (0.79 nmol/min/ml), JP, (0.93 nmol/min/ml) and IMF (1.42 nmol/min/ml).