• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.265-272
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• 2003

The effect of liquid cultures of Cordyceps militaris (LCM) on weight gain, food intakes, food efficiency ratios, serum and hepatic lipids, fecal lipids excretion, serum protein and enzyme activities, were investigated in adult female rats (30 weeks old). Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one normal and four hyperlipidemic diet groups, Hyperlipidemic diet groups (20% fat, 1% cholesterol) were divided into high fat diet (LCM free water), 10%, 20% or 30% LCM diet groups (10%, 20% or 30% LCM in water) according to the levels of LCM supplementation. After 35 days of experimental diet consumption, the body weight gains, hepatic weights, and food efficiency ratios of the rats fed hyperlipidemic diets were significantly increased compared with those of the rats fed normal diet. The concentrations of serum and hepatic triglycerides, hepatic total lipid, and atherogenic index of the rats fed 20% or 30% LCM diets were significantly lower than those of the rats fed the high fat diet. The concentration of serum HDL-cholesterol of the rats fed all LCM diets was significantly higher than those of the rats fed the high fat diet. The fecal excretion of triglyceride in the rats fed 20% or 30% LCM diets was significantly higher than those of the rats fed high fat diet. The concentrations of serum and hepatic total cholesterol, serum LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio, fecal excretion of cholesterol, and the activities of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase of the rats fed all LCM diets were similar to those of the rats fed high fat diet. No differences were noted in the weights of kidney and femur, the serum concentration of glucose, total protein and albumin, and the activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and ${\gamma}$ -glutamyltranspeptidase, among the rats on all the experimental diets. These results showed that the 20% or 30% LCM diets feeding decreased the serum and hepatic triglycerides, and the atherogenic index, and increased the serum HDL-cholesterol of the adult female rats.

• 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.