• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.395-411
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• 2020

Background: This study investigated the anti-obesity effect of the flavonoid rich fraction (FRF) and its constituent, rutin obtained from the leaf of Morus alba L., on the lipid accumulation mechanism in 3T3-L1 adipocyte and C57BL/6 mouse models. Methods and Results: In Oil Red O staining, FRF (1,000 ㎍/㎖) treatments showed inhibition rate of 35.39% in lipid accumulation compared to that in the control. AdipoRedTM assay indicated that the triglyceride content in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with FRF (1,000 ㎍/㎖) was reduced to 23.22%, and free glycerol content was increased to 106.04% that of the control. FRF and its major constituent, rutin affected mRNA gene expression. Rutin contributed to the inhibition of Sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) gene expression, and inhibited the transcription factors SREBP-1c, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). In addition, the effect of FRF administration on obesity development in C57BL/6 mice fed high-fat diet (HFD) was investigated. FRF suppressed weight gain, and reduced liver triglyceride and leptin secretion. FRF exerted potential anti-inflammatory effects by improving insulin resistance and adiponectin levels, and could thus be used to help counteract obesity. The mRNA expressions of PPAR-γ, FAS, ACC, and CPT-1 were determined in liver tissue. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis was also performed to evaluate the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in epididymal adipose tissue. Compared to the control group, mice fed the HFD showed the up-regulation in PPAR-γ, FAS, IL-6, and TNF-α genes, and down-regulation in CPT1 gene expression. FRF treatement markedly reduced the expression of PPAR-γ, FAS, IL-6, and TNF-α compared to those in HFD control, whereas increased the expression level of CPT1. Conclusions: These results suggest that the FRF and its major active constituent, rutin, can be used as effective anti-obesity agents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2005

The effects of pectin on obesity was studied using 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes and rats fed 20% high fat diets. The concentration of leptin released from 3T3-L1 adipocytes in the presence of pectin was significantly decreased by 85% compared to that of the control (p<0.05), however, glycerol concentration was not changed. These data indicate that pectin seems to inhibit lipids accumulation in the adipocytes rather than enhance the lipolytic activity. Forty Sprague Dawley rats were fed 20% high fat diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity and then divided equally into four groups. Experimental groups were normal diet group (ND), high fat diet group (HFD), HDF with 10% pectin group (HFP10), and HDF with 20% pectin group (HFP20). Diet for the each group was prepared to be iso-caloric following AIN-76 guideline. After obesity was induced, rats were placed on an restricted diet for 9 weeks. The body weight of HFD increased 50% (p<0.05) compared to the ND, while it was decreased by 12% and 16% for HFP10 and HFP20, respectively (p<0.05). The relative amount of visceral fats for HFDl0 and HFD20 were decreased by 45% and 59% compared to that of HDF (130%), respectively (p<0.05). Pectin seems to have a greater effect on reducing visceral fats accumulation than weight reduction. Significantly increased level of triglyceride, total cholesterol or LDL-cholesterol in the plasma of HFD was returned to the normal or even below the normal by pectin diet, while the level of HDL-cholesterol increased. Lipid lowering effect was also observed in the liver and heart. These effects of pectin were dosedependent. In conclusion, the beneficial effect of pectin on the obesity was observed from cell culture experiment and animal study in terms of inhibiting the accumulation of lipids in the adipocytes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.692-698
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• 2010

This study investigated anti-diabetic activity of Kocat-D1, which is a currently used traditional medicine for treatment of diabetes in Shandong, China. Insulin sensitizing activity was observed in a cell-based glucose uptake assay using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The treatment of 0.2 mg/mL of hot water extract of Kocat-D1 with 0.2 nM insulin was associated with a significant increasing in glucose uptake ($165.0{\pm}0.7%$) over the treatment of 0.2 nM insulin. C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice (8 weeks of age) were separated into 3 groups: normal control (control, db/+ mice untreated), diabetic control (DM control, db/db mice untreated), Kocat-D1 (db/db mice treated with Kocat-D1 extract 350 mg/kg/day). After 16 weeks of treatment, body weight and total diet intake of Kocat-D1 group were significantly lower than DM control groups. Blood glucose levels of the Kocat-D1 group ($14.7{\pm}1.4\;mmol/L$) were significantly lower compared to the DM control group ($27.1{\pm}0.2\;mmol/L$). Furthermore, insulin level was significantly increased in the Kocat-D1 group ($0.17{\pm}0.02\;ng/mL$) compared with the DM control group ($0.05{\pm}0.02\;ng/mL$). The glomeruli in kidney was stained using periodic acid-shiff base (PAS) for confirming collagen accumulation. The glomeruli in kidney of Kocat-D1 group had significantly reduced PAS-positive compared with that of DM control.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1079-1087
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• 2021

Gentisic acid (GA), a benzoic acid derivative present in various food ingredients, has been shown to have diverse pharmaceutical activities such as anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects. In this study, we used a co-culture system to investigate the mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic effects of GA on macrophages and adipocytes, respectively, as well as its effect on obesity-related chronic inflammation. We found that GA effectively suppressed lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory responses by controlling the production of nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines and modulating inflammation-related protein pathways. GA treatment also inhibited lipid accumulation in adipocytes by modulating the expression of major adipogenic transcription factors and their upstream protein pathways. Furthermore, in the macrophage-adipocyte co-culture system, GA decreased the production of obesity-related cytokines. These results indicate that GA possesses effective anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic activities and may be used in developing treatments for the management of obesity-related chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.249-257
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• 2014

In this study, the anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities of Amomum cardamomum L. methanol extract (ACME) were evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging activity assay, pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay, and the cell culture model system. ACME exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activities dose-dependently, with $IC_{50}$ of DPPH radical scavenging activities of ACME being $25.15{\mu}g/ml$. Furthermore, ACME effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity dose-dependently. ACME also significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, triglyceride (TG) contents, and triggered lipolysis activity on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, without cytotoxicity. Their anti-obesity effect was modulated by the cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$ and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene and protein expressions. Taken together, these results provide an important new insight that A. cardamomum L. possesses anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities such as pancreatic lipase inhibition, anti-adipogenic, and lipolysis effects. There is therefore potential for its use as a promising component in the field of nutraceuticals and the identification of the active compounds that confer the anti-oxidative and anti-obesity activities of ACME might be an appropriate next step.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.814-821
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• 2014

As a natural plant ingredients, glasswort (Salicornia herbacea L.) contains various physiological activities, mainly anti-oxidative and anti-diabetic activities. However, only a few studies have been carried out on its anti-adipogenic effect. This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of Salicornia herbacea L. on 3T3-L1 adipocytes. As adipogenesis of preadipocytes to adipocytes involves proliferation and differentiation of cells, we treated three concentrations (125, 250, and $500{\mu}g/mL$) of Salicornia herbacea L. water extracts (SLW) in both pre-processing and post-processing stages. When 3T3-L1 adipocytes were differentiated and dyed with Oil Red O, adipocytes size and the value of relative Oil Red O staining were reduced by all concentrations of SLW in post-processing stage. Following adipogenic differentiation, the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) in the cell supernatant significantly increased upon treatment with $125{\mu}g/mL$ of SLW and further rose at concentrations of 250 and $500{\mu}g/mL$ during post-processing stage. There was no significant difference in glycerol production upon SLW treatment. Leptin production significantly decreased at all SLW concentrations during post-processing stage, whereas peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-${\gamma}$ (PPAR-${\gamma}$) and adiponectin secretions were significantly enhanced. Overall results showed that SLW might have an anti-adipogenic effect via enhancement of TNF-${\alpha}$ production, which causes dedifferentiation and inhibits lipid accumulations in adipocyte. Furthermore, SLW might prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as it reduces leptin secretion and enhances production of both PPAR-${\gamma}$ and adiponectin. However, further research is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism and bioactive compounds of glasswort.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2012

The Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway regulates diverse developmental processes and adult tissue homeostasis. Inappropriate regulation of this pathway has been associated with human diseases, such as cancers, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer's disease. Using a cell-based chemical screening with natural compounds, we discovered silybin, a plant flavonoid isolated from the Silybum marianum, which activated the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway in a synergy with Wnt3a-conditioned medium (Wnt3a-CM). In the presence of Wnt3a-CM, silybin up-regulated ${\beta}$-catenin response transcription (CRT) in HEK293-FL reporter cells and 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through stabilization of intracellular ${\beta}$-catenin protein. Silybin and Wnt3a-CM synergistically reduced expression of important adipocyte marker genes including peroxisome-proliferator-activated $receptor{\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) and CAATT enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ (C/$EBP{\alpha}$) in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, accompanied by the activation of Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings indicate that silybin is a small-molecule synergist of the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway and can be used as a controllable reagent for investigating biological processes that involve the Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.79-85
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• 2007

Compound K (CK) is a final metabolite of panaxadiol ginsenosides. Although panax ginseng is known to have anti-diabetic activity, the active ingredient is not yet fully identified. Therefore, it would be interesting to know whether and how CK has an anti-diabetic activity. First, insulin secretion-stimulating activity of CK was examined using RIN-m5F cell line and primary cultured islets. CK enhanced the insulin secretion in a concentration dependent manner. This effect, however, was almost completely abolished in the presence of diazoxide, $K^+$ channel opener, indicating that the insulin secretion-stimulating activity of CK is presumably due to blockade of ATP sensitive $K^+$ channel. In addition, effects of CK on gene expressions of hepatic enzymes (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase[PEPCK], glucose-6-phos-phatase[G6Pase]) and on adipocyte differentiation in H4IIE and 3T3-Ll cells, respectively, were examined. CK suppressed the induction of PEPCK and G6Pase mRNA expressions under the dexamethasone/cAMP stimulation condition. CK also reduced the $PPAR-{\gamma}$ mRNA expression and triglyceride accumulation in a dose dependent manner as compared to the control. The present study suggests that CK deserves to examine whether it shows an anti-diabetic activity in animal and human studies.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.888-895
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• 2017

Salsola collina (S. collina) is an annual plant widely distributed in drought and semi-drought areas, which has been used for a long time as a kind of folk remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Previously, the anti-oxidative and anti-cancer activities of S. collina were elucidated in our research group. In this study, the anti-obesity activities of S. collina ethanol extract (SCEE) were evaluated using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and cell culture model. The results showed that SCEE effectively suppressed pancreatic lipase enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SCEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, and triglyceride (TG) content, and triggered lipolysis on insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine-treated 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Its anti-obesity effect was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$), $C/EBP{\beta}$, and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene, as well as protein expressions. Taken together, these results offer the important new insight that S. collina possesses anti-obesity properties, such as pancreatic lipase inhibition and anti-adipogenic and lipolysis effects through the modulation of their upstream signaling pathway. It could become a promising source in the field of nutraceuticals, and the identification of active compounds that confer the biological activities of SCEE may be needed.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.390-396
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• 2020

We investigated the anti-obesity effect of Gelidium elegans extract (GE) on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and a high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced mouse model. The results of the present study demonstrated that GE prevents weight gain induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) by modulating the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16)-uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) pathway in a mice model. Moreover, in vitro results show that GE suppressed adipocyte differentiation by modulating adipogenic regulators, stimulated lipolysis by activating ATGL, and inhibited adipogenesis by downregulating various enzymes associated with triglyceride synthesis. GE was also found to upregulate AMPK phosphorylation as well as the expression of UCP1 and PRDM16 proteins, leading to measurable changes in the beige-like phenotype differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest the role of GE as a functional food ingredient extracted from Gelidium elegans to increase energy expenditure and anti-obesity efficacy.