• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Spirodelae Herba pharmacopuncture(SHP) on the adipogenesis in 3T3 cells, lipolysis in rat epididymal adipocytes and histological changes in porcine adipose tissue. Methods : Inhibition of preadipocyte differentiation and/or stimulation of lipolysis play important roles in reducing obesity. 3T3 preadipocytes were differentiated with adipogenic reagents by incubating for 3 days in the absence or presence of SHP ranging from 0.01 to $1.0mg/m{\ell}$. The effect of SHP on adipogenesis was examined by measuring glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GPDH) activity and by Oil Red O staining. Mature adipocytes from rat epididymal fat pad was incubated with SHP ranging from 0.01 to $1.0mg/m{\ell}$ for 3 days. The effect of SHP on lipolysis was examined by measuring free glycerol released. Fat tissue from porcine skin was injected with SHP ranging from 0.1 to $10.0mg/m{\ell}$ to examine the effect of SHP onhistological changes under light microscopy. Results : Following results were obtained from the preadipocyte proliferation and lipolysis adipocyte and histologic investigation of fat tissue 1. SHP showed the effect of decreased preadipocyte proliferation on the high dosage($1mg/m{\ell}$). 2. SHP showed the effect of decreased the activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) on the high dosage($1mg/m{\ell}$). 3. Investigated the changes in lipolysis of differentiated adipocyte after treated SHP, we knew that these pharmacopuncture showed increasing the effect of lipolysis in all concentration significantly. 4. Investigated the histological changes in porcine fat tissue after treated SHP, we knew that these pharmacopuncture showed significant activity to the lysis of extensive cell membranes on high dosage($10.0mg/m{\ell}$). Conclusions : These results suggest that SHP efficiently induces diminishing proliferation of preadipocyte and lipolysis in adipose tissue.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.633-641
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• 2014

This study investigated the antioxidant and antiobesity activity of extract powders from the following natural color resources: Polygonum indigo, Black locust, Cochineal, Catechu, Grape, Tesu flower, Henna, Chrysanthemum, Sandalwood Red, Himalayan Rhubarb, and Madder. Total phenol content was the highest in Catechu extract, at 348.25 mg/g. DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were also higher in Catechu extract. Bleaching inhibition activity in the ${\beta}$-carotene linoleic acid system was the highest in Black locust extract, as was ${\alpha}$-Glucosidase inhibition activity. ${\alpha}$-Amylase inhibition activity was the highest in Catechu extract. Trypsin inhibition activity of Black locust extract was greater than 60%, and ${\alpha}$- chymotrypsin inhibition activity of Catechu extract was greater than 40%. Lipase inhibition activity was the highest Black locust extract, at 52.73%. Viability of 3T3-L1 cells was not affected by treatment with extracts at concentrations of $1.25{\sim}25{\mu}g/ml$. Lipid accumulation in the 3T3-L1 cells was the lowest following treatment with Catechu extract, at 55.8%, and this extract also inhibited adipocyte differentiation. These results suggest that the Catechu and Black locust extracts have high antioxidant and antiobesity activities and can be useful ingredients in functional foods.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.1079-1085
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• 2012

Obesity is an important issue worldwide as it may associated with increased prevalence of metabolic diseases. Mung bean is known as a functional food for decreasing the glycemic index and lipid profile of plasma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of vitexin from mung bean on the regulation of adipocyte differentiation and adipocytokine secretion. When 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with vitexin from days 0 to 14 at various levels of 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$, there was no change in cell viability. Vitexin treatment at 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$ decreased triacylglycerol levels in cells, but only $100{\mu}M$ vitexin induced lipolysis. At $200{\mu}M$ of vitexin, phosphorylation of p38 and ERK, which causes secretion of inflammatory adipocytokines, was depressed, whereas there was an increase in expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$, the key regulator of adipocyte differentiation. Phosphorylation of AMPK increased at $100{\mu}M$ vitexin. TNF-${\alpha}$ and aP2 mRNA expression increased at $25{\mu}M$ vitexin, whereas only TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression increased at $200{\mu}M$ vitexin. Further, the mRNA levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ and aP2 decreased at other concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. Since we observed that mRNA expression of C/EBP, SREBP1, and $PPAR{\gamma}$ did not change upon vitexin treatment, our future studies will investigate other genes such as mTOR, which is related with apoptosis signaling, or SIRT1, which is associated with inhibition of adipogenesis. Our results indicate that vitexin at concentrations between 100 and $200{\mu}M$ is suitable in vivo for the development of mung bean as an anti-obesity therapy or functional food.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2015

Anti-obese effects of mulberry (Morus alba L.) root bark was investigated in vitro by measuring its inhibitory effect against 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation and digestive enzymes such as ${\alpha}$-amylase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase. Ethanol extract of mulberry root bark (MRE) showed the potent inhibitory activities on ${\alpha}$-amylase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase with $IC_{50}$ values of $7.86{\pm}0.36$, $0.12{\pm}0.03$ and $7.93{\pm}0.11mg/mL$, respectively. Furthermore, MRE significantly suppressed cellular lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. To elucidate the mechanism of MRE, we performed qRT-PCR and Western blotting for the expression of genes related with adipogenesis and lipogenesis. Treatment of MRE markedly suppressed the protein expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$, $C/EBP{\alpha}$ and SREBP-1c, as well as FAS and ACC, which are the key transcription factors and metabolic enzymes in adipogenesis and lipogenesis. In addition, qRT-PCR analysis indicated that the anti-adipogenesis effect of MRE might be due to its inhibition at transcription levels. These results demonstrate that MRE can effectively suppress adipocyte differentiation and inhibit key enzymes related to obesity. Our findings suggest that mulberry root bark may have a potential benefit in preventing obesity.

• 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.

• 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.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2015

Previously, Euptelea pleiosperma was identified as one of the useful sources containing anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities for the first time in our research group. In this study, anti-obesity effect of E. pleiosperma ethanol extract (EPEE) was evaluated by using a pancreatic lipase enzyme inhibition assay and a cell culture model system. EPEE suppressed effectively pancreatic lipase enzyme activity dose dependently. Furthermore, EPEE significantly suppressed adipocyte differentiation, lipid accumulation, triglyceride contents, and triggered lipolysis activity on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Anti-adipogenic effect of EPEE was modulated by cytidine-cytidine-adenosine-adenosine-thymidine (CCAAT)/enhancer binding proteins ${\alpha}(C/EBP{\alpha})$, $C/EBP{\beta}$ and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}(PPAR{\gamma})$ gene and protein expressions. Taken together, these results provide the important new insight that E. pleiosperma possesses anti-obesity activities such as pancreatic lipase inhibition, anti-adipogenic, and lipolysis effects. It might be utilized as promising sources in the fields of nutraceuticals. The identification of active compounds that confer anti-obesity activity of EPEE might be needed.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Amomum tsao-ko used as a traditional oriental herbal medicine, is indigenous to several Asia countries. In this study, we investigated anti-obesity activity of the ethanol extract of Amomum Taso-ko (A. tsao-ko). The ethanol extract of A. tsao-ko inhibited adipocyte differentiation using Oil Red O assay in 3T3-L1 cells. Inhibitory effect of the ethanol extract of A. tsao-ko on adipogenesis was modulated by down-regulation adipogenic transcriptional factor such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and suppressed expression of fatty acid synthase, aP2, and resistin. We demonstrated that A. tsao-ko significantly inhibited adipogenesis and reduced $PPAR{\gamma}$ and $C/EBP{\alpha}$ expression in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that A. tsao-ko has an anti-obesity effect by inhibition of adipogenic transcription factor and adipocyte-specific genes in 3T3-L1 cells.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.12
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• pp.1908-1914
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• 2013

In the present study, the levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as activities of radical scavenging (DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity) and anti-obesity were assessed with cold water (CLC), hot water (CLH), and methanolic (CLM) extracts of Curcuma longa L. (turmeric). Our results showed that the phenolic compounds of CLC, CLH and CLM were $3.68{\pm}0.80%$, $3.94{\pm}0.74%$ and $9.01{\pm}0.73%$, respectively. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities of the CLM were significantly higher than that of the water extracts (CLC and CLH). During the adipocyte differentiation, the treatment of CLM more significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells than that of the water extracts. These results indicate that the stimulation of radical scavenging potential and the inhibition of adipogenesis were brought on by the lipophilic compounds of turmeric.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.837-844
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• 2014

This study was carried out to analyze the differences in p-hydroxylbenzyl alcohol (HBA) content, antitumor and anti-obesity activities and tyrosinase inhibitory activity between non-fermented G. elata (NFGP) and fermented G. elata powder. The HBA content, which is an index-component of G. elata decreased from 1.58 mg/g before fermentation to 1.07, 0.32, and 0.13 mg/g after the $1^{st}$ fermentation ($1^{st}$ FGP), $2^{nd}$ fermentation ($2^{nd}$ FGP) and $3^{rd}$ fermentation ($3^{rd}$ FGP), respectively. The anti-proliferation effects on the cell lines HT29 and AGS were significantly higher for the fermented G. elata than the NFGP. The antitumor activity was also increased in a fermentation number-dependent manner. During adipocyte differentiation, the ethanol extract of the $3^{rd}$ FGP inhibited lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells significantly better than NFGP and the $1^{st}$ FGP, treated at the concentration of $10{\mu}g/mL$. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of the $2^{nd}$ FGP at $600{\mu}g/mL$ over was higher than that of kojic acid. At the concentration of $1,000{\mu}g/mL$, the tyrosinase inhibitory activity was increased in a fermentation number-dependent manner. From these results, the fermented G. elata, especially the $3^{rd}$ FGP, is expected to be good candidate for the development of functional food and agents with antitumor, anti-obesity, and tyrosinase inhibitory potential.