• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.39-46
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• 2009

This study investigated the beneficial effects of crude saponins from soybean cake on body weight and glucose tolerance in high-fat (37% calories from fat) diet fed C57BL/6 mice. The mice were supplemented with three doses of saponins (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, wt/wt) and 1.0% Garcinia cambogia (wt/wt), positive control for 9 weeks. The body weight, visceral fat weight and epididymal adipocyte area were significantly reduced in the saponin supplemented groups in a dose dependent manner compared to the high-fat group. Saponins did not significantly affect food intake; however, cambogia significantly lowered food intake compared to the high-fat fed control group. The crude saponins from soybean cake supplement significantly lowered plasma leptin, triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, whereas they significantly elevated the fecal excretion of triglyceide in a dose dependent manner compared to the high-fat group. Cambogia did not affect the fecal excretion of lipid in the diet-induced obese mice. Supplementation of 1.5% saponin reduced the hepatic triglyceride content compared to the high-fat group. High-fat induced glucose intolerance with the elevation of blood glucose levels compared to the normal group; however, the saponins supplement significantly improved postprandial glucose levels. After 9 weeks of being fed a high-fat diet, the mice presented with significantly increased activities of hepatic fatty acid synthase and fatty acid ${\beta}$-oxidation; however, saponins and cambogia normalized these activities. These results indicate that saponins from soybean cake exhibit a potential anti-obesity effect and may prevent glucose intolerance by reducing body weight and plasma lipids, increasing fecal lipid excretion and regulating hepatic lipid metabolism in high-fat fed mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• 제21권11호
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• pp.1586-1591
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• 2011

This study was carried out to evaluate the antiobesity effects of Crataegus fructus in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and mice fed a high fat diet (high fat 45% cal). The inhibitory effect of methanol extract from Crataegus fructus on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes was quantified using Oil red O staining. Compared with the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 10-25% with treatment with Crataegus fructus extract at a concentration of 600-2,000 ug/ml. Three-week old ICR mice (n=24) were randomly divided into four groups (T0: normal diet, T1: high fat diet, T2: high fat diet and 50 ug of Crataegus fructus extract, T3: high fat diet and 100 ug of Crataegus fructus extract) and were fed an experimental diet for 5 weeks. At the end of the experiment, body weight gain in the T1 group (3.9${\pm}$0.24 g) was higher than that in the T0 group (2.56${\pm}$0.14 g), while body weight gain in the T2 (3.02${\pm}$0.25 g) and T3 (2.58${\pm}$0.16 g) groups was significantly reduced as compared with that of the T1 group. Moreover, liver weight in the T1 (4.8${\pm}$0.17 g) and T2 (4.8${\pm}$0.16 g) groups was significantly higher than that of the T0 (4.05${\pm}$0.16 g) and T3 (4.57${\pm}$0.10 g) groups, while kidney weight was significantly lower than that of the T0 and T3 groups (p<0.05). The levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in serum in the T2 and T3 groups were significantly decreased compared to the T1 group. These results suggest that Crataegus fructus can be used as functional materials in food and medicine.