• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.165-177
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• 2007

Objectives : This study anus to investigate the effects of Rosa Rugosae Radix (RU) herbal acupuncture on the metabolic syndrome in high-fat diet-fed mice. Methods : The experimental groups were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks to induce metabolic syndrome. During the induction of metabolic syndrome, RU herbal acupuncture at a dosage of 50 mg/kg was carried out on the point of Sinsu(BL23) every day to measure the body weight, feed efficiency, blood glucose levels, insulin resistance index, lipid levels, blood pressure, and weight of liver and adipose tissues (brown adipose tissue from interscapular fat and white adipose tissue from epididymal fat). And after five weeks' induction of metabolic syndrome, RU herbal acupuncture was also performed for 6 weeks to measure the body weight and blood glucose levels. Results: 1. RU herbal acupuncture inhibited increasing body weight and blood glucose levels, with improved insulin resistance. 2. RU herbal acupuncture inhibited increasing levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and free fatty acid, while increased HDL-cholesterol levels. 3. RU herbal acupuncture activated anti-hypertensive action. 4. RU herbal acupuncture inhibited increasing weight of white adipose tissues, but not in brown adipose tissues and liver. 5. RU herbal acupuncture lowered blood glucose levels and inhibited increasing body weight in metabolic syndrome-induced ICR mice. Conclusion : Rosa Rugosae Radix (RU) herbal acupuncture showed effectiveeness in prevention and management of metabolic syndrome in clinical application.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.479-497
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) and browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) can protect against obesity and obesity-related metabolic conditions. Cryptotanshinone (CT) regulates lipid metabolism and significantly ameliorates insulin resistance. Adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a receptor for cellular energy metabolism, is believed to regulate brown fat activity in humans. MATERIALS/METHODS: The in vivo study included high-fat-fed obese mice administered orally 200/400 mg/kg/d CT. They were evaluated through weight measurement, the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (IPITT), cold stimulation test, serum lipid (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein) measurement, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, the in vitro study investigated primary adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with incubation of CT and AMPK agonists (acadesine)/inhibitor (Compound C). Cells were evaluated using Oil Red O staining, Alizarin red staining, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence staining to identify and observe the osteogenic versus adipogenic differentiation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and the Western blot were used to observe related gene expression. RESULTS: In the diet-induced obesity mouse model mice CT suppressed body weight, food intake, glucose levels in the IPGTT and IPTT, serum lipids, the volume of adipose tissue, and increased thermogenesis, uncoupling protein 1, and the AMPK pathway expression. In the in vitro study, CT prevented the formation of lipid droplets from MSCs while activating brown genes and the AMPK pathway. AMPK activator enhanced CT's effects, while the AMPK inhibitor reversed the effects of CT. CONCLUSION: CT promotes adipose tissue browning to increase body thermogenesis and reduce obesity by activating the AMPK pathway. This study provides an experimental foundation for the use of CT in obesity treatment.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was undertaken to verify the effects of Wolbigachul-tang1(WBCEx1) on obesity using high fat diet-induced male mice and to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods : 8-week old C57BL/6 mice were divided into 5 groups; lean control, obese control, WBCEx1, 2, 3. After mice were treated with WBCEx1(water extract), 2(30% ethanol extract), 3(water extract; Ephedra sinica Stapf., Gypsum fibrosum) for 12 weeks, body weight gain, feeding efficiency ratio, plasma lipid and glucose metabolism, the messenger RNA(mRNA) expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor(PPAR)$\alpha$ target genes were measured. In addition, $PPAR{\alpha}$ target gene expression was examined in liver, white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. Results : 1. WBCEx1-treated mice had significantly lower body weight gain and feeding efficiency ratio. 2. Consistent with the effects on body weight gain, WBCEx1 decreased the weights of epididymal and retroperitoneal white adipose tissue, inguinal subcutaneous adipose tissue, and brown adipose tissue. 3. WBCEx1 significantly decreased plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. 4. The size of adipocytes were significantly decreased by WBCEx1, whereas the adipocyte number per unit area was increased. Hepatic lipid accumulation was decreased by WBCEx1. 5. WBCEx1 did not affect the mRNA expression of $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes in liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. 6. Plasma asparate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and creatine concentrations were in the physiological range. Liver and kidney weights were significantly lower following WBCEx treatment compared with obese controls, indicating that WBCEx does not show any toxic effects on liver and kidney. Conclusions : These results suggest that WBCEx1-induced body weight reduction is associated with appetite control and mediated by a mechanism other than the activation of $PPAR{\alpha}$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1037-1045
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• 2021

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, and since obesity is associated with dietary factors and sedentary lifestyles, it is a disease that is readily developing in the modern population. Because obesity is accompanied by serious complications such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, prevention and treatment are important. Currently, drugs such as liraglutide and phentermine are used to treat obesity by suppressing appetite and inducing gastrointestinal motility delay. However, various side effects may occur, including thyroid cancer, cardiovascular problems, and central nervous system disorders. Therefore, to explore an obesity treatment method with relatively few side effects, a method known as "fat browning" was introduced to change white adipose tissue into brown adipose tissue to increase energy consumption. Ongoing studies are attempting to find effective natural substances to safely induce browning. Many natural substances have been identified. The induction of browning by treatment with natural substances generally involves three mechanisms: positive control of browning-inducing factors, inhibition of differentiation into white adipose tissue, and the activation of mechanisms related to browning. In this study, we describe plant extracts with known browning-inducing effects, such as strawberry, black raspberry, cinnamomum cassia, and Ecklonia stolonifera extracts. We also summarize the underlying mechanisms of action identified thus far, including the signaling pathway mediated by these extracts to induce browning. Furthermore, the effects of brown adipose tissue generated through browning on heart disease as an endocrine organ disruptor are discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.200-206
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• 2014

We investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-obesity effects of extracts from young Akebia quinata D. leaves, including hot water (AQH) and 80% ethanol (AQE) extracts. The inhibitory effects of AQH and AQE on lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells were examined by Oil Red O staining. Compared to control, lipid accumulation was significantly reduced by 18.3% with the treatment upon AQE at a concentration of $5{\mu}g/mL$. The levels of intracellular triglycerides and free glycerol were also reduced by 52.8% and 9.1% at the same concentration of AQE. The in vivo anti-obesity effect of AQE was evaluated in terms of body and white adipose tissue weights in ICR mice. Experimental groups were divided into the following five groups: normal diet (ND), high fat diet (HFD), high fat diet with 60 mg/kg/day of Orlistat (HFD-RF), high fat diet with 200 mg/kg/day of AQE (HFD-AL), and high fat diet with 600 mg/kg/day of AQE (HFD-AH). Feeding of HFD for eight weeks resulted in significant increases in body weight as well as weight gain compared to the ND group. HFD-AH group showed reduced body weight, weight gain, epididymal white adipose tissue weight, and perirenal white adipose weight as compared to the HFD group. These results indicate that AQE supplementation might have beneficial effects on anti-obesity by inhibiting lipid accumulation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.590-595
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• 2008

The aim of our study was to research the effect of overfeeding on plasma parameters and mRNA expression of genes associated with hepatic lipogenesis in the Sichuan white goose and Landes goose. Fifty-four male Landes geese and 57 male Sichuan white geese were hatched on the same day under the same feeding conditions. After overfeeding for 14 days, (1) extrahepatic adipose tissues grew greatly in the Sichuan white geese, while more lipid accumulated in liver tissue in the Landes geese. (2) Sichuan white geese had a higher plasma concentration of triacylglycerols (TG), lipoproteins and insulin than the Landes geese. However, the Landes geese exhibited higher increase of plasma concentrations of TG, lipoproteins and insulin, with greater decrease of the diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) activity and DGAT2 mRNA level and a smller decrease of plasma glucose concentration. In addition, the mRNA level of MTP and LPL in liver was down- and up- regulated by overfeeding, respectively. (3) The correlations between the activity of LPL and the proportions of subcutaneous adipose tissue, abdominal adipose tissue, and liver weight, and the plasma concentration of VLDL were different in the two breeds. (4) The proportion of fatty liver weight was positively correlated to plasma concentrations of VLDL and TG in the overfed Sichuan white geese. Such a relationship did not exist in the Landes geese. (5) The activity of DGAT2 and its mRNA abundance in liver had significant negative correlations with the TG content in liver lipid and plasma insulin level in the Landes geese, while in the Sichuan white geese they had negative correlation (p>0.05) with TG concentration in liver lipid and had significant positive correlation with VLDL and TG concentrations in plasma.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.531-538
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• 2017

This study was performed to investigate the effects of garlic on uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) transcriptional regulation of UCP2-luciferase transgenic mice fed on a high fat diet to induce obesity. To examine the transcriptional regulation of UCP2, we generated transgenic mice with a UCP2 promoter (-1,830/+30 bp) containing luciferase as a reporter gene. UCP2-luciferase transgenic mice were fed a 45% high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce obesity. Subsequently, mice were maintained on either a high-fat control diet (TG-CON), or high-fat diets supplemented with 2% (TG-GL2) or 5% (TG-GL5) garlic for a further 8 weeks. Dietary garlic reduced body weight and energy efficiency ratio in the TG-GL5 group, compared to the TG-CON group. Furthermore, garlic supplementation significantly decreased white adipose tissue fat mass and plasma levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and leptin in the TG-GL2 and TG-GL5 groups, compared to the TG-CON group. Specifically, UCP2 promoter activity in metabolic tissues such as liver, white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle was increased by garlic supplementation. These results suggest that dietary garlic was partially associated with an increase of UCP2 transcriptional activity in metabolic tissues for decreasing obesity.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.87-95
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• 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the anti-obesity effects of adding Momordica charantia (MC) and Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum (CZ) extracts to drinking water on obesity-induced mice. A total of 84 eight-week-old C57BL/6N male mice with an initial body weight (BW) of 28.11 ± 1.39 g were used in this study. All treatments were fed a high-fat diet for d 28. Mice were randomly divided into seven drinking treatments (six replicate each treatment) based on the initial BW. Treatments are as follows: control (CON), normal tap water, MC 1, CON with 1% MC aqueous extract, MC 2, CON with 2% MC aqueous extract, CZ 1, CON with 1% CZ aqueous extract, CZ 2, CON with CZ aqueous extract (2%), MCZ 1, CON with 1% MC aqueous extract and 1% CZ aqueous extract, MCZ 2, CON with 2% MC aqueous extract and 2% CZ aqueous extract. During the entire period, the CZ 1, MCZ 1, and MCZ 2 significantly decreased (p < 0.05) gain to feed than CON. The CON significantly higher (p < 0.05) water intake than other treatments on d 0 to 14. The MCZ 1 significantly decreased (p < 0.05) relative (ratio of absolute organ weight to BW) organ weights, including retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (RWAT) weight and inguinal white adipose tissue (IWAT) weight, compared to CON. In conclusion, our study suggests that there was no significant difference in the anti-obesity effects between MC and CZ, and MCZ 1 has synergistic effects by regulating adipose tissue.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.33-46
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• 2023

Objectives We investigated anti-obesity effects of Menthae Herba hydrosol in obese mice. Methods Animals were divided into four groups, and treatments were performed for 7 weeks. After the treatment, serum lipid profiles, weight and pathological morphology in liver, kidney, adipose tissue were measured. Also, hepatic protein and gene expression levels of lipid metabolism-related factors were analyzed. Results Body weight was decreased in P3% group. In P1% (group fed high-fat diet and 1% Menthae Herba hydrosol) and P3% (group fed high-fat diet and 3% Menthae Herba hydrosol) group, weight of white adipose tissue, serum levels of triglyceride and blood urea nitrogen were decreased, and weight of muscle was increased. Also, liver, kidney and epididymal adipocyte size were reduced in P1% and P3% group. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase was increased and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) was decreased in P3% group. mPeroxisome proliferator-activator receptor-γ, mMonocyte chemotactic protein-1 were decreased in P1% and P3% group. In P3% group, mSREBP-1c was decreased and mCarnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 was increased. And mUncoupling protein 1 in brown adipose tissue was increased. Conclusions These results suggest that Menthae Herba hydrosol has a worthy effect on anti-obesity.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.10
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• pp.1558-1567
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• 2023

Objective: Dietary green cabbage was evaluated for its impact on fatty acid synthetic ability in different adipose tissues during fattening of Wanxi White geese. Methods: A total of 256 Wanxi White geese at their 70 days were randomly allocated into 4 groups with 4 replicates and fed 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% fresh green cabbage (relative to dry matter), respectively, in each group. Adipose tissues (subcutaneous and abdominal fat), liver and blood were collected from 4 birds in each replicate at their 70, 80, 90, and 100 days for fatty acid composition, relative gene expression and serum lipid analysis. Two-way or three-way analysis of variance was used for analysis. Results: The contents of palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), and alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3) were feeding time dependently increased. The C16:0 and stearic acid (C18:0) were higher in abdominal fat, while C16:1, oleic acid (C18:1), and C18:2 were higher in subcutaneous fat. Geese fed 45% green cabbage exhibited highest level of C18:3. Geese fed green cabbage for 30 d exhibited higher level of C16:0 and C18:0 in abdominal fat, while geese fed 30% to 45% green cabbage exhibited higher C18:3 in subcutaneous fat. The expression of Acsl1 (p = 0.003) and Scd1 (p<0.0001) were decreased with green cabbage addition. Interaction between feeding time and adipose tissue affected elongation of long-chain fatty acids family member 6 (Elovl6), acyl-CoA synthetase longchain family member 1 (Acsl1), and stearoly-coA desaturase 1 (Scd1) gene expression levels (p = 0.013, p = 0.003, p = 0.005). Feeding time only affected serum lipid levels of free fatty acid and chylomicron. Higher contents of C16:0, C18:1, and C18:3 were associated with greater mRNA expression of Scd1 (p<0.0001), while higher level of C18:2 was associated with less mRNA expression of Scd1 (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Considering content of C18:2 and C18:3, 30% addition of green cabbage could be considered for fattening for 30 days in Wanxi White geese.