Phyllodulcin from the hexane fraction of Hydrangea macrophylla inhibits glucose-induced lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species generation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

We confirmed that the hexane layer of Hydrangea macrophylla leaf extract (HLH) is rich in phyllodulcin (PD), an alternative sweetener, through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. To investigate in vivo activity of HLH and its PD, acute toxicity and growth rate of Caenorhabditis elegans were tested and there are no clinical abnormalities at 125-500 µg/mL of HLH. HLH decreased the total lipid and triglyceride contents dose-dependently in glucose-induced obese worms. Also, HLH increased survival rates under oxidative and thermal stress and decreased body reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents significantly. Such antioxidant properties of HLH were attributed to the enhanced activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase. To determine whether the effect of HLH was due to PD, worms were treated with PD (concentration contained in HLH), and inhibitory effects on total lipids and ROS were observed. Our results suggest that HLH and its PD as a natural alternative sweetener can be used as materials to improve metabolic diseases.