Saccharified and Fermented Helianthus tuberosus L. Beverage Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Inducible Metabolic Complications in C57BL/6 Mice.

The prevalence of obesity has been recognized as a major public health issue with rapid increase globally. Obesity triggers other metabolic complications, such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, liver diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Helianthus tuberosus L. (the Jerusalem artichoke) is an important edible plant that may provide health benefits in treating metabolic diseases. In this study, we investigated potential antiobesity effects of saccharified H. tuberosus L. (SH) and its fermented vinegar (fermented H. tuberosus L. [FH]) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity murine model. FH exhibited significantly lower pH, Brix, and total sugar content compared with the SH, along with higher radical-scavenging activity. The body weight and adipose tissue weights were significantly decreased with the administration of SH and FH compared with the HFD group. SH and FH groups significantly attenuated hepatomegaly and lipid accumulation. The increased triglyceride (TG) content in obese mice was remarkably lower in the SH and FH groups. SH and FH alleviated serum dyslipidemia and atherogenic risk. Furthermore, expression of adipogenic genes was significantly downregulated after SH and FH supplementation compared with the HFD group. The TG and total cholesterol (TC) content of serum and adipose tissues significantly decreased by SH and FH administration in comparison with the HFD group. Reduced adiposity with SH and FH administration was confirmed by reduced adipocyte size and weight with inhibition of lipoprotein lipase expression. Our study showed that SH and FH, indeed FH was superior to SH, had antiobesity effects by decreasing adiposity, regulating dyslipidemia in systemic tissues, and inhibiting adipogenic gene expression.

Partial Replacement of Dietary Fat with Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Attenuates the Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Hepatic Inflammation in Sprague-Dawley Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet.

In this study, we investigated whether the partial replacement of dietary fat with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) ameliorated the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatic inflammation in rats fed a high-fat diet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups and provided each of the following diets: (1) high-fat diet (HFD), (2) HFD with perilla oil (PO), and (3) HFD with corn oil (CO). After 12 weeks of dietary intervention, the rats were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (5 mg/kg) from Escherichia coli O55:B5 or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Following LPS stimulation, serum insulin levels were increased, while PO and CO lowered the serum levels of glucose and insulin. In the liver, LPS increased the triglyceride levels, while PO and CO alleviated the LPS-induced hepatic triglyceride accumulation. In the LPS injected rats, the mRNA expression of genes related to inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was attenuated by PO and CO in the liver. Furthermore, hepatic levels of proteins involved in the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, antioxidant response, and ER stress were lowered by PO- and CO-replacement. Therefore, the partial replacement of dietary fat with PUFAs alleviates LPS-induced hepatic inflammation during HFD consumption, which may decrease metabolic abnormalities.

Effects of Cabbage-Apple Juice Fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum EM on Lipid Profile Improvement and Obesity Amelioration in Rats.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of cabbage-apple juice, fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum EM isolated from kimchi, to protect against obesity and dyslipidemia that are induced by a high-fat diet in a rat model. Male rats were fed a modified AIN-93M high-fat diet (HFD), the same diet supplemented with non-fermented cabbage-apple juice, or the same diet supplemented with fermented cabbage-apple juice for eight weeks. In the HFD-fermented cabbage- apple juice administered groups the following parameters decreased: body weight, liver and white fat pad weights, serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol, insulin, glucose and leptin levels, TG levels, while HDL-C and adiponectin levels in serum increased as compared with the HFD group. The HFD-fed rats that were supplemented with fermented cabbage-apple juice exhibited significantly lower fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and malic enzyme gene expression levels when compared to the exclusively HFD-fed rats. The anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects were marginally greater in the fermented juice administered group than in the non-fermented juice administered group. These results suggest that cabbage-apple juice-especially fermented cabbage-apple juice-might have beneficial effects on lipid metabolism dysfunction and obesity-related abnormalities. However, further studies are necessary for analyzing the biochemical regulatory mechanisms of fermented juice for obesity amelioration and lipid metabolic homeostasis.

Antiobesity Effects of Extract from Spergularia marina Griseb in Adipocytes and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats.

Obesity has recently risen and become a serious health concern in Korea according to the westernized diet and altered lifestyle. Hence, there is a growing interest in the supplementation of phytochemicals to find a safe and effective functional ingredient to treat obesity. Spergularia marina Griseb (SM) has traditionally been used as a natural herb against chronic diseases in Korea. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity effects of SM in vitro and in vivo. SM ethanol extract (SME) inhibited proliferation and differentiation in murine adipocytes and primary porcine pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In the in vivo study, supplementation of SM powder (SMP) remarkably attenuated fat accumulation in HFD-induced obese rats. In addition, SMP supplementation improved lipid profiles in the serum and tissues of high-fat induced obese rats. Collectively, these data indicated that SME exhibited antiobesity effects by modulating adipogenesis and lipolysis. Furthermore, SMP could be developed as an obesity-induced metabolic syndrome treatment.

Comparison of Antiobesity Effects Between Gochujangs Produced Using Different Koji Products and Tabasco Hot Sauce in Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet.

In this study, we compared the antiobesity effects between gochujangs prepared using different koji products and Tabasco hot sauce in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed HFD containing four different types of 10% gochujang powder or 0.25% commercial Tabasco sauce powder for 8 weeks. The body weight gain, liver and epididymal and mesenteric fat pad weights, serum leptin levels, and lipogenesis-related mRNA levels of HFD-gochujang supplementation groups were significantly decreased compared with those of the HFD group. In addition, gochujang supplement significantly reduced adipocyte size; hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol levels; the occurrence of fatty liver deposits and steatosis by inhibiting lipogenesis through downregulation of fatty acid synthase, acetly-CoA carboxylase, and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase. These effects were greater in the gochujang-supplemented groups than the Tabasco hot sauce-supplemented group. The gochujang prepared by nutritious giant embryo rice koji and soybean koji was most effective in terms of antiobesity effects, compared with the other tested gochujangs. In gochujangs, the antiobesity effects are mediated by high levels of secondary metabolites such as isoflavone, soyasaponin, capsaicin, and lysophosphatidylcholine. The current results indicated that the gochujang products have the potential to reduce fat accumulation and obesity.