Seabuckthorn polysaccharide ameliorates high-fat diet-induced obesity by gut microbiota-SCFAs-liver axis.

Obesity has been reported to be associated with gut microbiome dysbiosis. seabuckthorn fruits have traditionally been used in Tibetan foods and medicines for thousands of years. Seabuckthorn polysaccharide (SP) is one of the main functional components in seabuckthorn fruits. However, the effects of SP on a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity have not yet been elucidated. The purpose of this study is to explore the amelioration effect of SP on obesity induced by HFD and to reveal its mechanism of gut microbiota and its metabolites. Results showed that 12-week SP (0.1%, w/w) dietary supplementation could significantly reduce body weight gain, serum lipid level and liver triglycerides level in obese mice. Notably, the SP treatment elevated p-AMPKα and PPARα proteins expression stimulated the phosphorylation of ACC1 and inhibited the protein expression of FAS, PPARγ, and CD36 in the mice liver. Further, SP also reorganized the gut microbiome by up-regulating the proportion of Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Bifidobacterium, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Alistipes, and Bacteroides, and down-regulating the abundance of Lactobacillus, Firmicutes_unclassified, Dubosiella Bilophila, and Streptococcus in HFD-induced obese mice. Moreover, the production of microbial metabolites short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces has also increased. In addition, correlation analysis results showed that obesity-ameliorating effects of SP were highly associated with levels of SCFAs in feces. Therefore, the regulation of SP on liver lipid metabolism may be due to the variation of the gut microbiome and raised production of SCFAs. These results indicate that SP could play the part of a potential nutraceutical for ameliorating obesity through regulation of the gut-liver axis.

Phytochemistry profile of rosella and jambolan extracts and the therapeutic effects on obesity.

Hibiscus sabdariffa extract (HSE) and Syzygium cumini extract (SCE) have been used in traditional medicine due to their hypoglycemic, antidiabetic, anti-obesity and antioxidant activities. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of these extracts, as well as to evaluate their toxicities. The phytochemical profiles were obtained by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS analyses. Pharmacological screening, motor activity, motor coordination and acute toxicity were evaluated by administering HSE or SCE (oral or intraperitoneal routes) at different doses to mice. The anti-obesity effects were examined by assessing the decrease in food intake and body weight loss in Wistar albino rats and by gastrointestinal transit in Swiss albino mice. Sibutramine was used as the positive control. Both extracts showed no toxic effects. At the end of 7 days of treatment, we observed that SCE and HSE reduced the weight gain and food intake of the treated rats in relation to the controls. Sub-chronic treatment revealed that HSE, SCE and sibutramine had the best effect 7 and 14 days after starting treatment. After 28 days, the SCE group showed less weight gain and reduced food consumption compared to the HSE group and controls. In addition, intestinal transit was increased in the HSE group, which is probably due to the high fiber content of the extract and may explain its anti-obesity properties. Myricetin glycosides were found in high levels in SCE and low levels in HSE, which may be the main compounds associated with the anti-obesity effect found in SCE. It is not possible to suggest an effective dose without conducting a preclinical toxicology study. We recommend clinical studies that evaluate the efficacy and safety, as well as the effect of discontinuing the extracts.

Sex Differences in Fish Oil and Olanzapine Effects on Gut Microbiota in Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Children are prescribed second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medications, such as olanzapine (OLZ) for FDA-approved and "off-label" indications. The long-term impact of early-life SGA medication exposure is unclear. Olanzapine and other SGA medications are known to cause excessive weight gain in young and adult patients, suggesting the possibility of long-term complications associated with the use of these drugs, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Further, the weight gain effects of OLZ have previously been shown to depend on the presence of gut bacteria and treatment with OLZ, which shifts gut bacteria toward an "obesogenic" profile. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate changes in gut bacteria in adult mice following early life treatment with OLZ and being fed either a high-fat diet or a high-fat diet supplemented with fish oil, which has previously been shown to counteract gut dysbiosis, weight gain, and inflammation produced by a high-fat diet. Female and male C57Bl/6J mice were fed a high fat diet without (HF) or with the supplementation of fish oil (HF-FO) and treated with OLZ from postnatal day (PND) 37-65 resulting in four groups of mice: mice fed a HF diet and treated with OLZ (HF-OLZ), mice fed a HF diet and treated with vehicle (HF), mice fed a HF-FO diet and treated with OLZ (HF-FO-OLZ), and mice fed a HF-FO diet and treated with vehicle (HF-FO). Following euthanasia at approximately 164 days of age, we determined changes in gut bacteria populations and serum LPS binding protein, an established marker of gut inflammation and dysbiosis. Our results showed that male HF-FO and HF-FO-OLZ mice had lower body weights, at sacrifice, compared to the HF group, with a comparable body weight across groups in female mice. HF-FO and HF-FO-OLZ male groups also exhibited lower serum LPS binding protein levels compared to the HF group, with no differences across groups in female mice. Gut microbiota profiles were also different among the four groups; the Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes (B/F) ratio had the lowest value of 0.51 in the HF group compared to 0.6 in HF-OLZ, 0.9 in HF-FO, and 1.1 in HF-FO-OLZ, with no differences in female mice. In conclusion, FO reduced dietary obesity and its associated inflammation and increased the B/F ratio in male mice but did not benefit the female mice. Although the weight lowering effects of OLZ were unexpected, FO effects persisted in the presence of olanzapine, demonstrating its potential protective effects in male subjects using antipsychotic drugs.

Saponin-rich extract of Tribulus terrestris alleviates systemic inflammation and insulin resistance in dietary obese female rats: Impact on adipokine/hormonal disturbances.

Tribulus terrestris saponins (TTS) have been longley used as an overall tonic and recent studies showed they influence inflammatory conditions. We examined the ameliorative effect of a commercial formula of a saponin-rich extract of TT in a model of dietary obesity in female rats focusing on their ability to control the inflammatory burden, insulin resistance (IR), adipokine expression and the related reproductive system pathologies. Female rats were fed with high fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks to launch diet-induced obesity; they were assigned as: the obese control female rats (OFR) which received no treatment and TTS (5 and 10 mg/kg/day) treated rats; they were compared to a normal rat group. We determined the IR index, serum/tissue inflammatory cytokines, and adipose tissue adipokine expression and examined the secondary ovarian pathologies. Body weight gain, serum triglycerides and IR (>5-fold) in the OFR group were greater than the normal group; TTS lessened these parameters compared with the OFR group. TTS, at 10 mg/kg dose, ameliorated mRNA expression of leptin and visfatin genes in addition to serum inflammatory cytokine levels. Moreover, TTS corrected the hyperprolactinemia and other hormonal disturbances and ameliorated the ovarian pathologies. This study highlighted that the anti-inflammatory properties of TTS helped in alleviation of IR and body weight gain in OFR. Upon correction of obesity manifestations, the gonadal hormone dysregulations and ovarian pathologies were subsequently ameliorated. We can consider TTS as a promising candidate that may alleviate the inflammatory burden, IR and adipokine expression in obesity and hence prevent the secondary gonadal complications in female subjects if appropriate clinical studies are available.

Ethanolic extract of Pyrrosia lingua (Thunb.) Farw. ameliorates OVX-induced bone loss and RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis.

Pyrrosia lingua (Thunb.) Farw is a common plant that has been widely used as a traditional herbal medicine in China and Korea to treat patients suffering from pain, vaginal bleeding and urolithiasis. However, the pharmacological effects of P. lingua on bone remain unknown. We investigated the anti-osteoporotic effects of an ethanolic extract of P. lingua (EEPL). We found that EEPL suppressed osteoclast differentiation by directly acting on osteoclast precursor cells. EEPL suppressed the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced nuclear factor of activated T cells 1, a major transcription factor for osteoclastogenesis, by inhibiting RANKL-induced expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor/c-Fos, and activation of nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases. Moreover, administration of EEPL inhibited trabecular bone loss and weight gain in ovariectomized mice. Furthermore, we identified phytochemicals in EEPL that are known to exert anti-osteoclastogenic or anti-osteoporotic effects using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass-spectrometry analysis. Overall, the results of this study suggest that EEPL is effective therapeutic candidate that can be used to prevent or treat postmenopausal osteoporosis.

IBF-R Regulates IRE1α Post-Translational Modifications and ER Stress in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Obesity is a global health issue linked to the heightened risk of several chronic diseases. Rhus verniciflua (RV) is a traditional food supplement used for a range of pharmacological effects such as antitumor, antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibitory effects, hepatitis, and arthritis. Despite the traditional medicinal values, scientific evidence for its application in obesity is inadequate and unclear. Thus, this investigation was designed to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of IBF-R, an RV extract, using a high-fat diet (HFD) model. The study has six groups: chow diet group; chow diet with 80 mg/kg IBF-R; HFD group; IBF-R group with 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg. IBF-R supplementation significantly regulated the weight gain than the HFD fed mice. Further, IBF-R supplementation lowered the expressions of adipogenic transcription factors such as SREBP-1c, C/EBPα, FAS, and PPAR-γ in white adipose tissue (WAT) of diet-induced obese mice. In addition, IBF-R supplementation reduced the lipogenic gene expression while enhancing genes was related to fatty acid oxidation. Obesity is linked to redox-based post-translational modifications (PTMs) of IRE1α such as S-nitrosylation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and chronic metabolic inflammation. The administration of IBF-R inhibits these PTMs. Notably, IBF-R administration significantly enhanced the expression of AMPK and sirtuin 1 in WAT of HFD-fed mice. Together, these findings reveal the IRE1α S-nitrosylation-inflammation axis as a novel mechanism behind the positive implications of IBF-R on obesity. In addition, it lays a firm foundation for the development of Rhus verniciflua extract as a functional ingredient in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

A mouse model of weight gain after nicotine withdrawal.

Smoking cessation increases body weight. The underlying mechanisms, however, have not been fully understood. We here report an establishment of a mouse model that exhibits an augmented body weight gain after nicotine withdrawal. High fat diet-fed mice were infused with nicotine for two weeks, and then with vehicle for another two weeks using osmotic minipumps. Body weight increased immediately after nicotine cessation and was significantly higher than that of mice continued on nicotine. Mice switched to vehicle consumed more food than nicotine-continued mice during the first week of cessation, while oxygen consumption was comparable. Elevated expression of orexigenic agouti-related peptide was observed in the hypothalamic appetite center. Pair-feeding experiment revealed that the accelerated weight gain after nicotine withdrawal is explained by enhanced energy intake. As a showcase of an efficacy of pharmacologic intervention, exendin-4 was administered and showed a potent suppression of energy intake and weight gain in mice withdrawn from nicotine. Our current model provides a unique platform for the investigation of the changes of energy regulation after smoking cessation.

Differential Effects of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 versus 1α 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 on Adipose Tissue Browning in CKD-Associated Cachexia.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have low serum concentrations of 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3. We investigated the differential effects of 25(OH)D3 versus 1,25(OH)2D3 repletion in mice with surgically induced CKD. Intraperitoneal supplementation of 25(OH)D3 (75 µg/kg/day) or 1,25(OH)2D3 (60 ng/kg/day) for 6 weeks normalized serum 25(OH)D3 or 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations in CKD mice, respectively. Repletion of 25(OH)D3 normalized appetite, significantly improved weight gain, increased fat and lean mass content and in vivo muscle function, as well as attenuated elevated resting metabolic rate relative to repletion of 1,25(OH)2D3 in CKD mice. Repletion of 25(OH)D3 in CKD mice attenuated adipose tissue browning as well as ameliorated perturbations of energy homeostasis in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, whereas repletion of 1,25(OH)2D3 did not. Significant improvement of muscle fiber size and normalization of fat infiltration of gastrocnemius was apparent with repletion of 25(OH)D3 but not with 1,25(OH)2D3 in CKD mice. This was accompanied by attenuation of the aberrant gene expression of muscle mass regulatory signaling, molecular pathways related to muscle fibrosis as well as muscle expression profile associated with skeletal muscle wasting in CKD mice. Our findings provide evidence that repletion of 25(OH)D3 exerts metabolic advantages over repletion of 1,25(OH)2D3 by attenuating adipose tissue browning and muscle wasting in CKD mice.

Cinnamon and Eucalyptus Oils Suppress the Inflammation Induced by Lipopolysaccharide In Vivo.

Inflammation caused by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) disrupts epithelial homeostasis and threatens both human and animal health. Therefore, the discovery and development of new anti-inflammatory drugs is urgently required. Plant-derived essential oils (EOs) have good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Thus, this study aims to screen and evaluate the effects of cinnamon oil and eucalyptus oil on anti-inflammatory activities. The associated evaluation indicators include body weight gain, visceral edema coefficient, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitrogen monoxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), Urea, Crea, ALT, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, IκB-α, iNOS, and Mn-SOD. In addition, tissue injury was determined by H&E staining. The results revealed that cinnamon oil and eucalyptus oil suppressed inflammation by decreasing SOD, TNF-α, and NF-κB levels. We also found that cinnamon oil increased the level of GSH-Px, MDA, and Mn-SOD, as well as the visceral edema coefficient of the kidney and liver. Altogether, these findings illustrated that cinnamon oil and eucalyptus oil exhibited wide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities against LPS-induced inflammation.

Intestinal microbiota modulation and improved growth in pigs with post-weaning antibiotic and ZnO supplementation but only subtle microbiota effects with Bacillus altitudinis.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of dietary Bacillus altitudinis spore supplementation during day (D)0-28 post-weaning (PW) and/or D29-56 PW compared with antibiotic and zinc oxide (AB + ZnO) supplementation on pig growth and gut microbiota. Eighty piglets were selected at weaning and randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments: (1) negative control (Con/Con); (2) probiotic spores from D29-56 PW (Con/Pro); (3) probiotic spores from D0-28 PW (Pro/Con); (4) probiotic spores from D0-56 PW (Pro/Pro) and (5) AB + ZnO from D0-28 PW. Overall, compared with the AB + ZnO group, the Pro/Con group had lower body weight, average daily gain and feed intake and the Pro/Pro group tended to have lower daily gain and feed intake. However, none of these parameters differed between any of the probiotic-treated groups and the Con/Con group. Overall, AB + ZnO-supplemented pigs had higher Bacteroidaceae and Prevotellaceae and lower Lactobacillaceae and Spirochaetaceae abundance compared to the Con/Con group, which may help to explain improvements in growth between D15-28 PW. The butyrate-producing genera Agathobacter, Faecalibacterium and Roseburia were more abundant in the Pro/Con group compared with the Con/Con group on D35 PW. Thus, whilst supplementation with B. altitudinis did not enhance pig growth performance, it did have a subtle, albeit potentially beneficial, impact on the intestinal microbiota.

The postnatal window is critical for the development of sex-specific metabolic and gut microbiota outcomes in offspring.

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) concept has been proposed to explain the influence of environmental conditions during critical developmental stages on the risk of diseases in adulthood. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of the prenatal vs. postnatal environment on the gut microbiota in dams during the preconception, gestation and lactation periods and their consequences on metabolic outcomes in offspring. Here we used the cross-fostering technique, e.g. the exchange of pups following birth to a foster dam, to decipher the metabolic effects of the intrauterine versus postnatal environmental exposures to a polyphenol-rich cranberry extract (CE). CE administration to high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS)-fed dams improved glucose homeostasis and reduced liver steatosis in association with a shift in the maternal gut microbiota composition. Unexpectedly, we observed that the postnatal environment contributed to metabolic outcomes in female offspring, as revealed by adverse effects on adiposity and glucose metabolism, while no effect was observed in male offspring. In addition to the strong sexual dimorphism, we found a significant influence of the nursing mother on the community structure of the gut microbiota based on α-diversity and ß-diversity indices in offspring. Gut microbiota transplantation (GMT) experiments partly reproduced the observed phenotype in female offspring. Our data support the concept that the postnatal environment represents a critical window to influence future sex-dependent metabolic outcomes in offspring that are causally but partly linked with gut microbiome alterations.

The probiotic effects of AB23A on high-fat-diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice may be associated with suppressing the serum levels of lipopolysaccharides and branched-chain amino acids.

Alisol B 23-acetate (AB23A) is a natural triterpenoid isolated from Rhizoma alisamatis that has been widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Previous studies have documented the beneficial effect of AB23A on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the functional interactions between gut microbiota and the anti-NAFLD effect of AB23A remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the benefits of experimental treatment with AB23A on gut microbiota dysbiosis in NAFLD with an obesity model. C57BL/6J mice were administrated a high-fat diet (HFD) with or without AB23A for 12 weeks. AB23A significantly improved metabolic phenotype in the HFD-fed mice. Moreover, results of 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing in each group reveled that AB23A not only reduced the abundance of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidaeota ratio and Actinobacteriota/Bacteroidaeota ratio, but regulated the abundance of the top 10 genera, including norank_f__Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillus, Ileibacterium, Turicibacter, Faecalibaculum, the Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, and norank_f__Lachnospiraceae. AB23A significantly reduced the serum levels of lipopolysaccharide and branched-chain amino acids, which are positively correlated with the abundances of Ileibacterium and Turicibacter. Moreover, AB23A led to remarkable reductions in the activation of TLR4, NF-κB, and mTOR, and upregulated the expression of tight junction proteins, including ZO-1 and occludin. These results revealed that AB23A displayed a prebiotic capacity in HFD-fed NAFLD mice.

Standardized Hydrangea serrata (Thunb.) Ser. Extract Ameliorates Obesity in db/db Mice.

We previously reported the potential anti-obesity effects of the water extract of Hydrangea serrata (Thunb.) Ser. leaves (WHS) in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. As an extension of our previous study, we investigated the anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity effects of WHS and its underlying molecular mechanisms in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and genetically obese db/db mice. WHS attenuated the gene expression of adipogenic transcription factors, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, and sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1. Moreover, WHS inhibited the mitotic clonal expansion of preadipocytes by inducing G1 cell cycle arrest. Oral administration of WHS alleviated body weight gain and body fat accumulation in vivo. In addition, adipocyte hypertrophy and liver steatosis were ameliorated by WHS treatment. WHS reduced C/EBPα, PPARγ, and SREBP-1 expression and activated AMPKα phosphorylation in both white adipose tissue (WAT) and liver tissue. WHS also mildly upregulated the expression of thermogenic proteins, including uncoupling protein-1, PPARs, PPARγ coactivator-1α, and sirtuin-1, in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Furthermore, WHS altered the gut microbiota composition to resemble that of wild-type mice. Taken together, our findings suggest that WHS could alleviate adiposity by inhibiting adipogenesis in WAT and the liver and modulating the gut microbiota.

The effects of dietary saturated fat source on weight gain and adiposity are influenced by both sex and total dietary lipid intake in zebrafish.

The effects of saturated fat intake on obesity and cardiovascular health remain inconclusive, likely due in part to their varied nature and interactions with other nutrients. Investigating the synergistic effects of different saturated fat sources with other dietary lipid components will help establish more accurate nutritional guidelines for dietary fat intake. Over the past two decades, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been established as an attractive model system to address questions regarding contributions of dietary lipid intake to diet-induced obesity in humans. The goal of the present study was to assess interactions of three different saturated fat sources (milk fat, palm oil, and coconut oil) with sex and total dietary lipid intake on weight gain and body composition in adult zebrafish. Larvae were raised on live feeds until 28 days post fertilization, and then fed a formulated maintenance diet until three months of age. An eight-week feeding trial was then initiated, in which zebrafish were fed nine experimental low- and high-fat diets varying in saturated fatty acid and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid content, in addition to a low-fat and high-fat control diet. At termination of the feeding trial, each treatment was evaluated according to body mass, moisture content, and adiposity. Sex and diet significantly interacted in their effects on body mass (P = 0.026), moisture content (P = 0.044), and adiposity (P = 0.035). The influence of saturated fat source on body mass was observed to be dependent on intake of total dietary lipid. In females, all three saturated fat sources had similar effects on adiposity. From these observations, we hypothesize that impacts of saturated fat intake on energy allocation and obesity-related phenotypes are influenced by both sex and intake of other dietary lipid components. Our results suggest that current nutritional guidelines for saturated fat intake may need to be re-evaluated and take sex-specific recommendations into consideration.

Supplementation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum IMC 510 Modifies Microbiota Composition and Prevents Body Weight Gain Induced by Cafeteria Diet in Rats.

Changes in functionality and composition of gut microbiota (GM) have been associated and may contribute to the development and maintenance of obesity and related diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate for the first time the impact of Lactiplantibacillus (L.) plantarum IMC 510 in a rat model of diet-induced obesity, specifically in the cafeteria (CAF) diet. This diet provides a strong motivation to voluntary overeat, due to the palatability and variety of selected energy-dense foods. The oral administration for 84 days of this probiotic strain, added to the CAF diet, decreased food intake and body weight gain. Accordingly, it ameliorated body mass index, liver and white adipose tissue weight, hepatic lipid accumulation, adipocyte size, serum parameters, including glycemia and low-density lipoprotein levels, in CAF fed rats, potentially through leptin control. In this scenario, L. plantarum IMC 510 showed also beneficial effects on GM, limiting the microbial imbalance established by long exposure to CAF diet and preserving the proportion of different bacterial taxa. Further research is necessary to better elucidate the relationship between GM and overweight and then the mechanism of action by which L. plantarum IMC 510 modifies weight. However, these promising results prompt a clear advantage of probiotic supplementation and identify a new potential probiotic as a novel and safe therapeutic approach in obesity prevention and management.

Grape pomace reduces the severity of non-alcoholic hepatic steatosis and the development of steatohepatitis by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing ectopic fat deposition in mice.

While non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the common cause of chronic liver disease, specific therapies are currently unavailable. The wine industry produces millions of tons of residue (pomace), which contains high levels of bioactive phytochemicals. The aim of this study was to clarify the potential benefits of grape pomace for the treatment of NAFLD at different levels of severity, and to clarify the mechanism of action. C57Bl/6 mice were given high fat diet (HFD) or western diet (WD) as models of obesity and hepatic steatosis or steatohepatitis, respectively, with or without pomace supplementation (50-250 mg/day). Pomace inhibited food intake, and reduced serum leptin and body weight gain. Ectopic fat deposition was reduced, while white adipose tissue mass was preserved. In addition, pomace improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, prevented the development of adipose tissue inflammation, and reduced hepatic steatosis. Higher expression of genes involved in fatty acids transport and oxidation was observed in adipose tissue, while lipogenic genes were attenuated in the liver of pomace-treated mice. In WD-fed mice, pomace reduced the severity of hepatic steatosis and inflammation and improved blood lipid profile, but was ineffective in reversing hepatic damage of advanced NASH. In conclusion, pomace improved insulin sensitivity and reduced ectopic fat deposition, leading to a healthier metabolic profile. Pomace may hold the potential as a supplement with beneficial health outcomes for the prevention and treatment of hepatic steatosis and other obesity-related pathologies.

Changes in Bone Metabolism and Antioxidant Defense Systems in Menopause-Induced Rats Fed Bran Extract from Dark Purple Rice (Oryza sativa L. Cv. Superjami).

Menopause is a matter of concern for women's health due to a deficiency of female hormones; additionally, reactive oxygen species and aging can cause osteoporosis. Food becomes increasingly interesting as a menopausal woman's alternative to hormone therapy. The effects of ethanol extracts from dark purple Superjami rice bran on bone metabolism and antioxidant defense systems in menopause-induced animal models were evaluated. Female rats underwent sham surgery or were ovariectomized to induce a menopause-like state. Rats were divided into a sham control group (SHAM), an ovariectomized control group (OVX), and an ovariectomized grou supplemented with Superjami rice bran extract group (OVX-S) and fed for 8 weeks. The OVX groups exhibited significantly more weight gain, amounts of bone turnover biochemical markers (alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and C-terminal telopeptide), bone loss, lipid-peroxidation and oxidative stress than the SHAM group. However, Superjami bran extract added to the diet resulted in a significant reduction in body weight and lipid peroxidation, as well as enhanced bone metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activities, in ovariectomized rats. These results propound that extracts from Superjami rice bran have therapeutic potentiality against bone loss and oxidative stress in menopause-induced states and will be useful in preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis and oxidative damage.

Effect of Oral Nutritional Supplementation on Growth in Children with Undernutrition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are used to promote catch-up growth in children with undernutrition. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence of ONS intervention effects on growth for 9-month- to 12-year-old children who were undernourished or at nutritional risk. Eleven randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria; trials compared changes in anthropometric measures in children using ONS or ONS + DC (dietary counselling) to measures for those following usual diet or placebo or DC alone. The RCTs included 2287 children without chronic diseases (mean age 5.87 years [SD, 1.35]; 56% boys). At follow-up time points up to 6 months, results showed that children in the ONS intervention group had greater gains in weight (0.423 kg, [95% confidence interval 0.234, 0.613], p < 0.001) and height (0.417 cm [0.059, 0.776], p = 0.022) versus control; greater gains in weight (0.089 kg [0.049, 0.130], p < 0.001) were evident as early as 7-10 days. Longitudinal analyses with repeated measures at 30, 60, and 90 days showed greater gains in weight parameters from 30 days onwards (p < 0.001), a trend towards greater height gains at 90 days (p = 0.056), and significantly greater gains in height-for-age percentiles and Z-scores at 30 and 90 days, respectively (p < 0.05). Similar results were found in subgroup analyses of studies comparing ONS + DC to DC alone. For children with undernutrition, particularly those who were mildly and moderately undernourished, usage of ONS in a nutritional intervention resulted in significantly better growth outcomes when compared to control treatments (usual diet, placebo or DC alone).

Efficacy of ulvan on immune response and immuno-antioxidant gene modulation in Labeo rohita against columnaris disease.

This study reports the effect of ulvan enriched diet on the influence of growth, changes in hemato-biochemical indices, improvement of antioxidant system, enhancement of innate-adaptive immunity and modification of immuno-antioxidant genes expression in Labeo rohita against Flavobacterium columnaris. The weight gain (WG) was significantly high (P > 0.05) in unchallenged normal and challenged fish fed with diets enriched with 25 and 50 mg kg-1 ulvan; the FCR was better (P > 0.05) when fed with 50 mg kg-1 enriched diet. In normal fish fed with or without ulvan supplementation was noted 100% survival rate (SR). In both groups, the red blood cell (RBC) and while blood cell (WBC) counts increased significantly (P > 0.05) when fed with 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diet whereas the hemoglobin (Hb) level increased significantly on being fed with 25 and 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diets. The SOD activity was enhanced significantly in both groups fed with any dose of ulvan diets whereas the MDA and GPx activity increased only with 25 and 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diets. The phagocytic (PC) activity significantly increased with any enriched diet and control diet groups while the respiratory burst (RB) activity increased only with 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diet. The alternate complement pathway (ACP), activity of lysozyme (Lyz), and immunoglobuline M (IgM) were better in both groups fed with 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diet. The SOD and GPx antioxidant gene expression were significantly high in both groups fed with any ulvan diet while the Nrf2 gene expression was high with 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diet. The IL-1ß, TNFα, hepcidin, Lyz, and IgM cytokines or proteins mRNA expression were significant in both groups fed with all ulvan supplement diet whereas the ß-2M expression was significant only with 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diet. The present research indicates that both L. rohita groups fed with 50 mg kg-1 ulvan diet significantly improved growth, antioxidant system, immune defense system, and immuno-antioxidant related gene expression against F. columnaris.

Identification of the Active Ingredient and Beneficial Effects of Vitex rotundifolia Fruits on Menopausal Symptoms in Ovariectomized Rats.

Estrogen replacement therapy is a treatment to relieve the symptoms of menopause. Many studies suggest that natural bioactive ingredients from plants resemble estrogen in structure and biological functions and can relieve symptoms of menopause. The fruit of V. rotundifolia, called "Man HyungJa" in Korean, is a traditional medicine used to treat headache, migraine, eye pain, neuralgia, and premenstrual syndrome in Korea and China. The aim of the present study was to confirm that V. rotundifolia fruit extract (VFE) exerts biological functions similar to those of estrogen in menopausal syndrome. We investigated its in vitro effects on MCF-7 cells and in vivo estrogen-like effects on weight gain and uterine contraction in ovariectomized rats. Using the polar extract, the active constituents of VFE (artemetin, vitexicarpin, hesperidin, luteolin, vitexin, and vanillic acid) with estrogen-like activity were identified in MCF-7 cells. In animal experiments, the efficacy of VFE in ameliorating body weight gain was similar to that of estrogen, as evidenced from improvements in uterine atrophy. Vitexin and vitexicarpin are suggested as the active constituents of V. rotundifolia fruits.