Antiobesity activity of aqueous extracts of Rhizoma Dioscoreae Tokoronis on high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice

J Med Food. 2009 Apr;12(2):304-9. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2008.1010.

Abstract

We examined the effects of Rhizoma Dioscoreae Tokoronis extracts (RDTEs) on plasma lipids, body weight, and lipogenic enzymes. Mice were administered a standard chow diet, a 60% high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet with RDTE. Mice that were fed a high-fat diet containing RDTE were found to have lower increases in body and epididymal adipose tissue weights and a lessened occurrence of hepatic steatosis than mice that were fed a high-fat diet. The decreased adiposity that was induced by RDTE accounted for lower plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, leptin, and glucose and a higher level of adiponectin. RDTE administration also resulted in a significant decrease in triglyceride, total plasma cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol when compared to the high-fat group. To identify the mechanism by which RDTE induced its antiobesity effect, we investigated the sterol response element binding protein (SREBP) transcription system, which was induced in mice that were fed the high-fat diet. RDTE was found to suppress the expression of SREBP-1 as well as that of fatty acid synthase in adipose and liver tissues in mice provided the high-fat diet. These findings suggest that the antiobesity action of RDTE in mice that are fed a high-fat diet may occur in response to suppression of the SREBP-1-dependent lipogenic pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiponectin / blood
  • Adipose Tissue / drug effects*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blood Glucose
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Cholesterol / blood
  • Dietary Fats / administration & dosage
  • Dioscorea*
  • Epididymis / drug effects
  • Fatty Acid Synthases / genetics
  • Fatty Acid Synthases / metabolism
  • Fatty Liver / prevention & control
  • Gene Expression
  • Leptin / blood
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / drug therapy*
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rhizome
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / genetics
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / metabolism*
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood

Substances

  • Adiponectin
  • Anti-Obesity Agents
  • Blood Glucose
  • Dietary Fats
  • Leptin
  • Plant Extracts
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1
  • Triglycerides
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Cholesterol
  • Fatty Acid Synthases