Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat) flowers (CF) are widely consumed as herbal tea in many countries, including China. The aim of the present study was to examine the anti-adipogenic effect of hot water extraction of CF (HCF) on 3T3-L1 cells and their underlying cellular mechanisms. HCF treatment inhibited lipid accumulation under conditions that did not show the toxicity of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), which plays an important role in glycerol lipid metabolism, was also reduced by HCF. Adipogenesis/lipogenesis-related mRNA expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (CEBP-α), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were suppressed by HCF in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, HCF increased activities of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), involved in lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that HCF inhibits adipocyte lipid accumulation through suppression of adipogenesis/lipogenesis-related gene expression and activation of the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway. Therefore, it suggests that HCF may be used as a potentially beneficial plant material for preventing obesity.
Keywords: AMPK; Chrysanthemum morifolium flower; SIRT1; adipogenesis.