Anti-obesity effects in rodents of dietary teasaponin, a lipase inhibitor.
OBJECTIVE
Based on the inhibitory effects of teasaponin on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro, this study was performed to clarify whether teasaponin prevented obesity induced in mice by a high-fat diet for 11 weeks.


METHODS
For in vitro experiments, assay for the inhibitory effects of teasaponin on pancreatic lipase activity was performed by measuring the rate of release of oleic acid from triolein in an assay system using triolein emulsified with lecithin, gum arabic, Triton X-100 or 4-methylumbelliferyloleate. For in vivo experiments, female ICR mice were fed a high-fat diet with or without 0.5% teasaponin for 11 weeks.


RESULTS
Teasaponin competitively inhibited the hydrolysis of triolein emulsified with lecithin, gum arabic, Triton X-100 or 4-methylumbelliferyloleate. Teasaponin inhibited the elevations of plasma triacylglycerol levels 3, 4 and 5 h after oral administration of lipid emulsion containing corn oil. Teasaponin suppressed the increases in body, parametrial adipose tissue weights and diameter in adipose cell size induced by a high-fat diet. Furthermore, feeding a high-fat diet plus teasaponin had no effect on stool frequency and content, but significantly increased triacylglycerol contents in feces as compared to feeding a high-fat diet.


CONCLUSIONS
The anti-obesity effects of teasaponin in high-fat diet-treated mice may be partly mediated through delaying the intestinal absorption of dietary fat by inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity.
Han
L K
LK
2nd Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ehime University, Ehime, Japan.
Kimura
Y
Y
Kawashima
M
M
Takaku
T
T
Taniyama
T
T
Hayashi
T
T
Zheng
Y N
YN
Okuda
H
H
D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000187:drug effects*; D008049:Lipase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis; D014304:Triolein / Q000378:metabolism
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D004041:Dietary Fats; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013662:Tea; D014280:Triglycerides; D014304:Triolein; D008049:Lipase