title: Betulinic acid, a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, prevents abdominal fat accumulation in mice fed a high-fat diet.
abstract: In the search for potential antiobese agents from natural sources, this study investigated the effects of betulinic acid (BA), a pentacyclic triterpene from Clusia nemorosa L. (Clusiaceae), in mice on a high-fat diet (HFD). Adult male Swiss mice (n = 8) treated or not with BA (50 mg/L, in drinking water) were fed a HFD during 15 weeks. Mice treated with BA and fed a HFD showed significantly (P < 0.05) decreased body weights, abdominal fat accumulation, blood glucose, plasma triglycerides, and total cholesterol relative to their respective controls fed no BA. Additionally, BA treatment, while significantly elevating the plasma hormone levels of insulin and leptin, decreased the level of ghrelin. However, it caused a greater decrease in plasma amylase activity than the lipase. These findings suggest that BA has an antiobese potential through modulation of fat and carbohydrate metabolism, and it may be a suitable lead compound in the treatment of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Célio L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.forename: Maria Goretti R
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos V
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Arruda Filho
authors.forename: Adriana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: José Gustavo L
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Otilia Deusdênia L
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Pessoa
authors.forename: Edilberto R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Dalgimar B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Tiago S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Flavia A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Vietla S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000187:drug effects*; D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D031251:Clusia / Q000737:chemistry; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004041:Dietary Fats; D054439:Ghrelin; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D008055:Lipids; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014315:Triterpenes; D000094062:Betulinic Acid