title: Diets containing Sophora japonica L. prevent weight gain in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.
abstract: Obesity, a worldwide epidemic, is associated with metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and heart disease. Many strategies, including natural alternative antiobesity agents, have been widely used to prevent obesity. Polyphenolic compounds and flavonoids from natural products are shown to inhibit adipogenesis. Because mature fruits of Sophora japonica L. were previously shown to contain antiadipogenic compounds, we hypothesized that diets with mature fruits of S japonica L. would prevent body weight gain in high-fat diet-induced obesity. Four-week-old mice were fed either a control high-fat diet, or high-fat diet containing 1% or 5% of S japonica L. for 4 weeks. The administration of S japonica L. fed in combination with a 30% high-fat diet significantly decreased body weight gain. S japonica L. also reduced serum and hepatic triglyceride, serum total, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Consistent with the effects of lowering glucose level and fat mass, S japonica L. caused a decrease in the number of large adipocytes and a concomitant increase in the number of small adipocytes, which may explain at least in part the antiobesity effects of S japonica L. Together, these data provide evidence for roles of S japonica L. in the control of body weight and obesity-related metabolic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea. pkm1001@skku.edu
authors.forename: Kye Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ki-Moon
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007887:Fabaceae; D005638:Fruit; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D004041:Dietary Fats; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D028321:Plant Preparations; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol