title: Carnosic acid prevents obesity and hepatic steatosis in ob/ob mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Carnosic acid (CA) inhibits adipogenesis in vitro. The present study evaluated the therapeutic effects of CA in ob/ob mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental animals were given a standard chow diet with or without CA for 5 weeks. Bodyweight gain and food intake were measured during this period. Magnetic resonance imaging analysis, histological examination, serum chemistry analysis and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) were all performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mice fed CA experienced significant weight loss and reduced visceral adiposity, in addition to significantly reduced serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol levels. Importantly, CA had a dramatic effect on the liver by reducing the hepatic TG content, thus decreasing serum alanine aminotransferase levels. In addition, IPGTT revealed that CA significantly improved glucose tolerance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that CA is a novel therapeutic agent for obesity-related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Iwate Medical University Department of Welfare Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Iwate University Department of Pathology, Iwate Medical University School of Medicine, Morioka Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka Research and Development Center, Nagase, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takikawa
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Yoshichika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kosaka
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tatemichi
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki