title: Inhibition of gastric lipase as a mechanism for body weight and plasma lipids reduction in Zucker rats fed a rosemary extract rich in carnosic acid.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extracts (REs) exhibit hepatoprotective, anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties and are widely used in the food industry. REs are rich in carnosic acid (CA) and carnosol which may be responsible for some of the biological activities of REs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether inhibition of lipase activity in the gut may be a mechanism by which a RE enriched in CA (40%) modulates body weight and lipids levels in a rat model of metabolic disorders and obesity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RE was administered for 64 days to lean (fa/+) and obese (fa/fa) female Zucker rats and body weight, food intake, feces weight and blood biochemical parameters were monitored throughout the study. Lipase activity (hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylbutyrate) was measured in the gastrointestinal tract at the end of the study and the contents of CA, carnosol and methyl carnosate were also determined. Sub-chronic administration of RE moderately reduced body weight gain in both lean and obese animals but did not affect food intake. Serum triglycerides, cholesterol and insulin levels were also markedly decreased in the lean animals supplemented with RE. Importantly, lipase activity was significantly inhibited in the stomach of the RE-supplemented animals where the highest content of intact CA and carnosol was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that long-term administration of RE enriched in CA moderates weight gain and improves the plasma lipids profile, primarily in the lean animals. Our data also suggest that these effects may be caused, at least in part, by a significant inhibition of gastric lipase and subsequent reduction in fat absorption.
authors: Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Dept. Food Science and Technology, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Campus de Espinardo, Murcia, Spain.
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Romo Vaquero
authors: María-Josefa
authors: MJ
authors: Yáñez-Gascón
authors: Rocío
authors: R
authors: García Villalba
authors: Mar
authors: M
authors: Larrosa
authors: Emilie
authors: E
authors: Fromentin
authors: Alvin
authors: A
authors: Ibarra
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Roller
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Tomás-Barberán
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Espín de Gea
authors: María-Teresa
authors: MT
authors: García-Conesa
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D027542:Rosmarinus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D008055:Lipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008049:Lipase; C018381:salvin