title: Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng) prevents obesity by inhibiting angiogenesis in high fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice.
abstract: Adipose tissue growth and development are thought to be associated with angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling. Because ginseng has been shown to inhibit angiogenesis and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, we hypothesized that adipose tissue growth and obesity can be regulated by Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer). Wild-type C57BL/6J mice were fed for 8 weeks with a low fat diet, a high fat diet (HFD), or HFD supplemented with 0.5% or 5% Korean red ginseng extract. We measured body weight, adipose tissue mass, food intake, MMP activity, and the expression of genes involved in angiogenesis and MMPs. Administering ginseng to HFD-induced obese mice produced reductions in body weight and adipose tissue mass compared with untreated counterparts. Ginseng treatment decreased blood vessel density and MMP activity in adipose tissues. Ginseng also reduced mRNA levels of angiogenic factors (e.g., VEGF-A and FGF-2) and MMPs (e.g., MMP-2 and MMP-9), whereas it increased mRNA levels of angiogenic inhibitors (e.g., TSP-1, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2) in adipose tissues. These results demonstrate that ginseng effectively reduces adipose tissue mass and prevents obesity in diet-induced obese mice and that this process may be mediated in part through the anti-angiogenic actions of ginseng.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Mokwon University, Daejeon 302-729, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyunghee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dongmin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Michung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019700:Thrombospondin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019700:Thrombospondin 1; C560825:Timp1 protein, mouse; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D019716:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; C522362:Mmp2 protein, mouse; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; C501830:Mmp9 protein, mouse