title: Salicornia herbacea prevents weight gain and hepatic lipid accumulation in obese ICR mice fed a high-fat diet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Foods that are rich in fat and or sodium chloride promote obesity and associated diseases, whereas intake of dietary fiber averts obesity development. Salicornia herbacea (SH) is a rich source of dietary fiber and high in sodium chloride; therefore, we investigated whether replacing common salt with SH in a high-fat diet could prevent obesity development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice were divided into five groups: group ND was fed a normal diet, group HD was fed a high-fat diet, group HD-NaCl was fed a high fat diet with sodium chloride 10 g kg(-1) , group HD-CL was fed a high-fat diet with cellulose 30 g kg(-1) and group HD-SH was fed a high-fat diet with SH powder 50 g kg(-1) . The amount of sodium chloride and cellulose added in the respective diet was equivalent to their amount in SH. Data from our study showed that, SH supplementation significantly decreased body weight gain, liver weight, hepatic triglyceride, serum leptin and insulin, along with the mRNA level of key lipid anabolic genes such as SREBP-1c, PPARγ and FAS compared to the HD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrated that SH is a potential natural anti-obesity agent that can be used in place of sodium chloride.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: P B Tirupathi
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Pichiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Republic of Korea.|Jeonju Makgeolli Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk, 561-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Youn-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019663:Chenopodiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008820:Mice, Obese; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: ICR mice; Salicornia herbacea; adipose tissue, leptin; obesity