title: Anti-obesity effects of Arctii Fructus (Arctium lappa) in white/brown adipocytes and high-fat diet-induced obese mice.
abstract: Arctii Fructus is traditionally used in oriental pharmacies as an anti-inflammatory medicine. Although several studies have shown its anti-inflammatory effects, there have been no reports on its use in obesity related studies. In this study, the anti-obesity effect of Arctii Fructus was investigated in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice, and the effect was confirmed in white and primary cultured brown adipocytes. Arctii Fructus inhibited weight gain and reduced the mass of white adipose tissue in HFD-induced obese mice. Serum levels of triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol were reduced, and HDL-cholesterol was increased in the Arctii Fructus treated group. In 3T3-L1 cells, a water extract (WAF) and 70% EtOH extract (EtAF) of Arctii Fructus significantly inhibited adipogenesis and suppressed the expression of proliferator-activated receptor gamma and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha. In particular, EtAF activated the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase. On the other hand, uncoupling protein 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, known as brown adipocytes specific genes, were increased in primary cultured brown adipocytes by WAF and EtAF. This study shows that Arctii Fructus prevents the development of obesity through the inhibition of white adipocyte differentiation and activation of brown adipocyte differentiation which suggests that Arctii Fructus could be an effective therapeutic for treating or preventing obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Republic of Korea. jooklim@wku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yo-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Republic of Korea. jooklim@wku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ji-Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Republic of Korea. jooklim@wku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Dae-Seung
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea. jyum@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jinbong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea. jyum@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Mi-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Republic of Korea. jooklim@wku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jung-Geon
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mun
authors.affiliation: Department of Herbology, College of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Dongduk Women's University, 60 Hwarang-ro 13-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02748, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea. jyum@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jae-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Um
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Republic of Korea. jooklim@wku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seung-Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031170:Arctium / Q000737:chemistry*; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004041:Dietary Fats; D047495:PPAR gamma; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger