title: Evaluation of the Effects and Mechanism of L-Citrulline on Anti-obesity by Appetite Suppression in Obese/Diabetic KK-Ay Mice and High-Fat Diet Fed SD Rats.
abstract: L-Citrulline (L-Cit), a free amino acid from watermelon, has effects on hypertension and anti-oxidization; however, there are few reports of effects related to obesity. This study investigated the effects and mechanism of L-Cit on anti-obesity in obese/diabetic KK-Ay mice and high-fat diet fed Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. L-Cit induced significant reduction of food intake, body weight and fat tissue mass in obese/diabetic KK-Ay mice. Moreover, blood glucose level did not change but free fatty acid level and serum insulin level were significantly decreased by treatment with L-Cit, suggesting that L-Cit improved glucose and fatty metabolism in obesity model mice. As well as obese/diabetic KK-Ay mice, there was a significant decrease in food intake and a tendency of body weight to decrease in high-fat diet fed SD rats treated with L-Cit. Also, levels of proopiomelanocortin (POMC), a food intake suppression peptide, increased in the hypothalamus. Our study suggests that L-Cit improves metabolic syndrome through decreased body weight by appetite suppression.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Science, Mukogawa Women's University.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Hisae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshitomi
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Momoo
authors.forename: Shiori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suguro
authors.forename: Yoshie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002956:Citrulline / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D002956:Citrulline