Semen cuscutae administration improves hepatic lipid metabolism and adiposity in high fat diet-induced obese mice

Jiyoung Moon, Min Jin Ha, Min Jeong Shin, Oh Yoen Kim, Eun Hye Yoo, Juhyun Song, Ji Hyung Chung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Since arginase has been shown to compete with nitric oxide (NO) synthase, emerging evidence has reported that arginase inhibition improves obesity by increasing NO production. Semen cuscutae (SC), which is a well-known Chinese medicine, has multiple biological functions such as anti-oxidant function and immune regulation. In this study, we investigated whether the SC as a natural arginase inhibitor influences hepatic lipid abnormalities and whole-body adiposity in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. The lipid accumulation was significantly reduced by SC treatment in oleic acid-induced hepatic steatosis in vitro. Additionally, SC supplementation substantially lowered HFD-induced increases in arginase activity and weights of liver and visceral fat tissue, while increasing hepatic NO. Furthermore, elevated mRNA expressions of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 (SREBP-1c), fatty-acid synthase (FAS), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ)1, and PPAR-γ2 in HFD-fed mice were significantly attenuated by SC supplementation. Taken together, SC, as a novel natural arginase inhibitor, showed anti-obesity properties by modulating hepatic arginase and NO production and metabolic pathways related to hepatic triglyceride (TG) metabolism.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3035
JournalNutrients
Volume11
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019 Dec

Keywords

  • Arginase inhibitor
  • Hepatic steatosis
  • Nitric oxide (NO)
  • Obesity
  • Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)
  • Semen cuscutae (SC)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Food Science
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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