Quercetin, found abundantly in onion peel, has been known to have antioxidant and anti-obesity effects and improves endothelial function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a quercetin-rich onion peel extract (OPE) on the inflammatory mediators in overweight and obese women. This study was a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Thirty-seven healthy overweight and obese women were randomly assigned to two groups, and one group was given a soft capsuled OPE (100 mg quercetin/day, n = 18) and the other group a same capsuled placebo (n = 19) for 12 weeks. Fat mass was measured by bioimpendance method at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured with colorimetric assay kits. The concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, visfatin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-4 in plasma were determined by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Baseline characteristics of anthropometric indicators and blood metabolic profiles were not significantly different between placebo and OPE groups. Compared with baseline value, both placebo and OPE supplementation significantly decreased the percent of body fat mass and induced plasma adiponectin levels while ALT and AST activities as well as leptin, visfatin, TNF-α, and IL-4 levels in plasma were not significantly different between two groups after 12 weeks of the supplementation. These findings suggest that 12-week supplementation of OPE do not affect modulators of systemic inflammation in overweight and obese women.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Different fatty acids exert different health benefits. This study investigated the potential protective effects of perilla, olive, and safflower oils on high-fat diet-induced obesity and colon inflammation. MATERIALS/METHODS: Five-week old, C57BL/6J mice were assigned to 5 groups: low-fat diet (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD) and high-fat diet supplemented with-perilla oil (HPO), olive oil (HOO), and safflower oil (HSO). After 16 weeks of the experimental period, the mice were sacrificed, and blood and tissues were collected. The serum was analyzed for obesity-and inflammation-related biomarkers. Gene expression of the biomarkers in the liver, adipose tissue, and colon tissue was analyzed. Micro-computed tomography (CT) analysis was performed one week before sacrifice. RESULTS: Treatment with all the three oils significantly improved obesity-induced increases in body weight, liver weight, and epididymal fat weight as well as serum triglyceride and leptin levels. Treatment with perilla oil (PO) and safflower oil (SO) increased adiponectin levels. The micro-CT analysis revealed that PO and SO reduced abdominal fat volume considerably. The mRNA expression of lipogenic genes was reduced in all the three oilsupplemented groups and PO upregulated lipid oxidation in the liver. Supplementation of oils improved macroscopic score, increased colon length, and decreased serum endotoxin and proinflammatory cytokine levels in the colon. The abundance of Bifidobacteria was increased and that of Enterobacteriaceae was reduced in the PO-supplemented group. All three oils reduced proinflammatory cytokine levels, as indicated by the mRNA expression. In addition, PO increased the expression of tight junction proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data indicate that the three oils exert similar anti-obesity effects. Interestingly, compared with olive oil and SO, PO provides better protection against high-fat diet-induced colon inflammation, suggesting that PO consumption helps manage inflammation-related diseases and provides omega-3 fatty acids needed by the body.

Gochujang is a traditional Korean fermented soy-based spicy paste made of meju (fermented soybean), red pepper powder, glutinous rice, and salt. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of Gochujang containing salt in DSS-induced colitis. Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were partitioned into five groups: normal control, DSS control, DSS + salt, DSS + mesalamine, and DSS + Gochujang groups. They were tested for 14 days. Gochujang improved the disease activity index (DAI), colon weight/length ratio, and colon histomorphology, with outcomes similar to results of mesalamine administration. Moreover, Gochujang decreased the serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 and inhibited TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β mRNA expression in the colon. Gochujang downregulated the expression of iNOS and COX-2 and decreased the activation of NF-κB in the colon. Gochujang induced significant modulation in gut microbiota by significantly increasing the number of Akkermansia muciniphila while decreasing the numbers of Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus sciuri. However, compared with the DSS group, the salt group did not significantly change the symptoms of colitis or cytokine levels in serum and colon. Moreover, the salt group significantly decreased the gut microflora diversity. Gochujang mitigated DSS-induced colitis in rats by modulating inflammatory factors and the composition of gut microflora, unlike the intake of salt alone.

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Previous studies have reported that anthocyanin (ACN)-rich materials have beneficial effects on ulcerative colitis (UC). Blackcurrant (BC) has been known as one of the foods rich in ACN, while studies demonstrating its effect on UC are rare. This study attempted to investigate the protective effects of whole BC in mice with colitis using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Mice were orally given whole BC powder at a dose of 150 mg daily for four weeks, and colitis was induced by drinking 3% DSS for six days. Whole BC relieved symptoms of colitis and pathological changes in the colon. The overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in serum and colon tissues was also reduced by whole BC. In addition, whole BC significantly lowered the levels of mRNA and protein of downstream targets in the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, BC administration increased the expression of genes related to barrier function: ZO-1, occludin, and mucin. Moreover, the whole BC modulated the relative abundance of gut microbiota altered with DSS. Therefore, the whole BC has demonstrated the potential to prevent colitis through attenuation of the inflammatory response and regulation of the gut microbial composition.

Perilla (Perilla frutescens) oil reduces high-fat-diet-induced colon inflammation by suppressing the NF-κB pathway. In the current study, we compared the effect of endogenously produced and externally supplemented omega-3 fatty acids on high-fat-diet-induced colon inflammation. The fat-1 transgenic mice that endogenously synthesize omega-3 fatty acids were backcrossed with C57BL/6J wild-type mice to obtain transgenic (TR) and wild-type (WT) littermates. Five-week-old male littermates were divided into five groups: two groups fed 10% normal diet (WTLD, TRLD) and three groups fed with a 60% fat high-fat diet (WTHD, TRHD, and WTPO). In the WTPO group, 8% (w/w) of perilla oil was added. Perilla oil supplemented WT mice and fat-1 transgenic mice suppressed high-fat-diet-induced body weight and improved serum lipid levels. Furthermore, the WTPO and TRHD groups exhibited increased colon length, lower macroscopic scores, and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory markers and improved epithelial integrity barrier markers. The expression of GPR120 was increased in the WTPO group. Altogether, our results indicated that perilla oil could improve the symptoms of colon inflammation as an alternate omega-3 fatty acid supplement.

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Purpose: This study examined the immunological activity and optimized the mixture conditions of Sargassum horneri (S. horneri) extracts in vitro and in vivo models. Methods: S. horneri was extracted using three different methods: hot water extraction (HWE), 50% ethanol extraction (EE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production (Interleukin-2 and Interferon-γ) were measured using a WST-1 assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The levels of nitric oxide and T cell activation production were measured using a Griess assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The natural killer (NK) cell activity was determined using an EZ-LDH kit. Results: Among the three different types of extracts, HWE showed the highest levels of splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production in vitro. In the animal model, three different types of extracts were administrated for 14 days (once/day) at 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight. HWE and SFE showed a high level of splenocyte proliferation and cytokine production in the with and without mitogen-treated groups, whereas EE administration did not induce the splenocyte activation. When RAW264.7 macrophage cells were treated with different mixtures (HWE with 5, 10, 15, 20% of SFE) to determine the optimal mixture ratio of HWE and SFE, the levels of nitric oxide and cytokine production increased strongly in the HWE with 5% and 10% of SFE containing group. In the animal model, HWE with 5% and 10% of SFE mixture administration increased the levels of splenocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and activated CD4 + cell population significantly, with the highest level observed in the HWE with 5% of SFE group. Moreover, the NK cell activity was increased significantly in the HWE with 5% of SFE mixture-treated group compared to the control group. Conclusion: The optimal mixture condition of S. horneri with immune-enhancing activity is the HWE with 5% of SFE mixture. These results confirmed that the extracts of S. horneri and its mixtures are potential candidate materials for immune enhancement.