No abstract

Aster glehni (AG) is a Korean traditional herb that grows in Ulleungdo Island, Republic of Korea. None of the several reports on AG include a determination of the effect of AG on adipogenesis. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether AG attenuates adipogenesis in mouse 3T3-L1 cells and epididymal fat tissue. AG blocked the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a concentration-dependent manner and suppressed the expression of adipogenesis-related genes such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, and SREBP1c, the master regulators of adipogenesis. Male C57BL/6J mice were divided randomly and equally into 4 diet groups: control diet (CON), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD with 1% AG extract added (AG1), and HFD with 5% AG extract added (AG5). The experimental animals were fed HFD and the 2 combinations for 10 weeks. Mice fed HFD with AG gained less body weight and visceral fat-pad weight than did the mice fed HFD alone. Moreover, AG inhibited the expression of important adipogenic genes such as PPARγ, C/EBPα, SREBP1c, LXR, and leptin in the epididymal adipose tissue of the mice treated with AG1 and AG5. These findings indicate antiadipogenic and antiobesity effects of AG and suggest its therapeutic potential in obesity and obesity-related diseases.

No abstract

ABSTRACT:We evaluated the conventional acute stress model in mice and investigated the stress-induced changes in concentrations of plasma lipids and hormones such as corticosterone (CORT), insulin, glucagon, triiodothyronine (T 3 ), and thyroxine (T 4 ). Stress induction for 120 min using tape-immobilisation and restraint resulted in an increase in the plasma levels of CORT, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol (TC), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol compared with unstressed mice. Stress also resulted in a decrease in the concentrations of T 3 , T 4 , triglycerides (TG), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. However, the amount of glucagon did not change. Moreover, the concentrations of T 3 , T 4 , TC, TG, and lipoprotein cholesterol were maintained at constant levels over the recovery periods after stress induction; however, CORT, glucose, and insulin concentrations decreased as a function of time. Statistical correlations between the parameters that changed in response to acute stress were also investigated. In contrast, stress induction for 30 or 60 min did not cause substantial changes in the lipid profiles, although there were fluctuations in the levels of some hormones. This study thus introduces an appropriate model for the study of the acute stress response of lipids and hormones and our data suggest that acute stress affects the levels of plasma lipids, especially cholesterol, in mice.

Background: Sam-Hwang-Sa-Sim-Tang (SHSST) is a traditional Oriental medication that has been commonly used in Korea for the treatment of hypertension, insomnia, and chest pain. In addition, some studies reported that administration of SHSST results suppression of hyperlipidemia in rats or lowering lipid plasma level such as total cholesterol (TC). Those results made us find and demonstrate positive effect of SHSST much more. The aim of the current study was to examine whether SHSST exerts an effect against hepatic steatosis and two type of SHSST has different efficacy on liver steatosis. Methods: Total 40 mice were divided randomly and equally into 4 groups: a normal diet (CON) group, highcholesterol diet (HC) group, and treatment groups fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD) with a 30% or 80% ethanol extract of SHSST (SHSST-L and SHSST-H, respectively). The HCD was given for 9 weeks. The SHSST-treated groups were orally administered SHSST at a dose of 150 mg/kg, whereas the other groups received physiological saline.