The effect of methanol extract from Luffa cylindrica (LCM) on lipid metabolism and underlying mechanisms of lipolysis in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were investigated. The intracellular lipid droplets were stained with Oil Red O dye and quantified. Compared to the control, lipid accumulation was significantly decreased by 19.4% with the treatment of LCM at the concentration of 1000 μg/mL. Intracellular triglyceride (TG) level was also reduced by 21% at the concentration of 1000 μg/mL. To determine the mechanism for the reduction in TG content, levels of glucose uptake and glycerol release were measured. Incubation of the 3T3-L1 adipocytes with LCM did not affect the cellular uptake of glucose. However, the level of free glycerol released into the cultured medium drastically increased by 24.3% with the treatment of LCM. In subsequent measurements using quantitative real-time PCR, mRNA levels of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) except lipoprotein lipase (LPL) were significantly elevated at higher concentration. These results suggest that LCM partially stimulates the lipolysis through the induction of HSL and/or ATGL gene expression, resulting in the reduced lipid accumulation and increased glycerol release.

The hepatoprotective effect of ethanol extract from Hovenia dulcis fruit (HD) against ethanol-induced oxidative damage was investigated. Ethanol-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and liver damage on HepG2/2E1 cells were protected by 100 μg/mL ethanolic extract from HD. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into 3 groups; control (NC), ethanol (ET), ethanol plus 1 g/kg body weight ethanolic extract of HD (ET-HD). The activities of serum alanine amintransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly increased in ethanol-treated group. However, ET-HD group showed protective effect by lowering serum activities. The ET group markedly decreased the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) with the reduced level of glutathione (GSH) in liver. On the other hand, ET-HD group increased the activities of SOD and GST, and the level of GSH. Lipid peroxidation level, which was increased after ethanol administration, was significantly reduced in ET-HD group. Based upon these results, it could be assumed that ethanolic extract of HD protected the liver against ethanol-induced oxidative damage by possibly inhibiting the suppression of antioxidant activity and reducing the rate of lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, extract of Hovenia dulcis fruit might be used as a protective agent for ethanol-induced hepatic damages.

Skipping breakfast is a risk factor closely related to metabolic syndrome and obesity. We analyzed the relationship between breakfast size, metabolic syndrome and obesity. The study included 5,548 adults who visited a health promotion center at Pusan National University from January to November of 2006. Subjects were divided into four groups according to breakfast size -skipper group (no breakfast), small intake group, medium intake group and large intake group. 959 (17.3%) of the 5548 subjects were included in the Skipper group. Intake of daily calories, proteins, carbohydrates and fats was the lowest in the Skipper group. Breakfast size increased linearly with an increased intake of daily calories, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Body mass index (23.4 kg/m 2 ) and waist circumference (79.6 cm) were the lowest in the Small intake group. In the Small intake group, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were the lowest, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were the highest. The number of metabolic risk factors was the lowest in Small intake group. Odds ratio of metabolic syndrome (Odds ratio=0.612) was the lowest in Small intake group. Along with increasing breakfast size, the odds ratio also increased. In this study, breakfast size was found to influence metabolic risk factors. Skipping breakfast worsened metabolic risk factors, while a small breakfast size had a favorable effect on metabolic risk factors.

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