Effect of Dietary Cocoa Tea (Camellia ptilophylla) Supplementation on High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis, and Hyperlipidemia in Mice

Abstract

Recent studies suggested that green tea has the potential to protect against diet-induced obesity. The presence of caffeine within green tea has caused limitations. Cocoa tea (Camellia ptilophylla) is a naturally decaffeinated tea plant. To determine whether cocoa tea supplementation results in an improvement in high-fat diet-induced obesity, hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis, and whether such effects would be comparable to those of green tea extract, we studied six groups (n = 10) of C57BL/6 mice that were fed with (1) normal chow (N); (2) high-fat diet (21% butterfat + 0.15% cholesterol, wt/wt) (HF); (3) a high-fat diet supplemented with 2% green tea extract (HFLG); (4) a high-fat diet supplemented with 4% green tea extract (HFHG); (5) a high-fat diet supplemented with 2% cocoa tea extract (HFLC); and (6) a high-fat diet supplemented with 4% cocoa tea extract (HFHC). From the results, 2% and 4% dietary cocoa tea supplementation caused a dose-dependent decrease in (a) body weight, (b) fat pad mass, (c) liver weight, (d) total liver lipid, (e) liver triglyceride and cholesterol, and (f) plasma lipids (triglyceride and cholesterol). These data indicate that dietary cocoa tea, being naturally decaffeinated, has a beneficial effect on high-fat diet-induced obesity, hepatomegaly, hepatic steatosis, and elevated plasma lipid levels in mice, which are comparable to green tea. The present findings have provided the proof of concept that dietary cocoa tea might be of therapeutic value and could therefore provide a safer and cost effective option for patients with diet-induced metabolic syndrome.

Rice Cookie Decreases Plasma and Hepatic Lipid Levels in High-Fat Diet-fed Mice: A Comparison Study with Traditional Western Style Cookies

“…These results are in line with other studies that showed a significant increase in plasma and hepatic lipid levels induced by a HFD [26]. Among the HFD groups, the plasma and hepatic TG concentrations of the HFD-KRC group were significantly lower than those of the HFD group (p<0.05), but no differences were found in the plasma and hepatic TC levels.…”

Hepatic genome-wide expression of lipid metabolism in diet-induced obesity rats treated with cocoa polyphenols

“…Furthermore, CPs decreased the mRNA levels of genes involved in fat uptake, including LPL, and Lipc (hepatic lipase). In the previous studies, decreased expressions of fatty acid synthase (Wang et al, 2014), hepatic lipase (Yang et al, 2013), Scd1 (Ali, Ismail, & Kersten, 2014;Ali, Ismail, & Esa, 2015;Dorenkott et al, 2014) and LPL (Bonen, Dohm, & van Loon, 2006;Gu, Yu, Park, Harvatine, & Lambert, 2014;Janowski, 2002) have contributed to impaired development of obesity and liver steatosis.…”

Subacute oral toxicity of cocoa tea (Camellia ptilophylla) water extract in SD rats

“…However, there was only a significant decrease in the relative body weight of the male rats administrated with 800 mg kg −1 of CWE, and there was no significant difference in the relative weight of organs and food consumption between control and treatment groups. This result was consisted with our previous finding that CWE had potential anti‐obesity effect (Yang et al ., ).…”