Effects of Puerarin on Lipid Accumulation and Metabolism in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

Abstract

In order to investigate the mechanisms by which puerarin from kudzu root extract regulates lipid metabolism, fifty mice were randomly assigned to five groups: normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD containing 0.2%, 0.4% or 0.8% puerarin for 12 weeks. Body weight, intraperitioneal adipose tissue (IPAT) weight, serum biochemical parameters, and hepatic and feces lipids were measured. Activity and mRNA and protein expressions of hepatic lipid metabolism-related enzymes were analyzed. Compared with HFD, 0.4% and 0.8% puerarin significantly decreased body and IPAT weight. There was a significant decrease in the serum and hepatic concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides and leptin in mice fed the 0.4% and 0.8% puerarin diets compared with HFD. Fatty acid synthase activity was suppressed in mice fed the 0.4% and 0.8% puerarin diets, while the activities of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), carnitine acyltransferase (CAT) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) were increased. mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ 2 (PPARγ 2) was down-regulated in liver of mice fed the 0.8% diet compared with HFD, while mRNA expression of CAT and HSL was considerably up-regulated by 0.4% and 0.8% puerarin diets. The protein expression of PPARγ2 in liver was decreased and those of p-AMPK, HSL and p-HSL were increased in mice fed 0.4% and 0.8% puerarin diets. These results suggest that > 0.4% puerarin influenced the activity, mRNA and protein levels of hepatic lipid metabolism-related enzymes, decreasing serum and liver lipids, body weight gain and fat accumulation. Puerarin might be beneficial to prevent lifestyle-related diseases.

Puerarin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis through miR-21-mediated PTEN/AKT signaling to suppress the epithelial-mesenchymal transition

“…In addition, puerarin exerts antioxidative effects and scavenges reactive oxygen species in cells. Previous experiments have shown that puerarin can also treat a variety of liver diseases, such as liver fibrosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (8). The molecular mechanisms of the anti-tumor effect of puerarin have been determined in different types of cancers, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma (9,10).…”

Effects of puerarin on the Akt signaling pathway in bovine preadipocyte differentiation

“…Puerarin, a major isoflavone glycoside found in Kudzu root (Pueraria lobata), is the main monomer component of crude isoflavones in Pueraria lobata extract. Previous studies have reported that Puerarin treatment can prevent diet induced obesity and glucose tolerance [12,13]. However, Lee indicated that Puerarin treatment significantly enhances the differen tiation of 3T3L1 preadipocytes and is accompanied by an increase in lipid accumulation.…”

New Insights into Bioactive Compounds of Traditional Chinese Medicines for Insulin Resistance Based on Signaling Pathways

“…treated high‐fat induced model rats with puerarin for 12 weeks, they found that puerarin reduced the accumulation of intraperitoneal fat in rats effectively and decrease TC and TG level in serum. This lipid‐decreasing effect is closely related to the activation of AMPK, CAT and the hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) . In addition, puerarin also exhibits antioxidant activity.…”

“…This lipid-decreasing effect is closely related to the activation of AMPK, CAT and the hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). [53] In addition, puerarin also exhibits antioxidant activity. Kim et al [54] found that puerarin could inhibit oxidative stress by inhibiting the activity of NADPH oxidase.…”