Abstract
Nowadays the global tendency towards physical activity reduction and an augmented dietary intake of fats, sugars and calories is leading to a growing propagation of overweight, obesity and lifestyle-related diseases, such diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome. In particular, obesity, characterized as a state of low-level inflammation, is a powerful determinant both in the development of insulin resistance and in the progression to type 2 diabetes. A few molecular targets offer hope for anti-obesity therapeutics. One of the keys to success could be the induction of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in abdominal white adipose tissue (WAT) and the regulation of cytokine secretions from both abdominal adipose cells and macrophage cells infiltrated into adipose tissue. Anti-obesity effects of fucoxanthin, a characteristic carotenoid, exactly belonging to xanthophylls, have been reported. Nutrigenomic studies reveal that fucoxanthin induces UCP1 in abdominal WAT mitochondria, leading to the oxidation of fatty acids and heat production in WAT. Fucoxanthin improves insulin resistance and decreases blood glucose levels through the regulation of cytokine secretions from WAT. The key structure of anti-obesity effect is suggested to be the carotenoid end of the polyene chromophore, which contains an allenic bond and two hydroxyl groups. Fucoxanthin, which can be isolated from edible brown seaweeds, recently displayed its many physiological functions and biological properties. We reviewed recent studies and this article aims to explain essential background of fucoxanthin, focusing on its promising potential anti-obesity effects. In this respect, fucoxanthin can be developed into promising marine drugs and nutritional products, in order to become a helpful functional food.
Highlights
Modern lifestyle, characterized by high intakes of fats, sugars and calories as well as a decreased exercise and physical activity, contributes to metabolic and inflammatory diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and other chronic pathologies
KK-A(y) mice after 2 weeks of fucoxanthin feeding, the suppressive effects of fucoxanthin on hepatic stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase-1 (SCD1) and body weight gain were not observed in ob/ob mice. These results show that fucoxanthin down-regulates SCD1 expression and alters fatty acid composition of the liver via regulation of leptin signaling in hyperleptinemia KK-A(y) mice but not in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice [21]
Its potential anti-obesity effect was primarily detected by murine studies, which displayed an induction of uncoupling protein-1 in abdominal white adipose tissue mitochondria, leading to the oxidation of fatty acids and heat production
Summary
Modern lifestyle, characterized by high intakes of fats, sugars and calories as well as a decreased exercise and physical activity, contributes to metabolic and inflammatory diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and other chronic pathologies. Nutrition can play an important role in order to prevent these lifestyle-related disorders, and it is desirable to find safe and effective functional ingredients in food [1]. The importance of marine algae as sources of functional ingredients has been well recognized due to their valuable health beneficial effects. Isolation and investigation of novel bioactive ingredients with biological activities from marine algae have recently attracted great attention. Researchers are focusing on functional ingredients in foods for both prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases. In these respects, marine bioactives, such as marine carotenoids, especially fucoxanthin, are recently gaining attention. Considering the unique structure of fucoxanthin, its metabolism, its safety, as well as its significant bioactivities and pharmacological effects, it can develop as a promising nutritional ingredient and a potential medicinal constituent for human health
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