Antiobesity and antidiabetic effects of Jerusalem artichoke and purple sweet potato in the diet‐induced obese rats

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the antiobesity effect of Jerusalem artichoke and purple sweet potato supplementation in diet‐induced obese rats. High fat diet was given for 4 weeks and experimental diets for 5 weeks. Thirty‐two 3‐week‐old male Sprague‐Dawley rats were assigned to four groups (n=8/group); normal diet(ND), high‐fat diet(HFD), high fat diet with 10% Jerusalem artichoke(JA), or high fat diet with 10% purple sweet potato(SP). Final body weight, total and average body weight gain of JA and Sp groups were significantly lower or similar to ND group. Total adipose tissue weight was the lowest in ND and JA group, followed by SP and HFD group(p<0.05), and similar tendency was observed in epididymal, perirenal, and visceral white adipose tissue (p<0.05) without difference in interscapular brown adipose tissue. Adipocyte size of epdidymis in JA and SP groups were lower than HFD group and similar to ND group(p<0.05), although the subcutaneous adipose tissue did not differ among the groups. Serum insulin level did not differ, but serum glucose level and HOMA‐IR were lower in JA and SP groups than those of HFD group(p<0.05). Taken together, the supplementation of JA and SP exerted the antiobesity and antidiabetic effects in diet‐induced obese rats and may be a good source for preventing obesity and diabetes. Further research should be conducted to elucidate the mechanism involved in those effects.