Anti-obesity effect of Lactobacillus fermented Paeonia japonica, Cnidium officinale, and Angelica gigas nakai

Abstract

Background and objective: This study evaluated the effects of Paeonia japonica, Cnidium officinale, and Angelica gigas nakai extracts fermented with Lactobacillus in obese mice induced by high-fat diets. Among the fermented liquids, Lactobacillus Paeonia japonica (LBPJ) exhibited high antioxidant activity and a significant total polyphenol content.Methods: Mice were divided into five groups: normal (NOR), high-fat diet (HFD), high-fat Lactobacillus Paeonia japonica (HLBPJ), high-fat Lactobacillus Cnidium officinale (HLBCO), and high-fat Lactobacillus Angelica gigas nakai (HLBAG). Obesity was induced with a high-fat diet for 8-weeks, and the fermented liquid was administered orally at a dose of 100 mg/kg per day.Results: The high-fat diet group showed significant weight gain and the group receiving the fermented liquid did not show weight loss. Blood tests showed increased levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decreased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the HLBCO group. Creatinine levels remained unchanged, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels decreased, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels increased. As a result of PCR analysis of liver tissue, LBPJ fermented liquid effectively reduced fat accumulation in the liver and inhibited the expression of fat-related genes such as PPARα, PPARγ, CPT-2, and HSL.Conclusion: These findings suggest that fermented liquids containing Angelica gigas nakai extracts prevent obesity by reducing body fat and blood sugar levels.