Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the potential of cabbage-apple juice, fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum EM isolated from kimchi, to protect against obesity and dyslipidemia that are induced by a high-fat diet in a rat model. Male rats were fed a modified AIN-93M high-fat diet (HFD), the same diet supplemented with non-fermented cabbage-apple juice, or the same diet supplemented with fermented cabbage-apple juice for eight weeks. In the HFD-fermented cabbage- apple juice administered groups the following parameters decreased: body weight, liver and white fat pad weights, serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol, insulin, glucose and leptin levels, TG levels, while HDL-C and adiponectin levels in serum increased as compared with the HFD group. The HFD-fed rats that were supplemented with fermented cabbage-apple juice exhibited significantly lower fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and malic enzyme gene expression levels when compared to the exclusively HFD-fed rats. The anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects were marginally greater in the fermented juice administered group than in the non-fermented juice administered group. These results suggest that cabbage-apple juice—especially fermented cabbage-apple juice—might have beneficial effects on lipid metabolism dysfunction and obesity-related abnormalities. However, further studies are necessary for analyzing the biochemical regulatory mechanisms of fermented juice for obesity amelioration and lipid metabolic homeostasis.
Highlights
An increase in fruit and vegetable intake has been consistently reported to reduce mortality due to cardiovascular disease and the risk of hypertension and stroke [1,2,3]
We prepared a mixed juice containing equal amounts of apples and cabbages with known preventive effects on metabolic diseases that are attributed to obesity; by administering the juice to rats on a high-fat diet, we investigated the changes in body weight, liver and white fat pad weights, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, gene expression related to hepatic lipid metabolism, and adipocyte size
The intake of cabbage-apple juice or fermented cabbage-apple juice along with a high-fat diet appears to be effective in preventing various metabolic disorders that are caused by obesity, as the juice effectively regulates body weight and the weights of liver and white fat pads in rats with high-fat diet-induced obesity
Summary
An increase in fruit and vegetable intake has been consistently reported to reduce mortality due to cardiovascular disease and the risk of hypertension and stroke [1,2,3]. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium, folic acid, vitamins, dietary fiber, and phenol compounds. These compounds support the homeostasis regulation by decreasing oxidative stress, enhancing blood lipid metabolism, reducing blood pressure, and increasing insulin resistance [4,5,6,7,8]. It is recommended a minimum intake amounting to 1/5 of a daily diet to achieve the health-promoting effects of fruits and vegetables. The content of phenolic compounds, including procyanin, hydroxycinnamic acid, and its derivatives, phloridzin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, catechins, and epicatechins is especially high, contributing to the preventive effects of apples on cardiovascular
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