Abstract
ObjectiveMetabolic syndrome is a serious health problem in both developed and developing countries. The present study investigated the anti-metabolic disorder effects of different pomelo varieties on obese C57BL/6 mice induced by high-fat (HF) diet.DesignThe peels of four pomelo varieties were extracted with ethanol and the total phenols and flavonoids content of these extracts were measured. For the animal experiment, the female C57BL/6 mice were fed with a Chow diet or a HF diet alone or supplemented with 1% (w/w) different pomelo peel extracts for 8 weeks. Body weight and food intake were measured every other day. At the end of the treatment, the fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance and insulin (INS) tolerance test, serum lipid profile and insulin levels, and liver lipid contents were analyzed. The gene expression analysis was performed with a quantitative real-time PCR assay.ResultThe present study showed that the Citrus grandis liangpinyou (LP) and beibeiyou (BB) extracts were more potent in anti-metabolic disorder effects than the duanshiyou (DS) and wubuyou (WB) extracts. Both LP and BB extracts blocked the body weight gain, lowered fasting blood glucose, serum TC, liver lipid levels, and improved glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, and lowered serum insulin levels in HF diet-fed mice. Compared with the HF group, LP and BB peel extracts increased the mRNA expression of PPARα and its target genes, such as FAS, PGC-1α and PGC-1β, and GLUT4 in the liver and white adipocyte tissue (WAT).ConclusionWe found that that pomelo peel extracts could prevent high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders in C57BL/6 mice through the activation of the PPARα and GLUT4 signaling. Our results indicate that pomelo peels could be used as a dietary therapy and the potential source of drug for metabolic disorders.
Highlights
Metabolic syndrome is a growing health problem worldwide and is characterized by multiple metabolic disorders, such as obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver and insulin resistance [1]
Pomelo peel extracts improve insulin resistance Since LP and BB extracts significantly decreased fasting blood glucose levels and improved glucose tolerance, we investigated whether these extract treatments would affect insulin tolerance in vivo
We found that the expression of the nuclear receptor transcription factor PPARα was increased in the liver and white adipocyte tissue (WAT) of mice treated with LP or BB peel extracts
Summary
Metabolic syndrome is a growing health problem worldwide and is characterized by multiple metabolic disorders, such as obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver and insulin resistance [1]. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), the ligand-activated transcription factors, are the regulators of the glucose metabolism, adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis [2]. The PPAR family consists of PPARα, PPARγ, and PPARδ/β. PPARα, the first PPAR isoform to be identified, is involved in regulating lipid metabolism in the liver and skeletal muscle [3]. Ligands of PPARα have been used for fighting metabolic syndrome. PPARα is an important regulator of carbohydrate metabolism. It has been previously shown that PPARα agonist can improve insulin resistance, and decrease the fasting blood glucose level in obese mice [6,7]
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