Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the anti-obesity and anti-dyslipidemic effects of Stachys sieboldii Miq. root (SS) powder in rats following a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFC) diet for 6 weeks. Thirty-two Sprague–Dawley rats were fed one of the following diets: a regular diet (RD), HFC, HFC supplemented with 3% SS (HFC + 3SS) or HFC supplemented with 5% SS (HFC + 5SS). Following an HFC diet increased body weight (BW) gain (p < 0.001) and the food efficiency ratio (FER; p < 0.001); however, SS consumption gradually prevented the HFC-induced BW gain (p < 0.001) and increase in FER (p < 0.01). The HFC diet resulted in increased liver size (p < 0.001) and total adipose tissue weight (p < 0.001), whereas the SS supplementation decreased hepatomegaly (p < 0.05) and body fat mass (p < 0.001). SS consumption prevented the increased activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT; p < 0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (AST; p < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (ALP; p < 0.01 in HFC + 5SS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; p < 0.001 in HFC + 5SS) induced by the HFC diet (p < 0.001). The SS supplementation improved lipid profiles in the circulation by lowering triglyceride (TG; p < 0.01), total cholesterol (TC; p < 0.001) and non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C; p < 0.001) levels, as well as the atherogenic index (p < 0.01) and cardiac risk factor (p < 0.01). The lipid distribution in the liver (p < 0.05) and white adipose tissues (WAT; p < 0.001) of the HFC + SS diet-consuming rats was remarkably lower than that of the HFC diet-consuming rats. The average size of the epididymal adipose tissue (p < 0.001) was significantly lower in the HFC + SS diet-fed rats than in the HFC diet-fed rats. The fecal lipid (>3% SS; p < 0.001) and cholesterol (5% SS; p < 0.001) efflux levels were significantly elevated by the SS supplementation compared to those measured in the RD or HFC diet-fed groups. In addition, the hepatic lipid and cholesterol metabolism-related gene expressions were affected by SS consumption, as the hepatic anabolic gene expression (Acc; p < 0.001, Fas; p < 0.001 and G6pdh; p < 0.01) was significantly attenuated. The HFC + 5SS diet-fed rats exhibited elevated hepatic Cyp7a1 (p < 0.001), Hmgcr (p < 0.001) and Ldlr (p < 0.001) mRNA expression levels compared to the HFC diet-fed rats. These results suggest that SS may possess anti-adipogenic and lipid-lowering effects by enhancing lipid and cholesterol efflux in mammals.
Highlights
Obesity has become a major health problem worldwide
The results showed that both the body weight (BW) gain and the final BW were significantly higher in the HFC group than in the regular diet (RD) group
Our findings demonstrated that oral Stachys sieboldii Miq. root (SS) consumption could significantly recuperate lipid profiles and possible cardiovascular disease (CVD)-onset risk in HFC diet-fed rats
Summary
Obesity has become a major health problem worldwide. The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically. Obesity is a major contributor to the development of health complications, including insulin resistance, hypertension, alterations in lipid metabolism and metabolic syndrome (MetS) [2,3]. Excess abdominal fat is strongly related to metabolic diseases [4]. Excessive fat accumulation in obesity leads to dyslipidemia, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) [5]. Obesity-related dyslipidemia is associated with increased triglyceride, apolipoprotein B and non-HDL cholesterol levels [6]. The prevention and treatment of obesity-associated dyslipidemia through weight reduction may have beneficial effects on the overall risk factors for metabolic diseases
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