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This study investigated the effects of Lycium chinense Mill (LCM) extract on obesity and diabetes, using both in vitro and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse models. We found that LCM notably enhanced glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion in NCI-h716 cells from 411.4 ± 10.75 pg/mL to 411.4 ± 10.75 pg/mL compared to NT (78.0 ± 0.67 pg/mL) without causing cytotoxicity, implying the involvement of Protein Kinase A C (PKA C) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in its action mechanism. LCM also decreased lipid droplets and lowered the expression of adipogenic and lipogenic indicators, such as Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS), Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4 (FABP4), and Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein 1c (SREBP1c), indicating the suppression of adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation. LCM administration to HFD mice resulted in significant weight loss (41.5 ± 3.3 g) compared to the HFD group (45.1 ± 1.8 g). In addition, improved glucose tolerance and serum lipid profiles demonstrated the ability to counteract obesity-related metabolic issues. Additionally, LCM exhibited hepatoprotective properties by reducing hepatic lipid accumulation and diminishing white adipose tissue mass and adipocyte size, thereby demonstrating its effectiveness against hepatic steatosis and adipocyte hypertrophy. These findings show that LCM can be efficiently used as a natural material to treat obesity and diabetes, providing a new approach for remedial and therapeutic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandarin peel, a main by-product from the processing of citrus juice, has been highlighted for its various bioactivities and functional ingredients. Our previous study proved the inhibitory effects of Celluclast extract from mandarin peel (MPCE) on lipid accumulation and differentiation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of MPCE in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis exhibited that narirutin and hesperidin are the main active components of MPCE. Our current results showed that MPCE supplementation decreased adiposity by reducing body and organ weights in HFD-induced obese mice. MPCE also reduced triglyceride (TG), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and leptin contents in the serum of HFD-fed mice. Moreover, MPCE significantly inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation by regulating the expression levels of proteins associated with lipid metabolism, including sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Furthermore, MPCE administration significantly inhibited both adipogenesis and lipogenesis, with modulation of energy metabolism by activating 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and lipolytic enzymes such as hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in the white adipose tissue (WAT). Altogether, our findings indicate that MPCE improves HFD-induced obesity and can be used as a curative agent in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals to alleviate obesity and related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid accumulation in adipocytes occurs through multifactorial effects such as overnutrition due to unbalanced eating habits, reduced physical activity, and genetic factors. In addition, obesity can be intensified by the dis-regulation of various metabolic systems such as differentiation, lipogenesis, lipolysis, and energy metabolism of adipocytes. In this study, the Jeju roasted peel extract from Citrus unshiu S.Markov. (JRC), which is discarded as opposed to the pulp of C. unshiu S.Markov., is commonly consumed to ameliorate obesity. To investigate the anti-obesity effect of JRC, these studies were conducted on differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and in high-fat diet-induced mice, and related methods were used to confirm whether it decreased lipid accumulation in adipocytes. The mechanism of inhibiting obesity by JRC was confirmed through mRNA expression studies. JRC suppressed lipid accumulation in adipocytes and adipose tissue, and significantly improved enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase and serum lipid profiles. In addition, it effectively modulated the expression of genes related to lipid and energy metabolism in adipose tissue. As a result, these findings suggest that JRC could be a therapeutic regulator of body fat accumulation by significantly alleviating the dis-regulation of intracellular lipid metabolism in adipocytes and by enhancement of energy metabolism (Approval No. CNU IACUC-YB-2023-98). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a serious global health challenge, closely associated with numerous chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes. Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge (AA) known as Jimo has been used to address conditions associated with pathogenic heat such as wasting-thirst in Korean Medicine. Timosaponin A3 (TA3), a natural compound extracted from AA, has demonstrated potential therapeutic effects in various disease models. However, its effects on diabetes and obesity remain largely unexplored. We investigated the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties of TA3 using in vitro and in vivo models. TA3 treatment in NCI-H716 cells stimulated the secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) through the activation of phosphorylation of protein kinase A catalytic subunit (PKAc) and 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, TA3 effectively inhibited lipid accumulation by regulating adipogenesis and lipogenesis. In a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice model, TA3 administration significantly reduced body weight gain and food intake. Furthermore, TA3 improved glucose tolerance, lipid profiles, and mitigated hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice. Histological analysis revealed that TA3 reduced the size of white adipocytes and inhibited adipose tissue generation. Notably, TA3 downregulated the expression of lipogenic factor, including fatty-acid synthase (FAS) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), emphasizing its potential as an anti-obesity agent. These findings revealed that TA3 may be efficiently used as a natural compound for tackling obesity, diabetes, and associated metabolic disorders, providing a novel approach for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven commercial hop (Humulus lupulus L.) oils originating from a selection of North American hop varieties (Amarillo, Azacca, Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Saaz, and Ahhhroma) and six homemade hop oils hydrodistilled from the same commercial hop pellets (except Ahhhroma) were compared. Seven terpenes regarded as hop oil markers (i.e., α-pinene, β-pinene, β-myrcene, β-ocimene, limonene, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene) and methyl heptanoate were identified and quantified by GC–MS and GC-FID. The antioxidant potential of the commercial hop oil samples was evaluated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, while their components' antibacterial (against Aliivibrio fischeri) and enzyme (α-glucosidase and lipase) inhibition activities were screened using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)-based assays. A distinct feature of five of the commercial hop oils (except Saaz and Ahhhroma) was relatively high contents of β-myrcene (between 4.21 and 6.40 µg mg−1 hop oil). Azacca, Cascade, and Centennial hydrodistilled oils had perceptibly higher contents of β-caryophyllene than the rest, and most of them (except Chinook) contained relatively high amounts of α-humulene. Differences between the terpene profiles of the commercial and homemade hydrodistilled hop oils suggested that the commercial hop oils were derived from hop cones in a process different from hydrodistillation. The oils showed relatively low antioxidant potential, comparable to that of popular beers and white wines. The highest antioxidant potential was observed in Ahhhroma oil, while it was very low in Centennial oil, and no antioxidant potential was observed in Cascade and Saaz oils. The developed streamlined workflow, including parallel HPTLC-directed bioassays and HPTLC—TLC–MS Interface—SPME–GC–MS, enabled the identification of β-myrcene, dimyrcenes, β-farnesene, and 2-methylbutyl isobutyrate as anti-obesity compounds and β-farnesene, β-myrcene, and 2-methylbutyl isobutyrate as weak antibacterial hop oil components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity has become one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide, which affects people's health and daily lives. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effects of perilla seed oil (PSO), sunflower oil (SFO), and tea seed oil (TSO) and their potential mechanisms in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Mice were divided into five groups: ND, mice fed a normal diet; HFD, mice fed a high-fat diet; PSO, SFO, and TSO, mice fed a high-fat diet supplemented with PSO, SFO, and TSO at 2 g/kg body weight per day, respectively. Our findings showed that oral supplementation with all three oils for 8 weeks significantly reduced body weight, tissue weight, insulin resistance index, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and free fatty acids (FFA), and markedly alleviated hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hepatic steatosis in obese mice. It also decreased leptin, pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and (IL)-1beta (IL-1β), and increased anti-inflammatory adipokine adiponectin at both secretion and mRNA expression levels in the epididymal adipose tissue (EAT). Moreover, PSO, SFO, and TSO administration increased the expression levels of fatty acid β-oxidation-related genes, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-α), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (CPT1a) and CPT1b, and thermogenesis-related genes such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), and decreased the expression levels of lipid synthesis-related genes, including fatty acid synthase (FAS) and PPAR-γ in EAT. In conclusion, PSO, SFO, and TSO supplementation could have potential anti-obesity effects in HFD-fed mice by reducing inflammation and improving lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota is the most important environmental factor that plays a role in inducing obesity. The gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacter cloacae strains, recently identified in obese mice are considered to be pathogenic bacteria in the gut. Probiotics are important members of the gut microbiota and exert beneficial effects, including inhibiting the growth of potential pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, we isolated a total of 230 lactic acid bacteria from traditional, Korean fermented foods and fecal samples from newborn infants, including Lactobacillus plantarum LMT1-48, which exhibited maximal antimicrobial activity against E. cloacae. We next investigated the functional antiobesity effects of L. plantarum LMT1-48 in an E. cloacae-induced high-fat diet (HFD)-fed animal obesity model. To this end, the L. plantarum LMT1-48 showed antiobesity effects, including body weight loss and reduction of abdominal fat volume, which was accompanied by a decrease in leptin and total cholesterol levels in E. cloacae-induced HFD-fed mice. Notably, gut microbiota diversity also increased after long-term ingestion of L. plantarum LMT1-48, resulting in amelioration of obesity in E. cloacae-induced HFD-fed mice. Accordingly, results suggest that dietary intake of L. plantarum LMT1-48 protects against the onset of E. cloacae-induced obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Grains of paradise (GP) is the seed of Aframomum melegueta, which is widely distributed throughout West Africa and has been used as a spice and a folk remedy for a long time. Anti‐obesity effect of GP intake was demonstrated in a previous report. Aim of the present study was to isolate some compounds in GP and clarify the anti‐obesity mechanism. RESULTS: Ten vanilloid compounds were isolated. Among them, 1‐(4′‐hydroxy‐3′‐methoxyphenyl)‐decan‐3‐ol and 1‐(4′‐hydroxy‐3′‐methoxyphenyl)‐3‐octen‐5‐one were determined as novel compounds and 6‐gingerol, 6‐paradol and 6‐shogaol were identified as the major constituents in GP extract. Moreover, the extract and 6‐gingerol, which is one of the principal components of GP extract, were orally administered to rats to investigate the effect on sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in brown adipose tissue (BAT). The injection of GP extract and 6‐gingerol decreased BAT‐SNA, whereas capsaicin, which is a major component of chili pepper, activates the sympathetic nervous system. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that GP extract and 6‐gingerol were largely unrelated to the anti‐obesity effect by the activation of interscapular BAT‐SNA and had a different anti‐obesity mechanism to capsaicin. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of functional insect glycosaminoglycan (GAG) on obesity caused a high fat diet has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, insect glycosaminoglycans derived from Isaria sinclairii, Bombus ignitus (a type of bumblebee) queen, and Gryllus bimaculatus were purified and investigated as a potential functional food. 14-week old male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks. There were five groups that received daily intraperitoneal administration of phosphate buffered saline (PBS, control), GbG (GAG from Gryllus bimaculatus) 10 mg/kg, ISG (GAG from Isaria sinclairii) 10 mg/kg, IQG (GAG from Bombus ignites) 10 mg/kg, or Pravastatin (2 mg/kg). All treatments were performed for one month. IQG produced a potential anti-inflammatory effect with the inhibition of c-reactive protein and sero-biochemical parameters of phospholipids and free fatty acids indicative of an anti-hyperlipidemic effect. Abdominal and epididymidal fat weight were reduced in conjunction with a mild increase in body weight. The level of laminin in HMVEC-C cells or fibronectin in HFD rat hepatocytes was significantly affected by these GAG treatments, which regulated adipogenesis and adipocyte function. Compared to the control rats, IQG-treated rats displayed up-regulation of 87 genes (test:control ratio >2.0) including fatty acid synthase and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, with the down-regulation of 47 genes including the uridine diphosphate (UDP) glycosyltransferase 2 families, polypeptidase B, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1. The data suggest that IQG could potentially prevent or treat fatty liver or hyperlipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess glucocorticoids promote visceral obesity, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. The main regulator of intracellular glucocorticoid levels is 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), which converts inactive glucocorticoids into bioactive forms such as cortisol in humans and corticosterone in rodents. Hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (H6PD), which is colocalized with 11β-HSD1 in the intralumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, supplies a crucial coenzyme, NADPH, for full reductase activity of 11β-HSD1. Therefore, it is possible that inhibition of 11β-HSD1 will become a considerable medical treatment for metabolic diseases including obesity and diabetes. Genistein, a soy isoflavone, has received attention for its therapeutic potential for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and has been proposed as a promising compound for the treatment of metabolic disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the pleiotropic anti-obesity effects of genistein have not been fully clarified. Here, we demonstrate that genistein was able to inhibit 11β-HSD1 and H6PD activities within 10 or 20 min, in dose- and time-dependent manners. Inhibition of 11β-HSD2 activity was not observed in rat kidney microsomes. The inhibition was not reversed by two estrogen receptor antagonists, tamoxifen and ICI182,780. A kinetic study revealed that genistein acted as a non-competitive inhibitor of 11β-HSD1, and its apparent K m value for 11-dehydrocorticosterone was 0.5 μM. Genistein also acted as a non-competitive inhibitor of H6PD, and its apparent K m values for G6P and NADP were 0.9 and 3.3 μM, respectively. These results suggest that genistein may exert its inhibitory effect by interacting with these enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Obesity represents a rapidly growing threat to the health of populations and diet intervention has been proposed as one of the strategies forweight loss. Ginger and its constituents have been used for their anti-flatulent, expectorant and appetising properties and they are reported to possess gastro-protective and cholesterol-lowering properties. The present study investigated the effects of gingerol on the changes in body weight, serum glucose, insulin, insulin resistance and lipid profile in plasma and liver as well as on the activity of amylase, lipase and leptin in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rats. RESULTS: HFD-induced obese rats were treated orally with gingerol (25, 50 and 75 mg kg-1) once daily for 30 days. Alorcaserin-treatedgroup(10mgkg-1)was included for comparison. The levels of bodyweight, glucose, lipid profileandinsulin, insulin resistance, leptin, amylase and lipase were increased significantly (P < 0.05) in HFD rats. Rats treated with gingerol and fed a HFDshowed significantly (P<0.05) decreased glucose level, bodyweight, leptin, insulin, amylase, lipase plasma and tissue lipids when compared to normal control. The effect at a dose of 75 mg kg-1 of gingerol was more pronounced than that of the dose 25 mg kg-1 and 50mg kg-1. The lorcaserin-treated group alsomanifested similar effects to those of gingerol. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that ginger supplementation suppresses obesity induced by a high fat diet and itmight be a promising adjuvant therapy for the treatment of obesity and its complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the antiobesity effects of Monascus pilosus-fermented black soybean (F-BS) in C57BL/6 mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. F-BS (oral, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg per body weight, twice per day) ameliorated obesity by reducing body and liver weight increases, and regulating blood glucose and cholesterol levels in C57BL/6 mice fed a control or HFD with oral administration of F-BS for 12 weeks. F-BS suppressed the growth of epididymal, retroperitoneal, and perirenal fat pads by preventing increases in the adipocyte size. Moreover, the levels of blood glucose, total cholesterol, and leptin were significantly lowered by F-BS administration in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicated that F-BS is a beneficial food supplement for preventing obesity, controlling blood glucose, and lowering cholesterol. Future research strategies should address the mechanisms that selectively regulate obesity, including hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents findings of a research conducted on examining the suppressive effects by leaves of the dypsis lutescens palm on fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells and fat absorption in mice. Under the research, methanol extract of dypsis lutescens leaves showed inhibitory effects on lipase activity in vitro and on trighceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. It concludes that dypsis lutescens can be useful in preventing obesity.

Abstract: Recently, we have shown that seed shells contain a large amount of highly polymeric proanthocyanidins having a series of heteropolyflavan-3-ols with doubly linked A-type linkages as well as single B-type bonds without gallic acid esterified to them. Here, we attempted to evaluate in vivo anti-obesity effects of the polymerized proanthocyanidins in mice. An oral starch or glucose tolerance test in mice revealed that the isolated two fractions of highly polymerized proanthocyanidins with the different degree of polymerization suppressed effectively the elevation of blood glucose from oral starch, but not from oral glucose, suggesting the preferential inhibition of the digestive enzymes of carbohydrates. Moreover, in vivo anti-obesity effects of the total fraction containing the proanthocyanidins as a drink were investigated in mice fed a high-fat diet. Their anti-obesity effects became more evident after 9weeks as determined by the attenuation of the elevation in body weight, the mass of peritoneal adipose tissues, and the plasma levels of total cholesterol and leptin. Furthermore, the increased size of hepatocytes and the generation of steatosis with micro- and macrovesicles in liver were normalized by the dietary supplementation of the total proanthocyanidin fraction. The findings suggest the usefulness of highly polymeric proanthocyanidins from seed shells in the application to food as a dietary supplement with anti-obesity effects in vivo through the inhibition of digestive enzymes of carbohydrates and fats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tesofensine is a novel monoamine reuptake inhibitor that inhibits both norepinephrine, 5-HT, and dopamine (DA) reuptake function. Tesofensine is currently in clinical development for the treatment of obesity, however, the pharmacological basis for its strong effect in obesity management is not clarified. Using a rat model of diet-induced obesity (DIO), we characterized the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the appetite suppressive effect of tesofensine. DIO rats treated with tesofensine (2.0 mg/kg, s.c.) for 16 days showed significantly lower body weights than vehicle-treated DIO rats, being reflected by a marked hypophagic response. Using an automatized food intake monitoring system during a 12 h nocturnal test period, tesofensine-induced hypophagia was investigated further by studying the acute interaction of a variety of monoamine receptor antagonists with tesofensine-induced hypophagia in the DIO rat. Tesofensine (0.5–3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) induced a dose-dependent and marked decline in food intake with an ED50 of 1.3 mg/kg. The hypophagic response of tesofensine (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.) was almost completely reversed by co-administration of prazosin (1.0 mg/kg, α1 adrenoceptor antagonist) and partially antagonized by co-administration of SCH23390 (0.03 mg/kg, DA D1 receptor antagonist). In contrast, tesofensine-induced hypophagia was not affected by RX821002 (0.3 mg/kg, α2 adrenoceptor antagonist), haloperidol (0.03 mg/kg, D2 receptor antagonist), NGB2904 (0.1 mg/kg, D3 receptor antagonist), or ritanserin (0.03 mg/kg, 5-HT2A/C receptor antagonist). Hence, the mechanism underlying the suppression of feeding by tesofensine in the obese rat is dependent on the drug's ability to indirectly stimulate α1 adrenoceptor and DA D1 receptor function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of present study was to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Ilex paraguariensis extract and its molecular mechanism in rats rendered obese by a high-fat diet (HFD). I. paraguariensis extract supplementation significantly lowered body weight, visceral fat-pad weights, blood and hepatic lipid, glucose, insulin, and leptin levels of rats administered HFD. Feeding I. paraguariensis extract reversed the HFD-induced downregulation of the epididymal adipose tissue genes implicated in adipogenesis or thermogenesis, such as peroxisome proliferators’ activated receptor γ2, adipocyte fatty acid binding protein, sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein-1c, fatty acid synthase, HMG-CoA reductase, uncoupling protein 2, and uncoupling protein 3. Dietary supplementation with I. paraguariensis extract protected rats from the HFD-induced decreases in the phospho-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/AMPK and phospho-acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)/ACC protein ratio related to fatty acid oxidation in the edipidymal adipose tissue. The present study reports that the I. paraguariensis extract can have a protective effect against a HFD-induced obesity in rats through an enhanced expression of uncoupling proteins and elevated AMPK phosphorylation in the visceral adipose tissue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Caffeic acid (CA) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) are phenolic compounds claimed to be responsible for the metabolic effects of coffee and tea consumption. Along with their structural similarities, they share common mechanisms such as activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity potential of CA and CGA as co-treatment in human adipocytes. The molecular interactions of CA and CGA with key adipogenic transcription factors were simulated through an in silico molecular docking approach. The expression levels of white and brown adipocyte markers, as well as genes related to lipid metabolism, were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analyses. Mechanistically, the CA/CGA combination induced lipolysis, upregulated AMPK and browning gene expression and downregulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) at both transcriptional and protein levels. The gene expression profiles of the CA/CGA-co-treated adipocytes strongly resembled brown-like signatures. Major pathways identified included the AMPK- and PPAR-related signaling pathways. Collectively, these findings indicated that CA/CGA co-stimulation exerted a browning-inducing potential superior to that of either compound used alone which merits implementation in obesity management. Further, the obtained data provide additional insights on how CA and CGA modify adipocyte function, differentiation and lipid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is prevalent in modern human societies. We examined the anti-obesity effects of scopolin on adipocyte differentiation in preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells and weight loss in an ovariectomy (OVX)-induced obese mouse model. Scopolin inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in the preadipocyte cells by suppressing the transcription of adipogenic-related factors, including adiponectin (Adipoq), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparg), lipoprotein lipase (Lpl), perilipin1 (Plin1), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (Fabp4), glucose transporter type 4 (Slc2a4), and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (Cebpa). In OVX-induced obese mice, administration of scopolin promoted the reduction of body weight, total fat percentage, liver steatosis, and adipose cell size. In addition, the scopolin-treated OVX mice showed decreased serum levels of leptin and insulin. Taken together, these findings suggest that the use of scopolin prevented adipocyte differentiation and weight gain in vitro and in vivo, indicating that scopolin may be a potential bioactive compound for the treatment and prevention of obesity in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]