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Background: Obesity is an epidemic disease in the world, the treatment and prevention of obesity methods have gained great attention. Lactobacillus is the main member of probiotics, and the physiological activity of it is specific to different strains. This study systematically explored the anti-obesity effect and possible mechanism of Lactobacillus fermentum CQPC07 (LF-CQPC07), which was isolated from pickled vegetables. Results: LF-CQPC07 effectively controlled the weight gain of mice caused by a high-fat diet. The results of pathological sections indicated that LF-CQPC07 alleviated hepatocyte damage and fat accumulation in adipocytes. The detection of biochemical indictors revealed that LF-CQPC07 decreased the levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG), and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Additionally, LF-CQPC07 caused the decrease in the amounts of inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-6, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and the increase in the amounts of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and IL-4. LF-CQPC07 also decreased the amounts of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Confirmed by qPCR, LF-CQPC07 enhanced the mRNA expression of catalase (CAT), gamma glutamylcysteine synthetase 1 (GSH1), copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1), manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). It also increased the mRNA expression levels of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and cholesterol 7 alpha hydroxylase (CYP7A1), and decreased that of PPAR-γ and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP-α) in the liver of mice. Conclusion: This research confirmed that LF-CQPC07 is capable of ameliorating obesity, improving hyperlipemia, and alleviating chronic low-grade inflammation and liver injury accompanied with obesity. Its mechanism may be the regulation of antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism. Therefore, LF-CQPC07 has enormous potential to serve as a potential probiotic for the prevention or treatment of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malus hupehensis leaves (MHL) are used to make traditional Chinese tea. In this study, MHL extract was shown to improve metabolic disorders and inflammatory response in high‐fat diet‐induced obese mice. MHL extract could reduce body weight, and significantly alleviate liver damage and fat accumulation. MHL extract caused a decrease in the levels of ALT, AST, AKP, TC, TG, LDL‐C, and an increase in the level of HDL‐C. It also caused a decrease in inflammatory cytokines, including TNF‐α, IFN‐γ, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and an increase in the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 and IL‐4. MHL extract could upregulate mRNA expression of PPAR‐α, LPL, CPT1, CYP7A1, SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GSH1, and GSH‐Px and downregulate that of PPAR‐γ and C/EBP‐α in the liver of obese mice. In conclusion, our work represents the first study demonstrating that MHL extract possesses an anti‐obesity effect and alleviates obesity‐related symptoms, including dyslipidemia, chronic low‐grade inflammatory, and liver damage. Practical applications: The research may contribute to the development and application of MHL as functional foods or dietary supplement to fight against obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]