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Background. The recommendation of the low-carbohydrate diet by the American Diabetes Association (2013) has popularized its use as a nutritional treatment. Previously, we evaluated the effects of a novel strategy to reduce dietary intake based on low-sugar, high-dietary fiber noodles (LS-HDFNs) composed of okara and konjac on blood glucose levels in healthy animals, animal models of type 2 diabetes, and healthy humans (the single meal test). In this study, a single group pre-post trial for 28 days administration was carried out to investigate the body weight management in healthy humans using LS-HDFNs. Methods. Nine healthy subjects were requested to eat LS-HDFNs once (180 g) daily for 28 days. Physical characteristics and blood biochemical parameters were measured before (0 day) and after (28 days) the consumption of the noodles. Qualitative analysis of compounds in the noodles was investigated by the HPLC system and the UPLC/qTOF-MS system. Results. The LS-HDFNs group did not exhibit any complications or adverse effects. Furthermore, the body weights, body fat percentage, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly reduced after 28 days of LS-HDFNs consumption. Some isoflavones, amino acids, peptides, and phospholipids were contained in the LS-HDFNs. Conclusion. As per our knowledge, this is the first study of the usefulness of consumption of LS-HDFNs for 28 days for body weight management in healthy humans. LS-HDFNs may be useful for body weight management. This trial is registered with number 2020002, registered on 2nd March 2020.

This study compared the participants' physiological responses and subjective evaluations of air scented with different concentrations of common rush (

Placenta extract is used as an ingredient in ointments for treating dermatological diseases, skin dryness, and for skin beautification. However, the clinical effects of the equine placenta on humans and the underlying mechanism of action are unclear. This randomized, controlled, double-blind study aimed to clinically evaluate the effect of oral intake of equine placental extract on human skin quality.Healthy women volunteers between the ages of 30 and 59 years (n = 29) were randomly assigned to receive 220 mg of equine placental extract-placebo orally, once daily for 4 weeks. Skin quality parameters such as skin hydration, skin barrier function (transepidermal water loss [TEWL]), and melanin index were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks of administration.The melanin index was significantly increased in the placebo group, whereas it remained unchanged in the equine placenta group. The pattern of melanin index change was significantly different due to intake or no intake of equine placenta supplements over 4 weeks. No significant difference was found in skin hydration and TEWL between the two groups at 4 weeks of postadministration. It was shown that the intake of the equine placenta was more effective in protecting the skin condition against the change of ultraviolet (UV) sensitively than the change in temperature and humidity.Effect of equine placental extract intake was evident on the cheek skin of the equine placenta group where participants were protected from UV-induced pigmentation. Equine placental extract is useful for decreasing melanin synthesis and melanin content in the human skin and can be used as an effective food supplement to maintain human skin quality.

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin present in grapes and other edible foods, has been reported to have beneficial effects against various diseases including cancer. We previously reported that resveratrol and its derivative, caffeic acid-adducted resveratrol, selectively inhibit the three-dimensional (3D) proliferation of a human colorectal cancer cell line, HCT116 with activating KRAS mutation. Herein, we demonstrated that a novel compound, ferulic acid-bound resveratrol, also represses the 3D proliferation of HCT116 cells. We observed that resveratrol conjugated to two ferulic acids represses the 3D proliferation of HCT116 cells more strongly than resveratrol and resveratrol conjugated to one ferulic acid. Resveratrol conjugated to two ferulic acids also inhibited the 3D proliferation of MCF7 human breast cancer cells. We further uncovered that the resveratrol derivative increases the mRNA level of the tumor suppressor p15, a CDK inhibitor that functions as a brake of cell proliferation in HCT116 cells. These results imply that the resveratrol derivative represses 3D proliferation via increasing p15 expression in HCT116 cells.

Hericium erinaceus has been recognized as medical mushroom since ancient time, but its scientific evidence for human health has been still uncertain. In this study, we tested a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group comparative study to evaluate the improvement of the cognitive functions by taking supplements containing fruiting body of H. erinaceus for 12 weeks. We performed three kinds of tests: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Benton visual retention test, and Standard verbal paired-associate learning test (S-PA). MMSE alone showed that oral intake of H. erinaceus significantly improved cognitive functions and prevented from the deterioration. We speculate that various chemical compounds, including hericenones, in the mushroom have multiple effects to the brain neural networks and improve cognitive functions. Oral intake of H.erinaceus is safe and convenient method for dementia prevention so far.

Two new isoindolin-1-ones, named erinacerin (M–N) along with eleven known compounds have been isolated from the fruiting bodies of the medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus. The structures of compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic studies and comparison with the known related ones. The anticancer potential of the isolates were tested with an in vitro cytotoxic assay against six human cancer cell lines (SH-SY5Y, 1321N1, HCT-116, Caco-2, OVK18 and HeLa).

This article describes the biological activities of heartwood extracts from Yakushima native cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and identifies their main active compounds. Black heartwood and red heartwo...

One of the conventional strategies for treating osteoporosis is to eliminate the multinucleated osteoclasts that are responsible for bone resorption. Our previous study revealed that ursolic acid, isolated from leaves of loquat that is used as tasty tea in Japan, suppressed osteoclastogenesis. We confirmed that ursolic acid exhibited osteoclast differentiation inhibitory activity with an 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 5.4 ± 0.96 μM. To disclose its mechanism of action, this study first uses polymer-coated magnetic nanobeads to identify potential target proteins. As a result, we identified a nuclear exporter protein named exportin 5 (XPO5). Further studies demonstrated that knockdown of XPO5 significantly blocks osteoclast differentiation ( P < 0.01). Expression profiling of mature microRNAs in the cells revealed that downregulation of XPO5 by small interfering RNA or by ursolic acid could downregulate the expression of mature microRNA let-7g-5p during osteoclast differentiation ( P < 0.01). Collectively, our findings suggest that ursolic acid inhibits osteoclast differentiation through targeting XPO5, which provides further evidence for the healthy function of the tea. This study also provides new insights into the role of XPO5 and its mediated microRNAs in treatment for bone resorption diseases.

Placenta extract has been used as a component of ointments for skin dryness and beautification. However, little is known about the effect of oral intake of placenta extract on skin condition. The current study aimed to clinically explore the effect of oral intake of porcine placenta extract on human skin quality. A randomized controlled double-blind trial was performed on healthy women aged 40&ndash, 59 years (n = 20), who were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or 200 mg of porcine placenta extract once daily for 4 weeks from 28 January 2019 to 25 February 2019. Skin quality parameters and the Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI) were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, three parameters of skin quality were significantly improved in the porcine placenta group compared with the placebo group. These results suggest that porcine placenta extract can be used as a health food ingredient to maintain humans&rsquo, skin condition in the dry winter season.

Ganoderma lingzhi is a traditional medicinal mushroom, and its extract contains many bioactive compounds. Triterpenoids and polysaccharides are the primary bioactive components that contribute to its medicinal properties. In this study, we quantified 18 triterpenoids, total triterpenoid content and total polysaccharide content in the ethanol and water extracts of G. lingzhi at different growth stages. Triterpenoids were quantified by liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometry in the multiple-reaction-monitoring mode. Total triterpenoid and total polysaccharide content were determined by colorimetric analysis. The results indicated that the fruit bodies at an early growth stage had a higher content of ganoderic acid A, C2, I and LM2, as well as of ganoderenic acid C and D, than those at a later growth stage. In contrast, ganoderic acid K, TN and T-Q contents were higher in mature fruit bodies (maturation stage). The highest total triterpenoid and total polysaccharide contents were found in fruit bodies before maturity (stipe elongation stage or early stage of pileus formation). Our results provide information which will contribute to the establishment of an efficient cultivation system for G. lingzhi with a higher content of triterpenoids.

This study compared the participants’ physiological responses and subjective evaluations of air scented with different concentrations of common rush (Juncus effusus L. var. decipiens Buchen.) (30 g and 15 g, with fresh air as a control). We asked 20 participants to complete a series of visual discrimination tasks while inhaling two different air samples. We evaluated (1) brain activity, (2) autonomic nervous activity, and (3) blood pressure and pulse rate, (4) in combination with self-evaluation. In addition, we quantified the concentrations of volatile organic compounds. The participants reported the scent to be sour, pungent, and smelly; this impression was likely caused by hexanal and acetic acid. Although the self-evaluations showed that participants did not enjoy the scent, their alpha amplitudes of electroencephalogram and parasympathetic nervous activity were increased, suggesting that participants were relaxed in this atmosphere. Moreover, a lower concentration resulted in a greater induction of relaxation. While the air was not pleasant-smelling, the volatile organic compounds present had a positive psychophysiological impact.

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound in many edible foods including grapes, peanuts, and berries. Several studies have revealed the beneficial effects of resveratrol against various diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, neurological disorders, and cancer. A recent study showed that resveratrol inhibits the proliferation of HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells in three-dimensional culture (3DC) via induction of luminal apoptosis in HCT116 cell spheroids. In this study, we showed that a novel compound, caffeic acid-adducted resveratrol, has a stronger inhibitory effect on the growth of HCT116 cell spheroids in 3DC than resveratrol. It showed almost the same inhibitory efficacy as 5-fluorouracil, a conventional anticancer drug. We further showed that the resveratrol derivative did not affect the growth of HKe3 cell spheroids derived from HCT116 cells by disruption of the activating mutant KRAS gene. These results suggest that the resveratrol derivative inhibits the growth of HCT116 cell spheroids via inhibition of an oncogenic KRAS-mediated signaling pathway.

The consumption of mushroom Ganoderma lingzhi (G. lingzhi) is believed to help people fight influenza. However, few scientific studies, particularly in animals, has addressed that. Here, a hot-water extract of G. lingzhi was orally or intranasally administered to mice infected with influenza A virus, following by a 21-day post-infection observation. An in vitro neuraminidase (NA) assay, with four subtypes of NA, was used to assess inhibition. The total content of triterpenoids and carbohydrates in the extract were determined with colorimetric assays. Results showed that intranasal administration of the extract reduced the severe weight loss in infected mice by 55.1%. Oral administration of the extract did not significantly interfere the virus infection. In addition, the extract strongly inhibited NA from influenza virus H1N1 and H5N1. These findings suggest that short-term oral consumption of hot-water extract of G. lingzhi has limited anti-influenza function, which also inform further research for its activity observed.

Hericium erinaceus (H. erinaceus) improves the symptoms of menopause. In this study, using ovariectomized mice as a model of menopause, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of this mushroom in menopause. Mice fed diets containing H. erinaceus powder showed significant decreases in the amounts of fat tissue, plasma levels of total cholesterol, and leptin. To determine the mechanism, groups of mice were respectively fed a diet containing H. erinaceus powder, a diet containing ethanol extract of H. erinaceus, and a diet containing a residue of the extract. As a result, H. erinaceus powder was found to increase fecal lipid levels in excreted matter. Further in vitro investigation showed that ethanol extract inhibited the activity of lipase, and four lipase-inhibitory compounds were isolated from the extract: hericenone C, hericenone D, hericenone F, and hericenone G. In short, we suggest that H. erinaceus has an anti-obesity effect during menopause because it decreases the ability to absorb lipids.

The quantitative analysis of organosulfur compounds is important for the quality control of various garlic products along with studying their molecular functionality and nutraceutical properties. In this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-selected reaction monitoring (LC-MS/MS-SRM) method with electrospray ionization detection was developed and validated for the rapid, simultaneous quantification of four representative organosulfur compounds in garlic: alliin, S-allyl-L-cysteine, γ-glutamyl-S-allyl-L-cysteine, and allicin. Stable SRM transitions were achieved for these compounds under optimized conditions, and the linear range extended from 1 to 2000 ng/mL. The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.003 to 0.058 ng/mL and from 0.01 to 0.19 ng/mL, respectively. Excellent recovery and reproducibility at different spiking levels were achieved. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous quantification of organosulfur compounds in fresh garlic samples. This highly selective and sensitive LC-MS/MS-SRM method is expected to be a useful tool for studying molecular functionality and the quality control of garlic products.

An aliphatic ester of hydroxysalicylic acid (6), reported for the first time from a natural source in addition to five known compounds were isolated from the fermented Carica papaya L. preparation, a commercialized functional food. The known compounds were identified as 5-hydroxymethylfurfuraldehyde (1), trans-caffeic acid (2), butyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (butylparaben) (3), lycopene (4), benzyl isothiocyanate (5). Compounds 1 and 3 were reported for the first time from Papaya fruits through this study. The new compound showed a moderate antioxidant activity and a potent hair growth stimulating activity in vitro.

Hericium erinaceus (HE), an edible mushroom, has been used as a herbal medicine in several Asian countries since ancient times. HE has potential as a medicine for the treatment and prevention of dementia, a disorder closely linked with circadian rhythm. This study investigated the effects of the intake of HE extracts on behavioral rhythm, photosensitivity of the circadian clock, and clock gene mRNA expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a central clock, in mice. Although the HE ethanol extract only affected the offset time of activity, the HE water extract advanced the sleep-wake cycle without affecting the free-running period, photosensitivity, or the clock gene mRNA expression in SCN. In addition, both extracts decreased wakefulness around end of active phase. The findings of the present study suggest that HE may serve as a functional food in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and delayed sleep phase syndrome.

This article presents multiple potential uses of the Yakushima native cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), known in Japan as the Yaku-sugi tree. The Yaku-sugi was divided into four parts: leaves, branches with leaves, branches, and stems. We obtained the essential oil, hydrosol, distillation residue, and distillation wastewater from the trees. Essential oil and hydrosol were determined to be volatile organic compounds. All samples were screened for the following bioactivities: antioxidative, antibacterial, and anti-melanogenesis activities. Freeze-dried distillation residue was tested to assess whether it had a deodorizing effect. The main component of the leaf essential oil was found to be monoterpenes. In contrast, the stem essential oil mainly contained sesquiterpenes. In terms of bioactivities, the leaf essential oil showed antibacterial activity and the stem essential oil showed anti-melanogenesis activity. Distillation residue and wastewater showed many activities, including antioxidant, antibacterial, and...

This study investigated in vitro the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of resin from the Sakhalin fir tree ( Abies sachalinensis). The resin showed extremely high activity (IC50 of 17.3 µg/mL). We isolated 8 compounds from the resin and identified them. All of the compounds isolated from A. sachalinensis resin are reported for the first time in the present study. In an α-glucosidase inhibitory assay, 6 compounds—(holophyllane C (1), (−) -(24 E)-23-oxo-3,4- seco-9β H-lanosta-4(28),6,8(14),24-tetraen-3,26-dioic acid (2), abiesonic acid (3), (−) -(24 E)-23-oxo-3,4- seco-9β H-lanosta-4(28),7,24-triene-3,26-dioic acid (4), 3,4- seco-4(28),6,8(14),22Z,24-mariesapentaen-26,23-olide-3-oic acid (5), and (−) -abiesonic acid 3-methyl ester (6))—showed high activity (their IC50 values were 25.1, 20.9, 82.4, 20.5, 27.3, and 20.5 µg/mL, respectively). These compounds should contribute to the resin’s α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. From an industrial point of view, these findings provide new data to support that the resin of A. sachalinensis is a rich source of α-glucosidase inhibitors, which are highly valuable for their potential to be developed as functional health foods.

The loquat, Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (Rosaceae), is a small tree native to Japan and China that is widely cultivated for its succulent fruit. Its leaves are used as an ingredient of a tasty tea called "Biwa cha" in Japanese. The anti-osteoporosis effects of the leaves of loquat in vitro and in vivo have been investigated. After 15 days of feeding normal diet or diet supplemented with 5% loquat leaves, the body weight, viscera weights, and bone mineral density (BMD) of both groups of eight ovariectomized (OVX) mice were compared. The result showed that the loss of BMD in loquat-fed mice was significantly prevented in three parts of the body, especially in the trabecular bone of the head (P < 0.05), abdomen (P < 0.01), and lumbar (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. No hypertrophy in the uterus by the loquat leaves diet was observed. The effect of the extract (447.25 g) prepared from the dried leaves of loquat (2.36 kg) was further studied on RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and cell viability. The extract suppressed the differentiation of osteoclasts under 50, 125, 250, and 500 μg/mL. Through bioactivity-guided fractionation, ursolic acid (1) was isolated and inhibited osteoclast differentiation under 4 and 10 μg/mL. It was concluded that loquat leaves possess the potential to suppress ovariectomy-induced bone mineral density deterioration.

Hericium erinaceus (HE), an edible mushroom, has been used as a herbal medicine in several Asian countries since ancient times. HE has potential as a medicine for the treatment and prevention of dementia, a disorder closely linked with circadian rhythm. This study investigated the effects of the intake of HE extracts on behavioral rhythm, photosensitivity of the circadian clock, and clock gene mRNA expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a central clock, in mice. Although the HE ethanol extract only affected the offset time of activity, the HE water extract advanced the sleep-wake cycle without affecting the free-running period, photosensitivity, or the clock gene mRNA expression in SCN. In addition, both extracts decreased wakefulness around end of active phase. The findings of the present study suggest that HE may serve as a functional food in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and delayed sleep phase syndrome.

The present study examined the effects of enzymatically hydrolyzed collagen peptides on the level of hippocampal neurogenesis and emotional behavior in adult mice. For this purpose, two kinds of enzymatically hydrolyzed collagen peptides, the lower or higher molecular weight peptides (LP: below 2,000, HP: about 30,000) were administered orally to C57BL/6 mice for 4 weeks. As a result, the density of proliferating cells in subgranular zone of hippocampus showed a 1.2-fold increase in LP mice as compared with HP mice. Additionally, LP mice spent less time in closed arms than HP mice in elevated plus maze test to examine anxiety-related behavior. These results suggest that oral administration of the lower molecular weight peptides derived from collagen enhanced the hippocampal neurogenesis and exerted emotional behavior in adult mice.

Volatile constituents from natural plants have sometimes been used for the treatment of mental disorders, but the efficacy of many plants has not been determined. Here, we investigated the effects of the essential oil of the Siberian fir tree, Abies sibirica (Pinaceae), on individuals during and after performance of a sustained task on a visual display terminal (VDT). Participants who breathed air containing the essential oil showed prolonged heartbeat intervals and increased theta activity as measured by electroencephalography in the recovery period after the VDT task, but not during the task. The volatile constituents emitted from the essential oil of A. sibirica through the odorant delivery system for 40 min were a-pinene (80.4 μg), santene (3.1 μg), tricyclene (2.4 μg), camphene (24.2 μg), β-pinene (2.6 μg), myrcene (1.0 μg), 6-3-carene (14.4 μg), limonene (3.8 μg), and bornyl acetate (1.0 μg). These results show that the essential oil of A. sibirica reduced arousal levels after the VDT task, and might be useful for the prevention of VDT-related mental health disturbance.

Capsinoids are nonpungent compounds that are found in almost all pungent peppers and are abundant in the sweet pepper cultivar CH-19 Sweet. Since the discovery of capsinoids 13 years ago, various physiological effects of these compounds - especially reduction of visceral fat - have been observed both in rodents and humans. Recently, capsules containing capsinoids have become commercially available and comprehensive studies have been performed on the metabolism and toxicity of capsinoids.This article reviews all the literature from 1998 to date providing details on the nature and physiological effects of capsinoids. In addition to this, the article also looks at their metabolism as well as their acute and chronic toxicity including their genotoxicity and teratology.Capsinoids are the most promising compounds among all known transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 agonists. The physiological activities of capsinoids are similar to those of capsaicin, the most pungent food component of red pepper, but appear to be much safer to use as a therapeutic compound. That said, there is still a need for further research into the capsinoid mechanism of action before it can be 'green-lighted' for therapeutic use.

We investigated the antioxidant, anti-lipase and anti-dementia activities of peach ( Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) fruit and its by-products. The ethanol extracts of branch showed relatively high activity in all biological activities. Then, the extract was fractionated, and eight compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction. Results showed 4,2’,4'-trihydroxy-6'-methoxychalcone 4'- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5) and quercetin 3- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7) as newly identified compounds in P. persica. From the biological investigation, it was considered that quercetin 3- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7) was the main active compound of antioxidant activity. The main active compound of anti-lipase activity in these was oleanolic acid (1). In addition, (+)-4'- O-methylcatechin (4), 4,2’,4'-trihydroxy-6'-methoxychalcone 4'- O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5) and ferulic acid (6) were the main active compounds of anti-dementia activity with acetylcholinesterase inhibitory assay. The results obtained suggested that these active compounds from peach branches of P. persica could be exploited as natural antioxidants, anti-lipase and anti-dementia materials in the future.

Hericium erinaceus, a well known edible mushroom, has numerous biological activities. Especially hericenones and erinacines isolated from its fruiting body stimulate nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis, which expects H. erinaceus to have some effects on brain functions and autonomic nervous system. Herein, we investigated the clinical effects of H. erinaceus on menopause, depression, sleep quality and indefinite complaints, using the Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Indefinite Complaints Index (ICI). Thirty females were randomly assigned to either the H. erinaceus (HE) group or the placebo group and took HE cookies or placebo cookies for 4 weeks. Each of the CES-D and the ICI score after the HE intake was significantly lower than that before. In two terms of the ICI, "insentive" and "palpitatio", each of the mean score of the HE group was significantly lower than the placebo group. "Concentration", "irritating" and "anxious" tended to be lower than the placebo group. Our results show that HE intake has the possibility to reduce depression and anxiety and these results suggest a different mechanism from NGF-enhancing action of H. erinaceus.

We investigated the changes in autonomic nervous activity, body temperature, blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR) after intake of the non-pungent pepper CH-19 Sweet and of hot red pepper in humans to elucidate the mechanisms of diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) due to CH-19 Sweet. We found that CH-19 Sweet activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and enhances thermogenesis as effectively as hot red pepper, ant that the heat loss effect due to CH-19 Sweet is weaker than that due to hot red pepper. Furthermore, we found that intake of CH-19 Sweet does not affect systolic BP or HR, while hot red pepper transiently elevates them. These results indicate that DIT due to CH-19 Sweet can be induced via the activation of SNS as well as hot red pepper, but that the changes in BP, HR, and heat loss effect are different between these peppers.

We investigated the effect of capsiate, a nonpungent natural capsaicin analog, on the swimming capacity of mice in an adjustable-current water pool. Male BALB/c mice orally given capsiate (10 mg/kg) were able to keep swimming longer before exhaustion than the control mice. After 30 min of swimming, the residual glycogen in the gastrocnemius muscle was higher, the serum free fatty acid concentration tended to be higher, and the serum lactic acid concentration was significantly lower in the capsiate-administered mice. The value for the respiratory exchange ratio of the capsiate group was significantly lower during both resting and treadmill running. These physiological differences were abolished by administering the vanilloid receptor antagonist, capsazepin (0.17 mmol/kg, i.p.). The mice were not averse to the capsiate solution during a 4-h two-bottle choice test. These results suggest that the oral administration of capsiate enhanced fat oxidation and spared carbohydrate utilization, and consequently increased the endurance swimming capacity of the mice via stimulation of their vanilloid receptors. Practical application of capsiate is expected.

Capsiate is a nonpungent capsaicin analog, a recently identified principle of the nonpungent red pepper cultivar CH-19 Sweet. In the present study, we report that 2-wk treatment of capsiate increased metabolic rate and promoted fat oxidation at rest, suggesting that capsiate may prevent obesity. To explain these effects, at least in part, we examined uncoupling proteins (UCPs) and thyroid hormones. UCPs and thyroid hormones play important roles in energy expenditure, the maintenance of body weight, and thermoregulation. Two-week treatment of capsiate increased the levels of UCP1 protein and mRNA in brown adipose tissue and UCP2 mRNA in white adipose tissue. This dose of capsiate did not change serum triiodothyronine or thyroxine levels. A single dose of capsiate temporarily raised both UCP1 mRNA in brown adipose tissue and UCP3 mRNA in skeletal muscle. These results suggest that UCP1 and UCP2 may contribute to the promotion of energy metabolism by capsiate, but that thyroid hormones do not.

We investigated the effect of a single oral administration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on energy metabolism in mice. Male Std ddY mice were orally administered CLA (5 mL/kg weight) or linoleic acid (5 mL/kg weight) (both solutions at concentrations of 73.5%) as a control. Oxygen consumption was significantly greater in the CLA-administered mice than in the control mice. Respiratory quotient was slightly lower in the CLA-adminis-tered mice than in the control mice. We calculated fat and carbohydrate oxidation from oxygen consumption and respiratory quotient. Fat oxidation in the CLA-administered mice was significantly higher than in the control mice, and there was no difference in carbohydrate oxidation. Serum concentrations of noradrenalin and adrenalin in the CLA administered mice were significantly higher than in the control mice. These results suggested that CLA enhanced sympathetic nervous activity and energy metabolism.

We investigated the dose-effect of the long-term intake of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on the energy metabolism and fat accumulation in mice. Five-week-old male Std ddY mice were fed on a diet containing none (control), 0.25%, 0.5% or 1.0% CLA for 4 or 8 weeks. The body weight was lower in the CLA groups than in the control group, and significant differences were detected between the 1.0% CLA group and the control group at both 4 and 8 weeks. The epididymal and perirenal adipose tissue weights were significantly lower in the CLA groups than in the control group. The liver weight and hepatic triglyceride values were higher in the 1.0% CLA group than in the other groups. The metabolic rate was measured after 8 weeks by using a gas analyzer. The oxygen consumption of the mice in the CLA groups was significantly higher than that of the control mice. Since there was a significant effect on the mice supplemented with 0.25% CLA, low concentration of CLA is suggested to suppress the body fat accumulation and increase the energy metabolism.

We assessed the sympatho-vagal activities of the heart after administration of capsaicin by measuring the power spectral analysis in rats. There were major two frequency components of heart rate variability, which we defined as high (1.0 Hz

We investigated the effect of CH-19 Sweet, a nonpungent cultivar of red pepper, and capsiate, a nonpungent capsaicin analog found in CH-19 Sweet on body temperature in mice. The body temperature was recorded from conscious and unrestrained mice by use of a telemetry system. The body temperature in the mice administered CH-19 Sweet was higher than in the mice administered California-Wandar, which contains no capsiate or capsaicin. The body temperature in the mice administered capsiate was higher than in the mice administered the vehicle. Furthermore, we injected capsazepine, a specific antagonist of vanilloid receptors, into the peritoneal cavity and orally administered capsiate via a stomach tube to mice. The body temperature in the mice pretreated with capsazepine was lower than in the mice injected with the vehicle. This result suggested that capsazepine suppressed the rise in body temperature induced by capsiate administration. In conclusion, CH-19 Sweet increased body temperature, and this effect may be induced by the vanilloid receptors' stimulation of capsiate.

The perennial grass Vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver) is mainly cultivated for its fragrant essential oil. Although the components of the oil and their biological activities have been studied extensively, the effect of the volatiles emitted from the roots of V. zizanioides on humans has so far remained unexplored. We investigated the effects of volatile compounds emitted from the cut roots of V. zizanioides (1.0 g, low-dose conditions; 30 g, high-dose conditions) on individuals during a visual display terminal task. Participants who breathed the volatile compounds emitted under low-dose conditions showed faster reaction times and stimulation of sympathetic nerve activity as measured by electrocardiography. These effects were not observed under high-dose conditions. The total amounnt of volatiles emitted during the experiment was 0.25 μg under low-dose conditions and 1.35 μg under high-dose conditions. These findings indicate that volatile compounds emitted from the roots of V. zizanioides under low-dose conditions may have helped subjects to maintain performance in visual discrimination tasks while maintaining high sympathetic nerve system activity.

Ganoderma fungus (Ganodermataceae) is a multifunctional medicinal mushroom and has been traditionally used for the treatment of various types of disease. Ganoderic acid DM (1) is a representative triterpenoid isolated from G. lingzhi and exhibits various biological activities. However, a universal starting point that triggers multiple signaling pathways and results in multifunctionality of 1 is unknown. Here we demonstrate the important clues regarding the mechanisms underlying multi-medicinal action of 1. We examined structure–activity relationships between 1 and its analogs and found that the carbonyl group at C-3 was essential for cytotoxicity. Subsequently, we used 1-conjugated magnetic beads as a probe and identified tubulin as a specific 1-binding protein. Furthermore, 1 showed a similar Kd to that of vinblastine and also affected assembly of tubulin polymers. This study revealed multiple biological activities of 1 and may contribute to the design and development of new tubulin-inhibiting agents.

Enhancement of energy expenditure and reducing energy intake are crucial for weight control. Capsiate, a non-pungent capsaicin analog, is known to suppress body fat accumulation and reduce body weight by enhancing of energy expenditure in both mice and humans. However, it is poorly understood whether suppressing body fat accumulation by capsiate administration is equal to exercise or not. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of repeated administration of capsiate and exercise and to investigate the weight rebound after repeated capsiate administration and/or exercise. In the present study, we report that 2 weeks treatment of capsiate and exercise increased energy metabolism and suppressed body fat accumulation during 4 more weeks of ad libitum feeding. The body weight in capsiate and exercise groups was significantly lower than that of control group. The oxygen consumption was significanlty increased in capsiate and exercise groups than in the vehicle administered mice. In addition, the abdominal adipose tissue weight in capsiate and exercise groups was significantly lower than that of control group. These results indicate that suppressing body fat accumulation by capsiate intake is beneficial for maintaining an ideal body weight as exercise.

(-)-Bornyl acetate is the main volatile constituent in numerous conifer oils and has a camphoraceous, pine-needle-like odor. It is frequently used as the conifer needle composition in soap, bath products, room sprays, and pharmaceutical products. However, the psychophysiological effects of (-)-bornyl acetate remained unclear. We investigated the effects of breathing air mixed with (-)-bornyl acetate at different doses (low-dose and high-dose conditions) on the individuals during and after VDT (visual display terminal) work using a visual discrimination task. The amounts of (-)-bornyl acetate through our odorant delivery system for 40 min were 279.4 µg in the low-dose and 716.3 µg in the high-dose (-)-bornyl acetate condition. (-)-Bornyl acetate induced changes of autonomic nervous system for relaxation and reduced arousal level after VDT work without any influences of task performance in low-dose condition, but not in high-dose condition.

The leaves of Laurus noblis L. (laurel) are mainly used as a spice in cooking, and the essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaves is used as an additive in foods, drugs and cosmetics. We investigated the effect of the volatiles emitted from the leaves of L. noblis at different doses (low-dose and high-dose groups) on vigilance performance in a visual discrimination task. By inhaling volatiles of the leaves of L. noblis, the decrease of the rate of true hits found in the control group was prevented in the low-dose group. The high-dose group showed higher scores than the low-dose group for subjective effects related to negative emotion. Meanwhile, both groups showed physiological effects suggesting stimulation of circulation. These findings suggest that the volatiles emitted from the leaves of L. noblis at low concentration could be utilized to maintain a high level of vigilance performance, such as the rate of true hits by improving physiological arousal without incurring the detrimental performance effects of negative emotion.

Enhancing energy expenditure and reducing energy intake are both crucial for weight control. Capsinoids, which are non-pungent capsaicin analogs, are known to suppress body fat accumulation and reduce body weight by enhancing energy expenditure in both mice and humans. However, it is poorly understood whether the suppression of body fat accumulation by capsinoids has an advantage over dietary restriction. This study shows that the oxygen consumption was increased in mice administered with capsinoids but not in dietary-restricted mice, although there was a similar suppression of body fat accumulation in both groups. The weight rebound was more notable in the dietary-restricted mice than in the mice administered with capsinoids. These results indicate that suppressing body fat accumulation by capsinoids was more beneficial than a restricted diet for maintaining body weight.