Nutr Res Pract.  2013 Aug;7(4):267-272.

Anti-obesity effects of hot water extract from Wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum.) leaves in mice fed high-fat diets

• Yamasaki M
• Ogawa T
• Wang L
• Katsube T
• Yamasaki Y
• Sun X
• Shiwaku K

Abstract

The anti-obesity effects of a hot water extract from wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum.) leaves (WLE), without its specific pungent constituents, such as allyl-isothiocyanate, were investigated in high fat-diet induced mice. C57J/BL mice were fed a high-fat diet (control group) or a high-fat diet supplemented with 5% WLE (WLE group). Physical parameters and blood profiles were determined. Gene expression associated with lipid metabolism in liver and white adipose tissue were analyzed. After 120 days of feeding, significantly lower body weight gain, liver weight and epididymal white adipose tissue weight was observed in the WLE group compared to the control group. In liver gene expression within the WLE group, PPARalpha was significantly enhanced and SREBP-1c was significantly suppressed. Subsequent downstream genes controlled by these regulators were significantly suppressed. In epididymal white adipose tissue of the WLE group, expression of leptin, PPARgamma, and C/EBPalpha were significantly suppressed and adiponectin was significantly enhanced. Acox, related to fatty acid oxidization in adipocytes, was also enhanced. Our results demonstrate that the WLE dietary supplement induces mild suppression of obesity in a high-fat diet induced mice, possibly due to suppression of lipid accumulation in liver and white adipose tissue.

Keyword

Wasabia/Eutrema japonica Matsum.; obesity; white adipose tissue; hepatic steatosis; hepatic gene expression

MeSH Terms

Adipocytes
Adiponectin
Adipose Tissue, White
Animals
Body Weight
Diet, High-Fat
Dietary Supplements
Gene Expression
Leptin
Lipid Metabolism
Liver
Mice
Obesity
PPAR alpha
PPAR gamma
Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1
Water
Adiponectin
Leptin
PPAR alpha
PPAR gamma
Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1
Water

Figure

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  Fig 1 Effects of WLE on body weight changes in mice. Each point represents mean ± SD (n = 10). Asterisks indicate significant difference between the WLE and control groups (P < 0.05).

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  Fig 2 Histological staining of liver sections and fat droplet areas of the control and WLE groups after feeding for 164 days

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