Anti-obesity effect of fermented lemon peel on high-fat diet-induced obese mice by modulating the inflammatory response

Bergaptol, a Major Furocoumarin in Citrus: Pharmacological Properties and Toxicity

Bergaptol (5-hydroxypsoralen or 5-hydroxyfuranocoumarin) is a naturally occurring furanocoumarin widely found in citrus fruits, which has multiple health benefits. Nonetheless, no specific review articles on bergaptol have been published. Compiling updated information on bergaptol is crucial in guiding future research direction and application. The present review focuses on the research evidence related to the pharmacological properties and toxicity of bergaptol. Bergaptol has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-osteoporosis, anti-microbial, and anti-lipidemic effects. It can inhibit the activities of cytochrome P450s (CYP), especially CYP2C9 and CYP3A4, thereby affecting the metabolism and concentrations of some drugs and toxins. Compared with other coumarins, bergaptol has the least potency to inhibit CYP3A4 in cancer cells. Instead, it can suppress drug efflux transporters, such as P-glycoprotein, thereby overcoming chemotherapeutic drug resistance. Furthermore, bergaptol has antimicrobial effects with a high potential for inhibition of quorum sensing. In vivo, bergaptol can be retained in plasma for longer than other coumarins. Nevertheless, its toxicity has not been clearly reported. In vitro study suggests that, unlike most furocoumarins, bergaptol is not phototoxic or photomutagenic. Existing research on bergaptol has mostly been conducted in vitro. Further in vivo and clinical studies are warranted to identify the safe and effective doses of bergaptol for its multimodal application.

Lipidome remodeling activities of DPA-EA in palmitic acid-stimulated HepG2 cells and the in vivo anti-obesity effect of the DPA-EA and DHA-EA mixture prepared from algae oil

Background: The nuclear receptor Nur77 has been demonstrated to play a vital role in the inflammatory response and cellular metabolisms, and its ligands exhibit efficacy in the treatment of inflammation-related diseases (e.g., improving mouse acute lung injury (ALI) and obesity. Recently, ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-ethanolamine derivatives (ω-3 PUFA-EAs), including DPA-EA and DHA-EA, have been reported as new Nur77-targeting anti-inflammatory agents. However, the lipid-lowering effect of ω-3 PUFA-EAs is still unknown, and lipid profile changes induced by Nur77-targeting anti-inflammatory agents also remain unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the lipid-lowering effect and the underlying mechanism of DPA-EA acting as Nur77-targeting anti-inflammatory agents. It also aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo lipid-lowering effects of the DPA-EA and DHA-EA mixture prepared from algae oil.

Methods: The in vitro lipid-lowing effect of DPA-EA and its mixture with DHA-EA was first evaluated in palmitic acid-stimulated HepG2 Cells. To confirm the lipid-lowering effect and explore the underlying mechanism, we performed untargeted lipidomic analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole-time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry coupled with multivariate statistical analysis, with another Nur77-targeting anti-inflammatory compound Celastrol (Cel) as a reference. Finally, we examined the anti-obesity effect of the DPA-EA and DHA-EA mixture synthesized from algae oil in a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice model.

Results: DPA-EA significantly alleviated lipid accumulation with lower toxicity than Celastrol. Nur77-targeting compounds DPA-EA and Celastrol could simultaneously reduce 14 lipids (9 TGs, 2 PCs, 1 PA, 1 SM, and 1 LacCer) and increase 13 lipids (4 DGs, 6 LPEs, 2 PEs, and 1PC) in Pal-stimulated HepG2 cells. However, Cer lipids were more sensitive to DPA-EA, while the over-downregulation of SM lipids might be associated with the off-target toxicity of Celastrol. The mixture of DPA-EA and DHA-EA synthesized from algae oil could significantly decrease TG, TC, and LDL levels and increase HDL levels in HFD-fed mice, exerting an excellent anti-obesity effect.

Conclusion: Nur77-targeting anti-inflammatory compound DAP-EA could promote the hydrolysis of PEs and TGs to ameliorate lipid accumulation. The DPA-EA and DHA-EA mixture prepared from algae oil might be a potential therapeutic agent for obesity and other inflammation-related diseases.

Fermented Foods in the Management of Obesity: Mechanisms of Action and Future Challenges

Fermented foods are part of the staple diet in many different countries and populations and contain various probiotic microorganisms and non-digestible prebiotics. Fermentation is the process of breaking down sugars by bacteria and yeast species; it not only enhances food preservation but can also increase the number of beneficial gut bacteria. Regular consumption of fermented foods has been associated with a variety of health benefits (although some health risks also exist), including improved digestion, enhanced immunity, and greater weight loss, suggesting that fermented foods have the potential to help in the design of effective nutritional therapeutic approaches for obesity. In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of the health effects of fermented foods and the corresponding mechanisms of action in obesity and obesity-related metabolic abnormalities.

Anti-obesity effect of Angelica keiskei Jiaosu prepared by yeast fermentation on high-fat diet-fed mice

In this study, an Angelica keiskei (A. keiskei) Jiaosu (FAK) was prepared by yeast fermentation to investigate its anti-obesity effect on high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. 70 SPF grade male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 7 groups (n = 10): blank control group (N), high-fat model group (M), positive control group (Orl), unfermented control group (NF), high-dose intervention group (FH), medium-dose intervention group (FM), and low-dose intervention group (FL). The results showed that FAK intervention significantly reduced the body weight, Lee's index and liver index of HFD-fed mice (P < 0.05). Compared with M group, the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), leptin and glucose (GLU) in FH group were remarkably decreased and that of interleukin-27 (IL-27) were increased (P < 0.05). The levels of TG, and TC in the liver of mice were also markedly decreased in the FH group (P < 0.05). HE staining results showed that the liver cells in the three intervention groups had less degeneration and fatty vacuoles in the cytoplasm, and the liver cords were orderly arranged compared with that of M group. Furthermore, FAK significantly inhibited epididymal adipose tissue cell expansion induced by HFD. FAK up-regulated the protein expression levels of p-AMPK and PPARα to promote lipolysis and down-regulated the expression of PPARγ to reduce lipid synthesis (P < 0.05). Additionally, the results of gut microbiota showed that after the intervention, a decrease trend of F/B value and Deferribacterota was noticed in the FH group compared with M group. At the genus level, FAK intervention significantly increased that of Ileiobacterium compared to the M group (p < 0.05). A rising trend of norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium were also observed in the HF group. Conclusively, these findings demonstrated that FAK intervention can effectively improve obesity in mice caused by HFD and the potential mechanisms was related to the regulation of serum levels of leptin and IL-27, lipogenesis and lipolysis in adipose tissue and gut microbiota composition.

Analysis of Metabolic Differences in the Water Extract of Shenheling Fermented by Lactobacillus fermentum Based on Nontargeted Metabolomics

Objective: To explore the characteristics of metabolites in Shenheling (SHL) fermented by Lactobacillus fermentum. Methods: In this study, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field orbit trap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-MS) was used to qualitatively, quantitatively, and differentially analyze the metabolites of SHL before and after fermentation. Results: A total of 102 significant differential metabolites in nine categories were analyzed before and after fermentation. It mainly includes 29 terpenoids, 17 alkaloids, 14 organic acids and derivatives, 10 flavonoids, 9 phenylpropanoids, 6 phenols, 3 aromaticity, and 3 amino acid derivatives. Further screening found that the content of most active substances, such as alkaloids, organic acids, and flavonoids, increased significantly. These metabolites play an important role in improving the taste and efficacy of SHL. After fermentation, the contents of differential metabolites, such as panaquinquecol 2, ginsenoside Rh3, ginsenoside Rg3, dehydronuciferin, nicotinic acid, 5-hydroxytryptophan, azelaic acid, dihydrokaempferol, and chrysin, were increased, which increased the effects of antioxidation, anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, antibacterial, and improved immunity compared with those before fermentation. KEGG pathway analysis identified 10 metabolic pathways. Isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, vitamin B6 metabolism, beta-alanine metabolism, nicotinate, and nicotinamide metabolism, purine metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, citrate cycle (TCA cycle), phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, etc. Conclusions: Fermentation significantly changed the metabolites in SHL and played an important role in improving its taste, aroma quality, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and other health care functional components.

Effects of Fermented Citrus Peel on Ameliorating Obesity in Rats Fed with High-Fat Diet

Although citrus peel is a waste material, it contains a variety of bioactive components. As our preliminary findings showed that citrus peels fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae T1 contained increased levels of anti-obesity flavonoids, the objective of this study was to prepare fermented citrus peel and to investigate its effect on ameliorating obesity in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). After fermentation, the amounts of limonene, nobiletin and 3-methoxynobiletin in citrus peel were markedly increased. SD rats were fed with an HFD for 10 weeks, followed by fermented citrus peel-containing HFD (0.3% or 0.9% w/w) for 6 weeks. Compared with those fed with an HFD alone, lower levels of body weight, visceral fat, body fat percentage, blood triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, malondialdehyde and hepatic adipose accumulation were observed in rats fed with fermented citrus peel. In parallel, hepatic levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and fatty acid synthase were diminished, and the level of hormone sensitivity lipase in visceral fat was elevated. These results reveal fermented citrus peel is a promising natural product with beneficial effects of alleviating HFD-induced obesity.