Anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects of a proprietary herb and fiber combination (S&S PWH) in rats fed high-fat diets

• Published in: Journal of medicinal food Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 169 - 178
• Main Authors: Woo, M.N, Bok, S.H, Lee, M.K, Kim, H.J, Jeon, S.M, Do, G.M, Shin, S.K, Ha, T.Y, Choi, M.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2008
• Subjects: acyltransferases; adipocytes; Adipocytes - cytology; adipose tissue; animal models; Animals; Anti-Obesity Agents - administration & dosage; anti-obesity effect; body weight; Cholesterol - analysis; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; corn oil; Diet; Dietary Fats - administration & dosage; dietary fiber; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; Dietary Fiber - analysis; dietary supplements; enzyme activity; Epididymis; Hepatocytes - cytology; herbal medicines; high fat diet; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases - metabolism; hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase; Hypolipidemic Agents - administration & dosage; lard; lipemic effect; lipid metabolism; lipoprotein lipase; Lipoprotein Lipase - metabolism; Liver - chemistry; Male; males; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Phenols - analysis; Phytotherapy; Plant Preparations - administration & dosage; Plant Preparations - chemistry; proprietary products; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sterol O-Acyltransferase - metabolism; tissue weight; Triglycerides - analysis; Triglycerides - blood; visceral fat
• ISSN: 1096-620X; 1557-7600
• DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2007.082

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of S&S PWH, a proprietary herb and fiber combination (Bionutrigen Inc., Daejon, Republic of Korea), on body weight and lipid metabolism in rats fed with a high-fat diet. Three groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed different diets for a 6-week period: normal control diet containing 5% (wt/wt) corn oil (NC group), high-fat diet containing 10% (wt/wt) lard plus 5% (wt/wt) corn oil (HF group), and high-fat diet supplemented with powdered 5% (wt/wt) S&S PWH (S&S PWH group). The body weights and relative weights of the epididymal and perirenal white adipose tissue were significantly lower in the S&S PWH group than in the HF group. S&S PWH supplementation significantly lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, whereas it elevated the ratio of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol/total-cholesterol and improved the atherogenic index. The accumulation of hepatic lipid droplets and the epididymal white adipocyte size were less in the S&S PWH group than in the HF group. Hepatic hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase activities were significantly lower, while adipocyte lipoprotein lipase activity was significantly higher, in the S&S PWH group than in the HF group. These beneficial effects may be due to the combined properties of the phenolic compounds present in high concentrations (1.89 g/100 g) in the S&S PWH. In conclusion, these results suggest that S&S PWH can be considered as an anti-obesity functional formula that is effective for suppressing body weight gain and enhancing lipid profile.