The New Lemon Cultivar ‘Yellow Bell’ Increases Serum Adiponectin Levels in Rats Fed a High Fat Diet

Abstract

This study investigated the flavonoid contents of the new lemon cultivar ‘Yellow Bell’ (YB) and its effects on fat metabolism in rats. YB contains neoeriocitrin, hesperidin, rhoifolin, neodiosmin and aurapten, and is high in neohesperidin (1020 – 1270 mg/100 g whole dry weight) and naringin (178 – 270 mg/100 g whole dry weight). The flavonoid pattern of YB differs from that of the conventional lemon cultivar. In experiment 1, rats were fed a high fat diet (HF) or HF containing 5% dry whole YB or conventional lemon cultivar Villafranca (Vil). Serum adiponectin was significantly increased by YB intake compared with control at 2 and 5 weeks (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). In experiment 2, rats were fed HF or HF containing 5% dry whole YB or dry peel YB. Serum adiponectin was significantly increased by whole YB intake compared with control at 5 weeks (p < 0.05). We revealed the novel effect of YB on increasing serum adiponectin.