2001 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 164-170
We examined the effect of edible plant extracts on prevention of obesity. 3T3-L1 cell that differentiated into a mature adipocyte was used as a model for screening in vitro. After the cells had formed a confluent monolayer, they were treated with DEX-MIX and incubated in a medium containing edible plant extract for 12 days. The mioga (Zingiber mioga Rosc.) extract significantly suppressed the increase in glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. The results of Oil-Red O staining supported these findings. We further investigated the effect of mioga extract in prevention of obesity in male ICR mice in vivo. Through oral administration of the extract (10 or 50 mg/mouse), increases in body weight and epididymal fat weight were prevented in the animals. These results indicate that mioga extract may be useful in preventing obesity.