Plum vinegar is a by-product of pickled plum “Umeboshi”, and contains various useful components deriving from the plum fruit. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of concentrated and desalted plum vinegar on triglyceride metabolism in Syrian hamsters. Twenty-four male Syrian hamsters aged 6 weeks were randomly assigned to 3 groups that were given a control diet or diets supplemented with the concentrated and desalted plum vinegar at 2 levels（25 ml/kg and 50 ml/kg）for 43 days. The addition of concentrated and desalted plum vinegar did not affect growth parameters, and gene expressions related to triglyceride synthesis in the liver. On the other hand, the higher dose of concentrated and desalted plum vinegar decreased serum and liver triglyceride levels and increased gene expression of acetyl-CoA oxidase mRNA, an enzyme related to fatty acid oxidation in the liver. The present study suggests that the concentrated and desalted plum vinegar decreases serum and liver triglyceride concentrations through stimulating fatty acid oxidation in the liver in Syrian hamsters.

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