<i>Rubia akane</i> Nakai Fruit Extract Improves Obesity and Insulin Sensitivity in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

ABSTRACT: A rise in obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the development of safe and effective natural anti-obesity agents. In this study, we propose Rubia akane Nakai fruit extract (RFE) as a potential natural product-based anti-obesity agent. R. akane Nakai is a plant of the Rubiaceae family that grows throughout Republic of Korea. Its roots have long been used medicinally and are known for various bioactivities, but the fruit's bioactivities are unexplored. We investigated the anti-obesity effects of RFE using 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet-induced obese mice. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, RFE inhibited adipogenic differentiation and lipogenesis by downregulating PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ), C/EBPα (CCAAT enhancer-binding protein α), and SREBP-1 (st

SUBMITTER: Park J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11899715 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature