Regulation of lipid disorders by ethanol extracts from Zingiber zerumbet in high-fat diet-induced rats

• Published in: Food chemistry 2012-05, Vol.132 (1), p.460-467
• Main Authors: Chang, Chia Ju, Tzeng, Thing-Fong, Liou, Shorong-Shii, Chang, Yuan-Shiun, Liu, I-Min
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acyl-CoA oxidase; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cytochrome P450 isoform 4A1; Diet, High-Fat - adverse effects; Ethanol - metabolism; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; High-fat diet; Hyperlipidemias - chemically induced; Hyperlipidemias - drug therapy; Hypolipidemic Agents - metabolism; Lipid Metabolism - drug effects; Male; Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Rats; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Zingiber officinale; Zingiber zerumbet
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.11.022

► The antihyperlipidaemic effects of the ethanol extract of Zingiber zerumbet (EEZZ) was studied. ► EEZZ reduced the accumulation of visceral fat and improved hyperlipidemia in high-fat diet-fed rats. ► EEZZ increased lipid metabolism through the up-regulation of hepatic PPARα expression. The aim of this study was to investigate the antihyperlipidaemic effects of the ethanol extract of Zingiber zerumbet (L) Smith (EEZZ). After being fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 2weeks, rats were dosed orally with EEZZ (100, 200 or 300mg/kg) or fenofibrate (100mg/kg) once daily for 8weeks. EEZZ (300mg/kg/day) produced effects similar to fenofibrate in reducing body weight gain, visceral fat-pad weights and plasma lipid levels. EEZZ caused reductions in hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol content, and lowered hepatic lipid droplet accumulation and the size of epididymal adipocytes. HFD-induced reductions in the hepatic proteins of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α, acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) and cytochrome P450 isoform 4A1 (CYP4A1) were reversed by EEZZ. These results suggest that EEZZ reduced the accumulation of visceral fat and improved hyperlipidaemia in HFD-fed rats by increasing fatty acid oxidation, an effect which is likely to be mediated via up-regulation of hepatic PPARα.