In this study, we revealed that Tel attenuated steatohepatitis progression by suppressing the macrophage infiltration into the liver. Tel also affected the reduction of adipocyte size and elevation of serum adiponectin. Tel might serve as a new therapeutic strategy for NASH.

The effects of prolonged intake of juice prepared from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu MARC.) containing β-cryptoxanthin on circulating biochemical markers of bone metabolism in subjects, including menopausal woman, were investigated. Ninety volunteers, aged 27-65 years (19 men and 71 women), were enrolled in this study. The 71 females included 35 premenopausal women (ages, 27-50 years) and 36 postmenopausal women (ages, 46-65 years). Volunteers were divided into four groups; placebo juice without β-cyptoxanthin (5 men and 19 women), juice containing β-cyptoxanthin at 1.5 mg/200 ml of juice/day (4 men and 17 women), 3.0 mg/day (5 men and 17 women), and 6.0 mg/day (5 men and 18 women). Placebo or juice (200 ml) was ingested once a day for 28 or 56 days. Serum β-cryptoxanthin concentrations were significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (1.5, 3.0, or 6.0 mg/day) for 28 or 56 days, and the increases were dose-dependent. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and γ-carboxylated osteocalcin are serum bone markers of bone formation, and bone tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) and N-telopeptides of type I collagen are markers of bone resorption. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/ day) for 56 days as compared with the value obtained before intake. γ-Carboxylated osteocalcin concentration was significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 28 or 56 days as compared with the value obtained before intake or after the intake of placebo juice. Serum TRACP activity and type I collagen N-telopeptide concentration were significantly decreased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 28 or 56 days as compared with the value obtained before intake or after intake of placebo juice, and significant decreases were also seen after the intake of 1.5 mg/day β-cryptoxanthin as compared with the value obtained before intake. In menopausal women, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity and γ-carboxylated osteocalcin concentration were significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 56 days as compared with the value obtained after placebo intake. Also, this intake caused a significant decrease in bone TRACP activity. Meanwhile, serum calcium, inorganic phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone (intact) were not changed after the intake of β-cryptoxanthin-containing juice for 28 or 56 days. This study demonstrates that the prolonged intake of juice fortified with β-cryptoxanthin has stimulatory effects on bone formation and inhibitory effects on bone resorption in humans, and that the intake has an effect in menopausal women.

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The relationship between the serum ␤-cryptoxanthin concentration and circulating biochemical markers of bone metabolism in healthy individuals with the intake of juice prepared from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu MARC.) containing ␤-cryptoxanthin was investigated. Twenty volunteers (10 men and ten women) were divided into two groups of 10 volunteers (5 men and 5 women) each, and each group was sequentially given juice (192 ml) containing two different amounts of ␤-cryptoxanthin once a day for 56 days as follows: either regular juice with naturally occurring ␤-cryptoxanthin 802 g/100 ml or reinforced juice containing ␤-cryptoxanthin 1500 g/100 ml. ␥-Carboxylated osteocalcin, which is a marker of bone formation, and bone tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), which is a marker of bone resorption, were assayed. The serum ␤-cryptoxanthin concentration was significantly increased with the intake of regular juice for 56 days. This increase was significantly enhanced by the intake of ␤-cryptoxanthin-reinforced juice. The intake of regular juice or of ␤-cryptoxanthin-reinforced juice for 56 days caused a significant increase in serum ␥-carboxylated osteocalcin and a significant decrease in serum bone TRAP activity. A positive relationship between serum ␤-cryptoxanthin and circulating ␥-carboxylated osteocalcin concentrations was found using the value obtained from all groups for before intake and with the intake of regular juice and ␤-cryptoxanthin-reinforced juice. A negative relationship between serum ␤-cryptoxanthin concentration and circulating TRAP activity was observed. This study shows that a relationship between serum ␤-cryptoxanthin and circulating bone metabolic markers is found in healthy individuals with the intake of juice containing ␤-cryptoxanthin.

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