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This study assessed the effect of Kaempferia parviflora, also known as black ginger (BG), and its ethanol extract (BGE) on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ agonistic activity, glucose tolerance, fat accumulation, and lipids-induced hypertriglyceridemia in mice. PPARγ ligand-binding capacity in vitro and polymethoxy flavone contents were highly observed in organic solvent extracts. In an animal experiment A, male diabetic Nagoya-Shibata-Yasuda mice were divided into five dietary groups and fed each diet for 8 weeks: AIN-93G diet (low-fat [LF] diet), high-fat (HF) diet, HF diet supplemented with 1% BG, HF diet supplemented with 0.19% BGE, and HF diet supplemented with pioglitazone (PPARγ agonist, 3 mg/kg/day) as a PPARγ agonistic positive control. As determined from glucose and insulin tolerance tests, plasma glucose levels were improved in the BG and BGE groups. The BGE extract suppressed fat accumulation in adipose tissues, liver, and muscles without changing the plasma adiponectin level. In an animal experiment B, in order to investigate the effect of BG and BGE on lipid-induced hypertriglyceridemia, male ddY mice were divided into three test groups: control, BG-administered group (500 mg/kg), and BGE-administered group (100 mg/kg). The plasma triacylglycerol level was not different among the groups during the lipids administration test. These results conclude that the BGE extract containing several kinds of polymethoxy flavones showed PPARγ ligand-binding capacity in vitro and prevented obesity and insulin resistance independent of adiponectin secretion in mice.Practical Application: Kaempferia parviflora, also known as black ginger (BG), is often used as a folk medicine and a functional food material to prevent metabolic syndrome mainly in Asian regions. Here, we have clarified that ethanol extract from BG (BGE) contains several kinds of polymethoxy flavones to show PPARγ ligand-binding capacity and is an active extract for the improvement of obesity and insulin resistance. The BGE is expected to be applied for functional food materials in health food markets. Also, polymethoxy flavones to show PPARγ ligand-binding capacity can be generally applied as a physiological active compound of functional food supplements.

Powdered seed extract from CJ was produced by BHN Co., Ltd. Tokyo, Japan. Oils in the CJ seeds were removed, and then, the residue was extracted with hot water, filtered, and then spray dried. The hot-water extract was used as the saponin-containing sample in this study. Regarding safety as a food material, CJ was considered to be safe since no obvious problems were exhibited by the Ames test, and acute-and 28 days chronic-toxicity tests internal unpublished data. In short, the acute toxicity NOTE Abstract: As the seed extract from Camellia japonica (CJ) contains saponins, inhibitory effects of pancreatic lipase activity and body fat accumulation are expected. To investigate the anti-obesity effect of CJ seed extract, ICR mice were fed with a high-fat diet that was either supplemented or not with 1% CJ seed extract for 53 days. Including CJ seed extract in the high-fat diets of mice increased fecal fat excretion and decreased the body weight gain and lipid parameters in plasma and in the liver. In addition, lipid-induced hypertriglyceridemia was delayed by a single administration of CJ in ddY mice. Small intestinal transit was increased in ddY mice that received the CJ seed extract, but gastric emptying remained unchanged. These data demonstrate that CJ seed extract can suppress excess fat absorption, which can lead to the prevention of diet-induced obesity.

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