Anti-obesity effects of hot water extract from Wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum.) leaves in mice fed high-fat diets

Abstract

The anti-obesity effects of a hot water extract from wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum.) leaves (WLE), without its specific pungent constituents, such as allyl-isothiocyanate, were investigated in high fat-diet induced mice. C57J/BL mice were fed a high-fat diet (control group) or a high-fat diet supplemented with 5% WLE (WLE group). Physical parameters and blood profiles were determined. Gene expression associated with lipid metabolism in liver and white adipose tissue were analyzed. After 120 days of feeding, significantly lower body weight gain, liver weight and epididymal white adipose tissue weight was observed in the WLE group compared to the control group. In liver gene expression within the WLE group, PPARα was significantly enhanced and SREBP-1c was significantly suppressed. Subsequent downstream genes controlled by these regulators were significantly suppressed. In epididymal white adipose tissue of the WLE group, expression of leptin, PPARγ, and C/EBPα were significantly suppressed and adiponectin was significantly enhanced. Acox, related to fatty acid oxidization in adipocytes, was also enhanced. Our results demonstrate that the WLE dietary supplement induces mild suppression of obesity in a high-fat diet induced mice, possibly due to suppression of lipid accumulation in liver and white adipose tissue.

Anti-obesity Effects of Wasabi Leaf Extract on Rats Fed a High-fat Diet are Related to Upregulation of mRNA Expression of β3-adrenergic Receptors in Interscapular Brown Adipose Tissue

“…High-fat diets are widely used to induce obesity in animal experiments (Kamiya et al, 2012;Maeda et al, 2009;Nishi et al, 2007;Yamasaki et al, 2013). The high-fat diet experimental period in the present study induced a marked weight increase.…”

“…In addition, Yamasaki et al (2013) reported that C57/BL mice fed high-fat diet containing a hot-water extract of wasabi leaves for 163 days showed anti-obesity effects, such as low epididymal WAT weight.…”

“…Therefore, we propose that WLE does not contain a sufficient level of isothiocyanates to activate TRPA1. Yamasaki et al (2013) reported that C57/BL mice fed high-fat diet with a wasabi leaf hot-water extract (without specific pungent components such as allyl isothiocyanate) showed anti-obesity effects. Furthermore, polyphenols are known for their anti-obesity effects (Kamiya et al, 2012;Nishi et al, 2007).…”

“…Specifically, phenylpropanoids, such as 5-hydroxy ferulic acid methyl ester, sinapic acid methyl ester and ferulic acid methyl ester, and carotenoids, such as all-trans-lutein, suppressed triglyceride accumulation in differentiating 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Yamasaki et al (2013) reported that C57/BL mice fed a high-fat diet containing a hot-water extract of wasabi leaves experienced anti-obesity effects. Furthermore, Lee et al (2010) reported that Sprague-Dawley rats fed a diet containing cholesterol and wasabi leaf powder showed anti-hypercholesterolemic effects.…”

Production of Japanese Horseradish (Wasabia japonica (Miq.) Matsumara) in Poland. Chemical Contents of Roots

“…Moreover, a chemical compound extracted from wasabi called 6-(methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate was reported to supress a breast cancer and melanoma cells development (Nomura et al, 2005) as well as human pancreatic cancer cells (Chen et al, 2014). Yamasaki et al (2013) noted that hot water extract from wasabi leaves had an anti-obesity effect on mice. Regarding these health beneficial characteristics and taste attributes, Japanese horseradish may be used as a functional food.…”