Dietary Cyanidin 3-O-β-D-Glucoside-Rich Purple Corn Color Prevents Obesity and Ameliorates Hyperglycemia in Mice

Abstract

Anthocyanins, which are used as a food coloring, are widely distributed in human diets, suggesting that we ingest large amounts of anthocyanins from plant-based foods. Mice were fed control, cyanidin 3-glucoside-rich purple corn color (PCC), high fat (HF) or HF + PCC diet for 12 wk. Dietary PCC significantly suppressed the HF diet-induced increase in body weight gain, and white and brown adipose tissue weights. Feeding the HF diet markedly induced hypertrophy of the adipocytes in the epididymal white adipose tissue compared with the control group. In contrast, the induction did not occur in the HF + PCC group. The HF diet induced hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia. These perturbations were completely normalized in rats fed HF + PCC. An increase in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA level occurred in the HF group and was normalized by dietary PCC. These results suggest that dietary PCC may ameliorate HF diet-induced insulin resistance in mice. PCC suppressed the mRNA levels of enzymes involved in fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis and lowered the sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 mRNA level in white adipose tissue. These down-regulations may contribute to triacylglycerol accumulation in white adipose tissue. Our findings provide a biochemical and nutritional basis for the use of PCC or anthocyanins as a functional food factor that may have benefits for the prevention of obesity and diabetes.

Blood orange juice inhibits fat accumulation in mice

“…Previous reports 23,24 have shown that supplementation of 320 mg day -1 kg -1 23 of C3G or 160 mg day -1 kg -1 24 of anthocyanins through the food pellets reduces fat accumulation in mice.…”

“…It is noteworthy that blood oranges are characterized by a high content in anthocyanins, in particular C3G, reported to attenuate obesity and ameliorate insulin resistance when supplemented to HFD fed mice. 23 However, a large consumption of orange juice, despite its healthy effects, has the potential to contribute to overweight because of its sugar (10%B w/v), in particular fructose (B2.5%w/v) content.…”

“…It has been already shown that the food matrix, that is, the dietary source, might be also relevant to determine the effect of anthocyanins on fat accumulation. 23,24 Finally, administration modalities might also influence compound intake. For example, administration of ascorbic acid was more effective in counteracting oxidative stress when provided through orange juice than when supplemented as a simple water solution.…”

“…21 Importantly, several in vivo studies in rodents showed that cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), the most abundant anthocyanin present in blood oranges, also reduces body weight, fat accumulation and high fat-induced diabetes. [23][24][25][26] However, the overall effect of orange juice consumption on weight gain is still controversial mainly owing to its sugar content.…”

Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits

“…Based on a previous study, obese mice fed a diet rich in cyanidin-3-glucoside from purple corn for 12 weeks have reduced body weight, as well as decreases in white and brown adipose tissue weights [100]. The study demonstrates that hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and an increase in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a) mRNA level occurred in the obese rats are normalized when treated with purple corn diet.…”