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Extensive Screening for Plant Foodstuffs in Okinawa, Japan with Anti-Obese Activity on Adipocytes In Vitro

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Abstract

To search for plant foodstuffs with potent anti-obese activity, we conducted a large scale screening based on the inhibitory activity on adipogenesis and the facilitating activity on adipolysis in vitro. That is, inhibition of intracellular lipid accumulation and facilitation of lipid degradation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were extensively screened from ethanol and hexane extracts of approximately 100 kinds of plant foodstuffs marketed in Okinawa prefecture, which has been famous for the highest prevalence of exceptionally long-lived individuals in the world. Among them thirty one foodstuffs showed potent inhibitory activity on intracellular lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, whereas only four foodstuffs showed clear facilitating effect on lipid degradation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Although further study to examine the in vivo effects on adipogenesis and adipolysis is required, this is the first study to investigate anti-obese characteristics of wide range of traditional Okinawa foodstuffs so that the results give useful information to take another look at Okinawa food culture.

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Abbreviations

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium

CS:

calf serum

FCS:

fetal calf serum

IBMX:

3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine

DEX:

dexamethasone

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant of the Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration, Okinawa 2006.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Functional Food Materials, Sunny Health Holdings Co., Ltd., Saito Biotechnology Incubator, 7-7-15 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0085, Japan

    Yoshimi Niwano, Fumiaki Beppu & Taichi Shimada

  2. Department of Life Science, Okayama University of Science, 1-1 Ridai-Cho, Okayama, 700-0005, Japan

    Rika Kyan & Hiroki Hamada

  3. Biremo Okinawa Co., Ltd., 804 Shiodaira, Itoman, Okinawa, 901-0302, Japan

    Kazumasa Yasura & Minori Tamaki

  4. Nansei Shoto Industrial Advancement Center, 3-15-9 Kumoji, Arute Bldg., Naha, Okinawa, 900-0015, Japan

    Michinori Nishino & Yoshiyuki Midorikawa

Authors
  1. Yoshimi Niwano
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  2. Fumiaki Beppu
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  3. Taichi Shimada
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  4. Rika Kyan
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  5. Kazumasa Yasura
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  6. Minori Tamaki
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  7. Michinori Nishino
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  8. Yoshiyuki Midorikawa
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  9. Hiroki Hamada
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Correspondence to Yoshimi Niwano.

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Niwano, Y., Beppu, F., Shimada, T. et al. Extensive Screening for Plant Foodstuffs in Okinawa, Japan with Anti-Obese Activity on Adipocytes In Vitro . Plant Foods Hum Nutr 64, 6–10 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-008-0102-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-008-0102-z

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