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Combined effect of sesamin and α-lipoic acid on hepatic fatty acid metabolism in rats

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Abstract

Purpose

Dietary sesamin (1:1 mixture of sesamin and episesamin) decreases fatty acid synthesis but increases fatty acid oxidation in rat liver. Dietary α-lipoic acid lowers hepatic fatty acid synthesis. These changes can account for the serum lipid-lowering effect of sesamin and α-lipoic acid. It is expected that the combination of these compounds in the diet potentially ameliorates lipid metabolism more than the individual compounds. We therefore studied the combined effect of sesamin and α-lipoic acid on lipid metabolism in rats.

Methods

Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed diets supplemented with 0 or 2 g/kg sesamin and containing 0 or 2.5 g/kg α-lipoic acid for 22 days.

Results and conclusions

Sesamin and α-lipoic acid decreased serum lipid concentrations and the combination of these compounds further decreased the parameters in an additive fashion. These compounds reduced the hepatic concentration of triacylglycerol, the lignan being less effective in decreasing this value. The combination failed to cause a stronger decrease in hepatic triacylglycerol concentration. The combination of sesamin and α-lipoic acid decreased the activity and mRNA levels of hepatic lipogenic enzymes in an additive fashion. Sesamin strongly increased the parameters of hepatic fatty acid oxidation enzymes. α-Lipoic acid antagonized the stimulating effect of sesamin of fatty acid oxidation through reductions in the activity of some fatty acid oxidation enzymes and carnitine concentration in the liver. This may account for the failure to observe strong reductions in hepatic triacylglycerol concentration in rats given a diet containing both sesamin and α-lipoic acid.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant-in-aid for scientific research (Scientific Research C, no. 22580143) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology and a grant from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries research project “Development of evaluation and management methods for supply of safe, reliable and functional food and farm produce”.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life, Jumonji University, 2-1-28 Sugasawa, Niiza, Saitama, 352-8510, Japan

    Takashi Ide, Ayana Azechi, Sayaka Kitade, Yoko Kunimatsu, Natsuko Suzuki & Chihiro Nakajima

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  1. Takashi Ide
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  2. Ayana Azechi
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  3. Sayaka Kitade
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Correspondence to Takashi Ide.

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Ide, T., Azechi, A., Kitade, S. et al. Combined effect of sesamin and α-lipoic acid on hepatic fatty acid metabolism in rats. Eur J Nutr 52, 1015–1027 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0408-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0408-3

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