In:
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, Wiley, Vol. 60, No. 2 ( 2016-02), p. 369-380
Abstract:
We studied the impact of dietary supplementation with licorice root components on diet‐induced obesity, fat accumulation, and hepatic steatosis in ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice as a menopause model. Materials and methods We evaluated the molecular and physiological effects of dietary licorice root administered to ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice as root powder (LRP), extracts (LRE), or isolated isoliquiritigenin (ILQ) on reproductive (uterus and mammary gland) and nonreproductive tissues important in regulating metabolism (liver, perigonadal, perirenal, mesenteric, and subcutaneous fat). Quantitative outcome measures including body weight, fat distribution (magnetic resonance imaging), food consumption, bone density and weight (Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry), and gene expression were assessed by the degree of restoration to the preovariectomized health state. We characterized histological (H & E and oil red O staining) and molecular properties (expression of certain disease markers) of these tissues, and correlated these with metabolic phenotype as well as blood levels of bioactives. Conclusion Although LRE and ILQ provided some benefit, LRP was the most effective in reducing body weight gain, overall fat deposition, liver steatosis, and expression of hepatic lipid synthesis genes following ovariectomy. Our data demonstrate that licorice root provided improvement of multiple metabolic parameters under conditions of low estrogen and high‐fat diets without stimulating reproductive tissues.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1613-4125
,
1613-4133
DOI:
10.1002/mnfr.201500445
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2016
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2160372-8
SSG:
12
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