Isoflavone-enriched soybean (Glycine max) leaves prevents ovariectomy-induced obesity by enhancing fatty acid oxidation

• Main Authors: Cheng-liang Xie, Sang Soo Kang, Kye Man Cho, Ki Hun Park, Dong Hoon Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018-04-01
• Series: Journal of Functional Foods
• Subjects: Isoflavone-enriched soybean leaves (IESLs); Glycine max; Ovariectomy; Anti-obesity; Fatty acid oxidation
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464618300598

Dietary isoflavones have been gaining increased interest in the field of functional foods due to their ability to ameliorate several postmenopausal symptoms. Using ovariectomized (OVX) rats supplemented with isoflavone-enriched soybean leaves (IESLs), we investigated the effect of dietary isoflavones on menopausal-associated obesity. Oral administration of IESLs significantly reduced OVX-induced weight gain and visceral fat mass. Additionally, IESLs significantly ameliorated OVX-induced hepatic steatosis as reflected by decreased triacylglycerol accumulation in the liver and decreased serum alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase levels. These anti-obesity effects of IESLs were confirmed to be due to enhanced fatty acid oxidation via up-regulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha, peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that IESLs may be an effective functional food-based approach to protect against menopause-associated obesity.