Anti-Obesity and Anti-Diabetic Activities of Fermented Schizandrae Fructus Pomace Extract in Mice Fed with High-Fat Diet

Abstract

Obesity is implicated as a factor in several serious metabolic conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes. This study aimed at the development of more potent and safer alternative medications to address these metabolic diseases with minimal side effects. Following oral administration of 400, 200, and 100 of mg/kg fermented Schizandrae fructus pomace extracts (fSFP) once daily for 84 days to high-fat diet (HFD)-supplied ICR mice, respectively, we measured liver enzyme activity related to glucose metabolism, gene expression related to fat metabolism, anti-obesity effect, liver and kidney protection effect, and anti-diabetic effect to confirm the effect of fSFP on improving related complications including obesity and diabetes. In the HFD control group, significant obesity and type II diabetes symptoms were developed. However, oral administration of 200 mg/kg of fSFP showed a protective effect on kidney damage and diabetes complications related to insulin-resistant type II diabetes mellitus, as well as oxidative stress-induced abnormalities in glucose and fat metabolism, comparable to that of metformin 250 mg/kg, a positive control. The major bioactive substance in fSFP was identified as shizandrin, which was quantitated as 1.25 mg/g (w/w). Therefore, fSFP extracts can be taken as a medicinal food in combating obesity and diabetes, two current major health concerns.