A Phellinus baumii extract reduces obesity in high-fat diet-fed mice and absorption of triglyceride in lipid-loaded mice

This study evaluated the anti-obesity effects of Phellinus baumii extract (PBE) in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Male 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, normal chow diet plus vehicle; HFD-control, high-fat plus vehicle; HFD plus orlistat (Xenical®, Roche, Basel, Switzerland) (50 mg/kg); and HFD plus PBE (500 mg/kg). PBE was administered daily by oral gavage for 12 weeks. Oral administration of PBE (500 mg/kg) significantly reduced body weight gain, hepatic lipid concentrations, and fat accumulation in epididymal adipocytes compared with mice fed HFD alone (P < .05). mRNA expression of genes related to triglyceride (TG) synthesis was suppressed in the PBE groups, and fatty acid synthase activity was also significantly inhibited (P < .05). Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of PBE on TG absorption and detected marked reduction in TG absorption in Xenical- and PBE-treated mice compared with the control group (P < .05). To determine the active compound of PBE, fractionation was conducted, and interfungin A, davallialactone, and hypholomine B were identified as the main compounds. Among the three identified compounds, as a representative compound, davallialactone was also shown to suppress fat accumulation in an in vitro model system. These anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects appear to be partly mediated by suppressing plasma and hepatic fat accumulation through the inhibition of enzymes associated with hepatic and intestinal lipid absorption and synthesis.