Nutrition
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Partially purified hexane phase (HP) of Peucedanum japonicum Thunb (PJT) was identified as an antiobesity candidate. However, the compound responsible for the antiobesity activity remained unknown. Thus, in this study we isolated the active compound, to determine the mechanisms related to antiobesity activity in vitro. ⋯ Our study demonstrated that pteryxin in PJT plays the key role in regulating the lipid metabolism-related gene network and improving energy production in vitro. Thus, the results suggest pteryxin as a new natural compound to be used as an antiobesity drug in the pharmaceutical industry.
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Liver fibrosis and subsequent cirrhosis is a major cause of death worldwide, but few effective antifibrotic therapies are reported. Whey-hydrolyzed peptide (WHP), a major peptide component of bovine milk, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in experimental models. A WHP-enriched diet is widely used for immunomodulating diets (IMD) in clinical fields. However, the effects of WHP on liver fibrosis remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifibrotic effects of WHP in a rat cirrhosis model. ⋯ A WHP-enriched IMD effectively prevented progression of DMN-induced liver fibrosis in rats via a direct hepatocyte-protective effect and an antioxidant effect through glutathione synthesis.