Pancreatic lipase catalyzes the cleavage of triacylglycerols at the oil–water interface, and is known as the dominant determiner of dietary fat digestion. Reducing dietary fat digestion and absorption by modulating the activity of pancreatic lipase has become a favorable strategy to tackle obesity. Orlistat is, at present, the only pancreatic lipase inhibitor approved for the treatment of obesity; however, an array of gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with orlistat limits its tolerability. As a safe alternative to orlistat, a number of natural product-derived compounds with varying degrees of pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity have been reported. We herein reported that bioactivity-guided fractionation of sesame meal led to the identification of free linoleic acid and oleic acid as potent inhibitors of porcine pancreatic lipase in vitro with an IC50 of 23.1 µg/mL (82.4 µM) and 11.7 µg/mL (41.4 µM), respectively. In rats, a single oral dose of the mixture of these fatty acids significantly suppressed the elevation of blood triacylglycerol level following fat intake. These results substantiate the role of free linoleic acid and oleic acid as a novel class of natural product-derived functional molecules that act as pancreatic lipase inhibitors, and their potential for healthy, routine-based weight management.

A great number of chemically diverse pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitors have been identified to tackle obesity; however, very few of them have entered clinical studies. The ethanolic extract of sesame meal is a potent PL inhibitor, and its activity hinges exclusively on two free fatty acids: linoleic acid and oleic acid, which were proven to reduce postprandial triglyceride excursion in rats. Herein, to investigate the clinical efficacy of the sesame meal extract, in a crossover trial, 30 healthy volunteers were randomized to receive the sesame meal extract containing experimental food or placebo along with a high-fat meal. Treatment with the sesame meal extract significantly lowered the incremental postprandial serum triglyceride concentration and reduced the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) by 16.8% (p-value = 0.03) compared to placebo. Significant decreases in postprandial remnant-like lipoprotein particle cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein particles were also observed, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased. These results suggest that treatment with the sesame meal extract significantly reduced the postprandial excursion of triglycerides and improved the lipidemic profile after high dietary fat intake in healthy individuals, indicating the substantial potential of free linoleic acid and oleic acid and natural products rich in these compounds for the management of obesity and related conditions.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health issue in Japan and other countries, and foods that prevent or treat OA are in strong demand. Proteins and peptides in chicken meat and bones are known for being rich in functional and nutritional ingredients for the improvement of osteoporosis. We speculated that chicken legs, a food consumed in many regions of the world, may also contain such ingredients. In this study, we aim to (i) evaluate the effect of chicken leg extract (CLE) on the promotion of cartilage matrix production and (ii) identify the active ingredient in CLE that contributes to this function. Artificial CLE digest was prepared, and the acid mucopolysaccharide production-promoting activity of the CLE digest was evaluated by alcian blue staining of ATDC5 cells. CLE was orally administered to rabbits with burr holes in the knee joint of the femur, and the degree of regeneration of cartilage matrix was evaluated. Furthermore, we investigated orally administered CLE-derived peptides in human plasma using LC-MS. From measuring the acid mucopolysaccharide production-promotion activity of these peptides, a molecule considered to be an active ingredient in the CLE digest was identified. CLE digest promoted acid mucopolysaccharide production and facilitated regeneration of cartilage matrix in in vitro and in vivo experiments. Four peptides including phenylalanyl-hydroxyproline (Phe-Hyp) were detected as CLE-derived peptides in human plasma. The effect of CLE was inferred to be due to Phe-Hyp, which was confirmed to be present in the CLE digest. It was shown that CLE stimulated the production of articular cartilage matrix both in vitro and in vivo, and that CLE could be an effective food for preventing or treating OA. Furthermore, only Phe-Hyp was confirmed as the active compound in the CLE digest, suggesting that the activity of CLE was due to Phe-Hyp.

The effects of levocarnitine chloride [LC-80, (-)-(R)-(3-carboxy-2-hydroxypropyl)-trimethylammonium chloride] on the oxidation of [U-14C]palmitate, [U-14C]glucose and [2-3H]glucose under hypoxic conditions in homogenates from the rat heart were investigated. LC-80 at concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 mM caused significant and concentration-dependent increases in the depressed 14CO2 production from [U-14C]palmitate or [U-14C]-glucose oxidation under hypoxia up to 50 min after the addition of LC-80. In contrast, a marked increase in 3H2O production from [2-3H]glucose oxidation under hypoxia was observed, and LC-80 at concentrations of 0.5 and 1.0 mM caused further significant and concentration-dependent enhancement of 3H2O production up to 50 min after the addition of LC-80. Moreover, LC-80 at a concentrations of 1.0 mM significantly restored the marked depression of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity and mitochondrial respiratory function under hypoxia. These results suggested that LC-80 has an improving effect on myocardial metabolism under ischemia by enhancing fatty acid and glucose metabolisms.

Background: Our search for plant-derived ceramides from sustainable sources led to the discovery of ceramides and glucosylceramides in wine lees. Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of wine lees extract (WLE)-derived ceramides and glucosylceramides in enhancing skin barrier function. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 30 healthy Japanese subjects aged 20–64. Subjects were allocated to receive either the WLE-derived ceramides and glucosylceramides (test group) or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and secondary outcomes included skin hydration, visual analog scale (VAS) of itching sensation, and the Japanese Skindex-29. Results: One participant withdrew for personal reasons, resulting in 29 subjects for data analysis (placebo n = 15; test n = 14). The test group showed a tendency of lower TEWL compared to the placebo after 8 weeks (p = 0.07). Furthermore, after 12 weeks of administration, the test group had significantly lower TEWL than the placebo (p = 0.04). On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in the secondary outcome parameters. No adverse events related to the supplements were reported. Conclusions: Oral supplementation of WLE-derived ceramides and glucosylceramides is a prominent and safe approach to enhancing skin barrier function and health. Trial registration: (UMIN000050422).

Dietary gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) provides physiological benefits and has been extensively studied for its metabolic effects such as reducing stress, hypertension, improving sleep and cognitive function. However, its effects, when combined with exercise training, on endurance exercise capacity remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the combined effects of dietary GABA supplementation and exercise training on endurance performance in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. Mice were divided into four groups: (1) control (standard diet, no training), (2) GABA (GABA-supplemented diet, no training), (3) training (standard diet, treadmill training), and (4) GABA-training (GABA-supplemented diet, treadmill training). Skeletal muscle samples were analyzed for molecular and metabolic changes. The findings demonstrated that dietary GABA supplementation significantly increased the treadmill endurance time, with the most pronounced effect observed in the GABA-training group. Mechanistic analysis revealed that these endurance improvements were associated with enhanced activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α), glycogen storage, and mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle. These findings suggest that dietary GABA supplementation enhances exercise-induced adaptations and endurance performance by modulating key metabolic pathways and may serve as a valuable dietary supplement for athletes and physically active individuals seeking to improve endurance capacity.