Radical scavenging activity and anti-obesity effects in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation of Ssuk (Artemisia princeps Pamp.) extract

Radical scavenging activity of ethanol extracts from ssuk (Artemisia princeps Pampan.) was determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-pycryl-hydrazil (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) methods. Also, anti-obesity effects of ssuk extract were tested in vitro using 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. Total phenolic contents of ssuk extract were 42 mu M tannic acid equivalent/mg and EC50 of ssuk extract for scavenging DPPH and ABTS radicals were 2.02 and 1.03 mg/mL, respectively. Triacylglycerol content in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells treated with 25, 50, and 100 alpha g/mL ssuk extract decreased significantly by 63.3, 67.1, and 71.0%, respectively (p < 0.05) compared to those in untreated cells. Also, ssuk extract induced the down-regulation of adipogenesis-related genes such as PPAR gamma, aP2, ACC, and GPDH. The ssuk extract possessed phenolic compounds with radical scavenging ability and had in vitro anti-obesity effects on 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. These results suggest that the extracts of ssuk may be used as obesity controlling food ingredients.