HM-chromanone suppresses lipid accumulation by modulating AMPK/SREBP-1c pathway in ob/ob mice

This study investigated whether HM-chromanone, a bioactive compound isolated from Portulaca oleracea L., inhibits lipid accumulation in adipose tissue and liver of C57BL/6J ob/ob mice. C57BL/6J mice were used for the normal group and C57BL/6J ob/ob mice were randomly divided into three groups: ob/ob, metformin and HM-chromanone. In the HM-chromanone group, body and liver weight, fat mass and fat size were significantly lower than that in the ob/ob group. The HM-chromanone group also showed lower serum lipid levels and hepatic lipid accumulation compared with the ob/ob group. HM-chromanone administration significantly activated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in adipose tissue and liver. These results suggest that HM-chromanone potentially suppresses lipid accumulation by modulating AMPK/SREBP-1c pathway in adipose tissue and liver of ob/ob mice.