[Medicinal plant and its related metabolic modulators]

We suggested a strategy for identifying anti-obesity drugs. The strategy aimed to prevent obesity through inhibiting intestinal absorption of dietary fat. Intestinal absorption of dietary fat was found to be reduced by tea saponin and chitosan through inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity, by chondroitin sulfate through inhibiting both pancreatic lipase activity and fatty acid absorption, and by lactosucrose through inhibiting beta-monoglyceride absorption. All these functional substances reduced plasma triglyceride levels previously elevated by oral administration of a lipid emulsion containing corn oil. Furthermore, these substances were found to cause reduction in perimetrial adipose tissue weight, which had been elevated by oral administration of a high fat diet (containing 40% of beef tallow) to female mice. Based on these results, a strategy for identifying anti-obesity drugs was discussed.