Kombucha enables to inhibit digestive enzymes activity and adipocyte differentiation of OP9 cells

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• Obesity is a global epidemic with limited effective treatments.
• Functional foods are being explored for anti-obesity properties.
• Kombucha, a fermented tea, is gaining interest for its health benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the obesity prevention potential of oolong tea kombucha (OTK) and yellow tea kombucha (YTK).
• To assess the impact of fermentation on the antioxidant capacity and enzyme inhibitory activities of these teas.
• To investigate the anti-adipogenic effects of OTK and YTK in vitro.

Main Methods:

• In vitro fermentation of oolong and yellow teas to produce kombucha.
• Quantification of total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity.
• Assay of α-amylase and lipase inhibitory activities.
• Evaluation of anti-adipogenic effects using a mouse OP9 cell model, assessing key gene expressions (FABP4, PPARγ, C/EBPα, SERBP-1C).

Main Results:

• Fermentation significantly increased total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity in both OTK and YTK.
• OTK and YTK demonstrated enhanced inhibition of α-amylase and lipase post-fermentation.
• Both OTK and YTK downregulated adipocyte differentiation-related genes (FABP4, PPARγ, C/EBPα, SERBP-1C) in vitro.

Conclusions:

• Kombucha derived from oolong and yellow tea exhibits significant potential for obesity prevention.
• These functional beverages can aid in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism by inhibiting digestive enzymes and adipocyte differentiation.
• Further in vivo and clinical studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy of kombucha in obesity intervention.