Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
2010-2-26
pubmed:abstractText
Shikonin, 5,6-dihydroxyflavone-7-glucuronic acid, is the main ingredient of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc, and was reported to have various biological activities including antiinflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial and others. This study aimed to elucidate, for the first time, the antiobesity activity of shikonin and its mechanism of action. Shikonin was found to inhibit fat droplet formation and triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The half inhibitory concentration, IC(50), for the inhibition of triglyceride accumulation was found to be 1.1 microM. The expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, such as FABP4 and LPL, were significantly inhibited following shikonin treatment. Shikonin also inhibited the ability of PPAR gamma and C/EBP alpha, the major transcription factors of adipogenesis, to bind to their target DNA sequences. The expressions of mRNA and protein of PPAR gamma and C/EBPa were significantly down-regulated following shikonin treatment. Among the upstream regulators of adipogenesis, only SREBP1C was found to be down-regulated by shikonin. The results of this study suggest that shikonin down-regulates the expression of SREBP1C and subsequently the expression of PPAR gamma and C/EBP alpha. Together, these changes result in the down-regulation of lipid metabolizing enzymes and reduced fat accumulation.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
1099-1573
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
(c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
pubmed:issnType
Electronic
pubmed:volume
24
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
344-51
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2010
pubmed:articleTitle
Shikonin inhibits fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't