Abstract:The aim of this study was to compare the effects of an ethanol extract of Erjingtiao pepper and purified capsaicin on high-fat diet-induced obesity in mice, and the study provided a theoretical basis for alleviation of high-fat diet-induced obesity by the pepper extract. C57BL/6 mice were subdivided into four groups: normal control group (n=ten), high-fat diet group (n=ten), pepper extract + high-fat diet group (n=ten), and purified capsaicin + high-fat diet group (n=ten). The results showed that compared with purified capsaicin, the pepper extract more effectively suppressed the body weight gain of the mice, decreased fat accumulation and adipocyte size, and reduced the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TGs) in serum, liver, and feces. In the liver and adipose tissues, the expression levels of lipid degradation genes [proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), cholesterol 7 ?-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase Iα (CPT1α)] were significantly decreased in the high-fat diet group, and were significantly increased in the pepper extract + high-fat diet group and purified capsaicin + high-fat diet group. The increased expression of these genes in the pepper extract + high-fat diet group was even higher than that in the purified capsaicin + high-fat diet group. Lipid synthesis-activating genes [proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα)] were upregulated in the high-fat diet group, pepper extract + high-fat diet group, and purified capsaicin + high-fat diet group, but the pepper extract + high-fat diet group showed the smallest increase. Therefore, both the pepper extract and capsaicin can alleviate obesity, but the pepper extract has a better effect.
