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7336535 
Journal Article 
Lipid-Lowering Effects of Medium-Chain Triglyceride-Enriched Coconut Oil in Combination with Licorice Extracts in Experimental Hyperlipidemic Mice 
Lee, EJ; Oh, H; Kang, BG; Kang, MK; Kim, DY; Kim, YH; Lee, JY; Ji, JG; Lim, SS; Kang, YH 
2018 
Yes 
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
ISSN: 0021-8561
EISSN: 1520-5118 
American Chemical Society 
66 
40 
10447-10457 
English 
Coconut oil has gained in popularity over recent years as a healthy oil due to its potential cardiovascular benefits. Coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT) including lauric acid and capric acid that display beneficial properties in human health. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is used as a sweetener and in traditional Chinese medicine with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. This study investigated the in vivo effects of medium chain-triglycerides (MCT)-coconut oil (MCO) and its combination with licorice extract (LE-MCO) on serum lipid profile, hepatic steatosis, and local fat pad proteins in diet-induced obese mice. No liver toxicity was observed in 45% fat diet (HFD)-fed mice orally treated with LE, MCO, and LE-MCO for 12 weeks. Their supplementation reduced HFD-enhanced body weight, blood glucose, and insulin in mice. Plasma levels of both PLTP and LCAT were boosted in LE-MCO-administered mice. Supplementation of LE-MCO diminished plasma levels of TG and TC with concomitant reduction of the LDL-C level and tended to raise blood HDL-C level compared to that of HFD alone-mice. Treatment of LE-MCO encumbered the hepatic induction of hepatosteatosis-related proteins of SREBP2, SREBP1c, FAS, ACC, and CD36 in HFD-fed mice. Substantial suppression of this induction was also observed in the liver of mice treated with MCO. Oral administration of LE-MCO to HFD mice boosted hepatic activation of AMPK and the induction of UCP-1 and FATP1 in brown fat. Conversely, LE-MCO disturbed hepatic PPAR-LXR-RXR signaling in HFD-fed animals and reversed HFD-elevated epididymal PPARγ. Collectively, oral administration of LE-MCO may impede hyperlipidemia and hepatosteatosis through curtailing hepatic lipid synthesis. © 2018 American Chemical Society. 
brown fat; coconut oil; epididymal fat; fatty liver; hyperlipidemia; licorice extracts; Blood; Chains; Medical applications; Medicine; Plants (botany); Proteins; Saturated fatty acids; Vegetable oils; Anti-oxidant activities; Coconut oil; Fatty liver; Hyperlipidemia; licorice extracts; Lipid-lowering effects; Medium chain triglycerides; Traditional Chinese Medicine; Mammals; antilipemic agent; coconut oil; insulin; plant extract; sterol regulatory element binding protein 1; triacylglycerol; animal; C57BL mouse; chemistry; coconut; diet therapy; drug effect; female; genetics; glucose blood level; Glycyrrhiza; human; hyperlipidemia; lipogenesis; liver; male; metabolism; mouse; mouse mutant; Animals; Blood Glucose; Coconut Oil; Cocos; Female; Glycyrrhiza; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Hypolipidemic Agents; Insulin; Lipogenesis; Liver; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Obese; Plant Extracts; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1; Triglycerides