(P20-035-25) Aster yomena Extracts Mitigate Adipose Tissue Inflammation and Obesity in High-Fat Diet-Induced Mice

Objectives: Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation driven by cytokine signaling, contributing to adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Aster yomena (AY), a perennial herb traditionally used in South Korea for treating disorders including coughs and asthma, has recently been identified for its anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the effects of 50% ethanolic AY extracts on fat accumulation and inflammatory cytokine levels in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were divided into five groups: 10 Kcal% fat diet as the normal control (NC), 60 Kcal% HFD control (HC), HFD with AY 100 mg/kg BW (AY100), HFD with AY 200 mg/kg BW (AY200), or HFD with Garcinia cambogia (1 g/kg BW; GC) for 12 weeks. Fat distribution was assessed through micro-CT imaging, and inflammatory cytokine levels were analyzed using the Olink 48 cytokine panel for cytokine profiling.

Results: AY significantly attenuated body weight gain and reduced subcutaneous and visceral fat volumes, as quantified by micro-CT analysis. The mass of white adipose tissue pads was reduced. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed extensive F4/80-positive macrophage infiltration in the HC group, indicative of adipose tissue inflammation. AY treatment, particularly at 200 mg/kg BW, markedly decreased F4/80-positive cells comparable to the NC group. Multidimensional scaling of pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles showed a pattern similar to the NC following the AY200 group, with reduced individual cytokine levels relative to the HC group.

Conclusions: AY supplementation effectively mitigated adipose tissue inflammation and suppressed fat accumulation, demonstrating its potential as a functional ingredient for the prevention and management of obesity and related metabolic disorders.

Funding Sources: This work was carried out with the support of “Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development” (Project no. PJ01725902), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.