The purpose of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of beberine-rich fraction of Phellodendri cortex extract (PC) on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. PC effectively prevented TG accumulation in differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Compared to controls, PC at a concentration of 75 μg/mL significantly decreased lipid droplets by 79.5%. Beberine exhibited similar inhibitory effect to that of PC extract, suggesting that fractionated PC extract contained mostly berberine. The expression levels of PAARγ and C/EBPα were significantly reduced by PC treatment. This result consequently led to suppression of expression of LPL, FABP4, CD36, and SCD2, which are target genes of PPARγ and C/EBPα. PC also inhibited protein levels of PPARγ, FABP4, and GLUT4. Accordingly, these results suggest that PC inhibited adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells through PPARγ and CEBPα-related pathways at both transcript and protein levels.

Phellodendri cortex Berberine C/EBPα PPARγ 3T3-L1 Preadipoctye

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