Polyphenol-rich extracts from Oiltea camellia prevent weight gain in obese mice fed a high-fat diet and slowed the accumulation of triacylglycerols in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

• Oiltea camellia extracts (OCE) prevent high-fat diet induced obesity.
• OCE inhibit fatty acid synthase activity both in vitro and in vivo.
• OCE inhibit adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 cells.

The potential of extracts from Oiltea camellia (OCE) to prevent obesity was investigated using a high-fat diet (HFD) obesity model. Male ICR mice were fed a HFD and treated with OCE or vehicle for 30 days. Oral administration of OCE suppressed increases in body weight and fat storage. Serum levels of total cholesterol and triacylglycerols decreased in OCE treatment groups compared with the HFD group, but high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased. In addition, the activity of fatty acid synthase (FAS) in animal liver was significantly lower in the OCE treatment group. Administration of OCE also inhibited adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner in 3T3-L1 cells, as seen by Oil Red O staining. Our results suggest that OCE may be useful in the treatment of obesity and related disorders in high-fat diet induced obese mice. The metabolic effects of OCE appear to partly be mediated by inhibiting FAS activity and suppressing adipogenesis in adipocytes.