Isoflavone-enriched soybean (Glycine max) leaves prevents ovariectomy-induced obesity by enhancing fatty acid oxidation

Dietary isoflavones have been gaining increased interest in the field of functional foods due to their ability to ameliorate several postmenopausal symptoms. Using ovariectomized (OVX) rats supplemented with isoflavone-enriched soybean leaves (IESLs), we investigated the effect of dietary isoflavones on menopausal-associated obesity. Oral administration of IESLs significantly reduced OVX-induced weight gain and visceral fat mass. Additionally, IESLs significantly ameliorated OVX-induced hepatic steatosis as reflected by decreased triacylglycerol accumulation in the liver and decreased serum alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase levels. These anti-obesity effects of IESLs were confirmed to be due to enhanced fatty acid oxidation via up-regulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha, peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase 1, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that IESLs may be an effective functional food-based approach to protect against menopause-associated obesity.