Purified Betacyanins from Hylocereus undatus Peel Ameliorate Obesity and Insulin Resistance in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

J Agric Food Chem. 2016 Jan 13;64(1):236-44. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b05177. Epub 2015 Dec 24.

Abstract

Natural bioactive compounds in food have been shown to be beneficial in preventing the development of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. Increasing evidence indicates that betacyanins possess free-radical-scavenging and antioxidant activities, suggesting their beneficial effects on metabolic disorders. The main objective of this study was to isolate and identify the betaycanins from Hylocereus undatus (white-fleshed pitaya) peel and evaluate their ability to ameliorate obesity, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis in high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. The purified pitaya peel betacyanins (PPBNs) were identified by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), and the male C57BL/6 mice were fed a low-fat diet, HFD, or HFD supplemented with PPBNs for 14 weeks. Our results showed that the white-fleshed pitaya peel contains 14 kinds of betacyanins and dietary PPBNs reduced HFD-induced body weight gain and ameliorated adipose tissue hypertrophy, hepatosteatosis, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance. Moreover, the hepatic gene expression analysis indicated that PPBN supplementation increased the expression levels of lipid-metabolism-related genes (AdipoR2, Cpt1a, Cpt1b, Acox1, PPARγ, Insig1, and Insig2) and FGF21-related genes (β-Klotho and FGFR1/2) but decreased the expression level of Fads2, Fas, and FGF21, suggesting that the protective effect of PPBNs might be associated with the induced fatty acid oxidation, decreased fatty acid biosynthesis, and alleviated FGF21 resistance.

Keywords: Hylocereus undatus peel; betacyanins; hepatic steatosis; insulin resistance; obesity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Betacyanins / administration & dosage*
  • Betacyanins / chemistry
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Cactaceae / chemistry*
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / drug therapy*
  • Obesity / genetics
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Triglycerides / metabolism

Substances

  • Betacyanins
  • Blood Glucose
  • Insulin
  • Plant Extracts
  • Triglycerides