Anti‑obesity effects of Actinidia polygama extract in mice with high‑fat diet‑induced obesity.

Actinidia polygama has been used as a herbal folk medicine for treating pain, gout, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation. In the present study, the anti‑obesity properties of Actinidia polygama extract (APE) were investigated in mice with high‑fat diet‑induced obesity. APE treatment of high‑fat diet (HFD)‑fed obese mice significantly reduced body weight, adipose tissue mass and serum triglyceride and leptin levels relative to the HFD‑fed mice. Food intake did not differ between the HFD and HFD+APE groups, although the food efficiency ratio (FER) was significantly decreased in the HFD+APE group compared with the HFD group. Histological examination showed that the sizes of the adipocytes were significantly smaller in the HFD+APE group compared with the HFD group. Serum levels of aspartate transaminase were significantly decreased in the HFD+APE mice compared with the HFD‑fed mice, but serum levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were not significantly changed in the HFD+APE mice compared with the levels in the normal diet (ND)‑fed and HFD‑fed mice. These results suggest that APE may be useful for treating metabolic diseases, including obesity and hyperlipidemia, without toxic side‑effects.