Lipase inhibitory activity of chlorophyll a, isofucosterol and saringosterol isolated from chloroform fraction of Sargassum thunbergii.

Three compounds (chlorophyll a, isofucosterol and saringosterol) were isolated from chloroform fraction of Sargassum thunbergii extract. The three compounds had two- to fourfold lower lipase inhibitory activity than that of the CHCl3:MeOH (C:M) (100:1) fraction (fraction I, 83.78% at 1 mg/mL). These results suggested that the high lipase inhibitory activity of fraction I was attributable to the actions of the three compounds. Therefore, S. thunbergii has potential for application as an anti-obesity agent.