Persimmon vinegar ripening with the mountain-cultivated ginseng ingestion reduces blood lipids and lowers inflammatory cytokines in obese adolescents.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of the vinegar, which is made of 4-year-old mountain-cultivated ginseng ripened into 4-year-matured persimmon vinegar, on the blood lipids level and inflammatory cytokines concentration in obese female adolescents.
METHODS: Subjects ingested the vinegar, so-called 'mountain-cultivated ginseng persimmon vinegar (MPV)', without meals every day for 6 weeks with activities control. Subjects were grouped into control (CON), persimmon vinegar (PV), and MPV with 10 people in each group. Blood lipids, triglyceride (TG), total-cholesterol (TC), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were analyzed. Also, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were analyzed for the hepatotoxicity. Blood cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) were analyzed.
RESULTS: Subjects showed a high reduction in body weight and body fat. Their blood lipid level was effectively improved, and the secretion of inflammatory cytokine was suppressed as well, except for TNF-α. However, the change ratio of the cytokines was high in PV and MPV. Such results were similar to those from research subjects who took persimmon vinegar only (PV), but the effect of the vinegar (MPV) was more remarkable. Besides, this mixture was found to have no effect on the hepatotoxicity.
CONCLUSION: The significance of this study is that all the experiments were conducted without controlling research subjects' daily lives, and it is suggested that the vinegar may be recommended as a kind of health supplement food to suppress obesity. Especially, since these two products are traditional foods of Korean people, which have been taken for ages, it is expected that the fusing of two foods may be better applied to ordinary people who are concerned about obesity.

INTRODUCTION

In the past, obesity was regarded just as a phenomenon; however, it is now a contagious disease, which is controlled by WHO and Korean health authority, with disease classification code (E65-E68) corresponding to obesity within endocrine system disorder, nutrition disorder, metabolic disease, and other hyperalimentation. Especially, it is possible to know that comprehensive management on excess fat is the focus, because localized adiposity, obesity, other hyperalimentation, and sequelae of hyperalimentation are all included [1].

The adolescents and adults have more possibility of exposure to obesity, because they choose their meals [2,3] in accordance with the variables in the rapidly changing social structure [4]. Accordingly, studies on the nutrition control and the effect of exercise are being conducted continuously, to decrease excess fat in body by the following means: intake calorie limitation [5], exercise [6], and combination of diet therapy and exercise [7]. Even if one may have succeeded in weight control through diet therapy, exercise therapy, or surgery therapy, it is still difficult to maintain the decreased weight due to the yo-yo syndrome. The big expenditure [8] to resolve this issue is another reason for such studies. Therefore, it is judged that an approach with new viewpoint would be required to resolve the issue of obesity.

Obesity includes chronic inflammatory response [9], and it is related to pathogenesis mechanism of inflammatory response at hypothalamus [10]. In general, immunity response is improved by exercise training [11]; however, excess exercise can also cause disease by boosting the production of cytokine [12]. Calorie limitation improves health and extends the life of a monkey [13]; however, there is a report that dietary limitation [14,15] or starvation for a long time [16] weakens immunity response. In the case of obesity by weight-cycling, it has been reported that the immunity metabolism should be interpreted differently from the existing interpretation, and it should be investigated again [17]. Therefore, an easier solution for relieving obesity is required.

Meanwhile, persimmon vinegar, which is one of traditional foods, contains various organic acids and amino acids. If persimmon vinegar is taken before exercise, it increases free fatty acid in blood, keeps low respiration exchange ratio, and promotes oxidization [18]. Meanwhile, mountain-cultivated ginseng has high concentration of phenol compound [19] and various ginsenosides [20]. It has been reported that taking mountain-cultivated ginseng decreases blood lipids [21] and restricts inflammatory response by ginsenosides [22]. Another literature reports that taking mountain-cultivated ginseng ripened into persimmon vinegar (MPV) improves blood lipids, enhances anti-oxidized function, and increases energy metabolism [23]. However, all of these existing studies were based on rodents, and there is no study based on an actual application to human body. As interest on health has increased recently, various vinegar drinks are increasing introduced in the market. Therefore, it is judged that a study applying the results confirmed on rodents to human body would be meaningful.

Therefore, this study will use MPV, which is prepared by mixing the mountain-cultivated ginseng with persimmon vinegar, according to the method suggested in literature previously reported [24]. Obese female university students will take MPV for a long time, without any control over daily living, any encouragement on exercise training, or meal education.; and the changes in blood lipid and the concentration of proinflammatory cytokine will be investigated. This study will verify whether taking MPV, which is a mixture of Korean persimmon vinegar and the mountain-cultivated ginseng, would be an easier way for the relief of obesity.

METHODS

Subjects

Initially, 56 obese female university students were chosen with body fat percentage of 27% or more, as measured by a device utilizing bioelectrical impedance method (InBody 720, Biospace, Korea). Then, 30 obese female university students out of 56 were selected, in order to align the age, height, and weight at the similar level as control group (CON), persimmon vinegar taking group (PV), and mountain-cultivated ginseng ripened with persimmon vinegar taking group (MPV). Each group had 10 obese female university students. Explanation was given to the chosen subjects about the food to take. We promised to supply MPV to CON group and PV group, even after the study period. Blood-gathering and partial body exposures during the study period were also explained, and their consent was obtained. We did not restrict meal, alcohol drinking, snack, physical activity, or periodical exercise of the subjects during the study period. We also asked the subjects not to try any weight decrease by dietary control, including fasting or eating less. The basic ethics for study followed the 1964 Helsinki Declaration. The general physical characteristics of the subjects are shown in .