Antiobesity Effects of Extract from Spergularia marina Griseb in Adipocytes and High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Obesity has recently risen and become a serious health concern in Korea according to the westernized diet and altered lifestyle. Hence, there is a growing interest in the supplementation of phytochemicals to find a safe and effective functional ingredient to treat obesity. Spergularia marina Griseb (SM) has traditionally been used as a natural herb against chronic diseases in Korea. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity effects of SM in vitro and in vivo. SM ethanol extract (SME) inhibited proliferation and differentiation in murine adipocytes and primary porcine pre-adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In the in vivo study, supplementation of SM powder (SMP) remarkably attenuated fat accumulation in HFD-induced obese rats. In addition, SMP supplementation improved lipid profiles in the serum and tissues of high-fat induced obese rats. Collectively, these data indicated that SME exhibited antiobesity effects by modulating adipogenesis and lipolysis. Furthermore, SMP could be developed as an obesity-induced metabolic syndrome treatment.

A new record of Spergularia marina (Caryophyllaceae) from southern Poland

Spergularia marina, a rare native halophyte and nationally vulnerable species, is reported from a new locality in southern Poland. It was found on 14 September 2016 in Mogilany, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, growing between paving stones at the Zakopianka road. Map of distribution of S. marina in Poland based on the ATPOL cartogram method is provided, and its possible pathways of introduction are discussed.