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Anti-obesity and immunomodulatory effects of Allium hookeri leaves cultivated with artificial light of different intensities on immune-depressed obese mice

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Allium hookeri (AH) leaves cultivated with different light-emitting diode (LED) intensities (L: low, 100 μmol/m 2 /s; M: medium, 150 μmol/m 2 /s; H: high, 200 μmol/m 2 /s). Alliin concentration increased as light intensity increased in AH and showed the highest level at LED-H condition. The anti-obesity and immunomodulatory properties of AH were evaluated in a cyclophosphamide (CPA)-induced immunosuppressed obese animal model. C57BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into control (CON), high-fat diet (HFD) control (CON-H), negative control (NC), positive control (PC, β-glucan, 50 mg/kg body weight (BW)), AH L, M, and H groups. The three kinds of AH extracts were orally administered to the mice at 300 mg/kg BW for 2 weeks. Except for CON and CON-H, all the other groups were intraperitoneally treated with CPA. Epididymal and abdominal fat weight decreased as LED intensity increased while spleen weight increased in the AH groups. Serum glucose decreased as LED intensity increased in the AH groups and H group showed the lowest level. Triglycerides, total, and LDL-cholesterol levels decreased while HDL-cholesterol level increased in the AH groups compared to the NC group. Moreover, AH effectively reduced serum ALT and AST levels and increased the total white blood cell count, particularly elevating lymphocyte and monocyte levels. Furthermore, NK cell activity was higher in the AH groups. These findings suggest that AH cultivated at optimal LED intensity could be used as a novel biomedicine and in pharmacotherapy to treat related diseases to improve public health without any toxicity. • High intensity of artificial light (200 μmol/m 2 /s) showed the highest allium content in A. hookeri leaves (AH). • Artificial light intensity significantly affects functional activities of AH. • AH decreases LED density dependently blood glucose and fat tissue weights and controls serum cholesterol levels. • AH improves immune response, white blood cell count and NK cell activity in immune suppressed mice.

Source: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117393