Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Extract

Lithospermum erythrorhizon, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb and functional food ingredient, contains bioactive soluble polysaccharide with documented anti-obesity and metabolic regulatory properties. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the anti-obesity effects of Lithospermum erythrorhizon polysaccharide (LEP) fraction remain poorly characterized. In this study, diet-induced obese (DIO) mice treated with LEP exhibited significant suppression of body weight gain and hepatic lipid deposition, accompanied by improved liver function and elevated systemic energy expenditure. Mechanistic investigations revealed that LEP administration selectively suppressed the intestinal colonization of bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-producing bacterial taxa, leading to increased circulating levels of taurine-conjugated bile acids and enhanced cecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production. Concurrently, LEP activated adipose tissue thermogenesis, as evidenced by upregulated expression of thermogenic markers. Antibiotic-induced gut microbiota ablation abolished these metabolic benefits, whereas fecal microbiota transplantation from LEP-treated mice recapitulated the anti-obesity phenotype in recipient animals. These results establish that LEP ameliorates obesity through a gut microbiota-dependent mechanism involving BSH inhibition, taurine-conjugated bile acid accumulation, SCFAs elevation, and subsequent activation of adipose thermogenic pathways. These findings highlight the potential of LEP as a dietary supplement or microbiota-targeted intervention for obesity management.

Sarcopenia, an age-related disease characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, is a growing concern in the aging population. This study investigated the potential of Gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon, LE) to ameliorate sarcopenia in aged mice and the effect of lithospermic acid (LA), a bioactive compound found in LE, on cellular senescence in aged human skeletal muscle myoblast (HSMM) cells. Nineteen-month-old male C57BL/6 mice were fed a diet supplemented with 0.05% LE for 9 weeks. LE supplementation mitigated age-related loss of muscle mass and function, promoted the transition of muscle fiber type from type I to type II, and reduced markers associated with muscle atrophy. In vitro, LA treatment decreased β-galactosidase activity and senescence marker expression in senescent HSMM cells. These findings suggest that LE may serve as a valuable food resource for the prevention and mitigation of sarcopenia, with LA contributing to its effectiveness.