Multi-tissue lipotoxicity caused by high-fat diet feeding is attenuated by the supplementation of Korean red ginseng in mice

Background: Excessive intake of fat, one of the causes of obesity, is associated with low-grade inflammation in various susceptible organs and eventually causes tissue toxicity. This study examines the multifaceted suppressive effects of Korean red ginseng extract (KRG) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced lipotoxicity and inflammatory responses in the aorta, liver, and brain. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed HFD with or without KRG for 12 weeks. The improvement effect in KRG on lipotoxicity and inflammatory potential was determined in the blood and the aorta, liver, and brain tissues. Results: KRG significantly inhibited 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity by > 20% in vitro. KRG supplementation suppressed HFD-associated body weight gain, lipid profile changes, and excessive fat deposition in the liver and increased leptin, insulin, and ALT levels in the blood. Inflammatory markers in the aorta, liver, and brain were also significantly reduced by KRG treatment. In microvascular endothelial cells, the 15% cyclic stretch-mediated upregulation of ICAM-1 and vascular cell adhesion protein-1 (VCAM-1) expression was significantly attenuated in the presence of KRG. Conclusion: KRG supplementation attenuates HFD-mediated body weight gain, lipid profile changes, and multi-tissue inflammatory responses.