Populus balsamifera Extract and Its Active Component Salicortin Reduce Obesity and Attenuate Insulin Resistance in a Diet-Induced Obese Mouse Model

Table 3

Effects of obesity, P. balsamifera, and salicortin treatments on hepatic and muscular triglyceride accumulation.

	DIO	P. balsamifera 125 mg/kg	P. balsamifera 250 mg/kg	DIO	Salicortin 12.5 mg/kg
Liver TG Levels (mg/g total liver)	930 ± 65^†	436 ± 146*	521 ± 116*	1084 ± 180^†	559±93^§
Muscle TG levels (𝜇g/mg)	223 ± 54^†	342 ± 81	267 ± 38	230 ± 32^†	219 ± 24

The colorimetric dosage of TG levels in both the liver and muscle was determined using a commercial kit (Randox Laboratories ltd). Measurements were obtained after 16 weeks of treatment with either standard diet (Chow), HFD (DIO), and for the last 8 of the 16 weeks with HFD in combination with P. balsamifera at 125 or 250 mg/kg, or with the active salicortin at 12.5 mg/kg. All values are expressed as percentage of respective Chow (reference set at 100%) and represent the mean ± SEM. The number of animals for each group for the P. balsamifera protocol was: CHOW (𝑛=12); DIO (𝑛=8); P. balsamifera 125 (𝑛=5); P. balsamifera 250 (𝑛=7); and for the salicortin protocol: CHOW (𝑛=12); DIO (𝑛=7); salicortin (𝑛=9). ^†denotes DIO significantly different as compared to Chow (unpaired Student’s t test; P < 0.05). *denotes significantly different as compared to respective DIO (one way ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test; P < 0.05). §denotes significantly different as compared to respective DIO (unpaired Student’s t test; P < 0.05).