Effect of lycopene supplementation on glucose and lipid metabolism in high fat diet‐induced obese Mongolian gerbils

Lycopene, a carotenoid present predominantly in tomatoes, is one of the powerful antioxidant compounds. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of lycopene supplementation on glucose and lipid metabolism in obese gerbils. Gerbils were fed on each experimental diet for 6 weeks, a normal diet (NC), a normal diet with lycopene (NL), a high fat diet (HF), a high fat diet with lycopene (HFL). Plasma glucose and insulin levels decreased in the HFL groups compared with the HF group. Lycopene feeding led to decrease the hepatic 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and acyl‐coenzyme A : cholesterol acyl‐transferase activities in gerbils. The hepatic fatty acid synthase activity was higher in the HF group than the NC group, but it was reduced by lycopene supplementation compared with that of control group. Significant increases in carnitine palmitoyltransferase and ¥â‐oxidation activities were observed in the groups supplemented with lycopene compared with those in the control group. Lycopene supplementation significantly elevated hepatic malic enzyme and glucokinase activities. These results suggest that lycopene supplementation would be efficient for the prevention of obesity‐related metabolic diseases. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.