Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni extract supplementation improves lipid and carnitine profiles in C57BL/6J mice fed a high‐fat diet

BACKGROUND: Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a non‐caloric natural‐source alternative to artificially produced sugar substitutes. This study investigated the effect of stevia extract on lipid profiles in C57BL/6J mice. Forty mice were divided into four groups: N‐C (normal diet and distilled water), H‐C (high‐fat diet and distilled water), H‐SC (high fat diet and sucrose, 1 mL kg^?1 per day), and H‐SV (high‐fat diet and stevia extract, 1 mL kg^?1 per day). RESULTS: Body weight gain was significantly higher in the H‐SC group than in the H‐SV group. Triglyceride concentrations in serum and liver were lower in the H‐SV group than in the H‐SC group. Serum total cholesterol concentrations were lower in the H‐SV and H‐C groups compared to the H‐SC group. The concentrations of acid‐insoluble acylcarnitine (AIAC) in serum were higher in the H‐SV group than in the H‐C and H‐SC groups and the acyl/free carnitine level in liver was significantly higher in the H‐SV group than in the N‐C group. These results were supported by mRNA expression of enzymes related to lipid metabolism (ACO, PPARα, ACS, CPT‐I, ACC) assessed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the supplementation of stevia extract might have an anti‐obesity effect on high‐fat diet induced obese mice. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry