Purple sweet potato anthocyanins attenuate hepatic lipid accumulation through activating adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase in human HepG2 cells and obese mice

Anthocyanin fraction (200 mg/kg per day) reduced weight gain and hepatic triglyceride accumulation in high-fat diet-fed mice over 4 weeks.

• The anthocyanin fraction from purple sweet potato is associated with reduced hepatic lipid accumulation.
• Increased phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase was observed in the liver and HepG2 hepatocytes after treatment with anthocyanin fraction.
• The treatment led to down-regulation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 and its target genes, including acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase and fatty acid synthase.
• The specific AMPK inhibitor compound C reduced the effects of the anthocyanin fraction on lipid metabolism-related proteins in HepG2 hepatocytes.
• These findings suggest that anthocyanin fraction may influence hepatic lipid metabolism through AMPK signaling pathways.

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