An ethanolic extract of Artemisia scoparia (SCO) inhibits lipolysis in vivo and has anti-lipolytic effects on murine adipocytes in vitro.

An ethanolic extract of Artemisia scoparia (SCO) has metabolically favorable effects on adipocyte development and function in vitro and in vivo. In diet-induced obese mice, SCO supplementation significantly reduced fasting glucose and insulin levels. Given the importance of adipocyte lipolysis in metabolic health, we tested hypothesized that SCO modulates lipolysis in vitro and in vivo. Free fatty acids and glycerol were measured in the sera of mice fed a high-fat diet with or without SCO supplementation. In cultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the effects of SCO on lipolysis were assessed by measuring glycerol and free fatty acid release. Microarray analysis, qPCR, and immunoblotting were used to assess gene expression and protein abundance. We found that SCO supplementation of a high-fat diet in mice substantially reduces circulating glycerol and free fatty acid levels, and observed a cell-autonomous effect of SCO to significantly attenuate TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha)-induced lipolysis in cultured adipocytes. Although several pro-lipolytic and anti-lipolytic genes were identified by microarray analysis of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue from SCO-fed mice, regulation of these genes did not consistently correlate with SCO's ability to reduce lipolytic metabolites in sera or cell culture media. However, in the presence of TNFα in cultured adipocytes, SCO induced anti-lipolytic changes in phosphorylation of hormone sensitive lipase and perilipin. Together, these data suggest that the anti-lipolytic effects of SCO on adipose tissue play a role in the ability of this botanical extract to improve whole-body metabolic parameters, and support its use as a dietary supplement to promote metabolic resiliency.