Dehydroabietic acid, a phytochemical, acts as ligand for PPARs in macrophages and adipocytes to regulate inflammation.

Obesity is characterized by an enhanced infiltration of macrophages to adipose tissues, which is closely associated with the low-grade inflammatory state and obesity-related pathologies such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. We showed here that dehydroabietic acid (DAA) is a potent PPARalpha/gamma dual activator. Furthermore, we examined the anti-inflammatory effects of DAA in stimulated macrophages and in the coculture of macrophages and adipocytes. DAA significantly suppressed the production of proinflammatory mediators such as MCP-1, TNF-alpha, and NO in stimulated RAW 264 macrophages and in the coculture of RAW 264 macrophages and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results suggest that DAA is a valuable medicinal and food component for improving inflammatory changes associated with obesity-related diabetes.