This technology features a pharmaceutical composition and health functional food for the treatment and prevention of obesity and hypercholesterolemia, using dibenzoylmethane derived from licorice as an active ingredient. Dibenzoylmethane simultaneously reduces body weight, body fat, and total cholesterol.
Sibutramine, an appetite-suppressant obesity drug, was withdrawn from the market due to risks of myocardial infarction and stroke, and Orlistat, a fat absorption inhibitor, has been reported to cause side effects such as steatorrhea, abdominal bloating, and renal impairment. Leptin has proven difficult to develop into a drug due to resistance in obese patients, and dibenzoylmethane was previously known only for its UV protection, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties.
This technology is configured to regulate lipid metabolism by increasing the expression and activity of AMPK, a cellular energy sensor, which in turn inhibits enzymes responsible for fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis. It includes claims for both pharmaceutical and food applications that target obesity and hypercholesterolemia simultaneously. It can be applied to body fat reduction supplements, hypercholesterolemia medications, and metabolic syndrome management products based on licorice components, enabling the design of complex metabolic improvement products that manage weight and blood cholesterol levels without central nervous system side effects.
This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for exploring the potential of newly discovered AMPK activators and binding proteins as factors for controlling blood glucose and cancer cell apoptosis.
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