Sesamin, a sesame lignan, is a potent inducer of hepatic fatty acid oxidation in the rat.

Ashakumary L, Rouyer I, Takahashi Y, Ide T, Fukuda N, Aoyama T, Hashimoto T, Mizugaki M, Sugano M.

Laboratory of Nutrition Biochemistry, National Food Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tsukuba, Japan.

The effects of sesamin, one of the most abundant lignans in sesame seed, on hepatic fatty acid oxidation were examined in rats that were fed experimental diets containing various amounts (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5%) of sesamin (a 1:1 mixture of sesamin and episesamin) for 15 days. Dietary sesamin dose-dependently increased both mitochondrial and peroxisomal palmitoyl-coenzyme A (CoA) oxidation rates. Mitochondrial activity almost doubled in rats on the 0.5% sesamin diet. Peroxisomal activity increased more than 10-fold in rats fed a 0.5% sesamin diet in relation to rats on the sesamin-free diet. Dietary sesamin greatly increased the hepatic activity of fatty acid oxidation enzymes, including carnitine palmitoyltransferase, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, acyl-CoA oxidase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, enoyl-CoA hydratase, and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase. Dietary sesamin also increased the activity of 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase and delta3,delta2-enoyl-CoA isomerase, enzymes involved in the auxiliary pathway for beta-oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids dose-dependently. Examination of hepatic mRNA levels using specific cDNA probes showed a sesamin-induced increase in the gene expression of mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation enzymes. Among these various enzymes, peroxisomal acyl-CoA oxidase and bifunctional enzyme gene expression were affected most by dietary sesamin (15- and 50-fold increase by the 0.5% dietary level). Sesamin-induced alterations in the activity and gene expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I and acyl-CoA oxidase were in parallel with changes in the mitochondrial and peroxisomal palmitoyl-CoA oxidation rate, respectively. In contrast, dietary sesamin decreased the hepatic activity and mRNA abundance of fatty acid synthase and pyruvate kinase, the lipogenic enzymes. However, this lignan increased the activity and gene expression of malic enzyme, another lipogenic enzyme. An alteration in hepatic fatty acid metabolism may therefore account for the serum lipid-lowering effect of sesamin in the rat.

>>>> Posted by Kevin L Jones

Someone told me about Sesamin recently, and I'd never heard of it, so I did some research on it. There are multiple studies confirming that Sesamin increases hepatic lipid oxidation. It also increases overall lipid oxidation, helping to burn more fat as a fuel source rather than CHO. The thing I liked about it most is that it helps rid the liver of fat build-up. CLA, another supplement that helps increases FFA mobilization, has been shown to increase FA build-up in the liver. But taken along with Sesamin, I think that not only will you now have two compounds working together to increase lipid oxidation, but now you can prevent the build-up of fats in the liver.