Table 1 Anti-obesity effects of kimchi based on experimental studies

Kimchi + citrus concentrate (CK)

3T3-L1

Normal kimchi or CK (0, 0.05, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2.5 mg/mL), 1 day

Low cell cytotoxicity ↓ lipid accumulation ↓ TC, ↓ TG

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Kimchi + citrus concentrate (CK)

C57BL/6N

HFD + low dose (50 mg/kg CK) HFD + high dose (200 mg/kg), 8 weeks

↓body weight, ↓WAT weight, Serum/hepatic: ↓ TC and ↓ TG ↓ GOT, ↓GPT ↓ glucose, ↓insulin, ↓HOMA-IR, ↓ leptin, ↓ adiponectin. ↓aP2, ↓C/EBP α, ↓SREBP-1c. Inhibited lipid accumulation

[34]

Kimchi + red yeast rice extract (RYRK)

3T3-L1

Normal kimchi (NK) and RYRK, 0, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, 2500, and 5000 μg/mL, 24 h

Higher antioxidant activity in RYRK > NK for DPPH, SOD, TAC, and FRAP. Low cytotoxicity until 1000 μg/mL ↓TG, ↓aP2, ↓C/EBPα, ↓ACC, ↓PPARγ, ↓LXRα, ↓SREBP-1c, ↓FAS, and ↓SCD-1

[35]

C57BL/6N

HFD + Normal kimchi (100 mg/kg) HFD + RYRK (100 mg/kg), 8 weeks

↓ body weight gain, ↓ body fat ↓ lipid accumulation ↓ GOT, ↓GPT Serum/hepatic: ↓TC, ↓TG ↓SREBP-1c, ↓aP2, ↓LXRα, ↓C/EBPα, ↓PPARγ, and ↓FAS

Catechin functional kimchi (CFK)

C57BL/6

HFD + CFK and other kimchi (1.5 mg/kg/day)

Liver and Epididymal tissue: ↓C/EBPα, ↓PPARγ, ↓LPL, ↓SREBP-1c, ↓DGAT1 Epididymal tissue: ↑HSL, ↑CPT-1, ↓TNFα, ↓IL-6

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Starter kimchi (SK) Normal kimchi

3T3-L1

SK1 (Lb. brevis JC7), SK2 (Leu. mesenteroides KCKM0828), SK3 (Companilactobacillus allii WiKim39), SK4 (Lactococcus lactis WiKim0124) (50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, and 2500 μg/mL), 24 h

↓Lipid accumulation, ↓TG, ↓TC: SK1 > SK2 > SK4 > SK3 ↓SREBP-1c, ↓aP2, ↓LXRα, ↓C/EBPα, ↓PPARγ, and ↓FAS, ↓ABCA1, and ↓ABCG1

[37]