11.0 Anti-Obese Activity

Several studies have examined why villagers on the island of Okinawa have extended longevity (Niwano et al., 2009).  These studies involved large scale screening of Okinawan plant foods to determine factors associated with the prevention of adipogenesis (development of fat cells) and promotion of adipolysis (digestion of fats) (Beppu et al., 2009; Niwano et al., 2009).  Custard apple was listed as one of the foods with strong anti-obese activity (Niwano et al., 2009).  Custard apple is regularly consumed by the Okinawan population.  Beppu et al. (2009) showed that oral administration of ethanol extracts of fresh custard apple fruit potently lowered plasma triglyceride concentrations by 65% of KKAy mice fed a moderately high fat diet for four weeks (Figure 5) and exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on adipogenesis reducing fat tissue by about 20% (Figure 6).  

Figure 5. Effects of ethanol extracts of mature fruit of custard apple on triglyceride concentrations of KKAy mice fed a moderately high fat diet (Beppu, et al., 2009).


Figure 6.  Effects of ethanol extracts of mature fruit of custard apple on abdominal adipose tissue weight of KKAy mice fed a moderately high fat diet (Beppu et al., 2009).

Assuming that bioavailability in mice is similar to humans, for an 80 kg human, this would be equivalent to eating a 50 g (or about 10 g dried) of fresh pulp (about an eight of a normal size custard apple fruit) per day.