| Abstract
| - Much attention has been focused on food that may be beneficial in preventing diet-induced body fataccumulation and possibly reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Cornelian cherries (Cornusmas) are used in the preparation of beverages in Europe and also to treat diabetes-related disordersin Asia. In this study, the most abundant bioactive compounds in C. mas fruits, the anthocyanins andursolic acid, were purified, and their ability to ameliorate obesity and insulin resistance in C57BL/6mice fed a high-fat diet was evaluated. Mice were initially fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks and thenswitched to a high-fat diet containing anthocyanins (1 g/kg of high-fat diet) and ursolic acid (500mg/kg of high-fat diet) for an additional 8 weeks. The high-fat diet induced glucose intolerance, andthis was prevented by anthocyanins and ursolic acid. The anthocyanin-treated mice showed a 24%decrease in weight gain. These mice also showed decreased lipid accumulation in the liver, includinga significant decrease in liver triacylglycerol concentration. Anthocyanin and ursolic acid treated miceexhibited extremely elevated insulin levels. Both treatments, however, showed preserved isletarchitecture and insulin staining. Overall, these data suggest that anthocyanins and ursolic acid purifiedfrom C. mas fruits have biological activities that improve certain metabolic parameters associatedwith diets high in saturated fats and obesity. Keywords: Cornelian cherry; Cornus mas; anthocyanins; ursolic acid; glucose tolerance; insulinresistance; islet morphology; liver triglycerides
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