Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid on a murine model of diet-induced obesity

The effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) on obesity were investigated using a murine model (diet-induced obese mice). Diet-induced obese mice were divided into 4 groups: a control group (C group), which was fed a high-fat diet; a low-5-ALA dose (10 mg/kg/day) group (10A group); a moderate-5-ALA dose (30 mg/kg/day) group (30A group); and a high-5-ALA dose (100 mg/kg/day) group (100A group). 5-ALA was administered by mixing the high fat diet for 8 weeks. Body weight increases in the 30A and 100A groups were significantly smaller compared with those of the C group. Body fat measurements by X-ray computed tomography indicated that the 100A group showed a tendency toward low visceral fat quantities during the final week of the study. Visceral fat weights in the 30A and 100A groups were slightly low. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total cholesterol (TC) in the 10A group was slightly low, whereas the 30A and 100A groups showed significantly lower ALT and TC values. Liver lipid concentration showed a dose-dependent decrease with ALA. Thus, in this diet-induced obese murine model, administration of 5-ALA had a significantly beneficial impact on the visceral fat, serum ALT and TC, and liver lipid concentration.