隨著生活水準的提高，飲食習慣也有所不同，高精緻化的要求與速食業的普及，使得人們在罹患與肥胖相關的慢性病，有逐年增高的趨勢，若能發展一無副作用的天然食品，且具有降低血脂，抑制脂肪肝行程及減少體內體脂肪之功效，將有助於達到預防許多慢性疾病發生之目的。荷葉盛產於本省中南部，易栽培且食用上並無副作用，並含有多種酚酸成分，具有抗氧化、防癌及抑制高血脂之作用，本研究證實，荷葉萃取物無論是在倉鼠或是在小鼠的模式下，皆能夠降低高脂肪食物所誘導的體內脂肪之堆積，有效減緩脂肪肝之形成，因此荷葉可發展為預防脂肪肝形成之保健食品，以減少國人罹患肥胖相關疾病之風險及提高其農產價值。
Obesity is a disorder of energy imbalance and the most prevalent nutritional diseases in developed countries. Besides, obesity is also associated with health problems such as type 2 DM, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, cardiovascular diseases and cancers. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn is widespread in the middle and southern of Taiwan. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn leaf extract (NLE) has been identified a lot of benefit about anti-oxidant and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Our study has demonstrated NLE could attenuate hepatic lipid accumulation and reduce visceral adipose tissues elevation by a high-fat diet. The results suggest that NLE may be an effective health food for the treatment of obesity and fatty liver.
