Immunostimulatory activity and anti-obesity activity of Hibiscus manihot leaves in mouse macrophages, RAW264.7 cells and mouse adipocytes, 3T3-L1 cells

[Display omitted] •HML activates the production of immunostimulatory factors and phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells.•HML induces MAPK/TLR2/4-dependent production of immunostimulatory factors in RAW264.7 cells.•HML inhibits the accumulation of lipid and triglyceride in 3T3-L1 cells.•HML decreases the levels of differentiation and adipogenesis-related protein in 3T3-L1 cells. In this study, we investigated whether Hibiscus manihot leaves (HML) exhibits immune-enhancing activity and anti-obesity in RAW264.7 and 3T3-L1 cells. HML increased the production of inflammatory molecules, cell viability and phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. TLR2 and TLR4 blocked HML-mediated production of inflammatory molecules in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, the inhibition of MAPK signaling pathway reduced HML-mediated production of inflammatory molecules and the activation of MAPK signaling pathway by HML suppressed the inhibition of TLR2/4. HML reduced the lipid accumulation and TG contents in 3T3-L1 cells. HML inhibited the protein expressions such as CEBPα, PPARγ, perilipin-1, adiponectin and FABP4 related to the lipid accumulation of the mature adipocytes. In addition, HML reduced CEBPα and PPARγ during the differentiation process from preadipocytes to mature adipocytes.