Heracleum dissectum Ledeb. ethanol extract attenuates metabolic syndrome symptoms in high-fat diet-induced obese mice by activating adiponectin/AMPK signaling

[Display omitted] •Heracleum dissectum Ledeb. (HD) extract caused body weight loss in DIO mice.•HD enhanced adiponectin and activated AMPK, triggering the adiponectin/AMPK pathway.•HD mitigated oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance in DIO mice.•HD could be a functional food candidate against obesity and metabolic syndrome. The incidence of obesity has increased worldwide, leading to metabolic disorders such as hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance. Therefore, novel functional foods and therapeutic agents against obesity-related metabolic disorders are needed. We explored the effectiveness of the edible herb Heracleum dissectum Ledeb. (HD) against metabolic syndrome symptoms in a high-fat diet (60% of kcal) obesity mouse model. Metabolic syndrome was induced after 8 weeks of high-fat diet feeding, and HD extract (50 mg/kg) was administered by oral gavage during feeding. HD extract effectively decreased body weight gain and ameliorated the serum lipid status. HD extract also upregulated adiponectin/AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling, and had anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-insulin resistance effects. HD extract further elevated phosphorylation of AMPK and mitochondria biogenesis in the adipose tissue, resulting increased energy expenditure via the triglyceride/fatty acid cycle. Thus, HD extract could be considered a multi-targeting functional food candidate with novel molecular mechanisms.