TABLE 1.

In vitro studies carried out with pure EA or EA-rich plant extracts in relation to lipid metabolism¹

Test material	Test model	Dose (EA content)	Duration	Metabolic responses	References
EA	3T3-L1 preadipocytes	20 μmol/L	2 d	↓ Adipocyte differentiation	Wang et al., 2013 (34)
				↓ Clonal expansion
				Inhibition of G1/S cell cycle progression
				↓ Cyclin A and Rb phosphorylation
EA	3T3-L1 preadipocytes	5–50 μmol/L	6–8 d	↓ Lipid accumulation, PPARG, C/EBPα	Woo et al., 2015 (35)
				↓ Early adipogenic markers KLF4, KLF5, Krox20, C/EBPβ within 24 h
EA	Huh7 cells	10 μmol/L	2 d	↓ De novo TG synthesis and TG esterification	Okla et al., 2015 (36)
				↑ FA oxidation
EA	hASCs	10 μmol/L	7 d	↓ De novo lipogenesis	Okla et al., 2015 (36)
EA	hASCs	10 μmol/L	7 d	↓ Adipogenic genes and protein (PPARG, C/EBPα, aP2, Fas)	Kang et al., 2014 (37)
				Alteration of epigenetic markers
				(↑ HDAC9, ↓ CARM1 enzyme activity)
3,3′-di-O-methylellagic acid and EA	3T3-L1 preadipocytes	1,3,10 μmol/L	8 d	↓ TGs, and GPDH activity	Yang et al., 2011 (38)
Chinese sweet leaf tea extract	3T3-L1 preadipocytes	10 μg/mL	24 h	↓ VEGF expression	Koh et al., 2011 (39)
Pomegranate fruit extract and EA	3T3-L1 adipocytes	20–70 μmol/L	12 h	↓ Resistin release	Makino-Wakagi et al., 2012 (40)
EA	J774A1 macrophages	5 μmol/L	18 h	↓ Lipid accumulation and SR-BI induction	Park et al., 2011 (41)
				↓ Macrophage lipid uptake to block foam cells
				↑ Cholesterol efflux

¹aP2, fatty acid–binding protein 4; CARM1, coactivator arginine methyltransferase 1; C/EBP, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein; EA, ellagic acid; Fas, fatty acid synthase; GPDH, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; hASC, human adipose–derived stem cell; HDAC9, histone deacetylase 9; KLF, Kruppel-like factor; Krox20, early growth response protein 2; PPARG, peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma; SR-BI, scavenger receptor class B member 1; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; ↓, decrease; ↑, increase.