Evaluation of ultrasound combined with chitosan for the control of weight and local fat in mice.

Ultrasound (US) has recently been used to reduce localized adiposity in humans. The study described here evaluated the combined use of chitosan, which is used to treat hyperlipidemic diseases and fatty liver, and US to control weight and local fat deposition in normal mice over a 5-wk experimental period. Female ICR mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 5 animals per group): (1) control, (2) US only, (3) chitosan only and (4) chitosan + US. Body weight, epididymal fat pad and intra-abdominal fat thickness (via US imaging) and plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured in all mice before and after the 5-wk treatment period. After the 5-wk treatment period, weight had decreased significantly in the chitosan + US group (-11.2%) compared with the US only (-5.8%) and chitosan only (-9.3%) groups (p < 0.05). The reduction in epididymal fat pad thickness was significantly more marked in the chitosan + US group (28.2%) than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in the chitosan + US group, plasma levels of triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased by 51.5% and 26%, respectively. This is the first report of effective control of weight and local fat by a combination of ultrasound and a putative fat-reducing dietary supplement in mice. The described method significantly decreases local fat pad deposition, weight and plasma lipid levels.