2.2.2. Anti-Obesity Activity

In addition to being antidiabetic, fucosterol also exhibits anti-adipogenic or antiobesity properties. Adipocytes have important cardiovascular-related roles; therefore, understanding their development and regulation is important for treating obesity and related diseases. Obesity is associated with hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Hypercholesterolemia is associated with a higher incidence of liver damage, especially non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) [30]. As reported by Jung et al. [25], following treatment with fucosterol extracted from *Ecklonia cava* subsp. *stolonifera*, lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes decreased because the expression levels of adipocyte markers, proteins peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP), decreased [25]. Similar results were reported by Lee et al. [15], who found that fucosterol of *Ecklonia cava* subsp. *stolonifera* inhibits adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes via modulation of the FoxO signaling pathway.
