The present invention relates to a novel use for the compound of
Chemical formula 1 in order to produce drugs or foods for the prevention or treatment of
obesity,
fatty liver, diabetes,
metabolic syndrome or the like, and to a composition for the prevention or treatment of
obesity,
fatty liver, diabetes,
metabolic syndrome or the like which contains the compound of
Chemical formula 1 as an
active ingredient, and also to a method for the prevention or treatment of
obesity,
fatty liver, diabetes,
metabolic syndrome or the like comprising the administration of the compound of
Chemical formula 1 to a
mammal in a therapeutically effective
dose. According to the present invention, the compound of Chemical formula 1 has been confirmed to suppress the differentiation of adipocytes, to reduce
body weight and the amount of
visceral fat, to reduce concentrations of
cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids and glucose which are associated with fatty liver and diabetes and the like and to reduce the fatty component in
liver tissue, to suppress
gene expression associated with obesity in visceral fatty tissue, and to increase the amount of expression of UCP1 and UCP3 which are UCP (
uncoupling protein) genes involved in
thermogenesis. The compound of Chemical formula 1 can be used to
advantage in order to prevent or treat obesity, fatty liver, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and the like since, unlike the obesity treating agents based on
synthetic drugs currently in use, it is based on a
natural substance and hence entails a very low risk of adverse effects and, additionally, it exhibits its pharmacological effects by regulating the expression of genes associated with obesity rather than exhibiting pharmacological effects by acting on enzymes or the
nervous system.