Sesamin is a hepatoprotective lignan found in sesame oil.

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sesamin liver
sesamin hepatoprotective
sesamin inflamation
sesamin hepatitis

Sesamin is not primarily marketed for these properties; but rather
it's ability to help users lose fat and improve body composition.

Here is a writeup on one of the first sesamin products by Caleb Stone
AKA Par Deus of Avant Labs:

SesaThin Write Up by Par Deus - Avant Labs

Sesamin was pointed out to me by a colleague about 3 years ago, when I
basically did not even know what PPAR-alpha was. But I still wanted it
badly, from that point on because of its remarkable effects on
lipogenic and oxidative gene expression in rat livers and a study or
two on body composition in rats - it basically appeared to be a super
fish oil that would taste good and would not easily spoil.
Unfortunately, it was not commercially available at that time. And
unavailable it remained, until less than a year ago. In that time,
quite a bit more research was done on sesamin and quite a bit more
research was done on pathways that sesamin modulates, and it had
become clear that sesamin could be much more than an improvement on
fish oil. Unfortunately, raw materials were still quite pricey. As a
brand-name supplement, such a product would probably run $100-$150+
per month. Meaning that, for most uses and most consumers, it just
would not have been cost-effective. Fortunately, after quite a bit of
searching, and quite a bit of work, we have teamed with a supplier and
drastically cut raw material costs, so we are able to bring this
wonder substance to you, for less than $30 per month, without
compromising on dosing. So, with that aside, let's talk about why's
and hows of this compound and its amazing potential for health and
body composition.

Super Fish-Oil

The first study that struck me with sesamin was one showing it to be
about 10-fold more potent than fish oil, in positively modulating
expression of a battery of genes involved in storage and metabolism of
triglycerides. The obvious target for mediation is PPAR-alpha, as it
is known to affect most of these. Another known mechanism of fish oil
is via alteration of phospholipid membrane structure and properties -
specifically, it promotes an increase in the unsaturation index of
fatty acids, which is associated with increased lipolysis, increased
leanness, and better insulin sensitivity.

And Beyond

But, Sesamin also had some positive effects on gene expression not
shared by fish-oils. A possible target for this is PPAR-gamma
antagonism, though it increases gamma-tocephorol levels, and that is a
PPAR-gamma AGONIST. Spook has also mentioned sesamin as an agonist,
but I have never seen this, and it is in contrast to the way it
mediates gene expression.

Let's look at all of this in more detail. Make note of all of the
overlap and tie ins between PPAR, Lipogenic genes, fatty acid levels,
insulin resistance, and stress. You may also notice how much it all
ties in with previous writings by myself and Spook on leptin.

What does it do:

Sesamin has a host of benefits. First it boosts hepatic (liver) and
muscular mitochondria oxidation of fatty acids as well as boosting
peroxisome fatty acid oxidation. Particularly episesamin is extremely
potent boosting these two actions buy 2.1 hold and 5.1 hold in rats.
When coupled with a diet rich in omega-3 fats (they seem to work
synergistically) episesamin boosted them by 12.2 and 20.1
respectively. Now that's freaking impressive. It does this buy causing
the DNA transcription of CPT (carnitine palmitoyl transferase) which
is the rate limiting quantity in beta oxidation of fats in skeletal
muscle and liver cells. So the gist is you burn more fat plain and
simple.

It also protects the liver and kidneys. It prevents fatty liver from
chronic ethanol ingestion. Finally it keeps vitamin E levels high
either by recycling it or buy preventing its oxidation entirely (no
one knows which for sure).

One last great affect of ingestion of these compounds is along with a
boost in lipid metabolism it simultaneously lowers lipogenic enzymes
in the liver, reducing the amount of fats that are esterfied for
storage in adipose tissue. Rats fed a diet consisting of 0.4% sesmamin
had four times less lipogenic enzymes in there liver cells.

Why am I so excited about this stuff?

First and foremost a doubling of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation it
and of itself is fantastic. But a 20- fold increase in peroxisomal
beta oxidation is even more impressive as it does not have the same
self-regulating mechanisms that mitochondrial oxidation does. You burn
too much fat and citrate buildup will shut down further fat oxidation.
But not so with peroxisomal oxidation. So the bottom line is if there
are lipids in your blood stream it will oxidize them. So coupled with
the standard fat loss stuff that causes adipose to release its
payload. Sesamin will cause more fat to be burned and less of it to
get reintegrated into adipose tissue at the next meal.

So basically sesamin can be used during maintenance or bulking to stay
lean and make sure you burn more fat at rest. And, Sesamin can also be
used during a diet to burn a lot more fat.

So to summarize the benefits:

  1. Huge increase in fat burning.
  2. Burn more fat when dieting and when FED.
  3. Protects the liver from necrosis.
  4. Protects the kidneys from renal failure.
  5. Improves cholesterol profile dramatically.
  6. Protects or elevates vitamin E in the blood stream.