Prenylated flavonoid‐standardized extract from seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L. activated fat browning in high‐fat diet–induced obese mice

Bavachinin selectively modulates PPAR γ and maintains bone homeostasis in Type 2 Diabetes

Full peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ agonists, Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), effectively prevent the process of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), but their side effects have curtailed use in the clinic, including weight gain and bone loss. Here, we identified that a selective PPAR γ modulator, Bavachinin (BVC), isolated from the seeds of Psoralea Corylifolia L., could potently regulate bone homeostasis. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells and C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal stem cells were assessed for osteogenic differentiation activities, and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced RAW 264.7 cells were assessed osteoclasts formation. Leptin receptor-deficient mice and diet-induced obesity mice were applied to evaluate the effect of BVC on bone homeostasis in vivo. Compared to full PPAR γ agonist rosiglitazone, BVC significantly increased the osteogenesis differentiation activities under normal and high glucose conditions in MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, BVC could alleviate osteoclast differentiation in RANKL-induced RAW 264.7 cells. In vivo, synthesized BVC prodrug (BN) has been applied to improve water solubility, increase the extent of oral absorption of BVC and prolong its residence time in blood circulation. BN could prevent weight gain, ameliorate lipid metabolism disorders, improve insulin sensitivity, and maintain bone mass and bone biomechanical properties. BVC, a unique PPAR γ selective modulator, could maintain bone homeostasis, and its prodrug (BN) exhibits insulin sensitizer activity while circumventing the side effects of the TZDs, including bone loss and undesirable weight gain.

Phytochemistry and pharmacology of natural prenylated flavonoids

Prenylated flavonoids are a special kind of flavonoid derivative possessing one or more prenyl groups in the parent nucleus of the flavonoid. The presence of the prenyl side chain enriched the structural diversity of flavonoids and increased their bioactivity and bioavailability. Prenylated flavonoids show a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, cardioprotective effects, and anti-osteoclastogenic activities. In recent years, many compounds with significant activity have been discovered with the continuous excavation of the medicinal value of prenylated flavonoids, and have attracted the extensive attention of pharmacologists. This review summarizes recent progress on research into natural active prenylated flavonoids to promote new discoveries of their medicinal value.

Antiobesity Potential of Bioactive Constituents from Dichloromethane Extract of Psoralea corylifolia L. Seeds

Purpose

Effectively controlling the accumulation of adipose tissue can be a therapeutic strategy for treating obesity, which is a global problem. The present study was designed for comparative assessment of in vitro antiobesity activities of the Psoralea corylifolia-dichloromethane seed extract (DCME) and the isolated phytochemicals, bakuchiol, isopsoralen, and psoralen, through antiadipogenesis and pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibition assays. Material and Methods. In vitro pancreatic lipase activity was determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB) to p-nitrophenol at 405 nm, and adipogenesis was assayed in 3 T3-L1 adipocytes (by using Oil Red O staining) using P. corylifolia-dichloromethane seed extract (DCME) and individual compounds, isolated from the extract.

Result

Antilipase as well as antiadipogenesis activity was displayed by both the DCME and the compounds. Maximum antilipase property was recorded in DCME (26.02 ± .041%) at 100 μg/ml, while, among the isolated compounds, bakuchiol exhibited a higher activity (24.2 ± 0.037%) at 100 μg/ml concentration, compared to other isolates. DCME was found to exhibit antiadipogenesis property, 75 ± 0.003% lipid accumulation, compared to the control at 100 μg/ml dose. Bakuchiol, isopsoralen, and psoralen inhibited the lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, 78.06 ± 0.002%, 80.91 ± 0.004%, and 80.91 ± 0.001%, respectively, lipid accumulation in comparison to control at 25 μM dose.

Conclusion

The present study highlights the antiobesity potential of P. corylifolia and its active constituents. Thus, it can be concluded that P. corylifolia has the potential to treat obesity and related diseases; however, further research on dose standardization and clinical trials are required.

Factors Associated with White Fat Browning: New Regulators of Lipid Metabolism

Mammalian adipose tissue can be divided into white and brown adipose tissue based on its colour, location, and cellular structure. Certain conditions, such as sympathetic nerve excitement, can induce the white adipose adipocytes into a new type of adipocytes, known as beige adipocytes. The process, leading to the conversion of white adipocytes into beige adipocytes, is called white fat browning. The dynamic balance between white and beige adipocytes is closely related to the body’s metabolic homeostasis. Studying the signal transduction pathways of the white fat browning might provide novel ideas for the treatment of obesity and alleviation of obesity-related glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. This article aimed to provide an overview of recent advances in understanding white fat browning and the role of BAT in lipid metabolism.

Flavonoids extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L. (PFE) alleviates atherosclerosis in high-fat diet-induced LDLR-/- mice

BACKGROUND

The seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L., a traditional medicine popular used in China and India, have been recommended in the treatment of leucoderma, psoriasis, osteoporosis, and gynecological bleeding. Our previous studies have found that flavonoid extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L. could activate fat browning and correct the disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism in obese mice.

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to investigate the anti-atherosclerosis of flavonoids extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L.

METHODS

Leukocyte adhesion assay, RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescent assay were carried out in ox-LDL induced endothelium injury and foam cells formation in vitro. Flavonoids from the seeds of P. corylifolia L. (PFE) was administrated 150 and 300 mg/kg/day in HFD-induced LDLR-/- mice for 12 weeks.

RESULTS

Flavonoids from the seeds of P. corylifolia L. (PFE) could prevent leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium by inhibiting mRNA and protein expression of these adhesion molecules (VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin). PFE could also prevent ox-LDL stimulated inflammation in HUVECs by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway. In addition, PFE significantly ameliorated ox-LDL induced macrophages-oriented foam cells formation through inducing cholesterol efflux via PPARγ-ABCA1/ABCG1. In HFD-induced LDLR-/- mice, PFE reversed the serum profile and circulated inflammation level. Meanwhile, PFE could remarkably alleviate atherosclerotic lesion sizes and intraplaque macrophage infiltration in aortic roots.

CONCLUSION

Flavonoids from the seeds of P. corylifolia L. could alleviate atherosclerosis by preventing endothelium injury, attenuating vascular inflammation, and alleviating the formation of foam cells.

A Comprehensive Review on Anti-obesity Potential of Medicinal Plants and their Bioactive Compounds

Background:

Obesity is a complex health and global epidemic issue. It is an increasing global health challenge covering significant social and economic costs. Abnormal accumulation of fat in the body may increase the health risks including diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and cancer. Synthetic drugs available on the market reported to have several side effects. Therefore, the management of obesity got to involve the traditional use of medicinal plants which helps to search the new therapeutic targets and supports the research and development of anti-obesity drugs.

Objective:

This review aim to update the data and provide a comprehensive report of currently available knowledge of medicinal plants and phyto-chemical constituents reported for their anti-obesity activity.

Methodology:

An electronic search of the periodical databases like Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Scielo, Niscair, ScienceDirect, Springerlink, Wiley, SciFinder and Google Scholar with information reported the period 1991-2019, was used to retrieve published data.

Results:

A comprehensive report of the present review manuscript is an attempt to list the medicinal plants with anti-obesity activity. The review focused on plant extracts, isolated chemical compounds with their mechanism of action and their preclinical experimental model, clinical studies for further scientific research.

Conclusion:

This review is the compilation of the medicinal plants and their constituents reported for the managements of obesity. The data will fascinate the researcher to initiate further research that may lead to the drug for the management of obesity and their associated secondary complications. Several herbal plants and their respective lead constituents were also screened by preclinical In-vitro and In-vivo, clinical trials and are effective in the treatment of obesity. Therefore, there is a need to develop and screen large number of plant extracts and this approach can surely be a driving force for the discovery of anti-obesity drugs from medicinal plants.

Effects and Mechanisms of Five Psoralea Prenylflavonoids on Aging-Related Diseases

During the aging process, senescent cells gradually accumulate in the organs; they secrete proinflammatory cytokines and other factors, collectively known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). SASP secretions contribute to “inflammaging,” which is a state of chronic, systemic, sterility, low-grade inflammatory microenvironment and a key risk factor in the development of aging-related diseases. Fructus psoraleae is a traditional Chinese medical herb best known for delaying aging and treating osteoporosis. Prenylflavonoids from fructus psoraleae are the main bioactive compounds responsible for its pharmacological applications, such as beaching, bavachinin, bavachalcone, isobavachalcone, and neobavaisoflavone. In previous decades, there have been some promising studies on the pharmacology of fructus psoraleae. Here, we focus on the anti-inflammatory and antiaging diseases of five psoralea prenylflavonoids, such as cardiovascular protection, diabetes and obesity intervention, neuroprotection, and osteoporosis, and discuss the mechanism of these active ingredients for better understanding the material basis and drug application of fructus psoraleae in Chinese medicine.

Quercetin improves nonalcoholic fatty liver by ameliorating inflammation, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism in db/db mice

Multiphase pathological processes involve in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the therapies are quite limited. In the present study, the hepatoprotective effects and underlying mechanisms of quercetin in T2DM-induced NAFLD were investigated. T2DM-induced NAFLD and quercetin treatment models were established in vivo and in vitro. The results revealed that quercetin alleviated serum transaminase levels and markedly reduced T2DM-induced histological alterations of livers. Additionally, quercetin restored superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione content in livers. Not only that, quercetin markedly attenuated T2DM-induced production of interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, and TNF-α. Accompanied by the restoration of the increased serum total bile acid (p = .0001) and the decreased liver total bile acid (p = .0005), quercetin could reduce lipid accumulation in the liver of db/db mice. Further mechanism studies showed that farnesoid X receptor 1/Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 signaling pathways was involved in quercetin regulation of lipid metabolism in T2DM-induced NAFLD. In high D-glucose and free fatty acid cocultured HepG2 cells model, quercetin eliminated lipid droplets and restored the upregulated total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Similar to the findings in mice, quercetin could also activate farnesoid X receptor 1/Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 signaling pathway. These findings suggested that quercetin might be a potentially effective drug for the treatment of T2DM-induced NAFLD.