Lipase inhibitory activity of Lagenaria siceraria fruit as a strategy to treat obesity

Identification of Efficacy-Associated Markers to Discriminate Flos Chrysanthemum and Flos Chrysanthemi Indici Based on Fingerprint-Activity Relationship Modeling: A Combined Evaluation over Chemical Consistence and Quality Consistence

Monitoring the quality consistency of traditional Chinese medicines, or herbal medicines (HMs), is the basis of assuring the efficacy and safety of HMs during clinical applications. The purpose of this work was to characterize the difference in hydrophilic antioxidants and related bioactivities between Flos Chrysanthemum (JH) and its wild relatives (Chrysanthemum indicum L.; YJH) based on the establishment of fingerprint-efficacy relationship modeling. The concentrations of the total phenolics and flavonoids of JH samples were shown to be generally higher than those of YJH, but the concentration distribution ranges of YJH were significantly greater compared to JH samples, possibly related to environmental stress factors leading to the concentration fluctuations of phytochemicals during the growth and flowering of Chrysanthemum cultivars. Correspondingly, the total antioxidant capabilities of JH were greatly higher than those of YJH samples, as revealed by chemical assays, including DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities and FRAP assays. In addition, cellular-based antioxidant activities confirmed the results of chemical assays, suggesting that the differences in antioxidant activities among the different types of Chrysanthemums were obvious. The extracts from YJH and JH samples showed significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and lipase-inhibitory activity, implying the modulatory effects on lipid and glucose metabolisms, which were also confirmed by an untargeted cell-based metabolomics approach. The selected common peaks by similarity analysis contributed to the discrimination of YJH and JH samples, and the modeling of the fingerprint-bioactivity relationship identified neochlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, and linarin as efficacy-associated chemical markers. These results have demonstrated that integrating HPLC fingerprints and the analysis of similarity indexes coupled with antioxidant activities and enzyme-inhibitory activities provides a rapid and effective approach to monitoring the quality consistency of YJH/JH samples.

Appraisal of Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Potential of Ziziphus oenoplia (L.)Mill. Leaves by In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

Pancreatic lipase is one of the crucial lipolytic enzymes of the gut that actively facilitates the digestion and absorption of the dietary triglycerides and cholesteryl esters. Although it has been deemed as one of the most reliable targets for the treatment of obesity and/or dyslipidemia, to date, orlistat is the only known FDA-approved, effective, oral pancreatic lipase inhibitor available for clinical use apart from the centrally acting antiobesity agents. However, it is known to be associated with adverse gastrointestinal and renal complications. In this study, we attempted to assess the antioxidant and porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory potentials of Ziziphus oenoplia (L.)Mill. leaves through a systematic combination of in vitro and in silico approaches. Among the four different extracts including petroleum ether extract, ethyl acetate extract, ethanolic extract, and aqueous extract obtained through successive solvent extraction, the ethyl acetate extract has outperformed the other extracts and orderly displayed competent peroxide scavenging (IC₅₀ value: 267.30 μg/mL) and porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory (IC₅₀ value: 444.44 μg/mL) potentials compared to the selected reference compounds: ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ value: 251.50 μg/mL) and orlistat (IC₅₀ value: 502.51 μg/mL) in the selected in vitro assay models. In addition, based on the molecular docking simulations of the six essential phytoconstituents of the leaves of Ziziphus oenoplia (L.)Mill. and their respective chemical analogues against the crystal structure of pancreatic lipase-colipase complex (PDB ID: 1LPB), four best-ranked molecules (PubChem CIDs: 15515703, 132582306, 11260294, and 44440845) have been proposed. Further, among these, the interaction potentials of the two top-ranked molecules (PubChem CIDs: 132582306 and 15515703) were analyzed through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at a trajectory of 100 ns. Finally, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) parameters were theoretically predicted for all of the molecules using Swiss ADME and ADMET lab2.0. In conclusion, Ziziphus oenoplia (L.)Mill. leaves could become a prominent source for various potent bioactive compounds that may serve as prospective leads for the development of clinically cognizable pancreatic lipase inhibitors, provided their pharmacokinetic and in particular toxicity properties are thoroughly optimized.

Divya-WeightGo combined with moderate aerobic exercise remediates adiposopathy, insulin resistance, serum biomarkers, and hepatic lipid accumulation in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Obesity has become an unprecedented epidemic worldwide owing to a prolonged imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Available therapies primarily suppress energy intake but often fail to produce sustained fat loss, necessitating a more efficacious strategy to combat obesity. In this study, a polyherbal formulation, Divya-WeightGo (DWG) has been investigated for its anti-obesity activity using in-vitro and in-vivo assays. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) analysis revealed the presence of phytocompounds including gallic acid, methyl gallate, corilagin, ellagic acid, pentagalloyl glucose, withaferin A and hydroxycitric acid, proven to aid in weight loss. The exposure of 3T3-L1 cells to DWG at cytosafe concentrations inhibited lipid and triglyceride accumulation and downregulated the expression of several adipogenic and lipogenic markers like PPARy, C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, SREBP-1c, FASN and DGAT1. DWG reduced LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine release and NF-κB activity in THP-1 cells. The in-vivo anti-obesity activity of DWG, both alone and in combination with moderate aerobic exercise, was assessed in a high fat diet-induced obese mouse model. DWG mitigated the obesity associated increased body weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, glucose intolerance, diminished insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia, altered liver function profile, lipid accumulation and adiposopathy in obese mice, alone as well as in combination intervention, with better efficacy in the combination approach. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that DWG could be a promising therapeutic avenue to treat obesity through attenuation of lipid and fat accumulation in liver and adipose tissues and could be utilized as an adjunct with lifestyle interventions to combat obesity and associated complications.

Ethnomedicines for the treatment of scorpion stings: A perspective study

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Scorpion sting is a public health concern with limited clinical symptomatic treatment. The clinical treatment uses anti-scorpion antivenom and prazosin (α-adrenergic inhibitor), often in combination with insulin, to reduce scorpion venom-induced hyperglycemia and other complications. However, these therapies also possess some limitations, necessitating urgent exploration of ethnomedicines, mainly traditional medicinal plants, to treat scorpion stings. Unfortunately, several conventional treatments are not scientifically validated, thus raising questions about their quality and utility. Therefore, pharmacological re-assessment of such medicinal plants to alleviate scorpion stings' complications is essential.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The principal objectives of this study are to provide a brief overview of medically important scorpions of the world, outline the extant traditional practices, and comprehensively review plants used in conventional ethnic medicines to treat scorpion stings over time. Modern technological advances in identifying and characterizing plant bioactive molecules are also mentioned in this review.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The traditionally used medicinal plants against scorpion stings were reviewed from the available literature in the database. The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/) was used to validate the scientific names of the plants mentioned in this study. The search targeted literature on conventional treatments and crude plant extracts or their bioactive components with proven neutralization capacity against scorpion stings. Search words used were 'scorpion sting,' 'treatment for a scorpion sting,' 'antivenom and scorpion sting,' 'traditional treatment for scorpion stings, and 'natural compounds against scorpion stings'.

RESULTS

A list of more than 200 medicinal plants traditionally used in several countries for treating scorpion stings is presented in this review. Though some myth-based remedies are practiced to treat scorpion stings, no empirical evidence exists to validate this aspect of traditional knowledge. Only 38 traditional medicinal plant extracts have been tested under in-vivo and in-vitro conditions to determine their neutralization potency of scorpion envenomation. Although a few bioactive plant constituents showing scorpion venom neutralization potency have been characterized, they are not yet commercially available for clinical application.

CONCLUSIONS

There is tremendous potential locked in medicinal plants' traditional knowledge for scorpion envenomation treatment. Translating this knowledge into the clinical application will require pharmacological reassessment, in tandem with isolation and characterization of active compounds to prove their prophylactic prowess. Almost equally important would be the formulation of stringent strategies to conserve such medicinal plants from overexploitation.

Identification of promising multi-targeting inhibitors of obesity from Vernonia amygdalina through computational analysis

Vernonia amygdalina, a widely consumed West African food herb, can be a boon in the discovery of safe anti-obesity agents given the extensive reports on its anti-obesity and antidiabetic potentials. The main aim of this study was to screen 78 Vernonia-Derived Phytocompounds (VDPs) against the active site regions of Human Pancreatic Lipase (HPL), Human Pancreatic Amylase and Human Glucosidase (HG) as drug targets associated with obesity in silico. Structure-based virtual screening helped to identify Luteolin 7-O-glucuronoside and Andrographidoid D2 as hit compounds with dual targeting tendency towards the HPL and HG. Analysis of the molecular dynamic simulation trajectory files of the ligand-receptor complexes as computed from the thermodynamic parameters plots showed not only increased flexibility and greater interaction potential of the active site residues of the receptor towards the VDPs as indicated by the root mean square fluctuation but also higher stability as indicated by the root mean square deviation, radius of gyration and number of hydrogen bonds. The cluster analysis further showed that the interactions with important residues were preserved in the dynamic environment. These observations were further verified from Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area Analysis, which also showed that residual contributions to the binding free energies were mainly from catalytic residues at the active sites of the enzymes. The hit compounds also feature desirable physicochemical properties and drug-likeness. This study provides in silico evidence for the inhibitory potential of phytochemicals from Vernonia amygdalina against two target enzymes in obesity.

Exploring the potential of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei M11 on antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and ACE inhibitory effects of fermented dromedary camel milk (Camelus dromedaries) and the release of antidiabetic and anti-hypertensive peptides

The goal of this investigation was to find antidiabetic peptides and inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (M11) fermented dromedary camel milk (Camelus dromedaries). According to the findings, the rate of antidiabetic activity increased along with the incubation periods and reached its peak after 48 hr of fermentation. The inhibitions of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase were 80.75, 59.62, and 65.46%, respectively. The inhibitory activity of ACE was 78.33%, and the proteolytic activity was 8.90 mg/mL. M11 at 0.25 mg/mL effectively suppressed LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and their mediators such as NO, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in RAW 264.7 cells. The rate of inoculum in the optimization phase was 1.5-2.5%, and the greatest proteolytic activity was observed after 48 hr of fermentation. The investigation of the above property in the ultrafiltered fermented milk exhibited the highest antidiabetic and ACE inhibition activities in the 3 kDa than 10 kDa fractions. The molecular weight was determined employing SDS-PAGE, and the six-peptide sequences were identified using 2D gel electrophoresis. Due to its high proteolytic activity, the L. paracasei strain has been reported to be useful in the production of ACE-inhibitory and antidiabetic peptides. Amino acid sequences such from ɑ1, ɑ2, and β-caseins have been identified within fermented camel milk by searching on online databases, including BIOPEP (for antidiabetic peptides) and AHTPDB (for hypertension peptides) to validate the antidiabetic and ACE-inhibitory actions of several peptides. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The study aims to identify antidiabetic peptides and inhibit ACE in dromedary camel milk fermented with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei M11. Maximum antidiabetic and ACE-inhibitory actions of the fermented camel milk were observed in 3 kDa permeate fractions. Fermented camel milk significantly reduced the excessive TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells. RP-LC/MS was used to identify 6 bioactive peptides from dromedary fermented camel milk. This fermented camel milk could be used for the management of hypertension and diabetic related problems.

Lagenaria siceraria fruit: A review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology, and promising traditional uses

Since ancient times, the Cucurbitaceae family is used as a therapeutic option in human medicine. This family has around 130 genera and 800 species. Researchers have studied the various plants of this family including Lagenaria siceraria due to their medicinal potential. Various properties are beneficial for human health, that have been attributed to L. siceraria like antioxidant, hypolipidemic, diuretic, laxative, hepatoprotective, analgesic, antihypertensive, cardioprotective, central nervous system stimulant, anthelmintic, free radical scavenging, immunosuppressive, and adaptogenic. The fruit of this plant is commonly used as a vegetable that has a low-calorie value. The species possess a diverse set of biological compounds like flavonoids, sterols, saponins, and terpenoids. Vitamins, choline, flavonoids, minerals, proteins, terpenoids, and other phytochemicals are also found in the edible parts of this plant. Besides 17 different amino acids, many minerals are reported to be present in the seeds of L. siceraria. According to the USDA nutritional database per 100 g of L. siceraria contains 14 Kcal energy, 3.39 g carbohydrates, 0.62 g protein, 0.2 g fat, and 0.5 g fiber. L. siceraria performs a wide range of pharmacological and physiological actions. The literature reviewed from various sources including PubMed, Science Direct, Google scholar, etc. shows the remarkable potential to treat various human and animal illnesses due to its' potent bioactive chemicals. The key objective of this thorough analysis is to present a summary of the data about the beneficial and harmful effects of L. siceraria intake on human health, as well as in veterinary fields.

First report of fatty acids in Mimosadiplotricha bee pollen with in vitro lipase inhibitory activity

Bee pollen (BP) is full of nutrients and phytochemicals, and so it is widely used as a health food and alternative medicine. Its composition and bioactivity mainly depend on the floral pollens. In this work, BP collected by Apis mellifera with different monoculture flowering crops (BP1-6) were used. The types of floral pollen in each BP were initially identified by morphology, and subsequently confirmed using molecular phylogenetic analysis. Data from both approaches were consistent and revealed each BP to be monofloral and derived from the flowers of Camellia sinensis L., Helianthus annuus L., Mimosa diplotricha, Nelumbo nucifera, Xyris complanata, and Ageratum conyzoides for BP1 to BP6, respectively. The crude extracts of all six BPs were prepared by sequential partition with methanol, dichloromethane (DCM), and hexane. The crude extracts were then tested for the in vitro (i) α-amylase inhibitory, (ii) acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChEI), and (iii) porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory (PPLI) activities in terms of the percentage enzyme inhibition and half maximum inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). The DCM partitioned extract of X. complanata BP (DCMXBP) had the highest active α-amylase inhibitory activity with an IC₅₀ value of 1,792.48 ± 50.56 µg/mL. The DCM partitioned extracts of C. sinensis L. BP (DCMCBP) and M. diplotricha BP (DCMMBP) had the highest PPLI activities with an IC₅₀ value of 458.5 ± 13.4 and 500.8 ± 24.8 µg/mL, respectively), while no crude extract showed any marked AChEI activity. Here, the in vitro PPLI activity was focused on. Unlike C. sinensis L. BP, there has been no previous report of M. diplotricha BP having PPLI activity. Hence, DCMMBP was further fractionated by silica gel 60 column chromatography, pooling fractions with the same thin layer chromatography profile. The pooled fraction of DCMMBP2-1 was found to be the most active (IC₅₀ of 52.6 ± 3.5 µg/mL), while nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed the presence of unsaturated free fatty acids. Gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection analysis revealed the major fatty acids included one saturated acid (palmitic acid) and two polyunsaturated acids (linoleic and linolenic acids). In contrast, the pooled fraction of DCMMBP2-2 was inactive but pure, and was identified as naringenin, which has previously been reported to be present in M. pigra L. Thus, it can be concluded that naringenin was compound marker for Mimosa BP. The fatty acids in BP are nutritional and pose potent PPLI activity.

Phenolic Profiles and Biological Activities of Extracts from Edible Wild Fruits Ehretia tinifolia and Sideroxylon lanuginosum

Ehretia tinifolia Linnaeus (Boraginacea) and Sideroxylon lanuginosum Michaux (Sapotaceae) are wild fruits consumed in North America and are appreciated for their pleasant flavor and sweet taste. However, details regarding their composition and biological properties in the available literature are scarce. This study reports the phenolic composition, antioxidant, antiproliferative activities, and digestive enzymatic inhibition of amberlite-retained methanolic extracts from both fruits. Results revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in antioxidants. S. lanuginosum had lower phenolic but higher flavonoid contents (21.4 ± 1.5 mg GAE/100 g FW and 6.42 ± 0.9 mg CE/100 g FW) than E. tinifolia (64.7 ± 2.6 mg GAE/100 g FW and 5.1 ± 0.4 mg CE/100 g FW). HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis showed rosmarinic acid as a major polyphenol in E. tinifolia and quercetin glucoside in S. lanuginosum. Polyphenols content in E. tinifolia was related to a significant free radical scavenging ability: DPPH (EC50 = 0.32 ± 0.03 mg/mL), TEAC (4134 ± 9.7 μM TE/g dry extract), and hemolysis inhibition (IC50 = 58.55 ± 2.4 μg/mL). Both extracts were capable of inhibiting α-glucosidase, partially inhibiting α-amylase, and showed no inhibition against lipase, while showing antiproliferative activity against HeLa, HT-29 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Our study revealed that these wild fruit extracts are rich in health-beneficial phytochemicals and hold significant potential for elaborating functional foods.

Nutritional, Phytochemical Characteristics and In Vitro Effect on α-Amylase, α-Glucosidase, Lipase, and Cholinesterase Activities of 12 Coloured Carrot Varieties

Twelve carrot varieties with different colours (purple, orange, yellow, and white) and sizes (normal, mini, and micro) were analysed for prospective health benefits (activities against diabetes-, obesity-, and aging- related enzymes-α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, acetylocholinesterase, and butyrylocholinesterase, respectively) and nutritional contents (polyphenols, carotenoids, and chlorophylls). The conducted studies showed that the highest content of total polyphenols was observed in different sizes of purple carrots. The normal yellow and mini orange carrots demonstrated the highest content of carotenoids. According to the study results, the mini purple carrot showed the highest activities against diabetes-related enzyme (α-glucosidase); furthermore, the highest activities of cholinesterase inhibitors were observed for micro purple carrot. Nevertheless, normal orange carrot exhibited the highest activity against lipase. The results of the present study showed that purple-coloured carrot samples of different sizes (normal, mini, and micro) exhibited attractive nutritional contents. However, their pro-health effects (anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-aging) should not be seen in the inhibition of amylase, glucosidase, lipase, and cholinesterase. Probably the mechanisms of their action are more complex, and the possible health-promoting effect results from the synergy of many compounds, including fibre, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, it would be worth continuing research on different varieties of carrots.

Bergenia pacumbis from Nepal, an astonishing enzymes inhibitor

BACKGROUND

The Bergenia species are perennial herbs native to central Asia, and one of the most promising medicinal plants of the family Saxifragaceae which are popularly known as 'Pashanbheda'. The aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant and α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, tyrosinase, elastase, and cholinesterases inhibition potential of Bergenia pacumbis of Nepali origin collected from the Karnali region of Nepal.

METHODS

The sequential crude extracts were made in hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and water. Antioxidant activities were analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. The α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, tyrosinase, elastase, acetylcholinesterase, and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition were analyzed by the 3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA), p-Nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (p-NPG), 4-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB), l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), N-Succinyl-Ala-Ala-p-nitroanilide (AAAPVN), acetylthiocholine, and butyrylcholine as a respective substrate. The major metabolites were identified by high performance liquid chromatography with electron spray ionization- quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) profiling.

RESULTS

Our results revealed the great antioxidant ability of crude extract of B. pacumbis in ethyl acetate extract against both DPPH (IC50 = 30.14 ± 0.14 μg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 = 17.38 ± 1.12 μg/mL). However, the crude methanol extract of B. pacumbis showed the comparable enzymes inhibitions with standard drugs; α-amylase (IC50 = 14.03 ± 0.04 μg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 0.29 ± 0.00 μg/mL), lipase (IC50 = 67.26 ± 0.17 μg/mL), tyrosinase (IC50 = 58.25 ± 1.63 μg/mL), elastase (IC50 = 74.00 ± 3.03 μg/mL), acetylcholinesterase (IC50 = 31.52 ± 0.58 μg/mL), and butyrylcholinesterase (IC50 = 11.69 ± 0.14 μg/mL). On the basis of HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS profiling of metabolites, we identified major compounds such as Bergenin, Catechin, Arbutin, Gallic acid, Protocatechuic acid, Syringic acid, Hyperoside, Afzelechin, Methyl gallate, Paashaanolactone, Astilbin, Quercetin, Kaempferol-7-O-glucoside, Diosmetin, Phloretin, and Morin in methanol extract which has reported beneficial bioactivities.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides a plethora of scientific evidence that the crude extracts of B. pacumbis from Nepalese origin in different extracting solvents have shown significant potential on inhibiting free radicals as well as enzymes involved in digestion, skin related problems, and neurological disorders compared with the commercially available drugs.

Potential Acetylcholinesterase, Lipase, α-Glucosidase, and α-Amylase Inhibitory Activity, as well as Antimicrobial Activities, of Essential Oil from Lettuce Leaf Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Elicited with Jasmonic Acid

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the elicitation with jasmonic acid on the biological activities of essential oils (EOs) from lettuce leaf basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Specifically, 0.01 µM jasmonic acid (JA1), 1 µM jasmonic acid (JA2), and 100 µM jasmonic acid (JA3) were used as elicitors. The results indicated that the elicitation increased the acetylcholinesterase, lipase, and α-amylase inhibitory activity of essential oils. A significant difference in α-glucosidase inhibition was noted only for the JA3 extract (IC50 = 0.81 µL/mL), as this activity was lower than in the control sample without elicitation (IC50 = 0.68 µL/mL). The studied basil EOs exhibited similar activity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria). Based on the value of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC), the best antimicrobial activity was observed for JA2 and JA3.

Effects and mechanisms of edible and medicinal plants on obesity: an updated review

In recent years, obesity has become a global public health issue. It is closely associated with the occurrence of several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Some edible and medicinal plants show anti-obesity activity, such as fruits, vegetables, spices, legumes, edible flowers, mushrooms, and medicinal plants. Numerous studies have indicated that these plants are potential candidates for the prevention and management of obesity. The major anti-obesity mechanisms of plants include suppressing appetite, reducing the absorption of lipids and carbohydrates, inhibiting adipogenesis and lipogenesis, regulating lipid metabolism, increasing energy expenditure, regulating gut microbiota, and improving obesity-related inflammation. In this review, the anti-obesity activity of edible and medicinal plants was summarized based on epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies, with related mechanisms discussed, which provided the basis for the research and development of slimming products. Further studies should focus on the exploration of safer plants with anti-obesity activity and the identification of specific anti-obesity mechanisms.

Evaluation of ACE, α-glucosidase, and lipase inhibitory activities of peptides obtained by in vitro digestion of selected species of edible insects

The objective of this study was to examine the inhibition of the activity of enzymes associated with development of the metabolic syndrome by peptide fractions received from simulated gastrointestinal digestion and absorption of heat-treated edible insects. The inhibitory activities of insect-derived peptides were determined against key enzymes relevant to the metabolic syndrome such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), pancreatic lipase, and α-glucosidase. After the in vitro absorption process, all hydrolysates showed high inhibitory activity; however, the most effective metabolic syndrome-inhibitory peptides were received after separation on Sephadex G10. The best results were found for peptide fractions obtained from Schistocerca gregaria. The highest enzymes inhibitory activities were obtained for peptide fractions from S. gregaria: boiled for ACE (IC50 3.95 µg mL−1), baked for lipase (IC50 9.84 µg mL−1), and raw for α-glucosiadase (IC50 1.89 µg mL−1) S. gregaria, respectively. Twelve sequences of peptides from the edible insects were identified and their chemical synthesis was carried out as well. Among the synthesized peptides, the KVEGDLK, YETGNGIK, AIGVGAIR, IIAPPER, and FDPFPK sequences of peptides exhibited the highest inhibitory activity. Generally, the heat treatment process applied to edible insects has a positive effect on the properties of the peptide fractions studied.

Commiphora myrrha Resin Alcoholic Extract Ameliorates High Fat Diet Induced Obesity via Regulation of UCP1 and Adiponectin Proteins Expression in Rats

This study was performed to evaluate anti-obesity potential of Commiphora myrrha resin ethanolic extract (CME) with the respect to expression of leptin, adiponectin and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in rats. Control rats fed basal diet. Second group fed basal diet and administered CME (500 mg/kg bw) orally for 14 weeks. Third group fed high fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. Fourth group fed HFD and administered CME as second group. Fifth group fed HFD for 8 weeks then fed basal diet and administered CME as third group for another 6 weeks. Phytochemical analysis of CME identified the presence of germacrene B, 1,4-benzoquinone, benzofuran, hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-octadecnoic acid methyl ester, reynosin, 11, 14-eicosadienoic acid, isochiapin B, bisabolene epixod, elemene and 1-heptatriacotanol. High fat diet significantly increased food intake, body weight, hyperglycemia, serum levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low density lipoprotein and ketone bodies, AST and AST activities, concentration of malondialdehyde and histopathological changes in hepatic tissues. However, it significantly reduced serum levels of high density lipoprotein, leptin and adiponectin, activity of hepatic glutathione reductase (GR) and brown adipose tissue UCP1 protein expression. In contrast, CME ameliorated HFD increased body weight, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, ketonemia, hepatic tissues lipid peroxidation, restored hepatic tissue architecture and enhanced protein expression of leptin, adiponectin and UCP1 and activity of hepatic GR. This study indicated that CME ameliorated HFD induced hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia through normalization of HFD reduced leptin, adiponectin and UCP1 proteins production and antioxidant activity.

Phytopharmacological Strategies in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic disease which corresponds to 90% of the worldwide cases of diabetes, mainly due to epigenetic factors such as unhealthy lifestyles. First line therapeutic approaches are based on lifestyle changes, most of the time complemented with medication mostly associated with several side effects and high costs. As a result, the scientific community is constantly working for the discovery and development of natural therapeutic strategies that provide lower financial impact and minimize side effects. This review focus on these nature-based therapeutic strategies for prevention and control of T2DM, with a special emphasis on natural compounds that present pharmacological activity as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, lipase, and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors.

New insights into potential nutritional effects of dietary saponins in protecting against the development of obesity

Excessive energy intake, poor physical exercise and genetics/epigenetics are instrumental for the development of obesity. Because of rapidly emerging evidences related to off-target effects and toxicity of anti-obesity drugs, there is a need to search for more effective and targeted drugs for treatment of obesity. Substantial studies have found the nutritional effects of dietary saponins (bio-detergents) in terms of decreasing the synthesis of lipids, suppressing adipogenesis, inhibiting intestinal absorption of lipids, and promoting fecal excretion of bile acids and triglycerides. Dietary saponin have been approved as potent pancreatic lipase inhibitors, disaccharidase enzyme inhibitors, antagonistic to in vitro lipogenesis and in vivo appetite suppressants, antioxidants, immune-regulators, prevent fatty liver formation, protects epithelial vasculature and regulate body weight. Many dietary saponins, such as sibutramine, morgoside, sessiloside, soysaponin B, and diosgenin, have treatment potential against the development of obesity. Excellent scientific achievements have been developed for a better understanding the mechanism of saponins in preventing obesity.

In Vitro Antidiabetic, Anti-Obesity and Antioxidant Analysis of Ocimum basilicum Aerial Biomass and in Silico Molecular Docking Simulations with Alpha-Amylase and Lipase Enzymes

The present study explored phytochemicals, porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA) and lipase (PPL) inhibitory activities and antioxidant potential of polar and nonpolar extracts of the leaves and flowers of Ocimum basilicum and the in-silico mode of interaction between these enzymes and the major chemical constituents of the herb. The hexane extract (HE) and hydro-ethanolic extract (EE) obtained sequentially were used to estimate PPA and PPL inhibitory and antioxidant activities, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC). Chemical constituents of the essential oils and HE were determined by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). For PPA inhibition, IC₅₀ (µg/mL) of the extracts were 0.27-0.37, which were close to 0.24 of acarbose, while for PPL inhibition, IC₅₀ (µg/mL) of the extracts were 278.40-399.65, and that of Orlistat 145.72. The flowers EE was most potent antioxidant followed by leaves EE. The leaves EE had highest TPC and TFC followed of flowers EE. The essential oil of flowers had higher estragole (55%) than linalool (37%), while the essential oil of the leaves had higher linalool (42%) than estragole (38%). The HE of the flowers contained higher estragole (42%) than linalool (23%), while of the HE of the leaves too had higher estragole (65%) than linalool (18%). The in-silico molecular docking study showed linalool and estragole to have considerable PPA and PPL binding potential, which were further investigated through molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations. The PPA and PPL inhibitory activities of O. basilicum extracts and their notable antioxidant potential propose the herb as a multi-target complimentary medicine for diabetes, obesity and oxidative stress.

Acute and 28-day oral toxicity studies of methanolic extract of Lagenaria siceraria (Cucurbitaceae) fruit in rats

Lagenaria siceraria (Cucurbitaceae) is traditionally known to be used for the treatment of diabetes, ulcer, jaundice, cardiovascular disease, hemorrhoids, and colitis. This study involves evaluation of acute and subacute toxicity of methanolic extract of L. siceraria fruit (MELSF) in rats for assessment of its safety profile. For acute oral toxicity, single dose (2000 mg/kg body weight) of extract was administered in female Wister rats while in the subacute study the extract was given at doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg orally over 28 d in male and female rats. No evidence of toxicity was observed in animals when acutely exposed to MELSF, implying that the LD₅₀ is higher than 2000 mg/kg body weight. Further, repeated administration of the extract for 28 d did not alter any hematological and biochemical parameters and no significant changes were observed in organ and body weight of control and treated groups. Histopathological assessment was normal in kidney and liver. Thus, the present investigation shows that MELSF, at dosage levels up to 1000 mg/kg, is nontoxic and can show protection of some body tissues when administered for 28 d and therefore can be considered safe. This study supports the application of L. siceraria in traditional medicine.

Phenolic compounds and bioactivity evaluation of aqueous and methanol extracts of Allium mongolicum Regel

Allium mongolicum Regel (AM), widely distributed in western China, is a traditional Mongolian medicine herb. Two different solvents as water and methanol were used to extract AM, and their antioxidant capacity and inhibitory effects against key enzymes related to metabolic syndrome were assessed. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated through the assay of radical scavenging ability on DPPH and ABTS and reducing power assays. In addition, the total phenolic content and total flavonoids content were quantificated and analyzed. Aqueous extract, having higher phenolic content (10.20 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoid content (4.02 mg QE/g DW), showed better antioxidant and inhibitory effects against lipase and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE); as for α-glucosidase, the extract made by methanol showed better ability. In general, the aqueous extract of A. mongolicum Regel has the potential to be used as a functional food or nutraceutical in prevention and treatment of obesity and hypertension due to the high antioxidant and sound inhibitory potential against vital enzymes relevant to obesity and hypertension.

Hyperlipidemic Inhibitory Effects of Phellinus pini in Rats Fed with a High Fat and Cholesterol Diet

This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo hypolipidemic effects of the medicinal mushroom Phellinus pini. The methanol extract (ME) of the fruiting body of Ph. pini was active against pancreatic lipase and cholesterol esterase with 99.14% and 67.23% inhibited activity at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. It also inhibited 81.81% and 55.33% of α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities, respectively, at 2.0 mg/mL. Hyperlipidemia as induced by feeding rats with a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFC). HFC supplemented with a 5% fruiting body powder of Ph. pini (HFC + PhP) significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides in rats compared with HFC. The reduced levels were comparable to rats fed the normal control diet (NC). The atherogenic index of HFC + PhP rats was significantly lower than that of the HFC rats. The excretion of fecal total lipid and cholesterol in the HFC + PhP rats was significantly higher than those in the NC and HFC rats. Histopathological examinations demonstrated scant deposition of lipids in the liver of rats fed HFC + PhP. The dietary supplementation with the fruiting body powder provided natural plasma lipid and glucose lowering effects in experimental rats without adverse effects on the plasma biochemical parameters and liver function related enzyme activities. Therefore, the hypolipidemic effects of Ph. pini may be due to the inhibitory effects on pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase, and excretion of excess lipids and cholesterol in the feces.