Anti-obesity effect of Cydonia oblonga Miller extract in high-fat diet-induced obese C57BL/6 mice

Influence of different types of dietary sugars on the intestinal mucosa and hepatic lipid metabolism in germ-free mice

The excessive consumption of dietary sugar induces changes in gut microbiota, which is associated with obesity and metabolic dysregulation. This study investigated the effects of monosaccharide and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) intake on metabolic function and intestinal environment in germ-free (GF) mice lacking gut microbiota. GF mice were provided with a chow diet and administered a water solution containing 15 % glucose, fructose, or FOS for 4 weeks. Compared with FOS, glucose, and fructose induced increased hepatic lipid accumulation, increased adipocyte size in white adipose tissue, and upregulated hepatic lipogenic gene expression. FOS exhibited notably higher activation of hepatic AMP-activated protein kinase compared with those consuming glucose or fructose. Moreover, the number of goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa increased significantly with FOS consumption. Collectively, these findings indicate that while monosaccharides caused metabolic disorders in GF mice, FOS alleviated these disorders and increased the number of goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa. These results provide evidence for the occurrence of these effects independently of the gut microbiota.

Role of Nutraceuticals in Obesity Management: A Mechanism and Prospective Supported by Molecular Docking Studies

Obesity and its comorbidities represent a major health problem worldwide. Treatment by reducing food intake and physical activity interventions has limited success especially with elderly people with chronic diseases. Nutraceuticals are naturally originated and successfully used for their physiological and nutritional benefit in health care. They might be alternative means to help lose weight and reduce obesity-associated metabolic disorders with the improvement of health, delay the aging process, prevention of chronic diseases, increase of life expectancy, or support to the structure or function of the body. The current study enumerates the inherent role of nutraceuticals in the management of obesity and its related comorbidities. The study is supported with the molecular docking studies discussing the mechanism of action. An attempt to optimize the role of nutraceuticals is made in this article in addition to widen the scope of its use in this chronic worldwide disease.

Quinces (Cydonia oblonga, Chaenomeles sp., and Pseudocydonia sinensis) as Medicinal Fruits of the Rosaceae Family: Current State of Knowledge on Properties and Use

In recent years, the evaluation of many plant-derived compounds as potential new drugs or functional foods has become an active research topic. The morphological characteristics of quinces of the genera Cydonia sp., Chaenomeles sp., and Pseuocydonia sp. are largely similar, which is why these fruits are often confused. Although they have been appreciated in Asia for centuries as a valuable component of local ethnomedicine, they are less known in Western countries, and scientific knowledge about their health benefits remains fragmentary. This literature review summarizes studies on the content of chemical compounds responsible for the health-promoting and functional properties of the quince fruit. It focuses on the content of carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, and carboxylic acids, although the main emphasis is on the content and diversity of bioactive polyphenols, which are extremely abundant in these fruits. The quince fruits are rich in antioxidants and compounds with proven anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiallergic, and immunomodulatory effects. Their phytochemicals effectively regulate glycemia and improve the blood lipid profile, suggesting potential antidiabetic and cardioprotective benefits. Analysis of chemical characteristics showed that the Chaenomeles fruits. are underestimated as functional food ingredients. Studies on the molecular effects of their bioactive compounds and species-specific genomic analyses are sorely lacking in the scientific literature.

Protective Effect of Tertiary Butylhydroquinone against Obesity-induced Skeletal Muscle Pathology in Post-weaning High Fat Diet Fed Rats

BACKGROUND

Obesity deleteriously affects skeletal muscle functionality starting from infancy to adulthood, leading to dysfunctional skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVES

This study, therefore, evaluated the protective action of tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) against obesity-induced skeletal muscle pathology in high-fat diet (HFD) fed rats.

METHODS

Twenty post-weaning male albino rats were randomized into four groups of five rats each as: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (HFD), Group 3 (orlistat) and Group 4 (tBHQ). Group one received rat pellets for 12 weeks, while groups 2 to 4 received HFD for 12 weeks. At the end of week 8, obesity was confirmed with Lee Obesity Index and body mass index values of ≥ 303 and ≥ 0.68 gcm2, respectively. Group 3 was given oral administration of orlistat (10 mg/kg, once daily), while group 4 was given oral administration of tBHQ (25 mg/kg, once daily). Administration of orlistat and tBHQ commenced from week 9 to the end of the experiment.

RESULTS

Chronic exposure of post-weaning rats to HFD led to their development of the metabolic syndrome phenotypes in adulthood, characterized by obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidaemia, hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance as well as induction of oxidative stress and alteration of skeletal muscle markers, which were mitigated following supplementation with orlistat and tBHQ.

CONCLUSION

The study showed the anti-obesity potentials of tBHQ and its protective action against HFD obesity-induced skeletal muscular pathology.

Cydonia oblonga Miller fruit extract exerts an anti-obesity effect in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by activating the AMPK signaling pathway

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The fruit of Cydonia oblonga Miller (COM) is used traditionally in Mediterranean region medicine to prevent or treat obesity, but its mechanism of action is still unclear. Beyond a demonstrated anti-obesity effect, the fruit was tested for the mechanism of adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

MATERIALS/METHODS

3T3-L1 preadipocytes were cultured for 8 days with COM fruit extract (COME) at different concentrations (0-600 µg/mL) with adipocyte differentiation medium. The cell viability was measured using an MTT assay; triglyceride (TG) was stained with Oil Red O. The expression levels of the adipogenesis-related genes and protein expression were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS

COME inhibited intracellular TG accumulation during adipogenesis. A COME treatment in 3T3-L1 cells induced upregulation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)α phosphorylation and downregulation of the adipogenic transcription factors, such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α. The COME treatment reduced the mRNA expression of fatty acyl synthetase, adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase, adipocyte protein 2, and lipoprotein lipase. It increased the mRNA expression of hormone-sensitive lipase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I in 3T3-L1 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

COME inhibits adipogenesis via the AMPK signaling pathways. COME may be used to prevent and treat obesity.

Soloxolone Methyl Reduces the Stimulatory Effect of Leptin on the Aggressive Phenotype of Murine Neuro2a Neuroblastoma Cells via the MAPK/ERK1/2 Pathway

Despite the proven tumorigenic effect of leptin on epithelial-derived cancers, its impact on the aggressiveness of neural crest-derived cancers, notably neuroblastoma, remains largely unexplored. In our study, for the first time, transcriptome analysis of neuroblastoma tissue demonstrated that the level of leptin is elevated in neuroblastoma patients along with the severity of the disease and is inversely correlated with patient survival. The treatment of murine Neuro2a neuroblastoma cells with leptin significantly stimulated their proliferation and motility and reduced cell adhesion, thus rendering the phenotype of neuroblastoma cells more aggressive. Given the proven efficacy of cyanoenone-bearing semisynthetic triterpenoids in inhibiting the growth of neuroblastoma and preventing obesity in vivo, the effect of soloxolone methyl (SM) on leptin-stimulated Neuro2a cells was further investigated. We found that SM effectively abolished leptin-induced proliferation of Neuro2a cells by inducing G1/S cell cycle arrest and restored their adhesiveness to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to near control levels through the upregulation of vimentin, zonula occludens protein 1 (ZO-1), cell adhesion molecule L1 (L1cam), and neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (Ncam1). Moreover, SM significantly suppressed the leptin-associated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase A1 (p90RSK), which are key kinases that ensure the survival and proliferation of cancer cells. Further molecular modeling studies demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of SM on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK1/2 signaling pathway can be mediated by its direct interaction with ERK2 and its upstream regulators, son of sevenless homolog 1 (SOS) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1). Taken together, our findings in murine Neuro2a cells provide novel evidence of the stimulatory effect of leptin on the aggressiveness of neuroblastoma, which requires further detailed studies in human neuroblastoma cells and relevant animal models. The obtained results indicate that SM can be considered a promising drug candidate capable of reducing the impact of adipokines on tumor progression.

Anti-Diabetic Potential of Polyphenol-Rich Fruits from the Maleae Tribe-A Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Animal and Human Trials

The Maleae tribe consists of over one thousand species, including many well-known polyphenol-containing fruit crops with wide-ranging biological properties, e.g., apples (Malus), chokeberries (Aronia), pears (Pyrus), quinces (Cydonia, Chaenomeles), saskatoon (Amelanchier), loquats (Eriobotrya), medlars (Mespilus), rowans (Sorbus), and hawthorns (Crataegus). Considering the current interest in the concept of functional foods and the still-insufficient methods of diabetes management, the anti-diabetic potential of fruits has been studied intensively, including those of the Maleae tribe. This paper is the first comprehensive overview of this selected topic, covering articles published from 2000 to 2023 (131 articles in total). The first part of this review focuses on the potential mechanisms of action of fruits investigated so far (46 species), including their effects on tissue-specific glucose transport and the expression or activity of proteins in the insulin signalling pathway. The second part covers the phytocompounds responsible for particular fruits' activity-primarily polyphenols (e.g., flavonols, dihydrochalcones, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins, phenolic acids), but also polysaccharides, triterpenes, and their additive and synergistic effects. In summary, fruits from the Maleae tribe seem promising as functional foods and anti-diabetic agents; however, their prospects for more expansive pro-health application require further research, especially more profound in vivo trials.

The Possibility of Using Fruit-Bearing Plants of Temperate Climate in the Treatment and Prevention of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most dangerous metabolic diseases. The incidence of this disease continues to increase and is often associated with severe complications. Plants and natural plant products with a healing effect have been successfully used in the treatment of many disease entities since the beginning of the history of herbalism and medicine. At present, great emphasis is placed on the biodiversity of crops and the replacement of the monoculture production system of popular temperate climate plants, such as apple, pear, plum, and vine, with alternative fruit species. Very promising fruit plants are Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas); mulberry (Morus alba); bird cherry (Prunus padus); sour cherry (Prunus cerasus); plants of the genus Amelanchier, Sorbus, and Crategus; medlar (Mespilus germanica); quince (Cydonia oblonga); plants of the genus Vaccinium; and wild roses. When promoting the cultivation of alternative fruit-bearing plants, it is worth emphasizing their beneficial effects on health. This systematic review indicates that the antidiabetic effect of various parts of fruit plants is attributed to the presence of polyphenols, especially anthocyanins, which have different mechanisms of antidiabetic action and can be used in the treatment of diabetes and various complications associated with this disease.

Effects of Coix Seed Oil on High Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Dyslipidemia

Dietary intervention is becoming more popular as a way to improve lipid metabolism and reduce the prevalence of diet-related chronic disorders. We evaluated the effects of several dietary oils on body weight, fat mass, liver weight, and tumor necrosis factor in obese mice given a high-fat diet (HFD) to discover if coix seed oil (CSO) had an anti-obesity impact. As compared to other dietary fats, CSO treatment considerably lowered body weight and liver index, successfully sup-pressed total cholesterol and triglyceride content, and raised liver lipid deposition and lipid metabolism problem induced by high fat intake. Furthermore, gas chromatography research revealed that CSO extracted by supercritical fluid, with 64% being CSO extracted by supercritical fluid, and the greatest amounts of capric acids and lauric acids being 35.28% and 22.21%, respectively. CSO contained a high content of medium-chain fatty acids and was able to modify hepatic fatty acid metabolism and lipid levels in HFD-induced obese mice. According to the results, CSO has the potential to replace dietary lipids as a promising functional lipid in the prevention of met-abolish disorders.

Cardiovascular Effects of Cydonia oblonga Miller (Quince)

Cydonia oblonga Miller (quince) is a monotypic genus in the Rosaceae family which used to treat or prevent many medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, infections, and ulcer. This review will summarize the current state of knowledge available on botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of this plant with a focus on its effect on some cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, blood pressure, lipid profile, and body weight. Databases of Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and SID were searched systematically for English published articles with no date limitation. There were no human studies found, and all of the studies were conducted on animals or in vitro models. Reviewing of all 12 included articles showed that different types of quince extract have positive effects on cardiovascular-related factors such as blood pressure, diabetes, glucose metabolism, lipid profile, ROS, body weight, liver dysfunction, and thrombosis. An antihypertensive effect of quince showed to be a magnitude that is comparable to captopril and the lipid-lowering effect of quince showed to be a magnitude that is comparable to simvastatin. However, two studies evaluated the effect of quince fruit extract on insulin levels; one of them reported no positive effect, and the other one reported a significant positive effect. It can be concluded that different parts of quince including leaf, seed, and fruit could be used for improving cardiovascular-related factors including blood pressure, glucose metabolism and diabetes, obesity, and lipid-adjusting purposes. Quince was also found to have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacity. This study paves the way for further studies on the cardiovascular effect of quince consumption as a beneficial nutraceutical in humans.

The Role of Gut Microbiota Modulation Strategies in Obesity: The Applications and Mechanisms

Nowadays, obesity is a leading public health problem worldwide. The growing prevalence of obesity significantly accounts for other cardio-metabolic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes. Several studies have shown that obesity is strongly associated with genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and dietary factors, especially the disordered profiles of gut microbiota (GM). The present review concluded mechanistic studies and potential correspondent treatments for obesity. Specifically, the anti-obesity effects of food-derived compounds manipulating GM were highlighted. The potential limitations of bioactive compounds on absorption in the intestinal tract were also discussed. Thus, the future direction of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as an approach to support modulating host GM (considered to be a potential therapeutic target for obesity) was discussed. This review shed light on the role of GM modulation strategies for the prevention/treatment of obesity.