Evaluation of anti-obesity effect of Aegle marmelos leaves

The Dawn till Dusk of phytopharmaceuticals

Herbal products and their formulations have a large market at the global level. A significant portion of the worldwide population relies upon herbal treatment. Their apparent non-toxic and cost-effective nature appeals to the population and drives researchers to pursue them for drug development. However, due to the lack of scientific evidence, their conventional preparation, poor regulation and control make these an unseen threat to the people. There has been a long-standing argument that allopathic medicines are better than herbal medicines due to their specificity and precision. To compete with modern medicines, a concept of science-based phytopharmaceutical drugs was introduced through a draft amendment notified to the Drugs and Cosmetics 1940 and Rules 1945. The amendment has introduced a definition for botanicals and their scientific evaluation for quality safety and efficacy by the Central Drugs Standard and Control Organization (CDSCO) office as a marketing authorization requirement. The present article discusses the advantages and challenges faced in the development of phytopharmaceuticals, and how they differ from dietary supplements and herbal drugs. It also gives consolidated information on Phytopharmaceuticals and their regulatory and Pharmacopoeial status with an exemplary PPI monograph - Aegle marmelos. The plant selection was done based on extensive research using the PRISMA approach. A detailed view of the opportunities and challenges provided by phytopharmaceuticals is explained in the present review.

Overview of Natural Supplements for the Management of Diabetes and Obesity

Bioactive compounds found in various natural sources, such as fruits, vegetables, and herbs, have been studied for their potential benefits in managing obesity and diabetes. These compounds include polyphenols, flavonoids, other antioxidants, fiber, and certain fatty acids. Studies have found that these compounds may improve insulin sensitivity, regulate blood sugar levels, and promote weight loss. However, the effects of these compounds can vary depending on the type and amount consumed, as well as individual factors, such as genetics and lifestyle. Nutraceutical substances have multifaceted therapeutic advantages, and they have been reported to have disease-prevention and health-promoting properties. Several clinically used nutraceuticals have been shown to target the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome and their complications and modulate various clinical outcomes favorably. This review aims to highlight and comment on some of the most prominent natural components used as antidiabetics and in managing obesity.

Safety Evaluation of the Polyherbal Formulation NawaTab: Acute and Subacute Oral Toxicity Studies in Rats

NawaTab is a tablet formulation developed from the Nawametho polyherbal formula used in Surat Thani province, Southern Thailand, for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. This study aims at evaluating the acute and subacute toxicity of NawaTab in rats. In the acute toxicity study, NawaTab was evaluated in female rats following the OECD Guideline No. 423. In the subacute toxicity study, NawaTab was tested in both male and female rats following the OECD Guideline No. 407. In the acute toxicity study, no lethal effects or toxic signs were observed during the duration of the study. In the subacute toxicity study, there was no mortality and no abnormality in clinical signs, body weight, food consumption, relative organ weight, and hematological parameters of NawaTab-treated rats. Significantly increased water consumption by male rats (500 mg/kg BW) and female rats (250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg BW) was observed. In addition, globulin and total cholesterol of female rats (1000 mg/kg BW) significantly increased. These alterations were within normal physiological ranges. Moreover, necropsy and histopathological findings of NawaTab-treated rats demonstrated no obvious alterations attributable to NawaTab administration. The present study revealed that NawaTab has no significant acute oral toxicological effects. The lethal dose with a 50% mortality rate (LD₅₀) was higher than 5000 mg/kg BW in rats. The subacute oral administration of NawaTab for 28 days did not have any major toxicological effects. Based on this study, NawaTab could be safe to use with caution pending its chronic toxicity study.

Umbelliferon: a review of its pharmacology, toxicity and pharmacokinetics

Coumarin, a plant secondary metabolite, has various pharmacological activities, including antioxidant stress and anti-inflammatory effects. Umbelliferone, a common coumarin compound found in almost all higher plants, has been extensively studied for its pharmacological effects in different disease models and doses with complex action mechanisms. This review aims to summarize these studies and provide useful information to relevant scholars. The pharmacological studies demonstrate that umbelliferone has diverse effects such as anti-diabetes, anti-cancer, anti-infection, anti-rheumatoid arthritis, neuroprotection, and improvement of liver, kidney, and myocardial tissue damage. The action mechanisms of umbelliferone include inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, improvement of insulin resistance, myocardial hypertrophy, and tissue fibrosis, in addition to regulation of blood glucose and lipid metabolism. Among the action mechanisms, the inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation is the most critical. In short, these pharmacological studies disclose that umbelliferone is expected to treat many diseases, and more research should be conducted.

Musa acuminate seed extract attenuates the risk of obesity and associated inflammation in obese mice via suppression of PPARγ and MCP-1

Obesity is a severe public health burden and a major component of metabolic syndrome. It is critical to identify treatment medicines for obesity and associated inflammation. We examined the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties of Musa acuminate seeds methanol extract in high-fat diet-induced obesity. Changes in body weight, Lee index, fat mass accumulation, serum cholesterol, and serum triglyceride were monitored. Alteration in the expression of PPARγ, GLUT4, and MCP-1 at the transcript level in adipose tissue was also studied. After tabulation of our data, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) was recorded for body weight gain, and fat mass accumulation followed by significant changes (p < 0.05) in serum cholesterol, and serum triglyceride levels by the extract. In agreement with the biochemical data, the extract was capable enough (p < 0.05) to reduce the mRNA expression of PPARγ, and MCP-1, confirming the ability of the extract to ameliorate the risk of obesity and obesity-associated inflammation. Moreover, an in-silico study showed the high binding affinity of the reported compounds from M. acuminate like Delphinidin, Umbelliferon with COX-2, PPARγ, and MCP-1, supporting the notion of the risk-reducing potential of M.acuminate for obesity and obesity mediated inflammatory.

A Thai Traditional Triple-Fruit Formulation "Phikud Tri-Phon" May Provide Fat Loss and Nutritional Benefits

Obesity and overweight have serious health outcomes. “Phikud Tri-Phon” (PTP) is a traditional Thai medicine comprising three dried fruits from Aegle marmelos L., Morinda citrifolia L., and Coriandrum sativum L. Whether this medicine impacts on metabolic disease is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the phenolic and flavonoid contents of PTP and each of its herbal components, and further assess their antioxidant and anti-adipogenetic activities. Oil-red O staining was measured for lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The chemical profiles of PTP and each herbal extract were determined by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. Our results show that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of PTP water extract were 22.35–108.42 mg of gallic acid equivalents and PTP ethanolic extract was 1.19–0.93 mg of quercetin equivalents and the DPPH scavenging capacity assay of PTP ethanolic extract (1 mg/mL) was 92.45 ± 6.58 (Trolox equivalent)/g. The PTP extracts and individual herbs had inhibitory adipogenesis activity, which reduced lipid accumulation by approximately 31% in PTP water extract and 22% in PTP ethanolic extract compared with control cells. These results provided insights into the traditional preparation method of using boiling water as a vehicle for PTP. In conclusion, PTP has antioxidant and anti-adipogenesis potential, indicating it is a promising ingredient in functional food and herbal health products.

Improvement effects of esculetin on the formation and development of atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is one of the potential causes of death in patients with cardiovascular disease. With the discovery of new anti atherosclerotic drugs becoming the pursuit of the pharmaceutical industry, natural products have attracted more and more attention because of their unique efficacy in the treatment of atherosclerosis. More and more studies have shown that esculetin, a coumarin mainly found in cortex fraxini, can improve atherosclerosis by participating in cellular antioxidant responses and reducing inflammation related pathogenesis. This paper summarizes the researches of esculetin on anti-atherosclerosis in the past two decades. Esculetin plays an anti atherosclerotic role through reducing blood triglyceride level, preventing the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and the production of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), inhibiting the oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the secretion of adhesion factors and chemokines, and increasing the outflow level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Esculetin is safe and reliable, easy to be absorbed by the body and can be synthesized in a variety of ways. Although there are still few clinical studies on anti-atherosclerosis, in vivo experiments have proved that esculetin has high bioavailability. From the current research, the anti-atherosclerotic effect of esculetin is positive and encouraging. However, much work remains to be done to clarify the molecular mechanism of esculetin in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

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.

Effect of Aegle marmelos on the growth of brushite crystals

Background

The urinary stone formation is a very common health problem due to the prolonged medication. Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate Dihydrate (CaHPO4.2H2O, CHPD and Brushite) is one of the major constituent of urinary stone crystals. The formation and deposition of brushite crystals is the central cause of recurrent kidney stone disease among the global population. The present study aims to investigate the effect of Aegle marmelos leaves on the growth of brushite crystals to explicate the inhibitory effect of urinary stones from a different point of view.

Methods

The CHPD crystals were grown by the Single Diffusion Gel growth technique. In order to inhibit the formation of urinary stones, CHPD crystals are grown in the laboratory in the pure form and by adding the prolonged medicine A. marmelos taken especially by diabetic patients. A comparative study of the pure and A. marmelos leaves added crystals has been carried out using the Growth factor, Powder X-ray diffraction, Microstructural parameters, FTIR and SEM-EDAX.

Results

Total mass of the grown crystals is found to decrease with increasing concentrations of leaf extract of the A. marmelos. On comparing with undoped, crystalline size of the A. marmelos doped samples is reduced. Disappearance of absorption band and peak shift in the FTIR shows the incorporation of functional groups of A. marmelos. The morphology changes of the treated crystals are assessed in SEM.

Conclusions

The result shows that herbal extracts prepared from A. marmelos have good inhibitory effect on the growth of the brushite urinary stone crystals considered.

Natural-product-inspired design and synthesis of two series of compounds active against Trypanosoma cruzi: Insights into structure-activity relationship, toxicity, and mechanism of action

Chemical scaffolds of natural products have historically been sources of inspiration for the development of novel molecules of biological relevance, including hit and lead compounds. To identify new compounds active against Trypanosoma cruzi, we designed and synthesized 46 synthetic derivatives based on the structure of two classes of natural products: tetrahydrofuran lignans (Series 1) and oxazole alkaloids (Series 2). Compounds were screened in vitro using a cellular model of T. cruzi infection. In the first series of compounds, 11 derivatives of hit compound 5 (EC₅₀ = 1.1 µM) were found to be active; the most potent (7, 8, and 13) had EC₅₀ values of 5.1-34.2 µM. In the second series, 17 analogs were found active at 50 µM; the most potent compounds (47, 49, 59, and 63) showed EC₅₀ values of 24.2-49.1 µM. Active compounds were assessed for selectivity, hemocompatibility, synergistic potential, effects on mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibitory effect on trypanothione reductase. All active compounds showed low toxicity against uninfected THP-1 cells and human erythrocytes. The potency of compounds 5 and 8 increased steadily in combination with benznidazole, indicating a synergistic effect. Furthermore, compounds 8, 47, 49, 59, and 63 inhibited parasitic mitochondria in a dose-dependent manner. Although increased reactive oxygen species levels might lead to mitochondrial effects, the results indicate that the mechanism of action of the compounds is not dependent on trypanothione reductase inhibition. In silico calculation of chemical descriptors and principal component analysis showed that the active compounds share common chemical features with other trypanocidal molecules and are predicted to have a good ADMET profile. Overall, the results suggest that the compounds are important candidates to be further studied for their potential against T. cruzi.

Formulation, Characterization and Antimicrobial efficacy of Aegle marmelos Essential oil nanogel

Objective: Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa has been widely used in Indian traditional medicine and has many reported pharmacological activities. The aim of this research was to formulate solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of Aegle oil (AO) that enhanced the beneficial antimicrobial activity of the oil. Methods: The chemical composition of Aegle leaf essential oil was analysed by GC-MS. Additionally, a phytochemical study of A. marmelos methanolic leaf extract was conducted using Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay for determination of total phenolic content as well as ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS-MS) analyses for identification of individual components. Six formulations of AO-loaded SLNs (AO-SLNs) were prepared by a double emulsification method. The particle size, zeta potential (ZP), polydispersibility index (PDI) and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the SLNs were determined. The morphology of the SLNs was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antimicrobial activity of AO and AO-SLNs was assessed using disc diffusion method. Results: Thirty-two compounds were identified in the Aegle oil, of which Δ-carene and α-phellandrene were the most abundant (48.14% and 34.14%, respectively). The estimated total phenolic content was 968mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, while UPLC-ESI-MS-MS led to the tentative characterization of thirteen metabolites. The SLNs showed ZP, PDI and EE 125 ± 0.22nm, –37.85, 0.282, and 92%, respectively. AO and AO-SLNs showed significant antimicrobial activity, and the SLNs could sustain the release of AO from their gel vehicles. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence for the application of AO-SLNs in topical and transdermal delivery systems.

Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. fruit extract reduces high-fat diet-induced obesity with modulation of the gut microbiota in obese mice

Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. fruits have been used as traditional food. This study investigated the effects of a polyphenol-rich Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. fruit extract (VBTE) on obesity and obesity-related diseases in mice, and the potential role of the gut microbiota in the bioactivity of VBTE was also determined. Chemical constituents of the VBTE were analyzed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). C57BL/6J mice (weighing 17.8-21.6 g) were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) with or without VBTE treatment for 14 weeks. The gut microbial changes were determined using 16S rRNA sequencing. Our results showed that VBTE mainly contains 36 kinds of polyphenols. VBTE reduced HFD-induced body weight gain by 33.42% (p < .05), steatosis scores by 56.25% (p < .05), and insulin resistance index by 51.49% (p < .05). Moreover, VBTE altered the composition of the gut microbiota. The correlation analysis indicated that Akkermansia, Alistipes, Bacteroides, Alloprevotella, Ruminiclostridium, Ruminiclostridium_9, and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group were negatively correlated with serum lipids, glucose, and insulin, while Escherichia-Shigella was positively associated with these clinical indicators. In conclusion, VBTE supplement could reduce obesity and be a treatment option for obesity-related diseases by influencing the gut microbiota in mice. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Plant extracts are widely used to treat obesity and related metabolic disorders. Polyphenols, the well-known natural antioxidants present in fruits, are consumed as a dietary supplement to prevent many diseases. Recent pharmacological studies have reported that Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. fruits have many physiological functions, such as anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant-like effects. Despite these properties of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. fruits, their anti-obesity effect has not been studied to date. The findings of this study will support VBTE could be used as an important therapeutic application for preventing obesity and related metabolic diseases by modulating the gut microbiota.

Bioactive compounds of Aegle marmelos L., medicinal values and its food applications: A critical review

Aegle marmelos L. (bael) is a fruit tree of Rutaceae family, widely grown all over the world. This plant is gaining popularity because of its nutrient-rich fruits and immense traditional medicinal usage and pharmacological properties. The health promotive and protective effect of bael fruit is accounted by fibers, carotenoids, phenolics, terpenoids, coumarins, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The curative relevance of these compounds has been assessed by various in vivo and in vitro studies. Fruit shows numerous possible health benefits, namely, radio-protective effects, peroxidation, antibacterial, inhibition of lipid, antidiarrheal, gastroprotective, antiviral, antidiabetic, anti-ulcerative colitis, cardioprotective, free-radical scavenging (antioxidant) and hepatoprotective effects. The health benefits of bael are not only limited to edible portion (fruit), but it also extends to nonedible portion (root, trunk, bark, leaf, flower and seed) having comparable biologically active compounds. Increasing awareness about the role of diet among health-conscious consumers for human well-being has increased the interest in functional foods thereby exploration of the functional attributes of various underutilized plants is being reaffirmed and various sources are emerged out as suitable food material for processing industry. The various scientific reports collected from different bibliometric sources suggested that A. marmelos and its bioactive constituents could play a vital role in the prevention of several chronic and degenerative diseases associated with oxidation stress. This review emphasis on recent scientific evidences on nutrition and bioactive profile of A. marmelos, health benefits along with clinical and nonclinical trials of various phytoconstituents and A. marmelos potential in food processing industry for various food products. Our study suggests that this plant does indeed have pharmacological properties of interest, however, further extensive research is needed to establish a potential strategy that can balance the pharmacological and toxic effects of bael.

Selective Chlorophyll Removal Method to "Degreen" Botanical Extracts

Chlorophylls are present in all extracts from the aerial parts of green plant materials. Chlorophylls may act as in vitro bioassay nuisance compounds, possibly preventing the reproducibility and accurate measurement of readouts due to their UV/vis absorbance, fluorescence properties, and tendency to precipitate in aqueous media. Despite the diversity of methods used traditionally to remove chlorophylls, details about their mode of operation, specificity, and reproducibility are scarce. Herein, we report a selective and efficient 45 min liquid-liquid/countercurrent chlorophyll cleanup method using Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) with a solvent system composed of hexanes-EtOAc-MeOH-water (5:5:5:5, v/v) in elution-extrusion mode. The broader utility of the method was assessed with four different extracts prepared from three well-characterized plant materials: Epimedium sagittatum (leaves), Senna alexandrina (leaves), and Trifolium pratense (aerial parts). The reproducibility of the method, the selectivity of the chlorophyll removal, as well as the preservation of the phytochemical integrity of the resulting chlorophyll-free ("degreened") extracts were evaluated using HPTLC, UHPLC-UV, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and LC-MS as orthogonal phytochemical methods. The cleanup process adequately preserves the metabolomic diversity as well as the integrity of the original extracts. This method was found to be sufficiently rapid for the "degreening" of botanical extracts in higher-throughput sample preparation for further biological screening.

Plant Extracts and Reactive Oxygen Species as Two Counteracting Agents with Anti- and Pro-Obesity Properties

Obesity is a complex disease of great public health significance worldwide: It entails several complications including diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular dysfunction and hypertension, and its prevalence is increasing around the world. The pathogenesis of obesity is closely related to reactive oxygen species. The role of reactive oxygen species as regulatory factors in mitochondrial activity in obese subjects, molecules taking part in inflammation processes linked to excessive size and number of adipocytes, and as agents governing the energy balance in hypothalamus neurons has been examined. Phytotherapy is the traditional form of treating health problems using plant-derived medications. Some plant extracts are known to act as anti-obesity agents and have been screened in in vitro models based on the inhibition of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells and activity of pancreatic lipase methods and in in vivo high-fat diet-induced obesity rat/mouse models and human models. Plant products may be a good natural alternative for weight management and a source of numerous biologically-active chemicals, including antioxidant polyphenols that can counteract the oxidative stress associated with obesity. This review presents polyphenols as natural complementary therapy, and a good nutritional strategy, for treating obesity without serious side effects.

Esculetin induces apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells through IGF-1/PI3K/Akt-mediated mitochondrial pathways

Esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin) is a coumarin derivative extracted from natural plants and has been reported to have anticancer activity. However, the mechanism by which esculetin prevents human hepatic cancer cell growth is still largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of esculetin on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) SMMC-7721 cells and explored the cell signal mechanism. Our data indicated that esculetin induced apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells, which were supported by DAPI staining and Annexin V/PI staining. Meanwhile, esculetin increased the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9, promoted bax expression, decreased bcl-2 expression, and triggered collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased cytochrome c release from mitochondria. In addition, the inactivation of IGF-1, PI3K, and Akt was observed after esculetin administration. Furthermore, pretreatment with IGF-1 before esculetin administration abrogated the pro-apoptotic effects of esculetin, while PI3K inhibitor increased the pro-apoptotic effects of esculetin. These results indicated that esculetin induced the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells through IGF-1/PI3K/Akt-regulated mitochondrial dysfunction.

Anti-obesity activity, acute toxicity, and chemical constituents of aqueous and ethanol Viola mandshurica extracts

Background

Viola mandshurica has traditionally been used as an expectorant, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory drug. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that low doses of two different V. mandshurica extracts have anti-obesity effects.

Methods

We evaluated the effects of ethanol extract (VME) and aqueous extract (VMA) from V. mandshurica on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice as well as the acute oral toxicities and chemical compositions of both extracts.

Results

Oral administration of VME or VMA (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg) decreased body weight gain, liver and adipose tissue mass, adipocyte size, and serum lipid levels. Both extracts increased adiponectin serum concentrations and mRNA expression in epididymal adipose tissue. VME and VMA also reversed the HFD-induced mRNA expression of lipogenic genes such as CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)α, C/EBPβ, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, and leptin in adipose tissue, whereas they increased mRNA expression of uncoupling protein 2 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). VME and VMA increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and acetyl-coA carboxylase with a concomitant decrease in fat accumulation in the liver. High performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that both VME and VMA contained esculetin (0.566% for VME, 0.231% for VMA) and schaftoside (0.147% for VME, 0.126% for VMA). In a 2-week acute toxicity study, administration of a single oral dose of VME or VMA (5000 mg/kg) caused no signs of toxicity or mortality.

Conclusions

These results suggest that both VM extracts exert anti-obesity effects in HFD-induced obese mice by suppressing lipogenesis and activating AMPK in the liver and adipose tissue. Our findings suggest that VM extracts could be a safe and effective treatment for obesity.

Potential Lipid-Lowering Effects of Eleusine indica (L) Gaertn. Extract on High-Fat-Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats

Background:

To date, anti-obesity agents based on natural products are tested for their potential using lipase inhibition assay through the interference of hydrolysis of fat by lipase resulting in reduced fat absorption without altering the central mechanisms. Previous screening study had indicated strong anti-obesity potential in Eleusine indica (E. indica), but to date, no pharmacologic studies have been reported so far.

Objective:

This study was performed to investigate the lipid-lowering effects of E. indica using both in vitro and in vivo models.

Methods:

The crude methanolic extract of E. indica was fractionated using hexane (H-Ei), dichloromethane (DCM-Ei), ethyl acetate (EA-Ei), butanol (B-Ei), and water (W-Ei). All the extracts were tested for antilipase activity using porcine pancreatic lipase. Because H-Ei showed the highest inhibition, it was further subjected to chemical profiling using high-performance liquid chromatography. Subsequently, oral toxicity analysis of H-Ei was performed [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines using fixed dose procedure (No. 420)]; efficacy analysis was performed using high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic female Sprague–Dawley rats.

Results:

According to the toxicity and efficacy analyses, H-Ei did not demonstrate any noticeable biochemical toxicity or physiologic abnormalities and did not cause any tissue damage as per histologic analysis. Furthermore, H-Ei significantly reduced body weight and improved serum profile and did not show hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity based on the serum profile. Moreover, H-Ei alleviated HFD-induced hepatosteatosis and ameliorated induced adiposity in both visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Conclusion:

Our results demonstrate that H-Ei effectively improved hyperlipidemia. Further studies to explore its possibility as an alternative pharmacologic agent to treat obesity are warranted.

SUMMARY

Hexane extract of Eleusine indica (H-Ei) showed strong potential in the inhibition of porcine pancreatic lipase (27.01 ± 5.68%).

The acute oral toxicity of E. indica hexane extract on animal model falls into Globally Harmonized System Category 5 (low hazard), since mortality, clinical toxicity symptoms, gross pathologic, or histopathologic damage was not observed.

The hexane extract of E. indica had significantly reduced the body weight and improved serum lipid profile, with reduction in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and elevation in high-density lipoprotein when comparing against the high-fat diet control group.

Microscopic evaluation on histologic slides of liver and adipose tissues suggested that E. indica hexane extract had greatly improved liver steatosis and adipose tissue hypertrophy in high-fat diet control group.

Abbreviation used: ALT: Alanine transaminase; AST: Aspartate transaminase; B-Ei: Butanol extract of E. indica; DCM-Ei: Dichloromethane extract of E. indica; EA-Ei: Ethyl acetate extract of E. indica; GHS: Globally Harmonized System; HDL: High-density lipoprotein; H-Ei: Hexane extract of E. indica; HFD: High-fat diet; HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography; LDL: Low-density lipoprotein; NFD: Normal fed diet; PPL: Porcine pancreatic lipase; SEM: Standard error of mean; SD: Standard deviation; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglycerides; W-Ei: Water extract of E. indica.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) decoction extract inhibits in vitro intestinal glucose absorption and attenuates high fat diet-induced lipotoxicity and oxidative stress

The present study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of chamomile decoction extract (CDE) on intestinal glucose absorption as well as its protective role against high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and lipotoxicity in rats. We used the Ussing chamber system to investigate the effect of CDE on intestinal transport of glucose. Male Wistar rats were fed HFD for six weeks to provoke obesity. CDE (100mg/kg, b.w. p.o.) has been per orally administered to HFD fed rats. Ex vivo, we found that CDE significantly and dose-dependently increased intestinal absorption of glucose. In vivo, HFD increased the body, liver and kidney weights, while CDE treatment showed a significant protective effects. High fat diet induced also a lipid profiles disorder and a disturbances in kidney and liver function parameters. Moreover liver and kidney lipotoxicity is accompanied by an oxidative stress status characterized by increased lipoperoxidation, depletion of antioxidant enzymes activity and non-enzymatic antioxidant (-SH groups and GSH) levels as well as increased levels of free iron, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and calcium. However, treatment with CDE alleviated all the deleterious effects of HFD feed. These findings suggest that chamomile decoction extract can be used as functional beverage against obesity, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.

Popular edible seaweed, Gelidium amansii prevents against diet-induced obesity

The popular edible seaweed, Gelidium amansii is broadly used as food worldwide. To determine whether G. amansii extract (GAE) has protective effects on obesity, mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) treated with GAE (1 and 3 %) were studied. After 12 weeks of GAE treatment, body weight was greatly decreased in mice fed a high-fat diet. This effect could be due to decreased adipogenesis, as evidenced by the fact that GAE suppressed adipogenic gene expression in adipocytes. In addition, blood glucose and serum insulin levels were reduced by GAE treatment in mice fed a high-fat diet, suggesting improvement in glucose metabolism. GAE supplementation also led to a significant decrease in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These data are further confirmed by H&E staining. Our findings indicate that Gelidium amansii prevents against the development of diet-induced obesity, and further implicate that GAE supplementation could be the therapeutical option for treatment of metabolic disorder such as obesity.

Age-dependent effects of esculetin on mood-related behavior and cognition from stressed mice are associated with restoring brain antioxidant status

Dietary antioxidants might exert an important role in the aging process by relieving oxidative damage, a likely cause of age-associated brain dysfunctions. This study aims to investigate the influence of esculetin (6,7-dihydroxycoumarin), a naturally occurring antioxidant in the diet, on mood-related behaviors and cognitive function and its relation with age and brain oxidative damage. Behavioral tests were employed in 11-, 17- and 22-month-old male C57BL/6J mice upon an oral 35day-esculetin treatment (25mg/kg). Activity of antioxidant enzymes, GSH and GSSG levels, GSH/GSSG ratio, and mitochondrial function were analyzed in brain cortex at the end of treatment in order to assess the oxidative status related to mouse behavior. Esculetin treatment attenuated the increased immobility time and enhanced the diminished climbing time in the forced swim task elicited by acute restraint stress (ARS) in the 11- and 17-month-old mice versus their counterpart controls. Furthermore, ARS caused an impairment of contextual memory in the step-through passive avoidance both in mature adult and aged mice which was partially reversed by esculetin only in the 11-month-old mice. Esculetin was effective to prevent the ARS-induced oxidative stress mostly in mature adult mice by restoring antioxidant enzyme activities, augmenting the GSH/GSSG ratio and increasing cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in cortex. Modulation of the mood-related behavior and cognitive function upon esculetin treatment in a mouse model of ARS depends on age and is partly due to the enhancement of redox status and levels of COX activity in cortex.

Protective effects of phyllanthin, a lignan from Phyllanthus amarus, against progression of high fat diet induced metabolic disturbances in mice

Phyllanthin delayed the progression of high fat diet induced changes affecting lipid and glucose metabolism such as adiposity, hypertriglyceridemia, fatty liver, inflammation, lipid peroxidation and insulin resistance.

The nutritional composition and anti-obesity effects of an herbal mixed extract containing Allium fistulosum and Viola mandshurica in high-fat-diet-induced obese mice

Background

In traditional oriental medicine, A. fistulosum and V. mandshurica are considered to be effective in promoting blood circulation. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether a solution containing both A. fistulosum and V. mandshurica (AFE + VME) extracts has synergistic effects on the treatment of hyperlipidemia and obesity.

Methods

Anti-obesity effects of an herbal extract containing Allium fistulosum and Viola mandshurica (AFE + VME) were investigated in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. AFE + VME was orally administrated to mice with the HFD at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day for 8 weeks. We observed the effects of mixed extract on body weight, fat mass, serum lipid levels, and mRNA expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes in the adipose tissue of mice.

Results

The nutritional analysis revealed that this mixed extract is high in carbohydrate (72.2 g/100 g) and protein (11.5 g/100 g); low in fat (1.7 g/100 g); rich in vitamins E (4.8 mg/100 g), B₁ (14.8 mg/100 g), B₂ (1.0 mg/100 g), niacin (7.9 mg/100 g), and folic acid (1.57 mg/100 g); and rich in minerals such as calcium (600 mg/100 g), iron (106.1 mg/100 g), and zinc (5.8 mg/100 g). The oral administration of AFE + VME in obese mice reduced body weight, tissue weight, adipocyte size, and lipid accumulation in the liver compared with HFD control mice. AFE + VME also decreased serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and leptin concentrations. Furthermore, AFE + VME markedly increased the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2), and adiponectin and decreased leptin expression in the epididymal white adipose tissue. Our results suggest that the extract containing A. fistulosum and V. mandshurica improved lipid metabolism via the up-regulation of PPAR-γ, UCP-2, and adiponectin expression and the down-regulation of leptin in HFD-induced obese mice.

Conclusions

Therefore, the extract containing Allium fistulosum and Viola mandshurica may be a potentially effective therapy for obesity and its related metabolic disorders such as hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance.

Viola mandshurica ethanolic extract prevents high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice by activating AMP-activated protein kinase

Viola mandshurica W. Becker has been used as an expectorant, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory agent. We evaluated the effects of V. mandshurica ethanol extract (VME) on high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice. HPLC analysis showed that the VME contained 11.95 ± 0.37 mg/g esculetin and 0.13 ± 0.01 mg/g scopoletin. Orally administered VME decreased the body weight, adipose tissue mass, adipocyte size, and triglyceride and leptin serum concentrations. In contrast, VME increased serum adiponectin concentrations and adiponectin expression levels in epididymal adipose tissues. VME also significantly reversed the HFD-induced elevation of the mRNA and protein levels of lipogenic genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, fatty-acid synthase, and adipocyte protein 2. Moreover, VME reversed the HFD-induced inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-coA carboxylase phosphorylation in epididymal adipose tissues. Furthermore, treatment of VME and esculetin in 3T3-L1 cells inhibited adipocyte differentiation and fat accumulation. These results suggest that VME exerts anti-obesity effects in HFD-induced obese mice by activating AMPK and suppressing PPARγ expression in adipose tissues.

Quantification and Comparison of Extraction Methods for Alkaloids in Aegle marmelos Leaves by HPLC

The leaves of Aegle marmelos are reported to contain multi-bioactive classes of compounds including coumarins, furanocoumarins and alkaloids. HPLC analysis of the crude extract was challenging due to low concentrations of the compounds in the leaves. Five compounds visible in the HPLC chromatogram were separated and identified by HPLC and further elaborated for quantification as marker compounds of A. marmelos leaves using a C18 column with detection at 275 nm. A gradient mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water was used. The developed HPLC method showed good linearity (r2≥0.994), high precision (RSD<5%), and good recovery (99.27–99.98%) of the compounds. The lowest detection limit was 5 ng and the method was found to be robust. All the validation parameters were within the permissible limits. Therefore, the developed method is accurate and reliable for the quality control of A. marmelos. This is the first report of extensive quantitative HPLC analysis of marker compounds in A. marmelos leaves and method validation.

Phylogenetic reconstruction of endophytic fungal isolates using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region

Endophytic fungi are inhabitants of plants, living most part of their lifecycle asymptomatically which mainly confer protection and ecological advantages to the host plant. In this present study, 48 endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves of three medicinal plants and characterized based on ITS2 sequence – secondary structure analysis. ITS2 secondary structures were elucidated with minimum free energy method (MFOLD version 3.1) and consensus structure of each genus was generated by 4SALE. ProfDistS was used to generate ITS2 sequence structure based phylogenetic tree respectively. Our elucidated isolates were belonging to Ascomycetes family, representing 5 orders and 6 genera. Colletotrichum/Glomerella spp., Diaporthae/Phomopsis spp., and Alternaria spp., were predominantly observed while Cochliobolus sp., Cladosporium sp., and Emericella sp., were represented by singletons. The constructed phylogenetic tree has well resolved monophyletic groups with >50% bootstrap value support. Secondary structures based fungal systematics improves not only the stability; it also increases the precision of phylogenetic inference. Above ITS2 based phylogenetic analysis was performed for our 48 isolates along with sequences of known ex-types taken from GenBank which confirms the efficiency of the proposed method. Further, we propose it as superlative marker for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels due to their lesser length.

Semisynthesis, ex vivo evaluation, and SAR studies of coumarin derivatives as potential antiasthmatic drugs

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes contraction in the smooth muscle of the airway and blocking of airflow. Reversal the contractile process is a strategy for the search of new drugs that could be used for the treatment of asthma. This work reports the semisynthesis, ex vivo relaxing evaluation and SAR studies of a series of 18 coumarins. The results pointed that the ether derivatives 1-3, 7-9 and 13-15 showed the best activity (Emax = 100%), where compound 2 (42 μM) was the most potent, being 4-times more active than theophylline (positive control). The ether homologation (methyl, ethyl and propyl) in position 7 or positions 6 and 7 of coumarins lead to relaxing effect, meanwhile formation of esters generated less active compounds than ethers. The SAR analysis showed that it is necessary the presence of two small ether groups and the methyl group at position 4 (site 3) encourage biological activity through soft hydrophobic changes in the molecule, without drastically affecting the cLogP.

Anti adipogenic activity of Aegle marmelos Correa

In continuation of evaluating the anti-obesity effect of Aegle marmelos, we have screened the n-hexane, dichloro methane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) extracts of the leaves at the concentration of 25, 50, 75 and 100 μg/ml for adipogenesis inhibition in the adipocytes. Nile red staining with the help of fluorometry was used as indicator of the antiobesity activity. The most active DCM extract showed the 33.98±3.55% lipid content at 100μg/ml and was selected for the further isolation. 14 compounds were isolated from DCM extract of A. marmelos leaves. The compounds were screened for the adipogenesis inhibition at 50 and 100 μM concentrations. Out of the 14 compounds, halfordinol, ethyl ether aegeline and esculetin were showing 10.04±0.52, 16.29±0.85 and 25.09±1.31% lipid content respectively at 100 μM. We hereby report the adipogenesis inhibition by A. marmelos as one of the pathway for its antiobesity effect.