Carnosic acid-rich rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis L.) leaf extract limits weight gain and improves cholesterol levels and glycaemia in mice on a high-fat diet

Carnosic Acid (CA) Induces a Brown Fat-like Phenotype, Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis, and Activates AMPK in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis, and its dysfunction in obesity leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). White adipose tissue (WAT) primarily stores energy as lipids, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) regulates thermogenesis by dissipating energy as heat. The process of browning involves the transdifferentiation of WAT into brown-like or beige adipocytes, which exhibit a similar phenotype as BAT. The browning of WAT is an attractive approach against obesity and T2D, and the activation of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been shown to play a role in browning. Carnosic acid (CA), a polyphenolic diterpene, found in many plants including rosemary, is reported to possess potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hyperglycemic properties. The limited evidence available indicates that CA activates AMPK and may have anti-obesity and antidiabetic potential; however, the effects in adipocyte browning remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to examine the effects of CA on the markers of adipocyte browning. The treatment of 3T3L1 adipocytes with CA activated AMPK, reduced lipid accumulation, and increased the expression of browning protein markers (UCP-1, PGC-1α, PRDM16, and TFAM) and mitochondrial biogenesis. The use of compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, significantly attenuated the effects of CA, indicating AMPK involvement. These studies demonstrate that CA can activate AMPK and stimulate the browning of white adipocytes. Future animal and human studies are required to examine the effects of CA in vivo.

Ameliorative effects of aqueous extract from rosemary on oxidative stress and inflammation pathways caused by a high-fat diet in C57BL/6 mice

Rosemary is an herb exhibits biological properties, attenuates inflammation, oxidative stress, and improves lipid profile. Here, we evaluated the effects of rosemary aqueous extract (RE) on mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Male C57BL/6 mice were administered a control diet or HFD for 10 weeks. The treated groups received RE in the diet at different concentrations: 25, 250, and 500 mg/100 g. After 10 weeks, serum concentrations of glucose, lipid, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, and cytokines were evaluated and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity was determined. Histological analysis was performed to determine the concentrations of triacylglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, cytokines, and antioxidant enzymes as well as the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The dietary RE ameliorated HFD-induced weight gain, adipose tissue weight, glucose intolerance, and insulin, leptin, and free fatty acid levels. Reduction in hepatic TG deposition was observed. The levels of inflammatory cytokines decreased, and the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism increased. RE mitigated oxidative stress and reduced the production of reactive oxygen species in HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells. Therefore, RE is a potential therapeutic agent for the prevention of inflammation and oxidative stress outcomes associated with obesity.

Organic and Inorganic Selenium Compounds Affected Lipidomic Profile of Spleen of Lambs Fed with Diets Enriched in Carnosic Acid and Fish Oil

The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of 0.35 mg Se/kg basal diet (BD) (Se as sodium selenate (Se6) and yeast rich in seleno-methionine (SeYe)) and 0.1% carnosic acid (CA) supplementation to the diet containing 1% fish oil (F-O) and 2% rapeseed oil (R-O) on the contents of fatty acids (FA), malondialdehyde (MDA), tocopherols (Ts), and total cholesterol (TCh) in lambs' spleens. A total of 24 male lambs (4 groups per 6 animals) have been fed: the control diet-the basal diet (BD) enriched in F-O and R-O; the CA diet-BD enriched in F-O, R-O, and CA; the SeYeCA diet-BD enriched in F-O, R-O, CA, and SeYe; the Se6CA diet-BD enriched in F-O, R-O, CA, and Se6. Dietary modifications affected the profiles of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids in spleens. The SeYeCA and Se6CA diets increased the docosapentaenoic acid preference in Δ4-desaturase; hence, a higher content of docosahexaenoic acid was found in the spleens of SeYe- or Se6-treated lambs than in spleens of animals receiving the CA and control diets. The SeYeCA and Se6CA diets increased the concentration ratio of n-3long-chain PUFA (n-3LPUFA) to FA (n-3LPUFA/FA) in spleens compared to the control and CA diets. The content of n-3PUFA was higher in the spleens of Se6 treated lambs than in spleens of animals receiving the SeYeCA, CA, and control diets. The Se6CA diet increased the content of c9t11CLA in the spleen compared to the control, CA, and SeYeCA diets. Experimental diets reduced the level of atherogenic FA, the content ratios of n-6PUFA/n-3PUFA and n-6LPUFA/n-3LPUFA, and improved the content ratio of MUFA/FA and the value of the hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic FA ratio in the spleen in comparison with the control diet. The experimental diets supplemented with SeYe or Se6 increased levels of TCh and Ts in spleens in comparison with the CA and control CA diets. The present studies documented that Se6, SeYe, and CA influenced the metabolism of FA, Ts, and cholesterol in spleens.

The colloid and interface strategies to inhibit lipid digestion for designing low-calorie food

Although fat is one of the indispensable components of food flavor, excessive fat consumption could cause obesity, metabolism syndromes and an imbalance in the intestinal flora. In the pursuit of a healthy diet, designing fat reducing foods by inhibiting lipid digestion and calorie intake is a promising strategy. Altering the gastric emptying rates of lipids as well as acting on the lipase by suppressing the enzymatic activity or limiting lipase diffusion via interfacial modulation can effectively decrease lipolysis rates. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of colloid-based strategies that can be employed to retard lipid hydrolysis, including pancreatic lipase inhibitors, emulsion-based interfacial modulation and fat substitutes. Plants-/microorganisms-derived lipase inhibitors bind to catalytic active sites and change the enzymatic conformation to inhibit lipase activity. Introducing oil-in-water Pickering emulsions into the food can effectively delay lipolysis via steric hindrance of interfacial particulates. Regulating stability and physical states of emulsions can also affect the rate of hydrolysis by altering the active hydrolysis surface. 3D network structure assembled by fat substitutes with high viscosity can not only slow down the peristole and obstruct the diffusion of lipase to the oil droplets but also impede the transportation of lipolysis products to epithelial cells for adsorption. Their applications in low-calorie bakery, dairy and meat products were also discussed, emphasizing fat intake reduction, structure and flavor retention and potential health benefits. However, further application of these strategies in large-scale food production still requires more optimization on cost and lipid reducing effects. This review provides a comprehensive review on colloidal approaches, design, principles and applications of fat reducing strategies to meet the growing demand for healthier diet and offer practical insights for the low-calorie food industry.

Unravelling Effects of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) Extract on Hepatic Fat Accumulation and Plasma Lipid Profile in Rats Fed a High-Fat Western-Style Diet

The objective of the study was to investigate the preventive effect on obesity-related conditions of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract (RE) in young, healthy rats fed a high-fat Western-style diet to complement the existing knowledge gap concerning the anti-obesity effects of RE in vivo. Sprague Dawley rats (71.3 ± 0.46 g) were fed a high-fat Western-style diet (WD) or WD containing either 1 g/kg feed or 4 g/kg feed RE for six weeks. A group fed standard chow served as a negative control. The treatments did not affect body weight; however, the liver fat percentage was reduced in rats fed RE, and NMR analyses of liver tissue indicated that total cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver were reduced. In plasma, HDL cholesterol was increased while triglycerides were decreased. Rats fed high RE had significantly increased fasting plasma concentrations of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Proteomics analyses of liver tissue showed that RE increased enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation, possibly associated with the higher fasting GLP-1 levels, which may explain the improvement of the overall lipid profile and hepatic fat accumulation. Furthermore, high levels of succinic acid in the cecal content of RE-treated animals suggested a modulation of the microbiota composition. In conclusion, our results suggest that RE may alleviate the effects of consuming a high-fat diet through increased GLP-1 secretion and changes in microbiota composition.

Controlled Production of Carnosic Acid and Carnosol in Cell Suspensions of Lepechinia meyenii Treated with Different Elicitors and Biosynthetic Precursors

Lepechinia meyenii is a medicinal plant specialized in the biosynthesis of different types of antioxidants including the diterpenes carnosic (CA) acid and carnosol (CS). Herein we present the results of plant tissue culture approaches performed in this medicinal plant with particular emphasis on the generation and evaluation of a cell suspension system for CA and CS production. The effect of sucrose concentration, temperature, pH, and UV-light exposure was explored. In addition, diverse concentrations of microbial elicitors (salicylic acid, pyocyanin, Glucanex, and chitin), simulators of abiotic elicitors (polyethylene glycol and NaCl), and biosynthetic precursors (mevalonolactone, geranylgeraniol, and miltiradiene/abietatriene) were evaluated on batch cultures for 20 days. Miltiradiene/abietatriene obtainment was achieved through a metabolic engineering approach using a recombinant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our results suggested that the maximum accumulation (Acc_max ) of CA and CS was mainly conferred to stimuli associated with oxidative stress such as UV-light exposure (Acc_max , 6.2 mg L^-1 ) polyethylene glycol (Acc_max , 6.5 mg L^-1 ) NaCl (Acc_max , 5.9 mg L^-1 ) which simulated drought and saline stress, respectively. Nevertheless the bacterial elicitor pyocyanin was also effective to increase the production of both diterpenes (Acc_max , 6.4 mg L^-1 ). Outstandingly, the incorporation of upstream biosynthetic precursors such as geranylgeraniol and miltiradiene/abietatriene, generated the best results with Acc_max of 8.6 and 16.7 mg L^-1 , respectively. Optimized batch cultures containing 100 mg L^-1 geranylgeraniol, 50 mg L^-1 miltiradiene/abietatriene (95 : 5 %) and 5 g L^-1 polyethylene glycol treated with 6 min UV light pulse during 30 days resulted in Acc_max of 26.7 mg L^-1 for CA and 17.3 mg L^-1 for CS on days 18-24. This strategy allowed to increase seven folds the amounts of CA and CS in comparison with batch cultures without elicitation (Acc_max , 4.3 mg L^-1 ).

Targeting Nanotechnology and Nutraceuticals in Obesity: An Updated Approach

HYPOTHESIS

This review article represents a brief layout of the risk factors and pathophysiology responsible for obesity, customary treatment strategies, and nanotechnology-based nutraceutical for the therapeutics of obesity.

EXPERIMENTS

An exhaustive search of the literature was done for this purpose, using Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. A literature study was conducted using publications published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2022.

FINDINGS

This was revealed that risk factors responsible for obesity were genetic abnormalities and environmental and socio-economic factors. Several research articles published between 2000 and 2022 were based on phytoconstituents-based nanoformulation for obesity therapeutics and, therefore, have been systematically compiled in this review. Various nutraceuticals like Garcinia cambogia, quercetin, resveratrol, capsaicin, Capsicum, Curcuma longa, Camella Sinensis, Zingiber officinalis, Citrus aurantium, Aegle marmelos, Coffea canephora, Asparagus officinalis, Gardenia jasminoides, Catha edulis, Clusia nemroisa, Rosmarinus officinalis, Cirsium setidens, Betula platyphylla, Tripterygium wilfordi possessing anti-obesity actions are discussed in this review along with their patents, clinical trials as well as their nanoformulation available.

CONCLUSION

This review illustrates that nanotechnology has a great propensity to impart a promising role in delivering phytochemicals and nutraceuticals in managing obesity conditions and other related disorders.

Combination Therapy of Carnosic Acid and Methotrexate Effectively Suppressed the Inflammatory Markers and Oxidative Stress in Experimental Arthritis

Background: Combination therapy with methotrexate (MTX) is the most common therapeutic strategy used for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we combined the natural compound carnosic acid (CA) with MTX to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in adjuvant arthritis (AA). Methods: AA was induced in 6–8 rats per group. MTX was administrated twice a week at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg b.w., while CA was administered daily at a dose of 100 mg/kg both in monotherapy and in combination with MTX. Plasma samples were collected on the 14th, 21st, and 28th day. Body weight and hind paw volume were measured once a week. Results: We found that, mainly, the CA + MTX combination significantly reduced the hind paw swelling, the levels of IL-17A, MMP-9, and MCP-1 in plasma, and GGT activity in joint homogenates. The mRNA expression of HO-1, catalase, and IL-1β in the liver were significantly improved by CA + MTX only. Our results indicate that adding CA to MTX treatment could be a good therapeutic option for patients suffering from RA. Conclusions: The addition of CA to methotrexate treatment significantly improved its efficacy in decreasing the development of AA by inhibiting the markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.

Effect of rosemary leaf powder with weight loss diet on lipid profile, glycemic status, and liver enzymes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial

Experimental and some clinical studies have shown beneficial effects of rosemary leaf on liver function and biochemical parameters. The present study aimed to examine the impact of rosemary leaf powder with a weight loss diet in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In a randomized double-blinded clinical trial, 110 patients were randomly assigned to receive either 4 g rosemary leaf or placebo (starch) powders for 8 weeks. In addition, all participants in the study were given weight loss diet and physical activity recommendations. Compared with baseline, alanine aminotransferase (p < .001), aspartate aminotransferase (p < .001), alkaline phosphatase (p < .001), gamma glutamyltransferase (p < .001), fasting blood glucose (p < .001), fasting insulin (p < .001), insulin resistance (p < .001), total cholesterol (p = .003), triglyceride (p < .001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < .001), and anthropometric indices (weight, body mass index, and waist circumferences) decreased significantly in the rosemary and placebo group with weight loss. However, after 8 weeks, no significant difference between the rosemary and placebo groups was detected in the variables as mentioned above except homeostasis model assessment of β-cell dysfunction (p = .014). The findings of the current clinical trial study revealed that rosemary group did produce changes, but they were not statistically different from those produced by the diet/activity intervention alone.

Effects of the Phytochemical Combination PB123 on Nrf2 Activation, Gene Expression, and the Cholesterol Pathway in HepG2 Cells

There has been a long history of human usage of the biologically-active phytochemicals in Salvia rosmarinus, Zingiber officinale, and Sophora japonica for health purposes, and we recently reported on a combination of those plant materials as the PB123 dietary supplement. In the present work we extended those studies to evaluate activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor and differential gene expression in cultured HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) cells treated with PB123. We determined transcriptome changes using mRNA-seq methods, and analyzed the affected pathways using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and BioJupies, indicating that primary effects included increasing the Nrf2 pathway and decreasing the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. Pretreatment of cultured HepG2 cells with PB123 upregulated Nrf2-dependent cytoprotective genes and increased cellular defenses against cumene hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress. In contrast, pretreatment of cultured HepG2 cells with PB123 downregulated cholesterol biosynthesis genes and decreased cellular cholesterol levels. These findings support the possible beneficial effects of PB123 as a healthspan-promoting dietary supplement.

Carnosic Acid Attenuates the Free Fatty Acid-Induced Insulin Resistance in Muscle Cells and Adipocytes

Elevated blood free fatty acids (FFAs), as seen in obesity, impair insulin action leading to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several serine/threonine kinases including JNK, mTOR, and p70 S6K cause serine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) and have been implicated in insulin resistance. Activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) increases glucose uptake, and in recent years, AMPK has been viewed as an important target to counteract insulin resistance. We reported previously that carnosic acid (CA) found in rosemary extract (RE) and RE increased glucose uptake and activated AMPK in muscle cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of CA on palmitate-induced insulin-resistant L6 myotubes and 3T3L1 adipocytes. Exposure of cells to palmitate reduced the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, GLUT4 transporter levels on the plasma membrane, and Akt activation. Importantly, CA attenuated the deleterious effect of palmitate and restored the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, the activation of Akt, and GLUT4 levels. Additionally, CA markedly attenuated the palmitate-induced phosphorylation/activation of JNK, mTOR, and p70S6K and activated AMPK. Our data indicate that CA has the potential to counteract the palmitate-induced muscle and fat cell insulin resistance.

Rosemary and its protective potencies against COVID-19 and other cytokine storm associated infections: A molecular review

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, medicinal plants have attracted great interest in treatment of human diseases. Rosemary is a well-known medicinal plant which has been widely used for different therapeutic purposes. METHODS: This is a narrative review using databases including PubMed, ISI, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and google scholar, the most authoritative articles were searched, screened, and analyzed. RESULTS: Rosemary is a natural antioxidant which removes reactive oxygen species from tissues and increases expression on Nrf2 gene. Rosemary and its metabolites reduce inflammation by inhibiting production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, decreasing expression of NF-κB, inhibiting infiltration of immune cells to inflamed sites, and affecting gut microbiome. Besides, rosmarinic acid in rosemary extract has positive effects on renin-angiotensin-system. Rosemary affects respiratory system by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, muscle spasm, and also through anti-fibrotic properties. Carnosic acid is able to penetrate blood-brain-barrier and act against free radicals, ischemia and neurodegeneration in brain. Cardioprotective effects include correcting lipid profile, controlling blood pressure by inhibition of ACE, prevention of atherosclerosis, and reduction of cardiac muscle hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Accordingly, rosemary supplementation has potential protective effects against COVID-19 and other cytokine storm associated infections, a conclusion that needs more evaluations in the next clinical trials.

Moringa, Rosemary and Purslane Leaves Extracts Alleviate Metabolic Syndrome in Rats Induced by High Fat-High Fructose Diet

&lt;b&gt;Background and Objective:&lt;/b&gt; Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities characterized by obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. This study aimed to investigate the impact of moringa, rosemary and purslane leave water extracts on metabolic syndrome in rats. &lt;b&gt;Materials and Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Phenolic compounds in the plant leaves water extracts were determined by HPLC. Fifty adult male albino rats Sprague-Dawley strain were equally divided into five groups, group (1) Normal rats fed on the balanced diet, group (2) Metabolic syndrome rats fed on High Fat-High Fructose Diet (HF-HFD). The other three groups were fed on HF-HFD and orally administered 200 mg kg&lt;sup&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt; b.wt. daily of the tested plant's leaves water extracts, respectively, for 12 weeks. Some anthropometric measurements (BMI, Lee index and adiposity index), biochemical parameters such as glucose hemostasis parameters (glucose, Insulin, HOMA-IR and GLP-1), lipids profile (TAGs, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, free fatty acids, Apo-B and Apo A1), adipokines (leptin and adiponectin), some inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-6) and oxidative stress markers (PCC, NO and MDA), some anti-oxidant markers (GSH, CAT and TAOC) as well as, the gene expression level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase were determined. &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The results revealed that feeding rats with HF-HFD for 12 weeks significantly increased anthropometric measurements, some inflammatory markers and oxidative stress markers and worsen glucose hemostasis parameters, lipids profile, adipokines and endothelial function as compared to the normal group. Moreover, co-administration of the tested plant's extracts at the tested dose to HF-HFD fed rats reduced the development of indicators of metabolic syndrome when compared to the metabolic syndrome group. &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The administered plant leaves water extracts at the tested dose could improve the features of metabolic syndrome. Rosemary leaves water extract has more effect in comparison with the other extracts.

The Effect of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and Blackcurrant Extracts (Ribes nigrum) Supplementation on Performance Indices and Oxidative Stability of Chicken Broiler Meat

Simple Summary

The common practice of supplementing broiler feeds with oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids to improve the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in chicken muscles results in a reduced oxidative stability of the meat and accelerated intensity of lipid peroxidation during storage. This study evaluated the effects of commercial rosemary (RO) and blackcurrant (BC) extracts rich in polyphenolic antioxidants added to broiler diets on the oxidative stability of meat and chicken production parameters. In this study, 120 one-day-old male Hubbard Flex broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 5 experimental groups, and for 35 days, were fed control starter and grower diets or the same basal diets containing two concentrations (2.5 and 5 g/kg) of the RO or BC extracts. The inclusion of RO and BC in the birds’ diet had no significant effect on broiler weight gain, feed conversion ratio, or carcass characteristics. The enrichment of chicken diet with RO and BC did not affect the oxidative stability of chicken breast muscles, but reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in frozen thigh muscles.

Abstract

The effects of dietary supplementation with extracts of rosemary (RO) and blackcurrant (BC) on the performance indices and the oxidative stability of broiler meat were investigated during a 35-d experiment. For the experiment, 120 one-day-old male Hubbard Flex broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 5 experimental groups (control group and 4 treatments, each in 6 replications, 24 birds per group, 4 birds per replicate) and fed control starter and grower diets or basal diets containing two concentrations (2.5 and 5 g/kg) of the RO and BC extracts. Basic performance traits (body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion) were recorded during the trial. At the end of the experiment, pectoral and thigh muscles were collected. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays using the muscles samples were performed after 1 and 5 d of chilling (4 °C) and after 90 d of frozen storage (−18 °C). The inclusion of RO and BC in the birds’ diet had no significant effects on weight gain and feed conversion ratio of chickens, or on carcass characteristics, compared with control group. Enrichment of chicken diet with RO and BC did not affect the oxidative stability of chicken breast muscles, but the tested extracts significantly reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) formation in frozen thigh muscles.

Rosemary extract activates AMPK, inhibits mTOR and attenuates the high glucose and high insulin-induced muscle cell insulin resistance

Impaired action of insulin in skeletal muscle, termed insulin resistance, leads to increased blood glucose levels resulting in compensatory increase in insulin levels. The elevated blood glucose and insulin levels exacerbate insulin resistance and contribute to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In previous studies we found attenuation of free fatty acid-induced muscle cell insulin resistance by rosemary extract (RE). In the present study we investigated the effects of RE on high glucose (HG) and high insulin (HI)-induced muscle cell insulin resistance. Exposure of L6 myotubes to 25 mmol/L glucose and 100 nmol/L insulin for 24 h, to mimic hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, abolished the acute insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, increased the serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and the phosphorylation/activation of mTOR and p70S6K. Treatment with RE significantly improved the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and increased the acute insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation while reducing the HG+HI-induced serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and phosphorylation of mTOR and p70S6K. Additionally, treatment with RE significantly increased the phosphorylation of AMPK, its downstream effector ACC and the plasma membrane GLUT4 levels. Our data indicate a potential of RE to counteract muscle cell insulin resistance and more studies are required to investigate its effectiveness in vivo. Novelty: RE phosphorylated muscle cell AMPK and ACC under both normal and HG+HI conditions. The HG+HI-induced serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 and activation of mTOR and p70S6K were attenuated by RE. RE restored the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by enhancing GLUT4 glucose transporter translocation to plasma membrane.

The Rosmarinus Bioactive Compound Carnosic Acid Is a Novel PPAR Antagonist That Inhibits the Browning of White Adipocytes

Thermogenic brown and brite adipocytes convert chemical energy from nutrients into heat. Therapeutics that regulate brown adipocyte recruitment and activity represent interesting strategies to control fat mass such as in obesity or cachexia. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family plays key roles in the maintenance of adipose tissue and in the regulation of thermogenic activity. Activation of these receptors induce browning of white adipocyte. The purpose of this work was to characterize the role of carnosic acid (CA), a compound used in traditional medicine, in the control of brown/brite adipocyte formation and function. We used human multipotent adipose-derived stem (hMADS) cells differentiated into white or brite adipocytes. The expression of key marker genes was determined using RT-qPCR and western blotting. We show here that CA inhibits the browning of white adipocytes and favors decreased gene expression of thermogenic markers. CA treatment does not affect β-adrenergic response. Importantly, the effects of CA are fully reversible. We used transactivation assays to show that CA has a PPARα/γ antagonistic action. Our data pinpoint CA as a drug able to control PPAR activity through an antagonistic effect. These observations shed some light on the development of natural PPAR antagonists and their potential effects on thermogenic response.

Carnosic acid prevented olanzapine-induced metabolic disorders through AMPK activation

Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic medication, has been associated with weight gain and metabolic toxicity, especially in long term usage. Carnosic acid (CA), a major constituent of rosemary extract, has been shown to improve metabolic abnormalities. In this experiment, the effect of CA on olanzapine-induced obesity and metabolic toxicity has been evaluated. Female Wistar rats were divided into six groups. (1) control; (2) olanzapine (5 mg/kg/day, IP); (3, 4 and 5) olanzapine (5 mg/kg/day, IP) plus CA (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day, gavage) and (6) CA (20 mg/kg/day, gavage). Bodyweight and food intake were measured during the study. After 14 days, mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP), glycemia, serum lipid profile, the serum concentration of leptin, insulin, AMPK, P-AMPK, and P-ACC liver protein levels were evaluated. The mean weight in the group received olanzapine increased by 4.8 g at the end of the study. The average food intake was increased by olanzapine. Olanzapine increased triglyceride, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and leptin levels. It increased MSBP and down-regulated P-AMPK/AMPK ratio and P-ACC protein levels. CA (three doses) decreased body weight gain and reduced average food intake at 10 and 20 mg/kg. CA especially at the highest dose decreased the changes in lipid profile, FBG, leptin level, and MSBP. P-AMPK/AMPK and P-ACC protein levels were increased by carnosic acid. In conclusion, the activation of AMPK by CA can be proposed as a key mechanism against olanzapine-induced metabolic toxicity where the activation of AMPK increases fat consumption and regulates glucose hemostasis in the liver.

Intake of Dietary Salicylates from Herbs and Spices among Adult Polish Omnivores and Vegans

There is a growing body of evidence that a diet rich in bioactive compounds from herbs and spices has the ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The consumption of herbs and spices is often overlooked in the studies on food intake. However, measurement of dietary intake of these products, as a source of bioactive compounds, including salicylates, has recently gained much significance. The aims of the study were (i) to assess the intake of herbs and spices at the individual level and (ii) to calculate the dietary salicylates intake from herbs and spices among adult omnivores and vegans. The study group consisted of 270 adults aged 19 to 67 years, including 205 women and 65 men. Among all, 208 individuals were following an omnivorous diet while 62 were vegans. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was designed to assess the habitual intake of 61 fresh and dried herbs and spices during the preceding three months. The five most frequently eaten herbs among omnivores were parsley, garlic, dill, marjoram and basil, while among vegans they were garlic, parsley, ginger, basil and dill. An average intake of all condiments included in the study was 22.4 ± 18.4 g/day and 25.8 ± 25.9 g/day for both omnivores and vegans, respectively (p = 0.007). Estimated medial salicylates intake was significantly higher among vegans (p = 0.000) and reached 5.82 mg/week vs. 3.13 mg/week for omnivores. Our study confirmed that herbs and spices are important sources of salicylates; however, the type of diet influenced their level in the diet. Vegans consume significantly more total salicylates than omnivores.

Anti-stress effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) leaf extract on intestinal goblet cells and immobility of forced-swimming test in BALB/c mice

We investigated the anti-stress effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) leaf extract (RLE) on restraint-stressed mice and found that RLE alleviated decreases in the number of intestinal goblet cells and amount of hepatic triglycerides. It also decreased the immobility time in the forced-swimming test and activation of microglia in the brain, suggesting that RLE has beneficial effects on stress-induced dysfunctions.

Komagataeibacter hansenii CGMCC 3917 alleviates alcohol-induced liver injury by regulating fatty acid metabolism and intestinal microbiota diversity in mice

The potential effects of Komagataeibacter hansenii CGMCC 3917 cells on alcohol-induced liver injury and their probable mechanisms were investigated. Male Kunming mice were orally administered with alcohol (10 mL per kg BW) alone or in combination with administration of K. hansenii CGMCC 3917 cells at 2 × 10⁸ and 2 × 10⁶ CFUs for 10 weeks. Administration of strain CGMCC 3917 cells, especially high dose administration, decreased the liver weights, fat gain, and fatty-acid metabolism-related enzyme SCD-1, ACC and FAS expressions and endotoxin release, which were elevated by alcohol treatment. Furthermore, the total contents of long chain fatty acids of the liver and serum in alcohol-treated mice supplemented with a high dose of strain CGMCC 3917 cells were decreased to 5.44 ± 0.19 μg mL^-1 and 3.66 ± 0.15 μg mL^-1 from 6.65 ± 0.31 μg mL^-1 and 4.52 ± 0.21 μg mL^-1, respectively. Conversely, the SCFAs decreased by ethanol treatment, particularly the acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, were obviously enhanced in the faeces, colon and cecum of the mice supplemented with strain CGMCC 3917 cells. Moreover, strain CGMCC 3917 cells could regulate gut microbiome by significantly decreasing the abundance of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, and dramatically increasing the abundance of Bacteroidetes in alcohol-treated mice. These findings suggest that K. hansenii CGMCC 3917 cells alleviate alcohol-induced liver damage via regulating fatty acid metabolism and intestinal microbiota diversity in mice.

Rosmarinus plants: Key farm concepts towards food applications

Rosmarinus species are aromatic plants that mainly grow in the Mediterranean region. They are widely used in folk medicine, food, and flavor industries and represent a valuable source of biologically active compounds (e.g., terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids). The extraction of rosemary essential oil is being done using three main methods: carbon dioxide supercritical extraction, steam distillation, and hydrodistillation. Furthermore, interesting antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antileishmanial, anthelmintic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and antiamnesic effects have also been broadly recognized for rosemary plant extracts. Thus the present review summarized data on economically important Rosmarinus officinalis species, including isolation, extraction techniques, chemical composition, pharmaceutical, and food applications.

Improving the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carnosic acid using a lecithin-based nanoemulsion: complementary in vitro and in vivo studies

Nanoemulsion with good physical stability can enhance the oral bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carnosic acid demonstrated by in vitro digestion models and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies using an animal model.

Antidiabetic Effects and Mechanisms of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its Phenolic Components

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrine disease result from absolute or relative insulin secretion deficiency, insulin resistance, or both, and has become a major and growing public healthy menace worldwide. Currently, clinical antidiabetic drugs still have some limitations in efficacy and safety such as gastrointestinal side effects, hypoglycemia, or weight gain. Rosmarinus officinalis is an aromatic evergreen shrub used as a food additive and medicine, which has been extensively used to treat hyperglycemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetic wounds. A great deal of pharmacological research showed that rosemary extract and its phenolic constituents, especially carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid, and carnosol, could significantly improve diabetes mellitus by regulating glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidation, exhibiting extremely high research value. Therefore, this review summarizes the pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms of rosemary extract and its primary phenolic constituents on diabetes and relative complications both in vitro and in vivo studies from 2000 to 2020, to provide some scientific evidence and research ideas for its clinical application.

In vitro digestibility and bioaccessibility of lipid-based delivery systems obtained via enzymatic glycerolysis: a case study of rosemary extract bioaccessibility

The effect of enzymatic glycerolysis on digestibility, bioaccessibility of ratfish liver oil rich in alkylglycerols, and the capability of the glycerolysis product to act as lipid-based delivery system for a supercritical rosemary extract was studied.

Hypolipidemic effects of Rosmarinus officinalis L

Dyslipidemia is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Current strategies are not effective in the management of dyslipidemia. Thus, there is a necessity to find new preventative and therapeutic approaches. In recent years, herbal medicine has drawn great attention regarding the prevention and management of dyslipidemia. Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, is an evergreen shrub containing several polyphenols. The plant grows in the Mediterranean and South American regions. Rosemary and its main components have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering properties. The present review has focused on in vivo and in vitro studies on the hypolipidemic effects of rosemary and its main constituents as well as their functional mechanisms. Studies have described lipid-scavenging activities of rosemary through its flavonoid contents. Modulating inflammation and oxidative stress have been described as possible mechanisms by which rosemary ameliorates dyslipidemia. However, the exact mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Conducting experimental and clinical trial studies are recommended to confirm the safety and efficacy of rosemary in the prevention and management of dyslipidemia and other cardio-metabolic diseases.

Efficacy of a Combination of N-Palmitoylethanolamide, Beta-Caryophyllene, Carnosic Acid, and Myrrh Extract on Chronic Neuropathic Pain: A Preclinical Study

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a common public health problem that poses a major challenge to basic scientists and health-care providers. NP is a complex problem with an unclear etiology and an often-inadequate response to current medications. Despite the high number of drugs available, their limited pharmacological efficacy and side effects hamper their chronic use. Thus, the search for novel treatments is a priority. In addition to pharmaceuticals, natural extracts and food supplements are often used to help treating patients with NP. One such supplement is Noxiall^®, a commercially available combination of N-Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), beta-caryophyllene; carnosic acid and myrrh. Here, we compare the efficacy of Noxiall^® to that of the medications gabapentin and pregabalin in the NP model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) using sciatic nerve ligation in mouse. Following CCI, mice developed a significant increase in mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Results showed that administration of either Noxiall^®, pregabalin, or gabapentin significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia. The magnitude of the Noxiall^® effect was comparable to that of gabapentin or pregabalin. In addition, co-administration of non-effective doses of pregabalin and Noxiall^® resulted in a significant decrease in NP, suggesting an additive efficacy. Noxiall^® was efficacious also in reducing CCI-induced thermal hyperalgesia. These findings support the rationale of using natural remedies in conjunction with classical pharmacological agents to treat chronic NP.

Herbs and Spices- Biomarkers of Intake Based on Human Intervention Studies - A Systematic Review

Culinary herbs and spices have been used as both food flavoring and food preservative agents for centuries. Moreover, due to their known and presumptive health benefits, herbs and spices have also been used in medical practices since ancient times. Some of the health effects attributed to herbs and spices include antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory effects as well as potential protection against cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. While interest in herbs and spices as medicinal agents remains high and their use in foods continues to grow, there have been remarkably few studies that have attempted to track the dietary intake of herbs and spices and even fewer that have tried to find potential biomarkers of food intake (BFIs). The aim of the present review is to systematically survey the global literature on herbs and spices in an effort to identify and evaluate specific intake biomarkers for a representative set of common herbs and spices in humans. A total of 25 herbs and spices were initially chosen, including anise, basil, black pepper, caraway, chili pepper, cinnamon, clove, cumin, curcumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, peppermint and spearmint, rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon, and thyme. However, only 17 of these herbs and spices had published, peer-reviewed studies describing potential biomarkers of intake. In many studies, the herb or spice of interest was administrated in the form of a capsule or extract and very few studies were performed with actual foods. A systematic assessment of the candidate biomarkers was also performed. Given the limitations in the experimental designs for many of the published studies, further work is needed to better evaluate the identified set of BFIs. Although the daily intake of herbs and spices is very low compared to most other foods, this important set of food seasoning agents should not be underestimated, especially given their potential benefits to human health.

Cytochrome P450 enzymes: A driving force of plant diterpene diversity

In plant terpene biosynthesis, oxidation of the hydrocarbon backbone produced by terpene synthases is typically carried out by cytochrome P450 oxygenases (CYPs). The modifications introduced by CYPs include hydroxylations, sequential oxidations at one position and ring rearrangements and closures. These reactions significantly expand the structural diversity of terpenoids, but also provide anchoring points for further decorations by various transferases. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in reports of CYPs involved in plant terpene pathways. Plant diterpenes represent an important class of metabolites that includes hormones and a number of industrially relevant compounds such as pharmaceutical, aroma or food ingredients. In this review, we provide a comprehensive survey on CYPs reported to be involved in plant diterpene biosynthesis to date. A phylogenetic analysis showed that only few CYP clans are represented in diterpene biosynthesis, namely CYP71, CYP85 and CYP72. Remarkably few CYP families and subfamilies within those clans are involved, indicating specific expansion of these clades in plant diterpene biosynthesis. Nonetheless, the evolutionary trajectory of CYPs of specialized diterpene biosynthesis is diverse. Some are recently derived from gibberellin biosynthesis, while others have a more ancient history with recent expansions in specific plant families. Among diterpenoids, labdane-related diterpenoids represent a dominant class. The availability of CYPs from diverse plant species able to catalyze oxidations in specific regions of the labdane-related backbones provides opportunities for combinatorial biosynthesis to produce novel diterpene compounds that can be screened for biological activities of interest.

Progress in the discovery of naturally occurring anti-diabetic drugs and in the identification of their molecular targets

Diabetes mellitus (DM), a chronic metabolic disease, severely affects patients' life and intensively increases risks of developing other diseases. It is estimated that 0.4 billion individuals worldwide are subjected to diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes mellitus. At present, although various synthetic drugs for diabetes such as Alogliptin and Rosiglitazone, etc. have been used to manage diabetes, some of them showed severe side effects. Given that the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus, natural occurring drugs are beneficial alternatives for diabetes therapy with low adverse effects or toxicity. Recently, more and more plant-derived extracts or compounds were evaluated to have anti-diabetic activities. Their anti-diabetic mechanisms involve certain key targets like α-glucosidase, α-amylase, DPP-4, PPAR γ, PTP1B, and GLUT4, etc. Here, we summarize the newly found anti-diabetic (type 2 diabetes mellitus) natural compounds and extracts from 2011-2017, and give the identification of their molecular targets. This review could provide references for the research of natural agents curing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Effects of Dietary Fiber Supplementation on Fatty Acid Metabolism and Intestinal Microbiota Diversity in C57BL/6J Mice Fed with a High-Fat Diet

This work was to assess possible impacts of novel insoluble fiber 8% bacterial cellulose (BC), soluble fiber 8% konjac glucomannan (KGM), and their mixture (4% BC/4% KGM) on fatty acid metabolism and intestinal microbiota of C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). HFD-fed mice receiving the dietary fibers (DFs) for 16 weeks exhibited an improvement in lipid-associated cytokines and a decrease in inflammation factors, which was associated with the improved hepatic and serum fatty acid composition. The DFs, notably the mixed BC/KGM, elevated the HFD-caused decrease in the contents of acetic acid (from 23.9 ± 0.85 to 32.2 ± 0.84 mM/g; p < 0.05), propionic acid (from 6.53 ± 0.28 to 12.8 ± 0.58 mM/g; p < 0.05), and butyric acid (from 7.73 ± 0.43 to 13.5 ± 0.47 mM/g; p < 0.05). Furthermore, the mixed BC/KGM significantly decreased the abundance of Firmicutes (from 90.4 to 67.6%) and Mucispirillum (from 4.77 to 1.58%) and dramatically increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes (from 7.83 to 25.0%) and Akkermansia (from 0.69 to 2.80%) in the gut of HFD-fed mice at the genus level. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that the multiplicity of gut microbiota was useful in sustaining colonic integrity through producing short-chain fatty acids to some extent. This finding suggests that a mixture of insoluble BC and soluble KGM has positive effects on modulation of the intestinal microecosystem in mice.

The predictive utility of the plant phylogeny in identifying sources of cardiovascular drugs

CONTEXT

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death globally, responsible for over 17 million (31%) deaths in the world. Novel pharmacological interventions may be needed given the high prevalence of CVD.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to find potential new sources of cardiovascular (CV) drugs from phylogenetic and pharmacological analyses of plant species that have experimental and traditional CV applications in the literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reconstructed the molecular phylogeny of these plant species and mapped their pharmacological mechanisms of action on the phylogeny.

RESULTS

Out of 139 plant species in 71 plant families, seven plant families with 45 species emerged as phylogenetically important exhibiting common CV mechanisms of action within the family, as would be expected given their common ancestry: Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Rosaceae and Zingiberaceae. Apiaceae and Brassicaceae promoted diuresis and hypotension; Fabaceae and Lamiaceae had anticoagulant/thrombolytic effects; Apiaceae and Zingiberaceae were calcium channel blockers. Moreover, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Rosaceae and Zingiberaceae species were found to possess anti-atherosclerotic properties.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The phylogeny identified certain plant families with disproportionately more species, highlighting their importance as sources of natural products for CV drug discovery. Though there were some species that did not show the same mechanism within the family, the phylogeny predicts that these species may contain undiscovered phytochemistry, and potentially, the same bioactivity. Evolutionary pharmacology, as applied here, may guide and expedite our efforts in discovering sources of new CV drugs.

Attenuation of Free Fatty Acid-Induced Muscle Insulin Resistance by Rosemary Extract

Elevated blood free fatty acids (FFAs), as seen in obesity, impair muscle insulin action leading to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Serine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) is linked to insulin resistance and a number of serine/threonine kinases including JNK, mTOR and p70 S6K have been implicated in this process. Activation of the energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) increases muscle glucose uptake, and in recent years AMPK has been viewed as an important target to counteract insulin resistance. We reported recently that rosemary extract (RE) increased muscle cell glucose uptake and activated AMPK. However, the effect of RE on FFA-induced muscle insulin resistance has never been examined. In the current study, we investigated the effect of RE in palmitate-induced insulin resistant L6 myotubes. Exposure of myotubes to palmitate reduced the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, increased serine phosphorylation of IRS-1, and decreased the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt. Importantly, exposure to RE abolished these effects and the insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was restored. Treatment with palmitate increased the phosphorylation/activation of JNK, mTOR and p70 S6K whereas RE completely abolished these effects. RE increased the phosphorylation of AMPK even in the presence of palmitate. Our data indicate that rosemary extract has the potential to counteract the palmitate-induced muscle cell insulin resistance and further studies are required to explore its antidiabetic properties.

Molecular mechanisms of the anti-obesity effect of bioactive ingredients in common spices: a review

The mechanisms of the anti-obesity effects of bioactive compounds in common spices in adipocytes, animal models and human participants have been reviewed.

Metabolomics Approach in the Study of the Well-Defined Polyherbal Preparation Zyflamend

Zyflamend is a highly controlled blend of 10 herbal extracts that synergistically impact multiple cell signaling pathways with anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. More recently, its effects were shown to also modify cellular energetics, for example, activation of fatty acid oxidation and inhibition of lipogenesis. However, its general metabolic effects in vivo have yet to be explored. The objective of this study was to characterize the tissue specific metabolomes in response to supplementation of Zyflamend in mice, with a comparison of equivalent metabolomics data generated in plasma from humans supplemented with Zyflamend. Because Zyflamend has been shown to activate AMPK, the "energy sensor" of the cell, in vitro, the effects of Zyflamend on adiposity were also tested in the murine model. C57BL/6 mice were fed diets that mimicked the macro- and micronutrient composition of the U.S. diet with and without Zyflamend supplementation at human equivalent doses. Untargeted metabolomics was performed in liver, skeletal muscle, adipose, and plasma from mice consuming Zyflamend and in plasma from humans supplemented with Zyflamend at an equivalent dose. Adiposity in mice was significantly reduced in the Zyflamend-treated animals (compared with controls) without affecting body weight or weight gain. Based on KEGG pathway enrichment, purine and pyrimidine metabolism (potential regulators of AMPK) were particularly responsive to Zyflamend across all tissues, but only in mice. Consistent with the metabolomics data, Zyflamend activated AMPK and inhibited acetyl CoA-carboxylase in adipose tissue, key regulators of lipogenesis. Zyflamend reduces adipose tissue in mice through a mechanism that likely involves the activation of AMPK.

Rosmarinic Acid, a Rosemary Extract Polyphenol, Increases Skeletal Muscle Cell Glucose Uptake and Activates AMPK

Skeletal muscle is a major insulin-target tissue and plays an important role in glucose homeostasis. Impaired insulin action in muscles leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. 5' AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor, its activation increases glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and AMPK activators have been viewed as a targeted approach in combating insulin resistance. We previously reported AMPK activation and increased muscle glucose uptake by rosemary extract (RE). In the present study, we examined the effects and the mechanism of action of rosmarinic acid (RA), a major RE constituent, in L6 rat muscle cells. RA (5.0 µM) increased glucose uptake (186 ± 4.17% of control, p < 0.001) to levels comparable to maximum insulin (204 ± 10.73% of control, p < 0.001) and metformin (202 ± 14.37% of control, p < 0.001). Akt phosphorylation was not affected by RA, while AMPK phosphorylation was increased. The RA-stimulated glucose uptake was inhibited by the AMPK inhibitor compound C and was not affected by wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). The current study shows an effect of RA to increase muscle glucose uptake and AMPK phosphorylation. RA deserves further study as it shows potential to be used as an agent to regulate glucose homeostasis.

Carnosic acid as a component of rosemary extract stimulates skeletal muscle cell glucose uptake via AMPK activation

Compounds that increase the activity of the energy sensor AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) have the potential to regulate blood glucose levels. Although rosemary extract (RE) has been reported to activate AMPK and reduce blood glucose levels in vivo, the chemical components responsible for these effects are not known. In the present study, we measured the levels of the polyphenol carnosic acid (CA) in RE and examined the effects and the mechanism of action of CA on glucose transport system in muscle cells. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the levels of CA in RE. Parental and GLUT4myc or GLUT1myc overexpressing L6 rat myotubes were used. Glucose uptake was assessed using [³ H]-2-deoxy-d-glucose. Total and phosphorylated levels of Akt and AMPK were measured by immunoblotting. Plasma membrane GLUT4myc and GLUT1myc levels were examined using a GLUT translocation assay. Statistics included analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test. At concentrations found in rosemary extract, CA stimulated glucose uptake in L6 myotubes. At 2.0 μmol/L CA a response (226 ± 9.62% of control, P=.001), similar to maximum insulin (201 ± 7.86% of control, P=.001) and metformin (213 ± 10.74% of control, P=.001) was seen. Akt phosphorylation was not affected by CA while AMPK and ACC phosphorylation was increased and the CA-stimulated glucose uptake was significantly reduced by the AMPK inhibitor compound C. Plasma membrane GLUT4 or GLUT1 glucose transporter levels were not affected by CA. Our study shows increased muscle cell glucose uptake and AMPK activation by low CA concentrations, found in rosemary extract, indicating that CA may be responsible for the antihyperglycemic properties of rosemary extract seen in vivo.

Rosemary Extract as a Potential Anti-Hyperglycemic Agent: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a disease on the rise and with huge economic burden to health care systems around the globe, results from defects in insulin action (termed insulin resistance) combined with impaired insulin secretion. Current methods of prevention and treatments for insulin resistance and T2DM are lacking in number and efficacy and, therefore, there is a need for new preventative measures and targeted therapies. In recent years, chemicals found in plants/herbs have attracted attention for their use as functional foods or nutraceuticals for preventing and treating insulin resistance and T2DM. Rosemary is an evergreen shrub indigenous to the Mediterranean region and South America, which contains various polyphenols. Rosemary extract and its polyphenolic constituents have been reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-hyperglycemic properties. The current review summarizes the existing in vitro and in vivo studies examining the anti-diabetic effects of rosemary extract and its polyphenolic components and highlights the known mechanism of action.

A Botanical Composition from Morus alba, Ilex paraguariensis, and Rosmarinus officinalis for Body Weight Management

Obesity is the largest and fastest growing public health catastrophe in the world affecting both adults and children with a prevalence impacting more than one-third of United States (US) adult population. Although the long-term solution lies in lifestyle changes in the form of dieting and exercise, intervention is required for those who are already obese. Unfortunately, treatment options remain quite limited due to associated side effects of conventional therapeutics. As a natural alternative, in this study we describe the beneficial effect of a standardized composition (UP603) comprised of extracts from Morus alba, Ilex paraguariensis, and Rosmarinus officinalis in improving metabolic disorders in high fat diet (HFD) and high fat & high fructose diet (HFFD) induced obese C57BL/6J mice. Mice treated with UP603 showed dose-correlated decrease in body weight gains compared to vehicle treated HFFD group. Following 7 weeks of treatment, the changes in body weight gains from baseline were found as 6.4%, 27.3%, 2.0%, 3.1%, 0.4%, and -2.9% for normal control diet, HFFD, Orlistat, 450, 650, and 850 mg/kg UP603 treated animals, respectively. Reductions of 7.9-21.1% in total cholesterol, 25.4-44.6% in triglyceride, and 22.5-38.2% in low-density lipoprotein were observed for mice treated with 450-850 mg/kg of UP603. In a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, percentage body fat of 18.9%, 47.8%, 46.1%, and 40.4% were found for mice treated with normal control, HFD, Orlistat, and UP603, respectively. Reductions of 65.5% and 16.4% in insulin and leptin, respectively, and 2.1-fold increase in ghrelin level were also observed for the UP603 group. Statistically significant improvements in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis scores were also observed from liver histology for mice treated with UP603. Hence, UP603, a standardized botanical composition from M. alba, I. paraguariensis, and R. officinalis could potentially be considered as a natural alternative to maintain healthy body weight and to manage metabolic syndrome.

Embryotoxicity estimation of commonly used compounds with embryonic stem cell test

The embryonic stem cell test (EST), an alternative model to animal studies, is a reliable and scientifically validated in vitro system for testing embryotoxicity. In contrast to most in vivo animal tests, two permanent cell lines, murine fibroblasts (BALB/c-3T3 cells) and murine embryonic stem cells (mES-D3 cells), are used in EST instead of animals in standard tests of toxicity. The embryotoxic potential of compounds (non, weak or strong embryotoxicity) may be obtained with a biostatistics-based prediction model and calculated from three different experimental endpoint values: The potency to inhibit growth of i) BALB/c-3T3 cells and ii) mES-D3 cells (IC₅₀3T3 and IC₅₀ES) as presented using a cell cytotoxicity assay, and iii) the potency to inhibit differentiation of mES-D3 cells into contracting cardiomyocytes (ID₅₀ D3) as demonstrated in a mES-D3 cell differentiation assay. In the present study, a model of EST with mES-D3 cells and BALB/c-3T3 cells was established, according to the standard EST system of the EU Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods, and verified it with 5-fluorouracil (strong embryotoxicity) as a positive control and penicillin G (non-embryotoxic) as a negative control. In addition, the authors further assessed the embryotoxicity of four compounds (eugenol, carnosic acid, procyanidin and dioctyl phthalate) with this model. The embryotoxic potentials of the four compounds were successfully classified by the EST system. Eugenol exhibited strong embryotoxicity, carnosic acid and dioctyl phthalate exhibited weak embryotoxicity, while procyanidin exhibited non-embryotoxicity.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. ameliorates titanium dioxide nanoparticles and induced some toxic effects in rats' blood

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) have been widely used as a white pigment in food and drugs. The most important route of human exposure to TiO₂ is through food and drug products containing TiO₂ additives. This study investigates the efficacy of an oral traditional use of rosemary extract in ameliorating some toxic effects induced on blood of TiO₂ NP-intoxicated rats. Rats were given rosemary extract via intragastric administration 1 h before the intragastric administration of 100 mg/kg/day TiO₂ NPs (10 nm) for 60 days. TiO₂ NPs significantly increased serum cholesterol, glucose, and triglyceride levels of rats. They also induced significant oxidative stress and inflammatory and caused DNA damage in peripheral blood leukocytes. The rosemary extract appears to have a significant protective effect by lowering glucose level properties, restoring the lipid profile and showing an antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antigenotoxic properties against TiO₂ NPs toxicity. In conclusion, this study gives an encouraging scientific basis for consumers of rosemary leaves to keep on with this culinary habit.

The Health Benefits of Selected Culinary Herbs and Spices Found in the Traditional Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. This is often attributed to low saturated fat consumption, moderate wine consumption, and high vegetable consumption. However, herbs and spices associated with these diets may also play an important role in the quality of this diet. This review summarizes the most recent research regarding the anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-hypertensive properties of this collection of culinary species. Additionally, this review briefly summarizes studies performed on lesser known herbs from around the world, with the goal of identifying new culinary species that may be useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases.

Anti-obesity effect of ethanolic extract from Cosmos caudatus Kunth leaf in lean rats fed a high fat diet

Background

Obesity is a major health concern both in developed and developing countries. The use of herbal medicines became the subject of interest for the management of obesity due to its natural origin, cost effectiveness and minimal side effects. The present study aimed at investigating anti-obesity potential of ethanolic extract from Cosmos caudatus Kunth leaf (EECCL).

Methods

In this study, the rats were randomly divided into six groups i.e., (1) Normal Diet (ND); (2) Normal Diet and 175 mg/kgBW of EECCL (ND + 175 mg/kgBW); (3) Normal Diet and 350 mg/kgBW of EECCL (ND + 350 mg/kgBW); (4) High Fat Diet (HFD); (5) High Fat Diet and 175 mg/kgBW of EECCL (HFD + 175 mg/kgBW); (6) High Fat Diet and 350 mg/kgBW of EECCL (HFD + 350 mg/kgBW). The anti-obesity potential was evaluated through analyses of changes in body weight, visceral fat weight, and blood biochemicals including total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), leptin, insulin, adiponectin, ghrelin and fecal fat content. In addition, metabolite profiling of EECCL was carried out using NMR spectroscopy.

Results

Rats receiving EECCL together with HFD showed significant (p < 0.05) reduction in body weight gain compared to rats receiving HFD only. At the end of study, the body weight gain of EECCL treated rats was not significantly (p > 0.05) different with those of ND rats. Other related obesity biomarkers including plasma lipid profiles, insulin, leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin levels also showed significant improvement (p < 0.05). Administration of EECCL caused significant (p < 0.05) increase in fecal fat excretion, which validates the hypothesis of lipase inhibition, an anti-obesity mechanism similar to standard drug of Orlistat. The ¹H-NMR spectra of EECCL ascertained the presence of catechin, quercetin, rutin, kaempherol and chlorogenic acid in the extract.

Conclusion

Conclusively, EECCL showed anti-obesity properties by inhibition of intestinal lipid absorption and modulation of adipocytes markers.

A Standardized Composition Comprised of Extracts from Rosmarinus officinalis, Annona squamosa and Zanthoxylum clava-herculis for Cellulite

Background

Cellulite, characterized by changes in the skin morphology presented as dimpled or puckered skin appearance, is highly prevalent among postadolescent women. Cellulite management ranges from topical cream applications to invasive procedures. While some interventions showed improvements in physical appearances of affected areas, so far, none have reversed the condition to a full recovery. These unsuccessful measures signify the intricate nature of cellulite etiology highlighting its complexity leading to the possibility for a combination treatment approach to target multiple mechanisms.

Materials and Methods

We screened our plant library for extracts that reduce cellular lipid accumulation, improve microcirculation, possess high total antioxidant capacity, significant anti-platelet aggregation, and anti-inflammatory activities using lipid accumulation assay in 3T3-L1 cells, Croton oil-induced hemorrhoid test in rats as a model for microcirculation, anti-platelet aggregation assay, nitric oxide (NO) inhibition assay, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay.

Results

Three known botanicals such as Rosemary officinalis, Annona squamosa and Zanthoxylum clava-herculis were identified as lead extracts in these tests. Treatment of 3T3 cell with A. squamosa at 1 μg/ml resulted in 68.8% reduction in lipid accumulation. In croton oil-induced hemorrhoid study, Z. clava-herculis reduced the recto-anus coefficient by 79.6% at 6 mg/kg indicating improvement in microcirculations. Similarly, R. officinalis caused inhibition of 82%, 71.8%, and 91.8% in platelet aggregation, NO production and free radical generation at 31.25 μg/ml, 6.2 μg/ml, and 40 μg/ml concentrations suggesting its anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities.

Conclusions

Data depicted here suggest that formulation of these well-known botanicals at a specific ratio perhaps may yield a composition with a much wider spectrum of mechanisms of actions to impact the multiple pathways involved in cellulite onset, continuation, or exacerbations.

SUMMARY

Cellulite represents one of the main esthetic concerns of women with a likely cause of psychological insecurities. Its pathophysiology involves multiple pathways that include vascular, adipose tissues, inflammation, structural and physiological.Treatment strategies for cellulite comprises increasing microcirculation flow, reducing lipogenesis, promoting lipolysis, free radicals scavenging or formation reduction, anti-inflammation and other invasive procedures.We screened our plant library for extracts that reduces cellular lipid accumulation, improves microcirculation, possesses high total antioxidant capacity, inhibits platelet aggregation, and moderates inflammation.Botanical extracts from Rosmarinus officinalis, Annona squamosa and Zanthoxylum clava-herculis were identified as leads and formulated to yield a standardized composition designated as UP1307 and suggested its usage for cellulite. Abbreviations Used: GMP: Good Manufacturing Practice; CA: Carnosic acid; NF-kB: nuclear factor-kB; HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography; EtOH: Ethanol; DMEM: Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium; FBS: fetal bovine serum; SD: Sprague Dawley; RAC: recto-anus coefficient; LPS: Lipopolysaccharide; DPPH: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor; NO: Nitric oxide.

Relevance of carnosic acid to the treatment of several health disorders: Molecular targets and mechanisms

Carnosic acid is a phenolic diterperne compound found in abundance in sage and rosemary, which are both widely used in traditional medicine. Research over the past decade indicates that carnosic acid has multiple bioactive properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities among others. This review summarizes the current in vitro and in vivo data about the efficacy of carnosic acid in the prevention or treatment of various experimental health disorders. The analysis of the literature allows an insight into the participation of numerous signaling pathways modulated by carnosic acid, into its synergistic potential and, thus, into the divergence in cellular mechanisms of action of this molecule.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) as a potential therapeutic plant in metabolic syndrome: a review

Metabolic syndrome is defined by a constellation of complex coexisting cardiometabolic risk factors such as hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, inflammation, abdominal obesity, coagulopathies, and hypertension that raise the risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of herbs and natural compounds in prevention and treatment of diseases and a large number of published articles have focused on this issue. Rosmarinus officinalis L. or rosemary (Lamiaceae) is a rich source of phenolic phytochemicals having significant anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, hypotensive, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-thrombotic, hepatoprotective, and hypocholesterolemic effects. The purpose of this review is to highlight the interesting pharmacological effects of rosemary, and its active compounds, and the related mechanisms in the management of metabolic syndrome that are documented in in vitro and in vivo studies.

Antidiabetic activity of the ethyl acetate fraction of Ficus lutea (Moraceae) leaf extract: comparison of an in vitro assay with an in vivo obese mouse model

Background

Ficus lutea crude acetone leaf extracts were previously shown to stimulate glucose uptake and insulin secretion of established cells and, inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities.

Methods

For this study, F. lutea acetone extracts were subjected to solvent-solvent fractionation to yield fractions with differing polarities (hexane, chloroform, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water) in an attempt to obtain a more potent fraction with in vitro and probably in vivo activity.

Results

Among these fractions, the ethyl acetate fraction had the highest total polyphenol content (100.5 ± 1.6 mg GAE/g dried extract) and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (126.8 ± 30.6 μg/ml). It also stimulated the highest glucose uptake of C2C12 muscle cells and decreased extracellular glucose concentration of H-4-II-E liver cells with low cytotoxic activity. The ethyl acetate fraction (10.88 ± 0.55 μg/L at 250 μg/ml) enhanced insulin secretion in RIN-m5F pancreatic β-cells to the same degree as the positive control glibenclamide (11.09 ± 0.07 μg/L at 1μM). While fractionation increased α-glucosidase inhibition and glucose uptake of cells, in the ethyl acetate fraction, the α-amylase inhibition and insulin secretion decreased. The weight reducing and glucose control potential of the ethyl acetate fraction in an obese mouse model, important factors in the amelioration of type II diabetes was determined. The extract had no statistical significant weight reducing activity.

Conclusion

A major finding was the decrease in the area under the curve of the glucose concentration over time in animals that were treated with both a change in diet and with the plant extract. This is linked to increased glucose uptake within the cells, the most likely mechanism is either an increased insulin response or increased insulin secretion.