Effect of natural polyphenols in Chinese herbal medicine on obesity and diabetes: Interactions among gut microbiota, metabolism, and immunity

Effects of Purified Vitexin and Iso-Vitexin from Mung Bean Seed Coat on Antihyperglycemic Activity and Gut Microbiota in Overweight Individuals' Modulation

Exceeding a healthy weight significantly elevates the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A commercially available singular constituent, available as either purified vitexin or iso-vitexin, has been associated with a decreased risk of T2DM, but its synergistic effect has not been reported yet. Vitexin and iso-vitexin were extracted using an ethanol-based solvent from mung bean seed coat (MBCE) and subsequently purified using preparative liquid chromatography (Prep-LC). Eleven mixture ratios of vitexin and/or iso-vitexin were determined for their antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities. The 1:1.5 ratio of vitexin to iso-vitexin from MBCE demonstrated the most synergistic effects for enzyme inhibition and glucose uptake in HepG2 cells within an insulin-resistant system, while these ratios exhibited a significantly lower antioxidant capacity than that of each individual component. In a gut model system, the ratio of 1:1.5 (vitexin and iso-vitexin) regulated the gut microbiota composition in overweight individuals by decreasing the growth of Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae, while increasing in Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae. The application of vitexin/iso-vitexin for 24 h fermentation enhanced a high variety of abundances of 21 genera resulting in five genera of Parabacteroides, Ruminococcus, Roseburia, Enterocloster, and Peptacetobacter, which belonged to the phylum Firmicutes, exhibiting high abundant changes of more than 5%. Only two genera of Proteus and Butyricicoccus belonging to Proteobacteria and Firmicutes decreased. The findings suggest that these phytochemicals interactions could have synergistic effects in regulating glycemia, through changes in antihyperglycemic activity and in the gut microbiota in overweight individuals. This optimal ratio can be utilized by industries to formulate more potent functional ingredients for functional foods and to create nutraceutical supplements aimed at reducing the risk of T2DM in overweight individuals.

Puerarin Alleviates Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis by Regulating Macrophages

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common organ-specific autoimmune disease, predominantly affecting women. Although the pathogenesis of HT is incompletely understood, some studies have found that macrophage polarization plays a role. Puerarin is a soy isoflavone compound that has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects and regulates macrophage immune activity. This study aimed to verify the therapeutic effect of puerarin on HT and explored its regulatory effect on macrophage polarization imbalance in HT. Through bioinformatics analysis and molecular biology methods, it was found that macrophages increased significantly in HT patients and model mice. Immunological staining showed that puerarin intervention could reduce tissue inflammatory cell infiltration. Molecular biological examination displayed that puerarin could inhibit local and systemic inflammation levels, and the expression of marker thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase Abs. In vivo experimental results indicated that puerarin regulated macrophage polarity and reduced inflammatory damage, possibly by inhibiting the pyroptosis signaling pathway. In vivo macrophage clearance experiments demonstrated that puerarin relied on macrophages to exert its mechanism of action in treating HT. The results of this study indicate that macrophages are important mediators in the development of HT, and puerarin can regulate macrophage polarity and inflammatory status to provide thyroid tissue protection, which provides a new idea for the treatment of HT.

Investigation of the therapeutic effect of Hedan tablets on high-fat diet-induced obesity in rats by GC-MS technology and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing

Obesity is a persistent metabolic condition resulting from the excessive accumulation or abnormal distribution of body fat. This study aimed to establish an experimental rat model of obesity. The efficacy of treating obesity with Hedan tablets (HDT) was assessed by monitoring changes in weight, blood lipid levels, analyzing inflammatory factors, evaluating organ indices, and observing liver tissue pathology. Furthermore, we utilized 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing technology to explore changes in intestinal flora. In addition, GC-MS was used to measure fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content. The onset of obesity led to a significant decrease in the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria. Conversely, the administration of HDT demonstrated a substantial ability to increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria. Obesity resulted in a noteworthy reduction in total SCFAs, a trend significantly reversed in the HDT group. Through correlation analysis, it was determined that HDT mitigated the inflammatory response and improved blood lipid levels by augmenting the abundance of Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Ruminococcus, and Enterococcus. These particular intestinal flora were identified as regulators of SCFA metabolism, thereby ameliorating metabolic abnormalities associated with obesity. Moreover, HDT intervention elevated the overall fecal concentration of SCFAs, thereby improving metabolic disorders induced by obesity. The anti-obesity effects of HDT are likely attributable to their capacity to influence the composition of intestinal flora and boost SCFA levels in the intestine.

Emerging and multifaceted potential contributions of polyphenols in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is recognized as a serious public health concern with a considerable impact on human life, long-term health expenditures, and substantial health losses. In this context, the use of dietary polyphenols to prevent and manage T2DM is widely documented. These dietary compounds exert their beneficial effects through several actions, including the protection of pancreatic islet β-cell, the antioxidant capacities of these molecules, their effects on insulin secretion and actions, the regulation of intestinal microbiota, and their contribution to ameliorate diabetic complications, particularly those of vascular origin. In the present review, we intend to highlight these multifaceted actions and the molecular mechanisms by which these plant-derived secondary metabolites exert their beneficial effects on type 2 diabetes patients.

Maillard reaction between oligopeptides and reducing sugar at body temperature: The putative anti-glycation agents

Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common chronic multifactorial diseases, which is associated with the increased concentration of glucose in the blood. Therefore, the utilization of blood lowering agents is clearly a promising approach which can lead to a suppression of the evaluated blood glucose, and thus curing T2DM and other complication. In this study, we evaluated the glucose lowering effect of a varieties of amino acids (alanine and histidine), dipeptides (carnosine and α-alanine-L-histidine), and tripeptide (glutathione) by reacting with glucose, fructose, and sucrose under 37°C and pH 7.4 to mimic their reaction in physiological condition. By measuring the reduction of reactants and the formation of Maillard reaction products over the course of 21 days’ storage, we found that the glucose lowering effect of carnosine was better than the counterparts. The histidine residue in carnosine may contribute to its glucose lowing effect while β-amino acid β-alanine residue could facilitate the glucose lowering effect of carnosine by maintaining its chemical stability during the storage. These results may open up new avenues for the applications of bioactive peptide carnosine as a natural blood sugar lowering agent to control T2DM.