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Bauer I, Rimbach G, Cordeiro S, Bosy-Westphal A, Weghuber J, Ipharraguerre IR, Lüersen K. A comprehensive in-vitro/ in-vivo screening toolbox for the elucidation of glucose homeostasis modulating properties of plant extracts (from roots) and its bioactives. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1396292. [PMID: 38989154 PMCID: PMC11233739 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1396292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant extracts are increasingly recognized for their potential in modulating (postprandial) blood glucose levels. In this context, root extracts are of particular interest due to their high concentrations and often unique spectrum of plant bioactives. To identify new plant species with potential glucose-lowering activity, simple and robust methodologies are often required. For this narrative review, literature was sourced from scientific databases (primarily PubMed) in the period from June 2022 to January 2024. The regulatory targets of glucose homeostasis that could be modulated by bioactive plant compounds were used as search terms, either alone or in combination with the keyword "root extract". As a result, we present a comprehensive methodological toolbox for studying the glucose homeostasis modulating properties of plant extracts and its constituents. The described assays encompass in-vitro investigations involving enzyme inhibition (α-amylase, α-glucosidase, dipeptidyl peptidase 4), assessment of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 activity, and evaluation of glucose transporter 4 translocation. Furthermore, we describe a patch-clamp technique to assess the impact of extracts on KATP channels. While validating in-vitro findings in living organisms is imperative, we introduce two screenable in-vivo models (the hen's egg test and Drosophila melanogaster). Given that evaluation of the bioactivity of plant extracts in rodents and humans represents the current gold standard, we include approaches addressing this aspect. In summary, this review offers a systematic guide for screening plant extracts regarding their influence on key regulatory elements of glucose homeostasis, culminating in the assessment of their potential efficacy in-vivo. Moreover, application of the presented toolbox might contribute to further close the knowledge gap on the precise mechanisms of action of plant-derived compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Bauer
- Division of Food Sciences, Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Gerald Rimbach
- Division of Food Sciences, Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sönke Cordeiro
- Institute of Physiology, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Anja Bosy-Westphal
- Division of Human Nutrition, Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Julian Weghuber
- Center of Excellence Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria
- FFoQSI—Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety & Innovation, Tulln, Austria
| | - Ignacio R. Ipharraguerre
- Division of Food Sciences, Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Kai Lüersen
- Division of Food Sciences, Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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Weber F, Axmann M, Horner A, Schwarzinger B, Weghuber J, Plochberger B. Lipoprotein Particles as Shuttles for Hydrophilic Cargo. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:membranes13050471. [PMID: 37233532 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13050471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Lipoprotein particles (LPs) are excellent transporters and have been intensively studied in cardiovascular diseases, especially regarding parameters such as their class distribution and accumulation, site-specific delivery, cellular internalization, and escape from endo/lysosomal compartments. The aim of the present work is the hydrophilic cargo loading of LPs. As an exemplary proof-of-principle showcase, the glucose metabolism-regulating hormone, insulin, was successfully incorporated into high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. The incorporation was studied and verified to be successful using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Fluorescence Microscopy (FM). Single-molecule-sensitive FM together with confocal imaging visualized the membrane interaction of single, insulin-loaded HDL particles and the subsequent cellular translocation of glucose transporter type 4 (Glut4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Weber
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, 4020 Linz, Austria
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, 17164 Solna, Sweden
| | - Markus Axmann
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, 4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Andreas Horner
- Institute of Biophysics, Johannes Kepler Universität, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Bettina Schwarzinger
- FFoQSI-Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety & Innovation, 4600 Wels, Austria
| | - Julian Weghuber
- FFoQSI-Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety & Innovation, 4600 Wels, Austria
- Center of Excellence Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, 4600 Wels, Austria
| | - Birgit Plochberger
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, 4020 Linz, Austria
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Omale S, Amagon KI, Johnson TO, Bremner SK, Gould GW. A systematic analysis of anti-diabetic medicinal plants from cells to clinical trials. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14639. [PMID: 36627919 PMCID: PMC9826616 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health emergencies of the 21st century, placing a severe economic burden on many countries. Current management approaches have improved diabetic care, but several limitations still exist, such as decreased efficacy, adverse effects, and the high cost of treatment, particularly for developing nations. There is, therefore, a need for more cost-effective therapies for diabetes management. The evidence-based application of phytochemicals from plants in the management of diseases is gaining traction. Methodology Various plants and plant parts have been investigated as antidiabetic agents. This review sought to collate and discuss published data on the cellular and molecular effects of medicinal plants and phytochemicals on insulin signaling pathways to better understand the current trend in using plant products in the management of diabetes. Furthermore, we explored available information on medicinal plants that consistently produced hypoglycemic effects from isolated cells to animal studies and clinical trials. Results There is substantial literature describing the effects of a range of plant extracts on insulin action and insulin signaling, revealing a depth in knowledge of molecular detail. Our exploration also reveals effective antidiabetic actions in animal studies, and clear translational potential evidenced by clinical trials. Conclusion We suggest that this area of research should be further exploited in the search for novel therapeutics for diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon Omale
- African Centre for Excellence in Phytomedicine, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Kennedy I. Amagon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Titilayo O. Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Shaun Kennedy Bremner
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gwyn W. Gould
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Azab A. D-Pinitol-Active Natural Product from Carob with Notable Insulin Regulation. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14071453. [PMID: 35406064 PMCID: PMC9003036 DOI: 10.3390/nu14071453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Carob is one of the major food trees for peoples of the Mediterranean basin, but it has also been traditionally used for medicinal purposes. Carob contains many nutrients and active natural products, and D-Pinitol is clearly one of the most important of these. D-Pinitol has been reported in dozens of scientific publications and its very diverse medicinal properties are still being studied. Presently, more than thirty medicinal activities of D-Pinitol have been reported. Among these, many publications have reported the strong activities of D-Pinitol as a natural antidiabetic and insulin regulator, but also as an active anti-Alzheimer, anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory, and is also immune- and hepato-protective. In this review, we will present a brief introduction of the nutritional and medicinal importance of Carob, both traditionally and as found by modern research. In the introduction, we will present Carob’s major active natural products. The structures of inositols will be presented with a brief literature summary of their medicinal activities, with special attention to those inositols in Carob, as well as D-Pinitol’s chemical structure and its medicinal and other properties. D-Pinitol antidiabetic and insulin regulation activities will be extensively presented, including its proposed mechanism of action. Finally, a discussion followed by the conclusions and future vision will summarize this article.
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Heckmann M, Klanert G, Sandner G, Lanzerstorfer P, Auer M, Weghuber J. Fluorescence Microscopy-Based Quantitation of GLUT4 Translocation. Methods Appl Fluoresc 2022; 10. [PMID: 35008072 DOI: 10.1088/2050-6120/ac4998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Postprandial insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into target tissue is crucial for the maintenance of normal blood glucose homeostasis. This step is rate-limited by the number of facilitative glucose transporters type 4 (GLUT4) present in the plasma membrane. Since insulin resistance and impaired GLUT4 translocation are associated with the development of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, this transporter has become an important target of antidiabetic drug research. The application of screening approaches that are based on the analysis of GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane to identify substances with insulinomimetic properties has gained global research interest in recent years. Here, we review methods that have been implemented to quantitate the translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. These methods can be broadly divided into two sections: microscopy-based technologies (e.g., immunoelectron, confocal or total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy) and biochemical and spectrometric approaches (e.g., membrane fractionation, photoaffinity labeling or flow cytometry). In this review, we discuss the most relevant approaches applied to GLUT4 thus far, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches, and we provide a critical discussion and outlook into new methodological opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Heckmann
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstrasse 23, Wels, Oberösterreich, 4600, AUSTRIA
| | - Gerald Klanert
- FFoQSI GmbH-Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Technopark 1C, Tulln, 3430, AUSTRIA
| | - Georg Sandner
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstrasse 23, Wels, Oberösterreich, 4600, AUSTRIA
| | - Peter Lanzerstorfer
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstrasse 23, Wels, Oberösterreich, 4600, AUSTRIA
| | - Manfred Auer
- Division of Pathway Medicine, University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh Medical School, The Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
| | - Julian Weghuber
- University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Stelzhamerstrasse 23, Wels, Oberösterreich, 4600, AUSTRIA
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Günther I, Rimbach G, Nevermann S, Neuhauser C, Stadlbauer V, Schwarzinger B, Schwarzinger C, Ipharraguerre IR, Weghuber J, Lüersen K. Avens Root ( Geum Urbanum L.) Extract Discovered by Target-Based Screening Exhibits Antidiabetic Activity in the Hen's Egg Test Model and Drosophila melanogaster. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:794404. [PMID: 34975489 PMCID: PMC8715001 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.794404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Medicinal plant extracts are becoming increasingly important as an alternative for traditional drugs against diabetes mellitus (DM). For this reason, we initialized a target-based screening of 111 root extracts from an open access plant extract library (PECKISH) by ascertaining their in-vitro inhibitory efficacy on α-glucosidase. The two most active extracts Geum urbanum L. (roseroot) and Rhodiola rosea L. (avens root) were further tested for their antidiabetic activities in terms of their impact on different regulatory key points of glucose homeostasis. To this end, various enzyme- and cell culture-based in-vitro assays were employed including the determination of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) activity in Caco-2 monolayers by Ussing chambers and of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation in a GFP-reporter cell line. Subsequently, the antidiabetic potential of the root extracts were further evaluated in in-vivo models, namely hen’s eggs test and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Avens root extract was found to be a more potent inhibitor of the enzymes α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) than roseroot extract. Most importantly, only avens root extract exhibited antidiabetic activity in the two in-vivo models eliciting a reduced blood glucose level in the in-ovo model and a decline of the triglyceride level in a dietary starch-induced D. melanogaster obesity model. Analyses of the polyphenolic composition of the avens root extract by HPLC revealed a high content of ellagic acid and its derivatives as well as ellagitannins such as pedunculagin, stenophyllanin, stachyurin, casuarinin and gemin A. In conclusion, avens root extract represents a promising medicinal plant that should be considered in further in-vivo studies on hyperglycemia in laboratory rodents and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Günther
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Gerald Rimbach
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sandra Nevermann
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Cathrina Neuhauser
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria
| | - Verena Stadlbauer
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria.,FFoQSI - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
| | - Bettina Schwarzinger
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria
| | - Clemens Schwarzinger
- Institute for Chemical Technology of Organic Materials, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
| | | | - Julian Weghuber
- School of Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Wels, Austria.,FFoQSI - Austrian Competence Centre for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation, Tulln, Austria
| | - Kai Lüersen
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
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Silva RG, Martins G, Nucci LB, Granero F, Figueiredo CM, Santiago P, Silva L. Antiglycation, antioxidant, antiacne, and photoprotective activities of crude extracts and triterpene saponin fraction of Sapindus saponaria L. fruits: An in vitro study. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/2221-1691.354430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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