Unveiling the techno-functional and bioactive properties of bee pollen as an added-value food ingredient.

Diabetes is one of the world’s most important public health issues, impacting both public health and socioeconomic advancement; moreover, current pharmacotherapy is still insufficient. The natural flavonoid rosinidin has a long history of use in pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements, but its role in diabetes has been unknown. The current study was intended to confirm the anti-diabetic activity of rosinidin in our laboratory setting, along with its mechanism. Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg, ip) treatment used to induce type II diabetes in rats and the test medication rosinidin was then administered orally (at doses of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Treatment with rosinidin reduced negative consequences of diabetes. Rosinidin exerted a protective effect on a number of characteristics, including anti-diabetic responses (lower blood glucose, higher serum insulin and improved pancreatic function) and molecular mechanisms (favorable effects on lipid profiles, total protein, albumin, liver glycogen, proinflammatory cytokine, antioxidant and oxidative stress markers, AST, ALT and urea). Furthermore, the improved pancreatic architecture observed in tissues substantiated the favourable actions of rosinidin in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

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Rosinidin Flavonoid Ameliorates Hyperglycemia, Lipid Pathways and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Comparative evaluation of bioactive phytochemicals in Spinacia oleracea cultivated under greenhouse and open field conditions

Background: The objective of this review was to evaluate the medicinal potential of Morus alba leaves on the control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). The research question was: what is the therapeutic potential of Morus alba leaves for the control of DM2? Methods: This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The included studies were extracted from Scopus, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scielo, and Google Scholar; January 2015 to July 2021. Key search terms were MeSH and DeCS: Morus alba , mulberry, hypoglycemic agent. The inclusion criteria were: studies in rats administered Morus alba leaf extracts; studies that included the dimensions of lipidemia and glycemia; studies that included indicators such as fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol, and insulin resistance. Exclusion criteria: studies in which Morus alba leaves were administered with other plants; studies with other parts of the Morus alba plant; proteomic studies, cancer, duplicate studies, in vitro studies, and evaluation of included studies. All included investigations were evaluated for biases. Results: Of 253 studies found, 29 were included. The extracts of Morus alba leaves at the phytochemical level improve glucose uptake. Chlorogenic acid, isoquercitrin, and quercitrin, present in the leaves of Morus alba , have hypoglycemic properties and an ameliorating effect on diabetic nephropathy. This leaf has pharmacological effects such as glucose absorption, insulin secretion production, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities, and obesity management. Conclusions: Morus alba leaves have pharmacological effects on DM2 that include glucose absorption, production of insulin secretion, antioxidant agent, antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities, and obesity control. Beyond these results, there is a lack of studies on the potential and synergistic effects of Morus alba leaves' components, limiting the possibility of a more effective therapy using the plant's leaves.

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Medicinal properties of Morus alba for the control of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

Here, Au nanostructure (AuNS) biosynthesis was mediated through ethanolic extract of Plocamium telfairiae (PT) without the use of stabilizers or surfactants. PT-functionalized AuNSs (PT-AuNSs) were analyzed using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Stable monodisperse PT-AuNSs were synthesized, with a mean size of 15.36 ± 0.10 nm and zeta potential of −35.85 ± 1.36 mV. Moreover, biosynthetic AuNPs with a face-centered structure of PT-AuNS exhibited crystalline characteristics. In addition, many functional groups playing important roles in the biological reduction of PT extracts were adsorbed on the surface of PT-AuNSs. Furthermore, the effects of PT-AuNSs on adipogenesis in immature adipocytes were investigated. PT-AuNSs reduced morphological changes, lowered triglyceride content, and increased lipid accumulation by approximately 78.6% in immature adipocytes compared with the values in mature adipocytes (MDI-induced). PT-AuNS suppressed lipid accumulation by downregulating the transcript and protein expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ, SREBP 1, FAS, and aP2. Finally, PT-AuNS induced the transcript and protein expression of UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC1a, thereby increasing mitochondrial biogenesis in mature adipocytes and effectively inducing brown adipogenesis. In this study, the biosynthesized PT-AuNS was used as a potential therapeutic candidate because it conferred a potent anti-lipogenic effect. As a result, it can be used in various scientific fields such as medicine and the environment.

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Characterization of Plocamium telfairiae Extract-Functionalized Au Nanostructures and Their Anti-Adipogenic Activity through PLD1

Morus alba (Moraceae), known as white mulberry, has been used to treat fever, protect against liver damage, improve eyesight, and lower blood sugar levels in traditional oriental medicine. Few studies have been conducted on the antidiabetic compounds identified from M. alba and their underlying mechanisms of action. Consequently, in this study, the fruits of M. alba were investigated for potential antidiabetic natural products using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract of M. alba fruits, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), purification led to the isolation of two main compounds: rutin and quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucoside (Q3G). Long-term use of available drugs for treating type 2 diabetes ((T2D) is often accompanied by undesirable side effects, which have generated increased interest in the development of more effective and safer antidiabetic agents. Examination of the isolated compounds, rutin and Q3G, for antidiabetic or anti-obesity properties or both in 3T3-L1 adipocytes demonstrated that they both improved glucose uptake via Akt-mediated insulin signaling pathway or AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The compounds also showed a positive effect on lipid accumulation in adipocytes, suggesting that glucose uptake occurred through activation of the Akt and AMPK signaling pathway without inducing adipogenesis. Taken together, our findings suggest that rutin and Q3G in M. alba fruits have the potential to induce fewer side effects such as weight gain, and these active compounds could be potential therapeutic candidates for the management of T2D.

Antidiabetic Flavonoids from Fruits of Morus alba Promoting Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake via Akt and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Obesity is a lipid metabolism disorder caused by genetic, medicinal, nutritional, and other environmental factors. It is characterized by a complex condition of excess lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Adipogenesis is a differentiation process that converts preadipocytes into mature adipocytes and contributes to excessive fat deposition. Saikosaponin A (SSA) and saikosaponin D (SSD) are triterpenoid saponins separated from the root of the Bupleurum chinensis, which has long been used to treat inflammation, fever, and liver diseases. However, the effects of these constituents on lipid accumulation and obesity are poorly understood. We investigated the anti-obesity effects of SSA and SSD in mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The MTT assay was performed to measure cell viability, and Oil Red O staining was conducted to determine lipid accumulation. Various adipogenic transcription factors were evaluated at the protein and mRNA levels by Western blot assay and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Here, we showed that SSA and SSD significantly inhibited lipid accumulation without affecting cell viability within the range of the tested concentrations (0.938-15 µM). SSA and SSD also dose-dependently suppressed the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and adiponectin. Furthermore, the decrease of these transcriptional factors resulted in the repressed expression of several lipogenic genes including fatty acid binding protein (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL). In addition, SSA and SSD enhanced the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its substrate, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38, but not c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK). These results suggest that SSA and SSD inhibit adipogenesis through the AMPK or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in the early stages of adipocyte differentiation. This is the first study on the anti-adipogenic effects of SSA and SSD, and further research in animals and humans is necessary to confirm the potential of saikosaponins as therapeutic agents for obesity.

Ho Seon Lee

Papers

Antidiabetic Flavonoids from Fruits of Morus alba Promoting Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake via Akt and AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Saikosaponin A and D Inhibit Adipogenesis via the AMPK and MAPK Signaling Pathways in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes