A concise total synthesis and PPAR activation activity of hericerin from Hericium erinaceum.

Hericerin is an isoindolinone meroterpenoid alkaloid isolated from medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceum with some bioactivities. Herein, a concise total synthesis of hericerin was described, with four steps and 30% overall yield starting from commercially available methyl 3-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzoate and geranyl bromide. A comprehensive effect of hericerin on HepG2 cell line was observed and confirmed by transcriptomic analysis.

Parabacteroides distasonis Alleviates Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunctions via Production of Succinate and Secondary Bile Acids.

We demonstrated the metabolic benefits of Parabacteroides distasonis (PD) on decreasing weight gain, hyperglycemia, and hepatic steatosis in ob/ob and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Treatment with live P. distasonis (LPD) dramatically altered the bile acid profile with elevated lithocholic acid (LCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and increased the level of succinate in the gut.

Structural Modification of Natural Product Ganomycin I Leading to Discovery of a α-Glucosidase and HMG-CoA Reductase Dual Inhibitor Improving Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction in Vivo.

It is a great challenge to develop drugs for treatment of metabolic syndrome. With ganomycin I as a leading compound, 14 meroterpene derivatives were synthesized and screened for their α-glucosidase and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory activities. As a result, a α-glucosidase and HMG-CoA reductase dual inhibitor (( R, E)-5-(4-( tert-butyl)phenyl)-3-(4,8-dimethylnona-3,7-dien-1-yl)furan-2(5 H)-one, 7d) with improved chemical stability and long-term safety was obtained.