We investigated the effect of oleanolic acid, a plant-derived triterpenoid, on insulin secretion and content in pancreatic beta-cells and rat islets. Oleanolic acid significantly enhanced insulin secretion at basal and stimulatory glucose concentrations in INS-1 832/13 cells and enhanced acute glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in isolated rat islets. In the cell line the effects of oleanolic acid on insulin secretion were comparable to that of the sulfonylurea tolbutamide at basal glucose levels and with the incretin mimetic Exendin-4 under glucose-stimulated conditions, yet neither Ca(2+) nor cAMP rose in response to oleanolic acid. Chronic treatment with oleanolic acid increased total cellular insulin protein and mRNA levels. These effects may contribute to the anti-diabetic properties of this natural product.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2008.03.026 | DOI Listing |
Viruses
December 2024
Laboratorio de Medicina de Conservación de la Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis, Colonia Casco de Santo Tomas, Ciudad de Mexico 11340, Mexico.
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is classified as a pathogen with the potential to cause a pandemic. This situation becomes more alarming since no approved drug exists to combat the virus. The present research aims to demonstrate the anti-CHIKV activity of molecules present in the latex of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Department of Breast and Thoracic Oncology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori-IRCCS-Fondazione G. Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Targeting DNA damage response (DDR) pathways represents one of the principal approaches in cancer therapy. However, defects in DDR mechanisms, exhibited by various tumors, can also promote tumor progression and resistance to therapy, negatively impacting patient survival. Therefore, identifying new molecules from natural extracts could provide a powerful source of novel compounds for cancer treatment strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFood Chem
December 2024
State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China; School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, Sichuan, China. Electronic address:
Oleanolic acid (OA) is a food-derived bioactive component with antidiabetic activity, but its water solubility and oral bioavailability are notably restricted. In this study, to overcome these limitations, ursodeoxycholic acid-modified chitosan oligosaccharide (UCOS) was synthesized to encapsulate OA in self-assembled nanomicelles (UCOS-OA). The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading of UCOS-OA were 86 % and 11 %, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnticancer Res
January 2025
Faculty of Pharmacy, Iryo Sosei University, Iwaki, Japan.
Background/aim: Hederagenin (3β,4α-3,23-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid) is a natural pentacyclic triterpene that is present in various medicinal plants and exhibits pharmacological activities against various diseases, including cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of Aq3639 (3β-[(O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl)oxy]olean-12-en-28-oic acid), a hederagenin glycoside comprising hederagenin and a disaccharide of L-rhamnose and L-arabinose, on breast cancer cells.
Materials And Methods: Aq3639 was isolated from the pericarps of Akebia quinata fruits, and its effects on cells from the human breast cell line MCF-7 were examined.
Biomaterials
December 2024
Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. Electronic address:
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary brain tumor, lacks effective treatments. Emerging evidence suggests mitochondria as a promising therapeutic target, albeit successfully targeting represents a major challenge. Recently, we discovered a group of triterpenes that can self-assemble into nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer treatment.
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