Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Curcuma comosa Roxb. (C. comosa) or Wan chak motluk Zingiberaceae family, is widely used in Thai traditional medicine for treatment of gynecological problems as well as relief of postmenopausal symptoms. Since C. comosa contains phytoestrogen and causes lipid lowering effect by an unknown mechanism, we investigated its effect on adiposity and lipid metabolism in estrogen-deprived rats.
Materials And Methods: Adult female rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and received daily doses of either a phytoestrogen from C. comosa [(3R)-1,7-diphenyl-(4E,6E)-4,6-heptadien-3-ol; DPHD], C. comosa extract, or estrogen (17β-estradiol; E2) for 12 weeks. Adipose tissue mass, serum levels of lipids and adipokines were determined. In addition, genes and proteins involved in lipid synthesis and fatty acid oxidation in visceral adipose tissue were analyzed.
Results: Ovariectomy for 12 weeks elevated level of serum lipids and increased visceral fat mass and adipocyte size. These alterations were accompanied with the up-regulation of lipogenic mRNA and protein expressions including LXR-α, SREBP1c and their downstream targets. OVX rats showed decrease in proteins involved in fatty acid oxidation including AMPK-α and PPAR-α in adipose tissue, as well as alteration of adipokines; leptin and adiponectin. Treatments with E2, DPHD or C. comosa extract in OVX rats prevented an increase in adiposity, down-regulated lipogenic genes and proteins with marked increases in the protein levels of AMPK-α and PPAR-α. These findings indicated that their lipid lowering effects were mediated via the suppression of lipid synthesis in concert with an increase in fatty acid oxidation.
Conclusions: C. comosa exerts a lipid lowering effect in the estrogen deficient rats through the modulations of lipid synthesis and AMPK-α activity in adipose tissues, supporting the use of this plant for health promotion in the post-menopausal women.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2017.12.027 | DOI Listing |
PLoS Biol
January 2025
Department of Internal Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
The unique architecture of the liver consists of hepatic lobules, dividing the hepatic features of metabolism into 2 distinct zones, namely the pericentral and periportal zones, the spatial characteristics of which are broadly defined as metabolic zonation. R-spondin3 (Rspo3), a bioactive protein promoting the Wnt signaling pathway, regulates metabolic features especially around hepatic central veins. However, the functional impact of hepatic metabolic zonation, regulated by the Rspo3/Wnt signaling pathway, on whole-body metabolism homeostasis remains poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetes
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
The homeobox (HOX) family has shown potential in adipose development and function, yet the specific HOX proteins fueling adipose thermogenesis remain elusive. In this study, we uncovered the novel function of HOXC4 in stimulating adipose thermogenesis. Our bioinformatic analysis indicated an enrichment of Hoxc4 co-expressed genes in metabolic pathways and linked HOXC4 polymorphisms to metabolic parameters, suggesting its involvement in metabolic regulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnnu Rev Pathol
January 2025
Diabetes Center and Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
The immune system plays fundamental roles in maintaining physiological homeostasis. With the increasing prevalence of obesity-a state characterized by chronic inflammation and systemic dyshomeostasis-there is growing scientific and clinical interest in understanding how obesity reshapes immune function. In this review, we propose that obesity is not merely an altered metabolic state but also a fundamentally altered immunological state.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFASEB J
January 2025
Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most frequent complication during pregnancy. Pharmacological interventions, such as peptide drugs that focused on improving the insulin sensitivity might be promising in the prevention and treatment of GDM. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of a novel peptide, named AGDMP1 (Anti-GDM peptide 1), which we previously identified lower in the serum of GDM patients using mass spectrometry, on the adipose insulin resistance in GDM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cell Physiol
January 2025
Department of Spine, Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
In this study, we explored the impact of different biomechanical loadings on lumbar spine motion segments, particularly concerning intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). We aimed to uncover the cellular milieu and mechanisms driving ossification in the nucleus pulposus (NP) during IVDD, a process whose underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. The study involved the examination of fresh NP tissue from the L3-S1 segment of five individuals, either with IVDD or healthy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!