Fisetin-loaded pluronic-based nanogel: Radiation synthesis for alleviating neurocognitive impairments in a rat model of alzheimer's disease via modulation of the apoptotic cascade.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by cognitive impairment and memory loss. In this study, AD was experimentally induced in rats using aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and D-galactose (D-gal). Fisetin (Fis), a natural compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has potential for neurodegeneration management, but its low bioavailability limits clinical applications. To address this, we synthesized and characterized Pluronic-2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (PLUR-PAMPS) nanogels using gamma radiation and successfully loaded Fis onto them (Fis-PLUR-PAMPS). The optimal formulation exhibited minimal particle size, a highly acceptable polydispersity index, and the highest zeta-potential, enhancing stability and solubilization efficiency. Our goal was to improve Fis's bioavailability and assess its efficacy against AlCl3/D-gal-induced AD. Male albino Wistar rats were pre-treated orally with Fis (40 mg/kg) or Fis-PLUR-PAMPS for seven days, followed by a seven-day intraperitoneal injection of AlCl3 and D-gal. Behavioral assessments, histopathological analysis, and biochemical evaluation of markers related to AD pathology were conducted. Results demonstrated that Fis-PLUR-PAMPS effectively mitigated cognitive impairments and neurodegenerative signs induced by AlCl3/D-gal. These findings suggest that Fis-PLUR-PAMPS nanogels enhance Fis's bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, offering a promising approach for AD management.

Health-Promoting Properties of Natural Flavonol Glycosides Isolated from Staphylea pinnata L.

Staphylea, also called bladdernuts, is a genus of plants belonging to the family Staphyleaceae, widespread in tropical or temperate climates of America, Europe, and the Far East. Staphylea spp. produce bioactive metabolites with antioxidant properties, including polyphenols which have not been completely investigated for their phytotherapeutic potential, even though they have a long history of use for food. Here, we report the isolation of six flavonol glycosides from the hydroalcoholic extract of aerial parts of Staphylea pinnata L., collected in Italy, using a solid-phase extraction technique. They were identified using spectroscopic, spectrometric, and optical methods as three quercetin and three isorhamnetin glycosides. Among the flavonol glycosides isolated, isoquercetin and quercetin malonyl glucoside showed powerful antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound healing promoting activity and thus are valuable as antiaging ingredients for cosmeceutical applications and for therapeutic applications in skin wound repair.

The structural, antioxidant and emulsifying properties of cellulose nanofiber-dihydromyricetin mixtures: Effects of composite ratio.

In this work, effects of cellulose nanofiber/dihydromyricetin (CNF/DMY) ratio on the structural, antioxidant and emulsifying properties of the CNF/DMY mixtures were investigated. CNF integrated with DMY via hydrogen bonding and the antioxidant capacity of mixtures increased with decreasing CNF/DMY ratio (k). The oxidative stability of emulsions enhanced as the DMY content increased. Emulsions formed at Φ = 0.5 displayed larger size (about 25 µm), better viscoelasticity and centrifugal stability than those at Φ = 0.3 (about 23 µm). The emulsions at k = 17:3 and Φ = 0.5 exhibited the most excellent viscoelasticity. In conclusion, the DMY content in mixtures and the oil phase fraction exhibited distinct synergistic effects on the formation and characteristics of emulsions, and the emulsions could demonstrate superior oxidative and storage stability. These findings could provide a novel strategy to extend the shelf life of cellulose-based emulsions and related products.

Synthesis of Flavonols and Assessment of Their Biological Activity as Anticancer Agents.

A series of flavanols were synthesized to assess their biological activity against human non-small cell lung cancer cells (A549). Among the sixteen synthesized compounds, it was observed that compounds 6k (3.14 ± 0.29 µM) and 6l (0.46 ± 0.02 µM) exhibited higher potency compared to 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu, 4.98 ± 0.41 µM), a clinical anticancer drug which was used as a positive control. Moreover, compound 6l (4'-bromoflavonol) markedly induced apoptosis of A549 cells through the mitochondrial- and caspase-3-dependent pathways. Consequently, compound 6l might be developed as a candidate for treating or preventing lung cancer.

Investigating the Combined Toxicity of Cu(II) and Carbon Monoxide (CO); Cellular CO Delivery Using a Cu(II) Flavonolato Complex.

Carbon monoxide (CO) delivery molecules are of significant current interest as potential therapeutics, including for anticancer applications. A recent approach toward generating new types of materials-based anticancer agents involves combining the Fenton reactivity of a redox active metal ion with CO delivery. However, small molecule examples of these types of entities have not been systematically studied to evaluate the combined effect on cellular toxicity. Herein we describe a Cu(II) flavonolato complex which produces anticancer effects through a combination of copper-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and light-induced flavonol CO release. Confocal microscopy studies provide evidence of enhanced flavonol uptake in the copper flavonolato system relative to the free flavonol, which leads to an increased amount of CO delivery within cells. Importantly, this work demonstrates that a metal flavonolato species can be used to produce enhanced toxicity effects resulting from both metal ion-induced Fenton reactivity and increased cellular uptake of a flavonol CO donor.

Comparison of binding sites and affinity of flavonol-Cu(II) complexes with the same parent nucleus: Synthesis, DFT prediction, and coordination pattern.

This study explores the coordination dynamics between dietary polyphenols, specifically kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin, and Cu ions in aqueous environments. A novel synthesis method for flavonol-Cu(II) coordination compounds is introduced, effectively reducing interference from free metal ions. Our results reveal consistent binding patterns of Cu ions with flavonols (2:1 ratio of flavonol to Cu(II)), predominantly at the 4,5 sites. Various analytical techniques are used to validate these coordination ratios and sites. The binding affinity of the flavonols for Cu ions follows a descending sequence: myricetin > quercetin > kaempferol. Notably, coordination with Cu ions enhances the free-radical scavenging activities of these flavonols. These findings hold substantial importance for food chemistry, biology, and medicine, providing crucial insights into the way dietary flavonols form stable structures in environments similar to human body fluids and their interactions with metal ions, opening new possibilities for their application and understanding in diverse scientific domains.

Color, Antioxidant Capacity and Flavonoid Composition in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Cultivars.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plants are mainly cultivated as ornamental plants, but they also have food and medicinal uses. In this work, 16 H. rosa-sinensis cultivars were studied to measure their colorimetric parameters and the chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts obtained from their petals. These extracts were characterized using UHPLC-ESI+-Obitrap-MS, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated using the ORAC assay. The identified flavonoids included anthocyanins derived from cyanidin, glycosylated flavonols derived from quercetin and kaempferol, and flavan-3-ols such as catechin and epicatechin. Cyanidin-sophoroside was the anthocyanin present in extracts of lilac, pink, orange, and red flowers, but was not detected in extracts of white or yellow flowers. The total flavonol concentration in the flower extracts was inversely proportional to the total anthocyanin content. The flavonol concentration varied according to the cultivar in the following order: red < pink < orange < yellow ≈ white, with the extract from the red flower presenting the lowest flavonol concentration and the highest anthocyanin concentration. The antioxidant activity increased in proportion to the anthocyanin concentration, from 1580 µmol Trolox®/g sample (white cultivar) to 3840 µmol Trolox®/g sample (red cultivar).

Comparative study on the interaction between transferrin and flavonols: Experimental and computational modeling approaches.

Transferrin is the indispensable component in the body fluids and has been explored as a potential drug carrier for target drugs to cancer cells. Flavonols are widely distributed in plants and shown a wide range of biological activities. In the present study, the interaction between flavonols (including galangin, kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin) and transferrin under physiological conditions was investigated by using experimental as well as computational approaches. Fluorescence data reveal that the fluorescence quenching mechanism of transferrin by flavonols is static quenching. Transferrin has moderate affinity with flavonols, and the binding constants (Ka) are 103-104 L/mol. In addition, there are two different binding sites for the interaction between kaempferol and transferrin. Thermodynamic parameter analysis shows that the interaction of flavonols and transferrin is synergistically driven by enthalpy and entropy. Hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic force and hydrogen bonds are the main force types. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy shows that flavonols decrease the hydrophobicity of the microenvironment around tryptophan (Trp) and have no effect on the microenvironment around tyrosine (Tyr). UV-vis and CD spectra show that the interaction between transferrin and flavonols leads to the loosening and unfolding of transferrin backbone. The increase of ß-sheet is accompanied by the decrease of α-helix and ß-turn. The specific binding sites of flavonols to transferrin are confirmed by molecular docking. Molecular dynamic simulation suggests that the transferrin-flavonols docked complex is stable throughout the simulation trajectory.

Flavonol dioxygenase chemistry mediated by a synthetic nickel superoxide.

Nature exploits transition metal centers to enhance and tune the oxidizing power of natural oxidants such as O2 and H2O2. The design and interrogation of synthetic metallocomplexes with similar reactivity to metalloproteins provides one strategy for gaining insight into the mechanistic underpinnings of oxygen-activating enzymes such as oxidases, oxygenases, and dioxygenases like Ni-quercetinase (Ni-QueD). Ni-QueD catalyzes the oxidative ring opening of the polyphenol quercetin, a natural product with antioxidant properties. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of Ni(13-DOB), a Ni(II) species complexed by an N4-macrocycle that has been characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography. Ni(13-DOB) forms a Ni-superoxide intermediate (Ni(13-DOB)O2•-) upon treatment with H2O2 and Et3N, as verified by resonance Raman spectroscopy. We demonstrate through UV/vis and LCMS that Ni(13-DOB)O2•- is capable of the 1-electron oxidation of flavonols, including both 3-hydroxyflavone (3-HF, the simplest flavonol) and quercetin itself. Incorporation of two O-atoms into the flavonol radical via superoxide from Ni(13-DOB)O2•- precedes oxidative cleavage of the flavonol scaffold in each case, consistent with quercetinase ring cleavage by Ni-QueD in Streptomyces sp. FLA. Conversion of 3-HF into 2-hydroxybenzoylbenzoic acid was accomplished with catalytic turnover of Ni(13-DOB) at ambient temperature, as confirmed by HPLC timecourses and GCMS analysis of isotopic labeling studies. The Ni(13-DOB)-mediated oxidative cleavage of quercetin to the corresponding biomimetic phenolic ester was also verified through 18O-isotopic labeling studies. Through the HPLC characterization of both on- and off-pathway products of flavonol dioxygenation by Ni(13-DOB)O2•-, the stringent reaction pathway control provided by enzyme active sites is highlighted.

Medicinal Importance, Pharmacological Activities, and Analytical Aspects of Engeletin in Medicine: Therapeutic Benefit Through Scientific Data Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Phytochemicals belonging to the class of flavonoids have been used in medicine for the treatment of different kinds of human health complications. Flavonoids have beneficial health aspects in medicine mainly due to their anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-carcinogenic activities. They have been scientifically investigated for their health benefit and pharmacological activities in medicine. Engeletin is a pure flavanonol class phytocompound present in the skin of white grapes and white wine. Engeletin has numerous pharmacological activities in medicine. METHODS: In order to know the beneficial health aspects of engeletin in medicine, scientific data on engeletin have been collected from different literature sources and analyzed in the present work. The present work summarized the important findings of engeletin with respect to its medicinal uses, pharmacological activities, and analytical aspects in medicine. All the scientific data were collected from PubMed, Google, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar and analyzed in the present work. RESULTS: Scientific data analysis of research works revealed the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of engeletin in medicine. Engeletin has attracted scientific attention mainly due to its antiinflammatory and anti-tumor potential. Engeletin could inhibit the occurrence of cervical cancer and delay the development of liver damage and lung cancer in mice. Engeletin was found to inhibit lipopolysaccharides- induced endometritis in mice by inhibiting the inflammatory response. Pharmacological data analysis revealed the therapeutic importance of engeletin against acute lung injury, inflammatory diseases, liver injury, pulmonary fibrogenesis, Alzheimer's disease, endometritis, cervical carcinogenesis, lung cancer, and osteoarthritis. Analytical data signified the importance of modern analytical tools for separating, isolating, and identifying engeletin. CONCLUSION: Scientific data analysis revealed the biological importance and therapeutic benefit of engeletin in medicine and other allied health sectors.

The Spectrum of Pharmacological Actions of Syringetin and Its Natural Derivatives-A Summary Review.

Mono- and poly-O-methylated flavonols and their glycoside derivatives belong to the group of natural plant polyphenols with a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities. These compounds are known for their antioxidant, antimutagenic, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, and antilipogenic properties. Additionally, they inhibit carcinogenesis and cancer development. Having in mind the multidirectional biological activity of methylated flavonols, we would like to support further study on their health-promoting activities; in this review we summarized the most recent reports on syringetin and some of its structural analogues: laricitrin, ayanin, and isorhamnetin. Natural sources and biological potential of these substances were described based on the latest research papers.

A Novel 3-O-rhamnoside: 2″-O-xylosyltransferase Responsible for Terminal Modification of Prenylflavonol Glycosides in Epimedium pubescens Maxim.

Prenylated flavonol glycosides in Epimedium plants, as key medicinal components, are known to have great pharmaceutical activities for human health. Among the main prenylated flavonol glycosides, the modification mechanism of different sugar moieties is still not well understood. In the current study, a novel prenylated flavonol rhamnoside xylosyltransferase gene (EpF3R2″XylT) was cloned from E. pubescens, and the enzymatic activity of its decoding proteins was examined in vitro with different prenylated flavonol rhamnoside substrates and different 3-O-monosaccharide moieties. Furthermore, the functional and structural domains of EpF3R2″XylT were analyzed by bioinformatic approaches and 3-D protein structure remodeling. In summary, EpF3R2″XylT was shown to cluster with GGT (glycosyltransferase that glycosylates sugar moieties of glycosides) through phylogenetic analysis. In enzymatic analysis, EpF3R2″XylT was proven to transfer xylose moiety from UDP-xylose to prenylated flavonol rhamnoside at the 2″-OH position of rhamnose. The analysis of enzymatic kinetics showed that EpF3R2″XylT had the highest substrate affinity toward icariin with the lowest Km value of 75.96 ± 11.91 mM. Transient expression of EpF3R2″XylT in tobacco leaf showed functional production of EpF3R2″XylT proteins in planta. EpF3R2″XylT was preferably expressed in the leaves of E. pubescens, which is consistent with the accumulation levels of major prenylflavonol 3-O-triglycoside. The discovery of EpF3R2″XylT will provide an economical and efficient alternative way to produce prenylated flavonol trisaccharides through the biosynthetic approach.

Flavones, Flavonols, Lignans, and Caffeic Acid Derivatives from Dracocephalum moldavica and Their In Vitro Effects on Multiple Myeloma and Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Phenolic plant constituents are well known for their health-promoting and cancer chemopreventive properties, and products containing such constituents are therefore readily consumed. In the present work, we isolated 13 phenolic constituents of four different compound classes from the aerial parts of the Moldavian dragonhead, an aromatic and medicinal plant with a high diversity on secondary metabolites. All compounds were tested for their apoptotic effect on myeloma (KMS-12-PE) and AML (Molm-13) cells, with the highest activity observed for the flavone and flavonol derivatives. While diosmetin (6) exhibited the most pronounced effects on the myeloma cell line, two polymethylated flavones, namely cirsimaritin (1) and xanthomicrol (3), were particularly active against AML cells and therefore subsequently investigated for their antiproliferative effects at lower concentrations. At a concentration of 2.5 µM, cirsimaritin (1) reduced proliferation of Molm-13 cells by 72% while xanthomicrol (3) even inhibited proliferation to the extent of 84% of control. In addition, both compounds were identified as potent FLT3 inhibitors and thus display promising lead structures for further drug development. Moreover, our results confirmed the chemopreventive properties of flavonoids in general, and in particular of polymethylated flavones, which have been intensively investigated especially over the last decade.

A Complexed Crystal Structure of a Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein with Quercetin and the Structural Basis of Flavonol Inhibition Specificity.

Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein (SSB) plays a crucial role in DNA replication, repair, and recombination as well as replication fork restarts. SSB is essential for cell survival and, thus, is an attractive target for potential antipathogen chemotherapy. Whether naturally occurring products can inhibit SSB remains unknown. In this study, the effect of the flavonols myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, and galangin on the inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa SSB (PaSSB) was investigated. Furthermore, SSB was identified as a novel quercetin-binding protein. Through an electrophoretic mobility shift analysis, myricetin could inhibit the ssDNA binding activity of PaSSB with an IC50 of 2.8 ± 0.4 µM. The effect of quercetin, kaempferol, and galangin was insignificant. To elucidate the flavonol inhibition specificity, the crystal structure of PaSSB complexed with the non-inhibitor quercetin was solved using the molecular replacement method at a resolution of 2.3 Å (PDB entry 7VUM) and compared with a structure with the inhibitor myricetin (PDB entry 5YUN). Although myricetin and quercetin bound PaSSB at a similar site, their binding poses were different. Compared with myricetin, the aromatic ring of quercetin shifted by a distance of 4.9 Å and an angle of 31o for hydrogen bonding to the side chain of Asn108 in PaSSB. In addition, myricetin occupied and interacted with the ssDNA binding sites Lys7 and Glu80 in PaSSB whereas quercetin did not. This result might explain why myricetin could, but quercetin could not, strongly inhibit PaSSB. This molecular evidence reveals the flavonol inhibition specificity and also extends the interactomes of the natural anticancer products myricetin and quercetin to include the OB-fold protein SSB.

Horseradish peroxidase catalyzed grafting of chitosan oligosaccharide with different flavonols: structures, antioxidant activity and edible coating application.

BACKGROUND: Enzymatic catalyzed grafting of oligosaccharides with polyphenols is a safe and environmentally friendly approach to simultaneously enhance the bioactivity of oligosaccharides and the solubility of polyphenols. In this study, chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) was grafted with three different flavonols including myricetin (MYR), quercetin (QUE) and kaempferol (KAE) by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalysis. The structures, antioxidant activity and edible coating application of COS-flavonol conjugates were investigated. RESULTS: The total phenol content of COS-MYR, COS-QUE and COS-KAE conjugates was 59.89, 68.37 and 53.77 mg gallic acid equivalents g-1 , respectively. Thin layer chromatography showed the conjugates did not contain ungrafted flavonols. COS-flavonol conjugates showed ultraviolet absorption peak at about 294 nm, corresponding to the A-ring of flavonols. Fourier-transform infrared spectra of conjugates confirmed the formation of Schiff-base and Michael-addition products. The proton-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of COS-KAE conjugate exhibited phenyl proton signals of KAE. X-ray diffraction patterns of conjugates showed some diffraction peaks of flavonols. COS-flavonol conjugates presented rough and porous morphologies with sheet-like and/or blocky structures. The conjugates showed higher water solubility, free radical scavenging activity and reducing power than flavonols. Moreover, fish gelatin/COS-flavonol conjugate coatings effectively prolonged the shelf life of refrigerated largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fillets from 5 days to 7-8 days. CONCLUSION: COS-flavonol conjugates prepared by HRP catalysis have great potentials as novel antioxidant agents. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Two new flavonol glycosides from Selaginella tamariscina.

Two new flavonol glycosides 3,5,7-trimethoxyflavone-4'-O-[5'''-O-p-coumaroyl-ß-D-apiofuranoyl-(1'''→2'')-ß-D-glucopyranoside] (1) and 3,5,7-trimethoxyflavone -4'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2) were isolated from Selaginella tamariscina. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral analysis, including 1D, 2D NMR analyses and HRESIMS spectrometry. Two compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against A-375, MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines by MTT assay. Unfortunately, two compounds displayed no cytotoxic activities.

High-Resolution UPLC-MS Profiling of Anthocyanins and Flavonols of Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata f. rubra DC.) Cultivated in Egypt and Evaluation of Their Biological Activity.

In this paper, biological investigations and a high-resolution UPLC-PDA-ESI-qTOF-HRMS technique were employed for Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata f. rubra DC. (red cabbage) of the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae), cultivated in Egypt, for the first time. The positive ionization mode is usually performed to identify anthocyanins. However, this technique cannot differentiate between anthocyanins and corresponding non-anthocyanin polyphenols. Thus, the negative ionization mode was also used, as it provided a series of characteristic ions for the MS analysis of anthocyanins. This helped in identifying five kaempferol derivatives for the first time in red cabbage, as well as nine-previously reported-anthocyanins. For the biological investigations, the acidified methanolic extract of fresh leaves and the methanolic extract of air-dried powdered leaves were examined for their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. The freshly prepared phenolic extract was proven to be more biologically potent. Statistical significance was determined for its anticancer activity in comparison with standard doxorubicin.

Design, synthesis and bioactivity evaluation of fisetin derivatives as potential anti-inflammatory agents against LPS-induced acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury (ALI) refers to a common and life-threatening disease attributed to inflammation. However, effective drug treatments have been rare for ALI. Natural products have been considered as a vital source of drug discovery which indicates that it's a workable method to find new anti-inflammatory drugs in natural products. Inspired by the various biological activities of fisetin, we reported the design and synthesis of a series of fisetin derivatives which were also evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities in J774A.1 macrophages. Most of the obtain derivatives could effectively inhibit the release of IL-6 and TNF-α in vitro experiments without cytotoxicity. The most promising compound 5b exhibited significant in vivo anti-inflammatory activity in the model of LPS-induced ALI in mice. On the whole, this study could provide novel candidates for the treatment of ALI.

Isolation and purification of flavonoids from Euonymus alatus by high-speed countercurrent chromatography and neuroprotective effect of rhamnazin-3-O-rutinoside in vitro.

The flavonoids from Euonymus alatus exhibit many biological activities including significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer. In this work, a high-speed countercurrent chromatography method for the isolation and purification of flavonoids from crude extracts of Euonymus alatus was established. The effects of several solvent systems on the separation efficiency of target compounds in the extract of Euonymus alatus were studied. The solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water at a volume ratio of (3:5:3:5, v/v) was chosen, in which the lower phase was used as the mobile phase at the rotation speed of 800 rpm and flow rate of 2.0 mL/min. The three flavonoids were obtained and identified as patuletin-3-O-rutinoside, rhamnazin-3-O-rutinoside, and dehydrodicatechin A by mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, and the quantities of patuletin-3-O-rutinoside, rhamnazin-3-O-rutinoside, and dehydrodicatechin A were 2.2, 9.7, and 1.8 mg, respectively. The results indicated that high-speed countercurrent chromatography was a simple and efficient method for the isolation and purification of flavonoids from the crude extracts of Euonymus alatus. The cellular antioxidant activity experimental result indicated that rhamnazin-3-O-rutinoside could alleviate H2 O2 -induced oxidative stress.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Polygalin C Isolated from Polygala japonica Houtt. via Suppression of the Adipogenic and Lipogenic Factors in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.

Obesity is a risk factor for metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), heart diseases, and cancer. This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effect of Polygalin C (PC) isolated from Polygala japonica Houtt. in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Based on Oil Red O assay results, PC significantly decreased lipid accumulation compared to the control. We found that PC suppressed adipogenesis transcription factors including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) α, and lipogenic factors such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP 1c) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), in 3T3-L1 adipocytes using Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, PC inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells by regulating the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase/protein kinase B (MAPK/Akt) signaling pathways. Additionally, we confirmed that PC inhibited early adipogenesis factors C/EBP ß and C/EBP δ. Therefore, PC inhibited adipogenesis and lipogenesis in vitro. Thus, PC appears to exert potential therapeutic effects on obesity by suppressing lipid metabolism.