Water Extract of Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae Prevents High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity by Inhibiting Pancreatic Lipase.

Pleurotus eryngii var. ferulae (PEF) is traditionally used in the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases. In this study, we investigated the ability of PEF extract to prevent obesity and metabolic diseases and explored the underlying mechanism. Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) containing PEF extract for 12 weeks, and their body weight, adipose tissue and liver weights, and lipid profiles and blood glucose levels, were monitored. Fecal triglyceride (TG) levels were also measured and olive oil-loading tests were performed. Furthermore, the effect of PEF extract on pancreatic lipase (PL) activity was examined in vitro. Treatment with PEF extract for 12 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in the HFD-induced increases in body weight, white adipose tissue weight, liver weights, and lipid profiles, and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. To assess the mechanism underlying the effect of PEF extract on obesity and diabetes, we investigated its role in inhibiting lipid absorption. Consumption of an HFD containing PEF extract significantly increased the TG level in feces compared with the controls, suggesting inhibition of TG absorption in the digestive tract. Furthermore, PEF extract suppressed the increase in serum TG levels resulting from oral administration of a lipid emulsion to mice, confirming inhibition of TG absorption. Moreover, PEF extract inhibited PL activity in vitro. Our combined results indicate that the anti-obesity and antidiabetic effect of PEF extract in mice fed an HFD may be caused by inhibition of lipid absorption as a result of reduced PL activity.

Potential pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of phenolic constituents from the root bark of Morus alba L.

Detailed phytochemical investigation from the root bark of Morus alba resulted in the isolation of eleven new compounds, including seven 2-arylbenzofuran derivatives (morusalfurans A-G), three flavonoids (morusalnols A-C), and one geranylated stilbene (morusibene A), as well as 22 known compounds. The structures of the identified compounds were elucidated based on a comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data and Mosher's method. Compounds 2, 3, 6-8, 11, 23, 24, and 29 showed potent inhibition of PL in comparison with the positive control treatment (orlistat, IC50=0.012µM), with IC50 values ranging from 0.09 to 0.92µM.

Methanolic extracts of Uncaria rhynchophylla induce cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells.

In this paper, we report the anticancer activities of Uncaria rhynchophylla extracts, a Rubiaceae plant native to China. Traditionally, Uncaria rhynchophylla has been used in the prevention and treatment of neurotoxicity. However, the cytotoxic activity of Uncaria rhynchophylla against human colon carcinoma cells has not, until now, been elucidated. We found that the methanolic extract of Uncaria rhynchophylla (URE) have cytotoxic effects on HT-29 cells. The URE showed highly cytotoxic effects via the MTT reduction assay, LDH release assay, and colony formation assay. As expected, URE inhibited the growth of HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, the methanolic URE of the 500 microg/ml showed 15.8% inhibition against growth of HT-29 cells. It induced characteristic apoptotic effects in HT-29 cells, including chromatin condensation and sharking occurring 24 h when the cells were treated at a concentration of the 500 microg/ml. The activation of caspase-3 and the specific proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase were detected over the course of apoptosis induction. These results indicate that URE contains bioactive materials with strong activity, and is a potential chemotherapeutic agent candidate against HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells.