Electroacupuncture Attenuates Hyperalgesia in Rats Withdrawn from Chronic Alcohol Drinking via Habenular Mu Opioid Receptors.

BACKGROUND: Hyperalgesia or increased sensitivity to pain is often found in alcoholics during alcohol withdrawal and may contribute to relapse drinking. Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA), through mechanisms involving opioid receptors, may reduce pain and substance dependence and withdrawal syndromes. The lateral habenula (LHb), an epithalamic structure rich in mu opioid receptors (MORs), is a critical target for both drugs of abuse and pain. We previously observed hyperalgesia in rats withdrawn from chronic ethanol (EtOH) drinking and found that EA at the acupoint Zusanli (ST36) reduced EtOH intake. This raised question of whether EA can alleviate hyperalgesia during alcohol withdrawal and, if so, whether the mechanism involves MORs in the LHb. METHODS: We trained male rats to drink EtOH using the intermittent access 20% EtOH 2-bottle free-choice drinking paradigm for 8 weeks, after which the alcohol supply was discontinued. We measured pain sensitivity using radiant heat (a light beam directed at the hind paw of rats) and compared the paw withdrawal latencies (PWLs) with and without EA at ST36. RESULTS: The PWLs were significantly shorter in rats at 24, 48, and 72 hours and 7 days after the discontinuation of EtOH when compared to EtOH-naïve rats. After a single administration of 2-Hz EA for 20 minutes at ST36, the PWLs at 24 hours after the withdrawal of EtOH were significantly greater than those of the sham group (2-Hz EA at the tail). Furthermore, the effect of EA on PWLs was significantly attenuated by bilateral intrahabenula infusion of the MOR antagonist naltrexone. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that EA can alleviate hyperalgesia during EtOH withdrawal through a mechanism involving MORs in the habenula. Based on this, EA could be of potential value as a therapy for hyperalgesia in alcohol dependence.

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai extract and its constituent p-coumaric acid inhibit adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells through activation of the AMPK pathway.

In this study, we investigated the effects of Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai extract (SQE) and its main constituent, p-coumaric acid, on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. SQE markedly inhibited adipogenesis by downregulating the expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and aP2. It also decreased the expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and adiponectin mRNAs in differentiating adipocytes. SQE increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation during the early phase of MDI-induced differentiation, suggesting that SQE exerted its anti-adipogenic effect via AMPK activation at an early stage of the differentiation process. p-Coumaric acid suppressed adipogenesis by attenuating the expression of C/EBPα, PPARγ, and SREBP-1c during the late phase of MDI-induced differentiation. In addition, p-coumaric acid increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC, and the expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (CPT-1) mRNA, in fully differentiated adipocytes, indicating that it promotes fatty acid ß-oxidation via AMPK signaling. Taken together, our data suggest that SQE and p-coumaric acid might have the anti-obesitic effects via AMPK pathway in 3T3-L1 cells.

Sasa quelpaertensis and p-coumaric acid attenuate oleic acid-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells.

In this study, we examined the effects of Jeju dwarf bamboo (Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai) extract (JBE) and p-coumaric acid (CA) on oleic acid (OA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. JBE and CA increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and the expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1a (CPT1a) in OA-treated HepG2 cells. Additionally, these compounds decreased sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and OA-induced lipid accumulation, suggesting that JBE and CA modulate lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells via the AMPK activation pathway.

Anti-obesity properties of a Sasa quelpaertensis extract in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

This study explores the anti-obesity properties of a Sasa quelpaertensis leaf extract (SQE) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese C57BL/6 mice and mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. SQE administration with HFD for 70 d significantly decreased the body weight gain, adipose tissue weight, and serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in comparison with the HFD group. SQE administration also reduced the serum levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase, and the accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver, suggesting a protective effect against HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. SQE administration restored the HFD-induced decreases with phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in epididymal adipose tissue. SQE also induced AMPK phosphorylation in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results suggest that SQE exerted an anti-obesity effect on HFD-induced obese mice by activating AMPK in adipose tissue and reducing lipid droplet accumulation in the liver.

Immature Citrus sunki peel extract exhibits antiobesity effects by ß-oxidation and lipolysis in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

The peel of Citrus sunki HORT. ex TANAKA has been widely used in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of many diseases, including indigestion and bronchial asthma. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity activity of immature C. sunki peel extract (designated CSE) using high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese C57BL/6 mice and mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In the animal study, body weight gain, adipose tissue weight, serum total cholesterol, and triglyceride in the CSE-administered group decreased significantly compared to the HFD group. Also, CSE supplementation reduced serum levels of glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Moreover, it significantly decreased the accumulation of fatty droplets in liver tissue, suggesting a protective effect against HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. Dietary supplementation with CSE reversed the HFD-induced decrease in the phosphorylation levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), which are related to fatty acid ß-oxidation, in the epididymal adipose tissue. Also, CSE increased AMPK and ACC phosphorylation in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. CSE also enhanced lipolysis by phosphorylation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These results suggest that CSE had an antiobesity effect via elevated ß-oxidation and lipolysis in adipose tissue.

A single administration of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin that produces reduced food and water intake induces long-lasting expression of corticotropin-releasing factor, arginine vasopressin, and proopiomelanocortin in rat brain.

The mechanism by which a single administration of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) reduces food and water intake is unclear. We examined whether such a food and water intake-reducing single administration of TCDD induced changes in corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), arginine vasopressin (AVP), and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) expression in rat brain. To observe time-dependent changes in these neuropeptides, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given TCDD (50 microg/kg) and terminated 1, 2, 4, or 7 days later. In addition, to observe dose-dependent changes in feeding and neuropeptides, rats were also given a range of TCDD doses (12.5, 25, or 50 microg/kg) and terminated 14 days later. TCDD suppressed food and water intake over 14 days in a dose-dependent manner. TCDD treatment also increased CRF and POMC mRNA levels in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and arcuate nucleus, respectively, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These increases were related to decreased food intake following TCDD administration. TCDD treatment increased AVP and CRF mRNA levels in the PVN, and these increases were related to decreased water intake. Interestingly, the increases in CRF, AVP and POMC expression were observed 7 to 14 days after TCDD administration. These results suggest that a single administration of TCDD induced long-lasting increases in CRF, AVP, and POMC mRNA levels in the hypothalamus and that these changes are related to reduced food and water intake 7 to 14 days after TCDD administration.