UP3005, a Botanical Composition Containing Two Standardized Extracts of Uncaria gambir and Morus alba, Improves Pain Sensitivity and Cartilage Degradations in Monosodium Iodoacetate-Induced Rat OA Disease Model.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial disease primarily noted by cartilage degradation in association with inflammation that causes significant morbidity, joint pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Present-day management of OA is inadequate due to the lack of principal therapies proven to be effective in hindering disease progression where symptomatic therapy focused approach masks the actual etiology leading to irreversible damage. Here, we describe the effect of UP3005, a composition containing a proprietary blend of two standardized extracts from the leaf of Uncaria gambir and the root bark of Morus alba, in maintaining joint structural integrity and alleviating OA associated symptoms in monosodium-iodoacetate- (MIA-) induced rat OA disease model. Pain sensitivity, micro-CT, histopathology, and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) level analysis were conducted. Diclofenac at 10 mg/kg was used as a reference compound. UP3005 resulted in almost a complete inhibition in proteoglycans degradation, reductions of 16.6% (week 4), 40.5% (week 5), and 22.0% (week 6) in pain sensitivity, statistically significant improvements in articular cartilage matrix integrity, minimal visual subchondral bone damage, and statistically significant increase in bone mineral density when compared to the vehicle control with MIA. Therefore, UP3005 could potentially be considered as an alternative therapy from natural sources for the treatment of OA and/or its associated symptoms.

The anti-obesity effects of the dietary combination of fermented red ginseng with levan in high fat diet mouse model.

In this study, to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of fermented red ginseng (FG), levan (L), and their combination (FGL), we investigated their effects on the weights of body, liver and white adipose tissue, lipid profiles, and biomarkers for insulin resistance in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese C57BL/6J male mice. Furthermore, the levels of leptin in the serum were measured. FG (150 mg/kg/d), L (100 mg/kg/d), and FGL (150 mg/kg/d of FG plus 100 mg/kg/d of L) were administered orally to mice daily for 11 weeks. After 11 weeks feeding, FGL showed significantly lower body weight and fat mass with decreasing food efficiency ratio than the HFD control mice. In addition, the FGL group was significantly lower in the levels of total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose and score of the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance. Furthermore, FGL decreased serum leptin levels compared to the HFD control group. Taken together, FGL showed a significant anti-obesity effect in HFD-induced obese mice and prevent insulin and leptin resistance. FGL may be potentially useful for the prevention of obesity.

Anti-hyperglycemic effect of fermented ginseng in type 2 diabetes mellitus mouse model.

Ginseng has shown an efficacy in preventing and managing various health conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the fermented ginseng extract (FGE) in type 2 diabetes mellitus murine model. FGE was provided to male C57BL/ksJ-db/db mice for 8 weeks at 0.1% (w/w) dose in contrast to water for the control group. Potential anti-diabetic mechanisms were investigated with blood glucose, serum insulin, serum adiponectin, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), glucose tolerance, insulin secretion assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Compared with the control group, the FGE group had lower levels of blood glucose after 6 and 9 h fasting, HbA1c, and the area under the curve in an oral glucose tolerance test and higher levels of adiponectin and serum insulin (p < 0.05). The FGE group had higher levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 and glucose transporter protein 2 mRNAs, a lower level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (p < 0.05), and less lymphocytes in pancreas than the control group had. The FGE exerted anti-diabetic effects in type 2 diabetic mice.