A Role of Ginseng and Its Constituents in the Treatment of Central Nervous System Disorders.

Ginseng, a perennial plant belonging to the Panax genus of the Araliaceae family, has been used in China, Korea, and Japan as a traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years. Ginseng is recorded to have exhibited a wide variety of beneficial pharmacological effects and has become a popular and worldwide known health supplement and drug. The protective effects of ginseng on central nervous system are discussed in this review. Ginseng species and ginsenosides and their intestinal metabolism and bioavailability are concisely introduced. The molecular mechanisms of the effects of ginseng on central nervous system, mainly focused on the neuroprotection properties of ginseng, memory, and learning enhanced properties, and the effects on neurodegenerative disorders are presented. Thus, ginseng and its constituents are of potential merits in the treatment of cerebral disorders.

Rosmarinic acid ameliorates hyperglycemia and insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats, potentially by modulating the expression of PEPCK and GLUT4.

BACKGROUND: Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural substance that may be useful for treating diabetes mellitus. The present study investigated the effects of RA on glucose homeostasis and insulin regulation in rats with streptozocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes or high-fat diet (HFD)-induced type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Glucose homeostasis was determined using oral glucose tolerance tests and postprandial glucose tests, and insulin activity was evaluated using insulin tolerance tests and the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance. Additionally, the protein expression levels of PEPCK and GLUT4 were determined using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: RA administration exerted a marked hypoglycemic effect on STZ-induced diabetic rats and enhanced glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity in HFD-fed diabetic rats. These effects of RA were dose-dependent. Meanwhile, RA administration reversed the STZ- and HFD-induced increase in PEPCK expression in the liver and the STZ- and HFD-induced decrease in GLUT4 expression in skeletal muscle. CONCLUSION: RA reduces hyperglycemia and ameliorates insulin sensitivity by decreasing PEPCK expression and increasing GLUT4 expression.

Role of gastrointestinal hormones in feeding behavior and obesity treatment.

Food intake regulation is generally evaluated by many aspects consisting of complex mechanisms, including homeostatic regulatory mechanism, which is based on negative feedback, and hedonic regulatory mechanism, which is driven by a reward system. One important aspect of food intake regulation is the peripheral hormones that are secreted from the gastrointestinal tract. These hormones are secreted from enteroendocrine cells as feedback to nutrient and energy intake, and will communicate with the brain directly or via the vagus nerve. Gastrointestinal hormones are very crucial in maintaining a steady body weight, despite variations in nutrient intake and energy expenditure. In this review, we provide an overview of the regulation of feeding behavior by gut hormones, and its role in obesity treatments.

Activation of imidazoline-I3 receptors ameliorates pancreatic damage.

Agmatine, an endogenous ligand of imidazoline receptors, is reported to exhibit anti-hyperglycaemic and many other effects. It has been established that the imidazoline I3 receptor is involved in insulin secretion. The current study characterizes the role of the imidazoline I3 receptor in the protection of pancreatic islets. The activity effect of agmatine against on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced (5 mmol/L) rat ß cell apoptosis was examined by using ApoTox-Glo triplex assay, live/dead cell double staining assay, flow cytometric analysis, and western blot. Imidazoline I3 receptors antagonist KU14R and the phospholipase C inhibitor named U73122 were treated in ß cells to investigate the potential signalling pathways. The serum glucose and recovery of insulin secretion were measured in STZ-treated rats after continuously injected agmatine. The apoptosis in rat ß cells was reduced by agmatine in a dose-dependent manner, cell viability was improved after treatment with agmatine and these effects were suppressed after the blockade of KU14R and U73122. Western blot analysis confirmed that agmatine could decrease caspase-3 expression and increase the p-BAD levels. In STZ-treated rats, injection of agmatine for 4 weeks may significantly lower the serum glucose and recovery of insulin secretion. This improvement of pancreatic islets induced by agmatine was deleted by KU14R in vivo. Agmatine can activate the imidazoline I3 receptor linked with the phospholipase C pathway to induce cell protection against apoptosis induced by a low dose of STZ. This finding provides new insight into the prevention of early stage pancreatic islet damage.

Hydrogen-water enhances 5-fluorouracil-induced inhibition of colon cancer.

Oxidative stress is involved in cancer development. Hydrogen (H2) is a potent antioxidant and exhibits anti-inflammatory and potentially anticancer-like activities. This study aimed to investigate the role of H2 incombination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in cancer treatment both in vitro and in vivo using the colon 26 cell line. The survival rate was determined using the Kaplan-Meier survival test, and cell viability was assessed using cell viability imaging kit and the MTT assay, and activation of the cell apoptosis pathway (Phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and Caspase 3) were characterized by western blots. Hydrogen water administration improved the survival of mice with colon 26-induced cancer. Furthermore, hydrogen water enhanced cell apoptosis in cancer cells, resulting in a marked increase in the expression of p-AMPK, AIF and Caspase 3 in colon 26 cells. Hydrogen water also increased the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on colon 26 cells with spect to cell survival rate and anticancer functions. Additionally, high-content hydrogen water exhibited stronger antioxidative and anticancer activity than did the natural hydrogen water. In conclusion, high-content hydrogen water can inhibit colon cancer, particularly in combination with 5-fluorouracil.