Bioactivity-Guided Isolation and Identification of Anti-adipogenic Constituents from the n-Butanol Fraction of Cissus quadrangularis.

Obesity is marked by the buildup of fat in adipose tissue that increases body weight and the risk of many associated health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Treatment options for obesity are limited, and available medications have many side effects. Thus there is a great need to find alternative medicines for treating obesity. This study explores the anti-adipogenic potential of the n-butanol fraction of Cissus quadrangularis (CQ-B) on 3T3-L1 mouse preadipocyte cell line. The expression of various lipogenic marker genes such as adiponectin, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, leptin, fatty acid-binding proteins, sterol regulatory element-binding proteins, fetal alcohol syndrome, steroyl-CoA desaturase-1, lipoproteins, acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta were variously significantly downregulated. After establishing the anti-adipogenic potential of CQ-B, it was fractionated to isolate anti-adipogenic compounds. We observed significant reduction in neutral lipid content of differentiated cells treated with various fractions of CQ-B. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of thirteen compounds with reported anti-adipogenic activities. Further studies to purify these compounds can offer efficacious and viable treatment options for obesity and related complications.

Osteogenic potential of hexane and dichloromethane fraction of Cissus quadrangularis on murine preosteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 (subclone 4).

In continuation of the investigation of osteogenic potential of solvent fractions of ethanolic extract of Cissus quadrangularis (CQ), an ancient medicinal plant, most notably known for its bone-healing properties, to isolate and identify antiosteoporotic compounds. In the current study, we report the effect of hexane fraction (CQ-H) and dichloromethane fraction (CQ-D) of CQ on the differentiation and mineralization of mouse preosteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 (subclone 4). Growth, viability, and proliferation assays revealed that low concentrations (0.1, 1, and 100 ng/ml) of both solvent fractions were nontoxic, whereas higher concentrations were toxic to the cells. Differentiation and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 with nontoxic concentrations of CQ-D and CQ-H revealed that CQ-D delayed the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells. However, early and enhanced mineralization was observed in cultures treated with nontoxic concentrations of CQ-H, as indicated by Von Kossa staining and expression profile of osteoblast marker genes such as osterix, Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen (Col1a1), integrin-related bone sialoprotein (IBSP), osteopontin (OPN), and osteocalcin (OCN). These findings suggest CQ-H as the most efficacious solvent fraction for further investigation to isolate and identify the active compounds in CQ-H.

Sources of ß-galactosidase and its applications in food industry.

The enzyme ß-galactosidases have been isolated from various sources such as bacteria, fungi, yeast, vegetables, and recombinant sources. This enzyme holds importance due to its wide applications in food industries to manufacture lactose-hydrolyzed products for lactose-intolerant people and the formation of glycosylated products. Absorption of undigested lactose in small intestine requires the activity of this enzyme; hence, the deficiency of this enzyme leads to lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance affects around 70% of world's adult population, while the prevalence rate of lactose intolerance is 60% in Pakistan. ß-Galactosidases are not only used to manufacture lactose-free products but also employed to treat whey, and used in prebiotics. This review focuses on various sources of ß-galactosidase and highlights the importance of ß-galactosidases in food industries.