Protective effect of Clerodendron glandulosum extract against experimentally induced metabolic syndrome in rats

Clerodendrum Glandulosum Lindl.: A Review of Ethnopharmacology, Pharmacological Potentials, and their Mechanism of Action

Clerodendrum glandulosum Lindl. is popularly known for its traditional herbal remedies and therapeutic properties among the people of Northeast Indian communities, as well as Chinese traditional medicine. For the myriad pharmacological properties, viz., anti-hypertensive, hypolipidemic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective, planting this species in kitchen gardens is a common practice to treat various ailments, especially hypertension, diabetes, and other metabolic complications. Different phytochemicals, representing the diverse classes of secondary metabolites comprising physiological and phytopharmaceutical significance, have been reported from C. glandulosum. Compounds with terpenoids, steroids, and phenolics are in demand in the pharmaceutical industry. An overview of the mechanism of action of the prominent compounds has also been collated for future research on C. glandulosum-based therapeutics. Current information focuses on this important medicinal plant's ethnomedicinal use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, associated mechanisms, and toxicology. This review will help explore this potential medicinal plant, which can pave the path for its application in the pharmaceutical industry.

Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Verbascoside from Clerodendrum glandulosum Leaves for Analysis of Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activities

Verbascoside (VER) is a phenylethanoid glycoside compound found in Clerodendrum species and is an important part of traditional medicine. It is found in the leaves of Clerodendrum glandulosum, which is taken as a soup or vegetable and also utilized in traditional medicine by the people of Northeast India, especially against hypertension and diabetes. In the present study, VER was extracted from C. glandulosum leaves using ultrasound-assisted extraction through the solvent extraction method (ethanol-water, ethanol, and water). The ethanol extract had the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, viz., 110.55 mg GAE/g and 87.60 mg QE/g, respectively. HPLC and LC-MS were used to identify the active phenolic compound, and VER was found to be the main component present in the extraction with a molecular weight of 624.59 g/mol. NMR (¹H, 2D-COSY) analysis showed the presence of hydroxytyrosol, caffeic acid, glucose, and rhamnose in the VER backbone. Further, different antioxidant activities and antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemia enzyme markers' inhibition against VER-enriched ethanol extract were evaluated. The results showed that ultrasound extraction of polyphenols using ethanol from C. glandulosum could be a promising technique for the extraction of bioactive compounds.

Therapeutic Potential of Reserpine in Metabolic Syndrome: An Evidence Based Study

Reserpine is as old as the scientific diagnosis of hypertension. For many years' clinicians have used it for the treatment of high blood pressure, but with the passage of time and introduction of new anti-hypertensive drugs, the usage of reserpine has gone down drastically most probably due to poorly understood mechanism of action and multiple misleading adverse effects precisely due to high dosing of reserpine. With an aim to elucidate the specific mechanism of action, we screened reserpine against various targets associated with regulation of blood pressure. Surprisingly reserpine showed remarkable inhibitory potential for soluble epoxide hydrolase an enzyme responsible for pathophysiology of not only hypertension but also hyperlipidemia, diabetes and inflammation collectively known as metabolic syndrome. The in-silico, in-vitro and in-vivo results showed that reserpine has the ability to treat metabolic syndrome effectively by inhibiting soluble epoxide hydrolase.

Ethnobotany of medicinal plants used by the Zeliangrong ethnic group of Manipur, northeast India

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Zeliangrong people with their yearlong experiences still depend on the medicinal plants for primary healthcare. Some of the medicinal plants used by the community exhibits established pharmacological activities which signify the importance of the traditional knowledge of the tribes. Besides, many other species traditionally used by the tribes assume to have pharmacological potentiality.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to identify the medicinally and pharmacologically important species with understanding the traditional healing practices and to compare medicinal plant knowledge among the informants of the three tribes under Zeliangrong group.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data were collected by interviewing selected 27 herbal healers using modified semi-structured questionnaires. Identification and documentation of all the species have been made using standard taxonomic procedure. Ethnomedicinal uses of all the recorded species was analyzed with computation of the use reports for each species and Informant Consensus Factor.

RESULTS

The study recorded 145 medicinal plants used in healing practices by the Zeliangrong tribes. Except 2 species, all are Angiospermic plants found mostly in wild condition. These medicinal plants are used for treating about 59 different health ailments categorized under 13 ICPC disease categories. Highest ICF (0.75) was found in Digestive disorder with 174 use reports for 44 plant species. Besides the established medicinal plants in the Indian System of medicine like Acorus calamus, Centella asiatica, Oroxylum indicum and Phyllanthus emblica, a number of other species like Ageratum conizoides, Blumeopsis flava, Clerodendrum glandulosum, Gynura cusimbua, Hedyotis scandens and Paederia foetida also has maximum use reports. Among the species with higher use reports, 2 species namely Clerodendrum glandulosum and Paederia foetida are exclusively used for the treatment of hypertension, and bone fracture and sprain respectively indicating their remarkable medicinal values and acceptability. Out of the total 145 species, only 24 are shared by all the three tribes with 11 species used for similar diseases.

CONCLUSION

The medicinal plants with higher use reports can be evaluated for validation of pharmacological activities and their toxicity. The Indigenous Knowledge System of Zeliangrong community for herbal remedies may be of immense value in pharmacological experimentation particularly for the uses like malaria, health tonic, cancer, jaundice, hypertension and diabetes.

Herbal medicines for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: current scenario and future prospects

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a multifactorial disease and has close correlations with other metabolic disorders. This makes its treatment difficult using a single pharmacological drug. Use of plant extract/decoction or polyherbal formulation to treat various liver diseases is very well mentioned in various traditional systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Japanese or traditional Chinese Medicine, and Kampo medicine). Medicinal herbs are known for their multifaceted implications and thus can form an effective treatment schedule against NASH. Till date, several plant extracts, polyherbal formulations, and phytochemicals have been evaluated for their possible therapeutic potential in preventing onset and progression of NASH in experimental models, but clinical studies using the same are sparse. Herbal extracts with antioxidants, antidiabetic, and antihyperlipidemic properties have been shown to ameliorate symptoms of NASH. This review article is a meticulous compilation of our current knowledge on the role of natural products in alleviating NASH and possible lacunae in research that needs to be addressed.

A refined-JinQi-JiangTang tablet ameliorates prediabetes by reducing insulin resistance and improving beta cell function in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Refined-JQ (JQ-R) is a mixture of refined extracts from three major herbal components of JinQi-JiangTang tablet: Coptis chinensis (Ranunculaceae), Astragalus membranaceus (Leguminosae), and Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae). Our previous studies have indicated that JQ-R could decrease fasting blood glucose levels in diabetic mice and insulin resistance mice. Investigating the hypoglycemic effect of JQ-R on prediabetes has practical application value for preventing or delaying insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and possibly the development of clinical diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The anti-diabetic potential of JQ-R was investigated using a high fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity mouse model. C57BL/6J mice (HFD-C57 mice) were fed with high-fat diet for 4 months. HFD-C57 mice were treated with either JQ-R (administered intragastrically once daily for 4 weeks) or metformin (as positive control), and the effects of JQ-R on body weight, blood lipids, glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and beta cell function were monitored.

RESULTS

The body weight, serum cholesterol, and the Homeostasis Model Assessment ratio (insulin resistance index) were significantly reduced in JQ-R or metformin-treated mice, and the glucose tolerance was enhanced and insulin response was improved simultaneously. Moreover, both JQ-R and metformin could activate liver glycogen syntheses even under a relatively high glucose loading. Although glyconeogenesis was inhibited in the metformin treated mice, it was not observed in JQ-R treated mice. Similar to metformin, JQ-R could also improve the glucose infusion rate (GIR) in hyperglycemic clamp test. JQ-R was also shown to increase the levels of phosphorylated AMPKα and phosphorylated acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), similar to metformin.

CONCLUSION

JQ-R could reduce HFD-induced insulin resistance by regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, increasing insulin sensitivity through activating the AMPK signaling pathway, and subsequently improving β cell function. Therefore, JQ-R may offer an alternative in treating disorders associated with insulin resistance, such as prediabetes and T2DM.

Dimethyl dimethoxy biphenyl dicarboxylate attenuates hepatic and metabolic alterations in high fructose-fed rats

High fructose consumption is currently linked to metabolic disorders including insulin resistance and dyslipidemia as well as hepatic steatosis. Dimethyl dimethoxy biphenyl dicarboxylate (DDB) is a hepatoprotectant with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study therefore is to evaluate the effect of DDB on high fructose-induced metabolic disturbances and hepatic steatosis in a rat model. Male Wistar rats were allocated into three groups: control, fructose-fed (10% in drinking water and 10% in diet), and fructose-fed DDB (300 mg/kg, orally)-treated groups. Rats were fed a high-fructose diet for 6 weeks, while DDB was administered for an additional 2 weeks. High-fructose consumption elevated serum glucose and insulin levels and impaired oral glucose tolerance test, revealing insulin resistance. It also increased serum triglycerides and alanine aminotransferase as well as visceral fat content and decreased serum high-density lipoprotein. Additionally, histopathological examination revealed that high fructose intake induced hepatic steatosis. These alterations were associated with increased serum uric acid as well as hepatic content of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide (NO) in addition to overexpression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). DDB administration significantly ameliorated the high fructose-induced hepatic and metabolic alterations. In conclusion, DDB ameliorates high fructose-induced metabolic disorders and hepatic steatosis in rats. Such protection is, at least in part, due to the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, decrease in iNOS overexpression, and reduction of elevated uric acid.

Antiobesity Effect of Codonopsis lanceolata in High-Calorie/High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obese Rats

The antiobesity effects of Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) were evaluated in a high-calorie/high-fat-diet (HFD-) induced obesity rat model and 3T3-L1 cells. The Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed a normal diet (ND) or a HFD for a period of 12 weeks. The rats were subdivided into groups: ND, ND + wild Codonopsis lanceolata (wCL) (900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), ND + cultivated Codonopsis lanceolata (cCL) (900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), HFD, HFD + wCL (100, 300, or 900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), HFD + cCL (100, 300, or 900 mg/kg/day, p.o.), and HFD + sibutramine. The body weight gains of the administered HFD + CL (wCL or CCL) were lower than those of the rats fed with only the HFD group. Moreover, the weight of adipose pads and the serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the group administered HDL + CL were significantly lower than in the HFD group. The inhibitory effect of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells was measured by Oil Red O staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with wCL inhibited lipid accumulation and expression of C/EBPα and PPARγ. These results suggest that CL has a great potential as a functional food with anti-obesity effects and as a therapeutic alternative in the treatment of obesity.

Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Clerodendron glandulosum Coleb--a review

Present review for the first time provides a complete botanical description and information on ethnomedicinal uses of Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb (CG; Fam, Verbenaceae). Recent studies conducted from our laboratory provide pharmacological evidence for its anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity potentials. Further, its beneficial potential in preventing in vitro and in vivo non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and atherosclerosis and potent hepatoprotective and free radical scavenging abilities along with its acute and sub-chronic toxicological evaluations are also reported from our laboratory. In keeping with its traditional uses, CG extract was capable of ameliorating experimentally induced hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Its beneficial potential against NASH induced oxidative stress and atherosclerosis can be attributed to its potent free radical scavenging potential. Non-toxic nature of CG leaf extract further provides added merit to its reported pharmacological properties. The present review summarizes the pioneering scientific evidence for the pharmacological effects of CG against related metabolic disorders like hypertension, diabetes and obesity along with anti oxidant potential and beneficial effects against non alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb leaf extract attenuates in vitro macrophage differentiation and expression of VCAM-1 and P-selectin in thoracic aorta of atherogenic diet fed rats

Present inventory evaluates the anti-atherogenic potential of C. glandulosum.Coleb leaf extract (CG) using in vivo and in vitro experimental models. Serum markers of low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) oxidation, cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins, auto-antibody titer, ex vivo LDL-C oxidation, LDL-C aggregation, aortic lipids, histopathological evaluations and immunolocalization of macrophage surface marker (F4/80), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and P-selectin were performed in CON [rats treated with single dose of saline (i.p.) and fed with laboratory chow], ATH [rats treated with single dose of vitamin D3 (600,000 IU, i.p) and fed with atherogenic diet] and ATH+CG [rats treated with single dose of vitamin D3 (600,000 IU, i.p.) and fed with atherogenic diet and simultaneously treated with 200 mg/kg CG extract, p.o.] for 8 weeks. CG extract supplementation to atherogenic diet fed rats significantly prevented increment in serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoproteins, markers of LDL-C oxidation, auto-antibody titer and aortic lipids. Also, LDL-C isolated from ATH+CG rats recorded mimimal aggregation and susceptibility to undergo ex vivo LDL-C oxidation. Microscopic evaluation of thoracic aorta of ATH+CG rats reveled prevention of atheromatous plaque formation, accumulation of lipid laden macrophages, calcium deposition, distortion/defragmentation of elastin, accumulation of macrophages and, down regulation of cell adhesion molecules (VCAM-1 and P-selectin) expression. Further, in vitro monocyte to macrophage differentiation was significantly attenuated in presence of CG extract (200 µg/mL). It can be concluded from the present study that, CG extract is capable of controlling induction of experimental atherosclerosis and warrants further scrutiny at the clinical level as a possible therapeutic agent.

Anti-obesity potential of Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb leaf aqueous extract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb leaf aqueous extract (CG) is traditionally used by people of North-East India to alleviate symptoms of diabetes, obesity and hypertension. Previous study from our laboratory have documented anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive properties of CG extract but, till date there are no pharmacological studies available on its anti-obesity potential. This inventory investigates the underlining molecular mechanism/s of CG induced regulation of in vivo HFD induced obesity and in vitro adipocyte differentiation.

AIM

To evaluate effects of CG extract on (i) expression of genes regulating visceral adiposity and (ii) in vitro adipocyte differentiation and LEP release.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Body weight, lee index, plasma lipids and LEP, mRNA expression of PPARγ-2, SREBP1c, FAS, CPT-1 and LEP in epididymal adipose tissue of control and experimental groups were evaluated. Also, potential of CG extract on in vitro adipocyte differentiation and LEP release was assessed.

RESULTS

Supplementation of CG extract to HFD fed mice significantly prevented HFD induced increment in bodyweight, lee index, plasma lipids and LEP, visceral adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy. Also, CG extract supplementation resulted in down regulation of PPARγ-2, SREBP1c, FAS and LEP expression along with up-regulation of CPT-1 in epididymal adipose tissue compared to HFD fed mice. In vitro study recorded significant anti-adipogenic effect of CG extract that resulted in decreased adipogenesis, TG accumulation, LEP release, G3PDH activity along with higher glycerol release without significantly altering viability of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb extract prevents adipocyte differentiation and visceral adiposity by down regulation of PPARγ-2 related genes and Lep expression thus validating its traditional therapeutic use in controlling obesity.

Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb extract ameliorates high fat diet/fatty acid induced lipotoxicity in experimental models of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

This study evaluates the protective role of Clerodendron glandulosum.Coleb (CG) aqueous extract against high fat diet/fatty acid induced lipotoxicity in experimental models of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Supplementation of NASH mice with CG extract (1% and 3% in high fat diet for 16 weeks) prevented high fat diet induced elevation in liver enzymes, plasma and hepatic lipids, mitochondrial oxidative stress and compromised enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant status and histopathological damage to hepatocytes. Furthermore, results from in vitro study indicates, addition of CG extract (20-200 μg/ml for 24h) to HepG2 cells minimizes oleic acid induced lipid accumulation, higher lipid peroxidation, cytotoxicity and reduced cell viability. These in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that CG extract has the potential of preventing high fat/fatty acid induced NASH.