Diosgenin and Its Fenugreek Based Biological Matrix Affect Insulin Resistance and Anabolic Hormones in a Rat Based Insulin Resistance Model

Fenugreek derived diosgenin as an emerging source for diabetic therapy

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that endangers the entire body's tissues and organs. Diabetes impairs glucose and insulin regulation in the human body by causing pancreatic cell damage. Diabetes modifies pathways such as serine/threonine protein kinase (Akt) and Protein kinase C (PKC)/- glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) glucose absorption, and inhibits α-amylase and α-glucosidase, Sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT-1), and Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Diabetes may also be caused by a decrease in the expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1) and its target genes, fatty acid synthase (FAS), stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase α (ACC), as well as a decrease in the levels of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Caspase12, and Caspase3 proteins. Diabetes has long been linked to diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, skeletal, reproductive, hepatic, ocular, and renal systems. Diosgenin, a steroidal compound derived from fenugreek, aids in the prevention of diabetes by altering cellular pathways in favor of healthy bodily functions. Diosgenin is a new nutraceutical on the market that claims to cure diabetes in particular. This article focuses on diosgenin extraction and purification, fenugreek bioactive compounds, pharmacological properties of diosgenin, mode of action of diosgenin to cure diabetes, and dosages.

New insights into anti-diabetes effects and molecular mechanisms of dietary saponins

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a long-term metabolic disorder that manifests as chronic hyperglycemia and impaired insulin, bringing a heavy load on the global health care system. Considering the inevitable side effects of conventional anti-diabetic drugs, saponins-rich natural products exert promising therapeutic properties to serve as safer and more cost-effective alternatives for DM management. Herein, this review systematically summarized the research progress on the anti-diabetic properties of dietary saponins and their underlying molecular mechanisms in the past 20 years. Dietary saponins possessed the multidirectional anti-diabetic capabilities by concurrent regulation of various signaling pathways, such as IRS-1/PI3K/Akt, AMPK, Nrf2/ARE, NF-κB-NLRP3, SREBP-1c, and PPARγ, in liver, pancreas, gut, and skeletal muscle. However, the industrialization and commercialization of dietary saponin-based drugs are confronted with a significant challenge due to the low bioavailability and lack of the standardization. Hence, in-depth evaluations in pharmacological profile, function-structure interaction, drug-signal pathway interrelation are essential for developing dietary saponins-based anti-diabetic treatments in the future.

The Anabolic Effect of Fenugreek: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis

The use of plant steroids to improve physical health and performance is becoming increasingly popular. One of these plant steroids is diosgenin, which is mainly available in fenugreek. As a result, some studies have been conducted to improve physical health. Fenugreek extracts are also becoming increasingly popular in the context of athletic performance. Based on these assumptions, a systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the promoting effects of fenugreek on strength performance, body composition, and hormone concentration. Four databases were screened according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The current version of ReviewManager (RevMan) was used for the statistical evaluation. Seven studies with 449 participants (378 male, 71 female) met the inclusion criteria. A small effect of fenugreek was detected for total testosterone (standard mean difference (SMD): 0.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09 0.55), free testosterone (SMD: 0.24; 95% CI: -0.04, 0.52), lean body mass (SMD: 0.19; 95% CI: -0.10, 0.49), fat mass (SMD: -0.19; 95% CI: -0.44, 0.05), and leg press performance (SMD: 0.22; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.47), in male athletes. The meta-analysis shows that chronic application of fenugreek has performance-enhancing and anabolic effects in male athletes, but no statements can be made for female athletes.

Dietary phytoestrogen diosgenin interrupts metabolism, physiology, and reproduction of Swiss albino mice: Possible mode of action as an emerging environmental contaminant, endocrine disruptor and reproductive toxicant

Dietary phytoestrogens are the main source of environmental contamination due to their estrogen-mimicking and endocrine-disrupting effects, posing a threat to microbial, soil, plant, and animal health. Diosgenin, a phytosteroid saponin, is used in many traditional medicines, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, contraceptives, and hormone replacement therapies against numerous diseases and disorders. It is important to be aware of the potential risks associated with diosgenin, as well as its potential to cause reproductive and endocrine toxicity. Due to the lack of research on the safety and probable adverse side effects of diosgenin, this work evaluated the endocrine-disrupting and reproductive toxicity of diosgenin in albino mice by following acute toxicity (OECD-423), repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity (OECD-468), and F₁ extended one-generation reproductive toxicity (OECD-443) studies. Diosgenin was found to be slightly toxic, with LD₅₀ for male and female mice being 546.26 and 538.72 mg/kg, respectively. Chronic exposure of diosgenin (10, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) generated oxidative stress, depleted antioxidant enzymes, disturbed homeostasis of the reproductive hormones, and interrupted steroidogenesis, germ cell apoptosis, gametogenesis, sperm quality, estrous cycle, and reproductive performance in the F₀ and F₁ offspring. Long-term oral exposure of diosgenin to the mice disturbed the endocrine and reproductive functions and generated transgenerational reproductive toxic effects in F₀ and F₁ offspring. These results suggest that diosgenin should be used carefully in food products and medical applications due to its potential endocrine-disrupting and reproductive toxic effects. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of the potential adverse effects of diosgenin and the need for appropriate risk assessment and management of its use.

Diosgenin, a Natural Steroidal Sapogenin, Alleviates the Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy in Diabetic Mice

BACKGROUND/AIM

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes and a major cause of blindness in working-age adults. Diosgenin (DG), a natural steroidal sapogenin extracted from fenugreek seeds and wild yam roots, has hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Given its pharmacological effects, we speculated that DG may be a promising treatment for DR. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of DG in preventing or slowing DR progression in a mouse model (+Lepr^db/+Lepr^db strain) of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DG (5.0 mg/kg body weight) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was administered to 8-week-old T2D mice via oral gavage daily for 24 weeks. Paraffin-embedded eye tissues from the mice were collected and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to evaluate retinal histopathology. Apoptosis-related proteins BCL2-associated X (Bax), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and cleaved caspase-3 were evaluated by western blotting of mouse retinas.

RESULTS

Body weight was slightly reduced in the DG-treated group; however, glucose levels were not markedly different between the DG- and PBS-treated groups. Total retinal thickness, thickness of the photoreceptor and outer nuclear layers, and loss of ganglion cells significantly improved in the retina of the DG-treated T2D mice compared with those in the PBS-treated T2D mice. Cleaved caspase-3 level significantly decreased in the retina of the DG-treated T2D mice. Conclusion: DG alleviates DR pathology and exerts a protective effect on the T2D mouse retina. The inhibitory effects of DG on DR may involve mechanisms of the anti-apoptotic pathway.

Diosgenin: An ingress towards solving puzzle for diabetes treatment

The consumption and composition of food in daily life predict our health in long run. The relation of diabetes to sweets is quite popular. Diabetes hampers the glucose and insulin regulation in the human body by damaging pancreatic β cells. Diabetes has a strong potential towards altering cellular mechanisms of organs causing unlawful performance. Diabetes alters pathways like TLR4, AChE, NF-ĸB, LPL, and PPAR at different sites that affect the normal cellular machinery and cause damage to the local tissue and organ. The long-lasting effect of diabetes was observed in vascular, cardia, nervous, skeletal, reproductive, hepatic, ocular, and renal systems. The increasing awareness of diabetes and its concern has awakened the common people more enthusiastically. Due to rising harm from diabetes, scientific researchers tend to have more eyes toward it. While searching for diabetes solutions, fenugreek diosgenin could pop up with some positive effects in curing the same. Diosgenin helps to lower the scathe of diabetes by modifying cellular pathways in favor of healthy bodily functions. Diosgenin altered the pathways for renewal of pancreatic β cells for better insulin secretion, initiate GLUT4, enhanced DHEA, modify ER-α-mediated PI3K/Akt pathways. Diosgenin can be an appropriate insult for diabetes in a much evolving way for a healthy lifestyle. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Diabetes is one of the most death causing diseases in the medical world. Regrettably the cure of diabetes is yet to be found. Various scientific team working on the same to look after the most appropriate way for diabetes treatment. There is enormous growth of nutraceutical in the market claiming for cure of different metabolic disorders. Among various bioactive compound fenugreek's diosgenin could took a leap over other in curing and preventing the damage caused by diabetes to different organs. The role of diosgenin in curing various metabolic disorders is quite popular from some time. This article also emphasizes over beneficiary effect of diosgenin in curing the damages caused by diabetes by altering cellular metabolism processes. Hence diosgenin could be a better way for researchers to develop a method for diabetes treatment.

Metabolomics combined with network pharmacology to explore the mechanisms of modified Guishen pill to ameliorate polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND

The modified Guishen pill (MGP) has a prominent therapeutic effect on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, its mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to uncover the mechanism of MGP for PCOS treatment through a comprehensive strategy integrating metabolomics and network pharmacology.

METHODS

A letrozole-induced PCOS model was used to evaluate ovarian function in rats. Plasma metabolomics was used to authenticate differential metabolites and enriched related pathways using the MetaboAnalyst platform. Network pharmacology was utilized to explore the endogenous targets of MGP treatment for PCOS. Finally, the potential targets and related biological functions were verified experimentally.

RESULTS

MGP improved PCOS symptoms by regulating abnormal levels of sex hormones and alleviating ovarian pathological changes in rats; fifty-four potential differential metabolites involved in MGP treatment for PCOS, and the hub genes derived from network pharmacology were consistent with the metabolomic analysis results to varying degrees. The comprehensive analysis identified that a key novel target for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS/NOS3), five key metabolites (ornithine, citrulline, l-glutamic acid, acetylornithine, and hydroxyproline), and one pathway (arginine and proline metabolism) were related to the therapy of PCOS with MGP. Subsequently, we verified the localization and expression of eNOS in the ovaries, and it significantly improved insulin resistance, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in letrozole-induced PCOS rats.

CONCLUSION

Our work reveals the complex mechanism of MGP therapy for PCOS. This study is a successful paradigm for elucidating the pharmacological mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine compound.

Diosgenin reduces phosphodiesterase 3B (PDE3B) through AMP-activated protein kinase/ mechanistic target of rapamycin (AMPK/mTOR) signaling pathway to ameliorate streptozotocin-induced pancreatic β-cell apoptosis and dysfunction

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease caused by defective insulin secretion and/or insulin action. And insulin is the main hormone released by the pancreatic β-cells. Diosgenin (DG) is a phytochemical with pharmacological activity that increases insulin secretion in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced pancreatic β-cells of diabetic rats. In this paper, we investigated the effect and mechanism of DG on cell apoptosis and dysfunction in STZ-induced pancreatic β-cells. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8, apoptosis by flow cytometry, and apoptosis-related protein expression by Western blot. Western blot and RT-qPCR were performed to detect the expression of related genes. The results showed that in STZ-induced INS-1 cells, DG could improve cell viability, inhibit apoptosis, attenuate oxidative stress levels and increase insulin secretion. Notably, PDE3B was highly expressed in STZ-induced INS-1 cells, while DG could significantly inhibit PDE3B expression in a dose-dependent manner. More importantly, overexpression PDE3B remarkably reversed the effect of DG on STZ-induced INS-1 cells. It is thus clear that DG might inhibit STZ-treated pancreatic β-cell apoptosis and reduce dysfunction via downregulating PDE3B, which provided a more reliable theoretical basis for the treatment of diabetes mellitus with DG.

Gastroprotective effects of diosgenin against HCl/ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury through suppression of NF-κβ and myeloperoxidase activities

Gastric mucosal injury is caused by an imbalance between the mucosal defense and gastro-irritants, leading to gastroenteritis. Diosgenin is a steroidal sapogenin found in the wild Yam plant that has been reported with several pharmacological properties. The aim of this study is to explore the gastroprotective role of diosgenin on gastric mucosal damage caused by HCl/ethanol in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were intragastrically administered with diosgenin (20 mg/kg) before HCl/ethanol (0.15 M HCl in 98 % ethanol) administration. Omeprazole was used as a positive control. Diosgenin-attenuated oxidative stress by enhancing (p < 0.05) antioxidant enzymes, reducing lipid peroxidation (MDA), and modulating nitric oxide (NO) levels. Anti-inflammatory effects of diosgenin were observed by a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines (p < 0.05), decreased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities (p < 0.05), and histopathological observation of gastric mucosal damage. Western blot analysis provided evidence on the downregulation of NF-κβ by diosgenin. The findings showed that diosgenin has a significant protective role on gastric injury caused by HCl/ethanol, through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory role, and suppression of NF-κβ and MPO activities.

Fenugreek Cultivation with Emphasis on Historical Aspects and its uses in Traditional Medicine and Modern Pharmaceutical Science

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is a native plant found in the parts of Iran to the North of India, and is presently planted also in other regions of the world. Fenugreek is considered a notable multipurpose medicinal and traditional herb in Iran, India, and China for several centuries. The most important components of fenugreek seeds are protein, neutral detergent fiber, gum, lipids, moisture, ash and starch. Fenugreek seeds and leaves are anti-cholesterolemic, anti-tumor, antiinflammatory, carminative, demulcent, deobstruent, emollient, expectorant, galactogogue, febrifuge, laxative, hypoglycaemic, restorative, parasiticide and uterine tonic and useful in burning sensation. Traditionally, fenugreek seeds being used worldwide are beneficial for bone and muscles, respiratory system, gastro-intestinal system, female reproductive system, cardio-vascular system, endocrinology and hepatic. Fenugreek helps reduce cholesterol, reduce cardiovascular risk, control diabetes, a good consolation for sore throats, a remedy for acid reflux, constipation, colon cancer prevention, appropriate for kidney trouble, skin infection, increase milk production, reduce menstrual discomfort, and reduce menopause symptoms. It is also an appetite suppressant that helps in weight loss. Both modern science and traditional medicine integration with novel technologies and discoveries will secure the cultivation of medicinal herbs and promote sustainability in the long-term and a wide-range.

The role of diosgenin in diabetes and diabetic complications

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic and common metabolic disease that seriously endangers human health. Hyperglycemia and long-term metabolic disorders in diabetes will cause damage to the whole body tissues and organs, resulting in serious complications. Nowadays, drugs for treating diabetes on the market has strong side effects, new treatments thus are urgently needed. Natural therapy of natural ingredients is a promising avenue, this is because natural ingredients are safer and they also show strong activity in the treatment of diabetes. Diosgenin is such a very biologically active natural steroidal sapogenin. The research of diosgenin in the treatment of diabetes and its complications has been widely reported. This article reviews the effects of diosgenin through multiple targets and multiple pathways in diabetes and its complications which including diabetic nephropathy, diabetic liver disease, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic vascular disease, diabetic cardiomyopathy, diabetic reproductive dysfunction, and diabetic eye disease.

Retinoprotection by BGP-15, a Hydroximic Acid Derivative, in a Type II Diabetic Rat Model Compared to Glibenclamide, Metformin, and Pioglitazone

High blood glucose and the consequential ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury damage vessels of the retina, deteriorating its function, which can be clearly visualized by electroretinography (ERG). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible retinoprotective effects of systemic BGP-15, an emerging drug candidate, in an insulin resistant animal model, the Goto-Kakizaki rat, and compare these results with well-known anti-diabetics such as glibenclamide, metformin, and pioglitazone, which even led to some novel conclusions about these well-known agents. Experiments were carried out on diseased animal model (Goto-Kakizaki rats). The used methods include weight measurement, glucose-related measurements—like fasting blood sugar analysis, oral glucose tolerance test, hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp (HEGC), and calculations of different indices from HEGC results—electroretinography and Western Blot. Beside its apparent insulin sensitization, BGP-15 was also able to counteract the retina-damaging effect of Type II diabetes comparable to the aforementioned anti-diabetics. The mechanism of retinoprotective action may include sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) enzymes, as BGP-15 was able to elevate SIRT1 and decrease MMP9 expression in the eye. Based on our results, this emerging hydroximic acid derivative might be a future target of pharmacological developments as a potential drug against the harmful consequences of diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy.