ABSTRACT
Fractionation of the EtOH extract from aerial parts of Baccharis uncinella C. DC. (Asteraceae) led to isolation of caffeic and ferulic acids, which were identified from spectroscopic and spectrometric evidence. These compounds exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to be effective in the prevention/treatment of metabolic syndrome. This study investigated whether the combined treatment of caffeic and ferulic acids exhibits a more significant beneficial effect in a mouse model with metabolic syndrome. The combination treatment with caffeic and ferulic acids was tested for 60 days in C57 mice kept on a high-fat (40%) diet. The data obtained indicated that treatment with caffeic and ferulic acids prevented gain in body weight induced by the high-fat diet and improved hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The expression of a number of metabolically relevant genes was affected in the liver of these animals, showing that caffeic and ferulic acid treatment results in increased cholesterol uptake and reduced hepatic triglyceride synthesis in the liver, which is a likely explanation for the prevention of hepatic steatosis. In conclusion, the combined treatment of caffeic and ferulic acids displayed major positive effects towards prevention of multiple aspects of the metabolic syndrome and liver steatosis in an obese mouse model.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Baccharis/chemistry , Caffeic Acids/administration & dosage , Coumaric Acids/administration & dosage , Metabolic Syndrome/prevention & control , Protective Agents/administration & dosage , Caffeic Acids/chemistry , Cholesterol/metabolism , Coumaric Acids/chemistry , Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects , Drug Therapy, Combination/methods , Fatty Liver/metabolism , Fatty Liver/pathology , Metabolic Syndrome/drug therapy , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Models, Animal , Protective Agents/chemistry , Triglycerides/metabolismABSTRACT
The ability of the differentiation inducing agent sodium butyrate (NaB) alone or combined with plant-derived phenolic compounds to produce growth inhibition in human erythroleukemic cells was investigated. As a single agent, curcumin produced a marked inhibition of proliferation indicated by its low concentration used. The effect of phenolics on the cell cycle could probably contribute to the augmented antiproliferative activity of NaB. The present data show that quercetin produced synergistic effect in terms of cell killing in association with NaB. Both curcumin and ferulic acid potentiated NaB-induced reduction of cell number. When NaB was added before exposure to graded doses of quercetin it did induce a greater inhibitory effect. The combination of NaB and quercetin seems less effective on S180 ascites tumour cells. As a single agent quercetin was found to be the most efficacious on S180 tumour model.
Subject(s)
Animals , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Butyrates/administration & dosage , Cell Division/drug effects , Cell Survival/drug effects , Coumaric Acids/administration & dosage , Curcumin/administration & dosage , Drug Synergism , Flow Cytometry , Humans , K562 Cells , Mice , Neoplasm Transplantation , Quercetin/administration & dosage , Sarcoma 180/drug therapyABSTRACT
M - methoxy coumaric acid is a primary metabolite related to shikimate pathway. m - methoxy coumaric acid produced significant in levels of brain biogenic amine when injected intraperitonially. This primary metabolite gave positive responses in some tests for neuropharmacological screening and in - vivo and in - vitro experiments. It could therefore be a suggested as a promising psychotropic drug with an unidentified mode of action