Pentacyclic triterpenes: New tools to fight metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a combination of dysregulated cardiometabolic risk factors characterized by dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, inflammation, obesity as well as hypertension. These factors are tied to the increased risk for type-II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction in patients with metabolic syndrome. PURPOSE: To review the proposed molecular mechanisms of pentacyclic triterpenes for their potential use in the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar database were searched from commencement to April 2018. Following keywords were searched in the databases with varying combinations: "metabolic syndrome", "pentacyclic triterpenes", "transcription factors", "protein kinase", "lipogenesis", "adipogenesis", "lipolysis", "fatty acids", "gluconeogenesis", "cardiovascular", "mitochondria", "oxidative stress", "pancreas", "hepatic cells", "skeletal muscle", "3T3-L1", "C2C12", "obesity", "inflammation", "insulin resistance", "glucose uptake", "clinical studies" and "bioavailability". RESULTS: Pentacyclic triterpenes, such as asiatic acid, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, 18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid, α,ß-amyrin, celastrol, carbenoxolone, corosolic acid, maslinic acid, bardoxolone methyl and lupeol downregulate several metabolic syndrome components by regulating transcription factors, protein kinases and enzyme involved in the adipogenesis, lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation, insulin resistance, mitochondria biogenesis, gluconeogenesis, oxidative stress and inflammation. CONCLUSION: In vitro and in vivo studies suggests that pentacyclic triterpenes effectively downregulate various factors related to metabolic syndrome. These phytochemicals may serve as promising candidates for clinical trials for the management of metabolic syndrome.

Precise measurement of hyperfine structure in the 3S1/2 state of 7Li.

We report a precise measurement of hyperfine structure in the 3S1/2 state of the odd isotope of Li, namely 7Li. The state is excited from the ground 2S1/2 state (which has the same parity) using two single-photon transitions via the intermediate 2P3/2 state. The value of the hyperfine constant we measure is A = 93.095(52) MHz, which resolves two discrepant values reported in the literature measured using other techniques. Our value is also consistent with theoretical calculations.

Antifertility effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Pandanus odoratissimus L. leaves.

This study was undertaken to assess the antifertility effect of hydroalcoholic leaves extract of Pandanus odoratissimus Linn. which is traditionally used by the woman in Rajasthan state of India to regulate the fertility. The antifertility activity of the extract at dose levels (200 and 400 mg/kg, orally) was evaluated in two experimental animal models. The extract was found to be safe up to a dose of 4000 mg/kg of the extract when administered orally. A good antiimplantation (37.13%) activity in female rats was observed at the tested dose level (400 mg/kg). The extract, when administered alone at 200 mg/kg dose to immature female albino rats, enhanced the estrogen level in the serum whereas significantly decreased the estrogen level at 400 mg/kg dose. The extract along with estradiol at dose level of 400 mg/kg significantly (p < 0.01) decreased the level of estrogen, in comparison to standard group rats indicating the antiestrogenic nature of the extract. The antiestrogenic effect of the extract at higher dose (400 mg/kg) might be due to negative feed-back inhibition on anterior pituitary. Preliminary phytochemical screening has revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids and saponins in the hydroalcoholic leaf extract of the plant. The antifertility effect of the plant might be due to antiimplantation as well as antiestrogenic effect of the extract which in turn might be due to some of the chemical constituents present in the extract. The results shows that hydroalcoholic extract of P. odoratissimus L. leaves possess significant antifertility activity at 400 mg/kg, thus, justifying the traditional use of this plant in fertility regulation in females.

Isolation, culturing and characterization of feeder-independent amniotic fluid stem cells in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Heterogeneous amniotic fluid contains various cell types. The aim of this study was to characterize and differentiate some of the key stemness attributes of the amniotic fluid-derived cells in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). The amniotic fluid (AF) cells were cultured without feeder cells, in DMEM containing 15% FBS, 1% non-essential amino acids, 1% penicillin/streptomycin/ampicillin, 1% vitamin solution, and 1% l-glutamine in 5% CO(2) in humidified air at 38.5±0.5 °C. After 6 days of culture different types of cells viz., star shaped (62.7%), spherical without nucleus (1.9%), spherical with nucleus (26.4%), pentagonal (0.4%), and free floating/rounded cells (8.3%) were observed. Most of the cells started anchorage-dependent growth after day 7 of the culture. Expression of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and Oct-4, Nestin and FGF-5 were observed from the AF cells at different passages. Using species-specific primers, a PCR amplicon of 200, 296 and 210 bp were observed for Oct-4, Nestin and FGF-5, respectively. The cells were found to have a normal karyotype at different passages. These results may contribute towards establishing non-embryonic pluripotent stem cells for various therapeutic and reproductive biotechnological applications in the species.