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.

Hypophagic and weight reducing effect of Momardica charinta fruit by Enhancing 5-HT neurotransmitter in rats brain.

Momardica charint seed as vegetable and folk medicine in Pakistan, India, China, Bangladesh and other Asian countries Momardica charinta also known as Kerala, bittergourd ,balsam pear. It possesses many biological active constituents including glycosides, saponins, phenolic and flavonoids compound, protein, triterpenes, steroid, saponins, alkaloid. It also contain thiamine ,beta carotene, folate, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and fiber. Several studies have been done to show medicinal importance of its fruit which has different biological functions such as anti-diabetes antihypertension, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal infection, anti-tumorous as well as anti-carcinogenic effects. The present research is big contribution of Momardicacharinta activity as weight reducing plant through serotonergic neurotransmitter Decrease in body weight and food intake might be due to increased concentration of serotonin in their respective receptors in brain, which produce hypophagic effect in rats treated with water extract of Momardicacharinttia. More animal and human trials needed to confirm, the safety and antiobesity effect of MC and the role of neurotransmitter involve in reduction of body weight.

Satietogenic Protein from Tamarind Seeds Decreases Food Intake, Leptin Plasma and CCK-1r Gene Expression in Obese Wistar Rats.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of a protein, the isolated Trypsin Inhibitor (TTI) from Tamarindus indica L. seed, as a CCK secretagogue and its action upon food intake and leptin in obese Wistar rats. METHODS: Three groups of obese rats were fed 10 days one of the following diets: Standard diet (Labina®) + water; High Glycemic Index and Load (HGLI) diet + water or HGLI diet + TTI. Lean animals were fed the standard diet for the 10 days. Food intake, zoometric measurements, plasma CCK, plasma leptin, relative mRNA expression of intestinal CCK-related genes, and expression of the ob gene in subcutaneous adipose tissue were assessed. RESULTS: TTI decreased food intake but did not increase plasma CCK in obese animals. On the other hand, TTI treatment decreased CCK-1R gene expression in obese animals compared with the obese group with no treatment (p = 0.027). Obese animals treated with TTI presented lower plasma leptin than the non-treated obese animals. CONCLUSION: We suggest that TTI by decreasing plasma leptin may improve CCK action, regardless of its increase in plasma from obese rats, since food intake was lowest.

Preparation of Pinolenic Acid Concentrates from Pine Nut Oil Fatty Acids by Solvent Fractionation.

Pinolenic acid (PLA), which is a fatty acid (FA) exclusively found in the oils of edible pine nuts, has an appetite-suppression effect, thereby being effective to reduce body weight in humans. PLA concentrates would be suitable for use in functional foods and nutraceuticals due to the health benefits of PLA. PLA concentrates were prepared from free FA (FFA) obtained from pine nut oil using solvent fractionation. Siberian pine nut oil containing 18.3 wt% PLA was used as the starting material for the fractionation. The fractionation was performed in n-hexane at ultra-low temperatures down to -85°C. The PLA concentrates produced under the optimal conditions established in this study (temperature, -85°C; n-hexane-to-FFA ratio (v/w), 30:1; fractionation time, 36 h) contained 69.8 wt% PLA. The yield of PLA was 77.4 wt% of the initial PLA weight in the FFA. These results suggest that solvent fractionation is a more effective approach to prepare PLA concentrates with higher PLA contents at a particular yield of PLA than published methods using urea crystallization (e.g., PLA content = ~47 wt%, yield of PLA = ~77 wt%, Woo et al. (2016)) or lipase-catalyzed reactions (e.g., PLA content = ~30 wt%, yield of PLA = ~61 wt%, Lee et al. (2011)). The resulting PLA concentrates contained 11 of the 12 different species of FA present in the FFA, thereby indicating that the PLA concentrates prepared by solvent fractionation have more diverse FA profiles than those prepared by urea crystallization (e.g., 7 species of FA, Woo et al. (2016)).

Characteristics and functionality of appetite-reducing thylakoid powders produced by three different drying processes.

BACKGROUND: Thylakoids, a chloroplast membrane extracted from green leaves, are a promising functional ingredient with appetite-reducing properties via their lipase-inhibiting effect. Thylakoids in powder form have been evaluated in animal and human models, but no comprehensive study has been conducted on powder characteristics. The aim was to investigate the effects of different isolation methods and drying techniques (drum-drying, spray-drying, freeze-drying) on thylakoids' physicochemical and functional properties. RESULTS: Freeze-drying yielded thylakoid powders with the highest lipase-inhibiting capacity. We hypothesize that the specific macromolecular structures involved in lipase inhibition were degraded to different degrees by exposure to heat during spray-drying and drum-drying. We identified lightness (Hunter's L-value), greenness (Hunter's a-value), chlorophyll content and emulsifying capacity to be correlated to lipase-inhibiting capacity. Thus, to optimize the thylakoids functional properties, the internal membrane structure indicated by retained green colour should be preserved. This opens possibilities to use chlorophyll content as a marker for thylakoid functionality in screening processes during process optimization. CONCLUSION: Thylakoids are heat sensitive, and a mild drying technique should be used in industrial production. Strong links between physicochemical parameters and lipase inhibition capacity were found that can be used to predict functionality. The approach from this study can be applied towards production of standardized high-quality functional food ingredients. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hoodia gordonii: to eat, or not to eat.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hoodia gordonii (family Apocynaceae) has become known globally for its claimed effect of appetite suppression. Despite a relatively large body of evidence of the plant׳s chemical make-up, peer-reviewed studies to provide scientific information on physiological effects of Hoodia gordonii are relatively sparse. The role of the pregnane glycoside P57-commonly accepted to be responsible for appetite suppression-has been questioned recently. Furthermore, a variety of physiological side-effects associated with consumption of the plant in extracted form questions its suitability for consumption. Although adverse effects have been described before, the relative abundance of non-peer-reviewed data originating from patent documents and lay publication for advertising, which specifically only focus on beneficial outcomes, skews the view of the risk-benefit-balance. Here we provide a review of peer-reviewed studies on the plant׳s physiological effects. Novel data from an in vivo rodent study further elucidate the benefit-to-risk ratio associated with consumption. CONCLUSIONS: we conclude that although Hoodia gordonii seems to have a desired effect on appetite and weight loss, this effect may at least in part be a secondary symptom of the serious adverse effects that are associated with consumption of the high doses required to achieve therapeutic clinical effect.

Simultaneous quantification of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor agonists in rodent plasma by on-line solid phase extraction and LC-MS/MS.

Peptide agonists of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and the cholecystokinin-1 receptor (CCK1-R) have therapeutic potential because of their marked anorexigenic and weight lowering effects. Furthermore, recent studies in rodents have shown that co-administration of these agents may prove more effective than treatment either of the peptide classes alone. To correlate the pharmacodynamic effects to the pharmacokinetics of these peptide drugs in vivo, a sensitive and robust bioanalytical method is essential. Furthermore, the simultaneous determination of both analytes in plasma samples by a single method offers obvious advantages. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is well suited to this goal through its ability to simultaneously monitor multiple analytes through selected reaction monitoring (SRM). However, it is a challenge to find appropriate conditions that allow two peptides with widely disparate physiochemical properties to be simultaneously analyzed while maintaining the necessary sensitivity for their accurate plasma concentrations. Herein, we report an on-line solid phase extraction (SPE) LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of the CCK1-R agonist AC170222 and the GLP-1R agonist AC3174 in rodent plasma. The assay has a linear range from 0.0975 to 100ng/mL, with lower limits of quantification of 0.0975ng/mL and 0.195ng/mL for AC3174 and AC170222, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions were below 15%. The developed LC-MS/MS method was used to simultaneously quantify AC3174 and AC170222, the results showed that the terminal plasma concentrations of AC3174 or AC170222 were comparable between groups of animals that were administered with the peptides alone (247±15pg/mL of AC3174 and 1306±48pg/mL of AC170222), or in combination (222±32pg/mL and 1136±47pg/mL of AC3174 and AC170222, respectively). These data provide information on the drug exposure to aid in assessing the combination effects of AC3174 and AC170222 on rodent metabolism.

Antihypercholesterolemic effect of Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc (Fabaceae) extract on high-fat diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in Sprague-Dawley rats.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the antihypercholesterolemic effect of Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc extract by examining its effects on food consumption, weight gain, serum lipid profile, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transamianse (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), and body fat in rats. METHODS: Animals were fed with experimental high-fat diets (HFD) that contain 10% lard plus, 5% corn oil. Food intake and body weight were measured. Serum samples were analyzed for the estimation of lipid profiles and other biochemical parameters by using kits. RESULTS: The consumption of ethanol and water extract of experimental plant for 5 weeks caused the decrease in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) SGOT and SGPT significantly (p < .01), and increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) significantly (p < .01). The rat group fed with HFD has shown higher serum TC, TG, LDL, VLDL, SGOT, SGPT, and lower HDL than in the normal control group (p < .01). Fecal excretion of cholesterol in the ethanol extract-treated groups was significantly higher than those treated with water extract. Body weight in the water extract-treated groups was significantly lower than that in the ethanol extract-treated groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that M. uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc extracts have strong activities against hypercholesterolemia and obesity suggesting a potential usefulness of M. uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc extracts as functional ingredients.

Appetite suppressing pregnane glycosides from the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum.

In the search for plant alternatives to Hoodia gordonii containing P57, a pregnane glycoside with potential appetite suppressant effect, the roots of Cynanchum auriculatum were investigated. As a result, 15 pregnane glycosides including nine never previously reported were isolated. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses and chemical methods. Appetite suppressant effect and body weight loss were observed when tested with the most abundant pregnane glycoside, wilfoside K1N, in an in vivo test with rats.

Vegetable foods: a cheap source of proteins and peptides with antihypertensive, antioxidant, and other less occurrence bioactivities.

Despite less explored than foods from animal origin, plant derived foods also contain biologically active proteins and peptides. Bioactive peptides can be present as an independent entity in the food or, more frequently, can be in a latent state as part of the sequence of a protein. Release from that protein requires protein hydrolysis by enzymatic digestion, fermentation or autolysis. Different methodologies have been used to test proteins and peptides bioactivities. Fractionation, separation, and identification techniques have also been employed for the isolation and identification of bioactive proteins or peptides. In this work, proteins and peptides from plant derived foods exerting antihypertensive, antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, antithrombotic, and immunostimulating capacities or ability to reduce food intake have been reviewed.

Synthesis of Hoodigogenin A, aglycone of natural appetite suppressant glycosteroids extracted from Hoodia gordonii.

14ß-hydroxy pregnane glycosides extracted from Hoodia gordonii, a succulent plant isolated from Apocynaceae are suggested to have appetite suppressant properties in animals and humans. However, limited reports on biological studies concerning the appetite suppressant properties are available in the open literature. One reason for that is the poor availability of these glycosteroids because H. gordonii is a protected plant and the yield of extraction lies between 0.003% and 0.02%. Starting from 3α,12α-diacetoxy-pregnanone 1, we disclose in this report the synthesis of Hoodigogenin A, the aglycone of the natural 14ß-hydroxy pregnane glycosides extracted from H. Gordonii.

New pregnane glycosides from Brucea javanica and their antifeedant activity.

Three new pregnane glycosides, 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(20R)-pregn-5-ene-3ß,20-diol (1), 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(20R)-pregn-5-ene-3ß,20-diol-20-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(20R)-pregn-5-ene-3ß,20-diol-20-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (3) were isolated along with four known compounds, 4-7, from the leaves and stems of Brucea javanica. Their structures were determined by detailed analyses of 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic data. All of the compounds isolated from Brucea javanica were tested for the antifeedant activities against the larva of Pieris rapae. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 showed significant antifeedant activities after 72 h incubation.

Bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and tissue distribution of the oxypregnane steroidal glycoside P57AS3 (P57) from Hoodia gordonii in mouse model.

P57AS3 (P57), an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside, is known to be responsible for the appetite suppressing activity of HOODIA GORDONII, a dietary supplement used for weight loss. In this study, bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and tissue distribution of P57 were determined in CD1 female mice after administration of a single dose of enriched methanolic extract of HOODIA GORDONII (equivalent to a dose of 25 mg of P57/kg) by oral gavage or a single dose of purified P57 (25 mg/kg) intravenously. The level of P57 in plasma and tissues (brain, liver, kidney, and intestine) was determined by UPLC-MS. After oral administration of HOODIA extract, the peak plasma level of P57 was achieved in 0.6 h. Upon intravenous administration, the plasma clearance rate of P57 was 1.09 L/h/kg. P57 was rapidly distributed and eliminated from the tissues within 4 hours. The level of tissue distribution was highest in the kidney followed by liver and brain. Upon oral administration, P57 was not detected in the brain and a very low concentration was seen in the intestine, kidney, and liver. Tissue/plasma ratio was 0.33 for brain, 0.57 for liver, and 0.75 for kidney with IV route and 0.11 for intestine, 0.02 for liver, and 0.04 for kidney with oral route. The half-life of the elimination phase was similar with both routes. The oral bioavailability was 47.5 % and the half-life of the absorption phase was 0.13 h. In conclusion, P57 showed moderate bioavailability and was eliminated rapidly.

Antifeedant activity of anticopalic acid isolated from Vitex hemsleyi.

The known labdane-type diterpenoids anticopalic acid (1) and 3 beta-hydroxyanticopalic acid (2) were isolated from extracts of the aerial parts of Vitex hemsleyi Briq. (Labiatae). The acid 1 showed an antifeedant, dose-dependent activity against Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). To our knowledge this is the first report on the antifeedant activity of a labdane-type diterpene against S. frugiperda.

[Bryophytes, a potent source of drugs for tomorrow's medicine?]. / Les Bryophytes, source potentielle de médicaments de demain?

Although secondary plant metabolites provided numerous leads for the development of a wide array of therapeutic drugs, the discovery of new drugs with novel structures has declined in the past few years. Indeed higher plants have a similar evolutionary history and so produce similar metabolites. Search for novel sources of new therapeutic compounds within unexplored parts of biodiversity is thus an attractive challenge. Bryophytes, a group of small terrestrial plants remain relatively untouched in the drug discovery process whereas some have been used as medicinal plants. Studies of their secondary metabolites are recent but reveal original compounds, some of which not synthesized by higher plants. However investigations often meet difficulties during harvest or isolation of active compounds. In consequence, small quantities of substances obtained may be the main reason for the lack of biological tests. Strategies to overcome those troubles may exist and then lead to innovative medicinal applications.

Quantification of appetite suppressing steroid glycosides from Hoodia gordonii in dried plant material, purified extracts and food products using HPLC-UV and HPLC-MS methods.

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV and HPLC-Mass Spectrometry (MS) methods were developed for the quantitative analysis of the family of Hoodia gordonii steroid glycosides with appetite suppressing properties in dried plant material, in purified and enriched extracts and in various prototype food-products fortified with H. gordonii extracts. For solid materials, e.g. dried plants or for non-fatty foods, extraction of the steroid glycosides is performed using methanol. For products where the steroid glycosides are present in an oil matrix, direct injection of the oil after dilution in tetrahydrofuran is applied. The HPLC separation is performed on an octyl-modified reversed-phase column in the gradient mode with UV detection at lambda = 220 nm. Quantification is performed against an external calibration line prepared using either one of the pure steroid glycosides or geranyl-tiglate. Short- and long-term repeatabilities of the methods are better than 3 and 6%, respectively. Recoveries are better than 85%, even in the analysis of the least abundant steroid glycosides in a complex yoghurt drink. Linearity is better than 3-4 orders of magnitude and the detection limits are below approximately 2 microg g(-1) for the individual steroid glycosides in dried plant material and food products. HPLC-MS is used to confirm that the steroid glycosides contain the characteristic steroid core, the carbohydrate chain and the tigloyl group.

An appetite suppressant from Hoodia species.

Studies conducted at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR, South Africa) identified extracts from Hoodia species, in particular Hoodia pilifera and Hoodia gordonii, as possessing appetite suppressing properties. Two pregnane glycosides were isolated by fractionation of the dried stems of H. gordonii. Their structures were determined as 3beta-[beta-D-thevetopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D- cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-cymaropyranosyloxy]-12beta-tigloyloxy-14beta-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one (1) and 3beta-[beta-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-6-thevetopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-cymaropyranosyloxy]-12beta-tigloyloxy-14beta-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one (2) on the basis of spectroscopic studies and conversion to known compounds. Compounds 1 and 2 were also isolated from H. pilifera. Compound 1 was tested for its appetite suppressant properties in rats by oral gavage at 6.25-50 mg/kg and the results showed that all doses resulted in a decrease of food consumption over an eight day period and a body mass decrease when compared to the control sample receiving only the vehicle. In a comparative study against a fenfluramine control sample, compound 1 resulted in a reduction in food intake over the study period, with a concomitant overall decrease in body weight while fenfluramine resulted in a small decrease in food intake, but an increase in body weight (though less than control group) over the same period of time.

Hydroxamic acids in Secale cereale L. and the relationship with their antifeedant and allelopathic properties.

Contents of the hydroxamic acids 2,4-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA), and 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA) in leaves and roots of 14 cultivars of rye, Secale cereale L., were determined. Dynamics of accumulation in three cultivars were evaluated. DIBOA was the main cyclic hydroxamic acid in leaves but the contents differed significantly between the cultivars. Both DIBOA and DIMBOA were present in the roots. Maximum concentration of DIBOA in leaves and DIMBOA in roots was reached between 48-54 h and 54-72 h after germination, respectively. Antifeedant activity of DIBOA towards the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi and the feeding behavior were studied by electronic recording in barley leaves treated with different contents of DIBOA. The deleterious activity of DIBOA could arise by starvation and/or a toxic effect. Additionally, allelopathic potential of pure DIBOA and aqueous extracts of leaves and roots of rye (Tetra-Baer) on the germination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and rye (Tetra-Baer) seeds was evaluated. A high percentage of germination inhibition of pure DIBOA and the extracts of leaves and roots was observed. The activity is in agreement with the contents of hydroxamic acids in the plants. The substrates had no allelopathic effect on rye seeds.

Determination of the appetite suppressant P57 in Hoodia gordonii plant extracts and dietary supplements by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-MSD-TOF) and LC-UV methods.

Hoodia gordonii is traditionally used in South Africa for its appetite suppressant properties. P57AS3 (P57), an oxypregnane steroidal glycoside, is the only reported active constituent from this plant as an appetite suppressant. Effective quality control of these extracts or products requires rapid methods to determine P57 content. New methods of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and LC-UV for analysis of P57 from H. gordonii have been developed. The quantitative determination of P57 was achieved with a Phenomenex Gemini (Torrance, CA) reversed-phase column using gradient mobile phase of water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.1% acetic acid. The method was validated for linearity, repeatability, and limits of detection and quantification. Good results were obtained in terms of repeatability (relative standard deviation <5.0%) and recovery (98.5-103.5%). The developed methods were applied to the determination of P57 for H. gordonii plant samples, one related genus (Opuntia ficus-indica), and dietary supplements that claim to contain H. gordonii.

Antifeedants in the feces of the pine weevil Hylobius abietis: identification and biological activity.

Egg-laying females of the pine weevil, Hylobius abietis (L.), regularly deposit feces adjacent to each egg. Egg cavities are gnawed in the bark of roots of recently dead conifer trees. After egg deposition, the cavity is sealed by feces and a plug of bark fragments. Root bark containing egg cavities with feces is avoided as food by pine weevils, which indicates the presence of natural antifeedants. Here we present the first results of the isolation and chemical analyses of antifeedant compounds in the feces of H. abietis. In feeding bioassays, methanol extracts of the feces revealed strong antifeedant properties. Methanol extracts were fractionated by medium-pressure liquid chromatography and the antifeedant effects were mainly found in the fractions of highest polarity. Volatile compounds in the active fractions were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the nonvolatile compounds were characterized by pyrolysis-GC-MS. Based on mass spectra, a number of compounds with various chemical structures were selected to be tested for their antifeedant properties. Antifeedant effects were found among compounds apparently originating from lignin: e.g., a methylanisol, guaiacol, veratrol, dihydroxybenzenes, and dihydroconiferyl alcohol. A weak effect by fatty acid derivatives was found. The types of naturally occurring antifeedant compounds identified in this study may become useful for the protection of planted conifer seedlings against damage by H. abietis.