The Therapeutic Effects and Mechanisms of Quercetin on Metabolic Diseases: Pharmacological Data and Clinical Evidence

Metabolic diseases have become major public health issues worldwide. Searching for effective drugs for treating metabolic diseases from natural compounds has attracted increasing attention. Quercetin, an important natural flavonoid, is extensively present in fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. Due to its potentially beneficial effects on human health, quercetin has become the focus of medicinal attention. In this review, we provide a timely and comprehensive summary of the pharmacological advances and clinical data of quercetin in the treatment of three metabolic diseases, including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Accumulating evidences obtained from animal experiments prove that quercetin has beneficial effects on these three diseases. It can promote insulin secretion, improve insulin resistance, lower blood lipid levels, inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress, alleviate hepatic lipid accumulation, and regulate gut microbiota disorders in animal models. However, human clinical studies on the effects of quercetin in diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and NAFLD remain scarce. More clinical trials with larger sample sizes and longer trial durations are needed to verify its true effectiveness in human subjects. Moreover, another important issue that needs to be resolved in future research is to improve the bioavailability of quercetin. This review may provide valuable information for the basic research, drug development, and clinical application of quercetin in the treatment of metabolic diseases.

Download Full-text

Yogic Intervention in Sexual Dysfunction - A Review

Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences (JAIMS) ◽

10.21760/jaims.v2i4.9360 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Rakshith K. R. ◽

Shivakumar . ◽

Kaushal Sinha ◽

Vijeth Kumar L. A.

Keyword(s):

Psychological Functioning ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Empirical Literature ◽

Future Research ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Yoga Therapy ◽

Cognitive Component ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Breathing Exercises ◽

The Mind

Yoga is an ancient practice with Eastern roots that involves both physical postures (Asanas) and breathing techniques (Pranayamas). Yoga therapy for male sexual problems can effectively be treated through Yoga therapy, particularly with the help of Yoga poses and breathing exercises, Yoga has proven itself highly very effective in the treatment of a number of incurable and sometimes terminable diseases. Then again, Yoga's therapeutic effects are just a spin-off and supplementary. Yoga which has proved to be very effective in the treatment of many impossible and incurable diseases, the therapeutic effect of Yoga is only a by product and incidental. Problems related to sex can very well be handled with Yoga as most often these problems are more related to the mind than body. Either they are caused by lack of confidence or stress or fatigue or fear and very few times some physical cause is there. There is also a cognitive component focusing on meditation and concentration, which aids in achieving the goal of union between the self and the spiritual. Although numerous empirical studies have found a beneficial effect of Yoga on different aspects of physical and psychological functioning, claims of Yoga's beneficial effects on sexuality derive from a rich but no empirical literature. The goal of this article is to review the philosophy and forms of Yoga, to review the no empirical and (limited) empirical literatures linking Yoga with enhanced sexuality, and to propose some future research avenues focusing on Yoga as a treatment for sexual disorder.

Download Full-text

HDL cholesterol efflux capacity and concentration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-61508/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Binbin Xie ◽

Jiang He ◽

Yong Liu ◽

Ting Liu ◽

Chaoqun Liu

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Cholesterol Efflux ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Hdl Cholesterol ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Future Research ◽

Cholesterol Efflux Capacity ◽

Beneficial Effects

Abstract Background: Poor cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) has been proposed to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, the current evidences in the literature are inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to identify whether CEC is impaired or altered by drug therapy in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases were searched to identify studies on CEC in RA patients. The searches were focused on studies in human subjects that were published before 10 June 2020, without language restrictions. The primary outcomes were CEC and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and C-reactive protein levels (CRP) levels.Results: A total of 11 eligible articles, including 6 observational and 5 intervention studies, were retrieved. The pooled results showed that CEC is not significantly lower in RA patients than in healthy controls (SMD: -0.22, 95% CI: -0.65 to 0.20), whereas the plasma HDL-C level is not significantly (WMD: -3.98, 95% CI: -8.32 to 0.37, I² = 54%, P for heterogeneity = 0.050) but is significantly decreased in the RA patients with moderate body mass index (BMI) (WMD: -5.46, 95% CI: -9.40 to -1.52, I² = 37%, P for heterogeneity = 0.175). Furthermore, in the before-after studies, the CEC of RA patients (SMD: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.38) increased, but the plasma HDL-C level (WMD: 3.26, 95% CI: -0.17 to 6.69) remained at a similar level after anti-rheumatic treatment compared to the baseline. In addition, stratified analysis suggested that the Disease Activity Score for 28 joints could be a potential source of heterogeneity for CEC. The funnel plot was relatively symmetric and did not suggest the presence of publication bias.Conclusion：The current meta-analysis demonstrated that HDL-mediated CEC can be improved by the early control of inflammation and anti-rheumatic treatment in RA patients, which is independent of HDL-C levels. Future research is needed to determine whether therapeutic strategies to enhance CEC in RA patients have beneficial effects for preventing CVD.

Download Full-text

Medicinal and Nutraceutical Benefits of Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica)

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International ◽

10.9734/jpri/2020/v32i4131040 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 15-26

Author(s):

Loai F. Felemban ◽

Atef M. Al- Attar ◽

Isam M. Abu Zeid

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Future Research ◽

Herbaceous Plant ◽

Salvia Hispanica ◽

Nutritional Values ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Chia Seed ◽

Medicinal Properties ◽

Salvia Hispanica L

Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) are small seeds that develop on an annual herbaceous plant. Recently, there has been tremendous growth in the use of chia seeds because of their associated medicinal as well as high nutritional values. Initially, chia cultivation took place in Mesopotamian cultures, eventually disappearing for some centuries before being rediscovered in the mid-20th Century. In this paper, the main aim has been to provide an overview of chia seed in relation to its perceived medicinal properties. From the majority of scholarly affirmations, it has been established that some of the compounds that chia seeds contain, explain its associated healthful effects include minerals, vitamins, proteins, dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and ω-3 fatty acids. Also, the literature contends that chia seeds are excellent sources of antioxidants and polyphenols, which include quercetin, myricetin, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acid. Around the world, therefore, more and more scholarly investigations have focused on some of the beneficial effects of chia seeds, including the food, pharmaceutical, and medicinal industries. In this paper, it has been established that chia seeds have their medicinal properties gained in terms of pharmacological activities that include steatohepatitis and acute dyslipidemia improvement, sensory attributes, bioactive peptide and protein source, metabolic profile, and antioxidant and appetite suppressing properties. Important to note is that while most studies concur regarding these medicinal properties, in a few investigations, findings suggest that chia seeds do not pose significant beneficial effects, especially concerning health improvements in human subjects. As such, there is a need for future research to examine some of the parameters that could explain this variation, upon which more valid and informed conclusions and inferences might be made.

Download Full-text

ATF4- and CHOP-Dependent Induction of FGF21 through Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2014/807874 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Xiao-shan Wan ◽

Xiang-hong Lu ◽

Ye-cheng Xiao ◽

Yuan Lin ◽

Hong Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Er Stress ◽

Transcriptional Activation ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Glucose And Lipid Metabolism ◽

Fgf21 Expression

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is an important endogenous regulator involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. FGF21 expression is strongly induced in animal and human subjects with metabolic diseases, but little is known about the molecular mechanism. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an essential role in metabolic homeostasis and is observed in numerous pathological processes, including type 2 diabetes, overweight, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this study, we investigate the correlation between the expression of FGF21 and ER stress. We demonstrated that TG-induced ER stress directly regulated the expression and secretion of FGF21 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. FGF21 is the target gene for activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and CCAAT enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP). Suppression of CHOP impaired the transcriptional activation of FGF21 by TG-induced ER stress in CHOP−/− mouse primary hepatocytes (MPH), and overexpression of ATF4 and CHOP resulted in FGF21 promoter activation to initiate the transcriptional programme. In mRNA stability assay, we indicated that ER stress increased the half-life of mRNA of FGF21 significantly. In conclusion, FGF21 expression is regulated by ER stress via ATF- and CHOP-dependent transcriptional mechanism and posttranscriptional mechanism, respectively.

Download Full-text

Intestinal microbiota, diet and health

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114513002560 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 111 (3) ◽

pp. 387-402 ◽

Cited By ~ 225

Author(s):

Susan E. Power ◽

Paul W. O'Toole ◽

Catherine Stanton ◽

R. Paul Ross ◽

Gerald F. Fitzgerald

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Health Effect ◽

Probiotic Strain ◽

Therapeutic Modality ◽

Future Research ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Potential Health ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Treatment And Prevention ◽

Probiotic Strains

The human intestine is colonised by 1013to 1014micro-organisms, the vast majority of which belong to the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Although highly stable over time, the composition and activities of the microbiota may be influenced by a number of factors including age, diet and antibiotic treatment. Although perturbations in the composition or functions of the microbiota are linked to inflammatory and metabolic disorders (e.g. inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome and obesity), it is unclear at this point whether these changes are a symptom of the disease or a contributing factor. A better knowledge of the mechanisms through which changes in microbiota composition (dysbiosis) promote disease states is needed to improve our understanding of the causal relationship between the gut microbiota and disease. While evidence of the preventive and therapeutic effects of probiotic strains on diarrhoeal illness and other intestinal conditions is promising, the exact mechanisms of the beneficial effects are not fully understood. Recent studies have raised the question of whether non-viable probiotic strains can confer health benefits on the host by influencing the immune system. As the potential health effect of these non-viable bacteria depends on whether the mechanism of this effect is dependent on viability, future research needs to consider each probiotic strain on a case-by-case basis. The present review provides a comprehensive, updated overview of the human gut microbiota, the factors influencing its composition and the role of probiotics as a therapeutic modality in the treatment and prevention of diseases and/or restoration of human health.

Download Full-text

Effects of Propolis Extract and Propolis-Derived Compounds on Obesity and Diabetes: Knowledge from Cellular and Animal Models

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules24234394 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (23) ◽

pp. 4394 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kitamura

Keyword(s):

Animal Models ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Living Environment ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Propolis Extract ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Cellular Models ◽

Molecular Events ◽

Obesity And Diabetes

Propolis is a natural product resulting from the mixing of bee secretions with botanical exudates. Since propolis is rich in flavonoids and cinnamic acid derivatives, the application of propolis extracts has been tried in therapies against cancer, inflammation, and metabolic diseases. As metabolic diseases develop relatively slowly in patients, the therapeutic effects of propolis in humans should be evaluated over long periods of time. Moreover, several factors such as medical history, genetic inheritance, and living environment should be taken into consideration in human studies. Animal models, especially mice and rats, have some advantages, as genetic and microbiological variables can be controlled. On the other hand, cellular models allow the investigation of detailed molecular events evoked by propolis and derivative compounds. Taking advantage of animal and cellular models, accumulating evidence suggests that propolis extracts have therapeutic effects on obesity by controlling adipogenesis, adipokine secretion, food intake, and energy expenditure. Studies in animal and cellular models have also indicated that propolis modulates oxidative stress, the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and adipose tissue inflammation, all of which contribute to insulin resistance or defects in insulin secretion. Consequently, propolis treatment may mitigate diabetic complications such as nephropathy, retinopathy, foot ulcers, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This review describes the beneficial effects of propolis on metabolic disorders.

Download Full-text

Sources, isolation, characterisation and evaluation of probiotics

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114512004011 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 109 (S2) ◽

pp. S35-S50 ◽

Cited By ~ 120

Author(s):

Luis Fontana ◽

Miriam Bermudez-Brito ◽

Julio Plaza-Diaz ◽

Sergio Muñoz-Quezada ◽

Angel Gil

Keyword(s):

Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Functional Roles ◽

Primer Selection ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Clinical Benefits ◽

Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, provide health benefits to the host. The strains most frequently used as probiotics include lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, which are isolated from traditional fermented products and the gut, faeces and breast milk of human subjects. The identification of microorganisms is the first step in the selection of potential probiotics. The present techniques, including genetic fingerprinting, gene sequencing, oligonucleotide probes and specific primer selection, discriminate closely related bacteria with varying degrees of success. Additional molecular methods, such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis/temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and fluorescencein situhybridisation, are employed to identify and characterise probiotics. The ability to examine fully sequenced genomes has accelerated the application of genetic approaches to elucidate the functional roles of probiotics. One of the best-demonstrated clinical benefits of probiotics is the prevention and treatment of acute and antibiotic-associated diarrhoea; however, there is mounting evidence for a potential role for probiotics in the treatment of allergies and intestinal, liver and metabolic diseases. These positive effects are generally attributed to the ability of probiotics to regulate intestinal permeability, normalise host intestinal microbiota, improve gut immune barrier function and equilibrate the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. However, the positive effects of probiotics are not always substantiated by findings from properly conducted clinical trials. Notably, even when the results from randomised, placebo-controlled trials support the beneficial effects of a particular probiotic for a specific indication, the benefits are generally not translatable to other probiotic formulations.

Download Full-text

Nuclear receptors and AMPK: can exercise mimetics cure diabetes?

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1530/jme-16-0073 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

pp. R49-R58 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Christopher E Wall ◽

Ruth T Yu ◽

Anne R Atkins ◽

Michael Downes ◽

Ronald M Evans

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Clinical Trials ◽

Nuclear Receptors ◽

Metabolic Diseases ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Molecular Targets ◽

Disease Symptoms ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Increase Energy Expenditure ◽

Exercise Mimetics

Endurance exercise can lead to systemic improvements in insulin sensitivity and metabolic homeostasis, and is an effective approach to combat metabolic diseases. Pharmacological compounds that recapitulate the beneficial effects of exercise, also known as ‘exercise mimetics’, have the potential to improve disease symptoms of metabolic syndrome. These drugs, which can increase energy expenditure, suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis, and induce insulin sensitization, have accordingly been highly scrutinized for their utility in treating metabolic diseases including diabetes. Nevertheless, the identity of an efficacious exercise mimetic still remains elusive. In this review, we highlight several nuclear receptors and cofactors that are putative molecular targets for exercise mimetics, and review recent studies that provide advancements in our mechanistic understanding of how exercise mimetics exert their beneficial effects. We also discuss evidence from clinical trials using these compounds in human subjects to evaluate their efficacy in treating diabetes.

Download Full-text

A Controlled Trial of the Therapeutic Effects of Polarization of the Brain in Depressive Illness

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.110.469.786 ◽

1964 ◽

Vol 110 (469) ◽

pp. 786-799 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

R. Costain ◽

J. W. T. Redfearn ◽

O. C. J. Lippold

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Depressive Illness ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Double Blind ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Double Blind Clinical Trial ◽

The Brain

A previous paper (Lippold and Redfearn, 1964) described various mental changes which occur when small direct currents are passed through the brain in human subjects. Some beneficial effects often followed this procedure and it appeared worthwhile to carry out a controlled double-blind clinical trial.

Download Full-text

Perspective: The Role of Human Breast-Milk Extracellular Vesicles in Child Health and Disease

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmaa094 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daniel O'Reilly ◽

Denis Dorodnykh ◽

Nina V Avdeenko ◽

Nikita A Nekliudov ◽

Johan Garssen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Milk ◽

Extracellular Vesicles ◽

Basic Research ◽

Normative Values ◽

Future Research ◽

Human Breast Milk ◽

Human Breast ◽

Mature Milk ◽

Bioactive Substances ◽

Beneficial Effects

ABSTRACT Human breast milk (HM) contains multiple bioactive substances determining its impact on children's health. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of secreted nanoparticles that are present in HM and may be partially responsible for its beneficial effects. The precise roles and content of EVs in HM remain largely unknown. To examine this, we performed a short narrative review on the literature focusing on HM EVs to contextualize the available data, followed by a scoping review of MEDLINE and Embase databases. We identified 424 nonduplicate citations with 19 original studies included. In this perspective, we summarize the evidence around HM EVs, highlight some theoretical considerations based on existing evidence, and provide an overview of some challenges associated with the complexity and heterogeneity of EV research. We consider how the existing data from HM studies conform to the minimal information for studies of EVs (MISEV) guidelines. Across the studies a variety of research methods were utilized involving both bench-based and translational methods, and a range of different EV contents were examined including RNA, proteins, and glycopeptides. We observed a variety of health outcomes in these studies, including allergy and atopy, necrotizing enterocolitis, and HIV. While some promising results have been demonstrated, the heterogeneity in outcomes of interest, methodological limitations, and relatively small number of studies in the field make comparison between studies or further translational work problematic. To date, no studies have examined normative values of HM EVs in a large, diverse population or with respect to potentially important influencing factors such as timing (hind- vs. foremilk), stage (colostrum vs. mature milk), and infant age (preterm vs. term), which makes extrapolation from bench or “basic” research impossible. Future research should focus on addressing the current inadequacies in the literature and utilize MISEV guidelines to inform study design.

Download Full-text