scholarly journals The Beneficial Effects of Essential Oils in Anti-Obesity Treatment

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (21) ◽  
pp. 11832
Author(s):  
Anna De Blasio ◽  
Antonella D’Anneo ◽  
Marianna Lauricella ◽  
Sonia Emanuele ◽  
Michela Giuliano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Essential Oils ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Medical Problem ◽  
Chemical Components ◽  
Psychological Issues ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Obese Subjects

Obesity is a complex disease caused by an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity is a medical problem and represents an important risk factor for the development of serious diseases such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer. Not to be overlooked are the psychological issues that, in obese subjects, turn into very serious pathologies, such as depression, phobias, anxiety, and lack of self-esteem. In addition to modifying one’s lifestyle, the reduction of body mass can be promoted by different natural compounds such as essential oils (EOs). EOs are mixtures of aromatic substances produced by many plants, particularly in medicinal and aromatic ones. They are odorous and volatile and contain a mixture of terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters. Thanks to the characteristics of the various chemical components present in them, EOs are used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical fields. Indeed, it has been shown that EOs possess great antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor powers. Emerging results also demonstrate the anti-obesity effects of EOs. We have examined the main data obtained in experimental studies and, in this review, we summarize the effect of EOs in obesity and obesity-related metabolic diseases.

scholarly journals Renoprotective Effects of DPP-4 Inhibitors

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 246
Author(s):  
Daiji Kawanami ◽  
Yuichi Takashi ◽  
Hiroyuki Takahashi ◽  
Ryoko Motonaga ◽  
Makito Tanabe
Keyword(s):  
Diabetic Kidney Disease ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Glucose Lowering ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Stage Renal Disease ◽  
End Stage

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) worldwide. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). DPP-4 inhibitors reduce glucose levels by inhibiting degradation of incretins. DPP-4 is a ubiquitous protein with exopeptidase activity that exists in cell membrane-bound and soluble forms. It has been shown that an increased renal DPP-4 activity is associated with the development of DKD. A series of clinical and experimental studies showed that DPP-4 inhibitors have beneficial effects on DKD, independent of their glucose-lowering abilities, which are mediated by anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative stress properties. In this review article, we highlight the current understanding of the clinical efficacy and the mechanisms underlying renoprotection by DPP-4 inhibitors under diabetic conditions.

scholarly journals Computational Tools in the Discovery of FABP4 Ligands: A Statistical and Molecular Modeling Approach

Marine Drugs ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 624 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Floresta ◽  
Davide Gentile ◽  
Giancarlo Perrini ◽  
Vincenzo Patamia ◽  
Antonio Rescifina
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid Binding Protein ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Computer Aided Drug Design ◽  
Fatty Acid Binding ◽  
Property Prediction ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Acid Binding Protein

Small molecule inhibitors of adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) have received interest following the recent publication of their pharmacologically beneficial effects. Recently, it was revealed that FABP4 is an attractive molecular target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, other metabolic diseases, and some type of cancers. In past years, hundreds of effective FABP4 inhibitors have been synthesized and discovered, but, unfortunately, none have reached the clinical research phase. The field of computer-aided drug design seems to be promising and useful for the identification of FABP4 inhibitors; hence, different structure- and ligand-based computational approaches have been used for their identification. In this paper, we searched for new potentially active FABP4 ligands in the Marine Natural Products (MNP) database. We retrieved 14,492 compounds from this database and filtered through them with a statistical and computational filter. Seven compounds were suggested by our methodology to possess a potential inhibitory activity upon FABP4 in the range of 97–331 nM. ADMET property prediction was performed to validate the hypothesis of the interaction with the intended target and to assess the drug-likeness of these derivatives. From these analyses, three molecules that are excellent candidates for becoming new drugs were found.

scholarly journals Exploring the Mediators that Promote Carotid Body Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity Related Syndromes

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana F. Sacramento ◽  
Kryspin Andrzejewski ◽  
Bernardete F. Melo ◽  
Maria J. Ribeiro ◽  
Ana Obeso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Glucose Homeostasis ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Sympathetic Nerves ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Carotid Bodies ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Diabetes And Obesity ◽  
Pro Inflammatory Cytokines

Carotid bodies (CBs) are peripheral chemoreceptors that sense changes in blood O2, CO2, and pH levels. Apart from ventilatory control, these organs are deeply involved in the homeostatic regulation of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism and inflammation. It has been described that CB dysfunction is involved in the genesis of metabolic diseases and that CB overactivation is present in animal models of metabolic disease and in prediabetes patients. Additionally, resection of the CB-sensitive nerve, the carotid sinus nerve (CSN), or CB ablation in animals prevents and reverses diet-induced insulin resistance and glucose intolerance as well as sympathoadrenal overactivity, meaning that the beneficial effects of decreasing CB activity on glucose homeostasis are modulated by target-related efferent sympathetic nerves, through a reflex initiated in the CBs. In agreement with our pre-clinical data, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which reduces CB activity, improves glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes patients. Insulin, leptin, and pro-inflammatory cytokines activate the CB. In this manuscript, we review in a concise manner the putative pathways linking CB chemoreceptor deregulation with the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases and discuss and present new data that highlight the roles of hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and chronic inflammation as major factors contributing to CB dysfunction in metabolic disorders.

scholarly journals Computational Tools in the Discovery of FABP4 Ligands: A Statistical and Molecular Modeling Approach

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Floresta ◽  
Davide Gentile ◽  
Giancarlo Perrini ◽  
Vincenzo Patamia ◽  
Antonio Rescifina
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid Binding Protein ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Computer Aided Drug Design ◽  
Fatty Acid Binding ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Acid Binding Protein ◽  
The Past

Small molecule inhibitors of adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) have got interest following the recent publication of their pharmacologically beneficial effects. Recently it comes out that FABP4 is an attractive molecular target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, other metabolic diseases, and some type of cancers. In the past years, hundreds of effective FABP4 inhibitors have been synthesized and discovered but, unfortunately, none of them is in the clinical research phase. The field of computer-aided drug design seems to be promising and useful for the identification of FABP4 inhibitors; hence, different structure- and ligand-based computational approaches were already performed for their identification. In this paper, we searched for new potentially active FABP4 ligands in the Marine Natural Products (MNP) database. 14,492 compounds were retrieved from this database and filtered through a statistical and computational filter. Seven compounds were suggested by our methodology to possess a potential inhibitory activity upon FABP4 in the range of 79–245 nM. ADMET properties prediction were performed to validate the hypothesis of the interaction with the intended target and to assess the drug-likeness of these derivatives; from these analyses, three molecules resulted as excellent candidates for becoming new drugs.

scholarly journals Re-highlighting the action of PPARγ in treating metabolic diseases

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Hee Choi ◽  
Sung Soo Chung ◽  
Kyong Soo Park
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator ◽  
Post Translational Modification ◽  
Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a member of the nuclear receptor family and plays an important role in adipocyte differentiation, glucose homeostasis, and insulin sensitivity. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), synthetic ligands of PPARγ, have been used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus for two decades. TZDs were expected to be amazing drugs not only for type 2 diabetes but also for metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic vascular disease because they can reduce both insulin resistance and inflammation in experimental studies. However, serious unwanted effects pushed TZDs back to an optional second-tier drug for type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, PPARγ is still one of the most important targets for the treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, and novel strategies to modulate PPARγ activity to enhance its beneficial effects and reduce unwanted adverse effects are anticipated. Recent studies showed that post-translational modification (PTM) of PPARγ regulates PPARγ activity or stability and may be a novel way to optimize PPARγ activity with reduced adverse effects. In this review, we will focus on recent advances in PTM of PPARγ and the mechanisms regulating PPARγ function as well as in the development of PPARγ modulators or agonists.

scholarly journals Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists in renal disease

2006 ◽  
Vol 154 (5) ◽  
pp. 613-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Iglesias ◽  
Juan J Díez
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Renal Function ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Metabolic Effects ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator ◽  
Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
Pparγ Agonists

Type 2 diabetes is a well recognised cause of chronic renal failure (CRF). Only few oral antidiabetic drugs can be used for treating type 2 diabetes in patients with CRF. Among them are repaglinide, a rapid-acting prandial insulin releaser, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists, such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone. These compounds are metabolised in the liver, therefore accumulation of the drug and the risk of severe and prolonged hypoglycaemia are minimised. PPARγ receptors are expressed in many tissues including the kidney. Recently, numerous healthful effects of PPARγ agonists on several aspects related to renal function have been increasingly reported. These drugs have shown to possess many advantageous anti-inflammatory, haemodynamic, vascular and metabolic effects. In the present paper we have reviewed the more recent experimental studies that evaluated these potential beneficial effects of PPARγ agonists on renal function and revised the results of their utilisation in patients with different degrees of renal impairment, in dialysis patients, and in patients with diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation. Finally, tolerability and safety profile of PPARγ agonists in patients with reduced glomerular filtration rate are also analysed.

scholarly journals The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Medawar ◽  
Sebastian Huhn ◽  
Arno Villringer ◽  
A. Veronica Witte
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
The Body ◽  
Brain Health ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Western societies notice an increasing interest in plant-based eating patterns such as vegetarian and vegan, yet potential effects on the body and brain are a matter of debate. Therefore, we systematically reviewed existing human interventional studies on putative effects of a plant-based diet on the metabolism and cognition, and what is known about the underlying mechanisms. Using the search terms “plant-based OR vegan OR vegetarian AND diet AND intervention” in PubMed filtered for clinical trials in humans retrieved 205 studies out of which 27, plus an additional search extending the selection to another five studies, were eligible for inclusion based on three independent ratings. We found robust evidence for short- to moderate-term beneficial effects of plant-based diets versus conventional diets (duration ≤ 24 months) on weight status, energy metabolism and systemic inflammation in healthy participants, obese and type-2 diabetes patients. Initial experimental studies proposed novel microbiome-related pathways, by which plant-based diets modulate the gut microbiome towards a favorable diversity of bacteria species, yet a functional “bottom up” signaling of plant-based diet-induced microbial changes remains highly speculative. In addition, little is known, based on interventional studies about cognitive effects linked to plant-based diets. Thus, a causal impact of plant-based diets on cognitive functions, mental and neurological health and respective underlying mechanisms has yet to be demonstrated. In sum, the increasing interest for plant-based diets raises the opportunity for developing novel preventive and therapeutic strategies against obesity, eating disorders and related comorbidities. Still, putative effects of plant-based diets on brain health and cognitive functions as well as the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored and new studies need to address these questions.

scholarly journals NAFLD and Physical Exercise: Ready, Steady, Go!

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Cigrovski Berkovic ◽  
Ines Bilic-Curcic ◽  
Anna Mrzljak ◽  
Vjekoslav Cigrovski
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Liver Disease ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Obese Subjects ◽  
Intensity Of Exercise ◽  
Health Enhancing Physical Activity

Along with the increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes, the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) incidence is escalating, thus becoming a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and a significant burden of liver-related outcomes. Since there is no pharmacotherapy available to address the NAFLD, the most effective solutions seem to be lifestyle changes centered on physical activity. Exercise could mediate its beneficial effects directly on the liver and indirectly via extrahepatic pathways, forming a dose-response relationship with NAFLD in terms of prevalence and disease severity. Health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) levels are mainly needed to exert beneficial effects in obese subjects, while even a small amount of exercise can be beneficial for lean individuals to prevent NAFLD. This mini-review addresses three major points regarding physical activity and NAFLD: prevention, treatment, and extrahepatic benefits, offering recommendations on type and intensity of exercise in liver disease.

scholarly journals Role of microRNAs in the process of metformin treating multiple diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-78
Author(s):  
Ningning Ma ◽  
Jing Chen ◽  
Jin Ren
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Signal Pathways ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
New Class ◽  
Disease States ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Pleiotropic Properties

Abstract Metformin as the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus has been discovered to exert beneficial effects on many diseases for nearly ten years, but its specific mechanism is still unclear. As a new class of gene expression regulators with pleiotropic properties, microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in multiple physiological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation, survival, and metabolism, which drive them to play a regulatory role in the occurrence, development and even treatment of various diseases. A substantial body of research has found the relationship between metformin and miRNAs, in which metformin can alter the expression profiles of miRNAs in multiple disease states and on the other hand the signal pathways involving miRNAs may contribute to the pharmacological actions of metformin. This review summarizes the effects of metformin on miRNAs and their relationship in different diseases (like tumor, metabolic diseases, etc.), which should be of a great help for our better understanding of the mechanism of metformin for treating multiple diseases.

scholarly journals The Action of Vitamin D in Adipose Tissue: Is There the Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Adipose Tissue-Related Metabolic Disorders?

2022 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 956
Author(s):  
Izabela Szymczak-Pajor ◽  
Krystian Miazek ◽  
Anna Selmi ◽  
Aneta Balcerczyk ◽  
Agnieszka Śliwińska
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Metabolic Disorders ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Molecular Response ◽  
Inflammatory Cytokine Production ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Obese Subjects ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

Adipose tissue plays an important role in systemic metabolism via the secretion of adipocytokines and storing and releasing energy. In obesity, adipose tissue becomes dysfunctional and characterized by hypertrophied adipocytes, increased inflammation, hypoxia, and decreased angiogenesis. Although adipose tissue is one of the major stores of vitamin D, its deficiency is detective in obese subjects. In the presented review, we show how vitamin D regulates numerous processes in adipose tissue and how their dysregulation leads to metabolic disorders. The molecular response to vitamin D in adipose tissue affects not only energy metabolism and adipokine and anti-inflammatory cytokine production via the regulation of gene expression but also genes participating in antioxidant defense, adipocytes differentiation, and apoptosis. Thus, its deficiency disturbs adipocytokines secretion, metabolism, lipid storage, adipogenesis, thermogenesis, the regulation of inflammation, and oxidative stress balance. Restoring the proper functionality of adipose tissue in overweight or obese subjects is of particular importance in order to reduce the risk of developing obesity-related complications, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Taking into account the results of experimental studies, it seemed that vitamin D may be a remedy for adipose tissue dysfunction, but the results of the clinical trials are not consistent, as some of them show improvement and others no effect of this vitamin on metabolic and insulin resistance parameters. Therefore, further studies are required to evaluate the beneficial effects of vitamin D, especially in overweight and obese subjects, due to the presence of a volumetric dilution of this vitamin among them.

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