4-Hydroxyisoleucine from Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum): Effects on Insulin Resistance Associated with Obesity

Obesity and insulin resistance (IR) are interdependent multifactorial processes that cannot be understood separately. Obesity leads to systemic inflammation and increased levels of free fatty acids that provoke IR and lipotoxicity. At the same time, IR exacerbates adipose cell dysfunction, resulting in chronic inflammation and major lipotoxic effects on nonadipose tissues. 4-Hydroxyisoleucine (4-OHIle), a peculiar nonprotein amino acid isolated from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds, exhibits interesting effects on IR related to obesity. 4-OHIle increases glucose-induced insulin release, and the insulin response mediated by 4-OHIle depends on glucose concentration. The beneficial effects observed are related to the regulation of blood glucose, plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, free fatty acid levels, and the improvement of liver function. The mechanism of action is related to increased Akt phosphorylation and reduced activation of Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)1/2, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Here, we present a review of the research regarding the insulinotropic and insulin-sensitising activity of 4-OHIle in in vitro and in vivo models

Proangiogenic Effect of Affinin and an Ethanolic Extract from <i>Heliopsis longipes</i> Roots: Ex Vivo and In Vivo Evidence

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, underlies tissue development and repair. Some medicinal plant-derived compounds can modulate the angiogenic response. Heliopsis longipes, a Mexican medicinal plant, is widely used because of its effects on pain and inflammation. The main bioactive phytochemicals from H. longipes roots are alkamides, where affinin is the most abundant. Scientific studies show various medical effects of organic extracts of H. longipes roots and affinin that share some molecular pathways with the angiogenesis process, with the vasodilation mechanism of action being the most recent. This study investigates whether pure affinin and the ethanolic extract from Heliopsis longipes roots (HLEE) promote angiogenesis. Using the aortic ring rat assay (ex vivo method) and the direct in vivo angiogenesis assay, where angioreactors were implanted in CD1 female mice, showed that affinin and the HLEE increased vascular growth in a dose-dependent manner in both bioassays. This is the first study showing the proangiogenic effect of H. longipes. Further studies should focus on the mechanism of action and its possible therapeutic use in diseases characterized by insufficient angiogenesis

Polyphenolic Extracts from Spent Coffee Grounds Prevent H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress in Centropomus viridis Brain Cells

Oxidative stress in aquatic organisms might suppress the immune system and propagate infectious diseases. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of polyphenolic extracts from spent coffee grounds (SCG) against oxidative stress, induced by H2O2, in C. viridis brain cells, through an in vitro model. Hydrophilic extracts from SCG are rich in quinic, ferulic and caffeic acids and showed antioxidant capacity in DPPH, ORAC and FRAP assays. Furthermore, pretreatment of C. viridis brain cells with the polyphenolic extracts from SCG (230 and 460 µg/mL) for 24 h prior to 100 µM H2O2 exposure (1 h) significantly increased antioxidant enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and reduced lipid peroxidation (measured by MDA levels). These results suggest that polyphenols found in SCG extracts exert an antioxidative protective effect against oxidative stress in C. viridis brain cells by stimulating the activity of SOD and CAT