Liang Yu-Chia, Hu Jun-Cheng, Li Pei-Ying, Huang Guan-Jhong, Kuo Yueh-Hsiung, Chao Che-Yi
Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, 413, Taiwan.
Biomedicine (Taipei). 2017 Sep;7(3):18. doi: 10.1051/bmdcn/2017070318. Epub 2017 Aug 25.
Background/Introduction: At present, human diet is replete with sugar and fat. Abnormal metabolism and hyperglycemia or hyperlipidemia in the body induces the development of an overactive and continuous inflammatory response, resulting in obesity and metabolic syndromes, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. Torenia concolor Lindley var. formosana Yamazaki (TC), a perennial creeping herbaceous plant, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb widely used for the treatment of heat stroke, aching muscles and bones, cold, dysentery, and ambustion.
This study evaluated the influence of TC on inflammation responses and lipid metabolism.
In this study, ground TC powder was extracted with 95% ethanol. The ethanol was removed by vacuum concentration, and the resulting extract was further extracted with a number of solvents of different polarity to produce four final extracts: an ethanol extract (TCEE), an ethyl acetate extract (TCEAE), an n-butanol extract (TCBUE), and a water extract (TCWE). The anti-inflammatory efficacy of the extracts and their capability for lipid metabolism regulation was then explored.
TCEE, TCEAE, and TCBUE exhibited good anti-inflammatory efficacy; TCEAE also simultaneously regulated lipid metabolism. In RAW264.7 cells, these three extracts suppressed the expression of iNOS and IL-6 via the signaling pathway activation of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and thereby showed anti-inflammatory efficacy. In 3T3-L1 cells, these three extracts promoted lipid metabolism and reduced lipid accumulation through the activation of PPARα and the increased expression of adiponectin, thus demonstrating regulation of lipid metabolism.
These results indicate that TC possesses anti-inflammatory efficacy and can regulate lipid metabolism through the activation of transcription factor PPARs. We speculate that these nutraceutical effects are attributable to betulin, an active ingredient in this herbal medicine.
背景/引言：目前，人类饮食中富含糖和脂肪。体内代谢异常及高血糖或高血脂会引发过度活跃且持续的炎症反应，进而导致肥胖和代谢综合征，包括高血压、高血脂和胰岛素抵抗。蓝猪耳（Torenia concolor Lindley var. formosana Yamazaki，TC）是一种多年生匍匐草本植物，是一种传统的中药材，广泛用于治疗中暑、肌肉骨骼疼痛、感冒、痢疾和烧伤。
本研究评估了TC对炎症反应和脂质代谢的影响。
在本研究中，将TC磨成粉末后用95%乙醇提取。通过减压浓缩除去乙醇，所得提取物再用多种不同极性的溶剂进一步提取，得到四种最终提取物：乙醇提取物（TCEE）、乙酸乙酯提取物（TCEAE）、正丁醇提取物（TCBUE）和水提取物（TCWE）。然后探究提取物的抗炎功效及其调节脂质代谢的能力。
TCEE、TCEAE和TCBUE表现出良好的抗炎功效；TCEAE还同时调节脂质代谢。在RAW264.7细胞中，这三种提取物通过转录因子过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ（PPARγ）的信号通路激活，抑制了诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）和白细胞介素-6（IL-6）的表达，从而显示出抗炎功效。在3T3-L1细胞中，这三种提取物通过激活PPARα和增加脂联素的表达促进脂质代谢并减少脂质积累，从而证明了对脂质代谢的调节作用。
这些结果表明，TC具有抗炎功效，并且可以通过激活转录因子PPARs来调节脂质代谢。我们推测这些营养保健作用归因于这种草药中的活性成分桦木醇。
