Mesonosides A-H, primeverose derivatives from Mesona procumbens suppress adipogenesis by downregulating PPARγ and C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 cells.

Obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic, especially in industrialized countries. We hereby report a methanolic extract of Mesona procumbens (known as Hsian-tsao in Taiwan) significantly inhibits lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and eight new primeverose derivatives, mesonosides A-H (1-8), were isolated from the methanolic extract of M. procumbens. Structural elucidation of 1-8 was established by spectroscopic methods, especially 2D NMR techniques (H-H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and HRESIMS. Anti-obesity evaluation revealed that isolates 1-5, 7, and 8 showed inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation and protein levels of adipogenic transcription factor, PPARγ and C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 cells. Our study suggests that M. procumbens extract including new primeverose isolates may be potentially used as a natural source to ameliorate fat accumulation and even obesity.