Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC Exhibits an Anti-Adipogenic Effect by Inhibiting the Expression of Proteins Involved in Adipocyte Differentiation.

Daniele De Souza Marinho Do Nascimento,Mariana Costa,Dayanne Gomes,Silvana Langassner,Hugo Rocha,Ruth Oliveira,Jessika Monte,Rafael Camara,Júlia Fernandes

doi:10.3390/molecules22060972

Daniele De Souza Marinho Do Nascimento, Mariana Costa + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules22060972

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Abstract

Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC (gorse) is a plant popularly used for the treatment of obesity. In this study, we prepared three B. trimera extracts aqueous extract (AE), decoction (AE-D), and methanol extract (ME) and investigated their antioxidant effects in six different tests and their anti-adipogenic effect in 3T3-L1 cells. The extracts showed a dose-dependent antioxidant activity in all tests. AE was the most potent antioxidant in copper and ferric ion chelation assays, whereas AE-D was the most potent in superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, reducing power assay, and total antioxidant capacity analysis. Only ME showed a cytotoxic effect against 3T3-L1 cells. Lipid accumulation decreased in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in the presence of AE and AE-D extracts (0.5 to 1.0 mg/mL). In addition, the extracts dramatically attenuated the levels of adipogenic transcriptional factors, including CCAAT enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), CCAAT enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), and gamma receptors by peroxisome proliferators (PPARγ), during adipogenesis. AE-D (1.0 mg/mL) caused an approximately 90% reduction in the levels of these molecules. We propose that B. trimera has an anti-adipogenic effect and could be used in the development of functional foods.

Highlights

Obesity is considered an important health issue since it is a risk factor for the development of a number of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, skeletal muscle disorders, and some cancers such as endometrial, breast, and colon [1].Human obesity is defined as a BMI equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2
The decoction, which is subsequently used to produce a tonic, is the version most commonly used as a folk remedy, and, for this reason, we investigated its antioxidant properties
This report suggests that B. trimera extracts have antioxidant activity, prevent many diseases caused by oxidative stress, and can attenuate adipogenesis during the adipogenic differentiation process, since they were anti-adipogenic and antioxidant agents

Summary

Introduction

Obesity is considered an important health issue since it is a risk factor for the development of a number of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke), diabetes, skeletal muscle disorders, and some cancers such as endometrial, breast, and colon [1]. Human obesity is defined as a BMI (body mass index) equal to or greater than 30 kg/m2. A person with a BMI of 25 and 30 kg/m2 is considered overweight. Organization, between 1980 and 2014, the obesity index worldwide more than doubled. In 2014, approximately 39% of adults (aged 18 years or older) were overweight and about 13% of the adult population was obese [1]. The development of adipose tissue involves both hyperplasia (increased number of cells) and hypertrophy (increase in cell size). Hyperplasia is related to the proliferation and differentiation of pre-adipocytes (adipogenesis), while hypertrophy is the result of an excessive accumulation of triglycerides in existing adipocytes [2]

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