Torenia concolor Lindley var. formosana Yamazaki extracts improve inflammatory response and lipid accumulation via PPARs activation

Yu-Chia Liang; Jun-Cheng Hu; Pei-Ying Li; Guan-Jhong Huang; Yueh-Hsiung Kuo; Che-Yi Chao

doi:10.1051/bmdcn/2017070318

Torenia concolor Lindley var. formosana Yamazaki extracts improve inflammatory response and lipid accumulation via PPARs activation

Biomedicine (Taipei). 2017 Sep;7(3):18. doi: 10.1051/bmdcn/2017070318. Epub 2017 Aug 25.

Authors

Yu-Chia Liang¹, Jun-Cheng Hu², Pei-Ying Li³, Guan-Jhong Huang¹, Yueh-Hsiung Kuo⁴, Che-Yi Chao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
² Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, 413, Taiwan.
³ School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan - Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, 413, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, 413, Taiwan - Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.

Abstract

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.

Purpose: This study evaluated the influence of TC on inflammation responses and lipid metabolism.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusion: 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.