The potential role of sesquiterpene lactones isolated from medicinal plants in the treatment of the metabolic syndrome - A review

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome comprises a cluster of metabolic disorders related to the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In latter years, plant secondary metabolites have become of special interest because of their potential role in preventing and managing metabolic syndrome. Sesquiterpene lactones constitute a large and diverse group of biologically active compounds widely distributed in several medicinal plants used for the treatment of metabolic disorders. The structural diversity and the broad spectrum of biological activities of these compounds drew significant interests in the pharmacological applications. This review describes selected sesquiterpene lactones that have been experimentally validated for their biological activities related to risk factors of metabolic syndrome, together with their mechanisms of action. The potential beneficial effects of sesquiterpene lactones discussed in this review demonstrate that these substances represent remarkable compounds with a diversity of molecular structure and high biological activity, providing new insights into the possible role in metabolic syndrome management.

Keywords: ACE, angiotensin I-converting enzyme; AMPK, activated protein kinase; APOC3, apolipoprotein C3; AT, adipose tissue; Antidiabetic; CAT, catalase; COX-2, cyclooxygenase 2; CVD, cardiovascular disease; FFA, free fatty acids; FN, fibronectin; G6Pase, glucose-6-phosphatase; GK, glucokinase; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GSH, reduced glutathione; HDL-C, high-density lipoproteins-cholesterol; Hypoglycemic; Hypolipidemic; IFN-γ, interferon gamma; IL-1β, interleukin 1 beta; IL-6, interleukin 6; IR, insulin resistance; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinases; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinases; MCP-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1; Medicinal plants; MetS, metabolic syndrome; Metabolic syndrome; NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa B; NO, nitric oxide; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SLns, sesquiterpene lactones; SOD, superoxide dismutase; STAT1, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1; STZ, streptozotocin; Sesquiterpene lactones; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; TBARS, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglycerides; TGF-β1, transforming growth factor beta; TLRs, Toll-like receptor; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; VLDL, very-low-density lipoprotein; iNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase.