Twenty-eight seed samples of 12 Plantago species were investigated for their chemical compositions and anti-inflammatory, cellular antioxidant, and radical scavenging properties. A new UPLC-UV procedure was developed and applied to quantify acteoside and geniposidic acid, the characteristic constituents of the genus Plantago. The amounts of acteoside and geniposidic acid ranged from 0.07 to 15.96 mg/g and from 0.05 to 10.04 mg/g in the tested samples, respectively. Furthermore, 26 compounds were tentatively identified by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS analysis. The Plantago samples significantly differed in their phytochemical compositions. The extracts of Plantago seeds also showed inhibitory effects on LPS-induced IL-1β, IL-6, and COX-2 mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. Additionally, significant variations were observed among different samples on cellular antioxidant activities in HepG2 cells, as well as DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging capacities. The results from this study may be used to promote the use of the genus Plantago in improving human health.
This study investigated whether and how gypenosides from jiaogulan tea at 100 and 300 mg/kg/day levels could reduce the development of overweight and insulin resistance in C57 BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet in 12 weeks. The 300 mg/kg/day gypenosides supplement significantly reduced final body weight, plasma total cholesterol, and homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index by 19.9%, 40%, and 36%, respectively, compared with the high-fat diet control group. Gypenosides also increased brown adipocyte tissue activity and white adipose tissue browning. The expression of genes involved in mitochondrial activity and fatty acid β-oxidation were also increased in both brown and white adipocyte tissues. In addition, gypenosides at 100 and 300 mg/kg/day levels decreased the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes by 20% and 58.6%, respectively, and increased Akkermansia muciniphila abundance in the gut microbiota.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.