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Climacteric symptoms, as well as postmenopausal estrogen deficiency, have been associated with many psychological problems and the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate, for the first time, the dose-dependent effect of water chestnut (WC), also known as Trapa bicornis, a fruit extract, on ovariectomy (OVX)-induced menopause in ICR mice. After bilateral OVX surgery, 200, 100, and 50 mg/kg of WC and 200 mg/kg of pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP) were administered orally for 84 days from 4 weeks after OVX operation. Then, anti-climacteric activities were evaluated in five groups: (1) estrogenic, (2) anti-obesity, (3) hypolipidemic, (4) hepatoprotective, and (5) anti-osteoporosis effects. Different biochemical assays, histopathological and morphological inspections, and mRNA expression findings showed that OVX-induced estrogen deficiency-related AMPK decrease was associated with climacteric symptoms such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and osteoporosis in ICR mice. However, these climacteric effects were reversed in OVX rats by treating them with WC at a dose relative to the same dose of PCP in OVX-ICR mice (200 and 100 mg/kg). Water chestnut fruit extract demonstrated promise as a complementary treatment for menopausal symptoms, indicating possible uses in the health of women through supplements or prescription drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that mainly occurs due to the cellular inflammatory response and the destruction of joint cartilage. Natural eggshell membrane (NEM), a byproduct of egg processing, might be a promising knee OA treatment because of its anti-inflammatory properties and resemblance to synovial membrane components. Therefore, we aimed to study the anti-inflammatory effects of NEM in OA, utilizing both in vitro experiments with primary chondrocytes and in vivo studies with a surgical rat model of knee OA. In vitro studies showed that NEM treatment improved cell viability in chondrocytes exposed to interleukin-1α by upregulating chondrogenic genes and inhibiting enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM). Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effects of NEM were observed in chondrocytes induced by lipopolysaccharide. Administering NEM orally for 56 days after OA surgery resulted in enhanced joint swelling reduction and improved mobility in animal models, as well as an increase in bone density and cartilage compressive strength in a concentration-dependent manner. It inhibited inflammatory markers (5-lipoxygenase and prostaglandin E2) and extracellular matrix (ECM)-degrading enzymes (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in both the cartilage and synovium. Simultaneously, there was an upregulation in the expression of chondrogenic genes (Sox9, aggrecan, and Col-2). The histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that NEM's anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and chondrogenic properties contributed to the mitigation of joint degradation and synovial inflammation. Therefore, NEM is a potential alternative or functional food agent that addresses both anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective aspects in OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) berry pulp extracts (CBP extracts) on the improvement of diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were evaluated using various in vitro antioxidant activity assays and through a high-fat diet-induced mild diabetic obese mouse model. After an 84-day oral administration of CBP extracts (400–100 mg/kg), bioactivities were evaluated. The in vitro analysis showed the highest DPPH● scavenging activity of 73.10 ± 4.27%, ABTS● scavenging activity of 41.18 ± 1.14%, and SOD activity of 56.24 ± 2.81%, at a CBP extract concentration of 1000 µg/mL. The in vivo analysis of the CBP extracts showed favorable and dose-dependent anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, NAFLD, nephropathy, and hyperlipidemia refinement effects through hepatic glucose enzyme activity, 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) up-regulation, antioxidant activity, lipid metabolism-related gene expression, and pancreatic lipid digestion enzyme modulatory activities. This study shows that an appropriate oral dosage of CBP extracts could function as a potent herbal formulation for a refinement agent or medicinal food ingredient to control type 2 diabetes and related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is implicated as a factor in several serious metabolic conditions, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes. This study aimed at the development of more potent and safer alternative medications to address these metabolic diseases with minimal side effects. Following oral administration of 400, 200, and 100 of mg/kg fermented Schizandrae fructus pomace extracts (fSFP) once daily for 84 days to high-fat diet (HFD)-supplied ICR mice, respectively, we measured liver enzyme activity related to glucose metabolism, gene expression related to fat metabolism, anti-obesity effect, liver and kidney protection effect, and anti-diabetic effect to confirm the effect of fSFP on improving related complications including obesity and diabetes. In the HFD control group, significant obesity and type II diabetes symptoms were developed. However, oral administration of 200 mg/kg of fSFP showed a protective effect on kidney damage and diabetes complications related to insulin-resistant type II diabetes mellitus, as well as oxidative stress-induced abnormalities in glucose and fat metabolism, comparable to that of metformin 250 mg/kg, a positive control. The major bioactive substance in fSFP was identified as shizandrin, which was quantitated as 1.25 mg/g (w/w). Therefore, fSFP extracts can be taken as a medicinal food in combating obesity and diabetes, two current major health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]