Constituents of the stem of Cucurbita moschata exhibit antidiabetic activities through multiple mechanisms

Journal of Functional Foods

Hsueh-Ling Cheng¹  Shen-Da Huang²  Ting-Syuan Li²  Chen-Chen Lin²  Chia-Hung Yen²  Chi-I Chang²  Chih-Ming Hsu²  Chang-Hung Chou³ 

[1] Co-corresponding author. Tel.: [phone] ext 1633;Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, No. 1, Shuehfu Rd., Neipu, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan;Research Center for Biodiversity and Graduate Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, China Medical University, 91, Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 40402, Taiwan;

关键词: AMP-activated protein kinase;    Cucurbita moschata;    Ferulic acid;    Insulin resistance;    Insulin sensitizer;    Insulin substitute;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Pumpkin has been suggested to have an antidiabetic effect, but the bioactives involved and molecular mechanisms mediating its hypoglycaemic activity are not clear. This study characterized some of the hypoglycaemic constituents in the crude extract of the Cucurbita moschata stem and investigated the mechanisms of their action. The C. moschata stem extract showed a hypoglycaemic effect in vivo in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Several hypoglycaemic fractions of the extract were identified via cell-based screening, and two of them were confirmed to have hypoglycaemic activities in vivo. Ten compounds were afforded from the 2 fractions. Compounds 9 [(22E,24R)-24-methyl-6β-methoxy-5α-cholesta-7,22-diene-3β,5-diol] and 10 [3β-hydroxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-5,8,22-trien-7-one] showed an insulin-like activity in normal cells that may be mediated by AMP-activated protein kinase. Compounds 4 (ferulic acid), 8 (syringaresinol) and 9 exhibited an insulin sensitizing and/or insulin substitution function in insulin-resistant cells. Thus, the C. moschata stem contains compounds with potential for managing type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

【 授权许可】

Unknown