The worldwide prevalence of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, such as depression or Alzheimer’s disease, has spread extensively throughout the last decades, becoming an enormous health issue. Numerous data indicate a distinct correlation between the altered endocannabinoid signaling and different aspects of brain physiology, such as memory or neurogenesis. Moreover, the endocannabinoid system is widely regarded as a crucial factor in the development of neuropathologies. Thus, targeting those disorders via synthetic cannabinoids, as well as phytocannabinoids, becomes a widespread research issue. Over the last decade, the endocannabinoid system has been extensively studied for its correlation with physical activity. Recent data showed that physical activity correlates with elevated endocannabinoid serum concentrations and increased cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) expression in the brain, which results in positive neurological effects including antidepressant effect, ameliorated memory, neuroplasticity development, and reduced neuroinflammation. However, none of the prior reviews presented a comprehensive correlation between physical activity, the endocannabinoid system, and neuropathologies. Thus, our review provides a current state of knowledge of the endocannabinoid system, its action in physical activity, as well as neuropathologies and a possible correlation between all those fields. We believe that this might contribute to finding a new preventive and therapeutic approach to both neurological and neurodegenerative disorders.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most frequent chronic liver disease in adults in developed countries, with a global prevalence as high as one billion. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is a multifactorial and multi-step process. Nowadays, a growing body of research suggests the considerable role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) as a complex cell-signaling system in NAFLD development. Although increased endocannabinoid tone in the liver highly contributes to NAFLD development, the complex effects and impacts of plant-derived cannabinoids in the aspect of NAFLD pathophysiology are yet not fully understood, and effective medications are still in demand. In our review, we present the latest reports describing the role of ECS in NAFLD, focusing primarily on two types of cannabinoid receptors. Moreover, we sum up the recent literature on the clinical use of natural cannabinoids in NAFLD treatment. This review is useful for understanding the importance of ECS in NAFLD development, and it also provides the basis for more extensive clinical phytocannabinoids testing in patients suffering from NAFLD.
Coumestrol is a phytoestrogen widely known for its anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, it gets a lot of attention as a potential agent in the nutritional therapy of diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. In our study, we evaluated whether coumestrol affects insulin resistance development via the sphingolipid signaling pathway in primary rat hepatocytes. The cells were isolated from the male Wistar rat's liver with the use of collagenase perfusion. Next, we incubated the cells with the presence or absence of palmitic acid and/or coumestrol. Additionally, some groups were incubated with insulin. The sphingolipid concentrations were assessed by HPLC whereas the expression of all the proteins was evaluated by Western blot. Coumestrol markedly reduced the accumulation of sphingolipids, namely, ceramide and sphinganine through noticeable inhibition of the ceramide de novo synthesis pathway in insulin-resistant hepatocytes. Moreover, coumestrol augmented the expression of fatty acid transport proteins, especially FATP5 and FAT/CD36, which also were responsible for excessive sphingolipid accumulation. Furthermore, coumestrol altered the sphingolipid salvage pathway, which was observed as the excessive deposition of the sphingosine-1-phosphate and sphingosine. Our study clearly showed that coumestrol ameliorated hepatic insulin resistance in primary rat hepatocytes. Thus, we believe that our study may contribute to the discovery of novel preventive and therapeutic methods for metabolic disorders.
Rapidly increasing worldwide prevalence of obesity and related pathologies encompassing coronary heart disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes constitute serious threats to global health and are associated with a significantly elevated risk of premature death. Considering the enormous burden of these pathologies, novel therapeutic and preventive patterns are indispensable. Dysregulation of one of the most complex biological systems in the human body namely, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) may result in metabolic imbalance and development of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Furthermore, many studies showed that physical exercises, depending on their type, intensity, and frequency, exert various alterations within the ECS. Emerging evidence suggests that targeting the ECS via physical activity may produce robust beneficial effects on the course of metabolic pathologies. However, the data showing a direct correlation between the ECS and physical activity in the aspect of metabolic health are very scarce. Therefore, the aim of this review was to provide the most up-to-date state of knowledge about the interplay between the ECS activity and physical exercises in the novel therapeutic and preventive approach toward metabolic pathologies. We believe that this paper, at least in part, will fulfill the existing gap in knowledge and encourage researchers to further explore this very complex yet interesting link between the ECS, its action in physical activity, and subsequent positive outcomes for metabolic health.
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.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.