Evaluation of the effects of extracts of Maytenus imbricata (Celastraceae) on the treatment of inflammatory and metabolic dysfunction induced by high-refined carbohydrate diet

Abstract

The Maytenus genus is a member of the Celastraceae family. Numerous medicinal uses were assigned to species of this genus, with the use of roots, bark, and leaves for the treatment of gastric ulcers, as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiallergic, antitumor, among others. Several studies have demonstrated that natural products derived from plants have an important role in the prevention and treatment of obesity. Accordingly, we evaluated the effect of Maytenus imbricata extracts in the treatment of obesity induced by diet rich in refined carbohydrate (HC). BALB/c mice were fed chow or HC diet for 8 weeks. At the beginning of the 9th week, the HC group was subdivided into three groups: (i) group of animals that continued to consume only HC diet; (ii) the group of animals fed HC diet supplemented with ethyl acetate extract of M. imbricata roots (HC + EAE); (iii) the group of animals fed HC diet supplemented with extract in hexane/ethyl ether (HC + HEE). The period of extracts supplementation was 4 weeks. It was observed that EAE and EHE when added to the HC diet modulated the metabolic and inflammatory changes, such as: reduced the adipocytes area, improved glucose intolerance, reduced the levels of triglycerides and resistin in serum, and the number of total leukocytes in blood. In the epididymal adipose tissue, the extracts reduced proinflammatory mediators' concentration. According to the results, it was concluded that the species Maytenus imbricata has the potential to be used for the treatment of obesity.

Use of an Extract of Annona muricata Linn to Prevent High-Fat Diet Induced Metabolic Disorders in C57BL/6 Mice

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that secondary metabolites present in plants, such as triterpenes, flavonoids and steroids, can modulate the inflammation and metabolic dysfunctions associated with obesity [55]. In our study, AGE did not change the levels of the inflammatory markers TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 in adipose tissue.…”

Isolation and Identification of Phytocompounds from Maytenus dhofarensis and Their Biological Potentials

“…Plants of the genus Maytenus (Celestraceae) are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and about 800–1300 species [ 1 ] are known. Several members of this genus are used in traditional medicine to treat cancer [ 2 ], gastric ulcers [ 3 ], and arthritis [ 4 ]. Maytenus species are known to contain a diverse group of triterpenoids [ 5 , 6 , 7 ], flavonoids [ 8 , 9 ], tannins [ 10 ], lignans [ 11 , 12 ], dihydro-β-agarofurans [ 4 , 13 , 14 ] and sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids [ 15 , 16 , 17 ] that display remarkable structural diversities and cytotoxicity [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], as well as insecticidal [ 23 ], antitumor-promoting [ 13 ], MDR-reverting [ 24 , 25 , 26 ], antitubercular [ 27 ], neuroprotective [ 28 ], immunosuppressive [ 29 ], anti-HIV [ 30 ], anti-inflammatory [ 18 ], and medicinal properties [ 3 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”

A Review on Phytochemicals of the Genus Maytenus and Their Bioactive Studies

“…Plants of the genus Maytenus , a widely distributed member of the Celastraceae family, include approximately 300 plant species that are spread in tropical and subtropical regions of the world [ 1 ]. The genus Maytenus is widely used in folk medicines around the world, with the roots, bark and leaves being used for the treatment of cancer, gastric ulcers and arthritis because of their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiallergic and antitumor properties [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Studies have shown that a diverse group of chemical substances, triterpenoids, sesquiterpenes and alkaloids, are responsible for the various biological activities of the plants in this genus [ 6 ].…”