Phytochemicals as novel agents for the induction of browning in white adipose tissue

Abstract

Obesity and its associated metabolic syndrome continue to be a health epidemic in westernized societies and is catching up in the developing world. Despite such increases, little headway has been made to reverse adverse weight gain in the global population. Few medical options exist for the treatment of obesity which points to the necessity for exploration of anti-obesity therapies including pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds. Defects in brown adipose tissue, a major energy dissipating organ, has been identified in the obese and is hypothesized to contribute to the overall metabolic deficit observed in obesity. Not surprisingly, considerable attention has been placed on the discovery of methods to activate brown adipose tissue. A variety of plant-derived, natural compounds have shown promise to regulate brown adipose tissue activity and enhance the lipolytic and catabolic potential of white adipose tissue. Through activation of the sympathetic nervous system, thyroid hormone signaling, and transcriptional regulation of metabolism, natural compounds such as capsaicin and resveratrol may provide a relatively safe and effective option to upregulate energy expenditure. Through utilizing the energy dissipating potential of such nutraceutical compounds, the possibility exists to provide a therapeutic solution to correct the energy imbalance that underlines obesity.

Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. Aerial Parts Methanolic Extract: In Vitro Screening of Biological Activity

“…Plants can potentially represent a source of a large number of bioactive compounds useful for weight control [39][40][41]. Many phytochemicals, acting through different mechanisms, have been proven to be effective in body weight management [42,43]. The inhibition of pancreatic lipase enzyme is one of the major mechanisms taken into account in the search for new drugs [44,45].…”

Gallotannins and Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 Mitigate High‐Fat Diet‐Induced Inflammation and Induce Biomarkers for Thermogenesis in Adipose Tissue in Gnotobiotic Mice

“…This environment negatively affects inflammatory and insulin signaling pathways in metabolic tissues such as the liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue, and increases the risk of developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease . The modulation of adipose tissue function, both white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), by dietary intervention has been increasingly recognized as a potential anti‐obesogenic therapy . The classical role attributed to WAT is energy storage in the form of lipid.…”

“…The classical role attributed to WAT is energy storage in the form of lipid. The last few decades have seen major advances in the thermogenic potential of WAT, which may convert white adipocytes into beige adipocytes under certain stimuli, such as cold exposure, catecholamines, thyroid hormone, and plant‐based polyphenolic compounds such as resveratrol, curcumin, genistein, and quercetin . In distinction from WAT, BAT dissipates energy by non‐shivering thermogenesis that generates heat in response to cold exposure.…”

Browning of Adipose Tissue and Sirtuin Involvement

“…Browning of WAT is an adaptive and reversible response to numerous stimuli, including noradrenaline stimulation by cold exposure, exercise, natriuretic peptides, thyroid hormones, bile acids and nutritional compounds (resveratrol, menthol, capsaicin, etc.) [46,47]. Other stimuli are due to pharmacological molecules, such as β3-adrenergic agonists, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists thiazolidinediones and cannabinoid antagonist (rimonabant) [30,48].…”