title: A fraction of Acorus calamus L. extract devoid of beta-asarone enhances adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.
abstract: The effects of fractions partitioned from the ethanol extract of Acorus calamus L. (AC) on adipocyte differentiation were investigated using cultured mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. The degree of differentiation was evaluated by measuring the cellular triglycerides and protein expression of the glucose transporter GLUT4 in 3T3-L1 cells. The ethyl acetate fraction of the AC extract (ACE) was found to enhance adipocyte differentiation as did rosiglitazone. The results of further fractionation of ACE indicated that the active fraction does not consist of beta-asarone, which is a toxic component of this plant. This finding suggests that ACE has potential insulin-sensitizing activity like rosiglitazone, and may improve type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hao-shu
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ying-yin
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin-jia
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Chang-xin
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qiao-jun
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yi-jia
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry; D029023:Acorus / Q000737:chemistry*; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000818:Animals; D000840:Anisoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D010936:Plant Extracts; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D014280:Triglycerides; C012195:asarone; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; C007650:ethyl acetate