title: Screening for bioactive metabolites in plant extracts modulating glucose uptake and fat accumulation.
abstract: Dichloromethane and methanol extracts of seven different food and medicinal plants were tested in a screening platform for identification of extracts with potential bioactivity related to insulin-dependent glucose uptake and fat accumulation. The screening platform included a series of in vitro bioassays, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ-mediated transactivation, adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cell cultures, and glucose uptake in both 3T3-L1 adipocytes and primary porcine myotubes, as well as one in vivo bioassay, fat accumulation in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that dichloromethane extracts of aerial parts of golden root (Rhodiola rosea) and common elder (Sambucus nigra) as well as the dichloromethane extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and carrot (Daucus carota) were able to stimulate insulin-dependent glucose uptake in both adipocytes and myotubes while weekly activating PPARγ without promoting adipocyte differentiation. In addition, these extracts were able to decrease fat accumulation in C. elegans. Methanol extracts of summer savory (Satureja hortensis), common elder, and broccoli (Brassica oleracea) enhanced glucose uptake in myotubes but were not able to activate PPARγ, indicating a PPARγ-independent effect on glucose uptake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors.forename: Rime B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: El-Houri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kotowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors.forename: Louise C B
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé, P.O. Box 50, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Sumangala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lars P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Kirstinebjergvej 10, 5792 Aarslev, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6102-8723
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grevsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé, P.O. Box 50, 8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oksbjerg
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Færgeman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kathrine B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Christensen