title: Decreased adiposity and enhanced glucose tolerance in shikonin treated mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity represents a major public health problem, and identifying natural compounds that modulate energy balance and glucose homeostasis is of interest for combating obesity and its associated disorders. The naphthoquinone shikonin has diverse beneficial properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-microbial effects. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of shikonin on adiposity and glucose homeostasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The metabolic effects of shikonin treatment on mice fed regular chow or challenged with a high-fat diet (HFD) were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Shikonin treated mice fed regular chow exhibited improved glucose tolerance compared with controls. In addition, shikonin treated mice fed HFD displayed decreased weight gain and resistance to HFD-induced glucose intolerance. Further, shikonin treatment decreased HFD-induced hepatic dyslipidemia. These findings correlated with enhanced hepatic insulin signaling in shikonin treated mice as evidenced by increased tyrosyl phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and enhanced downstream signaling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These studies identify shikonin as a potential regulator of systemic glucose tolerance, energy balance, and adiposity in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bettaieb
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hosein
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
authors.forename: Samah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chahed
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
authors.forename: Ahlam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdulaziz
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
authors.forename: Heidi R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kucera
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.|Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
authors.forename: Nilesh W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Gaikwad
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.|Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.|Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.
authors.forename: Fawaz G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Haj
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007328:Insulin; D009285:Naphthoquinones; C016101:shikonin; D005947:Glucose