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Flaxseed for Health and Disease: Review of Clinical Trials.
Shayan, M, Kamalian, S, Sahebkar, A, Tayarani-Najaran, Z
Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening. 2020;(8):699-722
Abstract
BACKGROUND Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) is an oil-based seed that contains high amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, lignans, fiber and many other bioactive components which is suggested for a healthier life. Nowadays, flaxseed is known as a remarkable functional food with different health benefits for humans and protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and altogether metabolic syndrome. METHODS To review the bioactive components of flaxseed and their potential health effects, PubMed and Scopus were searched from commencement to July 2019. Keywords including: "flaxseed", "Linum usitatissimum", "metabolic syndrome", "obesity", "inflammation", "insulin resistance", "diabetes", "hyperlipidemia" and "menopause" were searched in the databases with varying combinations. CONCLUSION Consumption of flaxseed in different forms has valuable effects and protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, inflammation and some other complications. Flaxseed can serve as a promising candidate for the management of metabolic syndrome to control blood lipid levels, fasting blood sugar, insulin resistance, body weight, waist circumference, body mass and blood pressure.
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Integrated Network Pharmacology Analysis and Experimental Validation to Reveal the Mechanism of Anti-Insulin Resistance Effects of Moringa oleifera Seeds.
Huang, Q, Liu, R, Liu, J, Huang, Q, Liu, S, Jiang, Y
Drug design, development and therapy. 2020;:4069-4084
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Insulin resistance (IR) is one of the factors that results in metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus and different aspects of cardiovascular diseases. Moringa oleifera seeds (MOS), traditionally used as an antidiabetic food and traditional medicine in tropical Asia and Africa, have exhibited potential effects in improving IR. To systematically explore the pharmacological mechanism of the anti-IR effects of MOS, we adopted a network pharmacology approach at the molecular level. METHODS By incorporating compound screening and target prediction, a feasible compound-target-pathway network pharmacology model was established to systematically predict the potential active components and mechanisms of the anti-IR effects of MOS. Biological methods were then used to verify the results of the network pharmacology analysis. RESULTS Our comprehensive systematic approach successfully identified 32 bioactive compounds in MOS and 44 potential targets of these compounds related to IR, as well as 37 potential pathways related to IR. Moreover, the network pharmacology analysis revealed that glycosidic isothiocyanates and glycosidic benzylamines were the major active components that improved IR by acting on key targets, such as SRC, PTPN1, and CASP3, which were involved in inflammatory responses and insulin-related pathways. Further biological research demonstrated that the anti-IR effects of MOS were mediated by increasing glucose uptake and modulating the expression of SRC and PTPN1. CONCLUSION Our study successfully predicts the active ingredients and potential targets of MOS for improving IR and helps to illustrate mechanism of action at a systemic level. This study not only provides new insights into the chemical basis and pharmacology of MOS but also demonstrates a feasible method for discovering potential drugs from traditional medicines.
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Rebelling against the (Insulin) Resistance: A Review of the Proposed Insulin-Sensitizing Actions of Soybeans, Chickpeas, and Their Bioactive Compounds.
Clark, JL, Taylor, CG, Zahradka, P
Nutrients. 2018;(4)
Abstract
Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Current methods for management of insulin resistance include pharmacological therapies and lifestyle modifications. Several clinical studies have shown that leguminous plants such as soybeans and pulses (dried beans, dried peas, chickpeas, lentils) are able to reduce insulin resistance and related type 2 diabetes parameters. However, to date, no one has summarized the evidence supporting a mechanism of action for soybeans and pulses that explains their ability to lower insulin resistance. While it is commonly assumed that the biological activities of soybeans and pulses are due to their antioxidant activities, these bioactive compounds may operate independent of their antioxidant properties and, thus, their ability to potentially improve insulin sensitivity via alternative mechanisms needs to be acknowledged. Based on published studies using in vivo and in vitro models representing insulin resistant states, the proposed mechanisms of action for insulin-sensitizing actions of soybeans, chickpeas, and their bioactive compounds include increasing glucose transporter-4 levels, inhibiting adipogenesis by down-regulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, reducing adiposity, positively affecting adipokines, and increasing short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria in the gut. Therefore, this review will discuss the current evidence surrounding the proposed mechanisms of action for soybeans and certain pulses, and their bioactive compounds, to effectively reduce insulin resistance.
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Effects of whole and refined grains in a weight-loss diet on markers of metabolic syndrome in individuals with increased waist circumference: a randomized controlled-feeding trial.
Harris Jackson, K, West, SG, Vanden Heuvel, JP, Jonnalagadda, SS, Ross, AB, Hill, AM, Grieger, JA, Lemieux, SK, Kris-Etherton, PM
The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2014;(2):577-86
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher whole-grain (WG) intake is associated with a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, there is inconsistent clinical evidence with regard to the benefit of WGs compared with refined grains (RGs) on MetS. OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that consuming WGs in the place of RGs would improve MetS criteria in individuals with or at risk of MetS. DESIGN A randomized, controlled, open-label parallel study was conducted in 50 overweight and obese individuals with increased waist circumference and one or more other MetS criteria. Participants consumed a controlled weight-loss diet containing either WG or RG (control) products for 12 wk. Body composition, MetS criteria and related markers, and plasma alkylresorcinols (compliance marker of WG intake) were measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 wk. A subgroup (n = 28) underwent magnetic resonance imaging to quantify subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (AT). RESULTS Baseline variables were not significantly different between groups; however, the RG group tended to have higher triglycerides and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (P = 0.06). Alkylresorcinols increased with consumption of the WG diet and did not change with consumption of the RG diet (time × treatment, P < 0.0001), which showed dietary compliance. There were no differences in anthropometric changes between groups; however, weight, body mass index, and percentage of body AT decreased at both 6 and 12 wk (P < 0.05), and reductions in percentage of abdominal AT occurred by 6 wk and did not change between 6 and 12 wk (P = 0.09). Both glucose (P = 0.02) and HDL cholesterol (P = 0.04) were lower with the consumption of the WG compared with the RG diet. However, when noncompliant individuals (n = 3) were removed, the glucose effect was stronger (P = 0.01) and the HDL-cholesterol effect was no longer significant (P = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS Replacing RGs with WGs within a weight-loss diet does not beneficially affect abdominal AT loss and has modest effects on markers of MetS. WGs appear to be effective at normalizing blood glucose concentrations, especially in those individuals with prediabetes.
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IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the West African plant Irvingia gabonensis, significantly reduces body weight and improves metabolic parameters in overweight humans in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled investigation.
Ngondi, JL, Etoundi, BC, Nyangono, CB, Mbofung, CM, Oben, JE
Lipids in health and disease. 2009;:7
Abstract
BACKGROUND A recent in vitro study indicates that IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the traditional West African food plant Irvingia gabonensis, favorably impacts adipogenesis through a variety of critical metabolic pathways including PPAR gamma, leptin, adiponectin, and glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenase. This study was therefore aimed at evaluating the effects of IGOB131, an extract of Irvingia gabonensis, on body weight and associated metabolic parameters in overweight human volunteers. METHODS The study participants comprised of 102 healthy, overweight and/or obese volunteers (defined as BMI > 25 kg/m2) randomly divided into two groups. The groups received on a daily basis, either 150 mg of IGOB131 or matching placebo in a double blinded fashion, 30-60 minutes before lunch and dinner. At baseline, 4, 8 and 10 weeks of the study, subjects were evaluated for changes in anthropometrics and metabolic parameters to include fasting lipids, blood glucose, C-reactive protein, adiponectin, and leptin. RESULTS Significant improvements in body weight, body fat, and waist circumference as well as plasma total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood glucose, C-reactive protein, adiponectin and leptin levels were observed in the IGOB131 group compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSION Irvingia gabonensis administered 150 mg twice daily before meals to overweight and/or obese human volunteers favorably impacts body weight and a variety of parameters characteristic of the metabolic syndrome. This is the first double blind randomized placebo controlled clinical trial regarding the anti-obesity and lipid profile modulating effects of an Irvingia gabonensis extract. The positive clinical results, together with our previously published mechanisms of gene expression modulation related to key metabolic pathways in lipid metabolism, provide impetus for much larger clinical studies. Irvingia gabonensis extract may prove to be a useful tool in dealing with the emerging global epidemics of obesity, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and their co-morbid conditions.