Culinary herbs and spices are widely used as a traditional medicine in the treatment of diabetes and its complications, and there are several scientific studies in the literature supporting the use ...of these medicinal plants. However, there is often a lack of knowledge on the bioactive compounds of these herbs and spices and their mechanisms of action. The aim of this study was to use inverse virtual screening to provide insights into the bioactive compounds of common herbs and spices, and their potential molecular mechanisms of action in the treatment of diabetes. In this study, a library of over 2300 compounds derived from 30 common herbs and spices were screened in silico with the DIA-DB web server against 18 known diabetes drug targets. Over 900 compounds from the herbs and spices library were observed to have potential anti-diabetic activity and liquorice, hops, fennel, rosemary, and fenugreek were observed to be particularly enriched with potential anti-diabetic compounds. A large percentage of the compounds were observed to be potential polypharmacological agents regulating three or more anti-diabetic drug targets and included compounds such as achillin B from yarrow, asparasaponin I from fenugreek, bisdemethoxycurcumin from turmeric, carlinoside from lemongrass, cinnamtannin B1 from cinnamon, crocin from saffron and glabridin from liquorice. The major targets identified for the herbs and spices compounds were dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), intestinal maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM), liver receptor homolog-1 (NR5A2), pancreatic alpha-amylase (AM2A), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARA), protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 9 (PTPN9), and retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4) with over 250 compounds observed to be potential inhibitors of these particular protein targets. Only bay leaves, liquorice and thyme were found to contain compounds that could potentially regulate all 18 protein targets followed by black pepper, cumin, dill, hops and marjoram with 17 protein targets. In most cases more than one compound within a given plant could potentially regulate a particular protein target. It was observed that through this multi-compound-multi target regulation of these specific protein targets that the major anti-diabetic effects of reduced hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia of the herbs and spices could be explained. The results of this study, taken together with the known scientific literature, indicated that the anti-diabetic potential of common culinary herbs and spices was the result of the collective action of more than one bioactive compound regulating and restoring several dysregulated and interconnected diabetic biological processes.
In order to study the effect of cinnamon essential oil (CEO) on the microbiological and physiochemical characters of fresh Italian style sausage, CEO (0%, 0.1%, and 0.5%, v/w) was added into ground ...meat, cased, and stored at 4°C. Lipid oxidation, instrument color, total viable aerobic counts, Enterobacteriaceae, biogenic amines, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) were investigated during 10 days (day). Results showed that CEO treatments had lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), b* value, aerobic and Enterobacteriaceae counts, biogenic amine contents, and TVB‐N and higher a* values at 4, 6, 8, and 10 days compared to the control, whereas 0.5% CEO treatment had better effect than 0.1% CEO. CEO improved color shelf‐life by inhibiting lipid oxidation and prevented the increase in biogenic amines and TVB‐N by reducing microbial counts of fresh sausage during storage. This study suggested that CEO could be applied in the food industry to improve the shelf‐life of meat products.
Highlights ► PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K1 and MAPK signaling cascades play a critical role in tumorigenesis. ► CPO inhibited the constitutive activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR/S6K1 signaling cascade. ► CPO also ...caused the activation of ERK, JNK, and p38 MAPK in tumor cells. ► CPO can interfere with multiple signaling cascades involved in tumorigenesis.
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate and determine the most optimal level of addition spice powder to soft cheese based on milk. The spice powders used are cinnamon (
Cinnamomum burmannii
), ...lemongrass (
Cymbopogon citratus
), and turmeric (
Curcuma longa
L.) with the following treatment; T0: soft cheese without added spices powder; T1: soft cheese + 1% cinnamon powder; T2: soft cheese + 2% cinnamon powder; T3: soft cheese + 3% cinnamon powder; T4: soft cheese + 1% lemongrass powder; T5: soft cheese + 2% lemongrass powder; T6: soft cheese + 3% lemongrass powder; T7: soft cheese + 1% turmeric powder; T8: soft cheese + 2% turmeric powder; T9: soft cheese + 3% turmeric powder. The study design used a completely randomized design with three replications. Variables measured including pH, color (L*, a*, b*), total solids, and antioxidant activities using/via DPPH scavenging activity (2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl). The soft cheese pH ranged from 5.60–6.26, with T0 was the lowest and T3 had the highest value. Total solids ranged from 38.87–66.77%, with T1 was the lowest and T3 had the highest value. Antioxidant activities ranged from 37.96–72.43%, with T0 was the lowest and T9 had the highest value. Soft cheese showed L* value 66.58–80.31, with T9 was the lowest and T0 had the highest value; a* value 3.47–12.44, with T6 was the lowest and T9 had the highest value; b* value 12.35–25.95, with T0 was the lowest and T9 had the highest value. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the level addition of 3% spice powder was the most optimal level for soft cheese, with the highest pH, total solids, antioxidant activity, redness, and yellowness.
Purpose: To evaluate the effect of cinnamaldehyde (CA) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), body weight, lipid profile, and nesfatin-1 levels in healthy and diabetic (DM) rats.
Methods: Ten groups with ...eight rats per group were used. Healthy and diabetic sham groups were administered 1 mL of saline for 28 days by intragastric gavage. Healthy and diabetic control groups were administered 1 mL 0.5 % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 28 days by intragastric gavage. Other diabetic and healthy groups (HG) received 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg CA for 28 days by intragastric gavage, once daily. Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (50 mg/kg intraperitoneally). Rats were defined as diabetic when FBG was > 250 mg/dL. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess serum nesfatin-1 concentrations. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) values were evaluated with a glucometer.
Results: Day 28 weights of all DM and HG + 40 mg/kg CA groups were lower than day 1 weights (p < 0.05). Triglyceride values of DM + 40 mg/kg CA group were lower than DM sham and control group (p ≤ 0.001). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and cholesterol levels of the CA-administered healthy groups were higher than healthy control groups (p ≤ 0.001). Nesfatin-1 levels of all DM groups were lower than all healthy groups, and nesfatin-1 levels of all CA-administered healthy and DM groups were lower than healthy and DM sham and control groups, but these were not significant (p > 0.001).
Conclusion: Although not significant, the decrease in nesfatin-1 level is evidence that CA has an anti-obesity effect in both healthy and diabetic rats. In contrast to its antihyperlipidemic effect in diabetic conditions, CA has hyperlipidemic effect in healthy conditions.
Metastasis is responsible for approximately 90% of cancer-associated mortality and proceeds through multiple steps. Several herbal medicines are reported to inhibit primary tumor growth, but the ...suppressor effects of the medicines on metastasis progression are still not fully elucidated. Here we report that cinnamon bark extract (CBE) has a suppressor effect on metastatic dissemination of cancer cells. Through a phenotypic screening using zebrafish embryos, CBE was identified to interfere with the gastrulation progression of zebrafish embryos, of which the molecular mechanisms are conserved in metastasis progression. A Boyden chamber assay showed that CBE decreased cell motility and invasion of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells without affecting their cell viability. Furthermore, CBE suppressed metastatic dissemination of the cells in a zebrafish xenotransplantation model. Quantitative metabolome analyses revealed that the productions of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and fructose 6-phosphate which are intermediate metabolites of glycolytic metabolism were interrupted in CBE-treated cells. qPCR and western-blotting analyses revealed that CBE-treated cells showed decreased expression of hexokinase 2 (HK2) which yields G6P. Pharmacological inhibition of HK2 with 2-deoxy-D-glucose suppressed cell invasion and migration of the cells without affecting their cell viability. Taken together, CBE suppresses metastatic dissemination of cancer cells through inhibition of glycolysis metabolism.
The present investigation aimed to evaluate antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant efficacy of essential oils of three commonly used spices (black pepper, cinnamon and clove) in combination along ...with chemical characterization and toxicity evaluation. Among the possible combinations tested, cinnamon/clove oil combination showed synergistic antibacterial activity against foodborne bacteria
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and synergistic antifungal activity against
Aspergillus niger
as well as synergistic antioxidant potential in DPPH radical scavenging model system. GC–HRMS analysis revealed that out of thirteen identified components from clove oil, eugenol was found to be the main constituent of the oil; whereas out of twenty one identified constituents from cinnamon oil, the main component was cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamon/clove oil combination did not show any cytotoxic potential at recommended dosage level (IC
50
> 2000 µg/ml). The results provide evidence that cinnamon/clove oil combination might indeed be used as a potential source of safe and effective novel natural antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant blend in the food and pharmaceutical industries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a combination of essential oils has been tested as natural preservatives to prevent both microbial proliferation and oxidative deterioration at sufficiently low concentrations.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of cinnamon on the pharmacodynamic (PD) & pharmacokinetic (PK) of amlodipine in hypertensive rats. The hypertensive control group of Wistar ...rats received L-NAME (40 mg/kg, daily, orally) only. The cinnamon group of rats was treated with cinnamon (200 mg/kg, daily, orally) along with L-NAME. Following 14 days treatment period, blood pressures of rats were monitored at designated intervals over 24 h utilizing a tail-cuff system for measuring blood pressure. To assess the oral PK; amlodipine was administered as a single oral dose of 1 mg/kg to rats and blood samples were collected at specified intervals over 24 h and analysed by UPLC-LC MS/MS.
Synergistic decreased in rat’s blood pressure was observed in presence of cinnamon + amlodipine. Simultaneous administration of cinnamon ameliorates the Cmax and AUC0-t of amlodipine, the Cmax and AUC0-t was 11.04 ± 1.01 ng/ml and 113.76 ± 5.62 ng h/ml for the cinnamon + amlodipine group as compared to 4.12 ± 0.49 ng/ml and 48.59 ± 4.28 ng h/ml for the amlodipine alone group. The study demonstrates that the use of cinnamon considerably decreases the blood pressure levels and enhances the PK parameters of amlodipine in hypertensive rats.
The aim of this study was to prepare Cinnamomum cassia essential oil (CEO) impregnated chitosan nanoparticles (CS-CEO) and assess its pharmacological activity against breast cancer. Cinnamon ...oil-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were investigated for their physicochemical properties, stability, and anti-cancer activities both in vitro and in vivo. The prepared CS-CEO nanoparticles have a particle size, zeta-potential, entrapment efficiency and drug loading of (215.40 ± 3.90) nm, (51.70 ± 1.90) mV, (83.37 ± 0.4)% and (26.42 ± 0.65)%, respectively. CS-CEO showed a regular, uniform, and spherical or quasi-spherical structure under a transmission electron microscope. CS-CEO remained stable upon storage at 4 °C. CS-CEO exhibited enhanced in vitro antitumor activity (52 μg/mL) compared to CEO. The mechanism might be related to the up-regulation of Caspase-3 and AIF protein expression. In in vivo experiments, CS-CEO suppressed the growth of 4T1 breast cancer cells transplanted into mice, inhibited tumor cell proliferation, and induced apoptosis by reducing the expression of the Ki-67 protein. These results indicated that CEO encapsulated in chitosan had a higher physical stability and was also more effective against 4T1 breast tumor model, which can be used as a reference for the application of volatile oil components in traditional Chinese medicine.
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