https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6798-8741
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ABSTRACT
Obesity-related health problems are worsening in various societies worldwide. Artemisia anuua L. (AA) has distinctive health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and insulin-sensitizing properties. Nanoformulation of herbal extracts is a new approach to enhance the bioavailability of natural products. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of AA extract, either the conventional extract (AAE) or its nano-form (AAEN), in modulating obesity-related metabolic complications in hypercaloric (high-fat/high-sucrose) diet-induced obese rats. Forty-eight rats were divided into two groups fed either a basal or hypercaloric diet for twelve weeks. Starting from the eighth week, each main group was subdivided into three subgroups and treated orally with either saline, AAE, or AAEN until the end of the experiment. Both AAE and AAEN exerted antiadipogenic effects. They reduced body weight and epididymal fat, mitigated dyslipidemia, improved glucose utilization and insulin resistance, reduced hyperleptinemia, increased serum adiponectin, and decreased oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. These results were mediated by regulating SIRT-1, PGC-1α, SREBP-1, PPAR-γ, FAS, LPL, IRS 1, and GLUT4 gene expression, suggesting an effect of AA on de novo lipogenesis and glucose utilization. The AAEN produced more expressive ameliorating effects than the conventional extract. AAE administration ameliorated the obesity-associated metabolic complications induced by feeding a hypercaloric diet, implying that this extract may be used as a complementary treatment option for obesity and its metabolic consequences. The antiadipogenic effectiveness of AAE was enhanced by its nanoformulation, suggesting that the nanoparticle system can be applied to boost other herbal medicine effectiveness.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Abbreviations
| AA | = | Artemisia anuua L. |
| AAE | = | Artemisia anuua L. extract |
| AAEN | = | Artemisia anuua L. extract nanoparticles |
| ALP | = | Alkaline phosphatase |
| ALT | = | Alanine transaminase |
| AST | = | Aspartate transaminase |
| BET | = | Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller |
| FAS | = | Fatty acid synthase |
| HDL | = | High-density lipoprotein |
| HF/HS | = | High-fat/high-sucrose |
| GLUT4 | = | Glucose transporter protein type 4 |
| IFN-γ | = | Interferon-γ |
| HOMA-IR | = | Homeostasis model assessment |
| iNOS | = | Inducible nitric oxide synthase |
| IL-1β | = | Interleukin-1β |
| LDL | = | Low-density lipoprotein |
| IRS 1 | = | Insulin receptor substrate 1 |
| MetS | = | Metabolic syndrome |
| LPL | = | Lipoprotein lipase |
| Nrf2 | = | Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 |
| NF-κB | = | Nuclear factor kappa |
| PGC-1α | = | Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1- α |
| OB R | = | Leptin receptor |
| qPCR | = | Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction |
| PPAR-γ | = | Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors- γ |
| SIRT-1 | = | Sirtuin 1 |
| SEM | = | Scanning Electronic Microscope |
| SREBP-1 | = | Sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 |
| SOD | = | Superoxide dismutase |
| STZ | = | Streptozotocin |
| T2DM | = | Type 2 diabetes |
| TC | = | Total cholesterol |
| TAG | = | Triacylglycerol |
| TNF-⍺ | = | Tumor necrosis factor-α |
| TEM | = | Transmission Electronic Microscope |
| XRD | = | X-ray diffraction |
| VLDL | = | Very low-density lipoprotein |
Acknowledgements
The authors express their gratitude for the technical support from the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. We also thank the Faculty of Nanotechnology for Postgraduate Studies, Cairo University, for technical help in preparing and characterizing the extract nanoparticles.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Authors’ contributions
MMM: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing-original draft, Validation, Writing-review. EAKM: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology. LAR: Methodology, Writing-original draft. KAA: Methodology, Writing-original draft. SHI: Methodology Writing-original draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Availability of data and materials
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.
Ethics approval
All methods in the current research were approved by the Ethics Committee in Women’s College, Ain Shams University, Egypt (approval No. sci1532309001).