Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf extract increases insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Objective: To examine the effect of Pandanus amaryllifolius(P. amaryllifolius) leaf extract on the insulin resistance state in obese ICR mice.Methods: Obesity was induced in mice fed with high-fat diet(45% fat) for 12 weeks. After the first six weeks on the diet, the obese mice were administered with the water extract of P. amaryllifolius leaf at 125 and 250 mg/kg/day, respectively for another six weeks. At the5 th week of treatment, oral glucose tolerance test was conducted. After six weeks of treatment, the levels of blood glucose, serum insulin, leptin, adiponectin, and lipid profiles were determined. The liver, muscle and epididymal fat tissues were removed for measuring the biochemical parameters and protein expression, as well as histological examination.Results: Six weeks of treatment with P. amaryllifolius led to a significant reduction in the blood glucose level as well as improvement in the insulin resistance. P. amaryllifolius also increased the liver glycogen storage and serum adiponectin and decreased the serum leptin levels. A reduction in the serum and hepatic triglyceride, and non-esterified fatty acid levels was also observed. The histological examination showed that the obese mice treated with P. amaryllifolius reduced the lipid droplet in liver tissue and adipocyte size in epididymal fat tissue. The treatment also increased the protein expression of glucose transporter 4 in the muscle and fat tissues.Conclusions: The treatment with P. amaryllifolius could decrease several parameters of impaired glucose and lipid metabolism. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the role of P. amaryllifolius leaf extract in alleviating the insulin dysfunction in obesity state.

Pandanus amaryllifoliusleaf extract improves insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf in high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance in mice model.METHODS To induce obesity,male ICR mice were fed with a high-fat diet(45%fat)for six weeks.The mice were divided into four groups(n=8):non-obese control mice were treated with 5% gum arabic and obese mice were treated with Pandanus amaryllifolius(125and 250mg·kg-1·d-1),or 5% gum arabic.After six weeks of treatments,the fasting blood glucose,serum insulin,OGTT and fat cell protein expression of glucose transporter 4(GLUT4)were determined.RESULTS Administration of Pandanus amaryllifolius showed significantly(P<0.05)reduced the high blood glucose,inhibited the abnormal increase in blood glucose level during OGTT,and decreased the high level of serum insulin.Moreover,it is interesting that the protein expression of GLUT4 was effectively increased by Pandanus amaryllifolius.CONCLUSION These findings demonstrate that the extract from Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf possesses antihyperglycemic action in obese mice by improving insulin sensitivity and stimulating GLUT4 expression in adipose tissue.

Curvularin and Dehydrocurvularin as Phytotoxic Constituents from Curvularia intermedia Infecting Pandanus amaryllifolius

Microbes are good sources of biologically active compounds that can be used as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. As part of our continuous efforts in search for biopesticides from natural sources, a fungus is isolated from leaves of Pandanus amaryllifolius that shows severe necrosis. This fungus is cultured in potato dextrose agar and identified as Curvularia intermedia. The ethyl acetate extract of the liquid culture medium is phytotoxic. Identification and bioassay of αβ-dehydrocurvularin (1) and curvularin (2) from this fungus are described. Monoacetyldehydrocurvularin (3), and diacetyldehydrocurvularin (4) are synthesized from 1. Phytoxicity rankings in a variety of bioassays are 1 > 2 > 4 > 3.

Remediation of nutrient-rich waters using the terrestrial plant, Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.

Effective control of eutrophication is generally established through the reduction of nutrient loading into waterways and water bodies. An economically viable and ecologically sustainable approach to nutrient pollution control could involve the integration of retention ponds, wetlands and greenways into water management systems. Plants not only play an invaluable role in the assimilation and removal of nutrients, but they also support fauna richness and can be aesthetically pleasing. Pandanus amaryllifolius, a tropical terrestrial plant, was found to establish well in hydrophytic conditions and was highly effective in remediating high nutrient levels in an aquatic environment showing 100% removal of NO^-N up to 200 mg/L in 14 days. Phosphate uptake by the plant was less efficient with 64% of the PO4-P removed at the maximum concentration of 100 mg/L at the end of 6 weeks. With its high NO^-N and PO43--P removal efficiency, P. amaryllifolius depleted the nutrient-rich media and markedly contained the natural colonization of algae. The impediment of algal growth led to improvements in the water quality with significant decreases in turbidity, pH and electrical conductivity. In addition, the plants did not show stress symptoms when grown in high nutrient levels as shown by the changes in their biomass, total soluble proteins and chlorophyll accumulation as well as photochemical efficiency. Thus, P. amaryUifolius is a potential candidate for the mitigation of nutrient pollution in phytoremediation systems in the tropics as the plant requires low maintenance, is tolerant to the natural variability of weather conditions and fluctuating hydro-periods, and exhibit good nutrient removal capabilities.