Very interesting in that it is a pentacyclic triterpenoid molecule that shares its scaffold versatility features with several other scaffold series, much like catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate which are variations on a theme.
A must read paper on Maslinic Acid.
Importantly, it must be understood that this is NOT olive oil or olive pomace oil, but a compound in olive pomace (skin wax) oil to be very specific. As with all medicine, delivery vehicle, oral bioavailability, Cmax, and pharmacokinetics must be considered before declaring it a feasible therapeutic. It seems good here, and more studies are warranted.
"1: Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Nov;30(11):2075-8.
Maslinic acid reduces blood glucose in KK-Ay mice.
Liu J, Sun H, Duan W, Mu D, Zhang L.
National Drug Screening Center, China Pharmaceutical University, 1 Shennonglu,
Nanjing, China.
In the present study, we have examined the hypoglycemic effect of maslinic acid (MA) in KK-A(y) mice, an animal model of genetic type-2 diabetes. MA (10 mg/kg body wt) reduced the blood glucose levels in KK-A(y) mice at 4 h after a single oral dose. KK-A(y) mice receiving MA at daily dosages of 10 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg for 2 weeks showed a significant reduction in the blood glucose levels. Furthermore, the results also showed that MA might modulate glucose metabolism partially through reducing insulin resistance in KK-A(y) mice. Taken together, MA may hold great promise as a natural therapeutic agent for treatment of type 2 diabetes.
PMID: 17978478 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Bone Anabolism from Dried Plum
Osteoporos Int. 2007 Jul;18(7):931-42. Epub 2007 Feb 15.
Comparison of dried plum supplementation and intermittent PTH in restoring bone
in osteopenic orchidectomized rats.
Bu SY, Lucas EA, Franklin M, Marlow D, Brackett DJ, Boldrin EA, Devareddy L,
Arjmandi BH, Smith BJ.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Environmental Science,
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
SUMMARY: Bone loss was confirmed after 90 days in 50 6-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats that were sham-operated or orchidectomized (ORX). In this study, we have shown that dried plum (DP) has potent effects on bone in terms of bone mass, microarchitecture, and strength in osteopenic male rats. Although these changes may be mediated through the suppression of bone resorption, the fact that the restoration in some of the bone structural and biomechanical parameter shares some similarities with parathyroid hormone (PTH) should not be overlooked. Further investigation is needed on a mechanistic level to clarify the influence of DP on bone metabolism. INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to investigate the extent to which DP reverses bone loss in osteopenic ORX rats and to compare its effects to PTH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty, 6-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats were sham-operated or ORX, and bone loss was confirmed after 90 days. The ORX groups were assigned to control (AIN-93M) diet, 25% DP diet, or PTH (80 microg/kg) for 90 days. RESULTS: DP induced an 11% increase in vertebral and femoral BMD compared to ORX-controls. BMD in the PTH-treated group was increased by 20.7% (vertebra) and 17.9% (femur). Vertebral trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) and number were increased by DP and trabecular separation was decreased compared to controls, which were similar to PTH. Alterations in trabecular bone of the femur were similar to those in the vertebra, but DP did not restore BV/TV to the same extent. Cortical thickness was improved by DP and further enhanced by PTH. DP tended to decrease urinary deoxypyridinoline and calcium, but did not alter alkaline phosphatase or osteocalcin. CONCLUSION: We conclude that though the degree of improvement was not equivalent to PTH with regard to all parameters, DP reverses bone loss due to ORX and the mechanisms should be further investigated.
PMID: 17554580 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Jan-Feb;11(1):61-8.
Dried plums improve indices of bone formation in postmenopausal women.
Arjmandi BH, Khalil DA, Lucas EA, Georgis A, Stoecker BJ, Hardin C, Payton ME,
Wild RA.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma 74078-6141, USA.
Menopause drastically increases the risk of osteoporosis. Aside from drug therapy, lifestyle and nutritional factors play an important role in the maintenance of skeletal health. Our recent findings suggest that dried plums, a rich source of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, are highly effective in modulating bone mass in an ovarian hormone-deficient rat model of osteoporosis. The objective of this study was to examine whether the addition of dried plums to the diets of postmenopausal women positively influences markers of bone turnover. Fifty-eight postmenopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were randomly assigned to consume either 100 g dried plums or 75 g dried apples daily for 3 months. Both dried fruit regimens provided similar amount of calories, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber. Serum and urinary biochemical markers of bone status were assessed before and after treatment. In comparison with corresponding baseline values, only dried plums significantly increased serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase(BSAP) activity. Higher levels of both serum IGF-I and BSAP are associated with greater rates of bone formation. Serum and urinary markers of bone resorption, however, were not affected by either dietary regimen. The results of this study suggest that dried plums may exert positive effects on bone in postmenopausal women. Longer duration studies are needed to confirm the beneficial effects of dried plum on bone mineral density (BMD) and the skeletal health of postmenopausal women.
PMID: 11860726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Comparison of dried plum supplementation and intermittent PTH in restoring bone
in osteopenic orchidectomized rats.
Bu SY, Lucas EA, Franklin M, Marlow D, Brackett DJ, Boldrin EA, Devareddy L,
Arjmandi BH, Smith BJ.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Environmental Science,
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
SUMMARY: Bone loss was confirmed after 90 days in 50 6-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats that were sham-operated or orchidectomized (ORX). In this study, we have shown that dried plum (DP) has potent effects on bone in terms of bone mass, microarchitecture, and strength in osteopenic male rats. Although these changes may be mediated through the suppression of bone resorption, the fact that the restoration in some of the bone structural and biomechanical parameter shares some similarities with parathyroid hormone (PTH) should not be overlooked. Further investigation is needed on a mechanistic level to clarify the influence of DP on bone metabolism. INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to investigate the extent to which DP reverses bone loss in osteopenic ORX rats and to compare its effects to PTH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty, 6-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats were sham-operated or ORX, and bone loss was confirmed after 90 days. The ORX groups were assigned to control (AIN-93M) diet, 25% DP diet, or PTH (80 microg/kg) for 90 days. RESULTS: DP induced an 11% increase in vertebral and femoral BMD compared to ORX-controls. BMD in the PTH-treated group was increased by 20.7% (vertebra) and 17.9% (femur). Vertebral trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) and number were increased by DP and trabecular separation was decreased compared to controls, which were similar to PTH. Alterations in trabecular bone of the femur were similar to those in the vertebra, but DP did not restore BV/TV to the same extent. Cortical thickness was improved by DP and further enhanced by PTH. DP tended to decrease urinary deoxypyridinoline and calcium, but did not alter alkaline phosphatase or osteocalcin. CONCLUSION: We conclude that though the degree of improvement was not equivalent to PTH with regard to all parameters, DP reverses bone loss due to ORX and the mechanisms should be further investigated.
PMID: 17554580 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Jan-Feb;11(1):61-8.
Dried plums improve indices of bone formation in postmenopausal women.
Arjmandi BH, Khalil DA, Lucas EA, Georgis A, Stoecker BJ, Hardin C, Payton ME,
Wild RA.
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater,
Oklahoma 74078-6141, USA.
Menopause drastically increases the risk of osteoporosis. Aside from drug therapy, lifestyle and nutritional factors play an important role in the maintenance of skeletal health. Our recent findings suggest that dried plums, a rich source of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, are highly effective in modulating bone mass in an ovarian hormone-deficient rat model of osteoporosis. The objective of this study was to examine whether the addition of dried plums to the diets of postmenopausal women positively influences markers of bone turnover. Fifty-eight postmenopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were randomly assigned to consume either 100 g dried plums or 75 g dried apples daily for 3 months. Both dried fruit regimens provided similar amount of calories, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber. Serum and urinary biochemical markers of bone status were assessed before and after treatment. In comparison with corresponding baseline values, only dried plums significantly increased serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase(BSAP) activity. Higher levels of both serum IGF-I and BSAP are associated with greater rates of bone formation. Serum and urinary markers of bone resorption, however, were not affected by either dietary regimen. The results of this study suggest that dried plums may exert positive effects on bone in postmenopausal women. Longer duration studies are needed to confirm the beneficial effects of dried plum on bone mineral density (BMD) and the skeletal health of postmenopausal women.
PMID: 11860726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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