The herbal extract ALS-L1023 from Melissa officinalis reduces weight gain, elevated glucose levels and β-cell loss in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats. (10th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shin, Yujin; Lee, Dongju; Ahn, Jiwon; Lee, Mijeong; Shin, Soon Shik; Yoon, Michung
• Is Part Of: Journal of ethnopharmacology. Volume 264(2020)
• Publication Date: 2021-01-10
• Subjects: Melissa officinalis -- Lemon balm -- Obesity -- Diabetes -- OLETF rat -- Ectopic lipid -- Pancreatic inflammation; Ethnopharmacology -- Periodicals; Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Herbs -- Periodicals; Herbs -- Periodicals; Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Pharmacognosie -- Périodiques; Herbes -- Périodiques; 615.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113360
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0378-8741

Abstract

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Melissa officinalis L. (Labiatae; lemon balm) is a traditional medicinal plant with hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects; however, how it imparts its beneficial effects remains unclear. We thus hypothesized that the herbal extract ALS-L1023, isolated from Melissa officinalis, inhibits obesity and diabetes, and tested our hypothesis using Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats, which are an established animal model of type 2 diabetes. Materials and methods: In this study, 28-week-old OLETF rats were fed a high-fat diet for 4 weeks to induce a marked impairment of the insulin response and were treated with or without ALS-L1023. Subsequently, the variables and determinants of glucose metabolism and pancreatic function were assessed via blood analysis, histology, immunohistochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The administration of ALS-L1023 resulted in a weight reduction without changes in food intake. It also markedly inhibited hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia, and restored β-cell mass that was severely impaired in OLETF rats. There was a decrease in lipid accumulation in the liver and skeletal muscle of the obese rats after treatment with ALS-L1023. Concomitantly, there was an increase in the expression levels of fatty acid-oxidizing enzymes (AMPKα2, ACOX, MCAD, and VLCAD) in the liver and skeletal muscle after ALS-L1023 treatment. Furthermore, ALS-L1023 attenuated the pancreatic inflammation including the infiltration of CD68-positive macrophages and mast cells, in addition to attenuating the expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6 and CD68). Conclusions: These results suggest that treatment with ALS-L1023 may reduce weight gain, elevated glucose levels, and β-cell loss, by changing the expression of fatty acid-oxidizing enzymes in the liver and skeletal muscle, including inflammatory factors in the pancreas. These findings indicate that ALS-L1023 may be an effective therapeutic strategy to treat human obesity and type 2 diabetes. Graphical abstract: Image 1