Evaluation of Ugni molinae extracts and triterpenoids on the accumulation of triglycerides in adipocytes

C Delporte1, L Goity1, F Ibáñez2, L Cisneros-Zevallos2. 1University of Chile, Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 233, Santiago 1, Chile, Chile, 2Texas A&M University, Department of Horticultural Sciences, College Station, TX, USA

Ugni molinae Turcz, Myrtaceace, is a wild growing and abundant autochthonous shrub, found from the VII Region to the X Region of Chile, mainly known for its edible fruits. According to popular medicine its leaves have diverse properties such as aromatic, astringent, stimulating, soothing of urinary tract pains, etc. The leaves are used by the dermocosmetic industry as skin regenerator and oxidative stress neutralizer.

Previously carried out studies in our laboratory showed that the leaves of this species are a rich source of pentacyclic triterpenoids derived from the cores ursane, oleanane and lupane, which have been proved – by literature and laboratory studies - to have analgesic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties.

The effect of the obtained extracts on the accumulation of triglycerides in adipocytes 3T3-L1 was evaluated at concentrations of 10 μg/mL and 10 μM respectively. The evaluated extracts were ethyl acetate (EAE) and a triterpenoids-rich subextract (SAE), obtained from an ethanolic serial extract (EET). Furthermore, in this model the main triterpenoids contents were evaluated in said extracts. The amount of triglycerides was determined by the colorimetric method AdipoRed (Lonza, Switzerland) on the cellular culture. The statystical analysis was carried out by ANOVA and the multiple comparisons test of Tukey.

A significant reduction of triglycerides accumulation versus the control group of the extracts and the triterpenoids was observed.

These results, along what is already proven by some of the U. molinae extracts, as is the inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase a, enzyme that regulates glycemia in vivo, has many possible future projections in the use of the leaves of this species against insulin resistance.

This research was financed by Project FONDECYT: Nº 1100750