Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (Family: Lamiaceae) has long been associated as a herbal for treating tumours, inflammation and as an antioxidant. One of the key components is cryptotanshinone (CT), a major tanshinone which may be responsible for many of the pharmacological activities responsible.
In a recent study conducted at the College of Medicine in the Soonchunhyang University of Cheonan in Korea, the in vitro effects of cryptotanshinone on fat accumulation were analysed in an anti-adipogenic study with the mechanisms which cause such an effect assessed in mouse (murine) pre-adipocyte cells. The pre-adipocyte cells form fully matured fat cells (adipocytes) for storage of fats and the compound simply blocks this transition. It appears CT blocks expression of certain communication factors called C/EBPβ, C/EBPα, (both CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins) and PPARγ (peroxisome proliferation-activity receptor γ)and represses certain genes such as aP2 (adipocyte protein), adiponectin, and GLUT4 (glucose transporter type 4). Cryptotanshinone also appears to activate some genes associated with the inactivation of adipocytes such as GATA2 (GATA-binding protein 2), CHOP10 (C/EBP-homologous protein 10), and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor α). The other intriguing activity is its interaction with STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) which is normally responsible for promoting adipogenesis but which is halted by such suppression.
Rahman, N., Jeon, M., Song, H-Y., Kim, Y-S. (2016) Cryptotanshinone, a compound of Salvia miltiorrhiza inhibits pre-adipocytes differentiation by regulation of adipogenesis-related genes expression via STAT3 signaling. Phytomedicine 23(1) pp. 58-67 doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2015.12.004
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