Dietary vegetable Sarcochlamys pulcherrima Gaud. And its bioactive compound myricitrin promotes white adipose browning in obese models via AMPK/SIRT1/UCP1 upregulation

Obesity, a worldwide epidemic, is a metabolic disturbance marked by acute adipose inflammation in the body due to accumulation of surplus nutrients. The aim of the study is to inverse the pathological development of obesity through conversion of WAT to brown AT by employing the traditionally acclaimed fat reducing efficacy of Sarcochlamys pulcherrima Gaud. (SP), a leafy dietary vegetable, and its isolated bioactive compound Myricitrin (MR). The study was carried out using 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HF diet C57BL/6 mice treated with SPEF (SP enriched fraction) and MR. Accumulation of triglycerides, lipids and ROS were checked along with mitochondrial biogenesis. Immunoblotting for AMPK dependent mitochondrial biogenesis, browning markers, lipogenic and inflammatory proteins were checked aided by in silico analysis. Histopathological analysis of the adipose tissue was supported with immunoblotting techniques. Treatment with MR significantly reduced the triglyceride, lipid and ROS levels with elevated mitochondrial biogenesis. MR also upregulates AMPK/SIRT1 dependent browning markers: UCP1 and PRDM16 and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines with reduced lipogenesis. Administration of SPEF 150 and 300 mg/kg b.w for 6 weeks on HF diet mice showed significant reduction in body weight, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Histology of adipose tissue showed brown AT depots in the treated group. In silico analysis showed the activation of SIRT1 substrate with MR leading to changes in adipose tissue morphology. The overall WAT browning efficacy of S. pulcherrima and its isolated bioactive compound MR was demonstrated in the present study. Further scientific substantiations can be carried out for the development of nature-based anti-obesogenic drugs.