6-Acetyl-2,2-Dimethylchroman-4-One Isolated from Artemisia princeps Suppresses Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells via Activation of AMPK

Obesity is a world-wide health concern with increasing mortality and morbidity rates. Development of novel therapeutic agents for obesity from phytochemicals may lead to the effective prevention and control of obesity and obesity-related complications. 6-acetyl-2,2-dimethylchroman-4-one (1) was isolated from a dietary plant, Artemisia princeps. The antiobesity effect of compound 1 was determined in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBM-MSCs) induced to differentiate into adipocytes. Treatment with compound 1 resulted in decreased lipid accumulation and expression of key adipogenic markers, proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-alpha, and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1. It was also shown that compound 1 downregulated the adipogenesis-induced p38 and JNK MAPK activation, while upregulating adipogenesis inhibitory beta-catenin-dependent Wnt10b pathway. Compound 1 was also able to stimulate adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, which was suggested to be the underlying mechanism that resulted in inhibition of adipogenesis in hBM-MSCs. In conclusion, 6-acetyl-2,2-dimethylchroman-4-one was identified as a bioactive constituent of A. princeps that exerts antiobesity properties via suppressing adipocyte formation.