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Background: Insulin resistance, defined as a diminished ability to respond to the stimulation of insulin, is the main line for a variety of metabolic-related diseases. Punicalagin (PU), a hydrolyzable tannin of pomegranate juice, exhibits multiple biological properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities.
Objective: This research study aimed at determining the protective effect of PU on insulin resistance and to uncover the underlying mechanism based on the gut microbiota, IKKβ/NF-κB pathway, and autophagy.
Design: An insulin resistance animal model was established using C57BL/6 mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. The model included two groups continuing a HFD for 12 weeks with or without administering via gavage with PU 20 mg/kg/day. Changes in fasting plasma glucose levels, fasting serum insulin levels, glucose and insulin tolerance, glycolipid metabolism, gut microbiota composition (16S rRNA gene sequencing), inflammatory responses, and autophagy in the liver were evaluated. Body weight gain, glycolipid metabolic disorder, liver injury, as well as systemic and hepatic insulin sensitivity, were significantly attenuated after supplementing with PU.
Results: This research study revealed that PU alleviated HFD-induced glucose and lipid disorders, liver injury and insulin resistance; decreased the ratio, decreased the abundance of and and increased ; and decreased serum and liver tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1β levels, inhibited liver IKKβ and NF-κB phosphorylation; and increased liver autophagy-related proteins LC3-II, P62, and Beclin1, and increased the number of liver autophagosomes.
Conclusion: PU can improve HFD-induced insulin resistance, improved liver glucose and lipid metabolism disorder and liver injury, and the potential mechanism is that PU inhibited the IKKβ/NF-κB inflammatory pathway by regulating gut microbiota homeostasis and up-regulating liver autophagy activity.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v65.5689 | DOI Listing |
Clin Oral Investig
September 2025
Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technology Sciences, SIMATS, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Objectives: This study aims to assess periodontal and biochemical parameters and evaluate the salivary Protectin D1 levels in periodontitis patients with and without metabolic syndrome after non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Materials And Methods: Forty patients were categorized into two groups: 20 patients in Group P (systemically healthy patients with stage II/III grade B periodontitis) and 20 patients in Group P+MS (patients with stage II/III grade B periodontitis and metabolic syndrome). Parameters including age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, socio-economic status, oral hygiene index (OHI), modified gingival index (MGI), probing pocket depth, clinical attachment levels, fasting blood glucose, HDL-c, total triglycerides, and blood pressure were recorded.
BMC Microbiol
September 2025
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Background: A plant-focused, healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet enriched with dietary fiber, polyphenols, and polyunsaturated fats, is well known to positively influence the gut microbiota. Conversely, a processed diet high in saturated fats and sugars negatively impacts gut diversity, potentially leading to weight gain, insulin resistance, and chronic, low-grade inflammation. Despite this understanding, the mechanisms by which the Mediterranean diet impacts the gut microbiota and its associated health benefits remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDrug Deliv Transl Res
September 2025
Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar, Pilani, Rajasthan, 333031, India.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder of increasing global concern. Characterized by constantly elevated levels of glucose, severe β-cell dysfunction, and insulin resistance, it is the cause of a major burden on patients if not managed with therapeutic and lifestyle changes. The human body is slowly developing tolerance to many marketed antidiabetic drugs and the quest for the discovery of newer molecules continues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Nutr
September 2025
School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of The Gambia, Banjul, The Gambia; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 440 Jiyan Road, Jinan, Shandong 250
Background: Red and processed meat consumption is extensively linked to chronic disease risk in observational studies, with robust meta-analyses demonstrating significant positive associations for colorectal, breast, endometrial, and lung cancers, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality. Dose-response relationships indicate elevated risks even at moderate intakes. Moreover, processed meats consistently show stronger detrimental effects than unprocessed red meats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Cell Endocrinol
September 2025
Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Electronic address:
Steroid hormones are integral to pregnancy and fetal development, regulating processes such as metabolism, inflammation, and immune responses. Excessive prenatal steroid exposure, through lifestyle choices or environmental chemicals, can lead to metabolic dysfunctions in offspring. The research focuses on how exposure to testosterone (T) and bisphenol A (BPA) affects the liver's DNA methylome, a key component of the epigenome influencing long-term health.
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