Effect of Uncaria tomentosa in accumulation of intracellular fat in HepG2 cells induced with oleic and / or palmitic fatty acids

• Grant number: 17/25080-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2018
• End date: April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Carla Roberta de Oliveira Carvalho
• Grantee: Amanda Monteiro Sampaio da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity and overweight are major risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and some types of cancers. With the progression of overweight to obesity there is an aseptic inflammatory condition starting up on white adipose tissue. In this regard, there is activation of JNK/IKK² intracellular pathways, which in turn can induce serine phosphoryation of the major insulin receptor substrate, the IRS-1, that triggers insulin resistance. Another mechanistic factor associated to obesity and insulin resistance is the gut dysbiosis.Data provided by the World Health Organization show there are 1.9 billion (about 39% of people older than 18 years) overweight (BMI> 24.9) or obese (BMI> 29.9), of these 13% (600 million) with obesity in 2014. In addition, obesity has also increased among children, particularly in the population of children under 5 years of age had that year, 41 million overweight. Despite much scientific research and publications on the cellular mechanisms related to the genesis and maintenance of obesity and comorbidities, pharmacological treatments approved for use by the FDA as orlistat, lorcaserin, phentermine-topiramate, rimonabant and sibutramine / meridia has important side effects limit their use. Among these effects are esophageal reflux disease, hypertension, constipation, headache, dry mouth, heart disease, depression, nausea, liver failure, insomnia, cognitive and psychiatric effects and even lethal effects. The option of bariatric surgery has risks of surgery and the high cost.The Ministry of Health in Brazil has a program called the National Program of Medicinal Plants and Herbal Medicines, approved by Decree number 5813 of June 22, 2006. Between its aims there are the expansion of treatment options to be offered to the users of the Unified Health System (SUS), including the herbal medicines. To support the previous mentioned National Program there are two lists of herbal medicine published: the RENISUS (National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to SUS), and the RENAFITO (National List of Medicinal Plants and Herbal medicines). The latest update of RENAFITO was released in november/2015, containing 71 names of medicinal plants of interest to the SUS. Uncaria tomentosa was one of this uptated list. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the effect of Uncaria tomentosa, which is identified due to its anti-inflammatory action, on steatosis hepatic induction in hepatoma cell line HEPG2, treated with palmitic and/or oleic fatty acids.