Studies on Labisia pumila var. alata extract with phytoestrogenic effects: impact on biological activities and gene expression (original) (raw)
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Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2010
Aim of the study: New options are needed to prevent and treat metabolic disorders associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Labisia pumila var. alata (LPva)-a Malaysian herb thought to have phytoestrogenic effects-has shown promise in reducing body weight gain in ovariectomized rats. In this study, we investigated the effect of LPva on body composition and metabolic features in female rats treated continuously with dihydrotestosterone, starting before puberty, to induce PCOS. Material and methods: At 9 weeks of age, the PCOS rats were randomly subdivided into two groups; PCOS LPva and PCOS control. PCOS LPva rats received a daily oral dose of LPva (50 mg/kg body weight), dissolved in 1 ml of deionised water, for 4-5 weeks. PCOS controls received 1 ml of deionised water on the same schedule. Results: LPva increased uterine weight (27%) and insulin sensitivity (36%) measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Plasma resistin levels were increased and lipid profile was improved in LPva rats. In adipose tissue, LPva decreased leptin mRNA expression but did not affect expression of resistin and adiponectin. No effects on body composition, adipocyte size, or plasma leptin levels were observed. Conclusion: LPva increases uterine weight, indicating estrogenic effects, and improves insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in PCOS rats without affecting body composition.
Journal of natural medicines, 2012
We evaluated the effects of a standardized Labisia pumila var. alata (LPva) extract on body weight change, hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 (HSD11B1) expressions and corticosterone (CORT) level in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The decoction of LPva has been used for generations among Malay women in Malaysia to maintain a healthy reproductive system.Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley OVX rats were treated orally with LPva extract (10, 20 or 50 mg/kg/day) or estrogen replacement (ERT) for 30 days. Sham operated rats were used as controls. Compared to untreated OVX rats, LPva-treated rats showed less weight gain and had significantly down-regulated HSD11B1 mRNA in liver tissues. HSD11B1 mRNA in adipose tissues increased by 55% (p < 0.05) in OVX rats but normalized in rats treated with LPva. Similarly, there was significant down-regulation (p < 0.05) of protein levels of HSD11B1 in both liver and adipose tissue of LPva and ERT groups, and CORT levels were significantly reduced in both...
Phytoestrogenic property of Labisia pumila for use as an estrogen replacement therapy agent
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, 2012
Labisia pumila (LP), also known as Kacip Fatimah has been used by Malay women for generations for conditions related to menopausal symptoms. Though, there has been no scientific-based evidence for its efficacy as an estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), LP's use continues to be on the rise. This could be seen with increase in commercially available supplements which claims that taking the pills can help eliminate menopausal symptoms. To date, most researches only show us the difference in LP's effect on certain metabolic activities with that of non-treated or estrogen-treated. However, the mechanism which brought about such changes is still unknown. This is because the pathways which are affected by LP or the cross-talk with other estrogenic pathways are still unknown. Perhaps in future, these are areas in which research on LP could be focused on.
The Effect of Labisia pumila var. alata on Postmenopausal Women: A Pilot Study
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012
This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study comparing the effects of a water extract of Labisia pumila var. alata at 280 mg/day with placebo, given for 6 months in postmenopausal Malay women. There were 29 patients treated with Labisia pumila and 34 patients in the placebo group. Menopausal symptoms were assessed at baseline and at 6 months. The blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and hormonal profile (follicle stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone/estradiol) were measured during visits every two months. ANCOVA model analysis showed significantly lower triglycerides levels in LP subjects at 6 months after treatment as compared to placebo (1.4 versus 1.9 mmol/L; adj. mean difference 0.5, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.89 after adjusted for the baseline values, age, BMI, and duration of menopause placebo). Other parameters in both groups did not differ significantly. In conclusion, daily intake of Labisia pumila at 280 mg/day for six months was found to provide benefit in reducing the triglyceride (TG) values.
Efficacy and Safety of Labisia pumila var alata Water Extract Among Pre- and Postmenopausal Women
Journal of Medicinal Food, 2014
This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of Labisia pumila var alata (L. pumila) water extract for improving quality of life, cardiovascular and hormonal balance. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, 16-week study in healthy pre-and postmenopausal women aged 40-60 years was conducted in Kelantan, Malaysia. The subjects were randomized to 400 mg propriety extract of L. pumila or placebo. A Women's Health Questionnaire was used to assess quality of life. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the data. A total of 197 subjects (L. pumila: n = 102 and placebo: n = 95) were analyzed. Subjects in the herbal group showed improved memory/concentration, vasomotor symptoms, menstrual symptoms, and sleep problems by 8.3%, 15.9%, 11.8%, and 31.0%, respectively. The greatest improvement was observed for the question: ''I get frightened or panic feelings for apparently no reason at all'' with a 53% decrease as compared with placebo. Improvements were also seen in the cardiovascular parameters, and the safety profiles were normal. Postmenopausal women supplemented with L. pumila showed no changes in gynecological relevant hormones luteinizing hormone (LH), folliclestimulating hormone (FSH), and 17b-Estradiol. Water extract of L. pumila was shown to be safe and effective for improving several parameters of quality of life and cardiovascular risks factors (total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]).
Labisia pumila var. alata (Kacip Fatimah) from Primulaceae family is a medicinal herb that traditionally used by pregnant women especially before and after delivery process. Based on the claimed, a research need to be carried out to study the function of L. pumila with uterine contractility activity. Therefore this study is conducted with the main objective to select high yielding accessions of L. pumila based on the contractility activity of uterus rats. A total of 30 accessions of L. pumila with high total phenolic content (TPC) selected from previous research were used as research materials in this study. The rats were pretreated with diethylstilbestrol to induce the estrus phase. The uterine were connected to the power lab apparatus. The 30 accessions of L. pumila extracts were injected into the organ bath with the concentration between 1.5 µg/ml to 3519.5 µg/ml, separately. As a results, four accessions were identified for having higher contraction activity compared to the othe...
Advances in Pharmacological Sciences, 2013
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates lipid and glucose metabolism. We investigated the effects of Labisia pumila (LP) standardized water extract on PPARgamma transcriptional activity in adipocytes in vitro and in vivo. We used a rat model of dihydrotestosterone-(DHT-) induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition characterized by insulin resistance. At 9 weeks of age, the PCOS rats were randomly subdivided into two groups: PCOS-LP (50 mg/kg/day of LP) and PCOS-control (1 mL of deionised water) for 4-5 weeks on the same schedule. Realtime RT-PCR was performed to determine the PPARgamma mRNA levels. LP upregulated PPARgamma mRNA level by 40% in the PCOS rats. Western blot analysis further demonstrated the increased PPARgamma protein levels in parallel with upregulation in mRNA. These observations were further proven by adipocytes culture. Differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were treated with final concentration of 100 g/mL LP and compared to untreated control and 10 M of rosiglitazone (in type of thiazolidinediones). LP increased PPARgamma expressions at both mRNA and protein levels and enhanced the effect of glucose uptake in the insulinresistant cells. The data suggest that LP may ameliorate insulin resistance in adipocytes via the upregulation of PPARgamma pathway.
The Benefits of Labisia Pumila for Women: A Literature Review
2019
Objective : Traditionally, Labisia Pumila plant decoction was consumed for labor induction but, there is not enough scientific evidence about its safety. although many studies have explained the benefits of labisia pumila for the life cycle of women. For this reason, understanding the possible benefits of Labisia Pumila in the scientific life cycle of women's evidence is very important. In this review, the author will discuss various studies that can explain the benefits of labisia pumila in a woman's life cycle Method : The author searches databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL to find out potential studies that meet the requirements. The keywords used include: ‘Labisia pumila 'OR' labisia pumila and woman abis labisia pumila and its benefits’ OR ‘kacip fatimah’ OR ‘rumput fatimah’. This search was conducted from February to March 2019. Result: 12 articles were included and reported the benefits of Labisia Pumila reported consisting of phenolic compounds, fl...
Labisia pumila: A Review on its Traditional, Phytochemical and Biological Uses
Labisia pumila is traditionally used by Malay woman to maintain healthy female reproductive function and as postpartum medicine. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that Labisia pumila exerts a wide range of biological activities such as phytoestrogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-aging, anti-microbial and anti-carcinogenic activities. These biological activities are related to the presence of the bioactive phytochemical constituents comprising of phenolic, flavonoid and other antioxidant compounds. In addition, saponin, alkenyl compounds and benzoquinone derivatives are also present and these compounds are known to be linked with useful biological activities. In this article, we carried out a critical review on the current knowledge on the traditional usage, phytochemical constituents and biological activities of Labisia pumila.