A BLACK PEPPER EXTRACT INDUCES ANTIOBESOGENIC AND ANTIDIABETIC EFFECTS IN IN VITRO CELL MODELS

Plants are a relevant source of health-promoting compounds and bioactive molecules and in the last decades there has been a growing interest toward plant-derived pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and functional foods. Recently, b-caryophyllene (BCP), a sesquiterpene present in various plant essential oils, has attracted increasing attention because of its several biological activities. Among them, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and neuroprotective properties1 are possibly due to the selective interaction with the peripherally expressed cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), whose activation is notably devoid of the cannabinoids psychotropic effects mediated by the CB1 receptor. Importantly, BCP has also been demonstrated to directly activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a (PPARa)2, involved in liver lipid metabolism, and to trigger the activation of PPAR 3, involved in adipogenesis. Giving the growing scientific interest in BCP, the aim of our study was to investigate the metabolic effects of a black pepper extract (PipeNig®), containing 80% b-caryophyllene. In particular, we focused on its potential antiobesogenic and antidiabetic activities in three in vitro cell models: 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, C2C12 myotubes and HepG2 hepatocytes. Our preliminary results show that PipeNig® reduces 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation. Moreover, acute exposure of C2C12 myotubes with different concentrations of PipeNig® improves glucose uptake activity. The HepG2 hepatocyte steatosis model allowed us to evaluate the ability of PipeNig® to interfere with free fatty acids-induced steatosis. Altogether, our study indicates that 3T3-L1, C2C12 and HepG2 can be useful in vitro models to study adipogenesis and glucose uptake, in physiological conditions, and obesity, diabetes and steatosis in pathological contexts. Moreover, it highlights novel and interesting properties of b-caryophyllene, suggesting potential applications in the prevention of metabolic diseases. References 1. Machado KDC, et al. Phytother Res 2018;32:2376-88 2.Wu C, et al. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2014;24:3168-74 3. Gertsch j, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2008;105:9099-104