Aim To investigate the effects of cajanonic acid A (CAA) on lipid metabolism in murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Methods 3T3-L1 cells induced to differ-entiated into mature adipocytes were treated with CAA in different dosages for 48 h, then total lipids as well as triglyceride, free fatty acid and glycerol were meas-ured. The expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism were quantitatively analyzed by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymearase chain reaction ( RTFQ-PCR) . Results Total lipids and triglyceride in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were markedly reduced by CAA. The release of free fatty acid and glycerol was lower than that of control. This coincided with decreased mRNA levels of the key enzymes involved in de novo lipogenesis ( acetyl CoA carboxylase and fatty acid syn-thase) , fatty acid uptake ( lipoprotein lipase) , and li-polysis ( hormone sensitive lipase and adipose triglycer-ide lipase ) . While the expression of fatty acid oxida-tive genes including acyl CoA oxidase and carnitine palmitoyl transferase1 was increased after CAA treat-ment. Conclusion CAA may inhibit lipogenesis and lipolysis,reduce circulating free fatty acid and improve the lipid metabolism in adipocytes by regulating gene expressions.

To study the triterpenoids and triterpenoid saponins of Viscum liquidambaricolum further, chemical constituents were isolated from the title plant by various chromatographic methods such as silica gel and ODS medium pressure column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, et al. Their structures were elucidated by physiochemical properties and spectral analysis. Eight triterpenoids and triterpenoid saponins were isolated and identified as myricadiol(1), maslinic acid(2), 2alpha, 3beta, 23-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid(3), oleanolic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside-6'-O-methyl ester(4), oleanolic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucuropyranoside(5), oleanolic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside (6), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-oleanolic acid-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-oleanolic acid-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8). Compounds 1-8 were isolated from this plant and the genus for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Saponins ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Viscum ; chemistry