Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40218862›Full record

ArticleNutrients2025

Arene Substitutions in Orchid Bibenzyls: Mechanistic Insights into Glucose Uptake and Lipid Metabolism for Targeting Metabolic Disorders.

Narawat Nuamnaichati, Utid Suriya, Hnin Ei Ei Khine, Rungroch Sungthong, Poon Suwannamai, Boonchoo Sritularak, Eakachai Prompetchara, Chavee Laomeephol, Rosa Alduina, Chatchai Chaotham

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nutrients, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Emerging Role ofMini reviews in medicinal chemistry · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Narawat NuamnaichatiDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Utid SuriyaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Hnin Ei Ei KhineDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0003-3028-2398
Rungroch SungthongDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0002-5052-2611
Poon SuwannamaiDepartment of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.ORCID 0009-0003-8383-6363
Boonchoo SritularakDepartment of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0001-8352-4122
Eakachai PrompetcharaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0001-7565-9211
Chavee LaomeepholDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0001-5005-1701
Rosa AlduinaDepartment of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1054-6915
Chatchai ChaothamDepartment of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.ORCID 0000-0002-3206-192X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhytochemicals possess diverse therapeutic potential; however, the impact of arene substitutions on the pharmacological properties of the bibenzyl compounds batatasin III and gigantol, derived from

objectivesThis study examines how structural differences between these compounds affect cellular glucose uptake and lipid metabolism during adipocyte differentiation.

methodsThe effects of both bibenzyl compounds on cytotoxicity and glucose uptake were assessed in mouse and human pre-adipocytes and rat skeletal muscle myoblasts using colorimetric assays. Lipid metabolism was evaluated through Oil Red O staining and quantification of triglyceride and glycerol levels, while protein and gene expression during adipocyte differentiation were analyzed via western blotting and RT-qPCR.

resultsAt the highest non-cytotoxic concentration (25 µM), gigantol significantly enhanced glucose uptake (up to 2-fold) under both basal and insulin-stimulated conditions, whereas batatasin III showed a similar effect only under basal conditions. Gigantol upregulated GLUT1 and GLUT4 in myotubes but downregulated them in adipocytes, whereas batatasin III had minimal impact on these transporters. Both compounds suppressed lipid accumulation in mouse and human adipocytes by decreasing intracellular triglyceride content and promoting extracellular glycerol release. However, batatasin III did not affect extracellular glycerol release during early adipocyte differentiation, as evidenced by the marked downregulation of key lipogenic proteins (PLIN1, LPL, FABP4) observed only with gigantol. Molecular docking analyses suggest that gigantol's greater bioactivity may result from its higher number of arene substitutions.

conclusionsThis study provides the first evidence that differences in arene substitutions among orchid-derived bibenzyls influence their pharmacological properties. Our findings support the strategic modification of natural products as a potential approach for managing metabolic disorders.

Indexed as

BibenzylsDendrobiumGlucoseLipid Metabolism3T3-L1 CellsAdipocytesAnimalsCell DifferentiationGlucose Transporter Type 4HumansMiceRatsBibenzylsGlucoseGlucose Transporter Type 4adipocytearene substitutionbibenzylcellular lipid metabolismglucose uptakemyotube

Identifiers

PMID40218862
PMCPMC11990513

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.