Bioactive fractions of Swertia species protect myotubes and improve insulin sensitivity by regulating myogenic factors in differentiated skeletal muscle cells.
- 2026-01
- Bioorganic chemistry 168
- PubMed: 41412068
- DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2025.109362
Study Design
- Methods
- Extracts and fractions of Swertia species were systematically assessed on differentiated L6 myotubes to evaluate their protective effects against oxidative stress, impact on intracellular glucose uptake, and GLUT4 expression. Additionally, myogenic regulatory factors were analyzed through qRT-PCR.
- Animal Study
The Swertia genus is an ethnomedicinal herb with a wide distribution. Among them, S. chirayita is a well-documented anti-diabetic species. Due to its therapeutic importance, it is extensively traded and turned into a critically endangered species. Scientific validation of the alternatives of S. chirayita is essential to conserve them based on their medicinal values. Our study aims to assess the therapeutic potential of unexplored Swertia species (S. purpurascens and S. cordata) to identify potent insulin-sensitizing modulators that exert a therapeutic effect on skeletal muscles. Extracts and fractions of Swertia species were systematically assessed on differentiated L6 myotubes to evaluate their protective effects against oxidative stress, impact on intracellular glucose uptake, and GLUT4 expression. Additionally, myogenic regulatory factors were analyzed through qRT-PCR. The promising bioactive fractions were further subjected to phytochemical profiling using UHPLC-QTOF-IMS to identify therapeutic compounds. The findings revealed that crude extract, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fractions of S. purpurascens significantly promoted intracellular glucose uptake (∼24.64 %, 25.32 %, and 25.26 %, respectively), similar to rosiglitazone (26.22 %). Notably, the n-butanol fraction promoted GLUT4 expression, increasing its translocation by approximately 36.92 %, and it substantially elevated myogenic regulatory factors at the transcript level. Besides that, we tentatively identified 39 specialized metabolites in active fractions that might be responsible for this efficacy. Our findings suggest that S. purpurascens exhibits therapeutic effects on insulin sensitivity by modulating GLUT4 expression and enhancing muscle glucose uptake under oxidative stress conditions. Additional in vivo and mechanistic investigations are necessary to establish its potential as an efficient anti-diabetic modulator.
Research Insights
| Supplement | Dose | Health Outcome | Effect Type | Effect Size | Source |
|---|