Cecropia angustifolia Pentacyclic Triterpene Acids and Sacha Inchi Oil Improve Carbohydrate Metabolism and Inflammation in Prediabetic Mice.

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is closely linked with obesity and associated metabolic dysfunctions, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and chronic inflammation. Pentacyclic triterpene acids (PTAs) derived from Cecropia angustifolia are promising bioactive compounds that may help mitigate these disorders. This study investigated the effects of a PTA-rich fraction on metabolic disruptions in cellular and diet-induced obesity mouse models. Prediabetic C57BL/6J mice fed on high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks exhibited typical metabolic abnormalities, such as increased body weight, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia, which served as a baseline for assessing PTA efficacy. 8-week treatment with C. angustifolia PTAs showed significant improvement in glucose metabolism, enhancing insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance and reducing plasma insulin levels. Although PTAs did not alter body weight or lipid profiles in HFD-fed mice in a sacha inchi oil (SIO) vehicle, they effectively prevented further weight gain, especially with intraperitoneal administration. Interestingly, we found that SIO, used as PTA solubilizer, yielded similar hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory outcomes, and coadministration did not yield additive or synergistic effects. Furthermore, both PTAs and SIO demonstrated in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by downregulating proinflammatory gene expression, and no adverse liver, kidney, and pancreas toxicity was observed. In conclusion, PTAs from Cecropia angustifolia and SIO present potential as nontoxic, bioactive agents for modulating carbohydrate metabolism and inflammation in obesity-related conditions, although further studies are warranted to optimize dosing and investigate SIO's standalone therapeutic potential.