Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity (Sep 2021)
The Effects of Diosgenin on Hypolipidemia and Its Underlying Mechanism: A Review
Abstract
Fengcui Sun,1 Xiufen Yang,1 Chaoqun Ma,1 Shizhao Zhang,1 Lu Yu,2 Haifei Lu,3 Guoliang Yin,1 Pengpeng Liang,1 Yanan Feng,1 Fengxia Zhang4 1Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250000, People’s Republic of China; 2Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, People’s Republic of China; 3Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, 430065, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250011, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fengxia ZhangDepartment of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250011, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +8653168616011Email [email protected]: Hyperlipidemia is a disorder of lipid metabolism, which is a major cause of coronary heart disease. Although there has been considerable progress in hyperlipidemia treatment, morbidity and risk associated with the condition continue to rise. The first-line treatment for hyperlipidemia, statins, has multiple side effects; therefore, development of safe and effective drugs from natural products to prevent and treat hyperlipidemia is necessary. Diosgenin is primarily derived from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds, and is also abundant in medicinal herbs such as Dioscorea rhizome, Dioscorea septemloba, and Rhizoma polygonati, is a well-known steroidal sapogenin and the active ingredient in many drugs to treat cardiovascular conditions. There is abundant evidence that diosgenin has potential for application in correcting lipid metabolism disorders. In this review, we evaluated the latest evidence related to diosgenin and hyperlipidemia from clinical and animal studies. Additionally, we elaborate the pharmacological mechanism underlying the activity of diosgenin in treating hyperlipidemia in detail, including its role in inhibition of intestinal absorption of lipids, regulation of cholesterol transport, promotion of cholesterol conversion into bile acid and its excretion, inhibition of endogenous lipid biosynthesis, antioxidation and lipoprotein lipase activity, and regulation of transcription factors related to lipid metabolism. This review provides a deep exploration of the pharmacological mechanisms involved in diosgenin-hyperlipidemia interactions and suggests potential routes for the development of novel drug therapies for hyperlipidemia.Keywords: diosgenin, hyperlipidemia, serum cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol, mechanism
