Effects of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray extract on adipocyte differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (Asteraceae) is widely used in traditional medicine.There is increasing interest on the in vivo protective effects of natural compounds containedin plants against oxidative damage caused from reactive oxygen species. In the presentstudy the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of aqueous, methanol and dichloromethaneextracts of leaves of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray were determined; furthermore,free radical scavenging capacity of each extract and the ability of these extracts to inhibit invitro plasma lipid peroxidation were also evaluated. Since oxidative stress may be involvedin trasformation of pre-adipocytes into adipocytes, to test the hypothesis that Tithonia extractmay also affect adipocyte differentiation, human mesenchymal stem cell cultures weretreated with Tithonia diversifolia aqueous extract and cell viability, free radical levels, Oil-Red O staining and western bolt analysis for heme oxygenase and 5'-adenosine monophoshate-activated protein kinase were carried out. Results obtained in the present studyprovide evidence that Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray exhibits interesting health promotingproperties, resulting both from its free radical scavenger capacity and also by inductionof protective cellular systems involved in cellular stress defenses and in adipogenesisof mesenchymal cells.