Mesonosides A-H, primeverose derivatives from Mesona procumbens suppress adipogenesis by downregulating PPARγ and C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 cells

Obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic, especially in industrialized countries. We hereby report a methanolic extract of Mesona procumbens (known as Hsian-tsao in Taiwan) significantly inhibits lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and eight new primeverose derivatives, mesonosides A-H (1–8), were isolated from the methanolic extract of M. procumbens. Structural elucidation of 1–8 was established by spectroscopic methods, especially 2D NMR techniques ((1)H–(1)H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) and HRESIMS. Anti-obesity evaluation revealed that isolates 1–5, 7, and 8 showed inhibitory effects on lipid accumulation and protein levels of adipogenic transcription factor, PPARγ and C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 cells. Our study suggests that M. procumbens extract including new primeverose isolates may be potentially used as a natural source to ameliorate fat accumulation and even obesity.