Medicinal Plant Research 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 196-209 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 202 properties make loquat an attractive candidate for inclusion in health-promoting products. For instance, loquat flower water extracts have been evaluated for their potential use in tea, demonstrating significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities (Chen et al., 2023). Such developments indicate the growing interest in loquat as a functional ingredient in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The transition from traditional use to modern pharmaceutical applications has also seen loquat being subjected to clinical trials to validate its efficacy. Studies have shown that loquat leaf extracts can ameliorate hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia in animal models, suggesting potential benefits for managing diabetes (Khouya et al., 2022). Additionally, the antifungal activity of loquat extracts against clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans points to its potential in developing new antifungal agents (Bisso et al., 2022). These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the commercialization of loquat-based products. Currently, there are dietary supplements and herbal medicines on the market that are derived from loquat. 6 Case Studies 6.1 Protective effects of loquat extracts on alcohol-induced liver injury In recent years, with the increase in global alcohol consumption, alcohol-induced liver injury (ALI) has become a serious public health issue, leading to numerous liver diseases and related deaths. Traditional treatments have limited effectiveness and are often accompanied by significant side effects, making the search for low-toxicity, highly effective natural antioxidants a key research focus for the prevention and treatment of ALI. Loquat fruit, rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics and terpenoids, has shown significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, making it a potential source of natural antioxidants (Li et al., 2019; Yan et al., 2023). Yan et al. (2023) conducted a comprehensive analysis of six loquat varieties, comparing the distribution of their phenolic and terpenoid compounds and evaluating their antioxidant capacities through various in vitro and in vivo models. The results indicated that the concentrations of phenolics and terpenoids in loquat peels were significantly higher than in the flesh, endowing the peel with stronger antioxidant properties. The study further revealed that loquat extracts have a significant protective effect on liver cells against ethanol-induced oxidative damage, with loquat peel extracts notably enhancing cell viability and activating antioxidant enzymes, indicating their potential therapeutic role in preventing alcohol-related liver injury (Figure 3). These findings highlight the important value of loquat as a natural antioxidant and provide a scientific basis for developing health products aimed at alleviating alcohol-induced liver damage. 6.2 The multifaceted protective effects of loquat extract on diabetes-associated fatty liver disease Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease closely associated with metabolic syndrome, often occurring alongside type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Plant extracts, as natural products, have garnered widespread attention for their role in treating metabolic syndrome. Loquat leaves, rich in bioactive compounds, have been found to possess potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic improvement properties. Chen et al. (2021) explored the effects of a novel sesquiterpene glycoside (SG3) from loquat leaves on T2DM mice with NAFLD. The study results showed that SG3 significantly improved insulin resistance, reduced oxidative stress, alleviated inflammation, and modulated gut microbiota composition. In the diabetic mouse model, SG3 not only effectively reduced body weight and liver lipid accumulation but also significantly decreased levels of inflammatory factors (Figure 4). Additionally, SG3 exhibited multifaceted protective effects by regulating insulin signaling pathways, inhibiting CYP2E1/NLRP3 pathways, and improving gut microbial communities. The study revealed that SG3 provides protective effects against T2DM-associated NAFLD through multiple mechanisms. It not only inhibits key inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress responses but also restores gut microbiota balance, ultimately reducing liver damage and metabolic disorders in diabetic mice. This research provides a scientific basis for new therapeutic strategies for NAFLD, suggesting that SG3 could be a potential therapeutic natural product for liver diseases induced by diabetes (Chen et al., 2021).
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