Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42401759›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of obesity (2005)2026

A novel berberine derivative B12 exhibits superior anti-obesity effects via targeting brown and white adipocyte dynamics.

Wenqing Zhang, Yanhong Feng, Chunyi Gao, Linhai Zhong, Wenjun Wang, Minying Xu, Bowen Zheng, Yuehua Zhang, Shengyu Wang, Shaoxiong Yi and 8 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of obesity (2005), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Wenqing Zhang *Cancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Yanhong Feng *Cancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Chunyi GaoCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Linhai ZhongDepartment of Radiotherapy, Nanping First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Fujian, China.
Wenjun WangCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Minying XuCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Bowen ZhengCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Yuehua ZhangCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Shengyu WangCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Shaoxiong YiCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Zufang WuCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Yongqing LinCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Beibei XuCAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Sijie ChengDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Yan-Yan ZhanCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Shaoliang ZhangDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China. zhangshaoliang@xmu.edu.cn.
Xiaoting HongCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China. xthong@xmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0787-4136
Tianhui HuCancer Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and Xiamen Key Laboratory for Tumor Metastasis, Cancer Research Center, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China. thu@xmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3998-5145

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObesity remains a global health challenge, with limited therapeutic options. Berberine (BBR) shows promise as an anti-obesity agent. However, its clinical application is hampered by modest efficacy and poor bioavailability.

objectiveThis study investigated the anti-obesity effects and underlying mechanisms of B12, a novel BBR derivative with enhanced solubility and bioavailability.

methodsMice with obesity induced by a high-fat-diet were employed to evaluate B12's effect on weight loss. Energy expenditure was assessed using metabolic cages. Adipose tissue morphology was examined through histological analysis. In vitro studies were conducted using 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and immortalized brown adipocytes. Gene and protein expression were analyzed using RT-qPCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Cell cycle progression was evaluated by flow cytometry.

resultsB12 demonstrated anti-obesity efficacy superior to BBR, manifesting through dual mechanisms. It enhanced energy expenditure by increasing brown adipocyte numbers and UCP1 expression through SIRT1 upregulation and AMPK phosphorylation. Furthermore, B12 markedly reduced the mass of white adipose tissue in mice with HFD-induced obesity and inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. This effect was achieved through intervention at multiple stages: early-stage downregulation of CyclinD1 and C/EBPβ, followed by reduced expression and heterodimerization of RXRα and PPARγ during middle and late stages of differentiation, collectively preventing matural adipocyte formation.

conclusionsOur findings establish B12 as a promising anti-obesity agent, offering significantly enhanced efficacy over its parent compound BBR. This natural product-derived therapeutic candidate, with its improved pharmacological properties and dual mechanism of action, represents a significant advance in phytomedicine-based approaches to obesity treatment.

Identifiers

PMID42401759

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.