Myricanol mitigates lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high fat diet-fed zebrafish via activating AMP-activated protein kinase

Myricanol is a diarylheptanoid isolated from Chinese bayberry. Through virtual docking strategy, myricanol was discovered as an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator among a series of structural analogs, with high affinity for the γ subunit of AMPK. Myricanol was also evaluated for regulatory effects on lipid accumulation and insulin sensitivity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and adiposity in high-fat diet-fed zebrafish. Myricanol suppressed lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells in the initial stage (days 0-2) by suppressing adipogenesis and in the terminal stage (days 4-7) by inducing lipolysis and lipid combustion through activating AMPK. Moreover, myricanol enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by activating the insulin signaling pathway. In high-fat diet-fed zebrafish, myricanol inhibited lipid accumulation by suppressing adipogenic factors including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα). In summary, the results indicate that myricanol could be a potential therapeutic agent against obesity by activating the AMPK signaling pathway.