Plants And Insects As A Source Of Steroids

[Adrian]

Ecdysone is the moulting hormone of arthropods.
In Drosophila melanogaster, an increase in ecdysone concentration induces the expression of genes encoding proteins that are required by the larva, and causes the formation of puff chromosomes (high expression sites). Ecdysteroids also appear in many plants, mostly as a protective agent (toxins or anti-nutrients) against herbivorous insects.
Some of the medicinal plants that include phytoecdisteroids are: Achyranthes bidentata, Tinospora cordifolia, Pfaffia paniculata, Leuzea carthamoides, Rhaponticum uniflorum, and Serratula coronata
These plants work well as adaptogens
Ecdysone closely resembles testosterone.
Will it be possible to consume the plants or insects themselves as a source of steroids ???

 

[paymanz]

Plants like ginseng are good.

But why insects? Aren't animals brain a better option, also insects hormones are different than us.

Animal brain also have some neurosteroids too.

I asked ray about ruminant animals brain and he said he doesn't eat them, but I'm not sure he eats insects either.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

I think @paymanz that @Adrian is on an importnat track here, and I thin its something overlooked on here and by Peat himself.

@haidut just posted about another seemingly unlikely relation between humans and plants (electric consciousness), and we also recognize the (mostly negative) activity of phyto- and other xenostrogens.
Also, Ecdysone which Adrian discussed, is found in white-button mushrooms. Seems likely that the anti-estrogenic effects stem im part from this compound. Salicylate, one of the favourites on here, is a freakin plant-hormone.

Why not recognize the potential positive aspects of plant- and insectoid androgens/helathy steroids.

A bit overlooked to me seem the class of "Brssinosteroids" - sort of plant anabolic androgens. This class of substances are promisisng to adress the agricultural toxine-crisis. They seem like not only would they protect plants but could protect and increase crop yield without poisoninganimals and humans for it:

Brassinosteroid - Wikipedia

Q&A: what are brassinosteroids and how do they act in plants?

Brassinosteroids - Scientific Review on Usage, Dosage, Side Effects


And don't forget what Haidut found out about plnt-derived steroid-like substances like Phytol etc.

Let's look into Ecdysteroids and Brassinosteroids guys

 

[LeeLemonoil]

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releas...tm_campaign=ScienceDaily_TMD_1&utm_source=TMD

We hope that one day brassinosteroids may provide an effective, natural, and safe alternative for age- and disease-associated muscle loss, or be used to improve endurance and physical performance," said Slavko Komarnytsky, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Plants for Human Health Institute, FBNS at North Carolina State University in Kannapolis, N.C. "Because some plants we eat contain these compounds, like mustards, in the future we may be able to breed or engineer these plants for higher brassinosteroid content, thus producing functional foods that can treat or prevent diseases and increase physical performance."

To make this discovery, Komarnytsky and colleagues exposed rat skeletal muscle cells to different amounts of homobrassinolide and measured protein synthesis in cell culture. The result was increased protein synthesis and decreased protein degradation in these cells. Healthy rats then received oral administration of homobrassinolide daily for 24 days. Changes in body weight, food consumption, and body composition were measured. Rats receiving homobrassinolide gained more weight and slightly increased their food intake. Body composition was measured using dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry analysis and showed increased lean body mass in treated animals over those who were not treated. This study was repeated in rats fed high protein diet and similar results were observed. Additionally, researchers used surgically castrated peri-pubertal rat models to examine the ability of homobrassinolide to restore androgen-dependent tissues after androgen deprivation following castration. Results showed increased grip strength and an increase in the number and size of muscle fibers crucial for increased physical performance.

"The temptation is to see this discovery as another quick fix to help you go from fat to fit," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, "and to a very small degree, this may be true. In reality, however, this study identifies an important drug target for a wide range of conditions that cause muscle wasting."

 

[Stud]

very interesting topic i still remember when i ate alot white button mushrooms i got estrogen deficientcy symtomps so there are definitly some strong aromatase inhibiting properties to it.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Pinne Pollen are also supposedly relatively rich in Brassinosteroids. There are a lot of anecdotal accounts about the "angrogenicy" of PPs - but most sources state that's because of PP containing DHEA, Androstenedione, Test and Androsterone. Probably that's not the entire story.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

ß-Ecdysone much more effective than Estradiol in bone and cartilage degenerative situations. Not only moe effective but countering the bad "side effects" of E2 (yeah, side effects we know).
Also raises Osteocalcin.

Beneficial effects of beta-Ecdysone on the joint, epiphyseal cartilage tissue and trabecular bone in ovariectomized rats. - PubMed - NCBI
Beta-ecdysone has bone protective but no estrogenic effects in ovariectomized rats. - PubMed - NCBI
And alleviates osteoportic athrophies induced by Glucocorticoids
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28388784


As an alternative to "neuroprotective" estrogens in AD:
β-Ecdysterone protects SH-SY5Y cells against β-amyloid-induced apoptosis via c-Jun N-terminal kinase- and Akt-associated complementary pathways. - PubMed - NCBI

Parkinson:
β-Ecdysterone Protects SH-SY5Y Cells Against 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Apoptosis via Mitochondria-Dependent Mechanism: Involvement of p38(MAPK)-p53... - PubMed - NCBI

Neuroprotective by being antiexcitatory and upregulating mTor in the neurons/brain
Ecdysterones from Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin reduce hippocampal excitotoxic cell loss and upregulate mTOR signaling in rats. - PubMed - NCBI
Phytoestrogen β-Ecdysterone Protects PC12 Cells Against MPP+-Induced Neurotoxicity In Vitro: Involvement of PI3K-Nrf2-Regulated Pathway. - PubMed - NCBI

Anabolic and modulates fat-tissues
Selective estrogen receptor-β activation stimulates skeletal muscle growth and regeneration. - PubMed - NCBI
Estrogen receptor beta is involved in skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by the phytoecdysteroid ecdysterone. - PubMed - NCBI
http://www.ergo-log.com/ecdysteroids.html
http://www.ergo-log.com/anabolic-effect-ecdysterone-doping-list.html

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Because the forerly mentionend Brassinosteroids are scarec ein nature and I guess expensive to extract, synthetic Ecdy-analouges are researched to function as replacements.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28479230

 

[LeeLemonoil]

All in all, these classes of molecules seem to work in some similar to human endogenous steroids. Given that for example Haidut and some users here are open to use plant-derived terpenoids like Phytol and we are very positive towards the steroidal-androgenic angle, this topic should not reman so verlooked

*Begging for attention*

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Looks very promising fr skin-health, young facial looks as well

https://www.researchgate.net/public...-estradiol_on_the_skin_of_ovariectomized_rats
Abstract
20-hydroxyecdysone has numerous favorable effects on a variety of organs, including the skin, where it improves wound healing. It is devoid of estrogenic and androgenic effects. Therefore, application of 20-hydroxyecdysone might be a new approach to improve skin conditions in postmenopausal women, and this was investigated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. After ovariectomy, rats received Ecd (18, 57, or 116 mg/animal/day) or 17β-estradiol (E₂)-3-benzoate (60 μg/kg body weight) in food for 12 weeks, and skin samples were evaluated histologically to quantify two dermal layers, the subcutaneous fat and muscle layers. Epidermal thickness was lowest in the OVX animals, slightly higher in the E₂-treated animals, and significantly higher in the Ecd-treated animals. Dermal thickness was lowest in the intact and E₂-treated animals and highest in the Ecd-treated animals. The subcutaneous fat layer was thickest in the OVX animals, thinner in the intact animals, and intermediate in the Ecd-treated animals. The muscle layer was smallest in the OVX and intact animals and significantly larger in the E₂- and Ecd-treated animals. The number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen antibody-positive cells was lowest in OVX controls and significantly higher in all other groups. The Ecd-induced increases in epidermal and dermal thickness are suggestive of functional changes of the skin. The decreased amounts of subcutaneous fat in the E₂- and Ecd-treated animals point to either a fat catabolic or an antianabolic effect. The ovariectomy-induced decrease in subcutaneous musculature was prevented by Ecd but not by E₂. The stimulatory effects of Ecd on epidermal and dermal thickness and the muscle-increasing effects in the skin of OVX rats may indicate functional changes of the skin.

The effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone and 17β-estradiol on the skin of ovariectomized... | Request PDF. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/public...-estradiol_on_the_skin_of_ovariectomized_rats [accessed Feb 27 2018].

 

[LeeLemonoil]

And given the finding sof this guy, plant and insect/animal steroids are not so different from mammalian stuff. Phylogeny is the buzzword. We retained functions or modulated them that's why these substances work, but not directly via nuclear receptors, which has its advantages.
https://raypeatforum.com/community/...uvenile-hormone-of-insects.22274/#post-318537

 

[Such_Saturation]

But why insects? Aren't animals brain a better option, also insects hormones are different than us.

PUFA

 

[paymanz]

PUFA

Some insects are also high in pufa.

But i agree animal brains are very high on longer chain omega 3, i can smell oxidizing odor very fast when i cook them, very similar to high fat fish. Even worse.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-DYJD200805052.htm

Reads like very normal, healthy wound healing mechanisms induced by ecdy. In line with mammalian androgens probably?

Objective To prepare ecdysterone cream for promoting wound healing and conduct the dose-effect analysis to determine the optimal concentration. Methods The cream substrate containing 4 concentrations (0.625%, 1.25%, 2.5% and 5%) of ecdysterone was prepared. Full-thickness skin defect was induced in 9 New Zealand rabbits at 5 sites on the dorsal skin, and the wounds were treated with blank cream substrate and ecdysterone cream at the 4 concentrations, respectively. On days 4, 8 and 12 after the injury, the healing area and the healing rate for each wound were determined, and in one rabbit, the tissues around the wounds were ssampled for pathological examination. Results The ecdysterone cream significantly promoted wound healing as shown by increased percentage of the healing area (P0.01), and the optimal concentration was 2.5%. Pathologically, the wounds treated with 2.5% ecdysterone cream exhibited more obvious granulation tissue formation and proliferation of the epithelial cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts than those treated with the cream of the other concentrations. Conclusion The ecdysterone cream can obviously promote wound healing in rabbits at the optimal concentration of 2.5%, which may offer a clinical alternative for promoting wound healing.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

From post nr. 10. Can't wrap my head arounf these effects and if they sound like healthy anti-age effects or not.

20-hydroxyecdysone has numerous favorable effects on a variety of organs, including the skin, where it improves wound healing. It is devoid of estrogenic and androgenic effects. Therefore, application of 20-hydroxyecdysone might be a new approach to improve skin conditions in postmenopausal women, and this was investigated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. After ovariectomy, rats received Ecd (18, 57, or 116 mg/animal/day) or 17β-estradiol (E₂)-3-benzoate (60 μg/kg body weight) in food for 12 weeks, and skin samples were evaluated histologically to quantify two dermal layers, the subcutaneous fat and muscle layers. Epidermal thickness was lowest in the OVX animals, slightly higher in the E₂-treated animals, and significantly higher in the Ecd-treated animals. Dermal thickness was lowest in the intact and E₂-treated animals and highest in the Ecd-treated animals. The subcutaneous fat layer was thickest in the OVX animals, thinner in the intact animals, and intermediate in the Ecd-treated animals. The muscle layer was smallest in the OVX and intact animals and significantly larger in the E₂- and Ecd-treated animals. The number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen antibody-positive cells was lowest in OVX controls and significantly higher in all other groups. The Ecd-induced increases in epidermal and dermal thickness are suggestive of functional changes of the skin. The decreased amounts of subcutaneous fat in the E₂- and Ecd-treated animals point to either a fat catabolic or an antianabolic effect. The ovariectomy-induced decrease in subcutaneous musculature was prevented by Ecd but not by E₂. The stimulatory effects of Ecd on epidermal and dermal thickness and the muscle-increasing effects in the skin of OVX rats may indicate functional changes of the skin.

 

[miki14]

ß-Ecdysone much more effective than Estradiol in bone and cartilage degenerative situations. Not only moe effective but countering the bad "side effects" of E2 (yeah, side effects we know).
Also raises Osteocalcin.

Beneficial effects of beta-Ecdysone on the joint, epiphyseal cartilage tissue and trabecular bone in ovariectomized rats. - PubMed - NCBI
Beta-ecdysone has bone protective but no estrogenic effects in ovariectomized rats. - PubMed - NCBI
And alleviates osteoportic athrophies induced by Glucocorticoids
Beta-Ecdysone Protects Mouse Osteoblasts from Glucocorticoid-Induced Apoptosis In Vitro. - PubMed - NCBI


As an alternative to "neuroprotective" estrogens in AD:
β-Ecdysterone protects SH-SY5Y cells against β-amyloid-induced apoptosis via c-Jun N-terminal kinase- and Akt-associated complementary pathways. - PubMed - NCBI

Parkinson:
β-Ecdysterone Protects SH-SY5Y Cells Against 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Apoptosis via Mitochondria-Dependent Mechanism: Involvement of p38(MAPK)-p53... - PubMed - NCBI

Neuroprotective by being antiexcitatory and upregulating mTor in the neurons/brain
Ecdysterones from Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin reduce hippocampal excitotoxic cell loss and upregulate mTOR signaling in rats. - PubMed - NCBI
Phytoestrogen β-Ecdysterone Protects PC12 Cells Against MPP+-Induced Neurotoxicity In Vitro: Involvement of PI3K-Nrf2-Regulated Pathway. - PubMed - NCBI

Anabolic and modulates fat-tissues
Selective estrogen receptor-β activation stimulates skeletal muscle growth and regeneration. - PubMed - NCBI
Estrogen receptor beta is involved in skeletal muscle hypertrophy induced by the phytoecdysteroid ecdysterone. - PubMed - NCBI
Ecdysteroids curb growth of fat tissue
Anabolic effect of ecdysterone strong enough to put it on the doping list

Fascinating subject, but ecdysterone seems to function as a growth hormone, like estrogen and prolactin (molting hormone) and even regulates sleep like melatonin in flies. I wonder if it's safe and where can you get it'?

 

[LeeLemonoil]

@miki14

Depends on where you are. In the US high quality Ecdy is easily available. In Europe where I am the stuff available are inferior extracts or loaded with fillers and other unwanted adjuvants.

A verdict is hard to make. Some Studies suggest non-estrogenic activity, some Mechanisms are surely similar to est-effects in mammals though.

Worth to consider: in Insects, usualy females are the bigger, stronger specimen, what is an estrogen in them might function as androgen-(like) in mammals

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Well f...me, the improved parameters read just like from the Peat-Textbook. If anybody with ability to understand russian could gain access to the study that would be very appreictated.



[Stress-protective properties of phytoecdysteroids]. - PubMed - NCBI

[Stress-protective properties of phytoecdysteroids].
[Article in Russian]
Syrov VN, Islamova ZhI, Égamova FR, Iuldasheva NKh, Khushbaktova ZA.
Abstract
Introduction of phytoecdysteroids (ecdysterone, turkesterone and ñyasterone) to rats subjected to prolonged immobilization stress significantly decreased involution of the thymus and spleen, contributed to normalization of increased mass of adrenal glands, and restored their content of ascorbic acid and cholesterol. In the liver of stressed animals, phytoecdysteroids prevented sharp decrease in the glycogen concentration, showed a clear trend toward normalization of the ratio of lactic and pyruvic acids, maintained homeostasis of macroergic phosphorus compounds, and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes that inhibit lipid peroxidation. With respect to the stress-protective activity, the studied phytoecdysteroids are in some cases superior to eleutherococcus extract.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Mitochondrial health as well


Comparative study of the effect of ecdysterone, turkesterone and nerobol on the function of rat liver mitochondria in experimental diabetes].
[Article in Russian]
Tashmukhamedova MA, Almatov KT, Syrov VN, Sultanov MB, Abidov AA.
Abstract
Oxidative phosphorylation and Ca2+-transport functions of liver mitochondria were normalized in rats with alloxane diabetes after peroral administration of phytoecdisteroids - ecdisterone and turkesterone (5 mg/kg) or nerobol (10 mg/kg) within 15 days. These drugs normalized the activity of NADH dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase in respiratory chain of mitochondria, increased distinctly stability of the enzymes to the effect of such factors as heating, effect of phospholipase A2 or trypsin.

[Effect of phytoecdysteroids and steranobols on the activity and stability of membrane-bound enzymes of liver mitochondria in experimental hepatitis].
[Article in Russian]
Tashmukhamedova MA, Almatov KT, Khushbaktova ZA, Syrov VN.
Abstract
After administration of phytoecdisteroids (ecdisterone, turkesterone) at a dose of 5 mg/kg and the anabolic steroid preparation nerobol at a dose of 10 mg/kg into rats with experimental hepatitis caused by CCl4 poisoning, positive alterations were found in activity of the polyenzymatic systems in membranes of liver mitochondria simultaneously with an increase in their stability and resistance to the effect of exogenous factors producing the mitochondria degradation (controlled heating, treatment with phospholipase A2 or trypsin). These alterations, which appear to occur due to development of strong binds between phospholipids and proteins of inner mitochondrial membrane, promoted normalization of the respiratory chain and the outer pathway of electron transport in hepatocytes of rats with hepatitis.

 

[LeeLemonoil]

Anti-Parasite

[The efficacy of ecdystene versus metronidazole in the treatment of lambliasis].
[Article in Russian]
Islamova ZhI, Syrov VN, Khushbaktova ZA, Osipova SO.
Abstract
Ecdisten, the drug designed on the basis of the phytoecdisteroid ecdisterone isolated from Rhaponticum carthamoides, was used in the treatment of first diagnosed (primary) and persistent (resistant to traditional lambliacides) lambliasis. A control group received metronidazole. Daily parasitological monitoring of lamblia elimination while treating with ecdisten in a daily dose of 20 mg for 10 days indicated the absence of lamblia in 70% of the patients with primary lambliasis on days 3 to 5; in the remaining 30%, parasitic elimination was accomplished on days 6-7 of treatment. In the patients with persistent lambliasis, the parasites were eliminated in 43.2% of cases on days 4-5 and in 56.6% on days 6-10. Metronidazole just on the second day of therapy caused parasitic elimination in 28.6% of the patients. All the patients were freed from lamblia within 5 days. Improvement occurred more rapidly with ecdisten treatment; immunological normalization was seen when ecdisten was used. Seven-ten-day course of ecdisten is sufficient for the treatment of primary lambliasis; when persistent lambliasis is treated, its course should be prolonged. If required, the course may be repeated, by increasing the daily dose.