Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Extraction and Purification of Polyphenols from Freeze-dried Berry Powder for the Treatment of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro
12:00

Extraction and Purification of Polyphenols from Freeze-dried Berry Powder for the Treatment of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro

Published on: July 5, 2017

AMP-activated protein kinase: a potential target for the diseases prevention by natural occurring polyphenols

Jin-Taek Hwang1, Dae Young Kwon, Suk Hoo Yoon

  • 1Department of Biogeron Food Technology, Korea Food Research Institute, Kyongki-do 463-746, Republic of Korea.

New Biotechnology
|October 13, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Natural compounds like resveratrol activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key metabolic regulator. AMPK activation promotes ATP generation and suppresses ATP-consuming pathways, potentially preventing diseases linked to reduced lifespan.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Metabolism
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Reduced lifespan is linked to prevalent diseases like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
  • AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a crucial metabolic regulator involved in preventing or mitigating metabolic disorders.
  • Identifying natural compounds that activate AMPK is a key focus in food and nutrition research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review how natural compounds activating AMPK may prevent numerous diseases.
  • To explore the underlying mechanisms of AMPK activation by natural compounds.
  • To highlight the therapeutic potential of AMPK-activating natural compounds in disease prevention.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on natural compounds and AMPK activation.
  • Analysis of the molecular mechanisms of AMPK in metabolic regulation.
  • Discussion of pathways regulated by AMPK, including ATP generation and consumption.

Main Results:

  • AMPK is activated by natural compounds such as resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, berberine, and quercetin.
  • AMPK activation enhances ATP generation via glycolysis and beta-oxidation.
  • AMPK activation suppresses ATP-consuming pathways like fatty acid synthesis, cholesterol synthesis, and gluconeogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Activation of AMPK by natural compounds offers a promising strategy for preventing various diseases.
  • Understanding AMPK's role and its natural activators can lead to novel therapeutic interventions for metabolic disorders.
  • This review underscores the significance of natural compounds in modulating AMPK for health benefits.

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets01:29

Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets

Advances in genomics have profoundly influenced drug discovery by increasing both the speed and accuracy of pharmaceutical development. Pharmacogenomics, which examines how genetic variation influences drug response, facilitates the identification of novel therapeutic targets and enables patient stratification for personalized treatment. These strategies contribute to improved drug efficacy, minimized adverse effects, and more efficient clinical trial design.Mapping genetic differences...
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways01:25

cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways

Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) is an essential second messenger that activates protein kinase A (PKA) and regulates various biological processes. A single epinephrine molecule binds to GPCR and activates several heterotrimeric G proteins, each stimulating multiple adenylyl cyclase, amplifying the signal, and synthesizing large numbers of cAMP molecules. Small changes in cAMP concentration affect PKA activity. The binding of four cAMP molecules induces a conformational change in PKA,...
MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...