[Lotus]

Hi Nexum, I think we can't overlook what Red Clover can do in a topical application. We know what RC (information to follow) when taken orally. RC induces Lipogenesis, which is another name for feminizing fat (fat redistribution) by breaking down lipoproteins… and adipocytes (fat cells). So, when you do things that activate PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) , think of it as a means to feminize your body fat and help to LOSE weight. In the next post I'll be following up with ways to use Red Clover for skin application. 

Hi BN, 

Red Clover is beneficial for NBE. If you don't know what PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor), you should. (Info supplied below). 
red clover extract: a putative source for simultaneous treatment of menopausal disorders and the metabolic syndrome.
Mueller M1, Jungbauer A.
Author information
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Currently, red clover extract is used to treat menopausal disorders as an alternative to classic hormone therapy. Several human and animal studies have attributed hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, or antiatherosclerotic effects to red clover extract or isoflavones. This study was designed to determine the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma activation by red clover extract.
DESIGN:
The PPARgamma binding affinities and the transactivation activities of red clover extracts, isoflavones, and their metabolites were analyzed. The presence of specific substances in the extracts was proved by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry.
RESULTS:
The red clover extracts and the compounds genistein and biochanin A were potent PPARgamma ligands and activators. Several metabolites exerted higher binding affinities or transactivational activities than their precursor molecules. 6-Hydroxydaidzein exerted a more than 100-fold higher binding affinity than its precursor daidzein. The maximal transactivational activity of 6-hydroxydaidzein and 3'-hydroxygenistein exceeded even that of rosiglitazone, a known PPARgamma agonist. Equol and O-desmethylangolensin showed an approximately fivefold higher binding affinity and, in the case of O-desmethylangolensin, a four fold higher PPARgamma agonistic activity than the precursor. The daily dose of Menoflavon forte, a widely used red clover extract for treatment of menopausal disorders, provides theoretically 15% to 30% of the daily recommended dose of rosiglitazone. Considering the more active metabolites formed, activity must be higher in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS:
This study shows that red clover extracts, the major compounds, and especially several main metabolites exert significant PPARgamma binding and transactivation activity. Red clover extract, which is currently used for treating menopausal disorders, could be simultaneously used for ameliorating the metabolic syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18724264

peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in mediating the effects of fibrates and fatty acids on gene expression.
Schoonjans K1, Staels B, Auwerx J.
Author information
Abstract
The three types of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), termed alpha, delta (or beta), and gamma, belong to the nuclear receptor superfamily. Although peroxisome proliferators, including fibrates and fatty acids, activate the transcriptional activity of these receptors, only prostaglandin J2 derivatives have been identified as natural ligands of the PPAR gamma subtype that also binds thiazolidinedione antidiabetic agents with high affinity. PPARs heterodimerize with retinoic X receptor (RXR) and alter the transcription of target genes after binding to response elements or PPREs, consisting of a direct repeat of the nuclear receptor hexameric DNA recognition motif (PuGGTCA) spaced by 1 nucleotide (DR-1). Upon activation by fatty acids (FAs) and drugs that affect lipid metabolism, PPARs control the expression of genes implicated in intra- and extracellular lipid metabolism, most notably those involved in peroxisomal beta-oxidation. PPARs partially mediate the inductive effects of fibrates and fatty acids on high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by regulating the transcription of the major HDL apolipoproteins, apoA-I and apoA-II. The hypotriglyceridemic action of fibrates and certain fatty acids also involves PPAR and is constituted of: 1) increased hydrolysis of plasma triglycerides due to induction of LPL and reduction of apoC-III expression; 2) stimulation of cellular fatty acid uptake and conversion to acyl-CoA derivatives due to increased expression of genes for fatty acid transport protein and acyl-CoA synthetase; 3) increased peroxisomal and mitochondrial beta-oxidation; and 4) decreased synthesis of fatty acids and triglycerides and decreased production of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Hence, both enhanced catabolism of triglyceride-rich particles and reduced secretion of VLDL particles contribute to the hypolipidemic effect of fibrates and fatty acids. Finally, PPARs appear to be involved in differentiation processes because activation of PPAR gamma 2 triggers adipocyte differentiation and stimulates expression of several genes critical to adipogenesis. It is suggested that PPARs are key messengers responsible for the translation of nutritional and pharmacological stimuli into changes in gene expression and differentiation pathways.
PMID: 8725145 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Free full text

Increase In Visceral Fat During Menopause Linked With Testosterone
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090820161144.htm
In middle-aged women, visceral fat, more commonly called belly fat, is known to be a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but what causes visceral fat to accumulate?
The culprit is likely not age, as is commonly believed, but the change in hormone balance that occurs during the menopause transition, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center.
"Of all the factors we analyzed that could possibly account for the increase in visceral fat during this period in a woman's lifetime, levels of active testosterone proved to be the one most closely linked with abdominal fat," said Imke Janssen, PhD, assistant professor of preventive medicine and the study's lead investigator.
The study, which has been published early online in the medical journal Obesity, included 359 women in menopausal transition, ages 42 to 60, about half black and half white. Fat in the abdominal cavity was measured with CT scans, a more precise measurement than waist size. Blood tests were used to assess levels of testosterone and estradiol (the main form of estrogen). Medical histories covered other health factors possibly linked with an increase in visceral fat.

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Screening of herbal extracts for activation of the human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17152989
The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors play a pivotal role in metazoan lipid and glucose homeostasis. Synthetic activators of PPARalpha (fibrates) and PPARgamma (glitazones) are therefore widely used for treatment of dislipidemia and diabetes, respectively. There is growing evidence for herbal compounds to influence nuclear receptor signalling e.g. the PPARs. We recently reported carnosic acid and carnosol, both being diterpenes found in the labiate herbs sage and rosemary, to be activators of PPARgamma. The subsequent screening of a variety of ethanolic extracts, obtained from traditionally used herbs, for PPAR activation, led to an exceptionally high hit rate. Among 52 extracts nearly half significantly activated PPARgamma and 14 activated PPARalpha in addition, whereas three of them were pan-PPAR activators, which also activated PPARdelta. The most active extracts, for which a concentration dependent effect could be shown, were the extracts of Alisma plantago aquatica (ze xie/european waterplantain), Catharanthus roseus (madagascar periwinkle), Acorus calamus (sweet calamus), Euphorbia balsamifera (balsam spurge), Jatropha curcas (barbados nut), Origanum majorana (marjoram), Zea mays (corn silk), Capsicum frutescens (chilli) and Urtica dioica (stinging nettle). The results of the present study provide a possible rationale for the traditional use of many herbs as antidiabetics.

Glitazones for type 2 diabetes
http://www.nps.org.au/conditions/hormones-metabolism-and-nutritional-problems/diabetes-type-2/for-individuals/medicines-and-treatments/glitazones
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Anti-diabetic medication
Drugs used in diabetes treat diabetes mellitus by lowering glucose levels in the blood. With the exceptions of insulin, exenatide, liraglutide and pramlintide, all are administered orally and are thus also called oral hypoglycemic agents or oral antihyperglycemic agents. There are different classes of anti-diabetic drugs, and their selection depends on the nature of the diabetes, age and situation of the person, as well as other factors.
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a disease caused by the lack of insulin. Insulin must be used in Type I, which must be injected.
Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a disease of insulin resistance by cells. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes. Treatments include (1) agents that increase the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas, (2) agents that increase the sensitivity of target organs to insulin, and (3) agents that decrease the rate at which glucose is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
Several groups of drugs, mostly given by mouth, are effective in Type II, often in combination. The therapeutic combination in Type II may include insulin, not necessarily because oral agents have failed completely, but in search of a desired combination of effects. The great advantage of injected insulin in Type II is that a well-educated patient can adjust the dose, or even take additional doses, when blood glucose levels are measured by the patient, usually with a simple meter, as needed by the measured amount of sugar in the blood.
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-diabetic_drug

Thanks for reading