Stem cells based tissue engineering requires biocompatible materials, which allow the cells to adhere, expand, and differentiate in a large scale. An ideal biomaterial for clinical application should be free from mammalian products which cause immune reactivities and pathogen infections. We invented a novel biodegradable poly(L‐lactic‐co‐ε‐caprolactone)‐sericin (PLCL‐SC) copolymer membrane which was fabricated by electrospinning. Membranes with concentrations of 2.5 or 5% (w/v) SC exhibited qualified texture characteristics with a noncytotoxic release profile. The hydrophilic properties of the membranes were 35–40% higher than those of a standard PLCL and commercial polystyrene (PS). The improved characteristics of the membranes were due to an addition of new functional amide groups, C=O, N–H, and C–N, onto their surfaces. Degradation of the membranes was controllable, depending on the content proportion of SC. Results of thermogram indicated the superior stability and crystallinity of the membranes. These membranes enhanced human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSC) proliferation by increasing cyclin A and also promoted cell adhesion by upregulating focal adhesion kinase (FAK). On the membranes, hWJMSC differentiated into a neuronal lineage with the occurrence of nestin. These data suggest that PLCL‐SC electrospun membrane represents some properties which will be useful for tissue engineering and medical applications.

Zingiber montanum (ZM) is used by tribal people in northern Thailand in traditional remedies for anti-obesity and in food recipes. Extracts from this plant have been studied for several pharmacological effects, but without publication on its potential anti-adipogenic activity. This study aim to investigate the lipolytic and anti-adipogenic activity of crude extracts from ZM on in vitro cultures of the mouse adipocyte cell-model, 3T3-L1. Dry rhizome powder was extracted with dichloromethane, absolute ethanol and boiled-water. On the exposed pre-adipocytes to the extracts, cytotoxicity was not detected by using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Lipid content and glycerol release were assessed using Oil Red-O and a commercial Adipolysis Assay kits respectively. The extracts exhibited no significant lipolytic activity on the exposed mature-adipocytes, in serial dilutions ranging from 1 to 800 µg/ml. However, anti-lipogenic activity was presented. All extracts significantly reduced the lipid content of exposed differentiating-adipocytes. This anti-lipogenic activity was confirmed by the expression of selected genes, determined by using real-time PCR techniques, in four groups namely: adipocyte differentiation genes, glucose uptake genes, lipid metabolism genes and fatty acid oxidation genes. This study provided evidence of mechanisms that apparently verify the traditional use of ZM to prevent obesity.