Trigonelline (Trigenolline), an alkaloid with potential antidiabetic activity, is present in considerable amounts in coffee.

Treatment of cells with Trigonelline attenuates H2O2 induced cell deaths and improves the antioxidant activity. In addition, Trigonelline regulates the apoptotic gene caspase-3, caspase-9, and anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2, Bcl-XL during H2O2 induced oxidative stress in H9c2 cells. Trigonelline significantly reduces the H2O2 induced necrosis and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. However, the further increment of Trigonelline concentration against H2O2 can induce the necrosis and apoptosis along with H2O2[1].

Trigonelline decreases bone mineralization and tends to worsen bone mechanical properties in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Trigonelline significantly increases bone mineral density (BMD) and tends to improve cancellous bone strength in nicotinamide/streptozotocin-treated rats. Trigonelline differentially affects the skeletal system of rats with streptozotocin-induced metabolic disorders like intensify the osteoporotic changes in streptozotocin-treated rats and favorably affect bones in the non-hyperglycemic (nicotinamide/streptozotocin-treated) rats[2].