Leelavinothan Pari

Antihyperglycaemic activity of Musa sapientum flowers: effect on lipid peroxidation in alloxan diabetic rats

Musa sapientum commonly known as ‘banana’ is widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Oral administration of 0.15, 0.20 and 0.25 g/kg body weight of the chloroform extract of the flowers for 30 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin and an increase in total haemoglobin. The extract prevented a decrease in body weight, and also resulted in a decrease in free radical formation in the tissues. Thus the study shows that banana flower extract (BFEt) has an antihyperglycaemic action. The decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the increase in reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) clearly shows the antioxidant property of BFEt. The effect of BFEt was more prominently seen in the case of animals given 0.25 g/kg body weight. BFEt was more effective than glibenclamide. Copyright

Role of curcumin in health and disease

Abstract Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is an orange-yellow component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), a spice often found in curry powder. In recent years, considerable interest has been focused on curcumin due to its use to treat a wide variety of disorders without any side effects. It is one of the major curcuminoids of turmeric, which impart its characteristic yellow colour. It was used in ancient times on the Indian subcontinent to treat various illnesses such as rheumatism, bodyache, skin diseases, intestinal worms, diarrhoea, intermittent fevers, hepatic disorders, biliousness, urinary discharges, dyspepsia, inflammations, constipation, leukoderma, amenorrhea, and colic. Curcumin has the potential to treat a wide variety of inflammatory diseases including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, Alzheimers disease, psoriasis, etc, through modulation of numerous molecular targets. This article reviews the use of curcumin for the chemoprevention and treatment of various diseases.

Protective role of Scoparia dulcis plant extract on brain antioxidant status and lipidperoxidation in STZ diabetic male Wistar rats

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis on the occurrence of oxidative stress in the brain of rats during diabetes by measuring the extent of oxidative damage as well as the status of the antioxidant defense system.MethodsAqueous extract of Scoparia dulcis plant was administered orally (200 mg/kg body weight) and the effect of extract on blood glucose, plasma insulin and the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hydroperoxides, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were estimated in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Glibenclamide was used as standard reference drug.ResultsA significant increase in the activities of plasma insulin, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and reduced glutathione was observed in brain on treatment with 200 mg/kg body weight of Scoparia dulcis plant extract (SPEt) and glibenclamide for 6 weeks. Both the treated groups showed significant decrease in TBARS and hydroperoxides formation in brain, suggesting its role in protection against lipidperoxidation induced membrane damage.ConclusionsSince the study of induction of the antioxidant enzymes is considered to be a reliable marker for evaluating the antiperoxidative efficacy of the medicinal plant, these findings suggest a possible antiperoxidative role for Scoparia dulcis plant extract. Hence, in addition to antidiabetic effect, Scoparia dulcis possess antioxidant potential that may be used for therapeutic purposes.

Preventive effects of Cassia auriculata L. flowers on brain lipid peroxidation in rats treated with streptozotocin

The effect of aqueous extract of the flowers of Cassia auriculata were examined on antioxidants and lipid peroxidation in the brain of streptozotocin diabetic rats. Significant increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and reduced glutathione were observed in brain on treatment with Cassia auriculata flower extract (CFEt) and glibenclamide. Both the treated groups showed significant decrease in thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) and hydroperoxide formation in brain, suggesting its role in protection against lipid peroxidation induced membrane damage. Since the study of induction of the antioxidant enzymes is considered to be a reliable marker for evaluating the antiperoxidative efficacy of medicinal plant, these findings are suggestions of possible antiperoxidative role played by Cassia auriculata flower extract.

Effect of Coccinia indica leaves on antioxidant status in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The antioxidant effect of an ethanolic extract of Coccinia indica leaves, an indigenous plant used in Ayurvedic medicine in India, was studied in Streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Oral administration of Coccinia indica leaf extract (CLEt) (200 mg/kg body weight) for 45 days resulted in a significant reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydroperoxides. The extract also causes a significant increase in reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase in liver and kidney of streptozotocin diabetic rats, which clearly shows the antioxidant property of CLEt. The effect of CLEt at 200 mg/kg body weight was more effective than glibenclamide

Antihyperlipidemic and antiperoxidative effect of Diasulin, a polyherbal formulation in alloxan induced hyperglycemic rats

BackgroundThis study was undertaken to investigation the effect of Diasulin, a poly herbal drug composed of ethanolic extract of ten medicinal plants on blood glucose, plasma insulin, tissue lipid profile, and lipidperoxidation in alloxan induced diabetes.MethodsEthanolic extract of Diasulin a, poly herbal drug was administered orally (200 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days. The different doses of Diasulin on blood glucose and plasma insulin in diabetic rats were studied and the levels of lipid peroxides [TBARS, and Hydroperoxide] and tissue lipids [cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipides and free fatty acids] were also estimated in alloxan induced diabetic rats. The effects were compared with glibenclamide.ResultTreatment with Diasulin and glibenclamide resulted in a significant reduction of blood glucose and increase in plasma insulin. Diasulin also resulted in a significant decrease in tissue lipids and lipid peroxide formation. The effect produced by Diasulin was comparable with that of glibenclamide.ConclusionThe decreased lipid peroxides and tissue lipids clearly showed the antihyperlipidemic and antiperoxidative effect of Diasulin apart from its antidiabetic effect.

Effect of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) leaf extract on alcohol induced oxidative stress in rats.

Alcoholic liver disease is a major medical complication of drinking alcohol. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the development of alcohol liver disease. The present study was carried to evaluate the effect of grape leaf extract (GLEt) on antioxidant and lipid peroxidation states in liver and kidney alcohol induced toxicity. In vitro studies with DPPH* and ABTS*(+) (cation radical) showed that GLEt possesses antioxidant activity. In vivo administration of ethanol (7.9 g/kg bw/day) for 45 days resulted an activity of liver marker enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP and GGT), lipid peroxidation markers (TBARS, lipid hydroperoxides) in liver and kidney with significantly lower activity of SOD, CAT, GPx, GST and non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C and GSH) in liver and kidney as compared with control rats. Administration of ethanol along with GLEt significantly decreased the activities of liver markers enzyme in serum towards near normal level. GLEt at a dose of 100 mg/kg was highly effective than 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight. In addition GLEt also significantly reduced the levels of lipid peroxidation and addition, significantly restored the enzymic and non-enzymatic antioxidants level in liver and kidney of alcohol administration rats. This observation was supplemented by histopathological examination in liver and kidney. Our data suggest that GLEt exerts its protective effect by decreased the lipid peroxidation and improving antioxidants status, thus proving itself as an effective antioxidant in alcohol induced oxidative damage in rats.

Antihyperglycaemic effect of Cassia auriculata in experimental diabetes and its effects on key metabolic enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism.

1. In experimental diabetes, enzymes of glucose and fatty acid metabolism are markedly altered. Persistent hyperglycaemia is a major contributor to such metabolic alterations, which lead to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. To our knowledge, there are no available reports on the enzymes of hepatic glucose metabolism of Cassia auriculata flower against diabetes. The present study was designed to study the effect of Cassia auriculata flower extract (CFEt) on hepatic glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzymes.

EFFECT OF TETRAHYDROCURCUMIN ON BLOOD GLUCOSE, PLASMA INSULIN AND HEPATIC KEY ENZYMES IN STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

The enzymes of glucose and lipid metabolism are markedly altered in experimental diabetes. In the present study, we investigated the effect of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC), one of the active metabolites in curcumin, on the key hepatic metabolic enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Different doses of THC (20, 40, and 80 mg\kg body weight) were orally administered to diabetic rats for 45 days. The activities of hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and sorbitol dehydrogenase in liver, and glycogen content in liver and muscle were assayed. In untreated diabetic control rats, the activities of the gluconeogenic enzymes were significantly increased, whereas hexokinase and G6PD activity and glycogen levels were significantly decreased. Both THC and curcumin were able to restore the altered enzyme activities to near normal levels. Tetrahydrocurcumin was more effective than curcumin. Our results indicate that the administration of THC to diabetic animals normalizes blood glucose and causes a marked improvement of altered carbohydrate metabolic enzymes.

Antihyperlipidemic effect of chlorogenic acid and tetrahydrocurcumin in rats subjected to diabetogenic agents.

Diabetes mellitus is associated with dyslipidemia, which is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular complications. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) alone and in combination on alterations in lipids, lipoproteins and enzymes involved in lipid metabolism in streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NA)-induced type 2 diabetic rats. A significant (p<0.05) increase in the concentrations of plasma and tissue (liver and kidney) lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), free fatty acids (FFAs) and phospholipids (PLs)) and low density and very low-density lipoproteins (LDL and VLDL), and a decrease in the concentration of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were noticed in STZ administered diabetic rats. In addition, the activity of 3-hydroxy 3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase increased significantly (p<0.05) in the liver and kidney whereas the activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) were decreased significantly (p<0.05) in the plasma of diabetic rats. Combined administration of CGA (5mg/kg b.w.) and THC (80mg/kg b.w.) for 45 days remarkably reduced the STZ-induced changes in lipids, lipoproteins and lipid metabolising enzymes when compared to the effects of CGA or THC alone in diabetic rats. These results indicate that combination of THC and CGA can potentially ameliorate lipid abnormalities in experimental type 2 diabetes.