Ramesh K. Goyal

Cardioprotective effects of gallic acid in diabetes-induced myocardial dysfunction in rats

Background: Normalization of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and oxidative stress is an important objective in preventing diabetes-induced cardiac dysfunction. Objective: This study was undertaken to examine the effects of gallic acid in myocardial dysfunctions associated with type-1 diabetes. Materials and Methods: Diabetes was induced by single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg i.v.). Gallic acid was administered daily at three different doses (100, 50, and 25 mg/kg p.o.) for 8 weeks at the end of which blood samples were collected and analyzed for various biochemical parameters. Results: Injection of STZ produced significant loss of body weight (BW), polyphagia, polydypsia, hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, bradycardia, and myocardial functional alterations. Treatment with gallic acid significantly lowered fasting glucose, the AUCglucose level in a dose-dependent manner; however, the insulin level was not increased significantly at same the dose and prevented loss of BW, polyphagia, and polydypsia in diabetic rats. It also prevented STZ-induced hyperlipidemia, hypertension, bradycardia, structural alterations in cardiac tissue such as increase in force of contraction, left ventricular weight to body weight ratio, collagen content, protein content, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine kinase levels in a dose-dependent manner. Further, treatment also produced reduction in lipid peroxidation and increase in antioxidant parameters in heart of diabetic rats. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that gallic acid to be beneficial for the treatment of myocardial damage associated with type-1 diabetes.

Characteristics and Prevalence of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA).

Diabetes, one of the most commonly seen metabolic disorders, is affecting a major area of population in many developing as well as most of the developed countries and is becoming an alarming concern for the rising cost of the healthcare system. Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is a form of diabetes which is less recognized and underdiagnosed type of diabetes which appears to have characteristics of both type 1 (autoimmune in nature) and type 2 diabetes (adult age at onset and initial response to oral hypoglycemic agents). An epidemiological study was carried out on 500 patients in the western region of India. Various parameters such as age at onset, duration of diabetes, gender, basal metabolic index (BMI), type of diabetes, family history, HbA1c levels, cholesterol levels, and current treatment regimen were evaluated and correlated with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Moreover, diagnostic markers for LADA, namely, GAD autoantibodies and C-peptide levels, were determined for 80 patients selected from the epidemiological study. Some of the results obtained were found to be consistent with the literature whereas some results were found to be contradictory to the existing data.

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Mellitus In Low and Middle Income Countries

Hyperglycemia as a component of metabolic syndrome, appears to be an important risk marker of vascular disease in most developing countries which are under transition from poverty to affluence. Despite a moderate increase in fat intake and low rates of obesity, the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes is rapidly increasing in most of the developing economies. It is a paradox that in some of these countries the increased risk of people to diabetes and CAD, especially at a younger age, is difficult to explain by conventional risk factors. It is possible that the presence of new risk factors especially higher lipoprotein (a)(Lpa), hyperhomocysteinemia, insulin resistance, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol and poor nutrition during fetal life, infancy and childhood may explain at least in part, the cause of this paradox. The prevalence of obesity, central obesity, smoking, physical inactivity and stress are rapidly increasing in low and middle income populations, due to economic development. In high income populations, there is a decrease in tobacco consumption, increase in physical activity and dietary restrictions, due to learning of the message of prevention, resulting into reduction in coronary and sroke mortality. Hypertension, (5-10%) diabetes(3-5%) and CAD(3-4%) are very low in the adult, rural populations of India, China, and in the African sub-continent which has less economic development. However, in urban and immigrant populations of India and China, the prevalence of hypertension (>140/90, 25-30%), diabetes (6-18%) and CAD (7-14%) are significantly higher than they are in some of the high income populations. Mean serum cholesterol (180-200 mg/dl), obesity (5-8%) and dietary fat intake (25-30% en/day) are para- doxically not very high and do not explain the cause of increased susceptibility to CAD and diabetes in some South Asian countries. The force of lipid- related risk factors and refined starches and sugar appears to be greater in these populations due to the presence of the above factors and results into CVD and diabetes at a younger age in these countries. These find- ings may require modification of the existing American and European guidelines, proposed for prevention of CAD, in high income populations. Wild foods or designer foods (400-500g/day) substitution (www.columbus-concept.com) for proatherogenic foods; in conjunction with moderate physical activity and cessation of tobacco, may be protective against deaths and disability due to CVD and diabetes in most of these countries.

Antihyperglycemic Effects of Formulation of Spray Dried Fruit Juice of Emblica officinalis in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats.

Introduction: The present investigation was carried out to study antihyperglycemic activity of formulation prepared by spray-dried powder of fruit juice of E. officinalis (SDF) on animal model of type 1 diabetes. Methods: Hyperglycemia was produced by streptozotocin 45 mg/kg i.v. and formulation was administered orally (100 mg/kg) for 28 days to diabetic rats. At the end of 28 days various biochemical parameters such as serum glucose, insulin, AUC glucose , AUC insulin and lipid profile were estimated. Results: STZ induced rats showed signs and symptoms of diabetes such as body weight loss, polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, treatment with formulation produced slight improvement in these symptoms. Treatment with formulation to diabetic rat produced significant decrease in serum glucose, AUC glucose , triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol. However, insulin, AUC insulin and serum high density lipoprotein level were not significantly affected after treatment. Treatment also produced reduction in malonaldehyde levels and increased antioxidant enzymes levels in diabetic rats. Conclusion: Thus, formulation of E. officinalis significantly improved glucose and lipid dysfunction and oxidative stress in diabetic status. The mechanism of its antidiabetic activity may be either increase in peripheral glucose uptake, reduced insulin resistance or antioxidant property of formulation.