Flavonoid rich fraction of Pilea microphylla (L.) attenuates metabolic abnormalities and improves pancreatic function in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice

Anil Kumar N, Sharopov F, Ramírez-Alarcón K, Ruiz-Ortega A, Abdulmajid Ayatollahi S, Valere Tsouh Fokou P, Kobarfard F, Amiruddin Zakaria Z, Iriti M, Taheri Y, Martorell M, Sureda A, N. Setzer W, Durazzo A, Lucarini M, Santini A, Capasso R, Adrian Ostrander E, -ur-Rahman A, Iqbal Choudhary M, C. Cho W, Sharifi-Rad J. Antidiabetic Potential of Medicinal Plants and Their Active Components

Diabetes mellitus is one of the major health problems in the world, the incidence and associated mortality are increasing. Inadequate regulation of the blood sugar imposes serious consequences for health. Conventional antidiabetic drugs are effective, however, also with unavoidable side effects. On the other hand, medicinal plants may act as an alternative source of antidiabetic agents. Examples of medicinal plants with antidiabetic potential are described, with focuses on preclinical and clinical studies. The beneficial potential of each plant matrix is given by the combined and concerted action of their profile of biologically active compounds.

Antiobesity and antihyperglycaemic effects of Adiantum capillus-veneris extracts: in vitro and in vivo evaluations

CONTEXT

Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (Adiantaceae) hypocholesterolemic activity is therapeutically praised.

OBJECTIVES

Pharmacological modulation of pancreatic triacylglycerol lipase (PL) and α-amylase/α-glucosidase by A. capillus-veneris are evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using positive controls (acarbose, orlistat, guar gum, atorvastatin, glipizide and metformin) as appropriate, crude aqueous extracts (AEs) of A. capillus-veneris aerial parts were tested via a combination of in vitro enzymatic (0.24-100 mg/mL), acute in vivo carbohydrate tolerance tests (125, 250 or 500 mg/kg body weight [b.wt]) and chronic in vivo studies (500 mg/kg b.wt) in high cholesterol diet (HCD) fed Wistar rats.

RESULTS

Like acarbose, A. capillus-veneris as well as chlorogenic acid, with respective IC₅₀ values (mg/mL) of 0.8 ± 0.0 and 0.2 ± 0.0, were identified as in vitro potent dual inhibitors of α-amylase/α-glucosidase. Unlike guar gum, A. capillus-veneris had no glucose diffusion hindrance capacity. Equivalent to orlistat, A. capillus-veneris and its phytoconstituents inhibited PL in vitro with an ascending order of PL- IC₅₀ values (μg/mL): ferulic acid; 0.48 ± 0.06 < ellagic acid; 13.53 ± 1.83 < chlorogenic acid; 38.4 ± 2.8 < A. capillus-veneris; 1600 ± 100. Incomparable to acarbose or metformin and glipizide, A. capillus-veneris (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg b.wt) lacked antihyperglycaemic efficacies in acute starch- or glucose-evoked postprandial hyperglycaemia increments in normoglycaemic overnight fasting rats. Superior to atorvastatin; A. capillus-veneris exerted significant antiobesity (p < 0.001) with marked triacylglycerol-reducing capacities (p < 0.001) in comparison to rats fed with HCD for 10 weeks.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

A. capillus-veneris, modulating pancreatic digestive enzymes, may be advocated as a combinatorial diabesity prevention/phytotherapy agent.

Flavonoids

Diabetes Mellitus is one of the major healthcare problems faced by the society today and has become alarmingly epidemic in many parts of the world. Despite enormous knowledge and technology advancement, available diabetes therapeutics only provide symptomatic relief by reducing blood glucose level, thereby, just slows down development and progression of diabetes and its associated complications. Thus, the need of the day is to develop alternate strategies that can not only prevent the progression but also reverse already “set-in” diabetic complications. Many flavonoids are reported, traditionally as well as experimentally, to be beneficial in averting diabetes and lowering risk of its accompanying complications. In the present chapter we have convened different flavonoids beneficial in diabetes and comorbid complications and discussed their mechanisms of action. Further, we conclude that coupling current therapeutics with flavonoids might provide exceptional advantage in the management of diabetes and its complications.

In vitro and in vivo comparison of the biological activities of two traditionally and widely used Arum species from Jordan: Arum dioscoridis Sibth & Sm. and Arum palaestinum Boiss

Arum dioscoridis and A. palaestinum (Araceae) are indigenous plant species in Jordan. HPLC-MS analysis of A. dioscoridis revealed the presence of apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, quercetin-3-O-β-glucoside, vitexin, isoorientin, esculin, and caffeic and ferulic acids. Both Arum spp., influenced gastrointestinal carbohydrate and lipid digestion and absorption. Orlistat inhibited dose dependently and highly substantially pancreatic lipase (PL) in vitro. Similar to orlistat, Arum species aqueous extracts (AEs), apigenin, caffeic acid and esculin exhibited a concentration related PL inhibition. Comparable to acarbose, dual inhibition of α-amylase/α-glucosidase was observed for both Arum species. Like guar gum, A. dioscoridis AE minimised substantially area under 24 h glucose curve. Acute starch-induced postprandial hyperglycaemia in overnight fasting rats was highly significantly (p < 0.001) decreased by A. dioscoridis AE. A. palaestinum could not perform effectively in either starch- or glucose-fed fasting rats. No antiproliferative effects against colorectal cancer cell lines HT29, HCT116 and SW620 were detected for tested Arum spp.