Anti-hyperglycemic effect of Opuntia streptacantha Lem

Bauhinia forficata Link, Antioxidant, Genoprotective, and Hypoglycemic Activity in a Murine Model

Bauhinia forficata L. is a tree used in alternative medicine as an anti-diabetic agent, with little scientific information about its pharmacological properties. The hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and genoprotective activities of a methanolic extract of B. forficata leaves and stems combined were investigated in mice treated with streptozotocin (STZ). Secondary metabolites were determined by qualitative phytochemistry. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH method at four concentrations of the extract. The genoprotective activity was evaluated in 3 groups of mice: control, anthracene (10 mg/kg), and anthracene + B. forficata (500 mg/kg) and the presence of micronuclei in peripheral blood was measured for 2 weeks. To determine the hypoglycemic activity, the crude extract was prepared in a suspension and administered (500 mg/kg, i.g.) in previously diabetic mice with STZ (120 mg/kg, i.p.), measuring blood glucose levels every week as well as the animals' body weight for six weeks. The extract showed good antioxidant activity and caused a decrease in the number of micronuclei. The diabetic mice + B. forficata presented hypoglycemic effects in the third week of treatment, perhaps due to its secondary metabolites. Therefore, B. forficata is a candidate for continued use at the ethnomedical level as an adjuvant to allopathic therapy.

Opuntia genus in Human Health: A Comprehensive Summary on Its Pharmacological, Therapeutic and Preventive Properties. Part 1

Opuntia spp. is a diverse and widely distributed genus in Africa, Asia, Australia, and America. Mexico has the largest number of wild species; mainly O. streptacantha, O. hyptiacantha, O. albicarpa, O. megacantha and O. ficus-indica. The latter being the most cultivated and domesticated species. Throughout history, plants and their phytochemicals have played an important role in health care and Opuntia spp. has shown a high nutritional, medicinal, pharmaceutical, and economic impacts. Its main bioactive compounds include pigments (carotenoids, betalains and betacyanins), vitamins, flavonoids (isorhamnetin, kaempferol, quercetin) and phenolic compounds. Together, they favor the different plant parts and are considered phytochemically important and associated with control, progression and prevention of some chronic and infectious diseases. This first review (Part 1), compiles information from published research (in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies) on its preventive effects against atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity, hepatoprotection, effects on human infertility and chemopreventive and/or antigenotoxic capacity. The aim is to provide scientific evidences of its beneficial properties and to encourage health professionals and researchers to expand studies on the pharmacological and therapeutic effects of Opuntia spp.

Cactus: Chemical, nutraceutical composition and potential bio-pharmacological properties

Cactus species are plants that grow in the arid and semiarid regions of the world. They have long fascinated the attention of the scientific community due to their unusual biology. Cactus species are used for a variety of purposes, such as food, fodder, ornamental, and as medicinal plants. In the last regard, they have been used in traditional medicine for eras by the ancient people to cure several diseases. Recent scientific investigations suggest that cactus materials may be used as a source of naturally-occurring products, such as mucilage, fiber, pigments, and antioxidants. For this reason, numerous species under this family are becoming endangered and extinct. This review provides an overview of the habitat, classification, phytochemistry, chemical constituents, extraction and isolation of bioactive compounds, nutritional and pharmacological potential with pre-clinical and clinical studies of different Cactus species. Furthermore, conservation strategies for the ornamental and endangered species have also been discussed.

Molecules Isolated from Mexican Hypoglycemic Plants: A Review

Like in many developing countries, in Mexico, the use of medicinal plants is a common practice. Based on our own field experience, there are at least 800 plants used for treating diabetes nowadays. Thus, their investigation is essential. In this context, this work aims to provide a comprehensive and critical review of the molecules isolated from Mexican hypoglycemic plants, including their source and target tested. In the last few years, some researchers have focused on the study of Mexican hypoglycemic plants. Most works describe the hypoglycemic effect or the mechanism of action of the whole extract, as well as the phytochemical profile of the tested extract. Herein, we analyzed 85 studies encompassing 40 hypoglycemic plants and 86 active compounds belonging to different classes of natural products: 28 flavonoids, 25 aromatic compounds, other than flavonoids, four steroids, 23 terpenoids, 4 oligosaccharides, and 1 polyalcohol. These compounds have shown to inhibit α-glucosidases, increase insulin secretion levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and block hepatic glucose output. Almost half of these molecules are not common metabolites, with a narrow taxonomic distribution, which makes them more interesting as lead molecules. Altogether, this analysis provides a necessary inventory useful for future testing of these active molecules against different hypoglycemic targets, to get a better insight into the already described mechanisms, and overall, to contribute to the knowledge of Mexican medicinal plants.

Cucurbitacin IIb from Ibervillea sonorae Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest via STAT3 Inhibition

Background:

Cucurbitacin IIb (CIIb) from Ibervillea sonorae has a high capacity to suppress cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms related to the antiproliferative and apoptosis induction capacity of CIIb in HeLa cells.

Materials and Methods:

The cell viability and anti-proliferative effect of CIIb were evaluated by using the trypan blue exclusion assay. The effect of CIIb on the mitochondrial membrane potential was determined by flow cytometry using JC-1. The activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was evaluated by flow cytometry using commercial kits. The effect of CIIb on the cell cycle was investigated using Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) analysis. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate both the inhibitory effect of CIIb on the STAT3 signaling pathway and cyclin –B1, and DNA damage by the comet assay.

Results:

CIIb triggers disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and consequently activated the caspases -3 and -9, as a result of the activation of the intrinsic pathway of the apoptosis. Likewise, the CIIbinduced cell cycle was arrested in S and G2/M after 24h of treatment. CIIb also reduced the expression of STAT3 and cyclin –B1. Finally, CIIb produced an antiproliferative effect at 48 and 72 h, inducing DNA damage.

Conclusion:

These results demonstrate CIIb-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HeLa through the inhibition of STAT3.

Nopal (Opuntia spp.) and its Effects on Metabolic Syndrome: New Insights for the Use of a Millenary Plant

Background:

Nopal (Opuntia spp.) is by excellence the most utilized cactus in human and animal nutrition. It is also a very noble plant; its main physicochemical, nutritional and nutraceutical characteristics allow the use of nopal in diverse food applications. Special focus has been given over the past decades in the use of Opuntia for the treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is predominantly related to Diabetes Mellitus. In this sense, the prevalence of MetS is increasing at a worldwide level. This in turn has led to a notorious demand for natural and nutraceutical food sources.

Methods:

The objective of this work was to summarize the main contributions in the field of Opuntia spp. research highlighting the potential use of nopal fruits or cladodes in MetS treatment, providing the reader with historical and novel information in this field. Nevertheless, the present work is not a meta-analysis. We included mainly information from recognized scientific databases, such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. No homeopathic based studies were included since they lack scientific validation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that fairly categorizes the majority of the information in this field into subsections, which can be of interest for the reader, such as the effect of nopal against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity among others.

Conclusion:

Nopal constitutes one of the most studied members of the Cactaceae family; its potential effects on human health have been described since ancient times, mostly through traditional medicine. The present work highlights the importance of this plant in the treatment of MetS related maladies and points out the importance of elucidating new compounds and their validation for the interactions of nutraceutical compounds which could be related to MetS.

Inhibitory potential of prickly pears and their isolated bioactives against digestive enzymes linked to type 2 diabetes and inflammatory response

BACKGROUND

Prickly pears are potential candidates for the development of low-cost functional foods because they grow with low water requirements in arid regions of the world. They are sources of betalains and phenolic compounds, which have been reported to contribute to human health. The study of the biological activity of different varieties and of their isolated bioactive constitutes is fundamental in the design of functional foods. In this context, our objective is the assessment of the ability of Spanish and Mexican prickly-pear cultivars to inhibit enzymes related to type 2 diabetes and the inflammatory response, and the contribution of their bioactive compounds to their nutra-pharmaceutical potential.

RESULTS

Prickly pear peels presented the highest antioxidant activity due to their high isorhamnetin glycoside content. Isorhamnetin glycosides showed significantly higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than aglycone, particularly isorhamnetin glucosyl-rhamnosyl-pentoside (IG2), which also reported antihyperglycemic activity. Morada, Vigor, and Sanguinos whole fruits exhibited moderate α-amylase inhibition and higher α-glucosidase inhibition, which is ideal for lowering glucose absorption in hyperglycemia management. Sanguinos peels presented the highest anti-inflammatory activity because of their high indicaxanthin content and isorhamnetin glycoside profile.

CONCLUSIONS

In the design of prickly pear functional foods, technological processing should prioritize the retention or concentration of these bioactive compounds to preserve (or increase) their natural antioxidant, antihyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory activity. Peels of red and orange varieties should be further evaluated for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory purposes while whole fruits of red and purple varieties could be considered possible candidates for hyperglycemia management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemistry and Biology of Selected Mexican Medicinal Plants

Herbal medicines are an integral element of alternative medical care in Mexico, and the best testimony to their efficacy and cultural value is their persistence in contemporary Mexican marketplaces where the highest percentages of medicinal and aromatic plants are sold. This chapter summarizes current trends in research on medicinal plants in Mexico, with emphasis on work carried out at the authors' laboratories. The most relevant phytochemical and pharmacological profiles of a selected group of plants used widely for treating major national health problems are described.From this contribution, it is evident that in the last five decades a significant amount of research on medicinal plants has been performed by Mexican scientists. Such efforts have led to the publication of many research papers in noted peer-reviewed journals and technical books. The isolation and structural characterization of hundreds of bioactive secondary metabolites have been accomplished, and most importantly, these studies have tended to support the ethnomedical uses of many different species. A multidisciplinary approach for investigating these plants has led to an increased emphasis on areas such as phytopharmacology, phytotoxicology, quality control, regulation, and conservation issues for these valuable resources. The medicinal plants analyzed so far have shown a very broad chemical diversity of their constituents, which have a high potential for exhibiting novel mechanistic effects biologically. The chapter shows also that there is need to conduct additional clinical studies on herbal drugs, in particular because the longstanding traditional evidence for their safety is not always sufficient to assure their rational use. There is also need to move to "omics" approaches for investigating the holistic effect and the influence of groups of phytochemicals on the whole organism. Mexican scientists may be expected to have bright prospects in this regard, which will imbue medicinal plant research with a new dynamism in the future.

Role of medicinal plants in the management of diabetes mellitus: a review

Medicinal plants have a vast potential in the treatment of various ailments due to the presence of therapeutically important phytochemicals. Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder and several marketed medications are available to alleviate the symptoms of diabetes. However, these over the counter drugs are expensive and associated with several complications. Herbal medicines are gaining importance as they are cost-effective and also display improved therapeutic effects with lesser side effects. The present review includes the reports available on medicinal plants used for treating diabetes complications. The aim of the review is to categorize and summarize the available information on medicinal plants with anti-diabetic properties and suggesting outlooks for future research. A systematic search was performed on medicinal plants with anti-diabetic properties using several search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and other online journals and books. All the plants listed in this review are native to Asian countries and are routinely used by the traditional practitioners for the treatment of various ailments. Based on the literature data available, a total of 81 medicinal plants with anti-diabetic, anti-hyperglycemic, hypoglycemic, anti-lipidemic and insulin mimetic properties have been compiled in this review. This review provides useful information about the different medicinal plants for treating diabetes-associated complications. Further research can be carried out to study the active constituents and mechanism of these plants.

Breviscapine ameliorates CCl4‑induced liver injury in mice through inhibiting inflammatory apoptotic response and ROS generation

Acute liver injury is characterized by fibrosis, inflammation and apoptosis, leading to liver failure, cirrhosis or cancer and affecting the clinical outcome in the long term. However, no effective therapeutic strategy is currently available. Breviscapine, a mixture of flavonoid glycosides, has been reported to have multiple biological functions. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of breviscapine on acute liver injury induced by CCl4 in mice. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to intraperitoneal injection with CCl4 for 8 weeks with or without breviscapine (15 or 30 mg/kg). Mice treated with CCl4 developed acute liver injury, as evidenced by histological analysis, Masson trichrome and Sirius Red staining, accompanied with elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Furthermore, increases in pro‑inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and apoptotic factors, including caspase‑3 and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase‑2 (PARP‑2), were observed. Breviscapine treatment significantly and dose‑dependently reduced collagen deposition and the fibrotic area. Inflammatory cytokines were downregulated by breviscapine through inactivating Toll‑like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways. In addition, co‑administration of breviscapine with CCl4 decreased the apoptotic response by enhancing B‑cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl‑2) levels, while reducing Bcl‑2‑associated X protein, apoptotic protease activating factor 1, caspase‑3 and PARP activity. Furthermore, CCl4‑induced oxidative stress was blocked by breviscapine through improving anti‑oxidants and impeding mitogen‑activated protein kinase pathways. The present study highlighted that breviscapine exhibited liver‑protective effects against acute hepatic injury induced by CCl4 via suppressing inflammation and apoptosis.

Ethnobotany of Anti-hypertensive Plants Used in Northern Pakistan

Hypertension is one of the most important factors responsible for cardiovascular ailments worldwide. It has been observed that herbal products and alternative herbal therapies played a significant role in decreasing hypertension. The aim of the current study is to provide significant ethnopharmacological information, both qualitative and quantitative on medicinal plants related to hypertension from Northern Pakistan. The documented data were quantitatively analyzed for the first time in this area. A total of 250 participants were interviewed through semi-structured discussions and questionnaires. Quantitative indices including FC (Frequency citation), FIV (Family importance value), RFC (Relative frequency of citation) and DCI (Disease Consensus index) were calculated. A total of 192 plant species, belonging to 77 families were reported to be used in treatment of hypertension in Northern Pakistan. The most dominant life form reported was herbs (54%), with decoction (72 reports) and leaves (55.1%) were commonly utilized plant part. Highest FIV was recorded in Lamiaceae (327 FIV). RFC ranged from 0.08 to 1.08% while DCI varied from 0.233 to 0.000. In this study original data was compared with thirty one previous national and international published papers from neighboring region to compare the medicinal uses and obtain some novel plant species. About 42% of the medicinal plant species were reported for the first time in treatment of hypertension in comparison to these 31 published papers. Different phytochemical activities of antihypertensive plants were also reported from literature. This research work documents the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants usage and provides baseline in designing clinical trials and pharmacological analysis for treatment of hypertension.

An Overview of Herbal Products and Secondary Metabolites Used for Management of Type Two Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a common effect of uncontrolled high blood sugar and it is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs. In the adult population, the global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980. Without effective prevention and management programs, the continuing significant rise in diabetes will have grave consequences on the health and lifespan of the world population, and also on the world economy. Supplements can be used to correct nutritional deficiencies or to maintain an adequate intake of certain nutrients. These are often used as treatments for diabetes, sometimes because they have lower costs, or are more accessible or "natural" compared to prescribed medications. Several vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and secondary metabolites have been reported to elicit beneficial effects in hypoglycemic actions in vivo and in vitro; however, the data remain conflicting. Many pharmaceuticals commonly used today are structurally derived from natural compounds from traditional medicinal plants. Botanicals that are most frequently used to help manage blood glucose include: bitter melon (Momordica charantia), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum), gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre), ivy gourd (Coccinia indica), nopal (Opuntia spp.), ginseng, Russian tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia), psyllium (Plantago ovata), and garlic (Allium sativum). In majority of the herbal products and secondary metabolites used in treating diabetes, the mechanisms of action involve regulation of insulin signaling pathways, translocation of GLUT-4 receptor and/or activation the PPARγ. Several flavonoids inhibit glucose absorption by inhibiting intestinal α-amylase and α-glucosidase. In-depth studies to validate the efficacies and safeties of extracts of these traditional medicinal plants are needed, and large, well designed, clinical studies need to be carried out before the use of such preparations can be recommended for treatment and/or prevention of diabetes. The main focus of this review is to describe what we know to date of the active compounds in these, along with their glucose-lowering mechanisms, which are either through insulin-mimicking activity or enhanced glucose uptake.

Effect of spineless cactus intake (Opuntia ficus-indica) on blood glucose levels in lactating sows and its impact on feed intake, body weight loss, and weaning-estrus interval

The effect of spineless cactus intake (Opuntia ficus-indica) on blood glucose (BG) levels in lactating sows and its impact on daily and total feed intake (dFI⁻¹ and TFI, respectively), body weight loss (BWL), and weaning-estrus interval length (WEI) were evaluated. Thirty-four hybrid (Yorkshire × Landrace × Pietrain) sows in lactation phase were used. Sows were divided into two groups: G1 (n = 17) where they received commercial feed and G2 (n = 17) provided with commercial feed plus an average of 2.0 ± 0.5 kg spineless cactus, based on a sow’s body weight. The variables evaluated were BG, dFI⁻¹, TFI, BWL, and WEI. Statistical analysis was performed by using a fixed and mixed model methodology, under a repeated measurements experiment. Group effects were found on all analyzed variables (P < 0.05). The BG was lower in G2 (55.2 and 64.5 mg/dL pre- and post-prandial, respectively), compared to that in G1 (70.9 and 80.1 mg/dL pre- and post-prandial, respectively) (P < 0.05). G2 showed better performance than G1 for dFI⁻¹, BWL, and WEI (P < 0.05) whose averages were 5.5 ± 1.8 kg, 7.4 ± 4.5%, and 5.3 ± 1.2 days, respectively. Averages for these variables in G1 were 4.7 ± 1.5 kg, 16.8 ± 4.6%, and 6.1 ± 1.6 days, respectively. Intake of spineless cactus reduced BG levels in lactating sows, generating greater dFI⁻¹, lower BWL at the end of lactation, and a lower WEI.

Opuntia spp.: Characterization and Benefits in Chronic Diseases

Opuntia species have been used for centuries as food resources and in traditional folk medicine for their nutritional properties and their benefit in chronic diseases, particularly diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. These plants are largely distributed in America, Africa, and the Mediterranean basin. Opuntia spp. have great economic potential because they grow in arid and desert areas, and O. ficus-indica, the domesticated O. species, is used as a nutritional and pharmaceutical agent in various dietary and value-added products. Though differences in the phytochemical composition exist between wild and domesticated (O. ficus-indica) Opuntia spp., all Opuntia vegetatives (pear, roots, cladodes, seeds, and juice) exhibit beneficial properties mainly resulting from their high content in antioxidants (flavonoids, ascorbate), pigments (carotenoids, betalains), and phenolic acids. Other phytochemical components (biopeptides, soluble fibers) have been characterized and contribute to the medicinal properties of Opuntia spp. The biological properties of Opuntia spp. have been investigated on cellular and animal models and in clinical trials in humans, allowing characterization and clarification of the protective effect of Opuntia-enriched diets in chronic diseases. This review is an update on the phytochemical composition and biological properties of Opuntia spp. and their potential interest in medicine.

Functional and hypoglycemic properties of nopal cladodes (O. ficus-indica) at different maturity stages using in vitro and in vivo tests

Nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladodes are recommended for their therapeutic properties; their maturity stage may affect their biological properties. Cladodes of three maturity stages, from the same crop and location, were dehydrated and evaluated for some of their physicochemical and nutritional characteristics and antidiabetic properties. The flours of small and medium cladodes (SCF and MCF, respectively) had higher contents of dietary fiber, water absorption, swelling, and viscosity compared to those of the large cladode flour (LCF). Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, treated with MCF and SCF (doses of 50 mg/kg body weight), showed reduction of postprandial blood glucose on 46.0 and 23.6%, respectively (p < 0.05), in relation to the control; and LCF had no significant effect. In vitro, glucose diffusion tests showed similar ranking by the two former samples, whereas the latter was close to the control. Cladode maturity stages showed different fiber content and produced suspensions with differences in viscosity, which may affect in vitro and in vivo glucose responses.

Nutritional supplements and their effect on glucose control

As diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to be a growing health concern, many people have been turning to natural health products (NHPs) in order to manage this condition, adjunctive to, or even in place of conventional therapies. In order to keep up with this trend, research focussing on the efficacy and mechanisms behind the most common NHPs has been growing amongst the scientific community. The purpose of this chapter is to search and compile scientific literature focussing on the most commonly used NHPs in diabetes treatment, so to educate health professionals on the efficacy, safety and dosage of these products. From our findings, it is apparent that there are promising results from many studies on the potential benefit of NHPs in the treatment of diabetes. Nonetheless, many of the herbs and single nutraceuticals still require further studies in order to confirm safety, dosage and potential interactions with standard conventional therapies. Soluble fibre, alpha lipoic acid, milk thistle, prickly pear cactus and pycnogenol appear to be the most beneficial in the treatment of diabetes.