Protective efficacy of Tinospora sinensis against streptozotocin induced pancreatic islet cell injuries of diabetic rats and its correlation to its phytochemical profiles

Trigonelline prevents high-glucose-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired angiogenic activity in human endothelial EA.hy926 cells

Trigonelline (TRIG) is a natural compound in an alkaloid family found in diverse plants. This compound exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrotic activities in several disease models. However, its beneficial role in endothelial injury, especially induced by diabetes, is unclear. We, therefore, evaluated the effects of TRIG on the cellular proteome of human endothelial (EA.hy926) cells followed by functional validation in high-glucose (HG)-induced endothelial deteriorations. Label-free quantification using nanoLC-ESI-Qq-TOF MS/MS revealed 40 downregulated and 29 upregulated proteins induced by TRIG. Functional enrichment analysis using DAVID and REVIGO tools suggested the involvement of these altered proteins in several biological processes and molecular functions, particularly cell-cell adhesion, ATP metabolic process, cell redox homeostasis, cadherin binding, and ATP hydrolysis activity. Experimental validation showed that HG triggered endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) (as demonstrated by increased spindle index and mesenchymal markers, i.e., fibronectin and vimentin, and decreased endothelial markers, i.e., PECAM-1 and VE-cadherin), increased oxidized proteins, and reduced intracellular ATP, active mitochondria, endothelial tube/mesh formation and VEGF secretion. However, TRIG successfully abolished all these defects induced by HG. These data indicate that TRIG prevents HG-induced EndMT, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired angiogenic activity in human endothelial cells.

Insights into the phytochemical profiling, antidiabetic and antioxidant potentials of Lepionurus sylvestris Blume extract in fructose/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

In this study, the antidiabetic activities of Lepionurus sylvestris Blume extract (LSB) in rats was investigated. The in vitro antidiabetic properties of LSB was evaluated using α-amylase, α-glucosidase and DPP-IV inhibitory assays, while the antioxidant assay was analysed using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. Type 2 diabetes was with high-fructose/streptozotocin, and the diabetic animals were treated with LSB for 5 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the effects of LSB were evaluated via insulin level, lipid profile and hepatorenal function biomarkers. The level of oxido-inflammatory parameters, histopathology and insulin immunohistochemical staining in the pancreas was evaluated. Diabetic rats manifested significant increases in the blood glucose level, food/water intake, lipid profiles, hepatorenal function biomarkers, as well as a marked decreases in the body weight and serum insulin levels. Histopathological and insulin immunohistochemical examination also revealed decreased pancreatic beta cells and insulin positive cells, respectively. These alterations were associated with significant increases in malondialdehyde, TNF-α and IL-1β, in addition to significant declines in GSH, SOD and CAT activities. LSB significantly reduced blood glucose level, glucose intolerance, serum lipids, restored altered hepatorenal and pancreatic functions in the treated diabetic rats. Further, LSB showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities by reducing malondialdehyde, TNF-α, IL-1β, and increasing antioxidant enzymes activities in the pancreatic tissues. A total of 77 secondary metabolites were tentatively identified in the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis of LSB. Overall, these findings provides insight into the potentials of LSB as an antidiabetic agent which may be associated to the plethora bioactive compounds in the plant.

A Review on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Clinical Application of Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr

Tinospora sinensis (T. sinensis), whose Tibetan name is "Lezhe", as a traditional medicine, is widely distributed in China, India and Sri Lanka. It is used for the treatment of rheumatic arthralgia, sciatica, lumbar muscle strain and bruises. Research over the previous decades indicated that T. sinensis mainly contains terpenes, lignans, alkaloids, phenol glycosides and other chemical components. A wide range of pharmacologic activities such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunosuppressive, anti-aging, anti-radiation, anti-leishmania and liver protection have been reported. However, the scholar's research on the pharmacodynamic material basis of T. sinensis is relatively weak. Data regarding many aspects such as links between the traditional uses and bioactivities, pharmacokinetics, and quality control standard of active compositions is still limited and need more attention. This review reports a total of 241 compounds, the ethnopharmacology and clinical application of T. sinensis, covering the literature which were searched by multiple databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, CNKI and other literature sources from 1996 to date, with a view to provide a systematic and insightful reference and lays a foundation and inspiration for the application and further in-depth research of T. sinensis resources.

Hematotoxicity Induced by Copper Oxide Nanoparticles and the Attenuating Role of Giloy In Vivo

Background In line with the growing industrial applications of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) in various fields, concerns about their potentially harmful consequences on the environment, human, and animal health are increasing. Giloy is considered an alternative medicine to treat various ailments. Giloy's potential in helping manage diabetes, alleviating arthritis and joint pain, and addressing skin disorders such as eczema and acne underscores its multifaceted role in traditional medicine. Moreover, it is deemed beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety levels, promoting liver health, and potentially impacting heart health by regulating cholesterol levels. Emerging research also explores its potential in cancer prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the hematotoxicity of CuONPs and the alleviating effect of giloy in adult rats. Materials and methods In this experiment, 28 laboratory rats were used, set to four groups (7/group), as follows: control group without any dose; CuONPs group administered copper oxide nanoparticles at 300 mg/kg/day; CuONPs + giloy group dosed with CuONPs at 300 mg/kg/day plus giloy at 100 mg/kg/day; giloy group treated only with giloy at 100 mg/kg/day. All treatments were given by gastric gavage and continued for 28 uninterrupted days. Results Dosing animals with CuONPs led to significant adverse changes in the examined blood profile. In contrast, when the animals were coadministered with giloy, restoring the disturbed blood levels was observed. Conclusion Copper oxide nanoparticles at a high dose had notable hematotoxicity in laboratory rats and, supplemented with giloy, could reduce this hematological toxicity.

Radical oxygen species: an important breakthrough point for botanical drugs to regulate oxidative stress and treat the disorder of glycolipid metabolism

Background: The incidence of glycolipid metabolic diseases is extremely high worldwide, which greatly hinders people's life expectancy and patients' quality of life. Oxidative stress (OS) aggravates the development of diseases in glycolipid metabolism. Radical oxygen species (ROS) is a key factor in the signal transduction of OS, which can regulate cell apoptosis and contribute to inflammation. Currently, chemotherapies are the main method to treat disorders of glycolipid metabolism, but this can lead to drug resistance and damage to normal organs. Botanical drugs are an important source of new drugs. They are widely found in nature with availability, high practicality, and low cost. There is increasing evidence that herbal medicine has definite therapeutic effects on glycolipid metabolic diseases. Objective: This study aims to provide a valuable method for the treatment of glycolipid metabolic diseases with botanical drugs from the perspective of ROS regulation by botanical drugs and to further promote the development of effective drugs for the clinical treatment of glycolipid metabolic diseases. Methods: Using herb*, plant medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, phytochemicals, natural medicine, phytomedicine, plant extract, botanical drug, ROS, oxygen free radicals, oxygen radical, oxidizing agent, glucose and lipid metabolism, saccharometabolism, glycometabolism, lipid metabolism, blood glucose, lipoprotein, triglyceride, fatty liver, atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, dysglycemia, NAFLD, and DM as keywords or subject terms, relevant literature was retrieved from Web of Science and PubMed databases from 2013 to 2022 and was summarized. Results: Botanical drugs can regulate ROS by regulating mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and other signaling pathways to improve OS and treat glucolipid metabolic diseases. Conclusion: The regulation of ROS by botanical drugs is multi-mechanism and multifaceted. Both cell studies and animal experiments have demonstrated the effectiveness of botanical drugs in the treatment of glycolipid metabolic diseases by regulating ROS. However, studies on safety need to be further improved, and more studies are needed to support the clinical application of botanical drugs.

Antioxidative hypoglycemic herbal medicines with in vivo and in vitro activity against C-reactive protein; a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Inflammation is a double-edged sword in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The global rise in the prevalence of T2DM in one hand, and poor disease control with currently-available treatments on the other hand, along with an increased tendency towards the use of natural products make scientists seek herbal medicines for the management of diabetes and its complications by reducing C-reactive protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker.

PURPOSE

To systematically review the literature to identify the efficacy of various medicinal plants with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties considering their effect on CRP in animal models of T2DM.

STUDY DESIGN

systematic review.

METHODS

Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochran Library were searched using the search terms "herbal medicine", "diabetes", "c-reactive protein", "antioxidants" till August 2021. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE's) tool. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO with an ID number CRD42020207190. A manual search to detect any articles not found in the databases was also made. The identified studies were then critically reviewed and relevant data were extracted and summarized.

RESULTS

Among total of 9904 primarily-retrieved articles, twenty-three experimental studies were finally included. Our data indicated that numerous herbal medicines, compared to placebo or hypoglycemic medications, are effective in treatment of diabetes and its complications through decreasing CRP concentrations and oxidative stresses levels. Medicinal plants including Psidium guajava L., Punica granatum L., Ginkgo biloba L., Punica granatum L., Dianthus superbusn L.. Moreover, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, Curcuma longa L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Morus alba L., and Ficus racemosa L. demonstrated potential neuroprotective effects in animal models of diabetes.

CONCLUSION

Hypoglycemic medicinal plants discussed in this review seem to be promising regulators of CRP, and oxidative stress. Thus, these plants are suitable candidates for management of diabetes' complications. Nevertheless, further high-quality in vivo studies and clinical trials are required to confirm these effects.

Predominant genetic mutations leading to or predisposing diabetes progress: A Review

Diabetes mellitus (DM) arises following poor capacity to generate or secrete insulin or insulin resistance; hence insulin production impairment creates the illness. Individuals can control their weight, impulsivity, blood pressure, and blood lipids at the commencement of the disease. A single genetic mutation affects nearly 3% of people with diabetes. Surprisingly, beta cell function is regulated by more than 20 genes. Benefits of genetic diagnosis include improved therapy, better prediction of illness prognosis and progression, genetic counseling, and possibly prevention. Alpha HNF1 mutations in the early stages may respond to the regimen. Still, most patients need it because they control their blood glucose and will be subject to microvascular or macrovascular complications. In cases where insulin does not control sugar, using low-dose sulfonylureas would be beneficial and lower four times the glucose metabolism of metformin. These patients are susceptible to sulfonylureas and may be treated for years in case of no blood glucose attack complications. The drug will start at one-fourth of the adult dose: MODY1. It is caused by a mutation in the alpha-HNF 4 gene and is relatively uncommon. The same is true, but the threshold for renal excretion is not low, and the incidence of upward alpha-HNF 4 mutations in cases where there is a robust clinical panel for alpha HNF 1 but not confirmed by genetic sequencing should be considered. The disease is also susceptible to sulfonylureas: MODY4 with a mutation in the MODY6 gene, IPF1, with a mutation in MODY7, NeuroD1 is characterized by a carboxy sterilise mutation, which is not common: MODY2. In children and adolescents, an increment in fasting blood glucose of 100 to 150 mg/dl is not typical. The incidence of this condition is usually considered to be type 1 or 2 diabetes, but a large percentage of the above patients are heterozygote individuals, the glucokinase mutations. Specific mutations, including those rare variants in WFS1 and ABCC8 genes, insulin receptor (IR), fructose 6-phosphate aminotransferase (GFPT2), and nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), as well as mouse pancreatic β‐cell lines (Min6 and SJ cells), showed that the HDAC4 variant (p. His227Arg) had been directly linked with T2DM. Keywords: type-2 diabetes, genetic mutations, risk factors

Notch signaling-induced cyclin d1 in diabetes ameliorating effects of the isolated polysaccharide from Rosa canina: In vitro and in vivo studies

Notch signaling has a role in the expansion of the pancreas and the pathogenesis of diabetes. Modulation of Notch signaling by natural products seems to pave the way for treating diabetes. This research aimed to scrutinize the involvement of the Notch cascade in the diabetes-ameliorating effects of an isolated polysaccharide from Rosa canina. The isolated polysaccharide was characterized using Fourier transform infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, high-performance gel-permeation chromatography, and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry techniques. Rat pancreatic β cells and STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with the isolated polysaccharide. MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, quantative realtime-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting were used to reveal the growth and the expression levels of Notch1, DLL4, Jagged-1, hes1, Ins-1, Pdx-1, and cyclin d1 in treated and untreated pancreatic cells and tissues. The ameliorating effect of the polysaccharide in STZ-treated cells was accomplished by upregulation of cyclin d1 and hes1 as well as cell cycle progression. Notch inhibition by LY-411575 was associated with the downregulation of cyclin d1 which upregulates with polysaccharide treatment. The significant expression of cyclin d1 (90%) and nuclear expression of hes1 in the pancreas of the polysaccharide group were accompanied by improvement of hyperglycemia and associated biochemical factors as well as regeneration of islet cells as compared to untreated diabetic rats. Based on these findings, upregulation of Notch signaling-induced cyclin d1 could be proposed as the underlying diabetes-reducing effects of the isolated polysaccharide derivative implying that cyclin d1 actuation through activation of the Notch-DLL4 circuit may play the causal role in the treatment of diabetes.

Current Evidence and Future Directions of Berberine Intervention in Depression

A major type of serious mood disorder, depression is currently a widespread and easily overlooked psychological illness. With the low side effects of natural products in the treatment of diseases becoming the pursuit of new antidepressants, natural Chinese medicine products have been paid more and more attention for their unique efficacy in improving depression. In a view from the current study, the positive antidepressant effects of berberine are encouraging. There is a lot of work that needs to be done to accurately elucidate the efficacy and mechanism of berberine in depression. In this review, the relevant literature reports on the treatment of depression and anxiety by berberine are updated, and the potential pharmacological mechanism of berberine in relieving depression has also been discussed.

Antioxidants Isolated from Elaeagnus umbellata (Thunb.) Protect against Bacterial Infections and Diabetes in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rat Model

The increase in resistance of microbes against conventional drugs is currently a hot issue, whereas diabetes is another main cause of mortalities encountered throughout the world after cancer and heart attacks. New drug sources in the form of plants are investigated to get effective drugs for the mentioned diseases with minimum side effects. Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. is a medicinal plant used for the management of stress related disorders like diabetes and other health complications. The active constituents of the chloroform extract derived from E. umbellata berries was isolated by silica gel column chromatography which were identified as morin, phloroglucinol, and 1-hexyl benzene through various spectroscopic techniques (electron ionization mass spectrometry, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopy). The possible protective effects (antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic activity) of isolated compounds were evaluated using reported methods. Morin exhibited strong in vitro antiradical potential against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals along with prominent antibacterial activities against selected bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis). Among the isolated compounds the more potent one (morin) was assessed for its in vivo antidiabetic potential in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. The in vivo effects observed were further confirmed in ex vivo experiments where the effect of isolated compound on antioxidant enzyme like glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total content of reduced glutathione (GSH), % DPPH inhibition, and the lipid peroxidation MDA (Malondialdehyde) level in pancreatic tissues homogenates were evaluated. In vivo morin at tested doses (2, 10, 15, 30 and 50 mg/kg body weight) significantly restored the alterations in the levels of fasting blood glucose level and body weight loss along with significant decrease in levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein, HbA1c level, and significantly increased the high-density lipoprotein in diabetic rats. Morin also effectively ameliorated the hepatic enzymes, and renal functions like serum creatinine. Morin significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme like GPx activity, GSH content, and % DPPH inhibition activity, while reduced the lipid peroxidation MDA (malondialdehyde) level in pancreatic tissues homogenates, and modification of histopathological changes in diabetic rats. Morin exhibited high antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic potentials as compared to phloroglucinol and 1-hexyl benzene, that could, therefore, be considered as a promising therapeutic agent to treat diabetes mellitus and bacterial infections.

Traditional medicinal plants used by the Mon people in Myanmar

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Myanmar's Mon people largely depend on a traditional medical system for health care, however, information about their medical plants is rare in the current literature. In this first ethnobotanical study of Mon traditional medicinal plants (MTMs), we attempt to answer three research questions: 1) What species are used as MTMs by the Mon people and what diseases can be treated with these MTMs? 2) What are the general characteristics of these MTMs? 3) Which species and their usages have high consensus of knowledge?

AIM OF THE STUDY

We aimed (1) to document both the diversity of medicinal plants used by the Mon people and their knowledge of the therapeutic usages of these plants; and (2) to quantitatively identify the most well-known medicinal plant species and prevalent diseases treated by these species, and to evaluate the status of scientific research and application for each of these species.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethnobotanical surveys and interviews were carried out in 10 villages in four townships of Mon State, Myanmar in 2018. Data were collected from interviews with 131 informants, chosen via the snowball sampling method. Therapeutic uses of medicinal plants were categorized according to the ICPC-2 standard. Voucher specimens of plant species were collected and identified by experts. To evaluate the consensus of knowledge, we applied use reports (URs) using the R package of ethnobotanyR.

RESULTS

In total, we recorded 158 medicinal plant species belonging to 64 families as being used by the Mon people, with 13 species being newly recorded as medicinal plants in Myanmar. The people listed 78 therapeutic uses for these plants, which could be classified into 16 ICPC-2 disease categories. Digestive, urological and respiratory diseases ranked as the most prevalent diseases based on use reports. Fabaceae was the most represented family and the leaf was the most commonly used plant part. Decoction and oral administration ranked top in preparation and administration methods, respectively. Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr, the introduced species Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M. King & H. Rob., Mimosa pudica L., Tadehagi triquetrum (L.) H. Ohashi, and Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC were the five most cited medicinal plant species, and were used to treat dysuria, cuts and wounds, cough, diabetes and gall stones respectively, with high consensus.

CONCLUSION

The Mon people of Myanmar have a rich and diverse knowledge of traditional medicinal plants. The list of medicinal plants in Myanmar can be renewed, with the addition of 13 species. MTMs still function as an important component of the health care of the Mon people in Myanmar, and a systematic documentation of the local knowledge of MTMs would be of great value in the future. Resource monitoring, phytochemical and pharmacological research and evidence-based drug development are suggested to promote the use of MTMs and aid drug discovery.

Metformin alleviates inflammation in oxazolone induced ulcerative colitis in rats: plausible role of sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine 1 phosphate signaling pathway

OBJECTIVES

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that is associated with high sphingosine kinase 1(SPHK1) expression in the colon, however its role in pathogenesis of UC is not clearly understood so, the aim of the present study was to clarify the role of SPHK1 and investigate whether the anti-inflammatory effects of metformin in UC is mediated by Sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) signaling pathway.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Colitis was induced in adult male wistar rats by intra rectal administration of oxazolone in the fifth and seventh days from initial presensitization. Oxazolone treated rats were divided into untreated oxazolone group, metformin and mesalazine treated groups both in a dose of 100 mg/kg/day orally for 21 days. Along with these groups normal control and saline groups were used .Colitis was assessed by colon length, disease activity index (DAI) and histological examination of colontissue. Plasma samples were used to measure S1P.SPHK1 activity, signal transducer and activator of transcription -3(STAT-3), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nitric oxide (NO), myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), reduced glutathione (GSH) and tissue expression of intracellular cell adhesion molecule -1(ICAM-1) and caspase-3 genes were measured in tissue.

RESULTS

Metformin successfully attenuated oxazolone colitis by increasing colon length, decreasing DAI and improved colon histologic picture. Metformin also induced a significant decrease in Plasma SIP, SPHK1 activity, inflammatory, oxidative stress markers, ICAM-1 and Caspase-3 genes expression compared to oxazolone group.

CONCLUSION

It is revealed that metformin alleviated inflammation and underlying mechanism may result from inhibition of SPHK1/S1P signaling pathway.

Curative Effect of Catechin Isolated from Elaeagnus Umbellata Thunb. Berries for Diabetes and Related Complications in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats Model

In this study, catechin (CTN) isolated from Elaeagnus umbellata was evaluated for in vitro antioxidant potential and inhibition of carbohydrate digestive enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase). The compound was also tested for its in vivo antidiabetic potential using Sprague-Dawley rats as experimental animals. The effects of various doses of catechin in STZ (Streptozotocin) induced diabetic rats on fasting blood glucose level, body weight, lipid parameters, hepatic enzymes, and renal functions were evaluated using the reported protocols. The CTN exhibited the highest percent antioxidant for free radical scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS free radicals, and inhibited the activity of carbohydrate digestive enzymes (with percent inhibition values: 79 ± 1.5% α-amylase and 80 ± 1.1% α-glucosidase). Administration CTN and standard glibenclamide significantly decreased the fasting blood glucose level and increased the body weight in STZ-induced diabetic rats. CTN significantly decreased the different lipid parameters, hepatic, and renal function enzyme levels along with Hb1c level in diabetic rats, while significantly increasing the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level with values comparable to the standard glibenclamide. Further, the altered levels of glutathione and lipid peroxides of liver and kidney tissues were restored (by CTN) to levels similar to the control group. CTN significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme activities, total content of reduced glutathione, and reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in rat liver and kidney tissues homogenates, and also corrected the histopathological abnormalities, suggesting its antioxidant potential.

Low methyl-esterified pectin protects pancreatic β-cells against diabetes-induced oxidative and inflammatory stress via galectin-3

Insufficient intake of dietary fibers in Western societies is considered a major contributing factor in the high incidence rates of diabetes. The dietary fiber pectin has been suggested to be beneficial for management of both Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2, but mechanisms and effects of pectin on insulin producing pancreatic β-cells are unknown. Our study aimed to determine the effects of lemon pectins with different degree of methyl-esterification (DM) on β-cells under oxidative (streptozotocin) and inflammatory (cytokine) stress and to elucidate the underlying rescuing mechanisms, including effects on galectin-3. We found that specific pectins had rescuing effects on toxin and cytokine induced stress on β-cells but effects depended on the pectin concentration and DM-value. Protection was more pronounced with low DM5 pectin and was enhanced with higher pectin-concentrations. Our findings show that specific pectins might prevent diabetes by making insulin producing β-cells less susceptible for stress.