Potency of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis Peruviana) Juice in Improving Antioxidant and Adiponectin Level of High Fat Diet Streptozotocin Rat Model

Obesity-associated Airway Hyperresponsiveness: Mechanisms Underlying Inflammatory Markers and Possible Pharmacological Interventions

Obesity is rapidly becoming a global health problem affecting about 13% of the world's population affecting women and children the most. Recent studies have stated that obese asthmatic subjects suffer from an increased risk of asthma, encounter severe symptoms, respond poorly to anti-asthmatic drugs, and ultimately their quality-of-life decreases. Although, the association between airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and obesity is a growing concern among the public due to lifestyle and environmental etiologies, however, the precise mechanism underlying this association is yet to establish. Apart from aiming at the conventional antiasthmatic targets, treatment should be directed towards ameliorating obesity pathogenesis too. Understanding the pathogenesis underlying the association between obesity and AHR is limited, however, a plethora of obesity pathologies have been reported viz., increased pro-inflammatory and decreased anti-inflammatory adipokines, depletion of ROS controller Nrf2/HO-1 axis, NLRP3 associated macrophage polarization, hypertrophy of WAT, and down-regulation of UCP1 in BAT following down-regulated AMPKα and melanocortin pathway that may be correlated with AHR. Increased waist circumference (WC) or central obesity was thought to be related to severe AHR, however, some recent reports suggest body mass index (BMI), not WC tends to exaggerate airway closure in AHR due to some unknown mechanisms. This review aims to co-relate the above-mentioned mechanisms that may explain the copious relation underlying obesity and AHR with the help of published reports. A proper understanding of these mechanisms discussed in this review will ensure an appropriate treatment plan for patients through advanced pharmacological interventions.

Ahovegbe LY, Ali MS, Tusiimire J, Ogwang PE, Kadima JN, Agaba AG. Chemical constituents and evidence-based pharmacological properties of Physalis peruviana L.: An overview

Physalis peruviana L. is among plant species possessing evident nutritional, nutraceutical, and commercial interests. This review highlights the complexity of the chemical composition supporting the multiple pharmacotherapeutic indications and dietary values of this plant through evidence-based studies from Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, SciFinder, Science Direct, Scopus, the Wiley online library, and Web of Science. The literature mentions at least 40 compounds isolated from different parts; others are still under investigation. High yields in carotenoids, amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids have healthy nutritional benefits. Various phytoconstituents, particularly withanolides, exhibit anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic potentials, as well as cardiovascular and liver protective effects. Prospective studies reveal that the leaves would also provide various beneficial bioactive chemicals worth being isolated. However, clinical evidence-based studies are seldom. Therefore, adequate pharmaceutical formulations and more in-depth controlled clinical trials are needed to fill the gap.

The ameliorative role of Physalis pubescens L. against neurological impairment associated with streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats

Neuropathy is considered a critical complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Scientific studies are needed to relieve these painful complications. The current study aims to estimate the ameliorative role of Physalis juice (PJ) against neurological impairment in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Type 1 DM was induced after one week of injecting rats with 55 mg STZ/kg body weight. PJ-treated rats were orally administered 5 ml PJ/kg body weight per day for 28 days after induction of diabetes. A small piece of the cerebral cortex of rats was fixed and used for histopathological investigations. The remaining portion of the cerebral cortex was homogenized for biochemical and molecular analyses. As compared to the controls, STZ-injected rats showed significant elevations in the levels of blood glucose, tumor necrosis factor alfa, interleukin-1β, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and expression levels of caspase-3 and B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X-protein. Additionally, remarkable declines in the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, monoamines, B-cell lymphoma-2, glutathione, as well as the activities and gene expression levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase in STZ-treated rats were reported. Moreover, some histopathological alterations were observed in the brain cortex of the STZ-treated rats. On the other hand, the administration of PJ substantially reduced the blood glucose and alleviated the above-mentioned alterations in all the studied parameters of the cerebral cortex. In conclusion, an oral administration of 5 ml PJ/kg revealed a neuroprotective action against neurodegenerative diabetes-induced complications in rats, which might be due to the reported antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions of PJ. Thus, further therapeutic studies are recommended to apply PJ in the treatment regimen of diabetes.

Ameliorative effects of cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) against monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced toxicity: genetic and biochemical approach

In this study, the toxic effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is the sodium salt of glutamic acid and used as a flavor-enhancing additive in foods, and the protective role of cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) extract against these effects were investigated using Allium cepa L. test material with physiological, cytogenetic, and biochemical parameters. In the study, physiological changes were evaluated by determining root length, weight gain, and rooting percentage; genetic changes were evaluated by chromosomal abnormalities, micronucleus (MN) formation, mitotic index ratio (MI), and DNA damage. Oxidative stress was evaluated by determining the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). Further, the relationships between oxidative stress and other parameters in the study were investigated. The antimutagenic effect of P. peruviana L. extract was evaluated as inhibition caused by MSG-induced chromosomal abnormalities (CAs) and DNA damage. In the study, six groups, including one control and five applications, were formed. The bulbs of Allium cepa L. in the control group were treated with tap water; the bulbs in the administration groups treated with 1000 mg/L MSG, 125 mg/L, and 250 mg/L concentrations of P. peruviana L. extract and MSG (1000 mg/L) in combination with P. peruviana L. extracts (125 mg/L and 250 mg/L) for 72 h. At the end of the application, compared to the control group, MSG application caused decreases in rooting percentage, weight gain, root length and MI, increases in frequencies of MN formation, chromosomal abnormalities, and DNA damage. In the biochemical analysis, it was determined that there were increases in MDA, SOD, and CAT levels and a decrease in GSH level. P. peruviana L. extract ameliorated MSG toxicity by showing improvement in all these parameters depending on the application concentration. As a result, considering the toxic effects of MSG, it has been understood that the use as a food additive should be abandoned and the use of P. peruviana L. in addition to daily nutrition has been found to be a good antioxidant nutrient in reducing the effects of exposed toxic substances.

The Prospect for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Combined with Exercise and Synbiotics: A Perspective

Change in gut microbiome diversity (the so-called dysbiosis) is correlated with insulin resistance conditions. Exercise is typically the first management for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is generally well-known for improving glucose regulation. The new prebiotics and probiotics, like synbiotics, designed to target specific diseases, require additional studies. While the effectiveness of exercise combined with synbiotics seems promising, this review discusses these agents' possibility of increasing the gut microbiota's diversity. Therefore, they could enhance short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). In particular, the synbiotic interaction on gut microbiota, the exercise mechanism in improving gut microbiota, and the prospect of the synergistic effect of the combination of synbiotic and exercise to improve insulin sensitivity are addressed.

Contentious role of 'Good Adiponectin' in pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases: Is adiponectin directed therapy a boon or a bane?

After two decades of its discovery, numerous facts of adiponectin (APN) biology has been uncovered, yet, APN remains an elusive adipokine. Findings from clinical studies and animal models established APN's ameliorative role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and pulmonary disease (PD) but the same condition is prognostic for mortality in the same set of patients which cornered APN towards a dubious state. A repertoire of mechanisms associated with the positive association of APN in both lean/cachectic or obese CVD and PD patients from past publications are evaluated. Newer pharmacological agent may be explored to regulate elevated blood APN concentration in COPD or CHF patients whereas administration of recombinant APN as well as growth hormone may augment blood APN concentration in obese subjects associated with low blood and intracellular APN concentration. However, some APN directed therapy in clinical as well as in pre-clinical setup has pronounced some contentious effects. After reviewing the mechanisms of the contentious role of APN functioning in pathologic conditions of CVD and PD in both lean and obese conditions, the authors came to conclusion that APN directed therapy may be utilized with caution keeping in mind the different age group, sex and the different CVD as well as pulmonary diseases they are suffering from.