Revisiting the Nutritional, Chemical and Biological Potential of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp

Four new isocoumarins from Cajanus cajan

Four novel new isocoumarins, cajanolactone B, C, D1 and D2 (1-4), were isolated from ethanolic extracts of the leaves of Cajanus cajan. The structural elucidation has been completed mainly depending on extensive spectroscopic analysis including UV, IR, NMR (1D and 2D), HRESIMS and chiral analysis. Notably, all these new isocoumarins were found to exist in racemic forms, among which compounds 3 and 4 share the same planar structure. This finding suggests that at least the biosynthesis of isocoumarin in C. cajan is chiral tolerant. A plausible biogenetic pathway of compounds 1-4 is proposed.

Three new anti-inflammatory stilbenoids and a diphenyl ether derivative from Cajanus cajan

Three new stilbenoids, namely two rare plant-derived phenanthrenes denominated Cajananthrenes A and B (1, 2) and one bibenzyl named Cajanbenzyl (3), together with a diphenyl ether derivative designated Cajanether (4), as well as five other known compounds (5-9) were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Cajanus cajan. Their structures were determined through extensive spectroscopic analysis including UV, IR, NMR (1D and 2D) and HRESIMS as well. A plausible biogenesis pathway was proposed for the biosynthesis of compounds 1-3. Compounds 1 and 2 displayed moderate anti-inflammatory activity as evident from the inhibitory effect on NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 73.6 and 44.6 μM respectively.

Natural Functional Beverages as an Approach to Manage Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, commonly associated with unhealthy habits and obesity, and it is becoming a serious health issue worldwide. As a result, new approaches to treat diabetes are required, and a movement towards more natural approaches is emerging. Consuming fruit and vegetables is advised to prevent diabetes since they contain several bioactive compounds. A simple and effective strategy to include them in the diets of diabetic and obese people is through beverages. This review aims to report the anti-diabetic potentials of different vegetable and fruit beverages. These functional beverages demonstrated in vitro potential to inhibit α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes and to improve glucose uptake. In vivo, beverage consumption showed a reduction of blood glucose, increase of insulin tolerance, improvement of lipid profile, control of obesity, and reduction of oxidative stress. This suggests the potential of vegetable- and fruit-based functional beverages to be used as a natural innovative therapy for the management of diabetes.

Exploring the nutritional and health benefits of pulses from the Indian Himalayan region: A glimpse into the region's rich agricultural heritage

Pulses have been consumed worldwide for over 10 centuries and are currently among the most widely used foods. They are not economically important, but also nutritionally beneficial as they constitute a good source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, folate and magnesium. Pulses, but particularly species such as Macrotyloma uniflorum, Phaseolus vulgaris L., Glycine max L. and Vigna umbellate, are essential ingredients of the local diet in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Consuming pulses can have a favourable effect on cardiovascular health as they improve serum lipid profiles, reduce blood pressure, decrease platelet activity, regulate blood glucose and insulin levels, and reduce inflammation. Although pulses also contain anti-nutritional compounds such as phytates, lectins or enzyme inhibitors, their deleterious effects can be lessened by using effective processing and cooking methods. Despite their great potential, however, the use of some pulses is confined to IHR regions. This comprehensive review discusses the state of the art in available knowledge about various types of pulses grown in IHR in terms of chemical and nutritional properties, health effects, accessibility, and agricultural productivity.

Volatile secondary metabolites of a traditional herb Cajanus lineatus (Wight & Arn.) Maesen (Janglitur) from India

The hydro-distilled volatile components were obtained from the herb (leaf and stem) of Cajanus lineatus (Wight & Arn.) Maesen (Syn: Atylosia lineata Wight & Arn.) of the family Fabaceae, commonly known as Janglitur in India, and the essential oil was analysed for the first time using GC-FID and GC-MS. Sixty-two compounds were identified from the herb oil of C. lineatus. The major compounds were identified as β-caryophyllene (10.6%) and α-humulene (10.3%). The oil was found to be rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (51.5%) type compounds.

Ethnomedicinal Knowledge of Plants Used in Nonconventional Medicine in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Background

People with diabetes, herbalists, and traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) from Kinshasa use plants to treat diabetes, but no study has inventoried the plants used by these populations. The present study was conducted to identify the plants used in Kinshasa to treat diabetes mellitus.

Methods

The survey conducted in the form of a semistructured interview between March 2005 and August 2006 made it possible to collect ethnobotanical information from people with diabetes (n = 126), herbalists (n = 80), and TMPs (n = 120).

Results

The 326 subjects consulted (sex ratio M/F = 0.6, age 51 ± 7 years, and experience: 17 ± 5 years) provided information on 71 plants, most of which are trees (35%), belonging to 38 families dominated by Fabaceae (19.7%) and indicated in 51 other cases of consultation dominated by malaria (12%). From these 71 plants derived, 86 antidiabetic recipes were administered orally, where the leaf is the most used part (>50%) and the decoction (>46%) is the most common mode of preparation. This study reports for the first time the antidiabetic use of 11 species, among which Tephrosia vogeliiX (0.08), Chromolaena corymbosaX (0.06), and Baphia capparidifoliaX (0.06) present the highest consensus indexes (CI) and Marsdenia latifoliaW (UVp = 0.08) and Rauvolfia manniiX (UVp = 0.06) present the highest UVs.

Conclusion

The results show that Kinshasa people treat diabetes using several plants. Some are specific to the ecological environment; others are used in other regions. Pharmacological studies are underway to assess the therapeutic efficacy of these plants.

Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like actions of Cajanus cajan seed extract mediated through monoaminergic, nitric oxide-cyclic GMP and GABAergic pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The seeds of Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp, are used in Traditional medicine for the treatment of anxiety and other neurological disorders. Hence, this study is designed to investigate the antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like properties of ethanol seed extract of Cajanus cajan (CC) in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CC (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered 1h before subjecting the animals to different behavioral models: forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) (depressive-like behaviour), open field test (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), light-dark test (LDT) and hole-board test (HBT) for anxiety-like behaviour. To ascertain the pharmacodynamic of CC mice were pretreated with monoaminergic, nitrergic and GABAergic receptors antagonists. As well as molecular docking analysis of about 19 flavonoids present in CC on GABA_A, α₂ adrenoceptors and 5-HT_2A receptors.

RESULTS

CC (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment significantly reduced immobile time in both FST and TST when compared with vehicle-treated control. However, the pretreatment of mice with prazosin/yohimbine (α_1/2 adrenoceptor antagonists, respectively), WAY100635 (5-HT_1A receptor antagonist), ketanserin (5-HT_2A receptor antagonist), sulpiride (dopamine D₂ receptor antagonist), L-N^G-Nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), or methylene blue reversed the antidepressant-like effect of CC. In anxiety model, CC produced significant (p < 0.05) increase in open arms exploration and head dipping behavior which was reversed by flumazenil (benzodiazepine receptor antagonist) in the EPM. Docking analysis showed significant binding affinity of orientin, vitexin, pinostrobin and quercetin with 5HT_2A, α₂-adrenoceptor and GABA_A receptors.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study showed that C.cajan seeds extract exerts antidepressant-like effect through participation of monoaminergic systems (5-HT₂ receptor, α₁/α₂-adrenoceptors, and dopamine D₂-receptors), nitric oxide-cyclic GMP pathway and anxiolytic-like effect via GABA_A benzodiazepine receptors. Moreso, presence of flavonoids with significant binding energies with monoaminergic and GABAergic systems support the potential of the extract in the management of mixed anxiety-depressive illness.