Beneficial effect of Ficus religiosa Linn. on high-fat-diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in rats

A standardized protocol for genetically stable artificial seed production of Ficus religiosa L. using ISSR fingerprinting

Ficus religiosa LQuery. has several ornamental, medicinal, and economical applications. The in vivo propagation of this species has shown various limitations. Due to this reason, the present study efforts on genetically uniform artificial seed production from in vitro developed shoot tips of this species. The in vivo shoot tips were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media containing different growth regulators. The maximum shoot response (93.67%) and the longest shoot length (3.85 cm) were exhibited with 0.5 mg L^-1 6-furfuryl-amino purine (Kn), 0.2 mg L^-1 benzyladenine (BA) and 0.1 mg L^-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in combination. A treatment of 3% sodium alginate and 75 mM calcium chloride having a polymerization time of 15 min was exhibited to be superior for artificial seed production of these in vitro grown shoot tips. Artificial seed-derived micro shoots yielded the highest root response (94.44%) and roots per shoot (4.61) with 0.5 mg L^-1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.1 mg L^-1 BA in combination on ½-strength MS media. In comparison to 4 °C-kept artificial seeds, 24 °C-stored artificial seeds had superior germination potential across all storage times. The soil:organic manure (1:1) generated 90% of plantlet survival after 28 days of primary hardening than other mixtures tested. The secondary hardening displayed 92% of plant survival after 60 days. The banding patterns of ISSR analysis between the mother plant and hardened plants were discovered to be monomorphic. This methodology provides a promising and affordable approach to the large-scale plant production of this significant species.

Effect of supplementation of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa fruit juice in preventing hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis development in rats fed with high fat high cholesterol diet

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Nutraceuticals, mainly based on natural products, have been proven to control the risk factors of CVDs effectively. Rhodomyrtus tomentosa is an underutilized fruit that is rich in phenolic compounds and has antioxidant activities. Scientific investigation was needed to verify the pharmacological properties of R. tomentosa fruit juice in Sprague-Dawley rats fed with high fat high cholesterol (HFHC) as antihypercholesterolemic and antiatherosclerotic agents. The experiments were carried out using male albino rats fed with HFHC diet for 75 days and at the same time orally supplemented with R. tomentosa fruit juice (RTFJ) in doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 g/kg body weight (BW) daily for 75 days. Simvastatin was used as a positive control. At the end of the experiment, the blood was collected, and the serum was assayed for total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). The histopathology of coronary and aorta arteries was observed under the light microscope. The results demonstrated that the supplementation of RTFJ significantly prevented the increase of total triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and the decrease of high-density lipoprotein in serum. Supplementation of RTFJ also prevents atherosclerosis development by preventing the thickening of the blood vessel wall, deposition of lipid formation, and foam cells in the tunica intima of the aorta and coronary arteries. These findings suggested that supplementation of R. tomentosa fruit juice prevents hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

A role of Ficus species in the management of diabetes mellitus: A review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common global health concerns, with a rapidly increasing incidence. A variety of medicinal plants, particularly those belonging to the genus Ficus (Moraceae), and their active compounds have been used to treat diabetes and related chronic disorders since ancient times.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this review is to provide information regarding traditional and scientific knowledge of Ficus species with antidiabetic activity to researchers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A literature search was conducted to obtain information about the antidiabetic properties of Ficus from the electronic databases. Common and scientific names of various Ficus species were used as keywords for the search, along with the terms antidiabetic, hypoglycemic and diabetes.

RESULTS

Among the assorted species of Ficus that were included in our search, F. benghalensis, F. carica, F. glomerata, F. glumosa, F. racemosa, and F. religiosa exhibited remarkable antidiabetic properties with various mechanisms of action. Moreover, Ficus species are versatile sources of bioactive metabolites such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, coumarins, triterpenoids, sterols and vitamin E. These extracts and isolated compounds significantly have enhanced insulin secretion and subsequently reduced blood glucose level in various in vivo studies.

CONCLUSION

This review summarizes the antidiabetic potentials of the genus Ficus, including pharmacological studies with mechanisms of action as well as ethnobotanical uses. This review can help inform future scientific research towards the development of novel antidiabetic drugs.

Total saponins from Rosa laevigata Michx fruit attenuates hepatic steatosis induced by high-fat diet in rats

The protective effects of total saponins from Rosa laevigata Michx fruit (RLTS) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced rats were investigated. The results showed that oral administration of RLTS attenuated hepatic steatosis, significantly reduced the levels of body weight, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, total cholesterol, total triglyceride, free fatty acids, low density lipoprotein, blood glucose, insulin and malondialdehyde, and increased high density lipoprotein and glutathione levels compared with the model group. Further investigations showed that RLTS affected fatty acid synthesis, fatty acid β-oxidation, fatty acid ω-oxidation, total cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism and synthesis. Moreover, the extract obviously suppressed HFD-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. These results suggest that RLTS should be developed to be one functional food or health product against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the future.

Effects of flavonoids from Rosa laevigata Michx fruit against high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats

The effects and mechanisms of the total flavonoids (TFs) from Rosa laevigata Michx fruit on high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were investigated in this study. Gavage administration of the TFs significantly decreased the relative liver weight, serum AST and ALT activities, the levels of serum lipid, LDL, blood glucose and insulin, suppressed lipid accumulation in liver, and increased serum HDL level. Moreover, the natural product significantly enhanced SOD activity, increased GSH-Px and GSH contents and decreased the concentration of MDA and CYP2E1 expression as well as prevented mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunctions and ultrastructural alterations. Further mechanism investigation indicated that the TFs inhibited hepatic lipid accumulation by suppressing the expressions of some key molecules in fatty acid synthesis pathway and promoting fatty acid β-oxidation, while not by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis. On the base of these, the TFs should be developed as a new drug for treatment of NAFLD.

Role of saponins for the anticonvulsant effect of adventitious roots of Ficus religiosa

CONTEXT

The adventitious roots of Ficus religiosa L. (Moraceae) have been extensively used in traditional medicine for treatment of several disorders, including epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the possible anticonvulsant effect of the adventitious roots of Ficus religiosa, and to find the biologically active fraction, to substantiate its traditional use in epilepsy.

METHODS

The hydroethanolic extract of adventitious roots (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg; i.p.) of Ficus religiosa and its different fractions (hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, aqueous, saponins-rich, and saponins-lacking) at a dose equivalent to 20 mg/kg of the extract were administered 30 min prior to the induction of maximal electroshock (MES) and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) convulsions. Duration of tonic hind-limb extension (THLE) and latency to clonic convulsions were noted in MES and PTZ tests, respectively. Neurotoxicity was assessed using rotarod test.

RESULTS

Treatment with the root extract (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg; i.p.), butanolic (6 mg/kg; i.p.) and saponins-rich fractions (3.4 mg/kg; i.p.) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the duration of THLE in MES test, as compared to control. The same treatment also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the latency to PTZ-induced clonic convulsions in comparison to control. The other fractions were found to be ineffective. The root extract and its active fractions at their effective doses showed no neurotoxic effects.

CONCLUSION

The present study concluded that the hydroethanolic extract of adventitious roots of Ficus religiosa has anticonvulsant activity. Retention of anticonvulsant effect in the saponins-rich fraction-treated animals indicated the role of saponins for the activity.