In vitro and in vivo antidiabetic activity of Tamarix stricta Boiss.: Role of autophagy

The Potential Health Benefits of Gallic Acid: Therapeutic and Food Applications

Gallic acid (GA), a phenolic acid found in fruits and vegetables, has been consumed by humans for centuries. Its extensive health benefits, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties, have been well-documented. GA's potent antioxidant capabilities enable it to neutralize free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and protect cells from damage. Additionally, GA exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines and enzymes, making it a potential therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases. It also demonstrates anticancer properties by inhibiting cancer cell growth and promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, GA offers cardiovascular benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol, and enhancing endothelial function, which may aid in the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. This review covers the chemical structure, sources, identification and quantification methods, and biological and therapeutic properties of GA, along with its applications in food. As research progresses, the future for GA appears promising, with potential uses in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals aimed at improving overall health and preventing disease. However, ongoing research and innovation are necessary to fully understand its functional benefits, address current challenges, and establish GA as a mainstay in therapeutic and nutritional interventions.

Phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the genus Tamarix: a comprehensive review

The genus Tamarix in the Tamaricaceae family consists of more than 100 species of halophyte plants worldwide that are mainly used to improve saline-alkali land and for coastal windbreaks, sand fixation, and afforestation in arid areas. A considerable number of species in this genus are also used as traditional medicines to treat various human diseases, especially in Asian and African countries. This review presents a comprehensive summary of 655 naturally occurring compounds derived from the genus Tamarix, categorized into flavonoids (18.0%), phenols (13.9%), tannins (9.3%), terpenoids (10.5%), essential oils (31.0%), and others (17.3%). The investigation revealed that the crude extracts and phytochemicals of this genus exhibited significant therapeutic potential, including anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer, anticancer, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Six species of Tamarix have anticancer effects by causing cancer cell death, inducing autophagy, and stopping cell division. Seven species from the same genus have the potential for treating diabetes by inhibiting α-glycosidase activity, suppressing human islet amyloid polypeptide, regulating blood glucose levels, and modulating autophagy or inflammation. The focus on antibacterial and antidiabetic effects is due to the presence of volatile oil and flavonoid components. Extensive research has been conducted on the biological activity of 30 constituents, including 15 flavonoids, 5 phenols, 3 terpenoids, 1 tannin, and 6 others. Therefore, future research should thoroughly study the mechanisms of action of these and similar compounds. This is the most comprehensive review of the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Tamarix species, with a critical assessment of the current state of knowledge.

Dust mitigation by the application of treated sewage effluent (TSE) in Iran

Considering the presence of 274 dusty days in 2021 in Zabol city, Iran, the present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using treated sewage effluent (TSE) for dust mitigation with natural methods of increasing land cover. Hence, first of all, the identification of sewage treatment facilities along with the volume and chemical status was carried out and compared to the various national and international legislation. Then, field investigation on land use and land cover, along with literature review on dust origins, sand detachment areas, and sand corridors in the study area will be assisted for optimal area suggestion. Note that, in the present study it was assumed that the application of TSE for wetting the surface to vegetation restoration resulted in wind erosion control in critical foci. The results showed that, so far, a total of 39,000 m³/day could be treated, in the whole study area. The TSE volume calculated based on two scenarios consisting, (1) data obtained from the related organization, and (2) based the capacity of the wastewater plant is 2.8 and 5.1 mcm/year, respectively. Additionally, the study of TSE quality and its comparison to various regulation such as FAO, USEPA, INS, and CWQI indicated the applicability of transforming TSE to 14 km away from the WWT planet daily for rehabilitation of Hammon Hirmand through irrigation of T.stricta to increase the vegetation cover to above 30%.

Investigating the therapeutic options for diabetes-associated male infertility as illustrated in animal experimental models

Diabetes is a rising global health concern and an increasingly common cause of male infertility. Although the definitive pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning the association between diabetes and infertility is unclear, there are several animal studies showing diabetes to be a detrimental factor on reproductive health through apoptosis, oxidative stress and impairment of steroidogenesis. Furthermore, as reflected in animal models, antidiabetic strategies and relevant treatments are beneficial in the management of infertile men with diabetes as the recovery of euglycemic status affects positively the spermatogenesis. However, the available data are still evolving and specific conclusion in human populations are not possible yet. In this review, we are discussing the current literature concerning the association of diabetes and male infertility, focusing on the therapeutic approach as illustrated in animals' models.

Gallic Acid and Diabetes Mellitus: Its Association with Oxidative Stress

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a severe chronic metabolic disease with increased mortality and morbidity. The pathological progression of DM is intimately connected with the formation and activation of oxidative stress (OS). Especially, the involvement of OS with hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and inflammation has shown a vital role in the pathophysiological development of DM and related complications. Interestingly, accumulating studies have focused on the exploration of natural antioxidants for their improvement on DM. Of specific interest is gallic acid (GA), which is rich in many edible and herbal plants and has progressively demonstrated robust antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on metabolic disorders. To provide a better understanding of its potential therapeutic impacts and enhancement of human health care, the available research evidence supporting the effective antidiabetic properties of GA and relevant derivatives are needed to be summarized and discussed, with emphasis on its regulation on OS and inflammation against DM. This review aims to highlight the latest viewpoints and current research information on the role of OS in diabetes and to provide scientific support for GA as a potential antihypoglycemic agent for DM and its complications.

Herbal Medicines Targeting the Improved β-Cell Functions and β-Cell Regeneration for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus

There is an increasing trend of investigating natural bioactive compounds targeting pancreatic β-cells for the prevention/treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). With the exploration of multiple mechanisms by which β-cells involve in the pathogenesis of DM, herbal medicines are gaining attention due to their multitasking ability as evidenced by traditional medicine practices. This review attempts to summarize herbal medicines with the potential for improvement of β-cell functions and regeneration as scientifically proven by in vivo/in vitro investigations. Furthermore, attempts have been made to identify the mechanisms of improving the function and regeneration of β-cells by herbal medicines. Relevant data published from January 2009 to March 2020 were collected by searching electronic databases "PubMed," "ScienceDirect," and "Google Scholar" and studied for this review. Single herbal extracts, polyherbal mixtures, and isolated compounds derived from approximately 110 medicinal plants belonging to 51 different plant families had been investigated in recent years and found to be targeting β-cells. Many herbal medicines showed improvement of β-cell function as observed through homeostatic model assessment-β-cell function (HOMA-β). Pancreatic β-cell regeneration as observed in histopathological and immunohistochemical studies in terms of increase of size and number of functional β-cells was also prominent. Increasing β-cell mass via expression of genes/proteins related to antiapoptotic actions and β-cell neogenesis/proliferation, increasing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion via activating glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) receptors, and/or increasing intracellular Ca2+ levels were observed upon treatment of some herbal medicines. Some herbal medicines acted on various insulin signaling pathways. Furthermore, many herbal medicines showed protective effects on β-cells via reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation. However, there are many unexplored avenues. Thus, further investigations are warranted in elucidating mechanisms of improving β-cell function and mass by herbal medicines, their structure-activity relationship (SAR), and toxicities of these herbal medicines.

Rice Husk Silica Liquid Protects Pancreatic β Cells from Streptozotocin-Induced Oxidative Damage

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a complex multifactorial disease characterized by insulin resistance and dysfunction of pancreatic β-cells. Rice husk silica liquid (RHSL) is derived from rice husks and has not been explored in diabetes mellitus until now. Previous studies showed that rice husk is enriched with silica, and its silica nanoparticles are higher more biocompatible. To investigate the potential protective role of RHSL on pancreatic β cells, we utilized RIN-m5F pancreatic β cells and explored RHSL effect after streptozotocin (STZ)-stimulation. The recovery effects of RHSL were evaluated using flow cytometry, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence analysis. Results of our study showed that RHSL reversed the cell viability, insulin secretion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and the change of mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm) in STZ-treated RIN-m5F cells. Moreover, the expression of phospho-receptor-interacting protein 3 (p-RIP3) and cleaved-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), and sequestosome-1 (p62/SQSTM1) were significantly decreased, while the transition of light chain (LC)3-I to LC3-II was markedly increased after RHSL treatment in STZ-induced RIN-m5F cells. Interestingly, using autophagy inhibitors such as 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and chloroquine (CQ) both showed an increase in cleaved-PARP protein level, indicating apoptosis induction. Taken together, this study demonstrated that RHSL induced autophagy and alleviated STZ-induced ROS-mediated apoptosis in RIN-m5F cells.

The effect of Melissa officinalis syrup on patients with mild to moderate psoriasis: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

Objective

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease. It can involve any body skin area, particularly the scalp, lower back, elbows, and knees. There are several topical and systemic therapies for the treatment. Nowadays, herbal medicines are popular treatments for dermatologic conditions. This two-arm parallel, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to examine the hypothesis of the efficacy of Melissa officinalis syrup on patients with mild-to-moderate Plaque psoriasis.

Result

Among 100 patients, 95 participants completed the trial and five of them withdrew. The mean pruritus intensity and PASI scores decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to the placebo group (P < 0.001). The DLQI score in the intervention group increased post-treatment compared to pre-treatment (P = 0.029); however, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control group at the end of the study (0.065).

Trial registration: The trial was registered in the Iranian registry of clinical trials on November 9th, 2019 (https://www.irct.ir/trial/43434; registration number: IRCT20191104045326N1).

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-021-05667-9.