Sapium ellipticum (Hochst.) Pax Ethanol Leaf Extract Maintains Lipid Homeostasis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Association between atherogenic index of plasma control level and incident cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals with abnormal glucose metabolism

BACKGROUND

The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in participants with abnormal glucose metabolism have been linked in previous studies. However, it was unclear whether AIP control level affects the further CVD incidence among with diabetes and pre-diabetes. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the association between AIP control level with risk of CVD in individuals with abnormal glucose metabolism.

METHODS

Participants with abnormal glucose metabolism were included from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. CVD was defined as self-reporting heart disease and/or stroke. Using k-means clustering analysis, AIP control level, which was the log-transformed ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in molar concentration, was divided into five classes. The association between AIP control level and incident CVD among individuals with abnormal glucose metabolism was investigated multivariable logistic regression analysis and application of restricted cubic spline analysis.

RESULTS

398 (14.97%) of 2,659 participants eventually progressed to CVD within 3 years. After adjusting for various confounding factors, comparing to class 1 with the best control of the AIP, the OR for class 2 with good control was 1.31 (95% CI, 0.90-1.90), the OR for class 3 with moderate control was 1.38 (95% CI, 0.99-1.93), the OR for class 4 with worse control was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.01-2.10), and the OR for class 5 with consistently high levels was 1.56 (95% CI, 1.03-2.37). In restricted cubic spline regression, the relationship between cumulative AIP index and CVD is linear. Further subgroup analysis demonstrated that the similar results were observed in the individuals with agricultural Hukou, history of smoking, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80mmHg, and normal body mass index. In addition, there was no interaction between the AIP control level and the subgroup variables.

CONCLUSIONS

In middle-aged and elderly participants with abnormal glucose metabolism, constant higher AIP with worst control may have a higher incidence of CVD. Monitoring long-term AIP change will contribute to early identification of high risk of CVD among individuals with abnormal glucose metabolism.

Effect of the combination of Leptadenia hastata (pers) decne and Momordica balsamina linn leaf extracts on lipid profile of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Background

Changes in blood lipid level (dyslipidemia) play a central role in the onset and pathogenesis of macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Traditional herbal healers commonly use anti-diabetic polyherbal formulations to provide a multi-therapeutic approach for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications. The effect of the aqueous leaf extracts of Leptadenia hastata (pers) Decne, Momordica balsamina Linn and their combination on lipid profile of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats was therefore evaluated in the present study.

Results

We evaluated the serum lipid profile and blood glucose level of STZ-induced diabetic rats (60 mg/kg body weight) treated with the aqueous leaf extracts of L. hastata (400 mg/kg) and M. balsamina (200 mg/kg) alone and in combination (400 + 200 mg/kg) after a period of 4 weeks. A significantly decreased (p < 0.05) level of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and increased (p < 0.05) level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was observed in all the treated groups when compared to the untreated diabetic rats. Furthermore, the combination treatment was potentially a more effective blood lipid-lowering (p < 0.05) agent when compared to the single treatments.

Conclusion

Results from this study demonstrated the blood lipid-lowering potential of the aqueous leaf extracts of L. hastata, M. balsamina, and their combination. However, the polyherbal combination could be more potent in controlling diabetes mellitus, associated dyslipidemia, and its complications.

Combination therapy of Allium cepa L. and Cucumis sativa L. extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model

Background

The study assessed the effects of aqueous extracts of Allium cepa, Cucumis sativa and their combined formulation (1:1) on changes in body weight, fasting blood glucose level (FBGL), pancreas morphology and serum lipid concentration in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Forty-two male rats were randomly assigned to six groups: A, B, C, D, E, and F (n = 7). Except for the control animals (group A), diabetes mellitus was experimentally induced in other groups (B to F) via a single intraperitoneal injection of freshly prepared streptozotocin. Thereafter, the diabetic control animals (group B) were left untreated and other diabetic groups were treated as follows: C (Allium cepa 10 mL/kg of body weight (mL/kg BW), D (Cucumis sativa 10 mL/kg BW), E (Allium cepa and Cucumis sativa 10 mL/kg BW), and F (Metformin 12 mg/kg BW). All treatments lasted for seven days and FBGL was monitored at two days intervals. The rats were then sacrificed, and blood samples were collected for serum lipid estimation.

Results

Treatments of diabetic rats with Allium cepa, Cucumis sativa and their combined formulation prevented significant (P < 0.05) loss in body weight which was evident in the diabetic control counterparts. Similarly, the various treatment options curtailed the hike in blood glucose induced by streptozotocin. The hypoglycemic effect of Allium cepa was particularly notable and comparable to that of Metformin. Serum high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterols which were significantly altered in the diabetic control animals were restored to near normal following treatments with Cucumis sativa, and its combination with Allium cepa. These observations were substantiated by the outcome of the histopathological examination of the representative pancreases.

Conclusion

Allium cepa appears to be more effective in blood glucose homeostasis in the diabetic animals compared to Cucumis sativa and their combined formulation. Conversely, Cucumis sativa and its combination with Allium cepa had better effects on the physiological levels of serum cholesterols in the animals. Regular consumption of Allium cepa and Cucumis sativa may be helpful in controlling blood glucose and cholesterol levels in the diabetics.

Hypoglycemic, antidyslipidemic, and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Struchium sparganophora leaves in alloxan-induced oxidative stress-mediated diabetes in rats

Background

Diabetes mellitus is clinically underlined by hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. In view of this, the current study assessed the glycemic and lipidemic control potentials of methanol extract of Sruchium sparganophora leaves (SPA) in the alloxan-induced diabetic model using male Wistar rats. Experimental diabetes was induced through a single intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kg freshly prepared alloxan. Thirty-six rats were randomly assigned into six groups of normoglycemic control, untreated diabetic group, and diabetic treated with (i) metformin (12 mg), (ii) metformin 12 mg + SPA 300 mg/kg, (iii) SPA 300 mg/kg, and (iv) SPA 600 mg/kg per os twice at 9.00 and 18.00 h daily for 10 days. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) level and markers of dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress markers were determined.

Results

SPA at selected doses decreased fasting blood glucose which was significantly (p < 0.05) raised by alloxan. Increase in plasma total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) concentrations and decrease in HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration (p < 0.05) caused by alloxan were significantly moderated by SPA at selected doses. Glutathione-s-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities reduced by alloxan (p < 0.05) in both the liver and pancreas were reversed by SPA 300 and 600, and its combination with metformin. Decreased reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration in alloxan diabetic rats was also reversed by the extract, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) exacerbated by alloxan (p < 0.05) in the tissues was decreased by the extracts.

Conclusion

Struchium sparganophora possesses considerable antihyperglycemic, antidyslipidemic, and antioxidant potentials without compromising organ functionality.

Thymoquinone Attenuates Cardiomyopathy in Streptozotocin-Treated Diabetic Rats

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a diabetic complication due to oxidative stress injuries. This study examined the protecting influence of thymoquinone (TQ) on diabetes-caused cardiac complications. The intracellular means by which TQ works against diabetes-caused cardiac myopathy in rats is not completely understood. In this study, Wistar male rats (n = 60) were assigned into four groups: control, diabetic (diabetes induced by IP infusion of streptozotocin, 65 mg/kg), diabetic + TQ (diabetic rats given TQ (50 mg/kg) administered once per day by stomach gavage), and TQ (50 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. TQ supplementation appreciably recovered the cardiac parameters alongside significant declines in plasma nitric oxide concentrations and total superoxide dismutase (T.SOD) activities. Importantly, TQ downgraded expression of cardiac-inducible nitric oxide synthase in addition to significantly upregulating vascular endothelial growth factor and erythropoietin genes and nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein. TQ normalized plasma triacylglycerol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and significantly improved the high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. Additionally, TQ administration improved the antioxidant ability of cardiac tissue via significantly increased cardiac T.SOD and decreased cardiac malondialdehyde levels. Oral supplementation with TQ prevented diabetic-induced cardiomyopathy via its inhibitory effect on the E-selectin level, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6. The TQ protecting effect on the heart tissue was shown by normalization of the plasma cardiac markers troponin I and creatine kinase. This experiment shows the aptitude of TQ to protect cardiac muscles against diabetic oxidative stress, mainly through upregulation of Nrf2, which defeated oxidative damage by improvement of the antioxidant power of cardiac muscle that consequently protected the cardiac muscles and alleviated the inflammatory process.