Zinc and curcumin lower arylsulfatses and some metabolic parameters in streptozotocin-induced diabetes

Therapeutic Screening of Herbal Remedies for the Management of Diabetes

The study of diabetes mellitus (DM) patterns illustrates increasingly important facts. Most importantly, they include oxidative stress, inflammation, and cellular death. Up to now, there is a shortage of drug therapies for DM, and the discovery and the development of novel therapeutics for this disease are crucial. Medicinal plants are being used more and more as an alternative and natural cure for the disease. Consequently, the objective of this review was to examine the latest results on the effectiveness and protection of natural plants in the management of DM as adjuvant drugs for diabetes and its complex concomitant diseases.

Ameliorative effect of curcumin and zinc oxide nanoparticles on multiple mechanisms in obese rats with induced type 2 diabetes

The present study was carried out to investigate the therapeutic effect of synthesized naturally compounds, curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs) and metal oxide, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on a high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hepatic and pancreatic pathophysiology in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) via measuring AKT pathway and MAPK pathway. T2DM rats were intraperitoneally injected with a low dose of 35 mg/kg STZ after being fed by HFD for 8 weeks. Then the rats have orally received treatments for 6 weeks. HFD/STZ-induced hepatic inflammation, reflected by increased phosphorylation of p38-MAPK pathway's molecules, was significantly decreased after nanoparticle supplementation. In addition, both nanoparticles significantly alleviated the decreased phosphorylation of AKT pathway. Further, administration of ZnONPs, CurNPs, conventional curcumin, and ZnSO₄ (zinc sulfate), as well as metformin, effectively counteracted diabetes-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in the internal hepatic and pancreatic tissues. Based on the results of the current study, ZnONPs and CurNPs could be explored as a therapeutic adjuvant against complications associated with T2DM. Both nanoparticles could effectively delay the progression of several complications by activating AKT pathway and down-regulating MAPK pathway. Our findings may provide an experimental basis for the application of nanoparticles in the treatment of T2DM with low toxicity.

Formulation optimization of solid self-microemulsifying pellets for enhanced oral bioavailability of curcumin

Solidification of self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS) is one of the major trends to promote the transformation of self-microemulsion technology into industrialization. Here, a preliminary curcumin SMEDDS formulation was constructed to improve the druggability of curcumin, through the determination of equilibrium solubility determination, self-emulsifying grading assessment, and pseudo-ternary phase diagrams drafting. Furthermore, the optimal curcumin SMEDDS formulation consisted of 10% Ethyl oleate, 57.82% Cremophor RH 40, and 32.18% Transcutol P was obtained by the simplex lattice design. Besides, curcumin solid self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SMEDDS) was developed by the extrusion and spheronization process to achieve the solidification of SMEDDS. The formulation of curcumin S-SMEDDS pellets was screened by the single factor experiment and the process parameters were investigated using the orthogonal optimization method. Subsequently, curcumin S-SMEDDS pellets were evaluated by apparent morphology characterization, redispersibility study, drug release behavior, and pharmacokinetic evaluation. Results from the pharmacokinetic study in rabbits showed that the AUC_0-τ of the curcumin S-SMEDDS pellets and curcumin suspension were 5.91 ± 0.28 µg/mL·h and 2.05 ± 0.04 µg/mL·h, while the relative bioavailability was 289.30%. These studies demonstrated that S-SMEDDS pellets can be a promising strategy for curcumin industrialized outputs.

Tramadol-induced hepato- and nephrotoxicity in rats: Role of Curcumin and Gallic acid as antioxidants

Tramadol is an analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain caused by cancer, osteoarthritis, and other musculoskeletal diseases. Cytochrome P450 system metabolizes tramadol and induces oxidative stress in different organs. Therefore, the present study aims at investigating the changes in the activities and the protein expressions of CYPs isozymes (2E1, 3A4, 2B1/2), antioxidants status, free radicals levels after pretreatment of rats with Curcumin and/or Gallic as single- and/or repeated-doses before administration of tramadol. In repeated-dose treatments of rats with tramadol, the activities of cytochrome P450, cytochrome b5, and NADPH-cytochrome-c-reductase, and the antioxidant enzymes including glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and levels of glutathione were inhibited in the liver and the kidney of rats. Interestingly, such changes caused by tramadol restored to their normal levels after pretreatment of rats with either Curcumin and/or Gallic acid. On the other hand, repeated-dose treatment of rats with tramadol increased the activities of both dimethylnitrosamine N-demethylase I (DMN-dI), and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) compared to the control group. However, pretreatment of rats with Curcumin and/or Gallic acid prior to administration of tramadol restored the inhibited DMN-dI activity and its protein expression (CYP 2E1) to their normal levels. On the other hand, tramadol inhibited the activity of ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD) and suppressed its protein marker expression (CYP2B1/2), whereas Curcumin, Gallic acid and/or their mixture restored such changes to their normal levels. In conclusion, Curcumin and/or Gallic acid alleviated the adverse effects caused by tramadol. In addition, patients should be advice to take Curcumin and/or Gallic acid prior to tramadol treatment to alleviate the hepatic and renal toxicities caused by tramadol.

Effect of hypotensive therapy combined with modified diet or zinc supplementation on biochemical parameters and mineral status in hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND

Hypotensive therapy leads to a number of trace elements metabolism disturbances. Zinc balance is frequently affected by antihypertensive treatment.

AIM

To evaluate the effect of a hypotensive treatment, modified diet and zinc supplementation on mineral status and selected biochemical parameters in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients on monotherapy.

METHODS

In the first stage, arterial hypertension in ninety-eight human subjects was diagnosed. In the second stage, antihypertensive monopharmacotherapy was implemented. In the third stage, patients were randomized into three groups and continued antihypertensive monotherapy: group D received an optimal-mineral-content diet, group S received zinc supplementation, and group C had no changes in diet or zinc supplementation. Iron, zinc, and copper concentrations in serum, erythrocytes, urine, and hair were determined. Lipids, glucose, ceruloplasmin, ferritin, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were assayed in serum.

RESULTS

Antihypertensive monotherapy decreased zinc concentration in serum and erythrocytes and increased the level of zinc in urine, decreased CAT and SOD activity, TNF-α concentration in serum, and increased the level of NO in the serum. Zinc supply led to an increase in zinc concentration in serum, erythrocytes, and hair (in group S only). In the groups with higher zinc intake, decreased glucose concentration in the serum was observed. Significant correlation was seen between the zinc and glucose serum concentrations.

CONCLUSION

Hypotensive drugs disturb zinc status in newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Antihypertensive monotherapy combined with increased zinc supply in the diet or supplementation favorably modify zinc homeostasis and regulate glucose status without blood pressure affecting in patients with hypertension.