Fat metabolism and diabetes: 2003 American Diabetes Association postgraduate course

Evaluation of mulberry leaves’ hypoglycemic properties and hypoglycemic mechanisms

The effectiveness of herbal medicine in treating diabetes has grown in recent years, but the precise mechanism by which it does so is still unclear to both medical professionals and diabetics. In traditional Chinese medicine, mulberry leaf is used to treat inflammation, colds, and antiviral illnesses. Mulberry leaves are one of the herbs with many medicinal applications, and as mulberry leaf study grows, there is mounting evidence that these leaves also have potent anti-diabetic properties. The direct role of mulberry leaf as a natural remedy in the treatment of diabetes has been proven in several studies and clinical trials. However, because mulberry leaf is a more potent remedy for diabetes, a deeper understanding of how it works is required. The bioactive compounds flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, polyphenols, volatile oils, sterols, amino acids, and a variety of inorganic trace elements and vitamins, among others, have been found to be abundant in mulberry leaves. Among these compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and polyphenols have a stronger link to diabetes. Of course, trace minerals and vitamins also contribute to blood sugar regulation. Inhibiting alpha glucosidase activity in the intestine, regulating lipid metabolism in the body, protecting pancreatic -cells, lowering insulin resistance, accelerating glucose uptake by target tissues, and improving oxidative stress levels in the body are some of the main therapeutic properties mentioned above. These mechanisms can effectively regulate blood glucose levels. The therapeutic effects of the bioactive compounds found in mulberry leaves on diabetes mellitus and their associated molecular mechanisms are the main topics of this paper’s overview of the state of the art in mulberry leaf research for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Identification of potential antioxidant indices by biogenic gold nanoparticles in hyperglycemic Wistar rats

Oxidative stress is a crucial factor in diabetes, where the abnormal metabolic ambience leads to hyperglycemia resulting in the onset of several vascular complications. Under homeostasis, innate antioxidants efficiently inhibit the oxidative stress, thereby restrain further progression of diabetes. In the present study, a potential antioxidant marker was identified from hepatic tissue of diabetic Wistar rats after oral administration of biogenic gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Diabetic animals treated with GNPs showed increase in insulin level and subsequently reduced the concentration of blood glucose level to normal. Further, GNPs favoured to retain the hepatic enzymatic markers, serum lipid levels and followed by renal biochemical profile in the rats. In addition, GNPs treated rats displayed an elevated level of lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase enzymatic activity. Consequently, GNPs treated rats showed diminished level of histological injury in the hepatic, renal, and pancreatic tissues. Taken together, these results suggested that among the several antioxidant enzymes, catalase elucidated the highest area under curve (AUC) with 0.80 accomplished by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Collectively, our findings enlighten that GNPs treated rat able to alleviate the hyperglycemic condition due to the enzymatic activity of catalase.

Aqueous or lipid components of atherosclerotic lesion increase macrophage oxidation and lipid accumulation

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Understanding the interactions among atherosclerotic plaque components and arterial macrophages, is essential for elucidating the mechanisms involved in the development of atherosclerosis. We assessed the effects of lesion extracts on macrophages.

METHODS

Mouse peritoneal macrophages from atherosclerotic normoglycemic or hyperglycemic apoE(-/-) mice were incubated with aortic aqueous or with aortic lipidic extracts (mAAE or mALE) derived from these mice. In parallel, J774A.1 cultured macrophages were incubated with increasing concentrations of extracts prepared from human carotid lesions: polar lesion aqueous extract (hLAE), nonpolar lesion lipid extract (hLLE), or with their combination. In all the above systems we performed analyses of macrophage oxidative status, cholesterol, and triglyceride metabolism.

RESULTS

Aqueous or lipid extracts from either mice aorta or from human carotid lesions significantly increased macrophage oxidative stress as determined by reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis. In parallel, a compensatory increase in the cellular antioxidant paraoxonase2 (PON2) activity and in macrophage glutathione content were observed following incubation with all extracts. Macrophage triglyceride mass and triglyceride biosynthesis rate were both significantly increased following treatment with the lipid extracts, secondary to upregulation of DGAT1. All extracts decreased cholesterol biosynthesis rate, through downregulation of HMGCR, the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. The combination of the human lesion extracts had the most significant effects.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates that atherosclerotic plaque constituents enhance macrophage cellular oxidative stress, and accumulation of cholesterol and triglycerides, as shown in both in vivo and in vitro model systems.

Ameliorative effect of Withania coagulans on dyslipidemia and oxidative stress in nicotinamide-streptozotocin induced diabetes mellitus

Present study aims to evaluate the effect of Withania coagulans fruit (aqWC) on diabetic-dyslipidemia and antioxidant/oxidant status in DM. Diabetic animals were treated with aqWC at a dose of 250 mg/kg bw for 30 days. Lipid profile, MDA, GSH, SOD, FRAP, HMG CoA reductase and acetyl CoA carboxylase activities were estimated in blood and tissues. Total cholesterol, TAG and LDL were significantly elevated whereas HDL was decreased in diabetic animals (p<0.05), simultaneously the lipid content and HMG CoA reductase activities were also increased, whereas acetyl CoA carboxylase activity decreased significantly in tissues of diabetic animals. MDA was increased and antioxidants such as SOD, GSH and FRAP decreased significantly in DM (p<0.05). Oral administration of aqWC to diabetic animals produced significant improvement in serum lipid profile and tissue lipid content. Activity of HMG CoA reductase decreased, whereas acetyl CoA carboxylase activity increased significantly in tissues after aqWC treatment. Administration of aqWC to diabetic animals also showed significant increase in antioxidant levels i.e., GSH, SOD, FRAP and reduced level of MDA in blood and tissue homogenates as compared to diabetic controls (p<0.05). These results suggest that aqWC treatment improved lipid profile and decreased oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus.