Heartwood Extract of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. Offers Defense against Oxyradicals and Improves Glucose Uptake in HepG2 Cells

Hallmarks of diabetes mellitus and insights into the therapeutic potential of synergy-based combinations of phytochemicals in reducing oxidative stress-induced diabetic complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious health issue and is still one of the major causes of mortality around the globe. Natural products have progressively integrated into modern, advanced medical practices. Phytoconstituents from some medicinal plants have demonstrated therapeutic activity in treating different metabolic disorders and have been used to treat DM and its severe complications. The present review provides details of the major anti-diabetic targets identified in the literature and also provides comprehensive information regarding the therapeutic role of a synergy-based combination of phytoconstituents that functions by controlling specific molecular pathways synchronously by inhibiting certain key regulators involved in the development and progression of DM. The review also implicated the role of oxidative stress in diabetic complications and presented scientific validations of phytochemicals and their synergy-based combination using in vitro and or in vivo approaches.

Inhibition of Autophagy and the Cytoprotective Role of Smac Mimetic against ROS-Induced Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy in Relapse and Chemoresistance Cases in Breast Cancer

With more than a million deaths each year, breast cancer is the top cause of death in women. Around 70% of breast cancers are hormonally responsive. Although several therapeutic options exist, cancer resistance and recurrence render them inefficient and insufficient. The major key reason behind this is the failure in the regulation of the cell death mechanism. In addition, ROS was also found to play a major role in this problem. The therapeutic benefits of Smac mimetic compound (SMC) BV6 on MCF7 were examined in the current study. Treatment with BV6 reduces viability and induces apoptosis in MCF7 breast cancer cells. BV6 suppresses autophagy and has demonstrated a defensive role in cancer cells against oxidative stress caused by H₂O₂. Overall, the present investigation shows that SMC has therapeutic and cytoprotective potential against oxidative stress in cancer cells. These Smac mimetic compounds may be used as anti-cancer drugs as well as antioxidants alone or in conjunction with other commonly used antioxidants.