Anti Hyperlipidemic Activity of Pedalium murex (Linn.) Fruits on High Fat Diet Fed Rats

Diet-induced animal model anti-obesity, phytochemical profiling, and in silico analysis of culinary plant gokhru (Pedalium murex L.) mucilage

Plant-based diets (PBDs) are renowned for managing and developing bioactive chemical inhibitors to combat obesity, a well-known global public health concern. There are currently no published research studies examining the effects of food plant mucilage dietary supplements on animal models of obesity induced by high-fat diets (HFD). The present research investigated the anti-obesity properties of the culinary plant Pedalium murex L. mucilage (PMM) in obese albino male rats models fed HFD. PMM's HR-LCMS phytochemical profiling and in silico evaluation of anti-obesity and drug-likeness using Schrodinger's Glide, QikProp, and GROMACS modules were also investigated. In vivo, anti-obesity model animal rat's daily dietary intake, common blood biochemical parameters, and histological examination of the liver and kidney tissues for the development of macrovesicular and microvesicular steatosis were all performed. Among the 46 Phytochemicals profiled, 7(14)-Bisabolene-2, 3, 10,11tetrol, Moschamine, and N-Feruloyltyramine show prominent anti-obesity activity and drug-like characteristics in silico. Rats given PMM showed significantly lower serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides (TGs), increased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), as well as macro-and microvesicular steatosis, lobular inflammation of the liver and kidney tissues. This suggests that PMM is an effective natural anti-obesity therapeutic ingredient or dietary supplement with a high concentration of anti-obesity phytochemicals that mainly satisfies the needs for such natural anti-obesity medicine or a supplement.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Modulatory effects of methanolic fruit fraction of Pedalium murex on sulphasalazine-induced male reproductive disruption

Pedalium murex is widely practiced in Ayurveda for the treatment of sexual disorders, but their detailed scientific evaluations are still unexplored. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the effect of methanolic fruit fraction of P. murex (MfPm) against sulphasalazine (SSZ) induced male reproductive disruption. MfPm and Clomiphene citrate were orally administered to SSZ (100 mg/kg b.wt) induced infertile rats at the dose of 50 and 10 mg/kg b.wt, respectively, for 60 days. MfPm treatment promoted a significant (p < 0.01) improvement in fertility (~70%), sperm motility (21%), and sperm density (11.20% and 12.30%). MfPm administration restored the serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone levels back to their normal range in a significant (p < 0.01) manner and also significantly (p < 0.01) altered the level of biochemical parameters in treated rats. Furthermore, histological examination showed an improvement in spermatogenesis, as well as regeneration in the testicular architecture observed with increased germinal and interstitial cell count in response to MfPm treated rats. In conclusion, the results suggest that MfPm showed a significant modulatory effect against SSZ induced male reproductive disruption via possible mode of action such as spermatogenic and androgenic nature, therefore, justifying the traditional use of this plant in the treatment of reproductive disruption.

Phytochemical and pharmacological status of indigenous medicinal plant Pedalium murex L.-A review

PURPOSE

Pedalium murex is a fruit-bearing annual herb, native to South India, Mexico and tropical Africa. The plant is widely used to treat numerous diseases including gastric ulcer, asthma, heart problems, anti inflammatory activity and particularly urinary disorders. Traditional medicine has become a skilled approach by means of rational values in handling a variety of diseases and developing an affordable phytotherapy. It is proclaimed that P.murex is an expensive source of unique bioactive compounds for the development of natural medicines against various diseases.

CONCLUSION

This review provides the details of ethno pharmacological importance of P. murex, as well as its composition of phytochemicals, biological activities and traditional usage. Also provides a source for future studies such as isolation of bioactive components and mechanism of action of this plant extract.

Effect of Soothing Gan (Liver) and Invigorating Pi (Spleen) Recipes on TLR4-p38 MAPK Pathway in Kupffer Cells of Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Rats

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism of inflflammatory-mediated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) pathway in Kupffer cells (KCs) of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) rats and the intervention effect of soothing Gan (Liver) and invigorating Pi (Spleen) recipes on this pathway.

METHODS

After 1 week of acclimatization, 120 Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into 8 groups using a random number table (n=15 per group): normal group, model group, low-dose Chaihu Shugan Powder (, CHSG) group (3.2 g/kg), high-dose CHSG group (9.6 g/kg), low-dose Shenling Baizhu Powder (, SLBZ) group (10 g/kg), high-dose SLBZ (30 g/kg) group, and low- and highdose integrated recipe (L-IR, H-IR) groups. All rats in the model and treatment groups were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). The treatments were administrated by gastrogavage once daily and lasted for 26 weeks. The liver tissues were detected with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and oil red O staining. Levels of liver lipids, serum lipids and transaminases were measured. KCs were isolated from the livers of rats to evaluate the mRNA expressions of TLR4 and p38 MAPK by real-time flfluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and proteins expressions of TLR4, p-p38 MAPK and p38 MAPK by Western blot. Levels of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 in KCs were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

After 26 weeks of HFD feeding, HE and oil red O staining showed that the NASH model rats successfully reproduced typical pathogenesis and histopathological features. Compared with the normal group, the model group exhibited significant increases in body weight, liver weight, liver index, serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and aspartate aminotransferase as well as TC and TG levels in liver tissues, and significant decrease in serum level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01), while those indices were significantly ameliorated in the H-IR group (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01). Higher levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 in KCs were observed in the model group compared with the normal group (Plt;0.01). Significant decreases in TNF-α, IL-1 and IL-6 were observed in the H-SLBZ, H-IR and L-IR groups compared with the model group (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01). The mRNA expressions of TLR4 and p38 MAPK and protein expressions of TLR4, p38 MAPK and p-p38 MAPK in KCs in the model group were significantly higher than the normal group (Plt;0.01), while those expression levels in the L-IR and H-IR groups were significantly lower than the model group (Plt;0.05 or Plt;0.01).

CONCLUSION

Inflflammation in KCs might play an important role in the pathogenesis of NASH in rats. The data demonstrated the importance of TLR4-p38MAPK signaling pathway in KCs for the anti-inflflammatory effect of soothing Gan and invigorating Pi recipes.

Biological activities and medicinal properties of Gokhru (Pedalium murex L.)

Bada Gokhru (Pedalium murex L.) is perhaps the most useful traditional medicinal plant in India. Each part of the neem tree has some medicinal property and is thus commercially exploitable. During the last five decades, apart from the chemistry of the Pedalium murex compounds, considerable progress has been achieved regarding the biological activity and medicinal applications of this plant. It is now considered as a valuable source of unique natural products for development of medicines against various diseases and also for the development of industrial products. This review gives a bird's eye view mainly on the biological activities of some of this compounds isolated, pharmacological actions of the extracts, clinical studies and plausible medicinal applications of gokharu along with their safety evaluation.

Camel milk ameliorates steatohepatitis, insulin resistance and lipid peroxidation in experimental non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background

Camel milk (CM) is gaining increasing recognition due to its beneficial effects in the control and prevention of multiple health problems. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of CM on the hepatic biochemical and cellular alterations induced by a high-fat, cholesterol-rich diet (HCD), specifically, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods

Seventy male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: the Control (C) Group fed a standard diet; the Control + camel milk (CCM) Group fed a standard diet and CM, the Cholesterol (Ch) Group fed a HCD with no CM, and the Cholesterol + camel milk (ChM) Group fed a HCD and CM. The following parameters were investigated in the studied groups; basal, weekly random and final fasting blood glucose levels, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (GTT) and insulin tolerance test (ITT), serum insulin, serum lipids, liver functions, lipid peroxidation products, the antioxidant activity of catalase (CAT) and the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). In addition, HOMA-IR as an index of insulin resistance (IR) and the histopathology of the hepatic tissue were assessed.

Results

The Ch Group developed features similar to those of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized by hepatic steatosis; inflammatory cellular infiltration in liver tissue; altered liver functions; and increased total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, atherogenic index (AI), blood glucose, IR, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, feeding the HCD to animals in the Ch Group decreased CAT activity and the GSH and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. Camel milk intake for eight weeks decreased hepatic fat accumulation and inflammatory cellular infiltration, preserved liver function, increased the GSH levels and CAT activity, decreased the MDA levels, and ameliorated the changes in the lipid profile, AI, and IR in animals from the ChM Group.

Conclusions

CM has a unique composition that is rich in minerals; vitamins, insulin and insulin-like protein, and it increased HDL-cholesterol and ameliorated the biochemical and cellular features of NAFLD in rats that received a HCD. The antioxidant effect of CM is a likely mechanism for the altered metabolism and absorption of HCD in the presence of CM. Regular consumption of CM could provide a natural way to protect against NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet.