ABSTRACT
Objective To elucidate the protective effects of rice bran water extract on the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and a cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) in the vasculature of high-fat diet-fed rats. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group I served as control, Group II was treated with high-fat diet, and Group III was treated with high-fat diet and rice bran water extract at 2 205 mg/kg/day. After four weeks, the metabolic parameters, malondialdehyde as a marker of oxidative stress, and histological features of the aorta were evaluated. The levels of transcripts and proteins in aorta were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Results In comparison with the Group II, rice bran water extract administration resulted in a significant reduction in body weight, visceral fat tissue weights, blood glucose levels, and serum total-cholesterol and free fatty acid levels in Group III. Serum triglyceride levels tended to decrease in the Group III. Also, rice bran water extract administration obviously decreased malondialdehyde levels in both serum and aorta. Interestingly, rice bran water extract treatment demonstrated a significant up-regulation of eNOS expression and down-regulation of NF-κB p65 and CD36 expressions. Nonetheless, all groups showed normal histology of aorta. Conclusions Rice bran water extract exhibited vasoprotective effects in the high-fat diet-induced obesity condition by modulating the expression of eNOS, NF-κB, and CD36 and metabolic parameters.
ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to investigate histological characters of livers in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats after receiving various doses of Annona squamosa L. aqueous leave extract. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (45 mg/kg). After that the diabetic rats were orally administered the vehicle, glibenclamide and leaves extract (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) for 12 days. Their liver tissues were collected for histological examination. The histological study of liver showed that control diabetic rats possessed many hepatocytes with shrunken nuclei, vacuolated granular cytoplasm, poorly defined cell boundaries and dilated sinusoids. The diabetic rats received the extract revealed some improvements of liver tissue in dose dependent manner in which hepatocytes possessed regular size of nuclei, well defined cell boundaries, reduced vacuoles and granulated characters as well as narrowed sinusoids when compared with those of control diabetic rats. This present data suggests that the aqueous leaves extract of Annona squamosa L. could improve the histological appearances of the livers of diabetic rats.
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the hypoglycemic effects and histological changes of pancreatic islets after receiving Morus alba leave extract in normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg) intraperitoneally. All diabetic rats were divided into 5 groups, each of which was orally received one of the following; vehicle, glibenclamide and leave extract (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg) for 12 days. The results showed that the leave extract at the doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg significantly (p \< 0.05) reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. Moreover, the study of Morus alba leave extract in decreasing of acute hyperglycemic effect was undertaken by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) which revealed that the leave extract could not reduce blood glucose levels in acute hyperglycemia in both diabetic and normal rats. The histological examination of pancreas showed that all doses of leave extract could recover the damaged islet cells in diabetic rats in a dose dependent manner. The pancreatic islets of diabetic rats receiving the extract were larger and the cells within the islets were rounder and less congestive when compared to diabetic control rats. Conclusion, the results of this study suggested that Morus alba leave extract could reduce blood glucose levels and improve the histological features of pancreatic islets in diabetic rats.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Aim of the study was to investigate the effect of rice-bran water extract (RBE) on the amelioration of metabolic dysfunction in high-fat feeding rats. Method: The study was carried out in high-fat (65% of total calories) feeding Sprague-Dawley rats. Three groups of 8 rats each were separately co-treated daily with three doses (22.05, 220.5, 2,205 mg/kg) of RBE. The study was done in comparison to a group of high-fat feeding rats and a control group. Blood parameters were assayed at the end of the forth week. Results and discussion: RBE at the highest dose was able to significantly (p \< 0.05) hamper the increasing Mean ± SEM of gm weight gain (125.98 ± 7.32 vs 160.72 ± 10.03). Whereas, RBE at the minimum dose of 220.5 mg/kg was able to significantly (p \< 0.05) hamper the increasing gm visceral fat (11.24 ± 0.64 and 8.99 ± 0.72 vs 13.95 ± 0.44) area under the glucose-clearance curve (1,566.85 ± 347.35 and 1,244.83 ± 189.62 vs 2,787.75 ± 472.54) and blood level of triglyceride (62.88 ± 3.29 and 58.75 ± 9.79 vs 66.13 ± 6.06). RBE showed a trend to restore the % homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β), though there was no statistic significance, but not the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The ability of RBE to ameliorate the abnormality of glucose homeostasis found in high-fat feeding rats is to reduce visceral fat mass and correct the impaired glucose tolerance. RBE also showed a trend to restore the β-cell function.