ABSTRACT
Injury to podocytes is an early event in diabetic nephropathy leading to proteinuria with possible progression to end-stage renal failure. The podocytes are unique and highly specialized cells that cover the outer layer of kidney ultrafiltration barrier and play an important role in glomerular function. In the past few decades, adult stem cells, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a regenerative and differentiative capacity have been extensively used in cell-based therapies. In addition to their capability for regeneration and differentiation, MSCs contributes to their milieu by paracrine action of a series of growth factors via antiapoptotic, mitogenic and other cytokine actions that actively participate in treatment of podocyte damage through prevention of podocyte effacement, detachment and apoptosis. It is hoped that novel stem cell-based therapies will be developed in the future to prevent podocyte injury, thereby reducing the burden of kidney disease.
Subject(s)
Adult Stem Cells , Apoptosis , Diabetic Nephropathies , Hope , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins , Kidney , Kidney Diseases , Kidney Failure, Chronic , Mesenchymal Stem Cells , Podocytes , Proteinuria , Regeneration , UltrafiltrationABSTRACT
Quassia borneensis has been traditionally used as antihypertensive agent without any scientific literature on its mechanism of action. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antiproliferation properties of Q. borneensis extracts. The hexane, chloroform and aqueous extracts of root and bark of Q. borneensis were subjected to nitric oxide (NO) inhibition assay in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) protein level was analyzed by Western blot. The antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of the extracts on HL-60 cells were determined using Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and MTT assays, respectively. The chloroform extract of Q. borneensis root obtained by soxhlet method (CSR) significantly inhibited 97.64 ± 0.96% of NO production (p < 0.001) and suppressed iNOS expression (p < 0.05) at the highest concentration of 1.0 μg/ml. The chloroform extract of bark obtained by maceration (CMB) exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity in the absence and presence of HL-60 cells, where the FRAP value were 125.45 ± 9.10 μM FeSO4.7H2O and 181.55 ± 3.45 μM FeSO4.7H2O, respectively. The greatest inhibition of HL-60 cell proliferation was exhibited by the chloroform extract of bark obtained by soxhlet method (CSB) with the IC50 of 5.0 μg/ml. The findings suggested that the chloroform extracts of Q. borneensis possess antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.
ABSTRACT
This article discusses on the natural compounds from the ant plant (Myrmecodia species, family: Rubiaceae). The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract from the tuber of M. platytyrea was fractionated by using medium pressure liquid chromatography, giving eight fractions (F1-F8). Those fractions were evaluated using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Fraction F5 was recorded as potent (EC50 = 21.57 ± 1.40 µg/mL). Then, it was purified by using column chromatography (CC) (mobile phase = chloroform: EtOAc). From the CC, ten fractions (F5F1-F5F10) were obtained and compound (1) was isolated from F5F3 via preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC). After spraying with anisaldehyde-sulphuric reagent, compound (1) gave a green TLC spot (Rf = 0.65, 100% CHCl3 , multiple development). The 1 H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (500 MHz, CDCl3 ) was performed to determine the chemical framework of (1). This compound was identified as morindolide, having an iridoid structure. Meanwhile, the mass spectra for compounds (2) and (3) were analysed. The data presented the molecular ion at m/z 375 [M-H]- and 255, suggesting the formulation of 2-(2-methylbutyryl)phloroglucinol glucoside and a flavanone, respectively. From the literature, compound (1) was firstly isolated from a Chinese natural medicine, the dried root of Morinda officinalis (family: Rubiaceae). The flavonoids are also included as the biologically active compounds from Myrmecodia. In short, this is the first occurrence of morindolide from the ant plant.
Subject(s)
FlavonoidsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the hypoglycemic effect of the aqueous extract of Octomeles sumatrana (O. sumatrana) (OS) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (STZ) and its molecular mechanisms.@*METHODS@#Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg) in to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were divided into six different groups; normal control rats were not induced with STZ and served as reference, STZ diabetic control rats were given normal saline. Three groups were treated with OS aqueous extract at 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 g/kg, orally twice daily continuously for 21 d. The fifth group was treated with glibenclamide (6 mg/kg) in aqueous solution orally continuously for 21 d. After completion of the treatment period, biochemical parameters and expression levels of glucose transporter 2 (Slc2a2), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1) were determined in liver by quantitative real time PCR.@*RESULTS@#Administration of OS at different doses to STZ induced diabetic rats, resulted in significant decrease (P<0.05) in blood glucose level in a dose dependent manner by 36%, 48%, and 64% at doses of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 g/kg, respectively, in comparison to the STZ control values. Treatment with OS elicited an increase in the expression level of Slc2a2 gene but reduced the expression of G6Pase and PCK1 genes. Morefore, OS treated rats, showed significantly lower levels of serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea levels compared to STZ untreated rats. The extract at different doses elicited signs of recovery in body weight gain when compared to STZ diabetic controls although food and water consumption were significantly lower in treated groups compared to STZ diabetic control group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#O. sumatrana aqueous extract is beneficial for improvement of hyperglycemia by increasing gene expression of liver Slc2a2 and reducing expression of G6Pase and PCK1 genes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.