ABSTRACT
Gastrointestinal pathology in diabetic patients has become a source of concern in recent times. The aim of this study was to investigate the ultrastructural and immunohistochemical effects of aqueous leaf extract of Xylopia aethiopica on the stomach in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. This study was conducted using thirty adult Wistar rats. The animals were divided into three groups (n= 10). Group A was the control animals (administered with equivalent volume of citrate buffer), group B was diabetic animals induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin dissolved in citrate buffer (65 mg/kg) and group C was diabetic animals treated with 200 mg/kg body weight of aqueous leave extract of X. aethiopica for twenty five days. At the expiration of the study, all the animals in each of the groups were sacrificed and the stomach excised and fixed in both 10 % formol and karnovsky fixatives immunohistochemical, light microscopic and electron microscopic studies respectively. The results showed a gradual decline (P<0.05) in the blood glucose level in the extract treated group as against the increment in untreated diabetic group. There was a distortion of the glandular mucosa and epithelium in the untreated diabetic group vis-à-vis the extract treated and control groups. The immunohistochemical staining and percentage immunoreactivity of the stomach of untreated diabetic group showed that the immunoexpression of H+/K+-ATPase were sparse and significantly (p<0.000) lower compared with the control group. There was a better staining pattern for H+/K+-ATPase gastric proton pump in the group treated with aqueous leaf extract of X. aethiopica as compared with the untreated diabetic group. The ultrastructural studies of untreated diabetic group revealed a reduction in the density of mitochondria as compared with the control group. Treatment with leaf extract of X. aethiopica increased the mitochondrial density as well as uniform dispersal of chromatin. It is concluded that diabetes causes gastric pathology thus resulting in morphological changes in the gastric histo-architecture and parietal cells. The aqueous leaf extract of X. aethiopica enhances the recovery/restoration of these defects in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats and as such, may play a significant role in the management of complications associated with diabetes mellitus.
La enfermedad gastrointestinal en pacientes diabéticos se ha convertido en una fuente de preocupación en los últimos tiempos. El objetivo fue investigar los efectos ultraestructurales e inmunohistoquímicos de extracto acuoso de la hoja de Xylopia aethiopica en el estómago de ratas con diabetes inducida por estreptozotocina. Se utilizaron 30 ratas Wistar adultas, divididas en tres grupos (n= 10). El Grupo A, control (se le administró un volumen equivalente de tampón de citrato); el Grupo B, animales diabéticos inducidos por una sola inyección intraperitoneal de estreptozotocina disuelta en tampón de citrato (65 mg/kg) y el Grupo C, animales diabéticos con 200 mg/kg peso corporal tratados con extracto acuoso de X. aethiopica durante 25 d. Luego, todos los animales fueron sacrificados, se les extirpó el estómago y fijó en formol al 10 % y en fijador Karnovsky para anticuerpos monoclonales contra la bomba de protones gátrica H+/K+-ATPasa; las muestras se observaron mediante microscopías óptica y electrónica. Los resultados mostraron una disminución gradual (P<0,05) en el nivel de glucosa en sangre del grupo tratado con el extracto, contra un incremento en el grupo diabético no tratado. Hubo una distorsión de la mucosa glandular y el epitelio en el grupo diabético no tratado vis-à-vis los grupos tratados con extracto y el de control. La tinción inmunohistoquímica del estómago del grupo diabético no tratado, mostró escasas células parietales inmunorreactivas en el grupo diabético no tratado comparado con el grupo control. Hubo un mejor patrón de tinción en la bomba de protones gátrica H+/K+-ATPasa en el grupo tratado con el extracto de hoja acuosa de X. aethiopica, en comparación con el grupo diabético no tratado. Los estudios ultraestructurales del grupo diabético no tratado revelaron una reducción en la densidad de las mitocondrias en comparación con el grupo control. El tratamiento con extracto de hoja de X. aethiopica aumentó la densidad mitocondrial, así como la dispersión uniforme de la cromatina. Se concluye que la diabetes causa una enfermedad gástrica que genera cambios morfológicos en la histoarquitectura de las células parietales gástricas. El extracto de hoja acuosa de X. aethiopica mejora la recuperación/restauración de estos defectos en ratas diabéticas inducidas por estreptozotocina y, como tal, puede jugar un rol significativo en el tratamiento de las complicaciones asociadas con la diabetes mellitus.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/drug therapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Stomach/drug effects , Xylopia/chemistry , Immunohistochemistry , Microscopy, Electron , Rats, Wistar , Stomach/ultrastructureABSTRACT
Variations in specific foliar mass and water content, nitrogen, soluble carbohydrates and tannins were studied during the growth and maturation processes of the Xylopia aromatica leaves, to determine the effects of such alterations on the herbivory of Stenoma scitiorella caterpillars. This work was carried out in the physiognomy of the typical cerrado of the Parque Estadual de Vassununga, Gleba Pé-de Gigante, Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo State, Brazil. While nutritional quality (water and nitrogen) decreases during expansion and maturation of Xylopia aromatica leaves, the chemical (tannins) and physical (sclerophylly) defenses are raised. In agreement with the observations on herbivory, the results support the hypothesis that the reduction in palatability and increase in chemical defenses of Xylopia aromatica leaves account for the caterpillars' preference for young expanding leaves.
Com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do crescimento e do amadurecimento de folhas de Xylopia aromatica sob o ataque de lagartas de Stenoma scitiorella, foram estudados a variação da área, massa foliar específica, bem como os teores de água, nitrogênio, hidratos de carbono e taninos durante estes processos. O trabalho foi desenvolvido numa fisionomia de cerrado stricto sensu na Gleba Pé-de-Gigante do Parque Estadual de Vassununga, localizado no município de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. A expansão e o amadurecimento das folhas de Xylopia aromatica resultaram na redução da qualidade nutricional e no aumento de defesas químicas e físicas. Concordando com as observações realizadas sobre a herbivoria, os resultados permitem supor que a redução na palatabilidade das folhas pode explicar a preferência das lagartas por folhas jovens ainda no início do processo de expansão.