Modulatory effect of Gynandropsis gynandra L. on glucose metabolizing enzymes in aflatoxin B1-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in rats.

The modulation of glucose-metabolizing enzymes activities play a vital role in the depletion of energy metabolism and leads to inhibition of cancer growth. In the present study, the effect of Gynandropsis gynandra L. extract on aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied on glucose-metabolizing enzymes in rats. A significant increase (p < 0.001) in the activities of the key glycolytic enzymes viz., hexokinase and phosphoglucoisomerase, with a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase were observed in HCC-bearing rats, when compared with the control. Administration of G. gynandra extract caused a significant decrease in the activities of glycolytic enzymes and an increase in the gluconeogenic enzymes activities to near normal values. Thus, findings suggest the G. gynandra extract has a definite modulating role on the key enzymes of glucose metabolism in HCC. The modulatory effect may be due to the phytoactive constituents present in the extract of G. gynandra.

Preventive role of Gynandropsis gynandra L., against aflatoxin B1 induced lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense mechanism in rat.

G. gynandra extract was found to potentially diminish the rate of lipid peroxidation, with a significant increase in the levels of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and non-enzymatic (reduced glutathione vitamins E and C, and uric acid) antioxidants, which were found, altered during aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) injection. The result confirmed that G. gynandra extract exerts its chemopreventive efficacy by preventing the rate of lipid peroxidation and influenced the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in AFB1 induced male albino rats.

Effect of Aerva lanata on calcium oxalate urolithiasis in rats.

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone was induced in rats using 0.75% of ethylene glycol in drinking water for 28 days. Ethylene glycol treated rats showed significant increase in the activities of oxalate synthesizing enzymes such as glycolic acid oxidase (GAO) in liver and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in liver and kidney. CaOx crystal deposition, as indicated by increased excretion of stone-forming constituents in urine, such as calcium, oxalate, uric acid, phosphorus and protein and decreased concentration of inhibitors, such as citrate and magnesium was observed in ethylene glycol induced urolithic rats. Histopathological studies also confirmed the deposition of CaOx crystals. Administration of Aerva lanata aqueous suspension (2g/kg body wt/dose/day for 28 days) to CaOx urolithic rats had reduced the oxalate synthesizing enzymes, diminished the markers of crystal deposition in the kidney. The results of the present study confirmed that A. lanata can be used as an curative agent for urolithiasis.