Current Advances in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) underscores a rising epidemic orchestrating critical socio-economic burden on countries globally. Different treatment options for the management of DM are evolving rapidly because the usual methods of treatment have not completely tackled the primary causes of the disease and are laden with critical adverse effects. Thus, this narrative review explores different treatment regimens in DM management and the associated challenges. A literature search for published articles on recent advances in DM management was completed with search engines including Web of Science, Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, using keywords such as DM, management of DM, and gene therapy. Our findings indicate that substantial progress has been made in DM management with promising results using different treatment regimens, including nanotechnology, gene therapy, stem cell, medical nutrition therapy, and lifestyle modification. However, a lot of challenges have been encountered using these techniques, including their optimization to ensure optimal glycemic, lipid, and blood pressure modulation to minimize complications, improvement of patients' compliance to lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions, safety, ethical issues, as well as an effective delivery system among others. In conclusion, lifestyle management alongside pharmacological approaches and the optimization of these techniques is critical for an effective and safe clinical treatment plan.

Antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and hepatoprotective effects of Ficus ottoniifolia (Miq.) Miq. supplementation in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE: Medicinal plants provide better and cheaper alternative therapy for management of several diseases compared to orthodox medicines. This study evaluated the effects of feed formulated with Ficus ottoniifolia (Miq.) Miq. (FFFO) leaves in the management of alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DM was induced in overnight-fasted rats by administration of alloxan monohydrate intraperitoneally. DM rats in Groups 1-3 were fed with graded FFFO while group 4 (diabetic control) and group 5 (normal control) were fed with commercial feeds (Vital-Feeds), daily for 21 days. Changes in body weight and some biochemical parameters were thereafter determined. RESULTS: Results showed significant decreases (p<0.05) in serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) but significant increases (p<0.05) in blood glucose, serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in DM-induced rats compared to the normal control group. Feeding with FFFO significantly increased (p<0.05) the body weight and HDL, decreased the blood glucose, serum LDL, TG and TC and attenuated ALT activities in FFFO-fed DM rats compared to the diabetic control group. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that FFFO-diet may mitigate hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and liver-damage associated with DM.

Studies on Ethanol Extracts of Olax subscorpioidea Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Liver disease orchestrated by noxious chemicals are serious health problems the world over. Traditionally, there are claims that ethanol extracts of leaves and stem barks of <i>Olax subscorpioidea</i> are used in the treatment of hepatic disorders. Thus, it investigated the impacts of ethanol extract of leaves and stem bark of <i>Olax subscorpioidea</i> against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver damage in rats. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Liver toxicity was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 mg kg¹ b.wt., of CCl₄ in experimental rats. Rats were treated with 200, 400 and 800 mg kg¹ dose ethanol leaves and stem bark of <i>Olax subscorpioidea</i>, respectively after induction of liver damage. <b>Results:</b> Obtained results showed a significant rise in the serum levels of Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Malondialdehyde (MDA) and bilirubin as well as decreased Albumin (ALB), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), reduced Glutathione (GSH) in CCl₄-challenged rats. Treatment with the extracts attenuated serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, MDA and bilirubin in addition to increased activities of SOD, CAT and the levels of ALB and GSH when compared to the CCl₄ group. Histopathological studies demonstrated that the extracts ameliorated liver necrosis and inflammation due to CCl₄ insult. <b>Conclusion:</b> These results concluded that ethanol extract of leaves and stem bark of <i>Olax subscorpioidea </i>may reduce hepatic oxidative injury caused by CCl₄ by its antioxidant potentials.

Elemental Composition and Associated Health Risk of Honey Obtained from Apiary Farms in Southeast Nigeria.

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the levels of lead, selenium, arsenic, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, chromium, cadmium, and nickel in honey and their potential health risks to consumers, using standard protocols. The honey samples were obtained from apiary farms at nine different locations in southeast Nigeria. They were digested at optimal conditions and analyzed using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Levels of the studied elements in the honey were found to vary relative to the sample source; however, all were below European Commission maximum permissible limits, with the exception of lead, whose level in some samples exceeded the recommended set limit. Estimated daily intakes of the elements via ingestion of the honey were all below the maximum permissible limit set by the European Food Safety Authority, with the exception of arsenic, whose values in some samples slightly exceeded the set limit. For all samples, estimated health risk values for the elements quantified were higher in children than in adults. The hazard quotient for arsenic, hence, the hazard index for the elements, indicated a significant risk (>1) for children for some of the honey samples studied. Arsenic was the major contributor to incremental lifetime cancer risk; its estimated value for children in all the honey samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threshold limit (>1.0 × 10-4); hence, the total cancer risk values for the carcinogenic elements indicated an absolute unacceptable risk level for children based on EPA threshold limit.