Ameliorative Effect of Active Principle Isolated from Seeds of Eugenia jambolana on Carbohydrate Metabolism in Experimental Diabetes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of LH II purified from ethanolic seed extract of Eugenia jambolana in alloxan-induced mild diabetic (MD) and severely diabetic (SD) rabbits. Ethanolic extract upon chromatographic purification yielded partially purified hypoglycemic principle (SIII) which on further purification by sephadex LH 20 yielded pharmacological active compound LH II. Homogeneity of LH II was tested by HPLC. Phytochemical investigation of LH II by various structural spectra showed the presence of saturated fatty acid, Δ(5) lipid and presence of sterol. LH II was administered orally at a dose of 10 mg kg(-1) body weight to MD and SD. LH II resulted, significant fall in FBG at 90 min (21.2% MD: 28.6% SD), 7th day (35.6% MD) and 15th day (59.6% SD). Glycosylated hemoglobin was significantly decreased (50.5%) in SD after 15 days treatment (Tt). Plasma insulin levels were significantly increased (P < .001). In vitro studies with pancreatic islets showed 3-fold increase in insulin levels as compared to untreated animals. LH II also showed extrapancreatic effect by significantly increasing (P < .001) the activity of key enzymes of glycolysis and significantly decreasing (P < .001) the activity of key enzymes of gluconeogenesis. Liver and muscle glycogen content were increased by 36.6 and 30% for MD, and 52 and 47% for SD, respectively. Thus, the present study demonstrates that LH II possesses potent antidiabetic activity and it is effective in both MD and SD rabbits.

Antidiabetogenic action of Morus rubra L. leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVES: Researchers all over the world are exploring herbal supplements to control diabetes and its complications. This study evaluated the antidiabetic action of Morus rubra L. aqueous leaf extract through its effect on hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: The extract was orally administered to diabetic rats (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) daily for 21 days. Fasting blood glucose was measured on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were drawn to measure glucose tolerance, glycosylated haemoglobin, insulin, C-peptide and lipid parameters. Antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase), reduced glutathione and lipid peroxides were determined in blood and liver tissue. Histopathological examination of pancreatic tissue was also performed. KEY FINDINGS: The extract showed a dose-dependent fall in fasting blood glucose. Treatment with 400 mg/kg extract produced a significant reduction in glycosylated haemoglobin with a concomitant elevation in plasma insulin and C-peptide levels. The altered serum lipids in diabetic rats were significantly restored following treatment with the extract. In erythrocytes, as well as liver, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and content of reduced glutathione were found to be significantly enhanced, while levels of serum and hepatic lipid peroxides were suppressed in extract-fed diabetic rats. Histopathological examination of pancreatic tissue revealed an increased number of islets and beta-cells in extract-treated diabetic rats. CONCLUSIONS: M. rubra aqueous leaf extract leads to control over hyperglycaemia and dyslipidaemia. The study also demonstrates its antioxidant nature, and hence it may be protective against diabetic complications.

A hexanucleotide repeat upstream of eotaxin gene promoter is associated with asthma, serum total IgE and plasma eotaxin levels.

BACKGROUND: Eotaxin (CCL11) is a small protein produced in the lungs of patients with asthma, and is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils. AIM: To elucidate the role of eotaxin in asthma by an association study of functional and novel eotaxin polymorphisms in case-control and family-based study designs. METHODS: Eotaxin +67G/A, -384A/G and -426C/T single-nucleotide polymorphisms and a hexanucleotide (GAAGGA)(n) repeat 10.9 kb upstream of the gene were genotyped in a cohort of age, sex and ethnically matched patients with asthma (n = 235) and healthy controls (n = 239), and also in a study population of 230 families with asthma recruited from north/northwest India. Total serum IgE (TsIgE) and plasma eotaxin levels were measured using ELISA. RESULTS: +67G/A polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with asthma in case-control (p = 0.009) and family-based studies (p = 0.006). Its functional role, as it was correlated with plasma eotaxin levels (p = 0.006), was also demonstrated. Further, -384C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with log(10) TsIgE (p = 0.016 in case-control and p = 0.018 in families) and eotaxin levels (p = 0.007). Most interestingly, for the first time, a highly significant association of the newly studied (GAAGGA)(n) hexanucleotide repeat with asthma (p = 3x10(-6)), log(10)TsIgE (p = 0.006) and eotaxin levels (p = 0.004) was observed. G_A_C_8 was also identified as an important risk haplotype associated with high TsIgE and plasma eotaxin levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides further evidence that eotaxin polymorphisms are associated with the development of asthma by regulating eotaxin levels and reinforces towards the scanning of other chemokine genes present at 17q21 locus for their association with asthma and related phenotypes.