Hypoglycemic effects of date seed extract. Possible mechanism of action, and potential therapeutic implications.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible mechanism, by which an extract from date seeds exert its hypoglycemic effect. METHODS: This study was performed at the Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from May to December 2012. Eighty rats were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 received no treatment. Group 2 received daily ingestions of 10 ml of date seed extract for 8 weeks. Animals of groups 3 and 4 were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection, and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 3 IU/day of insulin for 8 weeks. Group 4 received, in addition, daily ingestions of 10 ml of seed extracts. Rats were sacrificed, and the sera were separated for estimation of serum C-peptide levels. Pancreatic tissues were processed for histological study of the islet cells, immunohistochemical study for insulin secretion and image analysis for insulin quantification. RESULTS: Mean serum C-peptide level was significantly higher in group 4 compared to group 3. Pancreatic islets from rats of group 3 showed weak immunoreactivity for insulin, while those of group 4 showed strong immunoreactivity in some hypertrophied beta cells. Immunopositive cells were detected in the wall of interlobular ducts and in centroacinar cells of pancreas only in group 4. Quantification of insulin immunoreactivity showed a marked reduction in islet size and extent of insulin immunoreactivity in diabetic compared to control groups. CONCLUSION: Date seed extracts may stimulate endogenous insulin secretion through extra-islet sources.

Radiate ligament shortening and idiopathic scoliosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible role of radiate ligament in idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: This study was designed as a case-control study adapted to cadavers. Eighteen human cadavers, 12 males and 6 females of Caucasian race, with a mean age of 55 years were studied at the Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from November 2010 to February 2012. Among the studied subjects, 15 were with normal spines, and 3 were scoliotic. The upper and lower bands of radiate ligaments were identified and measured. All cadavers were examined grossly. Scoliotic cadavers were also examined radiologically. RESULTS: The present study revealed that the mean of the lengths of the upper bands of radiate ligaments, on the concave side, in each scoliotic cadaver showed a highly significant shortening compared with that of the upper bands of the corresponding segments in cadavers with normal spines, while no significant change was detected when comparing those of the lower bands to normal values. CONCLUSION: The study suggested a possible relationship between radiate ligament shortening and the etiology of idiopathic scoliosis.

An extract from date seeds having a hypoglycemic effect. Is it safe to use?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety of date seed extract administration, and to compare between toxic effects of diabetes on rats treated with insulin versus rats treated with insulin-seed extract. METHODS: This study was performed in the Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from August to December 2010. One hundred rats were divided into 5 groups. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 was given daily ingestions of 10 ml of date seed extract. Animals of groups 3 and 4 were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection, and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 3 IU/day of insulin for 8 weeks. Group 4 received, in addition, daily ingestions of 10 ml of seed extract. Group 5 were made diabetic with streptozotocin and then given the seed extract only. At the end of experiment, rats were decapitated, and the sera were separated for estimation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, blood urea nitrogen, and serum creatinine levels. Livers and kidneys were processed for light microscopic study. RESULTS: The mean values of all tested serum levels were significantly higher in Group 3 compared to Groups 1, 2 and 4 (with the exception of ALT in the case of Group 4). There was no significant change when comparing the mean values of Groups 1, 2, and 4. Livers and kidneys of rats in Groups 1, 2, and 4 showed normal histology, while those of Group 3 showed histopathological changes. CONCLUSION: Date seed extract administration is safe on the liver and kidney. In addition, insulin-date seed extract combination minimizes the toxic effects of diabetes on these organs.

Hypoglycemic effect of an extract from date seeds on diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of an aqueous extract from date seeds on diabetic rats. METHODS: The study was performed in the Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between November 2008 and December 2009. Eighty adult albino rats were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 was used as healthy control. Group 2 was given daily ingestions of 10 ml of the date seed extract. Animals of groups 3 and 4 were made diabetic by injection of streptozotocin. Diabetic rats of group 3 received daily subcutaneous injections of 3 IU/day of insulin for 8 weeks while group 4 received ingestions of 10 ml of extract in addition to insulin. Fasting blood glucose levels were measured once weekly. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was also estimated. RESULTS: There is a significant change in the mean blood glucose levels between group 3 and group 4 from week 2. The mean blood glucose levels of group 4, every 2 consecutive weeks, showed a significant decrease until week 6. The HbA1c was significantly lower in group 4 compared to group 3. CONCLUSION: The hypoglycemic effect of date seed extract combined with insulin, decreases the blood glucose level significantly toward normal when compared to the effect of insulin administered as a single drug for treatment of diabetes.

An atypical superficial radial artery

Harvesting of the radial artery has become a common surgical procedure. Variations in the radial artery may affect its origin or its course. Variations in the course are rare and classified in 2 classes (1 & 2) according to the tendons forming the anatomical snuff box or radial fossa of the hand. In a study of seventy randomly selected cadavers assigned to medical students for dissection, an atypical case of class2 was found and is described here (AU)

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Perforation of the inferior alveolar nerve by the maxillary artery: an anatomical study.

The infratemporal fossa is a clinically important anatomical area for the delivery of local anaesthetic agents in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery. We studied the infratemporal fossas in white cadavers, and in particular the topographical relations of the inferior alveolar nerve and the maxillary artery. In 3 of the 50 fossas dissected the maxillary artery passed through the inferior alveolar nerve, splitting it into superficial and deep divisions. Entrapment of the maxillary artery may cause numbness or headache and may interfere with injection of local anaesthetics into the infratemporal fossa.

Bilateral variations in the formation of the median nerve associated with the absence of musculocutaneous nerve and radial nerve with two roots

We report a case of bilateral multiple variations of the brachial plexus in a 60-year old Caucasian female cadaver. In the right upper limb the musculocutaneous nerve was absent. The flexors of the arm and skin of the lateral aspect of forearm were supplied by branches from the medial cord of the brachial plexus and median nerve. In the left upper limb, the median nerve was formed by four roots; three from the lateral cord and one from the medial cord of the brachial plexus. The radial nerve also had two roots, one from the posterior cord and another from the medial cord, which formed a loop anterior to the subscapular artery. Such a combination of variations in a single cadaver is rare. The frequent anatomic variations of the brachial plexus should always be considered as an important risk factor while performing surgery of the axilla (AU)

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