The Impact of Hunteria umbellata Aqueous Extract on the Morphology of Reproductive and Metabolic Organs in Rats with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects 20% of women globally, characterized by inflammation, systemic issues, and hormonal imbalances, notably hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance, which impact fertility. Hunteria umbellata Extract (HUE) contains compounds like flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids, known for their antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic effects (Ajiboye et al., 2017). Considering HUE\u27s diverse phytochemical profile, we explored its potential for alleviating PCOS symptoms. Using testosterone propionate (TP) and a high-fat diet, we induced and maintained PCOS features in a rat model for 56 days, replicating PCOS pathophysiology. TP-induced insulin and leptin resistance contributed to obesity and PCOS hallmarks, effectively mimicking the condition. HUE demonstrated dose-dependent effects on weight gain, reducing it at lower doses but showing complex interactions at higher doses. Ovarian histology showed PCOS-induced irregularities, while HUE-treated groups exhibited normal follicular development, possibly due to flavonoids. Uterine histology indicated endometrial hyperplasia in PCOS-induced rats, but HUE treatment increased uterine gland numbers, suggesting hormonal modulation. Kidney weight increase in PCOS-induced groups may be attributed to androgen administration, with potential benefits from HUE, especially at moderate doses. Gene analysis hinted at potential hormonal modulation by HUE, though statistical significance was not reached. Flavonoids may lower estrogen levels, possibly through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathways (Chen et al., 2017). In summary, HUE displayed various effects on weight gain, potential modulation of ovarian morphology, and impacts on uterine histology and renal fibrosis in a PCOS rat model. These findings underscore the need for further investigation into HUE\u27s active constituents, mechanisms, and clinical applications for PCOS

Effects of Aqueous Extract of Hunteria umbellata on Hormonal, Metabolic, and Hematological Parameters of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Sprague-Dawley Rat Model

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder, recognized as a leading cause of female infertility. It is characterized by hyperandrogenism, anovulation, and ovarian cysts, affecting multiple organ systems. Despite its impact, PCOS is poorly understood and lacks a cure. Current treatments primarily target associated issues such as insulin resistance but are often limited in efficacy and may have side effects, necessitating the exploration of new approaches like complementary medicine. This study investigated the benefits of Hunteria umbellata (HUE), a traditional antidiabetic herbal medicine, in a rat model of PCOS induced by a high-fat diet and testosterone propionate. Evaluations at 14, 28, and 56 days post-PCOS induction revealed dose- and time-dependent effects of HUE. PCOS was successfully induced in rats, exhibiting diagnostic characteristics such as hyperandrogenism, ovulation issues, and ovarian cysts. HUE treatment reduced ovarian cyst incidence, especially with prolonged high-dosage treatment. While metabolic disturbances were observed in all PCOS-induced groups, HUE effectively improved insulin resistance regardless of treatment duration or dosage. Evaluation of renal function showed an increase in kidney weights following PCOS induction, although other renal function parameters remained within normal ranges. Our findings highlight the potential therapeutic effect of HUE in managing PCOS, underscoring the need for further research to elucidate its mechanisms of action and explore its clinical applications in this condition

Biometric Analysis of Hunteria umbellata (K.Schum.) Hallier f and Metformin in the treatment of diabetes

Diabetes is a disease of genetic and environmental origin. It affects the glucose-insulin endocrine metabolic regulatory system due to the malfunction of the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. The purpose of this study is to carry out a comparative analysis of the potencies of hunteria umbellata and metformin on Type 1 diabetes mellitus using bio-statistical analysis. The period of attaining normal blood glucose level across times was taken into consideration as a basis for comparing the efficacy of the oral antidiabetic herbal drug to that of the orthodox antidiabetic drug. The biometric analysis of data from five diabetic patients that were placed on herbal treatment were taken daily for a period of 3 weeks during which they attained normal fasting blood glucose level of between 70mg and 100mg as compared with a recovery period of 8 weeks for the 15 patients treated with metformin 500mg. These results showed that hunteria umbellata is more efficacious in the treatment of diabetes mellitus than metformin 500mg

Hypoglycemic and antioxidative activities of ethanol seed extract of Hunteria umbellate (Hallier F.) on streptozotocininduced diabetic rats

Background: Diabetes, a global cause of mortality in developing countries is a chronic disorder affecting the metabolism of macromolecules and has been attributed to the defective production and action of insulin characterized by persistent hyperglycemic properties. This global disorder harms organs of the body such as the liver, kidney and spleen. Medicinal plants such as Hunteria umbellate have been shown to possess hypoglycemic, antioxidative and anti-diabetic properties owing to the high concentration of active phytochemical constituents like flavonoids and alkaloids. The present study seeks to evaluate the hypoglycemic activities of ethanolic seed extract of Hunteria umbellate on streptozotocin-induced diabetes rats. Methods: Thirty (30) female experimental rats were randomly divided into five groups with six rats per group and were administered streptozotocin (STZ) and Hunteria umbellate as follows. Group 1 served as control and was given only distilled water, group 2 rats were administered 60 mg/kg STZ; Group 3 was administered 60 mg/kg STZ and 100 mg/kg metformin; group 4 rats were administered 60 mg/kg STZ and 800 mg/kg Hunteria umbellate, group 5 rats 60 mg/kg STZ and 400 mg/kg Hunteria umbellate. The fasting blood glucose level of each rat was measured before sacrifice. Rats were then sacrificed 24 h after the last dose of treatment. Results: The results showed that Hunteria umbellate significantly reversed STZ-induced increase in fasting blood glucose and increase in body and organs weight of rats. Hunteria umbellate significantly reversed STZ-induced decrease in antioxidant enzyme in liver, kidney and spleen of rats. Hunteria umbellate significantly reversed STZinduced increase in oxidative stress markers in liver, kidney and spleen of rats

Antioxidant plants and diabetes mellitus

The incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing rapidly and it is expected to increase by 2030. Other than currently available therapeutic options, there are a lot of herbal medicines, which have been recommended for its treatment. Herbal medicines have long been used for the treatment of DM because of the advantage usually having no or less side-effects. Most of these plants have antioxidant activities and hence, prevent or treat hard curable diseases, other than having the property of combating the toxicity of toxic or other drugs. In this review other than presenting new findings of DM, the plants, which are used and have been evaluated scientifically for the treatment of DM are introduced

Effects of colocynth alkaloids and glycosides on Wistar rats fed high-fat diet. A biochemical and morphological study

Introduction. In traditional medicine, Citrullus colocynthis is used to treat diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and oxidative stress, all of which can appear when a diet rich in vegetable fats, such as palm oil, is continuously consumed. Such high-fat diets are chronic stressors of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. The objective of our study was to analyze and evaluate the effects of colocynth total alkaloids and glycosides on metabolic, hormonal, and structural disorders of the adrenal medulla in Wistar rats fed a high-fat diet. Material and methods. Twenty six Wistar rats were distributed as follows: six control animals received a standard laboratory diet; twenty experimental rats received the standard laboratory diet supplemented with palm oil — the high-fat diet (HFD). After seven months of this diet, the HFD group was subdivided into rats treated for the next 2 months with either alkaloid extract (HFD-ALk group) or ethanol extract of glycosides (HFD-GLc) or animals on HFD only. Plasma metabolites and ACTH concentrations were measured by standard methods. Sections of adrenal medulla were stained by Heidenhain-Azan method and Sudan Black. Results. The adrenal medulla of the HFD rats showed prominent structural changes, such as hypertrophy of chromaffin and ganglion cells, vacuolation, inflammatory foci, and fibrosis. The biochemical and hormonal parameters were significantly improved in the HFD rats treated with alkaloid and glycoside extracts of Citrullus colocynthis. Moreover, the morphological changes of the adrenal medulla were attenuated in HFD-ALk and HFD-Glc rats. Conclusions. The results of the study indicate that phytotherapy using Citrullus colocynthis alkaloids may correct metabolic and hormonal perturbations as well as adrenal medulla structure of rats maintained on HFD.

Utility of curcumin for the treatment of diabetes mellitus: Evidence from preclinical and clinical studies

"Turmeric or Curcuma longa is a natural product, whose medicinal properties have been extensively studied and a wide variety of therapeutic effects on several diseases such as neurodegenerative, hepatic and renal damage, cancer, and diabetes have been mainly attributed to its curcuminoid content. In the last decades, diabetes mellitus has become an alarming worldwide health issue, because of the increasing number of people suffering from the disease, as well as the devastating consequences for them. In this paper, we review the current basic and clinical evidence about the potential of curcumin/curcuminoids for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, mainly by its hypoglycemic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The activity of curcumin (or curcuminoids) as a hypoglycemic agent or just as an adjuvant to improve the metabolic profile and to ameliorate the associated complications of diabetes mellitus, such as diabetic nephropathy and cardiopathy is discussed. The interactions between curcumin and conventional antidiabetic drugs might be explored for the therapeutic management of diabetes mellitus.

Phytochemical characterization, antihyperglycaemic and antihyperlipidemic activities of Setaria megaphylla in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Background Setaria megaphylla (Steud) Dur & Schinz (Poaceae), a grass used ethnomedically by herbalists in Nigeria for the treatment of diabetes was evaluated for antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and pancreas protective potentials in rats. Methods Solvents fractions (hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA) and methanol ) were investigated for antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and pancreas protective potentials in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Glibenclamide was used as positive control. The fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, serum insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb1Ac), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and lipids levels were determined. Histopathological study of the pancreas was done. Isolation of phytochemicals and their subsequent identification using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were carried out. Results Treatment of alloxan-induced diabetic rats with the leaf fractions caused significant (p < 0.05–0.001) reduction in FBG of treated diabetic rats in acute and prolonged studies as well as OGTT with DCM, EA and hexane fractions having pronounced activities. The leaf fractions also caused significant (p < 0.01) decreases in Hb1Ac levels and increases in serum insulin levels. The leaf fractions further caused lowering of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) with increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) level in the treated diabetic rats. Histopathological study of pancreas revealed protective effect by the leaf fractions. 1-Triacontanal, 1-triacontanol, 1-dotriacontanol, 1-triacontyl cerotate, and stigmasterol were isolated and identified from the active DCM and EA fractions of this plant for the first time . Conclusion The leaf fractions of S.megaphylla possess hypoglycemic, insulin secretion stimulatory, hypolipidemic, and pancreas protective potentials which may be due to the activities of the phytochemical constituents

In vivo antihyperglycaemic and antihyperlipidemic activities and chemical constituents of Solanum anomalum

Solanum anomalum is a plant used ethnomedically for the treatment of diabetes. The study was aimed to validate ethnomedical claims in rat model and identify the likely antidiabetic compounds. Leaf extract (70–210 mg/kg/day) and fractions (140 mg/kg/day) of S. anomalum were evaluated in hyperglycaemic rats induced using alloxan for effects on blood glucose, lipids and pancreas histology. Phytochemical characterisation of isolated compounds and their identification were performed using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Bioinformatics tool was used to predict the possible protein targets of the identified bioactive compounds. The leaf extract/fractions on administration to diabetic rats caused significant lowering of fasting blood glucose of the diabetic rats during single dose study and on repeated administration of the extract. The hydroethanolic leaf extracts also enhanced glucose utilization capacity of the diabetic rats and caused significant lowering of glycosylated hemoglobin levels and elevation of insulin levels in the serum. Furthermore, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and VLDL-cholesterol levels were lowered significantly, while HDL–cholesterol levels were also elevated in the treated diabetic rats. There was absence or few pathological signs in the treated hyperglycaemic rat pancreas compared to that present in the pancreas of control group. Diosgenin, 25(R)-diosgenin-3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranoside, uracil, thymine, 1-octacosanol, and octacosane were isolated and identified. Protein phosphatases along with secreted proteins are predicted to be the major targets of diosgenin and the diosgenin glycoside. These results suggest that the leaf extract/fractions of S. anomalum possess antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic properties, offer protection to the pancreas and stimulate insulin secretion, which can be attributable to the activities of its phytochemical constituents

Obesity: The metabolic disease, advances on drug discovery and natural product research

Obesity is a global health threat. OECD reported that more than half (52%) of the adult population in the European Union is overweight or obese. Obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities have deep negative effects on morbidity, mortality, professional and personal quality of life. Healthcare costs represent a negative impact of this disease, with an associated economic cost of 100 billion US$ per year in the United States. The most prescribed drugs for obesity treatment worldwide are orlistat, and phentermine/topiramate extended release, while the major prescribed drug for the same disease in the US are exenatide and dapagliflozin. The so far developed drugs, targeting weight loss, have a long history of malignant secondary effects. There is still a lack of efficient and safe drugs to treat obesity and related metabolic complications since in many cases cure cannot be reached by bariatric surgery or healthy lifestyle habits. Terrestrial and aquatic organisms are a promising source of valuable, bioactive compounds, often with interest for human health. Some of the natural compounds or organisms have been used for centuries by humans as traditional medicine foods. In this review, we give insights into the adipose tissue function and development, and the progress in traditional anti-obesity pharmacotherapy. A major focus is to highlight the state of the art of natural compounds with anti-obesity properties and their potential as candidates for drug development; an overview is given about natural compounds derived from different marine animal sources, cyanobacteria, marine phytoplankton, fungus or plants. © 2016 Bentham Science Publishers.This study was funded by the Project MARBIOTECH (reference NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000047) within the SR&TD Integrated Program MARVALOR - Building research and innovation capacity for improved management and valorization of marine resources, supported by ON.2 Program and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through COMPETE - Operational Competitiveness Programme and NOVOMAR (reference 0687-NOVOMAR- 1-P), and national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology, through the project UID/Multi/04423/2013. Ralph Urbatzka was supported by grant SFRH/BPD/112287/2015 (FCT)