Investigation And Comparison Of The Effect Of Saffron Petals Hydroalcoholic Extract With Metformin And Glibenclamide On Serum Glucose, HbA1c And Insulin Levels In Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Introduction: Chemical drugs administered to control and treat diabetes mellitus are mostly with side effects and this has caused a daily increasing expansion in the use of alternative treatment methods including medicinal herbs. The present study has been conducted to investigate the effect of saffron petal hydroalcoholic extract on serum glucose, insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and compare it with the effects of metformin and glibenclamide in diabetes-induced rats. Materials and Methods: A total number of 35 male Wistar rats (200 ± 20 g) were assigned to seven 5-animal groups: control group (normal), diabetic group (Streptozotocin 60 mg/kg/body weight) and five other diabetic groups (receiving saffron petals hydroalcoholic extract in 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg doses and glibenclamide in 5 mg/kg and metformin in 500 mg/kg, respectively). The experiment lasted eight weeks and blood samples were collected from all the rats in the end of the study. Results: 100 and 200 mg/kg dosages of saffron petal extract caused significant reductions in serum glucose levels in contrast to the diabetic groups (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). All three dosages of saffron petals extract, 100, 200 and 300 mg/ kg, were found significantly reducing serum HbA1c level in diabetic groups as well as significantly increasing serum insulin level (P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). The diabetic groups treated with glibenclamide and metformin, as well, brought about significant reductions in serum glucose and HbA1c levels (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively) and significant increase in serum insulin levels (P<0.001). Results: 100 and 200 mg/kg dosages of saffron petal extract caused significant reductions in serum glucose levels in contrast to the diabetic groups (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). All three dosages of saffron petals extract, 100, 200 and 300 mg/ kg, were found significantly reducing serum HbA1c level in diabetic groups as well as significantly increasing serum insulin level (P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). The diabetic groups treated with glibenclamide and metformin, as well, underwent significant reductions in serum glucose and HbA1c levels (P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively) and significant increase in serum insulin levels (P<0.001). The impact rate of saffron petal extract administered in a dosage of 100 mg/kg on serum insulin level elevation was higher than such drugs as glibenclamide and metformin. Conclusion: Saffron petal, like glibenclamide and metformin, is interestingly capable of influencing high serum levels of glucose and HbA1c and insulin, especially in low dosages, and it can be an appropriate solution to the control of diabetes

Topical application of Cinnamomum hydroethanolic extract improves wound healing by enhancing re-epithelialization and keratin biosynthesis in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

Context: Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. (Lauraceae) has a high number of polyphenols with insulin-like activity, increases glucose utilization in animal muscle, and might be beneficial for diabetic patients. Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of an ointment prepared from Cinnamomum verum hydroethanolic extract on wound healing in diabetic mice. Materials and methods: A total of 54 male BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: (1) diabetic non-treated group mice that were treated with soft yellow paraffin, (2 and 3) mice that were treated with 5 and 10% C. verum. Two circular full-thickness excisional wounds were created in each mouse, and the trial lasted for 16 d following induction of the wound. Further evaluation was made on the wound contraction ratio, histopathology parameters and mRNA levels of cyclin D1, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1), total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde of granulation tissue contents. HPLC apparatus was utilized to identify the compounds. Results: The HPLC data for cinnamon hydroethanolic extract identified cinnamaldehyde (11.26%) and 2-hydroxyl cinnamaldehyde (6.7%) as the major components. A significant increase was observed in wound contraction ratio, fibroblast proliferation, collagen deposition, re-epithelialization and keratin biosynthesis in the C. verum-treated groups in comparison to the diabetic non-treated group (p < 0.05). The expression level of cyclin D1, IGF1, GLUT 1 and antioxidant capacity increased in the C. verum-treated groups in comparison to the diabetic non-treated group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Topical administration of C. verum accelerated wound healing and can possibly be employed in treating the wounds of diabetic patients

Ultrasensitive, sustainable, and selective electrochemical hydrazine detection by ALD-developed two-dimensional WO3

Wafer-scale two-dimensional (2D) WO3 films with different thicknesses of 0.78, 1.4, 3.6, and 6.5nm were fabricated on Au-SiO2/Si substrates using an atomic layer deposition technique. Their surface morphologies and chemical components were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were utilized for the analysis of the electrochemical behavior of 2D WO3 films towards hydrazine detection under various conditions. The effect of the thickness of 2D WO3 on the electrochemical performance was also analyzed. Significant improvement in hydrazine sensing capabilities was obtained for monolayer 2D WO3 (0.78 nm), demonstrating a high sensitivity of 1.24 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2), a linear hydrazine concentration detection ranging from 0.2 to 2100 mu M, great long-term stability, excellent selectivity and the lowest limit of detection of 0.015 mu M reported to date, which provide a great potential method for materials fabrication in the development of high-performance hydrazine detection