Antioxidant, hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic activities of Ziziphus spina-christi (L) Willd (Rhamnacae) leaf extract

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant, hypoglycemic and antidiabetic activities as well as the phenolic composition of Ziziphus spina-christi (ZSC)Methods: Eighty percent methanol extract (ZSC-1), as well as ethyl acetate (ZSC-2), n-butanol (ZSC-3) and aqueous (ZSC-4) fractions were administered orally to mice at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg of body weight. The hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic activities of these fractions in the treated mice were evaluated after 7 and 15 days, using glibenclamide as a standard. Antioxidant activities in vitro were determined using stable free radical DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging techniques.Results: The strongest (p < 0.001) anti-diabetic activity (25.59 and 39.48 % after 7 and 15 days, respectively) was found following treatment with 500 mg/kg ZSC-3 fraction. Similarly, the highest (p > 0.001) hypoglycemic effect was achieved with 500 mg/kg ZSC-3 treatment (29.07 and 35.56 % after 7 and 15 days, respectively). ZSC-1 possessed the highest content of total flavonoids (36.2 mg/g) and total polyphenol (82.3 mg/g).Conclusion: Fraction ZSC-3 displayed potential hypoglycemic activity while ZSC-1, ZSC-2 and ZSC-3 possess remarkable DPPH scavenging ability equivalent to 89, 96 and 80.3 % of the activity of the standard drug respectively.Keywords: Ziziphus spina, Rhamnaceae, Hypoglycemic, Anti-diabetic, Flavonoids, Polypheno

Biochemical and histological evidences for the antitumor potential of Teucrium Oliverianum and Rhazya stricta in chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta are medicinal plants used in traditional and herbal medicine for the treatment of diabetes, liver diseases and inflammatory conditions. The present study was planned to investigate the antitumor efficacy of Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta in chemically-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in rats.Materials and Methods: Forty adult male rats weighing 170-200 g were divided into four groups; each group was comprised of ten rats: (1): Normal healthy animals served as negative control group, (2):  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) group in which the rats were orally administered Nnitrosodiethylamine (dissolved in 0.9% normal saline), in a dose of 20 mg/kg b.wt. five times a week for six weeks, (3): HCC group treated with Teucrium oliverianum extract in a dose of 600 mg/kg b.wt for two months and (4): HCC group treated with Rhazya stricta extract in a dose of 750 mg/kg b.wt for two months. Serum alanine  aminotransferase (ALT), asparatate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and  gammaglutamyl transferase (γ-GT) activities were estimated. Serum  carcinoembyronic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), alpha-L-fucosidase (AFU), glypican-3 (GPC-3), golgi protein 73 (Gp-73) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were determined. Histopathological examination of liver tissue sections was also carried out.Results: The HCC group showed significant elevation in serum AST, ALT, ALP and γ-GT activities as well  as CEA, AFP, AFU, Gpc-3, Gp 73 and VEGF levels versus the negative control group. Photomicrograph of liver tissue sections of rats in HCC revealed hepatic parenchyma with foci of anaplastic hepatocellular carcinoma as well as other foci of cystic cholangio carcinoma associated with areas of telangictasis with haemorrhage as well as individual hepatocellular necrosis.Conclusion: Treatment of HCC groups with Teucrium oliverianum or Rhazya stricta extract experienced significant improvement in the measured biochemical parameters as well as in the structural  organization of the liver. In conclusion, the current study provided experimental evidences for the antitumor efficacy of Teucrium oliverianum and Rhazya stricta against hepatocellular carcinoma. Such effect could be attributed to hepatoprotective properties, antiproliferative activity and antiangiogenic potential.Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Teucrium oliverianum, Rhazya stricta, rat