In vitro and in vivo antidiabetic activity of Tamarix stricta Boiss.: Role of autophagy

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complicated metabolic disorder with no definite treatment. Different species of the genus Tamarix (tamarisk) are used by local people to treat DM. Tamarix stricta Boiss. is an endemic species to Iran with several traditional therapeutic uses in Persian Medicine. This study aimed to assess the antidiabetic activity of T. stricta. Materials and methods: Hydroethanolic extract of the plant was prepared and analyzed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The protective effect of the extract was evaluated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced toxicity and markers of autophagy in pancreatic RIN-5F cells. The effect of intragastric 10 or 20 mg/kg of the extract was compared with negative control (water) or positive control (metformin) treatment during four weeks of administration in high-fat diet + STZ-induced DM in Balb/c mice. Results: Results showed the presence of 8.436 mg of gallic acid in each gram of the extract. A significant cytoprotective effect was observed by T. stricta in STZ-induced toxicity in RIN-5F cells, partially due to the modulation of autophagy. Also, animals treated with the extract showed a significant improvement in glycemic and lipid profiles, liver function, and histopathologic features of pancreas and liver compared with the negative control. Conclusion: T. stricta demonstrated beneficial effects in animal model of DM; though, further studies are recommended to confirm the clinical use of this plant in DM. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Phytochemical and toxicological evaluation of Tamarix stricta Boiss

The genus Tamarix includes several plant species well-known for their medicinal properties since ancient times. Tamarix stricta Boiss is a plant native to Iran which has not been previously investigated regarding its phytochemical and biological properties. This study assessed phytochemical and toxicological aspects of T. stricta. The plant was collected from Kerman province of Iran and after authentication by botanist, it was extracted with 70% ethanol. Total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, and antioxidant properties were measured using spectrophometric methods. Quercetin content of the extract was measured after complete acid hydrolysis with high-performance liquid chromatography. The phytochemical profile of the extract was provided using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. Acute toxicity study with a single intragastric dose of 5000 mg/kg of the extract and sub-chronic toxicity using 50, 100, and 250 mg/kg of the extract was assessed in Wistar rats. Phytochemical analysis showed that polyphenols constitute the major components of the extract. Also, the extract contained 1.552 ± 0.35 mg/g of quercetin. Biochemical, hematological, and histological evaluations showed no sign of toxicity in animals. Our experiment showed that T. stricta is a rich source of polyphenols and can be a safe medicinal plant. Further pharmacological evaluations are recommended to assess the therapeutic properties of this plant