Protective effect of L-ornithine-L-aspartate and silymarin on chemically induced kidney toxicity and thyroid dysfunction in mice

The present study was designed to reveal the hitherto unknown efficacy of two commonly used hepatoprotective drugs, L-ornithine-L-aspartate (lornit) and silymarin in the regulation of kidney toxicity and thyroid dysfunction in mice. Renal and hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) was induced by the administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 2 weeks (2.0 gm/kg twice a week). In two separate groups, along with CCl4 animals were also treated with either lornit (200 mg/kg) or silymarin (100 mg/kg) every day for the same duration. Other than hepatic and renal LPO, alterations in the concentrations of serum triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), glucose and insulin and in hepatic type-1 iodothyronine 5’monodeiodinase (5’DI) activity were considered as major parameters. Simultaneously activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphahatase (ALP) and hepatic and renal superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione content (GSH) were also studied. Lornit or silymarin administration reversed almost all the toxic effects exhibited by CCl4 including enhanced tissue LPO, serum ALT, AST and ALP activities and the concentrations of insulin and glucose. Both test drugs also significantly increased hepatic 5’DI activity, cellular antioxidants such as SOD, CAT and GSH and serum levels of both the thyroid hormones

Effect of metformin on renal microsomal proteins, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in dexamethasone-induced type-2 diabetic mice

44-48An SDS-PAGE analysis of renal microsomal fraction of albino mice was performed to study the involvement of proteins in dexamethasone-induced type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and their alterations by metformin, a widely accepted oral antidiabetic drug. In addition, changes in renal lipid peroxidation (LPO), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) content, as well as renal somatic index (RSI) and daily rate of water consumption were also investigated. While dexamethasone administration (1.0 mg/kg for 21 days) expressed two renal proteins (43 kDa and 63.23 kDa), in addition to the increased fasting serum levels of glucose and insulin, renal LPO, RSI and daily rate of water consumption, a parallel decrease in renal SOD, CAT and GSH was also observed. Treatment with metformin normalized these alterations including the renal proteins and LPO, confirming its efficacy in ameliorating dexamethasone-induced type-2 DM and also the association of two proteins with type-2 DM

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV/CD26) inhibitory and free radical scavenging potential of W. somnifera and T. foenum-graecum extract

The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), proposed as a new target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, is rapidly cleaved by dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme (DPP-IV/CD26). DPP-IV inhibitors enhance circulating GLP-1 level, which in turn resulted into improved glucose tolerance and insulin secretion. The present study was designed to evaluate DPP-IV inhibitory activities vis a vis anti-peroxidative potential, if any, in two antidiabetic plants.  We studied in vitro DPP-IV inhibition; DPPH radical scavenging potential; ß-carotene bleaching; reducing power and total phenolics content at the varying concentrations (0.1 – 1 mg/ml) in the extracts of W. somnifera (WS) root and T. foenum-graecum (TFG) seeds. Methanolic extract (0.5 mg/ml) of WS inhibited DPP-IV activities (69.7 ±0.56%) at greater extent than that of TFG (51.8±1.24%), as compared to control. WS extract contains relatively higher amount of total phenolics, elevated DPPH free radical scavenging potential and pronounced reducing power efficacy than that of TFG. The result of present study ravel that WS and TFG extracts contain some novel DPP-IV inhibitors with antiperoxidative potential and could be developed as therapeutic molecules for type 2 diabetes mellitus

CYTOPROTECTIVE AND DIPEPTIDYL PEPTIDASE IV (DPP-IV/CD26) INHIBITORY ROLES OF OCIMUM SANCTUM AND MOMORDICA CHARANTIA EXTRACT

Objective- The present work deals with investigation of DPP-IV inhibition activity vis a vis cytoprotective  potential, if any, in two ant-diabetic plants in methanolic extracts of Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) leaves and. Momordica charantia (Karela/ bitter melon) fruit.Methods- The DPP-IV activity and cytoprotective were studied based on different antioxidant activity assays such as  hepatic lipid per- oxidation, erythrocytes haemolysis inhibition, in vitro DPP-IV activity; DPPH radical scavenging efficacy; ferric reducing potential; reducing power and total phenolic contents at the varying concentrations  in the extracts of O.sanctum  and M.charantia.Result- Methanolic extract (0.5 mg/ml) of OS inhibited DPP-IV activities (66.81±0.05percent) at greater extent than that of M. charantia (53.25±0.04percent); O .sanctum extract contains relatively higher amount of total phenolic content, elevated DPPH free radical scavenging potential and pronounced reducing power efficacy than that of M. charantia. O .sanctum inhibited erythrocytes haemolysis at greater extent (13.1±0.188 µg/ml) as compared to M. charantia (10.3±0.41 µg/ml).Conclusion- The result of present study ravel that O .sanctum and M. charantia extracts contain some novel DPP-IV inhibitors with antiperoxidative potential and could be developed as therapeutic molecules for type 2 diabetes mellitus.Key words: Ant-diabetic plants; Antioxidant; DPP-IV inhibitors; In vitro; Type 2 diabetes mellitu