A biochemical approach to understand the concept of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Snigdha-Ruksha Guna</i>

725-734According to Ayurveda, all food is medicine because all food affects the body. However, these two subjects are rarely studied to find out precise biochemical mechanism of the interrelation between food and their Gunas. Objectives of the present work are : 1) to associate the food properties in terms of antioxidant potential and macronutrient bioavailability with their known type of Snigdha and Ruksha Gunas, and 2) to evaluate the influence of roasting on this association. To achieve this, antioxidant potential of food extracts was measured by seven <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">in-vitro methods and capacity of extracts to prevent H2O2 induced erythrocyte oxidative damage by estimating four cellular antioxidant parameters. By using an in-vitro digestion method; fat, carbohydrate and protein absorption was estimated. Results indicated that Ruksha samples have higher antioxidant potential and can better protect the erythrocytes from oxidative damage with more protein and triglyceride absorption as compare to Snigdha samples. In the comparison of raw and roasted rice samples, erythrocyte protection was superior in raw samples with enhanced triglyceride and carbohydrate intestinal absorption. These results clearly indicate the differential behavior of Ruksha and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Snigdha samples at antioxidant, erythrocyte and intestinal absorption levels

Attenuation of glycation-induced multiple protein modifications by Indian antidiabetic plant extracts

Context: Protein glycation is the major contributing factor in the development of diabetic complications. The antiglycation potential of medicinal plants provides a promising opportunity as complementary interventions for complications. Objective: To investigate the antiglycation potential of 19 medicinal plants extracts using albumin by estimating different indicators: (1) glycation (early and late), (2) albumin oxidation, and (3) amyloid aggregation. Materials and methods: The effect of aqueous plant extracts (1% w/v) on protein glycation was assessed by incubating albumin (10 mg/mL) with fructose (250 mM) for 4 days. Degree of protein glycation in the absence and presence of plant extracts was assessed by estimating fructosamine, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), carbonyls, free thiol group and β-amyloid aggregation. Results: Petroselinum crispum, Boerhavia diffusa, Terminalia chebula, Swertia chirayita and Glycyrrhiza glabra showed significant antiglycating activity. P. crispum and A. barbadensis inhibited the carbonyl stress and protected the thiol group from oxidative damage. There was significant correlation between protein thiols and amyloid inhibition (R = −.69, p < .001). Conclusion: P. crispum, B. diffusa and T. chebula had the most potent antiglycation activity. These plant exerted noticeable antiglycation activity at different glycation modifications of albumin. These findings are important for identifying plants with potential to combat diabetic complications

Crosstalk between Aldosterone and Glycation through Rac‑1 Induces Diabetic Nephropathy

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) interaction with its receptor (RAGE) and aldosterone (Aldo) through the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activates Rac-1 and NF-κB independently in diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the crosstalk of Aldo with AGEs-RAGE is still unresolved. Our study examined the impact of the AGEs-Aldo complex on renal cells and its effect on the RAGE-MR interaction. Methods and results: Glycation of human serum albumin (HSA) (40 mg/mL) with methylglyoxal (10 mM) in the presence of Aldo (100 nM) and aminoguanidine (AG) (100 nM) was performed. Glycation markers such as fructosamine and carbonyl groups and fluorescence of AGEs, pentosidine, and tryptophan followed by protein modification were measured. Renal (HEK-293T) cells were treated with the glycated HSA-Aldo (200 μg/mL) along with FPS-ZM1 and spironolactone antagonists for RAGE and Aldo, respectively, for 24 h. Glycation markers and esRAGE levels were measured. Protein and mRNA levels of RAGE, MR, Rac-1, and NF-κB were estimated. Glycation markers were enhanced with Aldo when albumin was only 14–16% glycated. AGEs-Aldo complex upregulated RAGE, MR, Rac-1 and NF-κB expressions. However, FPS-ZM1 action might have activated the RAGE-independent pathway, further elevating MR, Rac-1, and NF-κB levels. Conclusion: Our study concluded that the presence of Aldo has a significant impact on glycation. In the presence of AGEs-Aldo, RAGE-MR crosstalk exerts inflammatory responses through Rac-1 in DN. Insights into this molecular interplay are crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies to alleviate DN in the future