Comparison of dietary agents’ garlic and bitter melon on in vitro glycation and advanced glycation end products formation

Background: Protein glycation is a spontaneous post translational modification of proteins by excess sugars causing formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in diabetic individuals and responsible for diabetes complications. Momordica charantia L (bitter melon) and garlic have been used historically for medicinal purposes particularly for treatment of diabetes and cancers and contain potent antioxidant activity hence we planned to compare the antiglycating activities.Methods: Human serum albumin (HSA) was used for in vitro glycation. Various concentrations of extracts of M. charantia L and aged garlic were analyzed.Results: Co-incubation of the M. charantia L and aged garlic extracts with HSA-fructose mixture gives contradictory results in tryptophan fluorescence, AGE specific fluorescence and protein bound carbonyl studies.Conclusions: M. charantia L seems to aggravate sugar mediated glycation of the protein and need further studies to pinpoint specific bioactive compounds responsible for the observed activities whereas aged garlic seems to have strong ant glycation properties

Gestational diabetes mellitus, Vitamin D status and fetomaternal outcome

Background: Diabetes is the most common medical complication of pregnancy. Vitamin D deficiency which was initially considered only to influence bone metabolism, is now known to exert a wide spectrum of extra-skeletal effects. Vitamin D deficiency is closely associated with gestational diabetes mellitus, it also leads to adverse maternal and child outcome. Objective of this study was to compare the vitamin D levels in healthy pregnant women and women with gestational diabetes mellitus and to observe the feto-maternal outcome.Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 160 pregnant women between the age group 20-40 years attending the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of JNMC, AMU, Aligarh from October 2016 to October 2018. Women were divided into group A- normal pregnant women and group B- women with GDM. Estimation of vitamin D was done in both the groups.Results: Mean vitamin D levels were lower in women with GDM as compared to normal pregnant women.Conclusions: Women with vitamin D deficiency have an increased risk of developing GDM and adverse feto maternal outcome as compared to those who had normal level of vitamin

A study to evaluate antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of aqueous extract of roots of Valeriana wallichii in CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Background: Drugs for liver ailments have been important in research, but still the number of drugs acting on various hepatic diseases is very limited. This study, for the first time, evaluates the hepatoprotective activity of aqueous extract of the roots of Valeriana Wallichii in albino rats.Methods: The hepatotoxicity was induced by CCl4. Animals were divided into 5 groups of 6 animals each. Group I (Normal control) was given only distilled water. Group II (Negative control)was administered CCl4 for 7 days while Group III (Positive control) was given silymarin and CCl4 for 7 days. The test groups (Group IV & V) were given an aqueous extract of roots of V. Wallichii in a dose of 300 mg and 500 mg/kg, respectively. The animals were sacrificed on 8 days and blood was collected for biochemical analysis (aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase). Liver tissue was extracted for histopathological examination and in vivo antioxidant tests Catalase [CAT], glutathione and malondialdehyde. The extract was also subjected to in vitro antioxidant tests (Total reducing power and total phenolic content).Results: The test extracts in the dose of 500 mg/kg were shown a significant decrease in the levels of AST and ALT (p>0.05) and CAT activity. 300 mg/kg dose of extract showed minimal hepatoprotection. The findings were confirmatory to histopathology. Conclusion: The aqueous extract of roots of V. Wallichii in a dose of 500 mg/kg offers partial protection against hepatotoxicity produced by CCl4 in albino rats

IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND IN VIVO HEPATOPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF LEAVE EXTRACT OF RAPHANUS SATIVUS IN RATS USING CCL4 MODEL

Background: Raphanus sativus is reported to have a variety of biological activities. This work screened the hepato-protective and antioxidant activity of ethanol (ERS), and aqueous (ARS), extracts of leaves of Raphanus sativus in Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), model in rats. Material and Methods: The extracts were subjected to antioxidant tests (Total reducing power and Total phenolic content), and preliminary phytochemical screening. A pilot study was done on 100 and 300 mg/kg extracts, form which 300 mg was chosen for further experiments. The albino rats (200-250 grams), were divided into 5 groups of 6 animals each (n=6). There were three control groups comprising of normal control (normal saline -1ml/kg), negative control group (CCl4 1ml/kg in olive oil in a ratio of 1:1 v/v), and positive control group (Silymarin 50mg/kg). The Test drugs were given in a dose of 300 mg/kg for both ERS and ARS extract for 7 days. Biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, Alkaline phosphatase, Total Bilirubin), histo-pathological examination of liver and in vivo antioxidant tests [CAT, GSH and MDA] were done. Results: The phytochemical study showed the presence of flavanoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins and sterols. A dose dependent increase in the oxidative potential was observed in both the extracts with total phenolic content 70.1 and 44.4 GAE/g extract for ERS and ARS respectively. ERS 300mg/kg showed a significant (

Comment : Utopianism and Communitarianism

千葉大学公共研究センター21世紀プログラム「持続可能な福祉社会に向けた公共研究拠点

Comparison of dietary agents' garlic and bitter melon on in vitro glycation and advanced glycation end products formation

Background: Protein glycation is a spontaneous post translational modification of proteins by excess sugars causing formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in diabetic individuals and responsible for diabetes complications. Momordica charantia L (bitter melon) and garlic have been used historically for medicinal purposes particularly for treatment of diabetes and cancers and contain potent antioxidant activity hence we planned to compare the antiglycating activities.Methods: Human serum albumin (HSA) was used for in vitro glycation. Various concentrations of extracts of M. charantia L and aged garlic were analyzed.Results: Co-incubation of the M. charantia L and aged garlic extracts with HSA-fructose mixture gives contradictory results in tryptophan fluorescence, AGE specific fluorescence and protein bound carbonyl studies.Conclusions: M. charantia L seems to aggravate sugar mediated glycation of the protein and need further studies to pinpoint specific bioactive compounds responsible for the observed activities whereas aged garlic seems to have strong ant glycation properties

Erythrocytes from healthy smokers bind more bilirubin than the erythrocytes from healthy nonsmokers

Cigarette smoking is an adverse prognostic factor for health. Its damaging effects on many enzymatic and cellular activities are well known. The present study was carried out to evaluate whether there is a difference in the binding of bilirubin to the erythrocytes from healthy smokers and non smokers. The results suggest that the binding of bilirubin to the erythrocytes from healthy smokers as well as in vitro smoked erythrocytes is significantly higher than that of healthy non-smokers

Level of inflammatory cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis patients: Correlation with 25-hydroxy vitamin D and reactive oxygen species

<div><p>Background</p><p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines have been believed to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of the disease. The aim of the study was to determine the correlation of inflammatory cytokines with 25-hydroxy vitamin D and ROS.</p><p>Methods</p><p>100 RA patients and 50 healthy age and sex matched individuals were included in the study. Patients were further divided on the basis of presence or absence of rheumatoid factor and disease severity. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were monitored by chemiluminescent immunoassay. 10% hematocrit was used to detect the level of ROS by spectro fluorometer. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-17) were determined in plasma by ELISA.</p><p>Results</p><p>The level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D was found to be decreased in RA patients in comparison to the control group. However the level of ROS and inflammatory cytokines were found to be elevated in RA patients in comparison with the healthy controls, with the increase being more pronounced in seropositive and RA patients having high disease severity. Inflammatory cytokines showed negative correlation with 25-hydroxy vitamin D and positive correlation with ROS.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>This study for the first time shows the association of inflammatory cytokines with 25-hydroxy vitamin D and ROS in RA patients. The results suggest that 25-hydroxy vitamin D being an immune modulator is decreased in the serum of RA patients. Further ROS and cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA and are responsible for increasing the severity of disease.</p></div

Anti-inflammatory activity of roots of Cichorium intybus due to its inhibitory effect on various cytokines and antioxidant activity

Background: Cichorium intybus L. commonly known as chicory is one of the important medicinal plants commonly used in Ayurvedic system of medicine. It is commonly used for the treatment of diseases involving a khapa and pitta doshas. Traditionally, C. intybus is used for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, but there are only few in vitro studies reporting the anti-inflammatory activity of roots of chicory. Objective: Evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of roots of chicory and mechanisms involved in it using in vivo models of inflammation. Materials and Methods: Albino Wistar rats of either sex weighing 150-200 g were used. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of roots of chicory were prepared with the help of Soxhlet′s apparatus. The anti-inflammatory activity was studied using carrageenan-induced paw edema method and cotton pellet granuloma method. Levels of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and IL-1 and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were estimated. Results: Chicory roots demonstrated significant dose-dependent decrease in paw edema in carrageenan-induced paw edema method. Chicory roots diminished the serum TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1 levels. They also significantly attenuated the malonylaldehyde levels and increased the activities of CAT and GPx in paw tissue. Similarly, chicory roots demonstrated a significant decrease in granuloma formation in cotton pellet induced granuloma method. Conclusion: Chicory roots possess anti-inflammatory activity, and this might be due to the inhibition of various cytokines, antioxidant effects, and their free radical scavenging activity

Serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in controls and RA patients (Fig A), seropositive and seronegative RA patients (Fig B) and patients having DAS28≤3.2 and those having DAS28>3.2 (Fig C).

<p>(***p<0.001).</p