ANTIDIABETIC AND ANTIDYSLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF ETHYL ACETATE FRACTIONS OF XYLOCARPUS GRANATUM AND XYLOCARPUS MOLLUCCENSIS ON HIGH FRUCTOSE HIGH FAT AND HIGH SUCROSE HIGH FAT FED-LOW DOSED STREPTOZOTOCIN TREATED DIABETIC RATS

Objectives: The present study was carried out to investigate the antidiabetic and antidyslipidemic effect of standardized fractions of X. granatum (CDR-134 F194) and X. molluccensis (CDR-267 F018) by measuring the status of blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid levels, hepatic and renal function markers of high fructose high fed streptozotocin treated rats and high sucrose high fat diet fed-low dosed Streptozotocin treated diabetic rats.Methods: Male rats of Sprague Dawley strain of body weight around 150 g when kept on high fructose high fat diet and high sucrose high fat diet for two weeks, respectively, showed abnormal glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia and obesity and at this stage when streptozotocin was given intraperitoneally at 45.0 mg/kg body weight caused persistent hyperglycemia in them addition to dyslipidemia along with impairment in their hepatic and renal functions.Results: The standardized fractions of X. granatum (CDR-134 F194) and X. molluccensis (CDR-267F018) when given to these high fructose high fat fed low dosed streptozotocin treated diabetic rats or high sucrose high fat diet fed-low dosed streptozotocin treated diabetic rats for 10 consecutive days showed significant improvement in their glucose intolerance, decline in their serum triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol levels. These CDR-134 F194 and CDR-267 F018 treated rats also showed elevation in their HDL-cholesterol levels and improvement in their hepatic and renal functions as evidenced by decline in SGOT, SGPT, urea, uric acid and creatinine levels.Conclusion: The present study thus concludes that the antidiabetic efficacy of standardized fractions of X. granatum (CDR-134 F194) and X. molluccensis (CDR-267F018) have favorable effect in bringing down the severity of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, decline the increased level of renal and hepatic function markers and also improving glucose tolerance activity

Antileishmanial potential of a marine sponge Haliclona oculata against experimental visceral leishmaniasis

Objective: To evaluate the antileishmanial activity of a marine sponge Haliclona oculata. Methods: The crude methanol extract was prepared from the freshly collected sponge and its three fractions were also prepared by maceration method. The antileishmanial activity of these extract and fractions was tested against Leishmania donovani. Results: The antileishmanial activity was tested both in vitro and in vivo. The crude methanol extract exerted almost complete inhibition of promastigotes (81.0% ± 6.9%) and 78.8% ± 5.2% inhibition of intracellular amastigotes at 100 μg/mL with IC50 values of 29.5 μg/mL and 40.6 μg/mL, respectively. The treatment of 500 mg/kg (p.o.) of the crude methanol extract for 5 d for Leishmania donovani infected hamsters resulted in 78.35% ± 10.20% inhibition of intracellular amastigotes. At a lower dose (250 mg/kg), it exhibited poor efficacy. Among the fractions, highest in vitro (>75%) and in vivo (84.3% ± 10.2%) antileishmanial activity was observed in n-chloroform fraction with IC50 values of 54.2 μg/mL and 61 μg/mL against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes, respectively. Hexane fraction and n-butanol (both insoluble and soluble) fractions were found inactive in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that this marine sponge has the potential to provide new insight toward development of an effective antileishmanial agent and, hence, more exhaustive studies are needed for exploiting the vast marine resources of the world to combat the scourge of several parasitic diseases

ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND ANTIDYSLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY IN ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION OF THE FRUITS OF XYLOCARPUS GRANATUM AND XYLOCARPUS MOLUCCENSIS

Objectives: Although various species of Xylocarpus i. e. Granatum, moluccensis are known for their medicinal properties. Yet, its anti-diabetic activity remains to be defined. So the aim of this study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic activity in ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis on validated animal models as well as in-vitro glucose uptake stimulatory effect and their cytotoxicity effect in L6 skeletal muscle cells.Methods: The ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis were administered to diabetic groups daily up to 10 days for prolonged study. Biochemical parameters notably glucose tolerance, insulin level, lipid profile were assessed. The ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis were also tested for glucose uptake effect by skeletal muscle cells in the concentration dependent manner.Results: The present study show that the ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum as well as X. moluccensis are effective in improving glucose tolerance, declining blood glucose as well as serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels in low dosed streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and dyslipidemic hamsters, respectively. These fractions were also found efficient in increasing glucose uptake by L6 skeletal muscle cells but did not show any effect on cell viability of L6 skeletal muscle cells.Conclusion: Based on the results, the present study revealed that ethyl acetate fraction of the fruits of X. granatum and X. moluccensis lowered blood glucose profile by increasing the glucose uptake by L-6 and this may be the possible mechanisms for the antidiabetic and antidyslipidemic action

The Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Basis of Human Omental Defense: Selective Expression of Cytokines and Antimicrobial Peptides

BACKGROUND: The wound healing properties of the human omentum are well known and have extensively been exploited clinically. However, the underlying mechanisms of these effects are not well understood. We hypothesize that the omentum tissue promotes wound healing via modulation of anti-inflammatory pathways, and because the omentum is rich in adipocytes, the adipocytes may modulate the anti-inflammatory response. Factors released by human omentum may affect healing, inflammation and immune defense. METHODOLOGY: Six human omentum tissues (non obese, free from malignancy, and any other systemic disorder) were obtained during diagnostic laparoscopies having a negative outcome. Healthy oral mucosa (obtained from routine oral biopsies) was used as control. Cultured adipocytes derived from human omentum were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1-50 ng/mL) for 12-72 hours to identify the non-cytotoxic doses. Levels of expression (mRNA and protein) were carried out for genes associated with pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine responses and antibacterial/antimicrobial activity using qRT-PCR, western blotting, and cell-based ELISA assays. RESULTS: The study shows significant higher levels of expression (mRNA and protein) of several specific cytokines, and antibacterial peptides in the omentum tissues when compared to oral sub-mucosal tissues. In the validation studies, primary cultures of adipocytes, derived from human omentum were exposed to LPS (5 and 10 ng/mL) for 24 and 48 h. The altered expressions were more pronounced in cultured adipocytes cells when exposed to LPS as compared to the omentum tissue. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Perhaps, this is the first report that provides evidence of expressional changes in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and antibacterial peptides in the normal human omentum tissue as well as adipocytes cultured from this tissue. The study provides new insights on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of healing and defense by the omentum, and suggests the potential applicability of cultured adipocytes derived from the omentum for future therapeutic applications

A bibliography of parasites and diseases of marine and freshwater fishes of India

With the increasing demand for fish as human food, aquaculture both in freshwater and salt water is rapidly developing over the world. In the developing countries, fishes are being raised as food. In many countries fish farming is a very important economic activity. The most recent branch, mariculture, has shown advances in raising fishes in brackish, estuarine and bay waters, in which marine, anadromous and catadromous fishes have successfully been grown and maintained