FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING INDEX OF CUCURBITA MAXIMA SEEDS AND THEIR LIBS BASED ANTIOXIDANT ELEMENTAL PROFILE

Objective: To assess the free radical scavenging index and antioxidant capacity of C. maxima (Cucurbita maxima) seed extract in vitro and its correlation with the phytoelemental profile, quantitatively assessed by LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy).Methods: A number of in vitro antioxidant and free radical scavenging assays were performed along with standard as a reference. Reduction capacity and scavenging potential of C. maxima seeds were analyzed in addition to their IC50 values and were compared with respective standards. Quantitative measurements of phytoelements present which is responsible for antioxidant activity is carried out by LIBS.Results: Significant Antioxidant power of the extract was validated by high values of Total Phenolics (18.42 mg/g of gallic acid equivalent) and Total Flavonoids (5.53 mg/g of quercetin equivalent). A result of Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (163.4 μM Fe+2/g) clearly reflects its reduction capacity. Percentage inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (69.25), Nitric Oxide (63.63) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (62.09) radicals proves its antioxidant potential undoubtedly, which was further confirmed by their IC50 values. Reducing power was found to increase significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Extent lipid peroxidation was also measured by comparing the results of Ferric thiocyanate assay with the Thiobarbituric acid method. LIBS analysis showed the presence of certain phytoelements viz. Mg, Ca and Na in the extract, which could be responsible for its antioxidant capacity.Conclusion: Thus, the seeds of C. maxima having a combination of antioxidant phytochemicals and phytoelements could be explored for developing as a complementary and alternative medicine for managing oxidative stress including diabetes as well as aging.Keywords: Reactive oxygen species, Cucurbita maxima, Elemental analysis, Laser spectroscop

Evidence-based Critical Evaluation of Glycemic Potential of Cynodon dactylon

The present study is an extension of our previous work carried out on Cynodon dactylon. This study deals with the critical evaluation of glycemic potential of ethanolic extract of defatted C. dactylon. The doses of 250, 500 and 750 mg kg−1 bw of the extract were administered orally to normal as well as Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats to study its glycemic potential. The effect of repeated oral administration of the same doses of ethanolic extract was also studied on serum lipid profile of severely diabetic (SD) rats. The dose of 500 mg kg−1 bw was identified as the most effective dose as it lowered the blood glucose levels of normal by 42.12% and of diabetic by 43.42% during fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glucose tolerance test respectively. The SD rats were also treated daily with this identified dose of 500 mg kg−1 bw for 2 weeks and a significant reduction of 56.34% was observed in FBG level. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels were also decreased by 32.94, 64.06 and 48.46% respectively in SD rats whereas, cardioprotective high density lipoprotein increased by 16.45%. The reduced urine sugar level and increased body weight are additional advantages. These evidences clearly indicate that the ethanolic extract of defatted C. dactylon has high antidiabetic potential along with good hypolipidemic profile

Role of Moringa oleifera in regulation of diabetes-induced oxidative stress

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the antioxidant activity of aqueous extract ofMoringa oleifera (M. oleifera) young leaves by in vivo as well as in vitro assays.MethodsIn vitro study included estimation of total phenolic, total flavonol, total flavonoid and total antioxidant power (FRAP assay). In addition, in vivo study was done with the identified most effective dose of 200 mg/kg of its lyophilized powder on normal and diabetic rats. Its effect on different oxidative free radical scavenging enzymes,viz, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), lipid peroxide (LPO) contents were measured.ResultsSignificant increase in activities of SOD, CAT, GST while, a decrease in LPO content was observed. Whereas, total phenolic, flavonoid and flavonol contents in the extract were found to be 120 mg/g of GAE, 40.5 mg/g of QE and 12.12 mg/g of QE, respectively. On the other hand, FRAP assay results ofM. oleifera leaves was (85.00±5.00)μM/g of extract powder.ConclusionsThe significant antioxidant activities ofM. oleifera leaves from both in vivo as well as in vitro studies suggests that the regular intake of its leaves through diet can protect normal as well as diabetic patients against oxidative damage

Effect of Aegle marmelos seed extract on hypoglycemic activity of experimental rats

29-32Aegle marmelos Corr. (Rutaceae) is widely used in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. The aqueous extract of Aegle marmelos seeds was administered orally at different doses (100, 250 & 500 mg/kg) to normal as well as sub (FBG normal; glucose tolerance abnormal) and mild (FBG 120-250 mg/dl) diabetic rats. Initial testing was carried with the different doses of the seed extract in normal healthy rats fasted overnight. The animals were divided into groups. Control rats (group I) were given distilled water only while other groups II, III and IV received aqueous seed extract suspended in distilled water orally at doses 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively. The dose of 250 mg/kg was found to be most effective dose and it decreases blood glucose level (BGL) by 35.1 % in normal healthy rats after 6 h of administration. The hypoglycemic effect of aqueous extract of A. marmelos seeds in sub and mild diabetic rats was assessed by improvement of glucose tolerance. FBG was checked in overnight fasted rats and were divided in to several groups. Control groups of sub and mild diabetic animals received distilled water only, whereas variable doses of 100, 250 and 500 mg/kg of aqueous seed extract were administered orally to rest of the groups of each, sub and mild diabetic animals. The rats of all the groups were given glucose (3 g/kg) after 90 min of the extract and drug administration. Blood samples were collected just prior to glucose administration (0 h) and I, 2 and 3 h after glucose loading. The dose of 250 mg/kg again showed a marked reduction in BGL of 41.2% in sub and 33.2% in mild diabetic rats in glucose tolerance test after 2 h. The findings from this study suggest that the aqueous extract of these seeds may be prescribed as adjunct to dietary therapy and drug treatment for controlling diabetes mellitus

Design, development and synthesis of a novel labeled PNA monomer incorporated in DNA-hexamer to act as a hybridization probe by FRET

121-129A novel PNA monomer with adenine nucleobase and a modified backbone with charged and a methylene substituted for in the linker arm has been synthesised. This modified PNA monomer is further linked with rhodamine via an amide bond, converted to phosphoramidite after linking with a 2-carbon linker. This unit is used for the end coupling at 5'-prime of a hexamer oligonucleotide 5'-TCC ATT-3' in solid phase. The complementary labeled heptamer has been prepared by coupling the phosphoramidite of fluorescein with 5'-AAT GGAT-3' as the end coupling step at 5'-prime on solid phase. The two complementary heptamer oligos are hybridized and the FRET signal recorded. The Tm of the modified oligomer has been found to be higher as compared to the normal one. Such a probe can detect single base mismatch by FRE

Study of glycemic profile of Cajanus cajan leaves in experimental rats

33-36Cajanus cajan K (Millsp) is commonly known as pigeon pea (or red gram). It is an important pulse crop of the tropical regions. The present study deals with the aqueous extract of Cajanus cajan leaves and evaluation of its glycemic profile in Streptozotocin induced type-2 diabetic rats. Single oral administration of graded doses of aqueous extract of leaves showed significant increase in fasting blood glucose levels (FBG) of normal rats by 14.3%. The mild diabetic and sub-diabetic animals had shown hyperglycemic effect from variable doses of extract. The maximum rise of 17.0, 71.3 and 50.8 % was observed in BGL from a dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight after administration in normal, sub and mild diabetic rats, respectively during glucose tolerance test (GTT). The study of leaves was taken into consideration on the basis of earlier reported hypoglycemic activity of Cajanus cajan seeds. However, the results observed were found just opposite and therefore it may be useful in controlling hypoglycemia, occasionally caused due to excess of insulin and other hypoglycemic drugs

α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase inhibitory activity assessment of Cucurbita maxima seeds – a LIBS based study

The aim of the present study was to investigate, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the aqueous extract of Cucurbita maxima seeds in vitro and to correlate their activity with their phytoelemental profile quantitatively assessed by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). Diabetes can be managed by controlling postprandial hyperglycemia which can be achieved by inhibiting carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes like α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Results reveal that the C. maxima seeds have appreciable α-amylase inhibitory activity of 46.03±1.37% with IC50 value at 7.00±0.29 mg ml-1 in addition to substantial α-glucosidase inhibitory effect of 35.11±1.04% with IC50 at 8.11±0.36 mg ml-1. Acarbose was used as a reference. LIBS analysis showed the presence of certain phytoelements viz. Mg, Ca, K and Na which are well known glycemic elements and hence could be responsible for inhibitory activity of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes.Thus, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory action of C. maxima seeds would be responsible for their antidiabetic activity. The glycemic elemental profile further validates their role in controlling diabetes and hence C. maxima seeds could be explored as a potential herbal candidate for managing postprandial hyperglycemia causing type 2 diabetes mellitus

Evidence based study of antidiabetic potential of C. maxima seeds – In vivo

Objective: In vitro antidiabetic efficacy of Cucurbita maxima seed extract (CMSE) has already been studied in our previous findings. Thus, in order to validate these findings in biological system, in vivo antidiabetic activity of aqueous extract was investigated in normal as well as diabetic experimental models. Methods: Variable doses of extract were administered orally to normal and STZ induced mild diabetic rats during fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glucose tolerance test (GTT) studies. In order to determine the extract's antidiabetic potential long-term FBG and post prandial glucose (PPG) studies were also carried out. Results: Most effective dose of 200 mg kg−1 of CMSE decreases the blood glucose level (BGL) in normal rats by 29.02% at 6 h during FBG studies and 23.23% at 3 h during GTT. However, the maximum reduction observed in BGL of mild diabetic rats during GTT the same interval of time was 26.15%. Moreover, in case of severely diabetic rats a significant reduction of 39.33% was observed in FBG levels whereas, in case of positive control, rats treated with 2.5 mg kg−1 of glipizide, a fall of 42.9% in FBG levels was observed after 28 days. Results of PPG level also showed a fall of 33.20% in severely diabetic rats as compared to the positive control showing a fall of 44.2% at the end of the 28 days. Conclusion: Thus, the present study validate the hypoglycemic and antidiabetic effect of CMSE and hence this extract could be explored further for developing as a novel antidiabetic agent