OLEANOLIC ACID, A PROSPECTIVE PROTECTIVE AGENT AGAINST BRAIN ENERGY METABOLISM AND OXIDATIVE DYSFUNCTIONS FOLLOWING HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM EXPOSURE IN MICE

Objective: Effect of oleanolic acid against hexavalent chromium-induced altered brain energy metabolism associated with oxidative stress was evaluated in the present study. Methods: Swiss albino mice were divided into three groups, Control (n=6), chromium-treated (n=6), and oleanolic acid (OA) supplemented (n=6). The chromium treated group was orally administered with K2Cr2O7 for 30 days at a dose of 10 mg/kg b.w/day. OA supplementation was given at a dose of 5 mg/kg bw/day for the past 14 days of chromium treatment. Control group received the vehicle only. After the treatment, whole brain was removed for examining the parameters such as pyruvic acid, free amino nitrogen, tissue protein, TCA cycle enzyme activities, NADH dehydrogenase function, and oxidative stress markers. Results: Significant decrease in cerebral pyruvic acid content associated with suppressed malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activities were observed. The NADH dehydrogenase activity was inhibited owing to enhanced accumulation of chromium in cerebral tissue. Depletion of proteins and increased free amino acid nitrogen were accompanied with inhibited cathepsin, pronase and trypsin activities, and increased transaminase function. In addition, GSH content was decreased along with increased lipid peroxidation, oxidized GSSG content, TG/GSSG ratio, carbonylated protein content, and tissue free hydroxyl radical formation. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase were also inhibited by hexavalent chromium. Oleanolic acid supplementation was found to have significant protective effect against brain metabolic and oxidative dysfunctions. Conclusion: The present study elucidated therapeutic efficacy of oleanolic acid against hexavalent chromium toxicity in brain tissue of mice

A study on the impact of smoking and alcoholism as determinant factors in the prognosis and outcome of diabetic foot ulcer disease

Background: This is an observational study to determine the relation between the life style factors like smoking and chronic alcoholism with the severity of the diabetic foot ulcer disease; its implications and prognosis and outcome with particular reference to the incidence of amputation and the duration of the hospital stay. This study was done in 89 patients who were admitted in the surgical wards of two large private medical colleges in India: KPC Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal and Bhaskar Medical College and Hospital, Yenkepally Village, Ranga Reddy District, Telengana. In our study, we explored the relationship between two determinant factors - smoking and chronic alcoholism with the increased incidence of amputation and prolonged hospital stay in a diabetic cohort. It has been found from this study that the severity of diabetic foot ulcer disease is more in patients who were addicted to either smoking, alcohol or both.Methods: The study was done on 89 patients who were admitted in the surgical wards of the following teaching hospitals in India - KPC Medical College and Hospital which deals mostly with middle income group of urban population (Rs.7594 to 15188) and Bhaskar Medical College and Hospital which deals mostly with low income group of semi-urban population (Rs.4556 to 11361) as per Kuppuswamy’s socio-economic status scale (updating for 2012). The youngest patient was from semi-urban area aged 26 years and the oldest patient was from urban area aged 83 years. The outcome and prognosis of the diabetic foot ulcer disease were assessed with the incidence of amputation and duration of hospital stay in relation to the two determinant factors of smoking and alcoholism. Results: The diabetic patients who were smokers and/or chronic alcoholic underwent more amputations with concomitant longer hospital stay than the patients who had no addiction to these substances. The prognosis was worse in the subgroup of patients who were both smoker and chronic alcoholic.Conclusions: The study observed that the prognosis and outcome of a diabetic foot ulcer disease changes significantly in patients who are addicted to smoking and alcoholism with higher incidence of amputation and longer hospital stay.

Hexavalent Chromium Induced Alteration of Carbohydrate Bioenergetics: A Dose-dependent Study

Objective: This study was conducted to observe the dose-dependent effect of Cr (VI) on certain aspects of carbohydrate metabolism in mice with four different doses, viz., 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg b.w., respectively, for 30 days of exposure.Methods: Blood glucose, glycogen content, and pyruvic acid of liver tissue were determined to evaluate the glycolytic activity. Enzymes such as isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), succinate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activities were measured to determine the tricarboxylic acid cycle function. In addition, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) ubiquinone C oxidoreductase activity was estimated to evaluate the alteration in oxidative phosphorylation pathway with dose-dependent chromium exposure. Total protein, free amino acid nitrogen, and transaminase enzyme activity were also measured.Results: Chromium exposure caused marked depletion of blood glucose and liver glycogen contents in a dose-dependent manner. The activities of IDH, succinate dehydrogenase, and MDH were significantly altered in a dose-specific manner by chromium exposure. Relevant exhaustion of glycolytic substrates was noted in the form of reduced pyruvate content in hepatocytes following chromium exposure. In addition, the treatment caused elevation of free amino nitrogen associated with depletion of total protein content and elevated transaminase enzyme activities in hepatocytes. Significant alteration of mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone C oxidoreductase activity was also noted.Conclusion: By analyzing the observed results, it can be suggested that Cr (VI) exerts hypoglycemic and glycogenolytic effects associated with alteration of citric acid cycle and electron transport pathways in hepatocytes in a dose-specific manner thus resulting in serious alteration in the carbohydrate bioenergetics and mitochondrial energy generation in hepatic cells.Keywords: Hexavalent chromium, Hypoglycemia, Glycogenolysis, Citric acid cycle, Electron transport chain.Â

ALTERATION IN CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM BY SUB-ACUTE LEAD EXPOSURE: A DOSE-DEPENDENT STUDY

Objective: The study was conducted to evaluate the dose-dependent effects of sub-acute lead exposure on certain aspects of carbohydrate metabolism.Methods: Swiss albino male mice (weighing 30-35 g) were selected for the present study and divided into five groups; one control group and others lead-treated groups i.e. Group A (5 mg/kg body weight), Group B (10 mg/kg body weight), Group C (15 mg/kg body weight) and Group D (20 mg/kg body weight). Parameters like blood and liver glucose, glycogen and pyruvic acid contents were determined in liver tissue. The enzyme activities like pyruvate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and glucose 6-phosphatase were recorded in that tissue. Additionally, free amino acid nitrogen content and transaminase enzyme activities were also evaluated in liver tissue of mice.Results: The study reveals that lead caused a significant diminution of blood and hepatic glucose levels and fall in liver glycogen content in a dose-dependent manner, the highest effect was observed in animals treated with lead at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. Glucose 6-phosphatase activity was decreased significantly in all the treated groups. There was a dose-dependent increase in pyruvic acid content whereas pyruvate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and transaminase enzyme activities were significantly depressed in a dose-dependent fashion in all the treated animals. Additionally, lead treatment significantly (p<0.001) enhanced free amino acid nitrogen in the liver to provide a substrate for gluconeogenesis.Conclusion: It is suggested that an adaptive mechanism is initiated by stimulating and retarding glycogenolytic and glycolytic activity and also by rising in the content of free amino acid nitrogen to recover from the lead stressed toxic manifestatio

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY BIOAUTOGRAPHY AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF CLITORIA TERNATEA (FABACEAE)

Objective: The present study aims at the investigation of antioxidant activities both by qualitative (thin-layer chromatography [TLC] bioautography) and quantitative (in vitro) methods and thereby comparison of the same in different parts of the plants of Clitoria ternatea (Fabaceae). Methods: Leaves, stems, and seeds were macerated with methanol separately and preliminary phytochemical screening was carried out. The extracts were developed using two mobile phase combinations such as Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (5:4:0.2) for test 1 and toluene: Ethyl acetate: Methanol (5:3:2) for test 2 on silica gel GF254 TLC plates and further sprayed with DPPH. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities were assayed by inhibition of lipid peroxidation and DPPH method with the different concentrations of test extracts (25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 μg/ml) and standard ascorbic acid. Results: The methanolic extract of the leaves, stems, and seeds revealed to possess chiefly alkaloids, phenols, and flavonoids and have shown promising antioxidant activity by all the methods in dose-dependent manner. Leaves were found to be most potent having IC50 value of 111.652 µg/ml and 106.683 µg/ml which is almost similar to the stems (IC50 of 111.685 µg/ml and 106.26 µg/ml), respectively, in DPPH method and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Seeds failed to produce any significant activity in any of the methods performed. Conclusion: The methanolic extract of leaves and stems can act as a potential antioxidant and antiradical, which are highly comparable with standard

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF YIELDS AND TOTAL PHENOLIC AND FLAVONOID CONTENTS OF EXTRACTS OF DIFFERENT EXTRACTION METHODS OF CLITORIA TERNATEA (FABACEAE)

Objective: The present study aims at comparison of extraction yields, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of methanolic extracts from various methods of extraction of leaves of Clitoria ternatea (Fabaceae). Methods: Dried leaves were extracted by Maceration, Soxhlation and Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) methods and the percentage yields were calculated. Further total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined for the extracts obtained as above. Each of the experiments were performed in triplicate. Results: The methanolic extract of MAE was found to show the highest yield (12.22 % w/w) compared to the other methods performed. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined in the highest amount in MAE (248.29±0.29 mg GAE/gm and 191.64±1.45 mg QE/gm) than soxhlation and maceration. Conclusion: Microwave assisted extraction method possessed highest extraction yield and total phenolic and total flavonoid contents than the other two extraction methods which makes it economical and effective not only for its increased yield but also for better quality of extract, consuming less time and solvent. Further studies on this may be beneficial to establish this method for regular extraction and isolation of phytoconstituents

Logarithmic Corrections to Black Hole Entropy and AdS/CFT Correspondence

We calculate the correction to the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula for five dimensional AdS-Schwarzschild black holes due to thermodynamic fluctuations. The result is then compared with the boundary gauge theory entropy corrections via AdS/CFT correspondence. We then further generalise our analysis for the rotating black hole in five dimensional AdS space.Comment: 7 pp. Accepted for publication in JHE