PREVENTIVE ROLES OF BIOACTIVE NATURAL COMPOUNDS IN OXIDATIVE AND NITROSATIVE STRESS MEDIATED PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DIABETES MELLITUS: natural products preventing diabetes

Oxidative stress has emerged as one of the targets in several medical conditions and in several types of clinical researches. Growing evidences from research on diverse diseases show that oxidative stress is conjoined with the pathogenesis of diabetes and its complications. This review has examined the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction. A vast variety of medicinal plants and products have been utilized for the prevention of diabetes and its related complications. Natural products such as phenolic acids and flavonoids construct one of the most ubiquitous groups of plant phenolics. At present, the effect of dietary phenolics is of extreme concern due to their antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and as quenchers of singlet oxygen formation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as reactive nitrogen species play either harmful or beneficial roles in biological systems depending on pathophysiological conditions. This review extends on the fundamental aspect of ROS in biological processes and diseases and how natural bioactive compounds of fruits and vegetables regulate their health improving properties. Flavonoids and phenolics acids are the most important groups of secondary metabolites and bioactive compounds in plants. Diverse phytochemical agents have become the backbone in pharmacotherapy of diabetes by virtue of their antioxidant properties along with their other pharmacological actions. Consequently, accession to obstruction the generation of reactive free radicals or abduct the reactive free radical may yield direct and casual approach for the medication of diabetes and its complications

Inonotus obliquus aqueous extract prevents histopathological alterations in liver induced by environmental toxicant Microcystin

Environmental toxicants like microcystins are known to adversely impact liver physiology and lead to the increased risk for abnormal liver function and even liver carcinoma. Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is reported for various properties mainly antibacterial, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. This study was aimed to assess the effect microcystin (MC-LR) on histopathology of liver in mice and a preventive measure by using aqueous extract of Inonotus obliquus (IOAE). Adult Balb/c mice were administered with MC-LR at 20 ​μg/kg body weight, per day, intraperitoneal (i.p.) for 4 weeks. IOAE was treated to one group of MC-LR mice at 200 ​mg/kg body weight, per oral, for 4 weeks. Histological staining for liver structural details and biochemical assays for functions were assessed. The results of the study showed that MC-LR drastically reduced the body weight of mice which were restored close to the range of control by IOAE treatment. MC-LR exposed mice showed 1.9, 1.7 and 2.2-fold increase in the levels of SGOT, SGPT and LDH which were restored by IOAE treatment as compared to control (one-fold). MC-LR exposed mice showed reduced level of GSH (19.83 ​± ​3.3 ​μM) which were regained by IOAE treatment (50.83 ​± ​3.0 ​μM). Similar observations were noted for catalase activity. Histological examinations show that MC-LR exposed degenerative changes in the liver sections which were restored by IOAE supplementation. The immunofluorescence analysis of caspase-3 counterstained with DAPI showed that MC-LR led to the increased expression of caspase-3 which were comparatively reduced by IOAE treatment. The cell viability decreased on increasing the concentration of MC-LR with 5% cell viability at concentration of 10 ​μg MC-LR/mL as that of control 100% Cell viability. The IC50 was calculated to be 3.6 ​μg/ml, indicating that MC-LR is chronic toxic to AML12 mouse hepatocytes. The molecular docking interaction of NF-κB-NIK with ergosterol peroxidase showed binding interaction between the two and showed the plausible molecular basis for the effects of IOAE in MC-LR induced liver injury. Collectively, this study revealed the deleterious effects of MC-LR on liver through generation of oxidative stress and activation of caspase-3, which were prevented by treatment with IOAE