The effect of Urtica dioica extract on the number of astrocytes in the dentate gyrus of diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is associated with cerebral alterations in both human and animal models of the disease. These alterations include abnormal expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides and hippocampal astrogliosis. Urtica dioica (Nettle) is among several species listed for their use against diabetes in folk medicine. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the astrocyte number in the dentate gyrus of diabetic rats after treatment with nettle. A total of 21 male albino Wistar rats were used in the present study. The animals were divided into three groups: control, nettle-untreated diabetic, and nettle treated diabetic. Hyperglycaemia was induced by streptozotocin (80 mg/kg) in the animals of the diabetic and treatment groups. One week after injection of the streptozotocin, the animals in the treatment group received a hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica dioica (100 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks intraperitoneally. After a 5-week survival period, all the rats were sacrificed and coronal sections were taken from the dorsal hippocampal formation of the right cerebral hemispheres. The area densities of the astrocytes were measured and compared between the three groups (p < 0.05). The number of astrocytes increased in the diabetic rats (24.06 ± 9.57) compared with the controls (17.52 ± 6.66). The densities in the treated rats (19.50 ± 6.16) were lower than in the diabetic rats. Furthermore, the control and treated rats showed similar densities. We concluded that U. dioica extract helped compensate for astrocytes in the treatment rats dentate gyrus in comparison with diabetic rats. Copyright © 2009 Via Medica

The effect of endurance and resistance exercises and consumption of hydro-alcoholic extract of nettle on the changes in weight and plasma levels of nesfatin-1 in type 1 diabetic rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic diseases and nettle is a plant that has been introduced as an anti-diabetes medication. Nesfatin-1 is an adipokine secreted from an adipose tissue and involved in the mechanism for glucose metabolism. This study aimed at examining the effect of an 8-week endurance and resistance training program along with the consumption of the hydro-alcoholic extract of nettle on plasma levels of nesfatin-1 in type 1 diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: In this study, Wistar rats were divided into four groups and diabetes was induced in them by streptozotocin. The nettle extract (1mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected daily in the &quot;nettle&quot;, &quot;endurance+nettle&quot; and &quot;resistance+nettle&quot; groups. The &quot;endurance+nettle&quot; group swam in water for eight weeks, five sessions per week, and each session from 60 to 120 minutes. The &quot;resistance+nettle&quot; group began the exercise with 50, 75, 90, and 100 percent weight on the designed ladder, and then they gradually increased their record. Blood samples were taken directly from the hearts of the animals at the end of the 8th week. Results: Weight loss was observed in all groups after 8 weeks. The least amount of weights in the &quot;control&quot;, &quot;nettle&quot; and &quot;resistance+nettle&quot; groups were significantly lower than those in the beginning of the study (P&lt;0.001). The results showed a significant increase in nesfatin-1 in the &quot;nettle&quot; group compared to the &quot;control&quot; group (P&lt;0.01). Also, this increase was observed in the &quot;endurance+nettle&quot; and &quot;resistance+nettle&quot; groups compared to the &quot;control&quot; group (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Consumption of the nettle extract with exercise can increase the plasma nesfatin-1, which can be effective in controlling diabetes and preventing weight loss due to this disease

Alteration of dentate gyrus astrocytes in diabetic rats: Protective role of Urtica dioica

Diabetes mellitus can cause astrocytes alterations in the central nervous system. Urtica dioica (Nettle) is among several species listed for their use against diabetes in folk medicine. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate the protective effect of Urtica dioica on astrocytes density of the dentate gyrus in STZ induced diabetic rats. In this experimental study, 21 male albino Wistar rats were randomly allocated equally into normal, diabetic and protective (nettle treated diabetic) groups. Hyperglycemia was induced by streptozotocin (80 mg/kg) in the animals of diabetic and treatment groups. Before induction of diabetes in animals, animals in protective group received hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica dioica (100 mg/kg/BW /day) for five days intraperitoneally. Four weeks after induction of diabetes, animals were sacrificed and coronal sections were taken from the dorsal hippocampal formation of the right cerebral hemispheres and stained with PTAH stain. The area densities of the astrocytes were measured and compared in the three groups (p < 0.05). The number of astrocytes in DG area of controls was 17.72±6.7. The density of astrocytes increased in diabetic (24.26±9.5) in comparison with controls. The density in the nettle treated rats (23.17±5.8) was lower than diabetic rats. This study showed that the administration of U. dioica extract before induction of diabetes can not significantly help compensate for astrocytes in the dentate gyrus of treated rats

A marker of biological ageing predicts adult risk preference in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris

Why are some individuals more prone to gamble than others? Animals often show preferences between 2 foraging options with the same mean reward but different degrees of variability in the reward, and such risk preferences vary between individuals. Previous attempts to explain variation in risk preference have focused on energy budgets, but with limited empirical support. Here, we consider whether biological ageing, which affects mortality and residual reproductive value, predicts risk preference. We studied a cohort of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in which we had previously measured developmental erythrocyte telomere attrition, an established integrative biomarker of biological ageing. We measured the adult birds’ preferences when choosing between a fixed amount of food and a variable amount with an equal mean. After controlling for change in body weight during the experiment (a proxy for energy budget), we found that birds that had undergone greater developmental telomere attrition were more risk averse as adults than were those whose telomeres had shortened less as nestlings. Developmental telomere attrition was a better predictor of adult risk preference than either juvenile telomere length or early-life food supply and begging effort. Our longitudinal study thus demonstrates that biological ageing, as measured via developmental telomere attrition, is an important source of lasting differences in adult risk preferences

Production and processing of organically grown fiber nettle (Urtica dioica L.) and its potential use in the natural textiles industry: A review

In Europe, the perennial stinging nettle was cultivated during the 19th century until the Second World War and has a long history as a fiber plant. Clone varieties dating back to the early 20th century are still maintained at European research institutions. The fiber content of clones ranges from 1.2 to 16% dry matter, and fiber yields range from 0.14 to 1.28 Mg/ha. Varietal purity of fiber nettle can only be achieved by planting cuttings. The harvesting of fiber starts in the second year of growth and the crop may produce well for several years. Several agronomic practices influence fiber quality, but causal relations are not yet well understood. Various parts of the fiber nettle plant can be used as food, fodder and as raw material for different purposes in cosmetics, medicine, industry and biodynamic agriculture. Organically produced fibers are in demand by the green textile industry and show potential that is economically promising

Uji Aktivitas Antibakteri Ekstrak Daun Mayana Jantan (Coleus Atropurpureus Benth) Terhadap Pertumbuhan Bakteri Streptococcus SP. Dan Pseudomonas SP.

: The painted nettle (Coleus atropurpureus benth) is a plant that is known to have medicinal properties, especially the leaf. The active compounds that are contained in the leafs are thought to work as an antibacterial. This study aims to measure the inhibitory strength of painted nettle leaf (Coleus atropurpureus benth) extract against the growth of Streptococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. This was an experimental laboratory study. The polar extract of painted nettle leaf (Coleus atropurpureus benth) was tested by well method with concentrations of 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20%. The polar extract of painted nettle leaf (Coleus atropurpureus benth) is the result of extraction of painted nettle that has been dried and then macerated using ethanol as the polar solvent. Tests were conducted to observe whether there is a zone of inhibition of polar extract of the painted nettle leaf (Coleus atropurpureus benth) against Streptococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. after 24 hours of incubation. Results show that the polar extract of painted nettle leaf (Coleus atropurpureus benth) with concentrations of 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% are able to inhibit the growth of Streptococcus sp. with an average of each concentration 12.8mm, 11.17mm, 8.67mm, 3.17mm and 2mm respectively while against Pseudomonas sp. with a mean diameter of each inhibition zone is 12.17mm, 10.67mm, 9.5mm, 7.17 and 5.17mm respectively. Conclusion: The polar extract of painted nettle leaf (Coleus atropurpureus benth) has an inhibitory effect against the growth of Streptococcus sp. and Pseudomonas sp

On the organisation of Educational Development Centres

NETTLE Project Publicatio

Human Communication Systems Evolve by Cultural Selection

Human communication systems, such as language, evolve culturally; their components undergo reproduction and variation. However, a role for selection in cultural evolutionary dynamics is less clear. Often neutral evolution (also known as 'drift') models, are used to explain the evolution of human communication systems, and cultural evolution more generally. Under this account, cultural change is unbiased: for instance, vocabulary, baby names and pottery designs have been found to spread through random copying. While drift is the null hypothesis for models of cultural evolution it does not always adequately explain empirical results. Alternative models include cultural selection, which assumes variant adoption is biased. Theoretical models of human communication argue that during conversation interlocutors are biased to adopt the same labels and other aspects of linguistic representation (including prosody and syntax). This basic alignment mechanism has been extended by computer simulation to account for the emergence of linguistic conventions. When agents are biased to match the linguistic behavior of their interlocutor, a single variant can propagate across an entire population of interacting computer agents. This behavior-matching account operates at the level of the individual. We call it the Conformity-biased model. Under a different selection account, called content-biased selection, functional selection or replicator selection, variant adoption depends upon the intrinsic value of the particular variant (e.g., ease of learning or use). This second alternative account operates at the level of the cultural variant. Following Boyd and Richerson we call it the Content-biased model. The present paper tests the drift model and the two biased selection models' ability to explain the spread of communicative signal variants in an experimental micro-society