AIM OF THE STUDY: Chemico-biological standardization with respect to its vasorelaxation potential is the main objective of the present study. To investigate the vasorelaxation potential of key phytochemical of KGR, i.e., ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) and to study it's the mechanism of action.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A HPLC method was developed and validated for the quality assessment of KGR using its two major phytochemicals i.e. ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EPMC) and ethyl cinnamate (EC) in KGR. The vasorelaxation effect of major phytochemicals of KGR was evaluated on the main mesenteric arteries isolated from male Wistar rats. Specific BKca channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA), receptor antagonist, nitric oxide scavenging capacity, and antioxidant potential were also evaluated for its plausible mechanism.
RESULTS: Present validated HPLC method facilitates simultaneous quantitation of EPMC and EC faster than classical GC techniques. EPMC has shown a dose-dependent relaxation in rat main mesenteric arteries (MMA) contracted by U46619 with an Emax of 58.68 ± 3.31%. Similarly, in endothelium-denuded MMA rings, relaxation was also observed (Emax of 61.83 ± 3.38%). Moreover, relaxation response to EPMC has strongly inhibited (Emax 14.76 ± 2.29%) when the tissue exposed to depolarizing high K+ containing buffer for the contraction. The point correlation dimension (pD2) values were also significantly decreased in high K+ treated arterial rings compared to control. Interestingly, when MMA rings incubated with a specific BKca channel blocker (TEA, 1 mM), the relaxation response to EPMC was also significantly blocked.
CONCLUSIONS: The first time this study demonstrated the chemical standardization of K. galanga rhizome and EPMC is responsible for its vasorelaxation potential as demonstrated by the endothelium-independent response mediated by Ca2+ dependent potassium channels.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The in vitro study demonstrated that T. indica fruit pulp had significant amount of phenolic (244.9 ± 10.1 mg GAE/extract) and flavonoid (93.9 ± 2.6 mg RE/g extract) content and possessed antioxidant activities. In the in vivo study, hamsters fed with high-cholesterol diet for ten weeks showed elevated serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C levels. Administration of T. indica fruit pulp to hypercholesterolaemic hamsters significantly lowered serum triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-C levels but had no effect on the HDL-C level. The lipid-lowering effect was accompanied with significant increase in the expression of Apo A1, Abcg5 and LDL receptor genes and significant decrease in the expression of HMG-CoA reductase and Mtp genes. Administration of T. indica fruit pulp to hypercholesterolaemic hamsters also protected against oxidative damage by increasing hepatic antioxidant enzymes, antioxidant activities and preventing hepatic lipid peroxidation.
CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: It is postulated that tamarind fruit pulp exerts its hypocholesterolaemic effect by increasing cholesterol efflux, enhancing LDL-C uptake and clearance, suppressing triglyceride accumulation and inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis. T. indica fruit pulp has potential antioxidative effects and is potentially protective against diet-induced hypercholesterolaemia.
PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to compare SFCT in PE, normal pregnant, and nonpregnant women using spectral domain optical coherence tomography and to correlate SFCT with severity of pre-eclampsia.
METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study was performed. A total of 150 participants were divided into three groups: group 1 (50 PE women), group 2 (50 normal pregnant women), and group 3 (50 nonpregnant healthy women). Subfoveal choroidal thickness was measured using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Other parameters including mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), central corneal thickness, macular thickness, IOP, ocular perfusion pressure (OPP), and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio were also measured. ANOVA and Pearson correlation analysis were used to look at differences between the groups. P < .05 was considered as statistically significant.
RESULTS: The MABP was higher in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3 (103.0 ± 12.9 vs. 83.2 ± 9.8 vs. 89.5 ± 7.2 mmHg, respectively; all P < .001). The SFCT of the PE group was higher than in groups 2 and 3 (370.7 ± 23.8 vs. 344.5 ± 30.8 vs. 315.8 ± 49.9 μm, respectively; all P < .001). There were no statistically significant differences in central corneal thickness, macular thickness, or IOP between the PE and healthy pregnant groups (all P > .05). The OPP was greater in PE patients (52.8 ± 8.5 vs. 41.9 ± 6.9 vs. 43.4 ± 5.2 mmHg, respectively; both P < .001). The SFCT was positively correlated with MABP (r = 0.464, P < .001), OPP (r = 0.495, P < .001), and urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (r = 0.635, P < .001) in the PE group.
CONCLUSIONS: Subfoveal choroidal thickness is higher in pre-eclampsia and is proportional to established markers of severity of the condition. This parameter might serve as a novel predictive marker for the severity of pre-eclampsia.