OBJECTIVE: The study examines the effect of F. deltoidea on bone histomorphometric parameters, oxidative stress, and turnover markers in diabetic rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6 animals per group) received one of the following treatments via gavage for 8 weeks: saline (diabetic control), metformin (1000 mg/kg bwt), and methanol leaves extract of F. deltoidea (1000 mg/kg bwt). A group of healthy rats served as normal control. The femoral bones were excised and scanned ex vivo using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for histomorphometric analysis. The serum levels of insulin, oxidative stress, and bone turnover markers were determined by ELISA assays.
RESULTS: Treatment of diabetic rats with F. deltoidea could significantly increase bone mineral density (BMD) (from 526.98 ± 11.87 to 637.74 ± 3.90). Higher levels of insulin (2.41 ± 0.08 vs. 1.58 ± 0.16), osteocalcin (155.66 ± 4.11 vs. 14.35 ± 0.97), and total bone n-3 PUFA (2.34 ± 0.47 vs. 1.44 ± 0.18) in parallel with the presence of chondrocyte hypertrophy were also observed following F. deltoidea treatment compared to diabetic control.
CONCLUSIONS: F. deltoidea could prevent diabetic osteoporosis by enhancing osteogenesis and inhibiting bone oxidative stress. These findings support the potential use of F. deltoidea for osteoporosis therapy in diabetes.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the anti-atherosclerotic activity of a C. nutans leaf methanol extract (CNME) in a type 2 diabetic (T2D) rat model induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and low-dose streptozotocin.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: non-diabetic fed a standard diet (C), C + CNME (500 mg/kg, orally), diabetic fed an HFD (DM), DM + CNME (500 mg/kg), and DM + Metformin (DM + Met; 300 mg/kg). Treatment with oral CNME and metformin was administered for 4 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum lipid profile, atherogenic index (AI), aortic tissue superoxide dismutase levels (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured. The rats' aortas were stained for histological analysis and intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis.
RESULTS: The CNME-treated diabetic rats had reduced serum total cholesterol (43.74%; p = 0.0031), triglycerides (80.91%; p = 0.0003), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (56.64%; p = 0.0008), AI (51.32%; p
METHODS: AE was administered to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats twice daily at three doses (1000, 500, and 250 mg/kg b.w.) for 12 days p.o. Several biochemical analyses and a histological study of the pancreas and liver were performed, accompanied by a cell culture assay.
RESULTS: As compared to diabetic control (DC), AE at the doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg b.w. caused significant reduction (p < 0.05) of blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides levels, with positive improvement of serum insulin levels. Interestingly, immunohistochemical staining of the pancreas suggested no β-cell regeneration, despite significant increase in insulin production. AE-treated groups, however, showed overall restoration of the hepatic histoarchitecture of STZ-induced liver damage, suggesting a possible hepatoprotective effect. The pancreatic effect of AE was further studied through RIN-5F cell culture, which revealed a positive stimulatory effect on insulin release at a basal glucose concentration (1.1 mM).
CONCLUSION: Nypa fruticans Wurmb. vinegar's aqueous extract exerts its antihyperglycaemic activity, at least in part, through insulin stimulatory and hepatoprotective effects.