METHODS: In the present study, adult rats (2.5 months old) were fed with 2, 4 and 6 mL/kg body weight of fresh leaf extract of CeA for 2, 4 and 6 weeks, respectively. After the treatment period, the rats were killed, brains were removed and hippocampal neurons were impregnated with silver nitrate (Golgi staining). Hippocampal CA3 neurons were traced using camera lucida, and dendritic branching points (a measure of dendritic arborization) and intersections (a measure of dendritic length) were quantified. These data were compared with those of age-matched control rats.
RESULTS: The results showed a significant increase in the dendritic length (intersections) and dendritic branching points along the length of both apical and basal dendrites in rats treated with 6 mL/kg body weight/day of CeA for 6 weeks. However, the rats treated with 2 and 4 mL/kg body weight/day for 2 and 4 weeks did not show any significant change in hippocampal CA3 neuronal dendritic arborization.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that constituents present in Centella asiatica fresh leaf extract has neuronal dendritic growth-stimulating properties.
AIMS: We conducted a study on Solena heterophylla Lour. fruits to evaluate their anti-diabetic activity in vivo, standardize their HPTLC, and profile their metabolites using LC-QTOF-MS. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanism behind their effects on oxidative stress and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c).
METHODS: Firstly, the ethyl acetate fraction of Solena heterophylla Lour. fruits was standardized using Cucurbitacin B as a standard marker by conducting HPTLC evaluation. Next, we delved into analyzing metabolite profiling. In addition, the standardized fraction was utilized in an experimental study to investigate the molecular mechanism of action in an in vivo high-fat diet and a low dose of streptozotocin-induced diabetic model.
RESULTS: We have reportedly identified 52 metabolites in the ethyl acetate fraction of Solena heterophylla (EASH). In the in vitro tests, it has been observed that this extract from plants possesses notable inhibitory properties against α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Solena heterophylla fruits with high levels of Cucurbitacin B (2.29% w/w) helped lower FBG levels in animals with EASH treatment. EASH treatment reduced HbA1c levels and normalized liver lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme levels. SGOT, SGPT, and SALP serum enzyme levels also returned to normal.
CONCLUSION: Based on the current evaluation, it was found that EASH exhibited encouraging hypoglycemic effects in diabetic rats induced by a low dose of STZ and high-fat diet, which warrants further investigation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were exposed to d-gal 60 mg/kg/b.wt/day + AlCl3 200 mg/kg/b.wt/day and CA (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/b.wt/day) and 1 mg/kg/b.wt/day of donepezil for 70 days. Different cognitive paradigms viz. T maze spontaneous alternation, modified elevated plus maze and novel object recognition test, were used to evaluate full lesions of the hippocampus, spatial learning and memory and non-spatial learning and memory respectively. Nissl's staining was used to determine the survival of hippocampus CA1 pyramidal cells, while transmission electron microscopy was used to check the ultrastructural changes.
RESULTS: The results revealed that d-gal and AlCl3 could significantly impair behavior and cognitive functions, besides causing damage to the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in rats. In addition, it also caused ultrastructural morphological alterations in rat hippocampus. Conversely, co-administration o;f CA, irrespective of the dosage used, alleviated the cognitive impairments and pathological changes in the rats comparable to donepezil.
CONCLUSION: In conclusion the results suggest that CA could protect cognitive impairments and morphological alterations caused by d-gal and AlCl3 toxicity in rats. Biochemical and molecular studies are ongoing to elucidate the probable pharmacodynamics of CA.