The potential anti-Alzheimer's activity of Oxalis corniculata Linn. Methanolic extract in experimental rats: Role of APOE4/LRP1, TLR4/NF-κß/NLRP3, Wnt 3/ß-catenin/GSK-3ß, autophagy and apoptotic cues.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Oxalis corniculata (O. corniculata) is a member of Oxalidaceae family, widely distributed in Asia, Europe, America, and Africa, used extensively as food and its traditional folkloric uses include management of epilepsy, gastric disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, together with its use in enhancing health. Numerous pharmacological benefits of O. corniculata are linked to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities. One of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders is Alzheimer's disease (AD) in which neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are its main pathogenic processes. AIM OF THE STUDY: Our research aimed to study the neuroprotective effect of the methanolic extract of Oxalis corniculata Linn. (O. corniculata ME), compared to selenium (Se) against AlCl3-induced AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty male albino rats were allocated into four groups (Gps). Gp I a control group, the rest of the animals received AlCl3 (Gp II-Gp IV). Rats in Gp III and IV were treated with Se and O. corniculata ME, respectively. RESULTS: The chemical profile of O. corniculata ME was studied using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, allowing the tentative identification of sixty-six compounds, including organic acids, phenolics and others, cinnamic acid and its derivatives, fatty acids, and flavonoids. AlCl3 showed deterioration in short-term memory and brain histological pictures. Our findings showed that O. corniculata ME and selenium helped to combat oxidative stress produced by accumulation of AlCl3 in the brain and in prophylaxis against AD. Thus, Selenium (Se) and O. corniculata ME restored antioxidant defense, via enhancing Nrf2/HO-1 hub, hampered neuroinflammation, via TLR4/NF-κß/NLRP3, along with dampening apoptosis, Aß generation, tau hyperphosphorylation, BACE1, ApoE4 and LRP1 levels. Treatments also promoted autophagy and modulated Wnt 3/ß-catenin/GSK3ß cue. CONCLUSIONS: It was noted that O. corniculata ME showed a notable ameliorative effect compared to Se on Nrf2/HO-1, TLR4/NF-κß/NLRP3, APOE4/LRP1, Wnt 3/ß-catenin/GSK-3ß and PERK axes.

D-Pinitol Content and Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Activities of Five Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. Cultivars.

Diabetes mellitus is a major challenge for global health, and Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. (B. spectabilis) is a widely used herbal remedy with diverse cultivars traditionally used for diabetes treatment. However, the comparative efficacy of these cultivars remains ambiguous. This study aimed to evaluate the D-pinitol content and DPPH radical-scavenging activity of methanolic leaves extracts of five B. spectabilis cultivars. Furthermore, the effects of these cultivars on various parameters, including blood glucose levels, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory cytokines, lipid profiles, liver enzymes, renal function markers, and histopathological changes, were assessed in STZ-induced diabetic rats after one month of oral daily treatment. All tested cultivars demonstrated significant improvements in the measured parameters, albeit to varying extents. Notably, the LOE cultivar, distinguished by its orange bracts, exhibited the highest efficacy, surpassing the effectiveness of glibenclamide, an antidiabetic medication, and displayed the highest concentration of D-pinitol. These findings underscore the importance of carefully selecting the appropriate B. spectabilis cultivar to maximize the antidiabetic efficacy, with a particular emphasis on the correlation between antidiabetic activity and D-pinitol concentrations.

The effect of Alnus incana (L.) Moench extracts in ameliorating iron overload-induced hepatotoxicity in male albino rats.

Iron overload causes multiorgan dysfunction and serious damage. Alnus incana from the family Betulaceae, widely distributed in North America, is used for treating diseases. In this study, we investigated the iron chelating, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities of the total and butanol extract from Alnus incana in iron-overloaded rats and identified the bioactive components in both extracts using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We induced iron overload in the rats via six intramuscular injections of 12.5 mg iron dextran/100 g body weight for 30 days. The rats were then administered 60 mg ferrous sulfate /kg body weight once daily using a gastric tube. The total and butanol extracts were given orally, and the reference drug (deferoxamine) was administered subcutaneously for another month. After two months, we evaluated the biochemical, histopathological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical parameters. Iron overload significantly increased the serum iron level, liver biomarker activities, hepatic iron content, malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and caspase-3 levels. It also substantially (P < 0.05) reduced serum albumin, total protein, and total bilirubin content, and hepatic reduced glutathione levels. It caused severe histopathological alterations compared to the control rats, which were markedly (P < 0.05) ameliorated after treatment. The total extract exhibited significantly higher anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities but lower antioxidant and iron-chelating activities than the butanol extract. Several polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, were detected by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) analysis. Our findings suggest that both extracts might alleviate iron overload-induced hepatoxicity and other pathological conditions characterized by hepatic iron overload, including thalassemia and sickle-cell anemia.