Hypoglycaemic role of wheatgrass and its effect on carbohydrate metabolic enzymes in type II diabetic rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Insulin resistance and insulin insufficiency is the major factor for the prognosis of type II diabetes. Consistent high glucose level leads to multiple secondary complications in diabetic patients. Hence, hypoglycaemic drugs are of significance for reducing the risk of secondary complications in type II diabetes. Various hypoglycaemic drugs are already available in the market, but they are associated with several side effects. Therefore, traditional herbs have emerged as safer alternative for effective hypoglycaemic treatment. The juvenile grass of common wheat is known as wheatgrass (WG). It is commonly used as a health drink and has potent antioxidant efficacy. It has been used to cure DM in folk medicine. The current study was planned to test the hypoglycaemic effect and pathways regulated by WG on DM. We analysed the glucose and insulin levels in plasma, the activity of glucose oxidative enzymes, hexokinase and glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase, in serum and glycogen levels in liver of the male albino Wistar rats. Activity of glucose oxidative enzymes and the levels of insulin and liver glycogen were decreased in rats with diabetes, but they were reversed on treatment with WG. Hence, we conclude that WG can act as a potent anti-hyperglycaemic agent.

Neuroprotective effect of Valeriana wallichii rhizome extract against the neurotoxin MPTP in C57BL/6 mice.

Oxidative stress and inflammation are some of the contributing factors for dopaminergic neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). Though Valeriana wallichii D.C. is known for its nervine activities its effect against PD is yet to be studied. This is the first report on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of V. wallichii rhizome extract (VWE) in MPTP induced PD mice. GC-MS analysis of VWE indicated the presence of phytoconstituents like isovaleric acid and acacetin. PD induced mice were treated orally with three different doses (50, 100 and 200mg/kg body weight (BW)) of VWE for 14 days and their behavioural changes were studied on days 0, 8, 13 and 21. The levels of striatal dopamine, mid brain tyrosine hydroxylase positive (TH(+)) cell count, TH protein expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), antioxidants and inflammatory cytokines were analysed. Mid brain glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Also mid brain histopathological analysis was performed. VWE treatment significantly recuperated the altered behavioural test scores, striatal dopamine levels, mid brain TH(+) cell count and TH protein levels, increased GFAP expression and the histopathological changes observed in PD mice. Similarly, diminished levels of antioxidants, elevated levels of ROS, LPO and inflammatory cytokines were also significantly ameliorated following VWE treatment. The effective dose of VWE was found to be 200mg/kg BW. Conclusively, V. wallichii rhizome extract has the potential to mitigate oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in PD.

Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of Sesbania grandiflora leaves in human cancer cells.

Natural phytochemicals and their derivatives are good drug candidates for anticancer therapeutic approaches against multiple targets. We report here the initial findings from our studies on the anticancer properties of the leaves of the medicinal plant Sesbania grandiflora. In the current study, five different solvent fractions from the leaves of S. grandiflora were tested on cancer cell lines such as MCF-7, HepG2, Hep-2, HCT-15, and A549. The methanolic fraction of S. grandiflora was found to exert potent antiproliferative effects especially in the human lung cancer cell line, A549. Caspase 3 was activated in the methanolic fraction treated A549 cells thereby leading to cell death by apoptosis. DAPI staining, DNA laddering, and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential further confirmed the apoptotic mode of cell death. The high levels of ROS intermediates as evidenced by DCF-DA staining could have played a role in the apoptotic induction. Decrease in levels of cyclin D1 and decrease in the activation of NFkB were observed in A549 cells on treatment with methanolic fraction, giving a hint on the possible mechanism of action. These results prove that the medicinal plant S. grandiflora can be explored further for promising candidate molecules to combat cancer, especially lung cancer.