Effect of S-allylcysteine against diabetic nephropathy via inhibition of MEK1/2-ERK1/2-RSK2 signalling pathway in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE: In the current study, we evaluated the ameliorative effect of S-allylcysteine (SAC) against streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide (NAD)-induced diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rats and also an attempt was made to establish the molecular mechanism of SAC. METHODS: DN rats were orally supplemented with SAC (150 mg/kg body weight) for a period of 45 days and the effect of SAC on urinary albumin excretion, metabolic parameters, and tubular injury biomarkers by ELISA, total levels and phosphorylation of MEK1/2, ERK1/2, and RSK2 by western blotting analysis in control and experimental rats were assessed. RESULTS: From this study, we observed that SAC considerably decreased polydipsia, poly urea, polyphagia, albuminuria and the levels of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, transforming growth factor-ß1 and SAC effectively altered the pathological changes in DN rats. SAC also reserved renal cortical phosphorylation of MEK1/2, ERK1/2 and RSK2. CONCLUSION: Hence this study recommended that SAC can successfully protect the DN through regulation of MEK1/2-ERK1/2-RSK2 signalling.

Studies on the molecular correlates of genomic stability in rat brain cells following Amalakirasayana therapy.

Adult Wistar NIN (WNIN) rats (6 months old) of both sexes were orally fed Amalakirasayana at a dose of 4.5 g per kg body weight, five days in a week. The Amalakirasayana was prepared by Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal, Kerala, India, which is considered as gold standard. After 3, 9 and 15 months of such therapeutic regime, rats were sacrificed and various tissues including brain were removed. Isolated cell suspensions of neurons and astroglia were prepared from the cerebral cortex. DNA damage, as a prime indicator of the status of genomic stability was measured in terms of single (SSBs) and double strand breaks (DSBs) through (a). The "comet" assay and (b). The biochemical methods utilizing the unique properties of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (pol I) and calf thymus terminal transferase. The results convincingly indicate that while in control animals, there was a distinct increase in DNA damage with age in neurons and astrocytes, rasayana fed animals showed significantly less DNA damage in brain cells demonstrating beneficial effects of Rasayana therapy towards maintenance of genomic stability. DNA-damage may be the proximal cause of aging and strategies to reduce the rate of aging could be based on this fact.