Characteristic features and comparative analysis of essential oil composition of selected genus of Ocimum sanctum L. through GC-MS.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this research is to provide literature on the Ocimum plant, and to know the significance of the Ocimum species carried out by pharmacognostic study and experimental design for GC-MS. Ocimum genus are very important for their therapeutic potential among the most important aromatic herbs. METHODS: Extreme attention has been put on literature reports in which the utilization of tulsi and their pharmacognostic study has been done by performing morphological and microscopic leaf experimental design and by using essential oil through the GC-MS instrumentation method. RESULTS: The utilization of these characteristics would be important for the drug discovery scientist to develop a specific formulation of the crude drug, which will be a magical therapeutic agent in the future, with many advantages. GC-MS chromatogram of Ocimum sanctum, Ocimum canum, and Ocimum gratissimum oil showed major peaks and has been identified after comparison of the mass spectra with the NIST library, indicating the presence of three phytocomponents. From the results, the GC-MS study suggested that anethole which is well reported antimicrobial compound is more in O. canum (2.66%) in comparison to O. sanctum (1,28%) but absent in O. gratissimum. The results indicated that the antimicrobial activity is more in O. canum due to the presence ofa high amount of anethole in comparison to O. gratissimum and O. sanctum. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The result revealed that O. canum has a microscopic character that can be identified by the characteristic GC MS analysis of extracts to distinguish between different species of the ocimum plant.

Diabetic Neuropathy: A Repercussion of Vitamin D Deficiency.

Diabetes mellitus is a crucial health issue worldwide. The worldwide ubiquity is 8.8% among adults, which is predicted to rise to 10.4% by 2040. Diabetic neuropathy is a long-term complication associated with the diabetes mellitus condition, which primarily targets Schwann cells, peripheral axons and cell bodies (perikarya) in DRG (dorsal root ganglia). It can be accompanied by different factors such as metabolic factors such as insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity, low HDL level, and hypertriglyceridemia. The etiology of DPN is multifactorial. It is caused by hyperglycemia, micro-angiopathy, HbA1c, duration of diabetes, smoking status, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hypertension. Also, increased glucose conditions decrease vitamin D levels. Vitamin D, which is involved in neurotrophins such as NGF (nerve growth factor) and NCH (neuronal calcium homeostasis), plays a neuroprotective role in peripheral nerves. Depletionleads to vitamin D deficiency which further develops peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients. Accumulation of AGEs (advanced glycation end product) plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of sensory neuronal damage. It contributes to microangiopathy and endoneurial vascular dysfunction in peripheral nerves. With vitamin D supplementation, the neuropathy pain scores were improved.

Protective Effects of Zingerone Against Depression-Like Behavior and Biochemical Changes in Chronic Stressed Rats: Antioxidant Effects.

Ginger contains zingerone, an active constituent possessing antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. The present study was designed to explore the efficacy of the bioactive compound, zingerone, for treating behavioral and biochemical alterations in rats exposed to chronic restraint stress (CRS). Female Wistar rats were administered zingerone (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg p.o.) once daily for a period of 28 days while being exposed to CRS (6 h/day). Our results indicated that the stressed animals depicted depression-like behavior (reduced sucrose preference and increased immobility time) associated with increased lipid peroxidation (LPO) (cortex), decreased catalase (CAT) (hippocampus and cortex), and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) (hippocampus and cortex). In addition, metabolic alterations were characterized by hyperglycemia and increased glycosylated hemoglobin in the CRS rats. However, no alterations were observed for learning and memory and in the levels of reduced glutathione. Repeated zingerone administration significantly reversed depression-like behavior elicited by CRS in rats. Furthermore, a significant antioxidant effect was exhibited by zingerone, as shown by decreased LPO and enhanced activity of SOD and CAT in chronically stressed rats. The findings of our study demonstrated that zingerone possesses protective actions against chronic stress-induced depressive-like behavioral, biochemical, and metabolic alterations and that its underlying mechanism may be attributed to its antioxidant properties. The results also signify its pharmacological and possible nutritional importance.