Exploring sesquiterpene lactone as a dual therapeutic agent for diabetes and oxidative stress: insights into PI3K/AKT modulation.

Diabetic mellitus (DM) is characterized by hyperglycaemia and defective macromolecular metabolism, arising from insulin resistance or lack of insulin production. The present study investigates the potential of artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Artemisia annua, to exert anti-diabetic and antioxidant effects through modulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signalling pathway. Our computational analyses demonstrated a high binding affinity of artemisinin with proteins belonging to the PI3K/AKT signalling cascade. α-Amylase and α-glucosidase studies revealed a notable increase in inhibition percentages with artemisinin treatment across concentrations ranging from 10 to 160 µM. A similar significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent inhibition of free radicals was observed for the in vitro anti-oxidant assays. Further, toxicological profiling of artemisinin in the in vivo zebrafish embryo-larvae model from 4 to 96 h post-fertilization (hpf) did not exhibit any harmful repercussions. In addition, gene expression investigations confirmed artemisinin's potential mechanism in modulating hyperglycaemia and oxidative stress through the regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Overall, our investigation suggests that artemisinin can be used as a therapeutic intervention for diabetes and oxidative stress, opening up opportunities for future investigation in clinical settings. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-024-04050-2.

Futuristic advancements in phytoremediation of endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A: A step towards sustainable pollutant degradation for rehabilitated environment.

Bisphenol A (BPA) accumulates in the environment at lethal concentrations because of its high production rate and utilization. BPA, originating from industrial effluent, plastic production, and consumer products, poses serious risks to both the environment and human health. The widespread aggregation of BPA leads to endocrine disruption, reactive oxygen species-mediated DNA damage, epigenetic modifications and carcinogenicity, which can disturb the normal homeostasis of the body. The living being in a population is subjected to BPA exposure via air, water and food. Globally, urinary analysis reports have shown higher BPA concentrations in all age groups, with children being particularly susceptible due to its occurrence in items such as milk bottles. The conventional methods are costly with a low removal rate. Since there is no proper eco-friendly and cost-effective degradation of BPA reported so far. The phytoremediation, green-biotechnology based method which is a cost-effective and renewable resource can be used to sequestrate BPA. Phytoremediation is observed in numerous plant species with different mechanisms to remove harmful contaminants. Plants normally undergo several improvements in genetic and molecular levels to withstand stress and lower levels of toxicants. But such natural adaptation requires more time and also higher concentration of contaminants may disrupt the normal growth, survival and yield of the plants. Therefore, natural or synthetic amendments and genetic modifications can improve the xenobiotics removal rate by the plants. Also, constructed wetlands technique utilizes the plant's phytoremediation mechanisms to remove industrial effluents and medical residues. In this review, we have discussed the limitations and futuristic advancement strategies for degrading BPA using phytoremediation-associated mechanisms.

Advancements of fish-derived peptides for mucormycosis: a novel strategy to treat diabetic compilation.

Mucormycosis, an extremely fatal fungal infection, is a major hurdle in the treatment of diabetes consequences. The increasing prevalence and restricted treatment choices urge the investigation of novel therapeutic techniques. Because of their effective antimicrobial characteristics and varied modes of action, fish-derived peptides have lately emerged as viable options in the fight against mucormycosis. This review examines the potential further application of fish-derived peptides in diagnosing and managing mucormycosis in relation to diabetic complications. First, we examine the pathophysiology of mucormycosis and the difficulties in treating it in diabetics. We emphasize the critical need for alternative therapeutic methods for tackling the limitations of currently available antifungal medicines. The possibility of fish-derived peptides as an innovative approach to combat mucormycosis is then investigated. These peptides, derived from several fish species, provide wide antimicrobial properties against a variety of diseases. They also have distinct modes of action, such as rupture of cell membranes, suppression of development, and modification of the host immunological response. Furthermore, we investigate the problems and prospects connected with the clinical application of fish-derived peptides. Ultimately, future advances in fish-derived peptides, offer interesting avenues for the management of mucormycosis in the context of diabetic comorbidities. More research and clinical trials are needed to properly investigate these peptide's therapeutic potential and pave the way for their adoption into future antifungal therapies.

Antihyperglycemic activity of 14-deoxy, 11, 12-didehydro andrographolide on streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced type 2 diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic Mellitus is characterized by a lack or failure of insulin to bind to its target receptor or failure of the pancreas to yield insulin. This study evaluated the antihyperglycemic activity of 14-deoxy, 11, 12-didehydro andrographolide on streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced type 2 diabetic rats. Diabetic conditions were induced by administering streptozotocin at a dosage of 45 mg/kg body weight and nicotinamide at a dosage of 110 mg/kg body weight through intraperitoneal injection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diabetic-induced rats were treated with 14-deoxy, 11, 12-didehydro andrographolide concentrations between 10 and 500 mg/kg body weight. The blood glucose level and body weight of the rats were periodically examined. The pancreas was isolated and the histopathological staining was performed after making fine sections of the pancreas using a microtome. The influence of 14-deoxy, 11, 12-didehydro andrographolide on the expression level of various insulin signaling cascades was determined with q-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: The blood glucose level of the diabetic-induced rats was significantly (p < 0.05) higher when compared with the control group and resulted in a drop in the blood glucose level of the diabetic rats. Oral glucose level was also reduced in the treatment group and no significant reduction was noted in the untreated. The lipid profiling revealed that the atherogenic index and cholesterol ratio was increased in the diabetic group over the control group. Upregulation of the insulin cascades like IRTK and GLUT4 was observed by the q-PCR and upregulation of GLUT4 and IR-ß was observed by the western blot analysis. CONCLUSION: Overall, the finding indicates that 14-deoxy, 11, 12-didehydro andrographolide exhibited antihyperglycemic activity by modulating the expression of insulin cascades.