Assessment of biochemical changes in normal and diabetic rats treated by phenolic enriched extracts of Juglans regia L. barks.

OBJECTIVES: Juglans regia L. is largely used by diabetic population, but its bark is scarcely investigated. The major aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the hydro-methanolic extract and fractions of J. regia L. barks on normoglycemic and diabetic rats through the evaluation of some biochemical parameters. METHODS: Phenolic enriched extracts were investigated for their effect on normoglycemic and diabetic rats through the determination of fasting blood glucose levels in short- and long-term. As well as plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, urea, creatinine, alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate amino transferase (AST) levels were measured after 28 days of treatment. Furthermore, the phytochemical composition was assessed by standard methods. RESULTS: Among the different extracts tested, the n-Butanol fraction presented the highest amounts of total phenolic, total flavonoids and flavonol contents (745 ± 0.6 mg GAE g-1, 162 ± 0.78 mg CE g-1 and 56.02 ± 0.92 mg QE g-1, respectively) and it found to be the most effective to decrease plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides and FGLs in treated diabetic rats in both short- and long-term treatment, mainly the dose 200 mg/kg after 28 days of treatment which found to be more effective than glibenclamide. This fraction also revealed pronounced improvement in liver and renal profiles. CONCLUSIONS: J. regia L. barks had an important antidiabetic role similar to the reference glibenclamide. This may be related to the high contents of phenolic compounds.

Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal analysis of wild medicinal plants traditionally used in Naâma, southwest Algeria.

Algerian people largely rely on traditional medicine practices as part of a community's identity. This first ethnobotanical study aimed to quantify and document the wild medicinal plant taxa from four family and the related traditional knowledge in Naâma province, Algeria. The survey was carried out between 2018 and 2020. The socio-demographic data and the use of medicinal species were recorded and collected randomly from 84 indigenous people using pre-prepared questionnaire. The result was evaluated using quantitative indices. A total of 27 medicinal plant species belonging to 21 genera used in the community were mostly recorded. The most represented families were Lamiaceae and Asteraceae (12 species for each of them). The aerial parts were the most frequently used plant part (73 %), while a decoction (34 %), and infusion (31 %) were the major modes of remedy preparation. The species with high UV were Rosmarinus officinalis L. (0.80), Artemisia herba-alba Asso (0.76), and Juniperus phoenicea L. subsp. phoenicea (0.75). Species with highest FL were: Ephedra alata subsp. alenda (Stapf) Trab (100 %), Teucrium polium L. (60 %), and Ballota hirsuta Benth (57.14.5 %). Atractylis caespitosa Desf and Nepeta nepetella subsp.amethystina (Poir.) Briq were newly cited as medicinal plants and have not been recorded previously in Algeria. Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reut were reported to treat COVID-19 symptoms. The results obtained indicate the richness of the area with medicinal plants as well as knowledge of alternative medicine. The most cited plants could be contained molecules that can be tested for therapeutic uses.

Evaluation of in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potential and hemolytic effect of phenolic enriched fractions of the aerial part of Salvia officinalis L.

BACKGROUND: The inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities is one of the major practical strategies for the control of postprandial hyperglycemia. Salvia officinalis L. is known by its various bioactive compounds and its effective therapeutic properties towards illnesses including diabetes. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory effect of S. officinalis on key digestive enzymes linked to type 2 diabetes and to identify its hemolytic effect. METHODS: Hydro-methanol decoction extract and fractions of ethyl acetate and n-butanol were investigated for their in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, compared to acarbose as a standard. Furthermore, they were evaluated for their hemolytic effect. RESULTS: Phytochemical composition demonstrated the richness of S. officinalis in secondary metabolites. Extract and fractions inhibited the activity of both enzymes. They showed weak hemolytic activity. Quantitative estimation of total phenolic and flavonoids revealed that ethyl acetate fraction contained the highest amount of these compounds (450.51 ± 0.6 µg GAE/mg DE and 352.01 ± 0.78 µg CE/mg of DE, respectively). It showed the best antidiabetic activity tested both by α-amylase and α-glucosidase assays (IC50 = 46.52 ± 2.68 and 104.58 ± 0.06 µg/mL, respectively). Moreover, this fraction showed the least hemolytic effect (11.58 ± 0.1%). CONCLUSIONS: S. officinalis extract and fractions are promising sources of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors.

The nutraceutical potential of Lepidium sativum L. seed flavonoid-rich extract in managing metabolic syndrome components.

The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical and pharmacological identities of a Lepidium sativum L. (LS) flavonoid-rich extract and its beneficial effects on metabolic, hormonal, and histological status. Chemical screening, as well as high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) identified high concentrations of the main flavonoid compounds in LS crude extract such as flavonols (quercetin, kaempferol), flavones (luteolin, apigenin), and especially flavanones (naringin, naringenin). Examinations of the biochemical and histopathological aspects showed the curative effects carried by LS flavonoid-rich extracts on high-fat diet-fed Wistar rats. In this study, we propose that these molecules probably exerted the bioactivity observed in the treated group through improving insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia, inflammation, and pancreas ß cell integrity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The LS seed is widely used in traditional medicine to treat hyperglycemia and inflammation. During the traditional mixture preparation, the thermal procedures could impair the bioactions of the most interesting group of LS phytoconstituants, flavonoids. In the present study, we propose an appropriate procedure to preserve those phytochemicals and suggest them as a substitute for the management of metabolic diseases. The dried LS extract showed an incredible set of effective flavonoids, which revealed hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and antidiabetic activities. Thus, LS flavonoids constitute a remarkable product to consider in pharmaceutical industry targeting diabetes and heart diseases. Due to their enormous antioxidant potential, the LS flavonoids could be also used in food engineering and cosmetic preparations. Their practical applications is however often limited by low solubility and stability in lipophilic media. Therefore, a modification of the flavonoid structure is possibly required.