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Diabetes mellitus is a growing public health concern and an increasing interest has been raised to search for new compounds with therapeutic effects on β-cells. There are chronic insulin resistance and loss of β-cell mass in the case of type-2 diabetes which covers about 90% of total diabetic patients. This work aims to critically review the protective and regenerative effects of various antidiabetic natural products on pancreatic β-cells. A thorough literature survey was conducted on the natural molecules and extracts having a protective, regenerative, and repairing effect on β-cells. The primary source of the literature was online scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Besides, selected relevant textbooks were also consulted. Various natural molecules including berberine, curcumin, mangiferin, stevioside and capsaicin, and extracts obtained from the plants like Capsicum annum, Gymnema sylvestre, Stevia rebaudiana and Nymphaea stellate, were found to produce regenerative and anti-apoptosis effects on β-cells. These natural products were also found to increase insulin secretion by stimulating β-cells. The present review concluded that a large number of molecules and extracts, abundantly found in nature, possess antidiabetic effect via targeting β-cells. Further research is warranted to use these agents as a drug against diabetes.

The Himalayan region is the treasure house of natural wealth, particularly of medicinal and aromatic plants. These plants are used by the Indian traditional healers for the past many centuries to treat various ailments such as skin disorders, asthma, diabetes, snake bite, fever, pain, eye diseases, diarrhoea, indigestion, jaundice, burn, wound, liver disorder, CNS disorders and urinary tract infection. The indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and therapies of various local communities has been lost due to changes in traditional culture and the introduction of modern technologies. Therefore, it is essential to explore the traditional knowledge of the indigenous medicinal plants mainly in such areas where there is a severe threat to natural vegetation owing to human inhabitation. The present study aimed to explore the medicinal plants of Chakrata region (Jaunsar–Bawar Hills), Uttarakhand, India used in the folk medicine for the management of diabetes by Jaunsari Tribe. In a comprehensive field survey, the information about the medicinal plants have been mainly collected from the traditional healers and other elderly people belong to the tribal community. All the information about the medicinal plants of the study area was documented in a field book. Various tools have been used to collect the samples for identification purpose and the authentication of the plants was done with the help of taxonomists. The literature on these plants was also searched from online (PubMed and Scopus) as well as from some textbooks and Ayurvedic classical texts. The present survey-based work described a total of 54 plants belonging to 47 genera and 30 families used in the traditional medicine for the management of diabetes in Chakrata region. The information gathered from the local community revealed that the plants are effective in diabetes and one can use most of them without consulting a practitioner or traditional healer. The literature revealed that most of the surveyed plants are already used in the preparation of various antidiabetic formulations such as Chandraprabha vati, Nishamalaki chunra, Amritamehari churna and Nisakathakadi kashayam along with various patent drugs which are frequently prescribed by the Ayurvedic practitioners in India. The present study explored the traditional as well as scientific knowledge on the antidiabetic plants used by the tribal community. The documented information on these plants can be further used by the scientific community to develop new drugs/formulations with the help of modern techniques.

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Drimia indica (Roxb.) Jessop (Asparagaceae) is a reputed Ayurvedic medicine for a number of therapeutic benefits, including for cardiac diseases, indigestion, asthma, dropsy, rheumatism, leprosy, and skin ailments. The present work aimed to critically and extensively review its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and taxonomy together with the mechanisms of action of selected extracts of D. indica. A systematic literature survey from scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science as well as from some textbooks and classical texts was conducted. The plant, mainly its bulb, contains various bioactive constituents, such as alkylresorcinols, bufadienolides, phytosterols, and flavonoids. Various scientific studies have proven that the plant has anthelmintic, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and wound healing activities. The present work concludes that D. indica has the potential to treat various diseases, mainly microbial infections. This review also suggests that bufadienolides, flavonoids, and steroids might be responsible for its bioactive potential.

. Isogenic analysis of glufosinate-ammonium tolerant and susceptible summer rape lines. Can. J. Plant Sci. 78: 401-408. The development of transgenic Brassica napus L., tolerant to non-selective broadspectrum herbicides, such as glyphosate and glufosinate-ammonium, could provide canola growers with an efficient method of weed control. The objective of this study was to determine whether the phosphinothricin-acetyl transferase (pat) gene which imparts tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium, affects the growth, development, productivity, and seed quality of B. napus canola. Nineteen glufosinate-ammonium tolerant and susceptible isogenic pairs of the B. napus cv. Westar, derived from independent transformation events, were evaluated in two field trials in each of 2 yr in Saskatchewan. Tolerant lines of six isogenic pairs were similar in their agronomic performance and seed quality to their susceptible counterparts indicating that glufosinate-ammonium tolerant B. napus can be developed that is not negatively affected in yield and quality by the presence of the pat gene. Several tolerant lines exhibited delayed flowering and maturity, lower biomass and seed yields, and lower oil and protein contents indicating positional effects of the pat gene on performance. Tolerant lines carrying two inserts of the pat gene were more negatively affected in their growth and development than single insert tolerant lines. The results of this study indicate that it would be beneficial to generate a number of different transformants and select elite transgenic lines which are not affected in their performance by the presence of the pat gene for use in cultivar development. Key words: Brassica napus, glufosinate-ammonium tolerance, isogenic analysisKumar, A., Rakow, G. et Downey, R. K. 1998. Analyse isogénique de lignées de colza d'été tolérantes et sensibles au glufosinate-ammonium. Can. J. Plant Sci. 78: 401-408. La mise au point de lignées transgéniques de Brassica napus L. tolérantes aux herbicides non sélectifs à large spectre d'activité comme le glyphosate et le glufosinate-ammonium pourrait constituer pour les producteurs de colza canola une méthode efficace de maîtrise des mauvaises herbes. Nous avons voulu déterminer si le gène codant pour la phosphinothricine-acétyl transférase (pat), lequel confère la tolérance au glufosinate-ammonium, nuit à la croissance et à la productivité du colza canola (B. napus) ainsi qu'à la qualité de ses graines. Dix-neuf paires isogéniques du cultivar Westar, les membres de chaque paire étant soit tolérants soi sensibles au glufosinate-ammonium, ont été évalués au champ pendant deux ans à deux emplacements en Saskatchewan. Les paires provenaient de transformations survenues indépendamment. Les lignées tolérantes de six paires isogéniques étaient semblables à leurs contraires quant au comportement agronomique et à la qualité des graines, ce qui montre qu'il est possible de sélectionner des lignées tolérantes sans effets négatifs du gène pat sur le rendement ou la qualité. Plusieurs lignées tolérantes a...

The research was conducted during kharif seasons of 2008 and 2009. Nineteen genotypes comprising of seventeen Bt hybrids, one conventional hybrid and one variety were evaluated for their reaction to sucking insect pests, under unsprayed condition. Observations on sucking pests were recorded at weekly intervals. The highest population of leafhopper was recorded during 28 th and 32 nd standard weeks. The highest mean incidence was recorded in H-1226. Whitefly population remained below economic threshold level (ETL) during 2008 while during 2009 it crossed ETL in RCH 134 BG-II (6.00-6.23 adults/leaf). Mean highest population was recorded in IT-905 Bt and RCH-134 BG-II. Leafhopper and whitefly population were significantly and positively correlated with temperature while negatively correlated with rainfall. Among the genotypes, it was observed that there was no significant difference in population of the sucking pests.