Hyperglycemia causes increased protein glycation and the formation of early glycation products and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which are major factors responsible for the complications associated with diabetes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant as well as antiglycative potential of ethyl acetate fraction of guava leaves. Oral administration of the extract at different doses showed a significant decrease in blood glucose level. It also showed an improved antioxidant potential as evidenced by decreased lipid peroxidation and a significant increase in the activity of various antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. Glycated hemoglobin as well as fructosamine which are indicators of glycation was also reduced significantly in treated groups when compared to diabetic control. In vitro studies also support the antioxidant as well as antiglycative potential of guava leaves.

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Alcohol abuse affects several neurological pathways and causes significant alterations in the brain. Abstention from alcohol causes only a marginal decrease in oxidative stress and neuro inflammation. Our previous studies had shown that an active metabolite of vitamin A, all trans retinoic acid (ATRA), ameliorates alcohol induced toxicity. Hence in the present study we investigated whether ATRA regressed alcohol induced neuroinflammation. We focused on the role of silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1(SIRT1) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NFκB). Animals were administered with ethanol at a daily dose of (4 g/kg body weight) for 90 days. On the 91st day ethanol administration was stopped and animals were divided into ethanol abstention (A) and ATRA supplementation group (ATRA + A) (100 µg/kg body weight) and maintained for 30 days. Ethanol exposure increased markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and the activities of alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenases and reduced the expression of SIRT1 in the whole brain.The ethanol induced altered expressions of NFκB and SIRT1 were modulated by supplementation of ATRA. Abstention also reduced toxicity, but to a lower extent in comparison with supplementation of ATRA. Our results seemed to suggest that ATRA regressed the mediators of ethanol induced neuroinflammation by reducing oxidative stress and by regulating the expression of NFκB and SIRT1. The ameliorative potential of ATRA was much higher than abstention.

Context: Antiglycative potential of Psidium guajava L. (Myrtaceae) leaves has been established. However, the molecular basis of its antiglycative potential remains unknown. Objective: The ethyl acetate fraction of P. guajava leaves (PGEt) was evaluated to determine the cardioprotective effect and its mechanism of action compared to quercetin. Materials and methods: After the induction of diabetes by streptozotocin (55 mg/kg body weight), PGEt and quercetin (50 mg/kg body weight) was administered for 60 days. Rats were grouped as follows: Group C: Control, Group D: Diabetic, Group D þ E: Diabetic rats treated with PGEt, Group D þ Q: Diabetic rats treated with quercetin. The antiglycative potential was evaluated by assaying glycosylated haemoglobin, serum fructosamine and advanced glycation end product levels. The differential receptor for advanced glycation end products and nuclear factor kappa B (NFjB) protein levels was determined by western blot and the transcript level changes of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and TGF-b1 in heart tissue were assessed by RT-PCR analysis. Results: Glycated haemoglobin and serum fructosamine levels were found to be enhanced in diabetic rats when compared with control. Administration of PGEt significantly reduced the glycated haemoglobin and fructosamine levels to a larger extent than quercetin treated diabetic rats. PGEt reduced the translocation of NFjB from cytosol to nucleus when compared with diabetic rats. Expression of TGF-b1, CTGF and BNP was downregulated in PGEt treated groups compared with diabetic controls. Discussion and conclusion: Administration of PGEt ameliorated diabetes associated changes in the myocardium to a greater extent than quercetin. ARTICLE HISTORY

Earlier studies from one of the investigator's laboratory have demonstrated the presence of a high molecular weight protein (182 kDa) in the blood serum of laboratory animals subjected to pressure-induced cardiac hypertrophy and suggested that this protein may be involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Studies have shown that this protein is also involved in earlier stages of cardiac complications associated with diabetes, but the role of this protein in diabetic heart is less understood. So we aimed to check whether this protein is having any protective role in diabetic heart. The protein was purified from serum of rats induced with cardiac hypertrophy and the purified protein was injected through tail vein of diabetic rats for further studies. The results of various antioxidant enzymes and the TBARS levels have indicated the antioxidant activity of this protein. Real-time PCR analysis of gene expression revealed the upregulation of certain muscle-specific genes like β-MHC, MLC-2, and skeletal α actin in diabetic group and also in presence of 182-kDa protein. The results further showed a down regulation of genes such as cardiac α-actin and α- MHC implicating the role of this protein in the development of cardiac hypertrophy in diabetes. Increased cardiac hypertrophy as revealed by the expression of various genes and improved antioxidant potential in presence of 182 kDa protein in diabetes at the earlier stages is beneficial for counteracting the myocardial damage associated with diabetes.

Pterospermum rubiginosum is an evergreen tree belonging to the family Sterculiaceae, different solvents like hexane, chloroform, acetone, and carbinol were used for sequential soxhlet extraction of air dried powdered bark, the obtained extracts stored at desiccators for phytochemical screening. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, and phenolic acids. The main objective of this article is to evaluate the different phytochemicals present in bark extracts for further detailed study and to enable proper documentation for conserving our traditional knowledge about endemic medicinal plants for the future generations. HPTLC fingerprint analysis of Pterospermum rubiginosum bark extract showed the presence of tannins, its derivatives and gallic acid. The cell viability of both methanolic and aqueous extracts was evaluated by MTT assay against lung fibroblast (L929) cell line and LC50 Value were found to be 150.32µg/mL and 135.17µg/mL for PRAQ and PRME respectively.