Brain oxidative signaling pathways have been identified as important targets for alleviating food deprivation-induced changes in metabolic gate-ways. Previous studies have shown that prenatal and early postnatal malnutrition alters leptin and ghrelin signaling via oxidative pathways. Thus, it has been hypothesized that agents with antioxidant properties might be beneficial for the mitigation of prenatal and early postnatal food scarcity-induced oxidative damage. Quercetin and kaempferol are natural bioflavonoids with proven antioxidant properties. In this study, we evaluated their effects on prenatal maternal food consumption, maternal and pup weights, biomarkers of orexigenic and anorexigenic hormones and oxidative stress in rats. Rats were allotted into different treatment groups (n = 6) in three different experiments (prenatal, postnatal food-deprivations or both). Prenatal-food restriction (PrNFR) was induced by 50% of
ad libitum
accessible diet during pregnancy till parturition and postnatal-food restriction (PsNFR) was simulated by litter-enlargement to 16 pups per mother from postnatal day (PND) 2. Rats in each experiment were concurrently treated with vehicle (10 mL/kg), quercetin (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) or kaempferol (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) respectively. A third experimental group consisted of both protocols. Quercetin and kaempferol dose-dependently increased the body weights of pups exposed to PrNFR, PsNFR and PrNFR-PsNFR at PNDs 1–22 respectively. Both compounds increased maternal body weights but attenuated maternal food-intake at prenatal days 7 and 14 due by PrNFR. Quercetin and kaempferol reduced brain malondialdehyde concentrations and increased glutathione levels in PrNFR, PsNFR and PrNFR-PsNFR-exposed offspring of rats. Importantly, quercetin and kaempferol significantly (
p
< 0.05) prevented PrNFR-, PsNFR- or PrNFR-PsNFR-induced alterations in leptin and ghrelin levels. Cumulatively, quercetin and kaempferol increased pup and maternal weights and attenuated maternal food-intake of rats submitted to PrNFR, PsNFR and PrNFR-PsNFR respectively, likely via nutrigenomic modulations of orexigenic/anorexigenic hormones and inhibition of brain oxidative stress.
Extract of Ocimum gratissimum (OG), also known as scent leaf, is popularly used to treat diabetes mellitus and its hypoglycaemic activity has been confirmed by in vivo studies. The aim was to investigate the effect of this extract on placenta development and birth outcome in diabetic pregnancy. Forty two pregnant rats weighing 150-200 g were used. They were divided into control and extract treated diabetic and non-diabetic groups with 6 rats in each subgroup. Extract treated groups were administered 200 and 400 mg/kg of ethanolic extract of OG orally after the induction of diabetes by administration of alloxan monohydrate after an overnight fast. Treatment commenced in the second trimester and lasted till end of pregnancy. On day 18 of pregnancy, 3 rats from each group were sacrificed and placentae harvested and weighed. On the day of delivery, birth weight and other parameters were recorded. Results show that OG administration caused a significant decrease in placental weights, birth weights, litter sizes and placental-birth weight ratio in both diabetic and nondiabetic pregnancy. In conclusion, the observed decrease in placenta-birth weight ratios may suggest a protective beneficial effect of this extract against macrosomia in diabetic pregnancies and increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.
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