Withania coagulans fruit has been shown to possess antihyperglycemic properties and is used in the traditional Indian system of medicine. However, there has no systematic study of its mechanism of action. In a rat model diabetes mellitus (DM) was induced by intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide (230 mg/kg of body weight) followed by streptozotocin at 55 mg/kg of body weight. After 96 h, mildly diabetic (MD) (fasting plasma glucose [FPG]=7-11.1 mmol/L) and severely diabetic (SD) (FPG>11.1 mmol/L) rats were treated with aqueous extract of W. coagulans fruit at doses of 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of body weight/day orally. FPG, postprandial plasma glucose (PPPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)), plasma insulin, tissue glycogen, and glucose-metabolizing enzymes were assayed at Day 30. Treatment of diabetic animals (MD and SD) with different doses of aqueous W. coagulans resulted in significantly decreased FPG, PPPG, and HbA(1c) (P<.01), whereas serum insulin increased significantly compared with that in diabetic-untreated rats (P<.01). MD and SD animals treated with aqueous W. coagulans also showed significant increases in liver and muscle glycogen compared with diabetic-untreated animals (P<.01). Moreover, activities of glucokinase and phosphofructokinase were also significantly increased (P<.01), whereas glucose-6-phosphatase activity was significantly decreased (P<.01) in MD and SD groups treated with aqueous W. coagulans compared with diabetic-untreated groups. The most effective dose of aqueous W. coagulans was 250 mg/kg of body weight. These results show that the aqueous extract of W. coagulans fruit has significant antihyperglycemic effects, which may be through the modulation of insulin levels and related enzyme activities.

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Musa sapientum Linn. (English 'Banana' family Musaceae), is a plant with nutritive, as well as medicinal value. Antihypercholesterolemic and antioxidant effect of methanolic extract of stem of this plant was investigated in hypercholesterolemic rats. Rats were made hypercholesterolemic by feeding cholesterol (100 mg/kg/day) suspended in soya oil. Treatment groups received extract at a dose of 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/day in addition to cholesterol orally once daily. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after 6 weeks treatment. Animals were sacrificed and liver stored at -80 °C. Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol were estimated in blood. Malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase were measured in blood and liver. Total lipids, HMG CoA redutase and lipoprotein lipase were investigated in liver. Most effective dose was found to be 20 mg/kg/day. Rise in total cholesterol, LDL + VLDL-cholesterol and triacylglycerol in animals receiving only cholesterol was 179 %, 417 % and 74 % respectively, while in animals receiving 20 mg/kg dose rise in these parameters was restricted to 40 %, 106 % and 24 %. HDL-cholesterol decreased by 12 % in extract treated group, while it decreased to 36 % in untreated hypercholesterolemic rats. Malonaldialdehyde, marker of lipid peroxidation decreased while reduced glutathione and enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase increased significantly in blood and liver (p < 0.01). Total lipids in liver decreased and enzymes of lipid metabolism viz. HMG CoA redutase and lipoprotein lipase were restored to near normal. Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy indicated high content of sterols in extract. Study demonstrated that methanol extract of stem of Musa sapientum has significant antihypercholesterolemic and antioxidant effects.

Background:  Musa sapientum Linn. is a herbaceous plant of the Musaceae family. It has been used in India for the treatment of gastric ulcer, hypertension, diarrhea, dysentery, and diabetes. The antidiabetic effect of the fruit, root, and flower has been demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to assess the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of the stem of M. sapientum Linn. Methods:  Diabetes was induced in rats by streptozotocin injection (45 mg/kg, i.p.). Diabetic rats were treated for 2 weeks with different doses of lyophilized stem juice of M. sapientum Linn. (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) to select the most effective dose. The effects of 4 weeks treatment with this dose (50 mg/kg) on fasting and postprandial plasma glucose (FPG, PPG) levels, body weight, lipid profile, HbA1c, insulin, liver enzymes (i.e. glucokinase, glucose‐6‐phosphatase and 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A [HMG‐CoA] reductase) and muscle and liver glycogen were evaluated. Results:  The most effective dose of lyophilized stem juice of M. sapientum Linn. was 50 mg/kg. Four weeks treatment with this dose resulted in significant decreases in FPG and PPG (P < 0.05). Serum insulin increased (P < 0.05) whereas HbA1c decreased (P < 0.05). Diabetes‐induced changes to the lipid profile, muscle and liver glycogen, and enzyme activity (i.e. glucokinase, glucose‐6‐phosphatase, and HMG‐CoA reductase) were restored near to normal levels (P < 0.05). Conclusion:  Diabetic rats responded favorably to treatment with lyophilized stem juice of M. sapientum Linn., which exhibits antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects.

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In nutritional studies there is a great need stant." It is now known( 1) that the weaning for employing rats showing uniformity in weight of rat is influenced by the following weight. In the weanling rats reared in these factors: (a) the number of young the mother Laboratories it has not been possible to obtain suckles, (b) the position of the litter in litter appreciable uniformity in weights. The in-series, (c) the nature of the diet. While dividual variation was considerable although studying these aspects, it was noticed that the average weaning weight of animals born during different periods remained fairly con-* Unpublished data.at UNIV OF MICHIGAN on June 17, 2015 ebm.sagepub.com Downloaded from * Preliminanreport appeared in P o d t r y Sci., 1955, rat( 1 ) , dog (2), guinea pig( 3 ) , and mouse (41, onset of deficiency is relatively slow and becomes apparent in changes in skin and fur as Well as in decreased growth rate. The periods required for depletion of essential fatty v34, 1231.