Purpose: To evaluate the antidiabetic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant potential of seed oil of Nigella sativa L (NSO). Methods: Nigella sativa seed oil (NSO) was extracted with Soxhlet apparatus using petroleum ether, and was given orally at a dose of 2.5 ml/kg body weight to alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits daily for 24 days. Biochemical parameters including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), very low lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and plasma glucose were determined in the treatment and control groups. Furthermore, bilirubin, vitamin C, catalase and mean body weight were assessed. Results: NSO treatment significantly lowered serum blood glucose levels and lipid contents, but increased the mean body weight, HDL-C and vitamin C levels of diabetic rabbits (p < 0.001). Moreover, NSO significantly decreased catalase activity, TC, TGs, LDL-C and VLDL-C levels, but normalized bilirubin levels in diabetic rabbits. Conclusion: These results indicate that NSO possesses significant antidiabetic potential. Thus, it may be useful as an adjunct with antidiabetic medication but further studies are required to ascertain this. Keywords: Black cumin, Diabetes, Hypoglycemic, Hypolipidemic, Antioxidants

Recovery of phenolics from Morus alba leaves (MAL) and extraction into the solvent was optimized using enzyme-assisted extraction. The influence of four parameters, including enzyme concentration (EC), temperature (T), incubation time (t) and pH were investigated using rotatable central composite design (RCCD). Two factors, namely enzyme concentration and pH, exhibited significant effect on extraction efficacy yield of extractable phenolics from MAL. Furthermore, artificial neural network (ANN) model was executed to predict the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Among enzyme complexes (kemzyme dry-plus, natuzyme and zympex-014) employed for extraction, zympex-014 assisted extract depicted maximum amount of phenolic bioactives from MAL. Morphological changes in the cell wall of MAL residue were elucidated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main phenolic compounds identified and quantified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in MAL extract were found to be quercetin, gallic acid, m-coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, syrinigc acid and vanillic acid.

Major objective of this study was to appraise the variation of antioxidant activity, total phenols, total flavonoids and individual phenolic acids among fruit peels from five species of Citrus namely C. sinensis 'Valancia' (Mausami), C. sinensis 'Maltaise Sanguine' (Red blood), C. reticulata (Kinnow), C. reticulata Blanco 'Merisol' (Fruiter), and C. paradisi 'Macfadyen' (Grapefruit) as function of extraction solvents. The extract yield from the fruit peels of the selected Citrus species by using four solvents varied significantly (p<0.05) 17.56-49.13 g/100g in relation to the extraction media and type of peel. The highest extraction yield was obtained with 100% methanol from Red blood (C. sinensis 'Maltaise Sanguine') peel while the least with 100% ethanol from Fruiter (C. reticulata Blanco 'Merisol') peel. The total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC 50 ) and reducing power [FRAP (EC 50 )] for peel extracts ranged from 13.69 to 66.10 GAE mg/g of dry weight (DW), 9.34 to 28.99 CE mg/g DW, 0.33 to 2.32 mg/mL and 2.05 to 6.76 mg/mL, respectively. According to HPLC analysis of peel extracts, gallic acid and protocatechuic acid with contribution 11.96-96.08 and 109.18-578.59mg/kg of extract, respectively, were detected to be the main phenolic acids among others. Total amount of individual phenolic acids (TPAs) in the tested peels varied over 18.37 to 1015.99 mg/kg of extract. The highest amount of TPAs was extracted in Red blood (C. sinensis 'Maltaise Sanguine') with 80% methanol while the least in Grapefruit (C. paradisi 'Macfadyen') with 100% methanol. It can be concluded from the present data that both the species and extraction solvents have notable effect on the antioxidant attributes and phenolics of citrus peels. Overall, the results of this study showed that extracts from peel of Red blood (C. sinensis 'Maltaise Sanguine'), among others, possessed superior antioxidant activity and greater amount of phenolic acids.

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