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
Melia dubia Cav. (Meliaceae) is a multipurpose tree of tropical and subtropical regions mainly cultivated for its medicinal and industrial importance. Due to its versatile properties, it has been depleted in its natural environment. Moreover due to sluggish and poor seed germination, there is a threat of its gene pool exclusion from the natural habitat. The alternative method for conservation and efficient mass propagation is thus need of the hour. As per the extensive literature survey there is no report on efficient protocol for mass propagation of M. dubia through callus organogenesis. Therefore, the present work was aimed to develop in vitro organogenesis protocol for rapid and large scale production of planting material. From our results, maximum callus percentage, callus weight and fragile callus was observed on 1.0 mg/l benzylaminopurine (BAP) in combination with 0.5 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The callus differentiation was achieved at different concentrations of BAP and indole acetic acid (IAA). Multiple Shoot number per callus propagule 5.30 was observed on 0.5 mg/l BAP and 1 mg/l IAA concentration. The maximum rooting percentage (78.5%), root number per explant (4.33) and root length per explant (4.41 cm) was observed at 0.5 mg/l indol butyric acid (IBA) after 30 days of inoculation. Further the total flavonoid content, phenolic content and antioxidant properties of leaves of in-vitro regenerated plants where studied. Total flavonoids and phenolic content in leaves of in vitro Melia dubia was 0.56 ± 0.8 mg quercitin equivalent (QE) and 2.97 ± 0.17 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) respectively. The antioxidant property was further assed through measurement of DPPH radical scavenging activity. The in-vitro regeneration protocol can be exploited for commercial cultivation and fulfilling the growing demand for fresh explant material through mass propagation of M. dubia an economically important plant species.
The present study documents the traditional knowledge and micropropagation strategies of medicinal plants belonging to family Asclepiadaceae with particular emphasis on a well-studied medicinal plant Gymnema sylvestre R.Br. The family Asclepiadaceae comprises about 320 genera and 2700 species. Due to the elevated market demand of the medicinal plants belonging to family Asclepiadaceae, most of the species are endangered, threatened, rare or critically endangered. The species of the family are also exploited locally due to their high medicinal value and other etanobotanical properties. There are other constrains as well which impede their abundance in nature including low seed germination and poor vegetative propagation. In this direction various in vitro micropropagation protocols have been established from time to time on a range of species of the family Asclepiadaceae. Present review thus emphasizes on medicinal importance and in vitro micropropagation studies on various plants of family Asclepiadaceae with special reference to Gymnema sylvestre. Gymnema sylvestre (Hindi: Gurmar) is a medicinal plant of immense pharmaceutical value, but it is disappearing fast from its natural habitat. The species is threatened with extinction due to its indiscriminate collection as raw material for pharmaceutical industry, where it is used for manufacturing of drugs for diabetes, asthma, eye complaints, etc. So, present study was designed to provide an overview that can serve as a data base and prospective guide on medicinal importance and micropropagation studies on family Asclepiadaceae in general and Gymnema sylvestre in particular.
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