Chromosomal aberrations and nucleic acids systems affected by some Egyptian medicinal plants used in treating female pregnant diabetic rats

Abstract

The influences of medicinal plants Juniperus Phoenicea (Araar), Hyphaene thebaica (Doum), Anastatica hierochuntica (Kafta) and Cleome droserifolia (Sammo) as antidiabetic agents were investigated using female pregnant albino rats. Female rats were injected with 60 mg/kg b.w. alloxan to induce diabetes. Diabetic rats treated orally with the methanol extracts of tested plants till the 19 day of gestation. The present studies include the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and nucleic acid system of liver in the female pregnant rats and their embryos. The results showed that injection of alloxan caused highly significant increase in chromosomal aberrations as well as in blood glucose levels as a result of diabetes in pregnant females. It also caused a high incidence of chromosomal deviation in embryos and decreased the liver soluble protein contents of female rats and their embryos. These effects in alloxanized animals were treated and improved by ingestion of the methanol extracts of the tested plants (Araar, Doum, Kafta and Somma) in which under their treatments, the inceased level of blood glucose of diabetic rats was deceased. Ingestion with the plants methanolic extracts improved and normalized the effects of diabetes in nucleic acids values of liver tissues. These were accompanied with nucleases (RNAase and DNAase) activities. The inhibited activities of both DNA ase and RNA ase of pregnant rats and their embryos were stimulated and readjusted around the normal values. Also administration of the plants methanol extracts decreased the percentage of chromosomal aberrations in the female rats and embryos. It is concluded that there are some biochemical dynamics which might occur in the metabolism of glucose, nucleic acids and proteins in order to prevent or to reduce the oxidative stress of diabetes by flavonoides treatment.

Investigation of Antiulcer and Antioxidant Activity of <i>Juniperus phoenicea</i> L. (1753) Essential Oil in an Experimental Rat Model

“…In fact, cones, twigs and especially the young shoots are administered by infusion because they have diuretic, stomach and digestive effects. [16][17][18][19][20] J. phoenicea is also used as a decoction against diabetes, diarrhoea and rheumatism, while dried and powdered fruit can cure skin ulcerations and abscesses. [21][22][23] Chemical compounds are incorporated into pharmaceutical preparations, especially for antiseptic use, which is attributed to the presence of essential oils.…”

Effects of Juniperus phoenicea extract on uricemia and activity of antioxidant enzymes in liver, erythrocyte and testis of hyperuricemic (oxonate-treated) rats

“…Fruits of another species, Juniperus communis, are swallowed like a pill against cough, to alleviate pain and to cure hemorrhoids, whereas tar of this species is used externally against scabies and heat rash (Fujita et al, 1995). The boiled fruit of Juniperus oxycedrus is widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, common colds, as expectorant in cough, to treat calcinosis in joints, as diuretic to pass kidney stones, against urinary inflammations, hemorrhoids, and as antidiabetic (Yesilada et al, 1993;Abdou et al, 2011), while the resin was used for wound healing (Yesilada et al, 1993).…”