The present study was designed to explore the mechanism by which ethanol extract of Bombax ceiba leaves (BCE) and its main constituent mangiferin (MGF) affect diabetic nephropathy by combating oxidative stress. Oral administration of BCE and MGF to normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice were carried out. Fasting blood glucose, 24-h urinary albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were tested, histopathology, and immunohistochemical analysis of kidney tissues were performed. Moreover, mesangial cells were treated with BCE and MGF for 48 h with or without 25 mmol·L of glucose. Immunofluorescence, Western blot and apoptosis analyses were used to investigate their regulation of oxidative stress and mitochondrial function. BCE and MGF ameliorated biochemical parameters and restored STZ-induced renal injury in the model mice. In vitro study showed that high glucose stimulation increased oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in mesangial cells. BCE and MGF limited mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) collapse by inhibiting Nox4, mitochondrially bound hexokinase II dissociation, and subsequent ROS production, which effectively reduced oxidative stress, cleaved caspase-3 expression and cell apoptosis. Our work indicated that BCE and MGF had protective effects on diabetic caused kidney injury and prevented oxidative stress in mesangial cells by regulation of hexokinase II binding and Nox4 oxidase signaling.
Animals ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Bombax ; chemistry ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Xanthones ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo examine the anti-bacterial activity of leaf extracts of Morus alba L. (Moraceae) and Piper betel L. (Piperaceae), and seed extracts of Bombax ceiba L. (Borabacaceae).

METHODSWe have partially purified plant extracts by solvent extraction method, and evaluated the effect of individual fractions on bacterial growth using Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacterial strains.

RESULTSCompared with Morus and Bombax fractions, Piper fractions showed significant growth inhibition on all the three types of bacteria studied. The EtOAc-hexane fractions of Piper leaves exhibited significant anti-bacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 50 µg/mL culture against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The EtOAc-fractions I, II, and IV inhibited bacterial colony formation on soft agar in addition to growth inhibition. A combination treatment of piper fractions with ampicillin resulted in significant growth inhibition in E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and combination with anticancer drug geldanamycin (2µg/mL) showed selective growth inhibition against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Three major compounds, i.e., eugenol, 3-hexene-ol and stigmasterol, were primarily identified from Piper betel leaf extractions. Among the individual compounds, eugenol treatment showed improved growth inhibition compared with stigmasterol and 3-hexene-ol.

CONCLUSIONSWe are reporting potential anti-bacterial compounds from Piper betel against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria either alone or in combination with drug treatment.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Bombax ; chemistry ; Colony Count, Microbial ; Drug Synergism ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; India ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Morus ; chemistry ; Piper ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects

The present study aimed at exploring the therapeutic potential of standard extract of Bombax ceiba L. leaves (BCE) in type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM). Oral administration of BCE at doses of 70, 140, and 280 mg·kg, to the normal rats and the high-fat-diet- and streptozotocin-induced T2DM rats were carried out. Effects of BCE on blood glucose, body weight, and a range of serum biochemical parameters were tested, and histopathological observation of pancreatic tissues was also performed. HPLC-ESI-Q/TOF-MS/MS analysis indicated that the chemical composition of BCE mainly contained mangiferin, isoorientin, vitexin, isomangiferin, isovitexin, quercetin hexoside, 2'-trans-O-cumaroyl mangiferin, and nigricanside. BCE caused a significant decrease in the concentrations of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, serum insulin, and malondialdehyde, and increases in oral glucose tolerance, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and superoxide dismutase in the T2DM model rats. Moreover, considerable pancreatic β-cells protection effect and stimulation of insulin secretion from the remaining pancreatic β-cells could be observed after BCE treatment. The results indicated that BCE exhibited an excellent hypoglycemic activity, and alleviated dyslipidemia which is associated with T2DM. Antioxidant activity and protecting pancreatic β-cells are the possible mechanisms involved in anti-diabetic activity of BCE.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Bombax ; chemistry ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Hypolipidemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley