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Background: Pregnant women with mild gestational hyperglycemia present high risk for hypertension, obesity and hyperglycemia, and appeared to reproduce the model of metabolic syndrome in pregnancy, with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. Our clinical studies showed that mild gestational hyperglycemia or gestational diabetes are related to similar adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Hyperglycemia and other factors associated with diabetes generate reactive oxygen species that increase DNA damage levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes of pregnant women with diabetes or mild gestational hyperglycemia. Methods: The study included 111 pregnant women distributed into three groups based on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and glycemic profiles (GP), as follows: Normal OGTT and GP (control group); Normal OGTT and abnormal GP (mild gestational hyperglycemia group); Abnormal OGTT and GP (diabetic group). Maternal blood samples (5-10 mL) were collected and processed for determination of oxidative DNA damage by the comet assay, using Fpg and Endo III enzymes. Urine samples were also collected for determination of 8-OHdG concentrations by ELISA. Results: Subjects in the diabetes group presented increased amount of oxidized purines, while mild gestational hyperglycemia women presented with increased oxidized pyrimidines, compared to the control group. Conclusion: Gestational, overt diabetes and mild gestational hyperglycemia, were all related to increased oxidative DNA damage. Diabetic pregnant women showed increased level of oxidative DNA damage, perhaps mainly due to hyperglycemia. On the other hand, oxidative DNA damage detected in women with mild gestational hyperglycemia might be associated with repercussions from obesity, hypertension and/or insulin resistance. Interestingly, the type of DNA base affected seemed to be dependent on the glycemic profile or oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pregnant women with mild gestational hyperglycemia present high risk for hypertension, obesity and hyperglycemia, and appeared to reproduce the model of metabolic syndrome in pregnancy, with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. Our clinical studies showed that mild gestational hyperglycemia or gestational diabetes are related to similar adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Hyperglycemia and other factors associated with diabetes generate reactive oxygen species that increase DNA damage levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes of pregnant women with diabetes or mild gestational hyperglycemia. Methods The study included 111 pregnant women distributed into three groups based on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and glycemic profiles (GP), as follows: Normal OGTT and GP (control group); Normal OGTT and abnormal GP (mild gestational hyperglycemia group); Abnormal OGTT and GP (diabetic group). Maternal blood samples (5-10 mL) were collected and processed for determination of oxidative DNA damage by the comet assay, using Fpg and Endo III enzymes. Urine samples were also collected for determination of 8-OHdG concentrations by ELISA. Results Subjects in the diabetes group presented increased amount of oxidized purines, while mild gestational hyperglycemia women presented with increased oxidized pyrimidines, compared to the control group. Conclusion Gestational, overt diabetes and mild gestational hyperglycemia, were all related to increased oxidative DNA damage. Diabetic pregnant women showed increased level of oxidative DNA damage, perhaps mainly due to hyperglycemia. On the other hand, oxidative DNA damage detected in women with mild gestational hyperglycemia might be associated with repercussions from obesity, hypertension and/or insulin resistance. Interestingly, the type of DNA base affected seemed to be dependent on the glycemic profile or oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curatella americana L. is employed in popular medicine for treating diabetes. However, the understanding around its outcomes during pregnancy is unclear. To evaluate the phytochemical and hypoglycemic analysis of the C. americana extract and its maternal-fetal effect on diabetic rats. Diabetes was chemically induced 24 h after birth in Wistar female newborn rats. At adulthood, after diabetes status confirmation, the rats were mated and randomized into four experimental groups: Nondiabetic (Control): given water; Treated: given C. americana extract; Diabetic, and Treated Diabetic rats. The aqueous extract of C. americana leaves (300 mg/kg) was administered daily through oral route during pregnancy. Maternal toxicity and biochemical profile, reproductive outcomes, fetal development, and phenolic composition and biogenic amines in aqueous extract were analyzed. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the main phenolic components are 3-hydroxytyrosol, kaempferol, and quercetin, while tryptophan and putrescine derivatives were identified as the dominant amines. C. americana extract treatment improved the lipid profile, although no effect on hyperglycemic control in diabetic rats was observed. Maternal diabetes or C. americana extract caused embryo losses confirmed by the lower number of pre-embryos in early pregnancy and higher percentage of abnormal morphologically pre-embryos. C. americana extract previously caused premature pre-embryo fixation before implantation window in nondiabetic and diabetic mothers and intrauterine growth restriction in the fetuses of treated nondiabetic dams, complicating the embryo fetal development. These findings reinforce the caution of indiscriminate use of medicinal plants, especially during pregnancy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]