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Diabetes mellitus is characterized by high blood glucose levels known as hyperglycemia. In addition, diabetes is associated with decreased Superoxide Dismutase and increased Malondialdehyde levels. Alternative treatments for diabetes mellitus may involve the use of natural ingredients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), and their combination on blood glucose, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)levels in a rat model of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes was induced in the rats by a single intraperitoneal dose of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg BW). The diabetic rats were divided into five groups; DM which served as the control (Diabetic rats without treatment), A1 (Diabetic rats treated with Zingiber officinale extract), A2 (Diabetic rats treated with Cinnamomum verum extract), A3 (Diabetic rats treated with Syzygium aromaticum extract), and A4 (Diabetic rats treated with a combination of the three spices). The treatments were orally administered once daily for 14 days. On day 15, all the rats were euthanized, and blood samples were collected. The blood samples were analyzed for the concentrations of glucose, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The results showed that the administration of A3 significantly reduced blood glucose level, the administration of A1 and A4 significantly reduced MDA level compared to the control. Therefore, these spices have the potential to be used as an alternative medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian borage (Plectranthus amboinicus) is a herb that has been reported to have numerous pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line is commonly utilized for anti-inflammatory drug screening. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of Plectranthus ambonicus ethanol extract (PaE) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cell line has not been studied. This study is aimed at evaluating the antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effect of PaE in murine macrophage model. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed via the inhibitory effect against NO production in RAW 264.7 cell line following LPS stimulation. The antioxidant activity of PaE was evaluated using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents were also evaluated using standard procedures. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of compounds in Plectranthus amboinicus were also predicted in silico. Results from the study has shown that PaE reduced nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. PaE also inhibited DPPH free radical and had a total flavonoid and phenolic contents of 2.04 ± 0.23 mgQE/g and 4.76 ± 0.03 mgGAE/g, respectively. From the in silico study, fifteen compounds from Plectranthus amboinicus were predicted to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Thus, the findings from the present study has shown Indian borge as a plant with antiinflammatory and antioxidant potentials. However, further investigation of the mechanism of action and the identification of its bioactive components is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The sharp increase of pro-inflammatory cytokine becomes a severe problem in some degenerative diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Cherry Leaf Extract (CLE) on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in hyperglycaemic mouse model. A recent patent mentioned that Muntinga calabura is a flavonoid-containing plant which is capable of reinforcing the stomach, appetizing, helping digestion (CN 201611138374), and improving stomach distention (CN106071017A). The efficacy of this miracle plant has inspired this experiment., Methods: In this study, we induced hyperglycemia with high-fat diet and 20% fructose drink. Hyperglycemic mice were orally administered with CLE with the doses 420, 700, and 28000 mg/kg BW for two weeks. After treatment, the pro-inflammatory molecule was analyzed by flow cytometry from splenic cells., Results: This study showed that CLE decreased the production of pro-inflammatory molecules such as IL-6, NF-κB, TNF-α, and IFN γ. In hyperglycemic mice, we found CD68+IL-6+, NK1.1+IL- 6+, B220+NFκB+, CD4+TNF-α+, and CD4+IFN γ + increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to control mice without manipulation. After treatment with 420, 700, or 2800 mg/kg BW of CLE, the pro-inflammatory molecules decreased significantly (p < 0.05), and reached a normal physiology level., Conclusion: CLE can suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines in hyperglycemic mouse model, suggesting this medicinal herb may be beneficial as a potential strategy for future therapeutic interventions in degenerative diseases or a disease involving cell activation., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)