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This study investigated the antidiabetic effects of the methanolic extract of E. africanum (MEEA) stem bark on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Wistar rats. The in vitro enzyme (α-amylase) inhibitory activity of MEEA was measured using a standard procedure. Diabetic rats with fasting blood glucose above 250 mg/dL were considered diabetic and were divided into the following groups: control (distilled water-treated), diabetic-control, diabetic metformin (100 mg/kg), diabetes + MEEA (150 mg/kg), and diabetes + MEEA (300 mg/kg) via oral gavage once daily for 14 days. At the end of the experimental period, kidney tissues were collected for biochemical and histological analyses. Kidney apoptosis and marker gene expression were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. MEEA exhibited α-amylase inhibitory effects. MEEA significantly (p<0.05) reduced the STZ-induced increases in blood glucose, serum urea, serum creatinine, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and malondialdehyde and increased the STZ-induced decreases in superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione. In addition, MEEA protects against DN by significantly downregulating the mRNA expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), cAMP-response binding protein (CREB), and cFOS and upregulating B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), suggesting that the nephroprotective ability of MEEA is due to the modulation of the cAMP/PKA/CREB/cFOS signaling pathway. Furthermore, MEEA treatment protected against histopathological alterations observed in diabetic rats. The data from this study suggest that MEEA modulates glucose homeostasis and inhibits redox imbalance in DN rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In West Africa, the stem of Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig are commonly used as remedy against a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases without scientific basis. The present study characterizes the phenolic constituents, assessed the cholinergic enzymes (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) and evaluated the antioxidant properties of phenolic extracts from B. sapida K.D. Koenig. Total phenol and flavonoids content was evaluated as well as antioxidants as illustrated by Fe2+ chelation, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH∙) radical scavenging ability and 2,2-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS∙) radical scavenging ability spectophotometrically. The ability of the extract to inhibit the activities of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase was also evaluated. The extract was found to be rich in phenolic acid (gallic acid, ellagic acid) and flavonoids (Quercetrin and Luteolin). The results show that the phenolic extracts had DPPH radical scavenging abilities (IC50 = 90.71 μg/mL), ABTS∙ radical scavenging ability (IC50 = 85.47 μg/mL), iron chelation (IC50 = 136.61 μg/mL) and reducing power (Fe3+- Fe2+) (400.08 AAE mg/100g). Extracts of B. sapida inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (IC50 = 125.56 μg/mL) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) (IC50 = 230.63 μg/mL) activities in a concentration dependent manner (20-100 μg/mL). Hence, one probable means through which the stem bark execute their anti-Alzheimer's disease activity might be by inhibiting cholinesterase activities in addition to thwarting oxidative-stressinduced neurodegeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]