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The Antioxidant Activities of Betula etnensis Rafin. Ethanolic Extract Exert Protective and Anti-diabetic Effects on
Giuseppe Antonio Malfa1, Barbara Tomasello1, Rosaria Acquaviva1
1Department of Drug Science, Section of Biochemistry, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
Abstract:
Pathophysiological mechanisms correlating diabetes mellitus with associated complications are still not completely clear, even though oxidative stress seems to play a pivotal role. Literature data suggest that cell damages induced by hyperglycemia, although multifactorial, have a common pathway in oxidative/nitrosative stress. The present study evaluated the effects of Betula etnensis Raf. bark extract, a plant belonging to the Betulaceae family endemic to Sicily, on oxidative stress and in preventing and/or retarding diabetes-associated complications in streptozotocin diabetic rats treated with the extract at dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight per day for 28 consecutive days. The extract administration significant decreased food and water intake, fasting blood glucose, weight loss and polyuria, compared with untreated diabetic animals. Furthermore, oxidative stress markers particularly, lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and nitrite/nitrate levels, non-proteic thiol groups (RSH), γ-glutamyl-cysteine-synthetase (γ-GCS) activities and expression, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases (i-NOS e-NOS) expression, significantly changed by streptozocin treatment, were markedly restored both in plasma and tissues together with nuclear sirtuins activity (Sirt1). Results suggested that B. etnensis bark alcoholic extract is able to counteract oxidative stress and to ameliorate some general parameters related to diabetes.
Insights
Betula etnensis bark extract combats oxidative stress and diabetes complications in rats. This natural remedy improved key diabetes indicators and restored crucial cellular markers, suggesting therapeutic potential.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Biochemistry
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus complications are linked to oxidative stress, a common pathway for hyperglycemia-induced cell damage.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies against diabetes-associated conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Betula etnensis bark extract on oxidative stress in diabetic rats.
- To evaluate the extract's potential in preventing or retarding diabetes-associated complications.
Main Methods:
- Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were treated with Betula etnensis bark extract (0.5 g/kg/day for 28 days).
- Evaluated parameters included food/water intake, blood glucose, weight changes, polyuria, oxidative stress markers (LOOH, nitrite/nitrate, RSH), enzyme activities (γ-GCS), gene/protein expression (HO-1, i-NOS, e-NOS), and Sirt1 activity.
Main Results:
- The extract significantly reduced food/water intake, fasting blood glucose, weight loss, and polyuria compared to untreated diabetic rats.
- Key oxidative stress markers and related enzyme activities/expressions were restored towards normal levels.
- Nuclear Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) activity was also favorably modulated by the extract treatment.
Conclusions:
- The alcoholic bark extract of Betula etnensis effectively counteracts oxidative stress in a diabetic rat model.
- The findings suggest that Betula etnensis extract can ameliorate general diabetes parameters and associated complications.
