Diabetes is known to involve oxidative stress and changes in antioxidant enzymes. Many plants metabolites have been shown to possess antioxidant activities, improving the effects of oxidative stress complications in diabetic conditions. This study evaluated the effects of extracts from Newbouldia laevis leaves and stem on liver marker enzymes and antioxidant enzymes in rat model. The results confirmed that the untreated diabetic rats were subjected to oxidative stress as indicated by significantly abnormal activities of their scavenging enzymes (low superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione activities) to the extent of liver enzymes leakage from the hepatocytes when compared with apparently healthy rats. The ethanol extracts of N. laevis leaves and stem possessed antioxidant activity as shown by increased activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and glutathione levels of the diabetic rats after treatment. High levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), which are typical of oxidative stress condition were differentially ameliorated after treatment with the ethanol extracts of N. laevis leaves and stem in a dose dependent manner. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, oxidative stress, Newbouldia laevis, liver enzymes, antioxidant enzymes African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol 13(22) 2265-2275

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Ethanol extracts of Newbouldia laevis stem and leaves modulate serum liver marker enzymes and antioxidant enzymes activities in diabetic rats

Eucalyptus globulus is one of the main species for the pulp industry and it is the third most important forest species in Portugal. As other Eucalyptus species it is an obvious target for in vitro propagation (e.g. somatic embryogenesis) and genetic manipulation. We have compared several published media (MS, 1/2MS, B5, WPM, DKW and JADS) both on the somatic embryogenesis induction and expression steps. MS, followed by B5, were the best induction media. Since different media induced heterogeneous responses, with MS being the best medium to induce somatic embryos, we compared its mineral composition with the mineral content of zygotic embryos (explants). Simultaneously, and as the secondary somatic embryos are routinely maintained on this medium and used to regenerate plants, we also compared the mineral composition of zygotic and secondary somatic (grown in MS media) embryos. Fresh samples were digested with HClO4 for Mg, Ca, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn, and with H2SO4 for P, N and K analyses.. Preliminary results showed that zygotic embryos have different mineral proportions when compared to all basal media used, including the MS medium. Also, when compared to secondary somatic embryos, zygotic embryos showed higher levels of Mg (7.6:1), Cu (11.4:1), Zn (3.6:1), Fe (1.7:1), Mn (17.9:1), N (1.8:1), P (4.0:1) but less K (0.7:1), showing that SE induction conditions lead to changes in tissue mineral content relatively to zygotic embryos.

Importance of media mineral composition on the induction of somatic embryogenesis in E. globulus Labill

Some common West African spices with antidiabetic potential: A review

The leaves of Psidium guajava, Anacardium occidentale, Eucalyptus globulus and fruits of Xylopia aethiopica are used in the management of diabetes mellitus. Hence, the phytochemical constituents as well as the acute toxicity of the combined chloroform extracts (A. occidentale + E. globulus and P. guajava + X. aethiopica) and their effects (at graded doses of 100 and 250 mg/kg body weight each) on the concentration of malondialdahyde (MDA), activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and concentration of vitamin C in diabetic and normal rats were investigated using standard methods. The phytochemical analyses of the four extracts showed the presence of terpenoids and fats and oil in all of them. Each of the combined extract was found to be non-toxic even at a dose as high as 5000 mg/kg body weight. The combined extracts at the tested doses significantly (p < 0.05) and dose-relatedly reduced the concentration of MDA, raised the activities of CAT, GPx and SOD as well as the concentration of vitamin C in the treated rats. The effects of the combined extracts (especially 250 mg/kg body weight of A. occidentale + E. globulus) were better than that of the standard anti-diabetic drug [glibenclamide (5 mg/kg body weight)]. The data of this investigation imply that the combined chloroform extracts of the leaves of A. occidentale, E. globulus, P. guajava and fruits of X. aethiopica may be preferentially used in the management and/or amelioration of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications.

	Key words: Anti-oxidants, diabetes mellitus, lipid peroxidation, Anacardium occidentale, Eucalyptus globulus, Psidium guajava and Xylopia aethiopica.

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Papers

Synergic effects of some medicinal plants on anti- oxidant status and lipid peroxidation in diabetic rats