Alterations of Hormone-Sensitive Adenylyl Cyclase System in the Tissues of Rats with Long-Term Streptozotocin Diabetes and the Influence of Intranasal Insulin

One of the causes of complications in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is the changes in adenylyl cyclase (AC) signaling system, identified on the early stages of the disease. However, the most significant disturbances in this system occur on the later stages of T1DM, which ultimately leads to severe complications, but functional state of the AC system in late T1DM is poorly understood. The aim of this work was to study alterations in AC system sensitive to biogenic amines and polypeptide hormones in the heart, brain, and testes of male rats with long-term, 7-month, streptozotocin T1DM and to assess the influence on them of 135-day therapy with intranasal insulin. It was shown that AC effects of β-adrenergic agonists in the heart, serotonin receptor agonists and PACAP-38 in the brain, chorionic gonadotropin and PACAP-38 in the testes, and somatostatin in all investigated tissues in long-term T1DM were drastically decreased. The treatment with intranasal insulin (0.48 IU/day) significantly restored these effects. The results were obtained suggesting that long-term T1DM induces significant alterations in hormone-sensitive AC system in the heart, brain, and testes that are much more pronounced, compared with short-term T1DM, and include a large number of hormonal regulations.

In Vivo Antioxidant Activity of Topical Cream of Cassia tora L. Leaves Extract

Objective. The aim of study was to determine the in vivo antioxidant activity of newly formulated O/W cream of methanolic extract of Cassia tora L. leaves. Methods. Oil in water (O/W) creams (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2%), cream base, methanolic extract of C. tora L. leaves (CTM), and standard (0.05% tretinoin cream) were screened for in vivo antioxidant activity. The ultraviolet- (UV-) B-induced rats were treated with different standard, O/W creams, cream base, and methanolic extract of Cassia tora L. leaves (CTM). The parameters like lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels were assessed. Results. The result of acute dermal toxicity shows that the creams were safe up to 2000 mg/kg (topically). Exposure of ultraviolet light of medium wave (UV-B light) decreased the level of GSH, CAT, and SOD and increased the LPO level. Concluding Remarks. We conclude that topical O/W creams of C. tora L. prevent the oxidative stress induced in rats by exposure to UV-B light by virtue of its in vivo antioxidant property, and these findings help to understand the mechanism of the antipsoriatic activity of O/W creams of C. tora L. in UV-B-induced psoriasis in the rat.

Antitumor Activity of Leaves from Hyptis mutabilis (A. Rich.) Briq. (Lamiaceae) in Mice Bearing Tumor

The Hyptis genus has more than 400 species, many of them being used in folk medicine to treat several conditions. Some anticancer compounds have been isolated from plants of this genus, and for that reason we decided to investigate the potential in vivo antitumor activity of extracts of leaves of Hyptis mutabilis with different polarities (hexane, methanol, water, and hot water) against two mice tumors: sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich solid tumor. Phytochemical analysis revealed strong presence of steroids, saponins, flavonoids (mainly dihydroflavanols), and catechins. Acute toxicity was perfomed according to the up-and-down method showing LD50 values ranging from 100 up to 2500 mg/kg. Antitumor activity was investigated using 10% of the LD50 for each extract. Methotrexate was used as positive control. Both aqueous extracts showed strong inhibition of tumor growth with values up to 70% of inhibition growth for sarcoma 180. Ehrlich solid tumor was only slight inhibited by hexane extract (38.6%). In conclusion, the aqueous extracts of H. mutabilis showed promising results against sarcoma 180 mice tumor.