Oblongata Extracts Research Articles

In vitro anti-diabetic effect and cytotoxicity of South African Ipomoea oblongata

Ipomoea oblongata is a popular plant known for its diverse therapeutic uses in South African folk medicine but currently has limited empirical evidence to support some of these uses. In the current study, we evaluated the in vitro anti-diabetic and cytotoxic effects of the root extracts of Ipomoea oblongata. Methanol and water extracts were tested for anti-diabetic activity using glucose uptake/utilisation response in muscle (C2C12) and Chang liver cell lines. Water extract demonstrated a noteworthy (182%) anti-diabetic activity in muscle cell lines which was similar to the effect exerted by insulin (192%, positive control). No noteworthy glucose uptake/utilisation occurred with the Chang liver cell lines. Generally, Ipomoea oblongata extracts were relatively safe based on the response in the MTT assay against muscle (C2C12) and Chang liver cell lines. The noteworthy in vitro anti-diabetic effect and absence of cytotoxic effect against both cell lines provide preliminary empirical evidence that supports the utilisation of Ipomoea oblongata as a popular herbal medicine in folk medicine.

Turbina oblongata Protects Against Oxidative Cardiotoxicity by Suppressing Lipid Dysmetabolism and Modulating Cardiometabolic Activities Linked to Cardiac Dysfunctions

Cardiotoxicity leading to cardiovascular dysfunction and ultimately cardiac failure remains a major global health issue irrespective of race, age and country. Several factors including lipotoxicity, oxidative imbalance, exacerbated angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and altered bioenergetics have been implicated in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. Turbina oblongata (E. Mey. ex Choisy) A. Meeuse is among the medicinal plants commonly used traditionally in the treatment and management of various ailments including cardiovascular dysfunctions in South Africa. In the present study, T. oblongata was investigated for its cardioprotective mechanism on oxidative-mediated cardiotoxicity by determining its effect on redox imbalance, purinergic and cholinergic dysfunction, and ACE activity as well as lipid dysmetabolism and pathways in iron-induced oxidative cardiac injury. Oxidative injury was induced ex vivo in freshly isolated heart by incubating with 0.1 mM FeSO4. Treatment was done by co-incubating with T. oblongata extract or gallic acid which served as the standard antioxidant. Induction of oxidative cardiac injury led to significant depleted levels of glutathione, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, superoxide, catalase and ENTPDase activities, with concomitant elevated levels of malondialdehyde, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, ACE, acetylcholinesterase, ATPase and lipase activities. These levels and activities were significantly reversed following treatment with T. oblongata. Induction of oxidative injury also caused alterations in lipid metabolites, with concomitant activation of beta oxidation of very long chain fatty acids, plasmalogen synthesis and mitochondrial beta-oxidation of long chain saturated fatty acids pathways. Some of the altered metabolites were restored following treatment with T. oblongata, with concomitant inactivation of beta oxidation of very long chain fatty acid pathway. These results indicate the cardioprotective effect of T. oblongata against oxidative-mediated cardiotoxicity. This is evidenced by its ability to mitigate lipotoxicity and modulate dysregulated cardiometabolic activities as portrayed by its antioxidative activity and suppressive effects on ACE, acetylcholinesterase and lipase activities, while modulating cardiac lipid dysmetabolism.

Red algae natural products for prevention of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced liver and kidney inflammation and injuries.

Background: The liver and kidney inflammation due to bacterial infection is one of the most common pathological problems leading to tissue damage or disease. In many liver and kidney disorders, which represent serious global health burden with a high economic cost, oxidative stress-related inflammation and apoptosis are important pathogenic components, finally resulting in acute liver and/or kidney failure. Erythropoietin and its analogues are well known to influence the interaction between apoptosis and inflammation in liver and kidney. Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate and clarify the effect of Galaxaura oblongata (G. oblongata) red algae on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced acute liver and kidney injury of mice with endotoxemia and associated molecular mechanism from inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress levels. Results: The current study cleared out that treatment of rats with the G. oblongata extract prior to LPS injection significantly lowered serum cytokines, including NF-κB, MPO and LPO, and improved liver apoptosis through suppressing protein tyrosine kinase signaling pathway, and that may be due to antibacterial activity as well antioxidant capacity of G. oblongata extract. Conclusion: The present study was cleared out the possibility of administration of G. oblongata red algae as a multi products source for biotechnological, medical, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications due to highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities even although more investigations are required for separating, purifying and characterizing these bioactive compounds.

Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Lung and Liver Protective Activity of Galaxaura oblongata as Antagonistic Efficacy against LPS using Hematological Parameters and Immunohistochemistry as Biomarkers

This study aimed to investigate the potential bioactivity and the ameliorative role of Galaxaura oblongata (G. oblongata) against LPS-induced toxicity using hematological parameters. The objective of this study is to examine its protective effect using the immunohistochemistry of the liver and lungs as biomarkers in male BALB/C albino mice. The current study was carried out using different in-vitro and in-vivo assays, such as phytochemicals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory for in-vitro where the hematological and immunohistochemistry for lung and liver were investigated in vivo. No previous studies were performed to investigate the in vivo and in vitro effects of the G. oblongata extracts as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory due to their rareness compared to other red algae. LPS treated mice revealed a significant decrease in the total number of WBCs, RBCs, platelets, and HGB%, MPV, MCV and MCHC compared to the control group. In contrast, the HCT and MCHC were increased in the induction group, which was treated with LPS compared to the control group. Furthermore, the immunohistochemistry results of the present study revealed the protective effect of G. oblongata compared to the induction group. G. oblongata can be used as protective marine natural products against the toxicity induced by LPS. It exhibited a significant ameliorative role against the alterations in the hematological parameters and immunohistochemistry of the liver and lungs, and reduced as well as coordinated the acute inflammations caused by TNF.

Characterization of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-like peptides in discrete regions of the rat brain. In vitro release of α-MSH from perifused hypothalamus and amygdala

The neuropeptide α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is synthesized by discrete populations of hypothalamic neurons which project in different brain regions including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and amygdala nuclei. The purpose of the present study was to identify the α-MSH-immunoreactive species contained in these different structures and to compare the ionic mechanisms underlaying α-MSH release at the proximal and distal levels, i.e. within the hypothalamus and amygdala nuclei, respectively. The molecular forms of α-MSH-related peptides stored in discrete areas of the brain were characterized by combining high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation and radioimmunoassay detection. In mediobasal and dorsolateral hypothalamic extracts, HPLC analysis confirmed the existence of a major immunoreactive peak which co-eluted with the syntheticdes-Nα-acetyl α-MSH standard. In contrast, 3 distinct forms of immunoreactive α-MSH, which exhibited the same retention times as synthetic des-, mono- and di-acetyl α-MSH, were resolved in amygdala nuclei, hippocampus, cortex and medulla oblongata extracts. The proportions of acetylated α-MSH (authentic α-MSH plus diacetyl α-MSH) contained in these extrahypothalamic structures were, respectively, 78, 80, 60 and 92% of the total α-MSH immunoreactivity. In order to compare the ionic mechanisms underlaying α-MSH release from hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic tissues, we have investigated in vitro the secretion of α-MSH by perifused slices of hypothalamus and amygdala nuclei. High potassium concentrations induced a marked increase of α-MSH release from both tissue preparations. However, a higher concentration of KCl was required to obtain maximal stimulation of amygdala nuclei (90 mM) than hypothalamic tissue (50 mM). The effect of depolarizing concentrations of KCl was totally suppressed in the absence of Ca 2+, indicating that high-K + induced the opening of voltage-operated Ca 2+ (VOC) channels. Veratridine (50 μM), a depolarizing agent which activates Na + conductances, caused a robust stimulation of α-MSH release from hypothalamic slices but had virtually no effect on amygdala nuclei. ω-Conotoxin (1 μM), a peptide toxin which blocks L- and N-type VOC channels, caused a slight reduction of K +-evoked α-MSH release from hypothalamic slices but induced a dramatic decrease of α-MSH release from amygdala nuclei. These data suggest that acetylation of α-MSH to generate the biologically active forms of the peptide is a slow process which occurs gradually during axonal transport. Our results also indicate that release of α-MSH at the hypothalamic level mainly results from activation of T-type VOC channels whereas, in the amygdala nuclei, L- and (or) N-type VOC channels are involved in the regulation of α-MSH secretion.

Proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-related peptides in the brain of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri

We have investigated the presence of ACTH, α-MSH and β-endorphin, three peptides which derive from the multifunctional precursor protein proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the brain of the rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri. Using both the indirect immunofluorescence and peroxidase-antiperoxidase techniques, a discrete group of positive cells was identified in the hypothalamus, within the anterior part of the nucleus lateralis tuberis. α-MSH-containing neurons represented the most abundant immunoreactive subpopulation. Coexistence of α-MSH, ACTH and β-endorphin was observed in the lateral part of the nucleus. ACTH- and β-endorphin-containing cells were mainly distributed in the rostral and caudal regions of the nucleus. In the medial portion of the nucleus lateralis tuberis, numerous cells were only stained for α-MSH. Moderate to dense plexuses of immunoreactive fibers were observed in the ventral thalamus and the floor of the hypothalamus. Some of these fibers projected towards the pituitary. The concentrations of ACTH, α-MSH and β-endorphin-like immunoreactivities were measured in microdissected brain regions by means of specific radioimmunoassays. Diencephalon, mesencephalon and medulla oblongata extracts gave dilution curves which were parallel to standard curves. The highest concentrations of POMC-derived peptides were found in the diencephalon (α-MSH: 4.28±0.43 ng/mg prot.; ACTH: 1.08±0.09 ng/mg prot.; β-endorphin: 1.02±0.1 ng/mg prot.), while lower concentrations were detected in the mesencephalon, medulla oblongata and telencephalon. The present results demonstrate that various peptides derived from POMC coexist within the same cell bodies of the fish hypothalamus. Taken together, these data suggest that expression and processing of POMC in the fish brain is similar to that occurring in pituitary melanotrophs.