Mitragyna speciosa is a medicinal plant with a reputation for treating pains, diabetes as well as increasing energy and sexual desires. However, there is no scientific evidence to validate the antidiabetic effect of M. speciosa. This study investigated the antidiabetic effects of M. speciosa (Krat) ethanolic extract on fructose and streptozocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetic rats. In vitro antioxidant and antidiabetic effects were evaluated using DPPH, ABST, FRAP and α-glucosidase inhibitory assays. Rats with fructose/STZ induced T2D were treated with Krat (100 and 400 mg/kg) or metformin (200 mg/kg) for 5 weeks via oral gavage. Krat showed good antioxidant activity and also displayed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Administration of Krat to the diabetic rats significantly improved body weight gain, restored alterations in blood glucose level, glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia (increased cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and reduced high-density lipoprotein), hepatorenal biomarkers alterations (alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alanine phosphatase, creatinine and blood urea nitrogen) and oxidative stress indices (superoxide dismutase, glutathione and malondialdehyde)in the treated diabetic rats. Furthermore, Krat also restored pancreatic histological and increased immunohistochemical aberrations in the diabetic rats. These results for the first time demonstrated the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic potentials of M. speciosa, thus providing scientific reinforcement for the traditional use of the plant in the treatment of diabetes.

Doxorubicin (DXB) is one of the most commonly used anticancer agents for treating solid and hematological malignancies; however, DXB-induced cardiorenal toxicity presents a limiting factor to its clinical usefulness in cancer patients. Costunolide (COST) is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene lactone with excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties. This study evaluated the effect of COST on DXB-induced cardiorenal toxicity in rats. Rats were orally treated with COST for 4 weeks and received weekly 5 mg/kg doses of DXB for three weeks. Cardiorenal biochemical biomarkers, lipid profile, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, histological and immunohistochemical analyses were evaluated. DXB-treated rats displayed significantly increased levels of lipid profiles, markers of cardiorenal dysfunction (aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, troponin T, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid and creatinine). In addition, DXB markedly upregulated cardiorenal malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 levels and decreased glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. COST treatment significantly attenuated the aforementioned alterations induced by DXB. Furthermore, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that COST ameliorated the histopathological features and reduced p53 and myeloperoxidase expression in the treated rats. These results suggest that COST exhibits cardiorenal protective effects against DXB-induced injury presumably via suppression of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

Cisplatin (CISP) is one of the most commonly used drug for treating various cancers and solid tumours, however, its usage has been heavy restricted due to its deleterious side effects including peripheral neuropathy. Therefore, this study describes the anti-hyperalgesia and anti-allodynia effects of Tiliacora triandra (TTE) in CISP induced peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy was established in rats by intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 mg/kg of CISP once a week for 4 weeks and the rats were concurrently treated with TTE (250 and 500 mg/kg, po) daily for 5 weeks. After the treatment, thermal hyperalgesia, motor coordination (rotarod test), mechanical allodynia, acetic acid writhing and formalin tests were evaluated. The rats were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for estimation of haematological parameters. TTE significantly restored motor coordination deficits induced by CISP and TTE-treated rats showed marked improvement in thermal/chemical hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. Additionally, treatment with TTE also increased haematological parameters including haemoglobin, platelet count, WBC and RBC compared to CISP-treated group. These findings demonstrated that TTE effectively ameliorated CISP induced peripheral neuropathic pain in a cisplatin paradigm.