Hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties of extracts of medicinal plants Galega officinalis L. (aboveground part) and yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius Poepp. & Endl.) (leaves) as potential sources of biologically active substances with antidiabetic action have been studied. The pronounced hypoglycemic effect of Galega officinalis extract, devoid of alkaloids, at a dose of 600 mg/kg in experimental diabetes mellitus (DM) has been proven. The established effect is evidenced by a decrease in the concentration of glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin in the blood, increase glucose tolerance of cells, increase C-peptide and insulin content in the plasma of rats’ blood. The effective hypoglycemic effect of the extract in the studied pathology was confirmed by histological examination of the pancreas. The cytoprotective effect of the studied extract on pancreatic cells at a dose of 1200 mg/kg was experimentally confirmed. In the standard cut area, an increase was found in the number of Langerhans islets, their average area, diameter, volume, and a number of β-cells relative to these indicators in animals with diabetes. Comparative screening of the antioxidant properties of 30, 50, 70, and 96% water–ethanol extracts of yacon indicates the highest potential of 50% water-ethanol extract to block free radicals in in vitro model experiments. The non-alkaloid fraction of Galega officinalis extract showed moderate antioxidant activity and was inferior to yacon extract in its ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) and bind metal ions of variable valence. The level of antioxidant potential of the studied extracts is due to differences in the quantitative content of compounds of phenolic nature in their compositions. The obtained data on the biological effects of Galega officinalis extract on the structural and functional state of β-cells of the pancreas and antioxidant properties of Galega officinalis and yacon extracts substantiate the prospects of using these plants to create antidiabetic medicines and functional foods based on them.

An impaired leukocytes function is the factor causing the susceptibility of patients with diabetes mellitus to infections. The outmost importance for the understanding of the immunological processes involved in diabetes pathogenesis is to give the characteritics of the immunological profile and changes therein, during the course of desease. Long-used in folk medicine to treat diabetes Galega officinalis L. has been chosen for the correction of the immune system dysfunction. The experiments were conducted on male Wistar rats. Fractionation of bone marrow cells suspension was performed in a three-layer ficoll–sodium amidotrizoate density gradient. The lymphocytic-granulocytic cells proliferative activity was studied using enzyme immunoassay with 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU). For staining of bone marrow preparations May-Gruenwald-Romanowsky-Giemsa (Pappenheim) method was used. To evaluate the content of cationic proteins and myeloperoxidase in neutrophilic leukocytes cytochemical studies were performed. Content of tumor necrosis factor alpha was carried out by immuno-enzymatic analysis. Lymphocytes apoptosis was examined by fluorescent analysis using annexin V. Diabetes mellitus development was accompanied with violation of neutrophils and lymphocytes proliferation, increased activity of myeloperoxidase and enhanced apoptosis process. Administration of Galega officinalis extract under the condition of diabetes promotes the restoration of neutrophils bone marrow pool and the reduction of lymphoblasts number and causes inhibition of the lymphocytes apoptosis process. Investigated medicine has a pronounced immunocorrective effect under the conditions of diabetes mellitus and can become the basis for creating a new generation of antidiabetic drugs.

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium on biochemical parameters altered in rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome. Following administration of the mycelium, assessments were conducted on glycemic status-including fructosamine levels, glucose and starch tolerance, and areas under the glycemic curves-as well as liver function markers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Oxidative stress indicators were also evaluated, including the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protein oxidative modification products. Additionally, the mycelium's in vitro inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase were examined. The findings demonstrated that G. lucidum mycelium possesses antihyperglycemic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant properties, contributing to the normalization of metabolic parameters and attenuation of oxidative liver damage.

Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. and Hendl.) H. Robinson, commonly known as yacon, is a medicinal species recognized for its therapeutic properties. The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of yacon root tubers have been well-documented across various models of metabolic syndrome. However, research on the effects of biologically active compounds derived from yacon leaves remains limited. The aim of the study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects of an aqueous extract of yacon leaves under the fructose-induced experimental metabolic syndrome. In the study were used male Wistar white rats, in which metabolic syndrome was induced by consuming a 10 % fructose solution. Animals were given an aqueous extract of yacon leaves at a dose of 500 mg per kilogram of body weight for seven and fourteen days following the establishment of metabolic syndrome. Hypoglycemic (glucose and glycosylate hemoglobin concentrations) and hypolipidemic (plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins levels) effects and antioxidant activity (activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, NO-synthase, the content of nitrite anion (NO₂‾) and nitrate anion (NO₃‾), content of carbonyl groups and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) of extract were then evaluated. The 14 days use of aqueous extract of yacon for the treatment of fructose-induced metabolic syndrome leads to a decrease of animals’ body weight (59.94 %), glucose concentration (10.33 %), glycosylated hemoglobin content (61.58 %), blood plasma triglycerides (50.35 %), cholesterol (24.46 %), low-density lipoproteins (21.56 %), as well as to increase in high-density lipoproteins concentration (29.29 %), paraoxonase activity (56.03 %). In animals with experimental MetS yacon cause oxidative-nitrative stress indicators normalization: increase in SOD (47.85 %) and GPO activity (16.55 %); decrease in TBARS content (23.77 %) and proteins oxidative modification products of neutral character (52.56 %); decrease in NOS activity (12.30 %), which was accompanied by a decrease in nitrate content (10.44 %). The aqueous extract of yacon demonstrates significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in a fructose-induced model of experimental metabolic syndrome, contributing to the normalization of both prooxidant and antioxidant states in rat erythrocytes.

Introduction. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that includes hypertension, central obesity, insulin resistance and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Given the wide geographical distribution and growing number of people suffering from this disease, there is an urgent need in developing animal models that would accurately reproduce the development of all symptoms of human metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity and hypertension). The most cost-effective method related to the real causes of metabolic syndrome is the use of different types of diets. Materials and Methods. The study was performed on white outbred male rats about 6 months old and weighing 300–400 g. The metabolic syndrome was induced by high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets. The lipid-enriched diet involved the consumption of regular chow diet for laboratory animals with additional fat content (40 % by weight of chow). The source of additional lipids was olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Animals on the diet enriched in carbohydrates together with regular chow diet for laboratory animals consumed 10 % fructose solution instead of drinking water. Glucose tolerance tests were conducted and areas under the glycemic curves were calculated. We determined the content of glycated hemoglobin and glucose concent­ration, the concentration of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood plasma of rats. Results. The development of metabolic syndrome induced by an excessive consumption of carbohydrates and lipids for 42 days was accompanied by impaired glucose tolerance, increased glycosylated hemoglobin, triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations, as well as a decreased HDL content. An increase in the concentrations of LDL and activity of paraoxonase were found due to the induction of the pathological condition by an excessive fat intake, while a high carbohydrate diet caused a decrease in paraoxonase activity. Conclusions. The use of fructose for 42 days causes the most pronounced manifestations of the studied pathology. The use of this model will allow determining the biochemical and molecular changes that accompany the development of this pathological condition. It will also facilitate the development and evaluation of the effectiveness of new therapeutic approaches to the treatment of metabolic syndrome.