Effect of the Total Extract of Averrhoacarambola (Oxalidaceae) Root on the Expression Levels of TLR4 and NF-κB in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Averrhoacarambola L., which is a folk medicine used in diabetes mellitus (DM) in ancient China, has been reported to have anti-diabetic efficacy.

AIMS:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypoglycemic effect of the extract of Averrhoacarambola L. root (EACR) on the regulation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-Nuclear-factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway in B) pathway in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.

METHODS:

the mice were injected with STZ (120 mg/kg body weight) via a tail vein. After 72 h, the mice with FBG ≥ 11.1 mmol/L were confirmed as having diabetes. Subsequently, the mice were treated intragastrically with EACR (300, 600, 1200 mg/kg body weight/d) and metformin (320 mg/kg body weight/d) for 14 days.

RESULTS:

As a result the serum fasting blood glucose (FBG), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were decreased following EACR administration. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the pancreatic tissue expression levels of TLR4 and NF-κB were downregulated after EACR administration. EACR suppressed pancreatic mRNA expression level of TLR4 and blocked the downstream NF-κB pathway in the pancreas. According to Western blot analysis EACR suppressed pancreatic TLR4 and NF-κB protein expression levels. Histopathological examination of the pancreas showed that STZ-induced pancreas lesions were alleviated by the EACR treatment.

CONCLUSION:

These findings suggest that the modulation of the IL-6 and TNF-α inflammatory cytokines and the suppression of the TLR4-NF-κB pathway are most likely involved in the anti-hyperglycemic effect of EACR in STZ-induced diabetic mice.

• Authors: Xiaohui Xu, Tao Liang, Xing Lin, Qingwei Wen, Xingmei Liang, Weisi Li, Feizhang Qin, Ni Zheng, Jianjun Ming, Renbin Huang
• Journal: Cellular physiology and biochemistry : international journal of experimental cellular physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology (Cell Physiol Biochem) Vol. 36 Issue 6 Pg. 2307-16 ( 2015) ISSN: 1421-9778 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 26279435 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Hypoglycemic Agents
• Insulin
• Interleukin-6
• NF-kappa B
• Plant Extracts
• RNA, Messenger
• Toll-Like Receptor 4
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Streptozocin

Topics

• Animals
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Blotting, Western
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental (blood, drug therapy, pathology)
• Fasting (blood)
• Hypoglycemic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Insulin (metabolism)
• Interleukin-6 (blood)
• Male
• Mice
• NF-kappa B (genetics, metabolism)
• Oxalidaceae (chemistry)
• Pancreas (drug effects, metabolism, pathology)
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Plant Roots (chemistry)
• RNA, Messenger (genetics, metabolism)
• Streptozocin
• Toll-Like Receptor 4 (genetics, metabolism)
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (blood)