title: Neuroprotective effects of Pouteria ramiflora (Mart.) Radlk (Sapotaceae) extract on the brains of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease involving persistent hyperglycemia, which causes an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes and results in damage to various tissues, including the brain. Many societies have traditionally employed medicinal plants to control the hyperglycemia. Pouteria ramiflora, a species occurring in the savanna biome of the Cerrado (Brazil) has been studied because of its possible ability to inhibit carbohydrate digestion. Rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes treated with an alcoholic extract of Pouteria ramiflora show an improved glycemic level, increased glutathione peroxidase activity, decreased superoxide dismutase activity, and reduced lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status. The extract also restored myosin-Va expression and the nuclear diameters of pyramidal neurons of the CA3 subregion and that of the polymorphic cells of the hilus. We conclude that Pouteria ramiflora extract exerts a neuroprotective effect against oxidative damage and myosin-Va expression and is able to prevent hippocampal neuronal loss in the CA3 and hilus subfields of diabetic rats. However, future studies are needed to understand the mechanism of action of Pouteria ramiflora extract in acute and chronic diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetics and Biochemistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Campus Umuarama, Av. Pará, s/n, 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alice Vieira
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Luciana Karen
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Calábria
authors.forename: Fabiana Barcelos
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Furtado
authors.forename: Neire Moura
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: de Gouveia
authors.forename: Renato José da Silva
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Vanessa Neves
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Marcelo Emilio
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Beletti
authors.forename: Foued Salmen
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Espindola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D024701:Myosin Type V / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D032132:Pouteria / Q000737:chemistry*; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D024701:Myosin Type V