Background: Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease. Many drugs used in its treatment which have a number of serious adverse effects. Natural agent as quercetin (QCT) has been suggested in the alternative medicine for treatment of diabetes mellitus. Aim of the work:To evaluate the effect of QCT on the histological changes which occur in the islet of Langerhans of the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats and the possible mechanisms through which QCT produces its protective effect. Materials and methods:Fourty five male albino rats were divided into 3 groups: Group I, control group; 15 rats received single intraperitoneal injection of citrate buffer saline. Group II, diabetic group; 15 rats received single intraperitoneal injection of STZ. Group III; QCT-treated group, 15 rats received daily intraperitoneal injections of QCT for 30 days prior to, and for 30 days after the single injection of STZ. Blood samples were taken for monitoring blood glucose levels. Pancreas was taken out and processed for light microscopic, immunocytochemical and morphometrical studies.Results: Blood glucose levels showed a significant increase in group II compared to the control, while a significant decrease was observed in groups III compared to group II (all p<0.05). In the hematoxylin-eosin stained sections, STZ administration caused marked degeneration of islet Beta cells with inflammatory cells infiltration. Using QCT; in group III, reversed most of the pancreatic morphological changes, and interestingly some islets noticed with connections to some pancreatic ducts. In chrome alum heamatoxylin stained sections, STZ administration caused a significant decrease in the number of bluish stained β cells compared to controls. While group III showed a significant increase in β cells number compared to group II (all p<0.05). Sections of animals injected with charcoal, showed many charcoal labeled macrophages in group II compared to group III, and controls. There was increased iNOS and caspase 3 immunoreactivity in islets cells of group II than in controls, and was decreased in group III. Conclusion:This study provides evidence that quercetin could exert a protective effect against β cell damage by its anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidant effects; and aids regeneration of β cells which might through stimulation of the ductal stem cells. However, further experimental studies are still needed for more details on quercetin as an adjuvant drug in management of diabetes mellitus. Journal of Diabetes and MetabolismCitation: Rifaai RA, El-Tahawy NF, Saber EA, Ahmed R (2012) Effect of Quercetin on the Endocrine Pancreas of the Experimentally Induced Diabetes in Male Albino Rats: A Histological and Immunohistochemical Study. J Diabetes Metab 3:182.

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Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a global problem and several restoration approaches have been developed to induce beta (β) cells regeneration. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is an autogenous and economical source of growth factors which nowadays used in the tissue repair. Aim:To test the hypothesis that PRP could play a role in the improvement of the structural changes occurred in the endocrine pancreas of experimentally-induced diabetic rats and the possible mechanisms through which PRP induced its effects to shed a light on the possible use of such application in the clinical field. Material and methods:Sixty male albino rats were used; 20 for obtaining the PRP and 40 were divided into 4 equal groups (10 rats each): control, PRP-group, diabetic group, PRP/diabetic group. Diabetes was induced by single intra-peritoneal injection of streptozotocin (50-60 mg/kg). The PRP was administered by SC injections in a dose of 0.5 mg/kg twice weekly for 3 weeks. Results:The diabetic group showed a significant increase in blood glucose levels compared to the control. Treatment with PRP significantly reduced the blood glucose levels compared to the diabetic group. The diabetic group showed variable marked morphological changes which diminished by the PRP administration. PRP/diabetic group had a significant increase in the mean number of pancreatic islets and β-cells/islet compared to the diabetic group. The islet cells appeared normal with scarcely seen vacuolations. The duct system showed several changes; stratifications, invagination of the surface epithelium to the underlying connective tissue, and sprouting of the ductal epithelial cells in between the lobules. Numerous small islets were noticed in a close association with the intralobular ducts. Small newly lobules with abundant connective tissue were organized. There were significant increases in the insulin immunopositive β-cells and PCNA positive cells in PRP/diabetic group compared to diabetic group. Conclusion:This study provides an evidence of the diabetic pancreatic islet regeneration in response to PRP treatment. The PRP stimulated islet cell regeneration and stimulated the induction of other sources of β-cells generation as the exocrine portion of the pancreas; ductal and acinar cells. In addition, PRP might put the pancreas into an environment similar to the postnatal developmental one where new lobules were formed. These will pave the future for a novel treatment for diabetes.

LC-HRMS-assisted chemical profiling of Zizyphus mauritiana fruit extract (ZFE) led to the dereplication of 28 metabolites. Furthermore, wound healing activity of ZFE in 24 adult male New Zealand Dutch strain albino rabbits was investigated in-vivo supported by histopathological investigation. Additionally, the molecular mechanism was studied through different in-vitro investigations as well as, studying both relative gene expression and relative protein expression patterns. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of ZFE extract was examined using two in-vitro assays including hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical scavenging activities that showed promising antioxidant potential. Topical application of the extract on excision wounds showed a significant increase in the wound healing rate (p < 0.001) in comparison to the untreated and MEBO®-treated groups, enhancing TGF-β1, VEGF, Type I collagen expression, and suppressing inflammatory markers (TNF-α and IL-1β). Moreover, an in silico molecular docking against TNFα, TGFBR1, and IL-1β showed that some of the molecules identified in ZFE can bind to the three wound-healing related protein actives sites. Additionally, PASS computational calculation of antioxidant activity revealed potential activity of three phenolic compounds (Pa score > 0.5). Consequently, ZFE may be a potential alternative medication helping wound healing owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

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