Objective: Hydromethanolic extract of the bark of Zanthoxylum armatum (HMZA) was evaluated for its antidiabetic and antioxidant activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: HMZA was evaluated in normal and diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (60 mg/kg i.p.). Normal and diabetic rats were divided into different groups and orally administered with HMZA (200 and 400 mg/kg) and glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) for 21 days. Blood samples were collected from overnight-fasted rats on at 7, 14 and 21 days of treatment and analysed for blood glucose level and lipid profile. On day 21, rats were sacrificed and liver and kidney tissues were excised to measure their antioxidant status. Results: Oral administration of HMZA for 21 days (200 and 400 mg/kg) resulted in significant reduction in blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein and significant increase in high density lipoprotein and body weight of streptozotocin diabetic rats. In addition to that, significant decrease in lipid peroxidation and increase in catalase, superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione were observed in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Conclusion: From the present study, it is evident that, the bark of Z. armatum possesses significant antidiabetic and antioxidant effect on diabetic rats and suggests that the plant may have therapeutic value in diabetes and related complications.

Stenohaline freshwater fish with narrow salinity tolerance are susceptible to saline stress from global climate change and anthropogenic activities. The present study elucidated that saline exposure during the sensitive window of preparatory phase of oocyte maturation significantly affected gonadosomatic index, ovarian histology and morphometric features of oocytes in a stenohaline freshwater catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch, 1794) in a dose (2 ppt, 5 ppt)—and duration (8, 24 days)‐dependent manner. The gonads of H. fossilis show annual maturation cycle. Loss of integrity of ovigerous lamellae, disruption of ovarian stroma, disrupted oolemma, ooplasmic vacuolization, damaged germinal vesicles and altered morphometry of previtellogenic oocytes, such as chromatin‐nucleolus, early perinucleolar and late perinucleolar, elucidated consistent effects of saline exposure except at 8 days exposure to 2 ppt of saline. Increased salinity might have affected the transmembrane ion/water transport and disrupted the osmotic balance in ovary that eventually led to impairment in growth of ovary and oocyte maturation. The susceptibility of ovary to comparatively less concentrations of saline exposure might be due to sensitiveness of ovary/oocytes during the early phase of growth. Fluctuating salinity along with other stressors can affect metabolic and growth rates, fecundity and ultimately survival of fish.

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