Background: Pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and rectus abdominis muscles (RAM) of pregnant diabetic rats exhibit atrophy, co-localization of fast and slow fibers and an increased collagen type I/III ratio. However, the role of similar PFM or RAM hyperglycemic-related myopathy in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains poorly investigated. This study aims to assess the frequency of pelvic floor muscle disorders and pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence (PS-UI) 12 months after the Cesarean (C) section in women with GDM. Specifically, differences in PFM/ RAM hyperglycemic myopathy will be evaluated. Methods: The Diamater is an ongoing cohort study of four groups of 59 pregnant women each from the Perinatal Diabetes Research Centre (PDRC), Botucatu Medical School (FMB)-UNESP (São Paulo State University), Brazil. Diagnosis of GDM and PS-UI will be made at 24-26 weeks, with a follow-up at 34-38 weeks of gestation. Inclusion in the study will occur at the time of C-section, and patients will be followed at 24-48 h, 6 weeks and 6 and 12 months postpartum. Study groups will be classified as (1) GDM plus PS-UI; (2) GDM without PS-UI; (3) Non-GDM plus PS-UI; and (4) Non-GDM without PS-UI. We will analyze relationships between GDM, PS-UI and hyperglycemic myopathy at 12 months after C-section. The mediator variables to be evaluated include digital palpation, vaginal squeeze pressure, 3D pelvic floor ultrasound, and 3D RAM ultrasound. RAM samples obtained during C-section will be analyzed for ex-vivo contractility, morphological, molecular and OMICS profiles to further characterize the hyperglycemic myopathy. Additional variables to be evaluated include maternal age, socioeconomic status, educational level, ethnicity, body mass index, weight gain during pregnancy, quality of glycemic control and insulin therapy. Discussion: To our knowledge, this will be the first study to provide data on the prevalence of PS-UI and RAM and PFM physical and biomolecular muscle profiles after C-section in mothers with GDM. The longitudinal design allows for the assessment of cause-effect relationships between GDM, PS-UI, and PFMs and RAMs myopathy. The findings may reveal previously undetermined consequences of GDM.

Background Ex-vivo myography enables the assessment of muscle electrical activity response. This study explored the viability of determining the physiological responses in muscles without tendon, as rectus abdominis muscle (RAM), through ex-vivo myography to assess its potential as a diagnostic tool. Results All tested RAM samples (five different samples) show patterns of electrical activity. A positive response was observed in 100% of the programmed stimulation. RAM 3 showed greater weight (0.47 g), length (1.66 cm), and width (0.77 cm) compared to RAM 1, RAM 2, RAM 4 and RAM 5 with more sustained electrical activity over time, a higher percentage of fatigue was analyzed at half the time of the electrical activity. The order of electrical activity (Mn) was RAM 3 > RAM 5 > RAM 1 > RAM 4 > RAM 2. No electrical activity was recorded in the Sham group. Conclusions This study shows that it is feasible to assess the physiological responses of striated muscle without tendon as RAM, obtained at C-section, under ex vivo myography. These results could be recorded, properly analyzed, and demonstrated its potential as a diagnostic tool for rectus abdominis muscle electrical activity.

Introduction and Aim: Harnessing traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is important for the betterment of mankind. We must safeguard traditional knowledge from misuse by miscreants living in modern societies and knowledge must be available in the public domain for use in drug designing in the healthcare system. Since the beginning of recorded history, Indians have used plants as a source of medicine, and their cultural past is incredibly rich. This study was conducted to evaluate the oxidative stress-induced DNA damage prevention and antioxidant potential of Semecarpus kurzii found in the Bay Islands.   Materials and Methods: The scavenging of superoxide, hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxide (NO), 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) radicals, ferric reducing power (FRAP), and lipid peroxidation inhibition activity were tested to determine antioxidant activity. DNA damage inhibition test was used to evaluate the protection against oxidative DNA damage.   Results: The S. kurzii extract showed dose-dependent scavenging of DPPH, superoxide anion, nitric oxide, hydroxyl radical and reducing power evaluated by comparing with standard antioxidants (ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol and BHT). However, the nitric oxide scavenging (IC50 =186.47) and superoxide scavenging (IC50 = 678.32) was more than that of DPPH (IC50 =28.03) and Hydroxyl radical (IC50 =89.10) scavenging capacity. In addition, S. kurzii extract and ascorbic acid showed lipid peroxidation inhibition activity. The extract also exhibited DNA protection which was confirmed by the DNA damage inhibition assay.   Conclusion: Our results corroborated that, the methanolic extract of S. kurzii bark has substantial antioxidant activity and DNA damage inhibition. The potential antioxidant and oxidative DNA damage preventive activity could be due to the existence of polyphenolic compounds in the S. kurzii bark.

Natural matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) inhibitors are novel therapeutic interventions for the management of ailments associated with anomalous expressions of MMPs. Annoying side effects of existing synthetic chemical MMP inhibitors direct us toward natural sources. In this regard, here active principles of MeOH extract of Peltophorum pterocarpum leaves are reported to be a possible source. Five active principles with MMP inhibitory activity were purified by chromatography and identified using high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and proton nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The identified compounds were quinapril, 27-nor-5b-cholestane-3a, 7a, 12a, 24, 25-pentol, ergosterol acetate, 6-exomrthylenesimvastatin, and flurandrenolide. In vitro solution assays were demonstrated that these compounds were effective in inhibition of Clostridium histolyticum collagenase, human recombinant MMP-2, and MMP-9. Unambiguously, quinapril exhibited the highest (98.86%) while flurandrenolide exhibited the lowest (65.36%) MMP-9 inhibition. Whereas, 27-nor-5b-cholestane-3a, 7a, 12a, 24, 25-pentol, and flurandrenolide showed 98.28% and 63.87% MMP-2 inhibition. Ergosterol acetate showed moderate inhibition toward both MMP-2 and MMP-9. Our results indicate that MeOH extract of P. pterocarpum leaves is enriched with compounds with MMP inhibitory potential and could be explored as therapeutic for the management of MMPs related disorders.