Diverse high energy diets have been utilized to precipitate obesity and related metabolic disorders in rodent models, though the dietary intervention has not absolutely been standardized. The present study established usage of a customized semipurified normal control diet (NCD) and high fat diet (HFD), for research studies on diet-induced metabolic disorders in albino rats. Male Wistar rats were fed with normal pellet diet (NPD) or customized NCDs I, II, III or HFDs I, II, III for 12 weeks and parameters, namely, body weight, visceral adiposity, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, and glucose were evaluated to select an appropriate NCD and HFD. The selected HFD was further evaluated for induction of fatty liver, whilst type 2 diabetes (T2D) induction was confirmed in HFD and streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes model in Wistar rats. Amongst different diets tested, NCD-I and HFD-I were selected, since NCD-I exhibited close resemblance to NPD, whereas HFD-I induced metabolic alterations, particularly obesity and dyslipidemia consistently. Moreover, HFD-I elevated terminal hepatic lipids, while HFD-I/STZ treatment augmented insulin resistance index and serum glucose levels significantly indicating effective induction of fatty liver and T2D, respectively. Therefore, customized semipurified NCD-I and HFD-I can be recommended for research studies on diet-induced metabolic disorders in albino Wistar rats.

The aim of the study was to investigate the safety and anti-inflammatory effects of polysaccharide fraction (F1) of Curcuma longa extract (NR-INF-02) in classical rodent models of inflammation. F1 was evaluated for its acute oral toxicity and found to be safe upto 5000 mg/kg body weight in rats. The anti-inflammatory activity of F1 was evaluated in acute (carrageenan - induced paw edema; xylene - induced ear edema) and chronic (cotton pellet - induced granuloma) models of inflammation. The results of the study demonstrated that F1 significantly (p ≤ 0.05) inhibited carrageenan-induced paw edema at 1 h and 3 h at doses of 11.25, 22.5 and 45 mg/kg body weight in rats. Also, F1 at doses of 15.75, 31.5 and 63 mg/kg significantly inhibited the xylene induced ear edema in mice. In a chronic model, F1 at 11.25, 22.5 and 45 mg/kg doses produced significant reduction of wet and dry weights of cotton pellets in rats. Overall results indicated that F1 of NR-INF-02 significantly attenuated acute and chronic inflammation in rodent models. This study emphasizes on the importance of Curcuma longa polysaccharide's role in acute and chronic inflammation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the prevalence of which is rising globally with current upsurge in obesity, is one of the most frequent causes of chronic liver diseases. The present study evaluated the ameliorative effect of extract of Tamarindus indica seed coat (ETS) on high fat diet (HFD) induced NAFLD, after daily administration at 45, 90, and 180 mg/kg body weight dose levels for a period of 6 weeks, in albino Wistar rats. Treatment with ETS at all tested dose levels significantly attenuated the pathological alterations associated with HFD induced NAFLD viz. hepatomegaly, elevated hepatic lipid and lipid peroxides, serum alanine aminotransferase, and free fatty acid levels as well as micro-/macrohepatic steatosis. Moreover, extract treatment markedly reduced body weight and adiposity along with an improvement in insulin resistance index. The study findings, therefore suggested the therapeutic potential of ETS against NAFLD, acting in part through antiobesity, insulin sensitizing, and antioxidant mechanisms.

Anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) rich in polysaccharides, as well as free of curcuminoids and turmerones were investigated in acute and chronic inflammatory models. Activity against the acute phase of inflammation was evaluated in carrageenan-induced paw edema and xylene-induced ear edema models. The results showed that turmeric extract significantly decreased paw edema volume in the first and third hours after carrageenan injection (P≤0.05). Turmeric extract at all dose levels also significantly inhibited xylene-induced ear edema formation (P≤0.05). Activity against chronic inflammation was also evaluated in cotton pellet-induced granuloma model. Turmeric extract significantly (P≤0.05) decreased the weight of granuloma tissue on cotton pellets in a dose-dependent manner when compared to the vehicle control. Thus, the findings of the study suggest that turmeric extract in effective against both acute and chronic inflammation.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome (var. Krishna, Salem) sample was divided into three grades (I: 30-40 mm, II: 40-50 mm, III: 50-60 mm) according to its major dimension to study its physical properties. The average values of geometric property viz., length (30.18-48.54 mm), breadth (9.72-10.62 mm), thickness (5.12-6.38 mm), arithmetic mean diameter (14.72-22.84 mm), geometric mean diameter (12.72-14.64 mm), square mean diameter (23.21-26.54 mm), equivalent diameter (17.54-21.32 mm), sphericity (0.24-0.38), aspect ratio (0.18-0.32), unit volume (1591-2904 mm 3 ), surface area (772-1268 mm 2 ) and shape factor (1.61-1.74) for grades I, II & III are reported. The gravimetric property viz., bulk density (264-348 kg/m 3 ), true density (1340-1358 kg/m 3 ) and porosity (72.51-78.90%), and frictional property viz., angle of repose (35.57-37.90°) and coefficient of friction with respect to different surface viz., aluminum sheet, mild steel sheet and plywood sheet for grades I, II and III were found to range between of 0.68-0.80, 0.85-0.96, 0.82-0.88, respectively.