In the present study, we aimed to investigate the protective effect of ferulic acid at different doses (50 mg/kg alternative day and 50 mg/kg daily) on diabetic rats and to explore the interrelationship between oxidative stress and cytokines correlates with apoptotic events in pancreatic tissue. Male Wistar rats were rendered diabetic by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight). Ferulic acid was administered orally for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, all animals were sacrificed. Blood samples were collected for the biochemical estimations and pancreas was isolated for antioxidant status, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and apoptotic studies. Treatment with ferulic acid to diabetic rats significantly improved blood glucose, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, urea, and albumin levels toward normal. Furthermore, decrement of the elevated lipid peroxidation levels and increment of the reduced superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione enzyme activities in pancreatic tissues were observed in ferulic acid-treated groups. Ferulic acid-treated rats in the diabetic group showed an improved histological appearance. Our data also revealed a significant reduction in the activity of apoptosis using terminal dUTP nick end-labeling and reduced expression of TGF-β1 and IL-1β in the pancreatic β-cell of ferulic acid-treated rats. Treatment with ferulic acid daily doses produced a significant result compared to alternative dose. Collectively our results suggested that ferulic acid acts as a protective agent in diabetic rats by altering oxidative stress, expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis.

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In this present study, we have described the diversity of nine Ocimum genotypes naturally grown in the Dakshin Dinajpur district of West Bengal, India. Their diversity was determined on the basis of morphological, chemical and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) to determine the level of variation present in the genus Ocimum. Among nine Ocimum genotypes six (O. americanum, O. × africanum, O. basilicum, O. gratissimum, O. kilimandscharicum and O. tenuiflorum) are found to be different Ocimum species and the rest are as varieties. A total of 18 qualitative and 17 quantitative morphological traits and chemical compositions were evaluated. Significant variations were observed in the morphological traits except O. × africanum and O. basilicum species. Cluster generated from the morphological data showed two different groups viz. basilicum group and sanctum group. Chemical analysis did not show much variation between morphologically similar species viz. O. × africanum and O. basilicum. However, RAPD analyses clearly showed that O. × africanum and O. basilicum are different species. Thus the combined analyses of morphological traits, chemical and molecular markers represent the best possible approach to confirm taxonomic delineation. Moreover, we are reporting O. × africanum for the first time from this region as well as from West Bengal, India.

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