A novel Gymnema sylvestre extract protects pancreatic beta‐cells from cytokine‐induced apoptosis

Abstract

Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin‐1β, TNF‐α, and interferon‐γ are known to be involved in mediating β‐cells death in diabetes mellitus (DM). Thus, protecting from β‐cells death in patients with DM may be a useful target in alleviating symptoms of hyperglycemia. Traditional plant‐based remedies have been used to treat DM for many centuries and may play a role in protecting β‐cell from death. An example of these remedies is Gymnema sylvestre (GS) extract. In this study, we investigated the effect of this plant extract on β‐cells apoptosis. Om Santal Adivasi (OSA®) maintained cell membrane integrity in MIN6 cells and mouse islets. Om Santal Adivasi significantly protected MIN6 cells and mouse islets from cytokine‐induced apoptosis. In the presence of cytokines, OSA® significantly reduced the expression and activity of caspase‐3. The antiapoptotic effect of OSA® as shown by microarray analysis is largely mediated by activating pathways involved in cell survival (mainly casein kinase II pathway) and the free radical scavenger system (specifically superoxide dismutase and catalase). This study indicates that the GS isolate OSA® protects against cytokine‐induced apoptosis of β‐cells by increasing the expression of cell survival pathways and free radical scavenger system.

Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Gymnema sylvestre Ameliorates Hyperglycemia and Pancreatic Oxidative Stress in Alloxan induced Diabetic Rats

“…Ethanolic extract administration rescued the concentration of superoxide dismutase to 48.38% (p<0.01) as compared to the diabetic rats. The results obtained are in agreement with previous studies (28). Hyperglycemia is usually concerned with metabolic disturbances affecting cellular redox potential, particularly, imbalanced NADPH/NADP+ ratio and reduced glutathione levels (29).…”

Natural Products as Outstanding Alternatives in Diabetes Mellitus: A Patent Review

“…For instance, an increase in insulin secretion and regeneration of pancreatic cells is mentioned in the US10576117 (B2) and US2019125816 (A1) patents [ 22 ]. This scenario is attributed to the use of Gymnema sylvestre extracts, whose major components are gymnemic acid, saponins, and gurmarin [ 22 , 66 , 67 , 68 ].…”

Identification of Potential Plant-Derived Pancreatic Beta-Cell-Directed Agents Using New Custom-Designed Screening Method: Gymnema sylvestre as an Example

“…A very promising plant extract should possess some or all of the following criteria/properties, with the most promising extracts possessing more of the properties, thus enabling the ranking of extracts for therapeutic potential: Potentiating nutrient-induced insulin secretion to reduce postprandial hyperglycemia [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]; Stimulating insulin secretion while maintaining β-cell viability and preserving β-cell membrane integrity [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]; Stimulating insulin secretion while preserving β-cell insulin stores [ 15 ]; Activating identifiable steps in the β-cell stimulus–secretion coupling pathway [ 17 , 19 , 21 ]; Preserving β-cell mass by protecting against apoptosis [ 19 , 20 ]; Efficacy in animal models of diabetes and in human subjects in vivo [ 15 , 16 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. …”

“…Stimulating insulin secretion while maintaining β-cell viability and preserving β-cell membrane integrity [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ];…”

“…OSA ® , at the therapeutic concentrations used to induce insulin secretion, did not cause any noticeable damage to the plasma membrane, as shown by the Trypan Blue exclusion test and ATP viability test [ 17 , 20 ]. Other GS extracts have shown similar results [ 18 , 19 ]…”