Effect of Phytopreparations Based on Bioreactor-Grown Cell Biomass of Dioscorea deltoidea, Tribulus terrestris and Panax japonicus on Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

In the present study, we explored the therapeutic potential of bioreactor-grown cell cultures of the medicinal plant species Dioscorea deltoidea, Tribulus terrestris and Panax japonicus to treat carbohydrate metabolism disorders (CMDs) in laboratory rats. In the adrenaline model of hyperglycemia, aqueous suspensions of cell biomass pre-administered at a dose of 100 mg dry biomass/kg significantly reduced glucose level in animal blood 1–2.5 h (D. deltoidea and T. terrestris) or 1 h (P. japonicus) after adrenaline hydrochloride administration. In a streptozotocin-induced model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the cell biomass of D. deltoidea and T. terrestris acted towards normalization of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as evidenced by a significant reduction of daily diuresis (by 39–57%), blood-glucose level (by 46–51%), blood content in urine (by 78–80%) and total cholesterol (25–36%) compared to animals without treatment. Bioactive secondary metabolites identified in the cell cultures and potentially responsible for their actions were deltoside, 25(S)-protodioscin and protodioscin in D. deltoidea; furostanol-type steroidal glycosides and quinic acid derivatives in T. terrestris; and ginsenosides and malonyl-ginsenosides in P. japonicus. These results evidenced for high potential of bioreactor-grown cell suspensions of these species for prevention and treatment of CMD, which requires further investigation.

The Hypoglycemic and Hypocholesterolemic Activity of Dioscorea deltoidea, Tribulus terrestris and Panax japonicus Cell Culture Biomass in Rats with High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity

“…The analysis of content and composition of bioactive secondary metabolites in the cell cultures was described previously [ 50 ].…”

“…Cell biomass was harvested from bioreactors at the point of maximum dry weight accumulation and separated from liquid medium on Nutsche filters under vacuum, then rinsed three times with distilled water. The resulting cell mass was dried on stainless-steel shelves at 45 ± 1 °C for 18 h. This dried cell powder ( Appendix A , Figure A3 ) was used to prepare aqueous suspensions by infusing dried biomass into purified water at a ratio of 1:20 at room temperature for 7 h [ 50 ]. These suspensions were orally administrated to laboratory animals following the experimental scheme as described below.…”

“…Phytopreparations were administered intragastrically in concentrations equivalent to 100 mg dry cell biomass per kg animal weight once a day. The doses of liraglutide and phytopreparations used in this study were selected based on previously published recommendations [ 50 , 59 , 60 ].…”

“…Biotechnological cultivation of the suspension cell cultures of D. deltoidea , P. japonicus, and T. terrestris in bioreactors of laboratory and industrial volumes has been previously developed [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. However, the biological activities in cell cultures may differ from what was reported for their source plants due to potential alterations in secondary metabolite accumulation caused by the absence of organismic control and artificial growth conditions.…”

Plants, Cells, Algae, and Cyanobacteria In Vitro and Cryobank Collections at the Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences—A Platform for Research and Production Center

“…Extensively used to study the regulation of steroidal glycoside biosynthesis in cell cultures [60]. Bioreactor-produced cell biomass was assessed for elemental composition [73], toxicology [82], and demonstrated positive effects in rats with induced type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity [82,83].…”