Phytochemical and pharmacological screening of sansevieria roxburghiana schult. & schult. (family: Agavaceae)

Abstract

In this thesis, it has been attempted to explore antidiabetic potential of Sansevieria roxburghiana Schult. & Schult. F. (Family: Agavaceae) rhizome and identification of bioactive lead for the said activity. Anti-diabetic effect of the crude extract of S. roxburghiana rhizome has been reported earlier; however, the report failed to draw any conclusive evidence about the mechanistic insight and the therapeutic lead/s. Present study has been executed to evaluate therapeutic potential S. roxburghiana rhizome (SR) and the isolated lead, protocatechuic acid (PA), against experimentally induced type 2 diabetes and associated cardiomyopathy in rats. Type 2 diabetes has been induced by high fat diet and a single dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg body weight, i.p.). The rats in this model were found to have the tendency to develop diabetic cardiomypathy. SR (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) and PA (50 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) have been found to exhibit significant hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. Both the test materials could restore the biochemical parameters of sera and myocardial tissue to near normal levels. In addition, the test materials were found to impede polyol signalling, inflammation, and oxidative stress. In search of mechanistic insight, the test materials were found to promote glucose utilization and glycogenesis via activation of IRS1/PI3K/AKT/AMPK/P38/GLUT4 signalling in the skeletal muscle. In the myocardial tissue, SR and PA were found to attenuate NF-κB/PKCs/PARP-triggered cardiotoxicity. Histological and ultrastructural assessments confirmed the protective roles of SR and PA. In the toxicity studies, SR and PA were found to be non-toxic at the selected doses. In silico molecular docking predicted the interaction patterns between PA and aforementioned signal proteins. In silico ADME profile supported PA’s drug likeness features. Combining all, it would be said that SR and PA can be the therapeutic options against type 2 diabetes and diabetic cardiomyopathy.