Prof. Suman Bala Sharma
University College of Medical Sciences, India
Title: Phytochemicals: In the discovery & development of Novel anti-diabetic therapeutics
Abstract:
Type 2 diabetes-mellitus has now
become epidemic globally .India is the capital of diabetes in the world. Type 2 DM is frequently associated with premature
CVD. Type 2 diabetic pts. have 3-4 fold ↑ risk for CVD than non-diabetics . Factors
are derangement in lipids, oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial
dysfunction and coagulation abnormalities.Drugs available for the
treatment of diabetes not effective for reversal/prevention of diabetes
associated complications. So, it necessitated the search of oral herbal drug with minimum or no
side effects having potency in the reversal/prevention
of diabetic complications.
In the present
study, anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic potential of active compounds
isolated from aqueous extract of fruit-pulp of Eugenia jambolana (EJ) and leaves of Cassia auriculata (CA)
were investigated. Detailed UV, NMR, IR spectra suggested that purified active
compound (FIIc) from EJ is α-hydroxy
succinamic acid (patent granted)
and compound (CA100) from CA is a coumarin derivative. The
effective dose of FIIc is found to be 15 mg/kg b.wt, while of CA100 is 20 mg/kg b.wt.,
which exhibit glycemic control and lipid-lowering activity is STZ-induced
diabetic rats. Significant observation was that their single dose exhibit
glycemic control up to 48 hrs, while other drugs require daily administration. FIIc imparts blood glucose-lowering
effect through improved insulin levels and control over carbohydrate
metabolizing enzymes. FIIc also showed protective effect on
hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction and hence,
it may have beneficial effect in reducing the risk of development of
cardiovascular diseases. CA100 exerts anti-hyperglycemic effect through insulin response along with
improvement in insulin signaling by reversal of PKC activation and GLUT4
expression and translocation. Both FIIc and CA100 treatment cause reversal of fatty steatosis in
heart myocardium. The improved insulin levels as well as signaling and
decreased activity of HMG CoA reductase by CA100 might be
responsible for hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic effect. LD50 of FIIc and CA100 is
found to be much higher than the effective dose, thus they can be considered quite safe
which is also proved biochemically and histomorphologically.Patents have
already been granted to both lead molecules( FIIc and CA100) . Hence Prospective candidate for new drug discovery
and development.
Key words:
Phytochemicals, Streptozotocin,
Atherosclerosis and Diabetes mellitus
Biography:
Dr Suman Bala Sharma, Ex- Director
Professor in the Deptt. of Biochemistry, University College of Medical
Sciences, University of Delhi (India) is presently working as Professor in the
Dept. of Biochemistry at ESIC, Medical college & Hospital , Faridabad after
her superannuation . She is very actively involved in research on diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases. Her quest for developing new drugs from medicinal
plants made her a unique researcher in this area, where she has the distinction
of discovering new active molecules from different medicinal plants, for which
she has been granted one US and two Indian patents. Her research findings have
been published in national and International Journals of repute. Being an
active researcher, she was honored as fellow of Association of Clinical
Biochemists of India. She has the distinction of supervising several PhD and MD
students. She has several medals and awards to her credit. She is a peer for review on several journals
and an active reviewer of research projects for funding by various scientific
agencies. She is also the immediate past president of Indian Society for
Atherosclerosis Research (ISAR).