Objective: This study was conducted to compare serum Cytosolic b-Glucosidase (CBG) levels of age-matched control patients with those of infants with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), to determine eventual association between Serum Cytosolic b-Glucosidase levels with intensity of the disease in NEC infants.Methods: 82 neonates were divided into controls (group I, n=41), feeding intolerance (group II, n=15), and NEC (group III, n=26). Serum Cytosolic b-Glucosidase was measured at the onset of feeding intolerance or NEC and at weeks 2– in control infants (Group I) by ELISA. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and Student t-test.Findings: Median birth weights in three groups were 1761.3, 1951.9, 1893.7 g, median gestational ages were 33.6, 35.0 and 34.5 weeks and ages of sampling were 15.3, 14.7 and 15.1 days, respectively. The differences between NEC group, feeding intolerance group and the control group were not statistically significant (P>0.05). There was a trend toward an increase in Serum CBG levels (group I 36.5 nmmol/L), group II (112.4 nmmol/L) vs. group III (693.0 nmmol/L), (X2=43.296, P<0.01). Infants in group III had highest CBG levels, compared with group II and I.Conclusion: Serum CBG is elevated in NEC, maybe NEC is the reason of high level of Serum CBG. In addition, the serum CBG may have utility as an early marker of ischemia in patients at risk for NEC in future studies.

In our ongoing program which is aimed at the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel and selective a-glucosidase (a-Gls) inhibitors, eight new pyrimidine fused heterocycles (PFHs) were synthesized and found to be potent and selective inhibitors of a-Gls. The action of these agents would reduce the liberation of glucose in the blood stream which in turn decreases the postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. Enzyme kinetic assays on yeast and mouse a-Gls proved that these compounds have an IC50 value in micro molar range and since they have no inhibitory activity on porcine pancreatic α-amylase, they may be considered as specific and selective inhibitors of a-Gls which in medical usage mean that it may result in fewer side effects for diabetic patients. The addition of different substructures to the pyrimidine fused core significantly altered the action of the compounds, ranging from zero to considerable inhibitory action.The inhibitory action of these PFH derivatives on yeast a-Gls was up to 30 folds improved than commonly used anti-diabetic drug, acarbose. Hence, in search of new, selective and easily accessible anti-diabetic a-Gls inhibitors, pyrimidine fused derivatives were proved to be a new scaffold for potent and specific a-Gls inhibitors which can efficiently decrease the blood glucose levels and result in fewer side effects.

Background: High Blood glucose levels is one of the main problems in diabetes. α-glucosidase with decomposition of polysaccharides increases the absorption of carbohydrates from the intestine, resulting in blood glucose upsurge. Inhibition of this enzyme is one of the most important strategies for treatment of diabetes. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate in silico inhibitory effect of flavones, found in fruit and plants, on the α-glucosidase activity. Methods: This is a descriptive-analytic approach. The structure of the flavone compounds and α-glucosidase downloaded from PubChem and PDB database respectively. Then physicochemical properties of flavone compounds were predicted by the Zink data base and Swiss ADME server. Finally, Molegro Virtual Docker 6. 0 and Molecular Viewer Molegro 2. 5 environments were used, to do molecular interaction among flavone compounds and the enzyme. Results: Physicochemical characteristics of investigated flavone compounds were desirable. As well all of the studied flavone compounds were able to inhibit the α-glucosidase. But among the studied compounds, luteolin and nobiletin had the lowest negative energy with 78. 98 and 87. 96 KJ/mole respectively, and therefore the most docking points than the miglitol (positive control). Conclusion: Examined flavone compounds in this study, mainly nobiletin, are particularly suitable because of their fine placement in the active site of the enzyme. So they have more inhibitory effect than other similar compounds. As a result, after some in vitro and in vivo, complementary studies on this compound, it is possible to distinguish it as a potent pharmaceutical inhibitor of α-glucosidase, to be used in diabetes treatment.

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is manifested by hyperglycaemia. Different treatments such as diets and drugs are recommended for diabetes control. For various reasons in recent years traditional plant (herbal) therapies as prescribed by indigenous systems of medicine with different mechanisms have commonly been used. The digestive enzymes such as alpha glucosidase are among these herbal remedies.Materials and Methods: One hundred species of plants were collected or purchased from the Medicinal Herbal Markets and botanically identified. Methanolic and aqueous extracts were prepared by the maceration method. The enzymatic activities of alpha glucosidase were determined colorimetrically by monitoring the release of p-nitrophenol from the appropriate p-nitrophenol glycoside substrate, after 30 mins incubation at 37°C in the phosphate buffer (pH= 6.8).Results: Among 200 prepared extracts, Verbascum kermanensis, Rosadamascene, Rosmarinus officinalis, Levisticum officinale, Zataria multiflora Sanguisorba minor, Alhagi camelorum, Pistacia vera, Vaccinium arcto-staphylus, Zhumeria majdae, Alpinia officinarum, Salvadora persica, and Thymus serpyllum showed more than 50% inhibitory effect on the alpha glucosidase. Conclusion: These active plants have no records in the literature for their anti diabetic effect and might be the new agents for diabetes control. This needs further in vitro and in vivo studies, some of which are under investigation.

The Crocus genus has been reported to possess diverse biological properties. In the present investigation, chemical characterization, ɑ-glucosidase inhibitory and cytotoxic properties of stigmas from Crocus pallasii (C. pallasii) have been studied. Chemical composition was investigated by GC-MS, LC-MS and HPLC. The alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity of the stigmas ethanolic extract of C. pallasii was examined by an enzyme assay. The extract’s cytotoxicity against HepG2 liver cancer cells was assessed using the MTT test. Fatty acids were the predominant volatile compounds within the ethanolic extract of C. pallasii stigmas. Safranal and crocin, which are the bioactive compounds of saffron, were detected in the ethanolic extract of C. pallasii stigmas. The amount of safranal and crocin identified by HPLC were 0.27 and 14.23 mg/g of dry extract, respectively. The ethanolic extract of C. pallasii stigmas and crocin inhibited α-glucosidase and IC50 values were 4.77 and 1.8 mg/mL respectively. Both ethanolic extract of C. pallasii stigmas and crocin showed uncompetitive type of α-glucosidase inhibition. Stigmas ethanolic extract of C. pallasii also showed toxicity against HepG2 liver cancer cell line. Based on the above findings, C. pallasii might be considered as an interesting candidate to enhance the quality of products in the functional foods, beverages, drinks, pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries.