Gene expression and post-gene expression influence of Spondias mombin (Hog plum) and Nigella sativum (Black seed) on diabetogenic Wistar rats.

Abstract Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia due to the body’s inability to appropriately metabolism and utilize carbohydrates (sugars), further affecting protein and lipid metabolism, as a result of inadequate insulin release due to damaged pancreatic beta-cells (type 1 diabetes) or reduced tissue insulin sensitivity and elevated blood insulin (type 2 diabetes) – endocrine disorder. The possible anti-DM properties of Spondias mombin and Nigella sativum where investigated.Materials and methods: Four (4) groups ten (10) adult Wistar rats were induced with streptozotocin (STZ) to cause a pathologic DM condition after which they were treated with metformin (positive control drug, PC), Spondias mombin methanolic extract (T1) and Nigella sativum oil (T4) for twenty-eight days. The normal control (NC) and diabetic control (DC) received distilled water and STZ. Gene expression studies and molecular docking (post-gene expression) analyses were carried out on key factors involved in DM; lipid and glucose homeostasis (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, PPAR-γ), transport proteins (GLUT 1 to 5), proteins of inflammatory reactions (interleukin-1-beta, IL-1β; tumour necrosis factor-alpha-1), enzymes involved in glycolysis (phosphofructokinase-1, PFK-1). Results: It was observed that Spondias mombin, Nigella sativum, and metformin positively influenced the gene expression and post-gene expression phases to ameliorate the DM conditions. Conclusion: Spondias mombin performed better than Nigella sativum and metformin as a potential anti-DM plant.