Toxicology, Nanotoxicology, Biochemistry

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder widespread in developing and well-developed countries. It is the sixth leading cause of death in upper middle-income countries in 2015. Many of the synthetic medicine such as sulfonylureas, biguanides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and thiazolidinediones are the diabetic agents currently available to control the hyperglycemic condition. Due to the limitations of the drugs, it is required to find a natural alternative for the control of Diabetes Mellitus. Safe and effective antidiabetic agents can be extracted/separated from the traditional medicinal plants. 80% of the population around the Globe depends on traditional medicine. About 350 plants were traditionally used to treat diabetes mellitus. Medicinal plants were assessed for their antidiabetic activity, but these plants were not scientifically evaluated for the presence of an antidiabetic agent. Identification of anti-hyperglycemic agent without any side effects is the need of the hour. WHO has reported tremendous increase of 433million adults with Diabetes Mellitus in 2014, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in India increased to 7.8% in India. The review focuses on the commonly available and traditionally used medicinal plants of North TamilNadu, India and their role in the control of diabetes mellitus. Introduction Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder. It was first described clinically by the Greek physician Aretaeus Cappadocia in 1500 BC " as a condition where Flesh and Bones run together and are siphoned into the urine ". Diabetes mellitus is characterized by hyperglycemic condition along with impaired metabolic functions. Two major types of DM exist; the first type is characterized by insufficient production of insulin and in the other type the target cells do not respond to insulin. The chronic hyperglycemic condition leads to long term damage and failure of target organs. The first WHO global report on diabetes demonstrates that the number of adult living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 and to 422 million adults in 2014; type 2 diabetes and associated factors such as overweight and obesity were the reason for the dramatic increase. Prevalence of diabetes in India accounts for 7.8% of the adult population [1] Over the past, three decades, the rise in the occurrence of diabetes was dramatic and grows very rapidly in low and middle income countries. The prevalence of diabetes in Tamil Nadu accounts to 13.7% in urban and 7.8% in rural areas in the year 2011 [2]. The synthetic drugs used lead to side effects as well as persistence of hyperglycemic conditions for a longer period of time resulting in serious complications and damages to the heart, blood vessels eyes, kidney and nerves, moreover, increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke [3]. Progressive reduction in β-cell function made it difficult to maintain glycemic control among many diabetic patients [4]. Polytherapy with many hypoglycemic agents to attain better glucose control is a common practice [5]. Many plants have been found to be useful in managing diabetes mellitus. Plants are the major source of drug and are available in the market as extracts directly or indirectly from the plant sources [6]. For the purpose of preventive and curative reasons plants were used as medicine in various parts of the world. Medicinal herbs were used to treat diabetes in large proportion all over the Globe because of the easy availability and affordability [7]. Plant medicines show a potential hypoglycemic activity in diabetes-induced animals. Further, the metabolites from the plant were formulated and were administered to control diabetes mellitus. Novel compounds with antihyperglycemic potential have to be isolated from the plant sources. Studies reveal the role of crude extracts of plants with potential antidiabetic activity in alloxan and streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals. It is required to isolate, purify and characterize the specific compounds with the efficacy to control by reducing blood glucose level and by means of regenerating the damaged β cells of the pancreatic islets for the normal secretion of insulin. The objective of the review is to collect and elucidate the antidiabetic properties of the medicinal plants used by the traditional healers to manage diabetes mellitus.

Nanomaterials are expected to have a significant impact on medicine, although they still need to overcome several challenges before they are widely used. Understanding the molecular interaction of nanomaterials in the context of the cellular environment is crucial for the success of nanomaterials. Therefore, mechanisms responsible for nanomaterial internalization have attracted great atten- tion in the scientific community. These mechanisms greatly impact intracellular trafficking and cellular processing of nanomaterials. Here we discuss the major endocytic pathways by which nanomaterials can be internalized by cells, such as clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolae-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and clathrin- and caveolae-independent endocytosis. In addition, intracellular rout- ing, metabolism of nanomaterials, and undesirable effects of nanotoxicology are discussed. Finally, the role of in vitro studies to evaluate the potential toxic effects of nanomaterials was critically analyzed.

Over the last decade, engineered nanomaterials (NMs) brought a revolutionary development in many sectors of human life including electronics, paints, textiles, food, agriculture, and health care. However, the exponential growth in the number of NMs applications resulted in uncertainties regarding their environmental impacts. Currently, the common approach for assessing the toxicity of NMs such as, carbon-(fullerenes, single-and multi-walled carbon nanotubes), mineral-(gold and silver nanoparticles, cerium and zinc oxide, silicon and titanium dioxide), and organic-based NMs (dendrimers) includes standard guidelines applied to all chemical compounds. Nevertheless, NMs differ from traditional materials as their physicochemical and surface properties influence the toxic rather than their composition alone. Considering such NMs specificities, adaptations in some methods are necessary to ensure that environmental and human health risks are accurately investigated. In this context, the focus of this mini-review is to summarize the current knowledge in nanotoxicology regarding relevant organisms and experimental assays for assessing the terrestrial toxicity of NMs.

the usefulness of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ioniza- tion (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) as a new imaging method for detecting the temporal distribution of nanomaterials throughout the brain.
Conclusions: rGO was able to be detected and monitored in the brain over time provided by a novel application for MALDI-MSI and could be a useful tool for treating a variety of brain disorders that are normally unresponsive to conventional treatment because of BBB impermeability.
Keywords: Blood–brain barrier, Paracellular pathway, Nanomaterials, MALDI-MSI

The increasing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products raises the risk of human toxicity. Currently, there are no therapeutic options or established treatment protocols in cases of AgNPs intoxication. We demonstrated previously that thiol antioxidants compounds can reverse the cytotoxicity induced by AgNPs in Huh-7 hepatocarcinoma cells. Here, we investigated the use of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against the systemic toxic effects of AgNPs (79.3 nm) in rats. Biochemical, histopathological, hematological, and oxidative parameters showed that a single intravenous injection of AgNPs (5 mg/kg b.w.) induced deleterious effects such as hepatotox-icity, potentially as a result of AgNPs accumulation in the liver. Treatment with a single intraperitoneal injection of NAC (1 g/kg b.w.) one hour after AgNPs exposure significantly attenuated all toxic effects evaluated and altered the bioaccumulation and release patterns of AgNPs in rats. The findings show that NAC may be a promising candidate for clinical management of AgNPs intoxication. ARTICLE HISTORY

Nanotechnology is the term given to those areas of science and engineering where the phenomena
take place at nano-scale dimensions. Nanotechnology deals with particles sized between 1 to 100
nanometers in at least one dimension and it involves developing or modifying materials or devices
within that size. Nanoparticles have different physical, chemical, electrical and optical properties
than those that occur in bulk samples of the same material. All aspects of life will benefit from the
revolution in nanotechnology. Engineered nanoparticles are increasingly produced for use in a
wide range of industrial and consumer products. Hundreds of tons of nanoparticles already enter in
the environment annually, but still very little is known of their interactions with biological
systems. The challenge for toxicologists is to identify key factors that can be used to predict the
toxicity, permit targeted screening, safe and sustained development and use of nanoparticles. In
order to gain a sustained development, new technology always needs a good balance between
benefit and risk. The aim of this paper is to summarize the target organ toxicity of nanoparticles in
different biological systems.