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Diabetes mellitus, when poorly controlled, leads to debilitating central nervous system (CNS) complications including cognitive deficits, somatosensory and motor dysfunction. The present study investigated curcumin's potential in modulating diabetes induced neurochemical changes in brainstem. Expression analysis of cholinergic, insulin receptor and GLUT-3 in the brainstem of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats were studied. Radioreceptor binding assays, gene expression studies and immunohistochemical analysis were done in the brainstem of male Wistar rats. Our result showed that Bmax of total muscarinic and muscarinic M3 receptors were increased and muscarinic M1 receptor was decreased in diabetic rats compared to control. mRNA level of muscarinic M3, α7-nicotinic acetylcholine, insulin receptors, acetylcholine esterase, choline acetyltransferase and GLUT-3 significantly increased and M1 receptor decreased in the brainstem of diabetic rats. Curcumin and insulin treatment restored the alterations and maintained all parameters to near control. The results show that diabetes is associated with significant reduction in brainstem function coupled with altered cholinergic, insulin receptor and GLUT-3 gene expression. The present study indicates beneficial effect of curcumin in diabetic rats by regulating the cholinergic, insulin receptor and GLUT-3 in the brainstem similar to the responses obtained with insulin therapy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Wound dressing is one of the most promising medical applications for chitin and chitosan. The adhesive nature of chitin and chitosan, together with their antifungal and bactericidal character, and their permeability to oxygen, is a very important property associated with the treatment of wounds and burns. Different derivatives of chitin and chitosan have been prepared for this purpose in the form of hydrogels, fibers, membranes, scaffolds and sponges. The purpose of this review is to take a closer look on the wound dressing applications of biomaterials based on chitin, chitosan and their derivatives in various forms in detail., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nutritional therapy is a challenging but necessary dimension in the management of diabetes and neurodegenerative changes associated with it. The study evaluates the effect of vitamin D(3) in preventing the altered function of cholinergic, insulin receptors and GLUT3 in the cerebral cortex of diabetic rats. Muscarinic M3 acetylcholine receptors in pancreas control insulin secretion. Vitamin D(3) treatment in M3 receptor regulation in the pancreatic islets was also studied. Radioreceptor binding assays and gene expression was done in the cerebral cortex of male Wistar rats. Immunocytochemistry of muscarinic M3 receptor was studied in the pancreatic islets using specific antibodies. Y-maze was used to evaluate the exploratory and spatial memory. Diabetes induced a decrease in muscarinic M1, insulin and vitamin D receptor expression and an increase in muscarinic M3, α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, acetylcholine esterase and GLUT3 expression. Vitamin D(3) and insulin treatment reversed diabetes-induced alterations to near control. Diabetic rats showed a decreased Y-maze performance while vitamin D(3) supplementation improved the behavioural deficit. In conclusion, vitamin D(3) shows a potential therapeutic effect in normalizing diabetes-induced alterations in cholinergic, insulin and vitamin D receptor and maintains a normal glucose transport and utilisation in the cortex. In addition vitamin D(3) modulated muscarinic M3 receptors activity in pancreas and plays a pivotal role in controlling insulin secretion. Hence our findings proved, vitamin D(3) supplementation as a potential nutritional therapy in ameliorating diabetes mediated cortical dysfunctions and suggest an interaction between vitamin D(3) and muscarinic M3 receptors in regulating insulin secretion from pancreas., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)