African walnut (Plukenetia conophora) oil improves glucose uptake and metabolic activities in erythrocytes
Abstract
Background: African walnut (Plukenetia conophora) oil (AWO) has been employed in the management of glucose dysmetabolic-mediated ailments, with emerging evidence suggesting that its modulatory effects on erythrocyte glucose dysmetabolism may mitigate dysfunctions implicated in the pathophysiology of metabolic diseases.
Objective: The present study investigated the effect of AWO on glucose uptake and its effect on glucose metabolism, purinergic and antioxidant activities and surface morphology in isolated rats' erythrocytes ex vivo.
Methods: Isolated erythrocytes were incubated with AWO (30-240 μg/mL) and glucose (11.1 mM) for 2 h at 37°C. Negative control consisted of erythrocytes incubated with glucose only, while normal control consisted of erythrocytes not incubated with AWO and/or glucose. Metformin served as the standard hypoglycemic drug.
Results and conclusion: Incubation with AWO led to significant increase in erythrocyte glucose uptake, with concomitant suppression in superoxide dismutase, adenosine triphosphatase, ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase, glucose 6-phosphatse and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activities and iron level, while concomitantly enhancing glutathione and magnesium levels. Furthermore, the surface morphology of erythrocytes was improved following incubation with AWO. Molecular docking analysis revealed strong molecular interactions between AWO's phytoconstituents (linolenic acid and linoleic acid) and hemoglobin. Molecular dynamics…
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