Context: Bauhinia L. species, including Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (Fabaceae), have traditionally been used to treat diabetes. Bauhinia is a complex botanical genus, and the indiscriminate ...use of the diverse Bauhinia species is reflected in the experimental divergence of their medicinal potential.
Objective: The hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects, molecular mechanism of action and phytochemical properties of an authentic extract of B. holophylla leaves were evaluated.
Materials and methods: A phytochemical study of a 70% EtOH extract was performed using FIA-ESI-IT-MS/MS
n
and HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS. The extract (200 or 400 mg/kg b.w.) was administered for 14 days to streptozotocin-induced diabetic Swiss mice. Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, blood parameters, gene and protein expression, and the in vivo and in vitro inhibition of intestinal glucosidases were assessed.
Results: HPLC-PAD-ESI-IT-MS analysis identified flavonoid derivatives of quercetin, myricetin, luteolin and kaempferol. Treatment with 400 mg/kg of the extract reduced blood glucose (269.0 ± 32.4 mg/dL vs. 468.0 ± 32.2 mg/dL for diabetic animals), improved glucose tolerance, decreased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increased the mRNA expression of proteins involved in glucogenesis in the liver and muscle, such as PI3-K/Akt, GS, GSK3-β (ser-9), AMPK and Glut4. The activity of intestinal maltase was inhibited in vitro (IC
50
: 43.0 µg/mL for the extract compared to 516.4 µg/mL for acarbose) and in vivo.
Discussion and conclusions: Treatment with B. holophylla was associated with a marked hypoglycaemic effect through the stimulation of glycogenesis and inhibition of gluconeogenesis and intestinal glucose absorption, without increasing basal insulinaemia.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present a critical review of a criterion of risk, created to assess the flood risk of the international heritage building. In order to evaluate this ...criterion, it was applied to a sample of Portuguese building heritage.
Design/methodology/approach
– This effort will start with the definition of the most important historical buildings in Portugal, its location and a full study about its constitution considering not only the materials they are made to but also the layers and the influence of the porosity/porometry for the drying process. Then it will also crucial the classification of the flood risk occurrence having in mind the previous information. A mapping will be made with the classification here developed.
Findings
– This work presents a critical review of the main information related with the Portuguese monuments classified as “National Monuments”. A new empirical model was proposed takes into account all of the factors defined as the most influent in flood risk determination. A risk map was created on the basis classification developed. It will be possible to observe that a significant amount of Portuguese monuments are classified as medium to high risk of flooding.
Originality/value
– This paper presents a new methodology to analyse the flood risk of international heritage building. The main benefit of the work is that it discusses the importance architectural heritage and justifies the need to safeguard it from extreme climatic phenomena such as floods.
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