Antioxidant Reviving Role of Mint-Tea on Placenta During Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

In the global scenario, about 1-14 % of pregnancies are associated with increased perinatal morbidity, mortality due to increased risk of pregnancy-induced disorders. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the severe and serious condition that occur due to high blood glucose levels during pregnancy, which leads to variety of structural and functional changes in placenta. Placental injury due to free radical induced oxidative stress (OS) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of complications during diabetic gestation. To ameliorate OS induction during diabetic pregnancy, herbs containing potential antioxidant constituents are required. Mint (Mentha spicata) and Tea (Camellia sinensis) are the renowned aromatic herbs rich in effective antioxidants. Hence the present study aims to monitor the possible beneficial effect of mint-tea on OS markers such as LPO, NO2-, HNE, ADMA, antioxidants such as SOD, TAC, GRR along with the analysis of HSP70 expression. Oxidant-antioxidant imbalance along with increased expression of HSP70 was observed in the GDM placental homogenate without mint-tea incubation. Mint-tea incubation diminished the oxidants and increased the antioxidants which subsequently results in decreased HSP70 expression in GDM placental homogenate. The results revealed that mint-tea extract renders more cell protection and implying their effect in modulating GDM associated stress is more pronounced in combined form than their sole use. Hence the mint-tea extracts can be employed as an alternative herbal remedy to prevent the OS mediated complications during GDM.