Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 42 in total

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  1. Das S, Mohamed IN, Teoh SL, Thevaraj T, Ku Ahmad Nasir KN, Zawawi A, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2020;20(7):626-635.
    PMID: 31969099 DOI: 10.2174/1389557520666200122124445
    The incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has risen globally. MetS includes a combination of features, i.e. blood glucose impairment, excess abdominal/body fat dyslipidemia and elevated blood pressure. Other than conventional treatment with drugs, the main preventive approaches include lifestyle changes, weight loss, diet control and adequate exercise also proves to be beneficial. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play critical regulatory roles in most biological and pathological processes. In the present review, we discuss various miRNAs which are related to MetS by targeting various organs, including the pancreas, liver, skeletal muscles and adipose tissues. These miRNAs have the effect on insulin production and secretion (miR-9, miR-124a, miR-130a,b, miR152, miR-335, miR-375), insulin resistance (miR-29), adipogenesis (miR-143, miR148a) and lipid metabolism (miR-192). We also discuss the miRNAs as potential biomarkers and future therapeutic targets. This review may be beneficial for molecular biologists and clinicians dealing with MetS.
  2. Abdullah JM, Zhang J
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2013 Apr 01;13(5):744-8.
    PMID: 23373649
    The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor is composed of a variety of subunits and combinations and shows a characteristic distribution in the CNS. To date, 20 subunits of the GABA A receptor have been cloned: α1-6, β1-4, γ1-3, δ, π, ε , Θ, and ρ1-3. Oocyte of Xenopus laevis is one of the most frequently used heterologous expression systems, which are used to design and analyze specific combinations of GABA A receptor subunits. In oocytes, a certain GABA A receptor function is studied only by comparing the amplitude of the response to GABA and other drugs by physiological and pharmacological methods. According to the studies on Xenopus laevis oocytes, the α1β2γ2S receptor combination is mostly used. The α1-containing receptors mediate sedative and anticonvulsant acts. The results of studies on oocytes show that PKA, NKCC1, P2X3 receptors, and GABA A receptor-associated protein, etc., are existing systems that show different reactivity to the GABA A receptors. The GABA A receptor subunits contain distinct binding sites for BZDs, neurosteroids, general anesthetics, etc., which are responsible for the numerous functions of the GABA A receptor. A variety of other drugs, such as topiramate, TG41, (+)- and (-)-borneol, apigenin, and 6-methylflavone could also have modulatory effects on the GABA A receptors. Some of the different models and hypotheses on GABA A receptor structure and function have been achieved by using the two-electrode voltage clamp method in oocytes.
  3. Lew SY, Teoh SL, Lim SH, Lim LW, Wong KH
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2020;20(15):1518-1531.
    PMID: 32452327 DOI: 10.2174/1389557520666200526125534
    Depression is the most common form of mental illness and the major cause of disability worldwide. Symptoms of depression, including feelings of intense sadness and hopelessness, may occur after a specific event or in response to a gradual decline in health and functional status, often associated with aging. Current therapies for treating these symptoms include antidepressant drugs, counseling and behavioral therapy. However, antidepressant drugs are associated with mild to severe adverse effects, which has prompted the need for better treatment options. Medicinal mushrooms are valuable sources of food and medicine and are increasingly being used as supplements or as alternative medicines in standard healthcare. Numerous studies have provided insights into the neuroprotective effects of medicinal mushrooms, which are attributed to their antioxidant, anti-neuroinflammatory, cholinesterase inhibitory and neuroprotective properties. In this review, we comprehensively examine the role of these medicinal mushrooms in the treatment of depression. However, to apply these natural products in clinical settings, the therapeutic agent needs to be properly evaluated, including the active ingredients, the presence of synergistic effects, efficient extraction methods, and stabilization of the active ingredients for delivery into the body as well as crossing the blood-brain barrier.
  4. Khalifa M, Few LL, Too WCS
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2021 Dec 13.
    PMID: 34961459 DOI: 10.2174/1389557521666211213160256
    BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most prevalent opportunistic pathogens in humans that has thrived and proved to be difficult to control in this "post-antibiotic era." Antibiotic alternatives are necessary for fighting against this resilient bacterium. Even though phages might not be "the wonder drug" that solves everything, they still provide a viable option to combat P. aeruginosa and curb the threat it imposes.

    MAIN FINDINGS: The combination of antibiotics with phages, however, poses a propitious treatment option for P. aeruginosa. Choline kinase (ChoK) is the enzyme that synthesizes phosphorylcholine subsequently incorporated into lipopolysaccharide located at the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. Recently, inhibition of ChoKs has been proposed as a promising antibacterial strategy. Successful docking of Hemicholinium-3, a choline kinase inhibitor, to the model structure of P. aeruginosa ChoK also supports the use of this inhibitor or its derivatives to inhibit the growth of this microorganism.

    CONCLUSION: Therefore, the combination of the novel antimicrobial "choline kinase inhibitors (ChoKIs)" with a phage cocktail or synthetic phages as a potential treatment for P. aeruginosa infection has been proposed.

  5. Ridzuan NRA, Rashid NA, Othman F, Budin SB, Hussan F, Teoh SL
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2019;19(14):1134-1143.
    PMID: 30894108 DOI: 10.2174/1389557519666190320124438
    Cisplatin is a widely used antineoplastic agent for the treatment of metastatic tumors, advanced bladder cancer and many other solid tumors. However, at higher doses, toxicities such as nephrotoxicity may appear. Cisplatin leads to DNA damage and subsequently renal cell death. Besides that, oxidative stress is also implicated as one of the main causes of nephrotoxicity. Several studies showed that numerous natural products: ginseng, curcumin, licorice, honey and pomegranate were able to reduce the oxidative stress by restoring the levels of antioxidant enzymes and also at the same time act as an anti-inflammatory agent. Furthermore, pre-treatment with vitamin supplementation, such as vitamin C, E and riboflavin markedly decreased serum urea and increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the kidney even after cisplatin induction in cancer patients. These natural products possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory medicinal properties, and they can be safely used as a supplementary regime or combination therapy against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. The present review focused on the protective role of a few natural products which is widely used in folk medicines in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.
  6. Mungroo MR, Anwar A, Khan NA, Siddiqui R
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2019;19(12):980-987.
    PMID: 30868950 DOI: 10.2174/1389557519666190313161854
    Pathogenic free-living amoeba are known to cause a devastating infection of the central nervous system and are often referred to as "brain-eating amoebae". The mortality rate of more than 90% and free-living nature of these amoebae is a cause for concern. It is distressing that the mortality rate has remained the same over the past few decades, highlighting the lack of interest by the pharmaceutical industry. With the threat of global warming and increased outdoor activities of public, there is a need for renewed interest in identifying potential anti-amoebic compounds for successful prognosis. Here, we discuss the available chemotherapeutic options and opportunities for potential strategies in the treatment and diagnosis of these life-threatening infections.
  7. Kumar S, Narasimhan B, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, Mani V, Shah SAA
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2019;19(7):609-621.
    PMID: 30526456 DOI: 10.2174/1389557519666181210162413
    BACKGROUND: A series of 6, 6'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(4-(4-bromophenyl)pyrimidin-2-amine) derivatives has been synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation and its chemical structures was confirmed by FT-IR, 1H/13C-NMR spectral and elemental analyses. The molecular docking study was carried out to find the interaction between active bis-pyrimidine compounds with CDK-8 protein. The in vitro antimicrobial potential of the synthesized compounds was determined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species as well fungal species by tube dilution technique. Antimicrobial results indicated that compound 11y was found to be most potent one against E. coli (MICec = 0.67 µmol/mL) and C. albicans (MICca = 0.17 µmol/mL) and its activity was comparable to norfloxacin (MIC = 0.47 µmol/mL) and fluconazole (MIC = 0.50 µmol/mL), respectively.

    CONCLUSION: Anticancer screening of the synthesized compounds using Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay demonstrated that compounds 2y (IC50 = 0.01 µmol/mL) and 4y (IC50= 0.02 µmol/mL) have high antiproliferative potential against human colorectal carcinoma cancer cell line than the reference drug (5- fluorouracil) and these compounds also showed best dock score with better potency within the ATP binding pocket and may also be used lead for rational drug designing.

  8. Tahlan S, Narasimhan B, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, Mani V, Shah SAA
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2020;20(15):1559-1571.
    PMID: 30179132 DOI: 10.2174/1389557518666180903151849
    BACKGROUND: Various analogues of benzimidazole are found to be biologically and therapeutically potent against several ailments. Benzimidazole when attached with heterocyclic rings has shown wide range of potential activities. So, from the above provided facts, we altered benzimidazole derivatives so that more potent antagonists could be developed. In the search for a new category of antimicrobial and anticancer agents, novel azomethine of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole derived from 3-(2- (1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-ylthio)acetamido)benzohydrazide were synthesized.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The synthesized analogues were characterized by FT-IR, 1H/13C-NMR and MS studies as well C, H, N analysis. All synthesized compounds were evaluated for in vitro antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (B. subtilis), Gram-negative (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae and S. typhi) strains and in vitro antifungal activity against C. albicans and A. niger strains by serial dilution method, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) described in μM/ml. The in vitro anticancer activity of synthesized compounds was determined against human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT- 116) using 5-fluorouracil as standard drug.

    CONCLUSION: In general, most of the synthesized derivatives exhibited significant antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Compounds 8, 10, 15, 16, 17, 20 and 22 showed significant antimicrobial activity towards tested bacterial and fungal strains and compound 26 exhibited significant anticancer activity.

  9. Tahlan S, Narasimhan B, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, Mani V, Shah SAA
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2019;19(13):1080-1092.
    PMID: 30306865 DOI: 10.2174/1389557518666181009151008
    BACKGROUND: Increased rate of mortality due to the development of resistance to currently available antimicrobial and anticancer agents initiated the need to develop new chemical entities for the treatment of microbial infections and cancer.

    OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed to synthesize and evaluate antimicrobial and anticancer activities of Schiff bases of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole.

    METHODS: The Schiff bases of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole were synthesized from 4-(2-(1H-benzo[d]- imidazol-2-ylthio)acetamido)benzohydrazide. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for antimicrobial and anticancer activities by tube dilution method and Sulforhodamine-B (SRB) assay, respectively.

    RESULTS: Compounds 8 (MICpa, an = 2.41, 1.20 µM/ml), 10 (MICse, sa = 2.50 µM/ml), 20 (MICec = 2.34 µM/ml) and 25 (MICca = 1.46 µM/ml) showed significant antimicrobial activity against tested bacterial and fungal strains and compounds 20 (IC50 = 8 µg/ml) and 23 (IC50 = 7 µg/ml) exhibited significant anticancer activity.

    CONCLUSION: In general, the synthesized derivatives exhibited moderate antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Compounds 8 and 25 having high antifungal potential among the synthesized compounds may be taken as lead molecules for the development of novel antifungal agents.

  10. Kumar S, Narasimhan B, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, Mani V, Shah SAA
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2019;19(10):851-864.
    PMID: 30306864 DOI: 10.2174/1389557518666181009141924
    BACKGROUND: A series of 5-(2-amino-6-(3/4-bromophenyl)pyrimidin-4-yl)benzene-1,3-diol scaffolds was synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation and characterized by NMR, IR, Mass and elemental analyses.

    METHODS: The synthesized pyrimidine scaffolds were screened for their antimicrobial activity by tube dilution method as well for antiproliferative activity (human colorectal (HCT116) cancer cell line) by SRB assay.

    RESULTS: The antimicrobial screening results demonstrated that compounds, k6, k12, k14 and k20 were found to be the most potent ones against selected microbial species. The anticancer screening results indicated that compounds, k8 and k14 displayed potent anticancer activity against cancer cell line (HCT116).

    CONCLUSION: Further, the molecular docking study carried to find out the interaction between active pyrimidine compounds with CDK-8 protein indicated that compound k14 showed best dock score with better potency within the ATP binding pocket and may be used as a lead for rational drug designing of the anticancer molecule.

  11. Anouar el H, Zakaria NS, Alsalme A, Shah SA
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2015;15(14):1148-58.
    PMID: 26205959
    A natural pentacyclic triterpenoid oleanolic acid 1 and its biotransformed metabolites 2-3 are potential α-glucosidase inhibitors. To elucidate the inhibitory mechanism of compounds 1, 2 and 3 against α-glucosidase, we calculated (i) their electronic and optical properties using DFT and TD-DFT at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level in gas and IEF-PCM solvent; and (ii) their binding energies to α-glucosidase via docking study. DFT results showed that the α-glucosidase inhibtion is mainly depend on the polarity parameters of the studied compounds. Docking results revealed that the activity increased with binding energies (i.e. the stability of ligand-receptor complex). The specroscopic data of oleanolic acid 1 and its metabolites 2 and 3 are well predicetd for 13C NMR chemical shifts (R2=99%) and 1H NMR chemical shifts (R2=90%); and for (ii) UV/vis spectra. The assignments and interpretation of NMR chemical shifts and bathochromic shift of λMAX absorption bands are discussed.
  12. Faheem, Kumar BK, Sekhar KVGC, Kunjiappan S, Jamalis J, Balaña-Fouce R, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2021;21(4):398-425.
    PMID: 33001013 DOI: 10.2174/1389557520666201001130114
    β-Carboline, a naturally occurring indole alkaloid, holds a momentous spot in the field of medicinal chemistry due to its myriad of pharmacological actions like anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antileishmanial, antimalarial, neuropharmacological, anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic among others. β-Carbolines exhibit their pharmacological activity via diverse mechanisms. This review provides a recent update (2015-2020) on the anti-infective potential of natural and synthetic β-carboline analogs focusing on its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antimalarial, antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal properties. In cases where enough details are available, a note on its mechanism of action is also added.
  13. Akter N, Radiman S, Mohamed F, Reza MI
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2013 Jul;13(9):1327-39.
    PMID: 23544469
    Self-assembled nanocarriers attract increasing attention due to their wide application in various practical fields; among them, one of the most focused fields is drug delivery. Appropriate selection of surfactant is the basis for preparing a successful nanocarrier. Until now, from phospholipid to synthetic surfactants, many surfactants have been used to explore a suitable drug delivery vehicle for the complex in-vivo environment. Among all, bio surfactants are found to be more suitable due to their bio-origin, less-toxicity, biodegradability, cheaper rate and above all, their versatile molecular structures. This molecular property enables them to self assemble into fascinating structures. Moreover, binding DNA, enhancing pH sensitivity and stability allows novelty over their synthetic counterparts and phospholipid. This review paper focuses on the properties and applications of bio-nano-carriers for drug delivery. Micelle, microemulsion, and vesicle are the three nanocarriers which are discussed herein.
  14. Ali Y, Hamid SA, Rashid U
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2018;18(18):1548-1558.
    PMID: 29792144 DOI: 10.2174/1389557518666180524113111
    Azo dyes are widely used in textile, fiber, cosmetic, leather, paint and printing industries. Besides their characteristic coloring function, azo compounds are reported as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and cytotoxic agents. They have the ability to be used as drug carriers, either by acting as a 'cargo' that entrap therapeutic agents or by prodrug approach. The drug is released by internal or external stimuli in the region of interest, as observed in colon-targeted drug delivery. Besides drug-like and drug carrier properties, a number of azo dyes are used in cellular staining to visualize cellular components and metabolic processes. However, the biological significance of azo compounds, especially in cancer chemotherapy, is still in its infancy. This may be linked to early findings that declared azo compounds as one of the possible causes of cancer and mutagenesis. Currently, researchers are screening the aromatic azo compounds for their potential biomedical use, including cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this review, we highlight the medical applications of azo compounds, particularly related to cancer research. The biomedical significance of cis-trans interchange and negative implications of azo compounds are also discussed in brief.
  15. Shirbhate E, Patel P, Patel VK, Veerasamy R, Sharma PC, Sinha BN, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2021;21(8):1004-1016.
    PMID: 33280595 DOI: 10.2174/1389557520666201204162103
    The novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that emerged from Wuhan, China, and has spread all around the world, affecting 216 countries or territories with 21,732,472 people infected and 770,866 deaths globally (as per WHO COVID-19 updates of August 18, 2020). Continuous efforts are being made to repurpose the existing drugs and develop vaccines for combating this infection. Despite, to date, no certified antiviral treatment or vaccine exists. Although, few candidates have displayed their efficacy in in vitro studies and are being repurposed for COVID- 19 treatment. This article summarizes synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds displaying potent activity in clinical uses or studies on COVID-19 and also focuses on the mode of action of drugs being repositioned against COVID-19.
  16. Patel V, Vaishnaw A, Shirbhate E, Kore R, Singh V, Veerasamy R, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2023 Oct 10.
    PMID: 37861053 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575262104230928042150
    Cortisol, commonly known as the "stress hormone," plays a critical role in the body's response to stress. Elevated cortisol levels have been associated with various mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Consequently, researchers have explored cortisol modulation as a promising avenue for treating these conditions. However, the availability of research on cortisol as a therapeutic option for mental disorders is limited, and existing studies employ diverse methodologies and outcome measures. This review article aimed to provide insights into different treatment approaches, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological, which can effectively modulate cortisol levels. Pharmacological interventions involve the use of substances, such as somatostatin analogs, dopamine agonists, corticotropin-releasing hormone antagonists, and cortisol synthesis inhibitors. Additionally, non-pharmacological techniques, including cognitivebehavioral therapy, herbs and supplements, transcranial magnetic stimulation, lifestyle changes, and surgery, have been investigated to reduce cortisol levels. The emerging evidence suggests that cortisol modulation could be a promising treatment option for mental disorders. However, more research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness and safety of these therapies.
  17. Shirbhate E, Singh V, Mishra A, Jahoriya V, Veerasamy R, Tiwari AK, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2024 Feb 09.
    PMID: 38343053 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575287242240129120002
    Chemotherapy is still the major method of treatment for many types of cancer. Curative cancer therapy is hampered significantly by medication resistance. Acidic organelles like lysosomes serve as protagonists in cellular digestion. Lysosomes, however, are gaining popularity due to their speeding involvement in cancer progression and resistance. For instance, weak chemotherapeutic drugs of basic nature permeate through the lysosomal membrane and are retained in lysosomes in their cationic state, while extracellular release of lysosomal enzymes induces cancer, cytosolic escape of lysosomal hydrolases causes apoptosis, and so on. Drug availability at the sites of action is decreased due to lysosomal drug sequestration, which also enhances cancer resistance. This review looks at lysosomal drug sequestration mechanisms and how they affect cancer treatment resistance. Using lysosomes as subcellular targets to combat drug resistance and reverse drug sequestration is another method for overcoming drug resistance that is covered in this article. The present review has identified lysosomal drug sequestration as one of the reasons behind chemoresistance. The article delves deeper into specific aspects of lysosomal sequestration, providing nuanced insights, critical evaluations, or novel interpretations of different approaches that target lysosomes to defect cancer.
  18. Singh V, Shirbhate E, Kore R, Mishra A, Johariya V, Veerasamy R, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2024 Feb 21.
    PMID: 38385496 DOI: 10.2174/0113895575283895240207065454
    Prostate cancer is a widespread malignancy among men, with a substantial global impact on morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in conventional therapies, the need for innovative and less toxic treatments remains a priority. Emerging evidence suggests that dietary plant metabolites possess epigenetic-modifying properties, making them attractive candidates for prostate cancer treatment. The present work reviews the epigenetic effects of dietary plant metabolites in the context of prostate cancer therapy. We first outline the key epigenetic mechanisms involved in prostate cancer pathogenesis, including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and miRNA or Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) dysregulation. Next, we delve into the vast array of dietary plant metabolites that have demonstrated promising anti-cancer effects through epigenetic regulation. Resveratrol, minerals, isothiocyanates, curcumin, tea polyphenols, soy isoflavones and phytoestrogens, garlic compounds, anthocyanins, lycopene, and indoles are among the most extensively studied compounds. These plant-derived bioactive compounds have been shown to influence DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications, and microRNA expression, thereby altering the gene expression allied with prostate cancer progression, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. We also explore preclinical and clinical studies investigating the efficacy of dietary plant metabolites as standalone treatments or in combination with traditional treatments for people with prostate cancer. The present work highlights the potential of dietary plant metabolites as epigenetic modulators to treat prostate cancer. Continued research in this field may pave the way for personalized and precision medicine approaches, moving us closer to the goal of improved prostate cancer management.
  19. Sarkar N, Dey YN, Kumar D, Rajagopal M
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2021;21(19):3037-3051.
    PMID: 34036911 DOI: 10.2174/1389557521666210525120325
    Effective treatment of tuberculosis has been hampered by the emergence of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium therapeutic facilities tuberculosis. With the global resurgence of tuberculosis with the development of multidrug-resistant cases, there is a call for the development of new drugs to combat these diseases. Throughout history, natural products have afforded a rich source of compounds that have found many applications in the fields of medicine, pharmacy and biology, and continued to play a significant role in the drug discovery and development process. This review article depicts the various potential plant extracts as well as plant derived phytoconstituents against the H37rv, the most persistent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its multidrug strains.
  20. Dahiya S, Dahiya R, Fuloria NK, Mourya R, Dahiya S, Fuloria S, et al.
    Mini Rev Med Chem, 2022 Jan 13.
    PMID: 35049431 DOI: 10.2174/1389557522666220113122117
    Bridged peptide macrobicycles (BPMs) from natural resources belong to types of compounds that are not investigated fully in terms of their formation, pharmacological potential and stereo-chemical properties. This division of biologically active congeners with multiple circular rings, has merits over other varieties of peptide molecules. BPMs form one of the most hopeful grounds for establishment of drugs because of their close resemblance and biocompatibility to proteins, and these bio-actives are debated as feasible realistic tools in diverse biomedical applications. Despite huge potential, poor metabolic stability and cell permeability limit the therapeutic success of macrocyclic peptides. In this review, we have comprehensively explored major bicyclic peptides sourced from plants and mushrooms including βs-leucyl-tryptophano-histidine bridged and tryptophano-cysteine bridged peptide macrobicycles. The unique structural features, structure activity relationship, synthetic routes, bioproperties and therapeutic potential of the natural BPMs are also discussed.
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