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  1. Fulltext λ-Carrageenan promotes plant growth in banana via enhancement of cellular metabolism, nutrient uptake, and cellular homeostasis
    Thye KL, Wan Abdullah WMAN, Balia Yusof ZN, Wee CY, Ong-Abdullah J, Loh JY, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2022 Nov 16;12(1):19639.
    PMID: 36385165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21909-7
    Banana (Musa acuminata) is an important fruit crop and source of income for various countries, including Malaysia. To date, current agrochemical practice has become a disputable issue due to its detrimental effect on the environment. λ-carrageenan, a natural polysaccharide extracted from edible red seaweed, has been claimed to be a potential plant growth stimulator. Hence, the present study investigates the effects of λ-carrageenan on plant growth using Musa acuminata cv. Berangan (AAA). Vegetative growth such as plant height, root length, pseudostem diameter, and fresh weight was improved significantly in λ-carrageenan-treated banana plants at an optimum concentration of 750 ppm. Enhancement of root structure was also observed in optimum λ-carrageenan treatment, facilitating nutrients uptake in banana plants. Further biochemical assays and gene expression analysis revealed that the increment in growth performance was consistent with the increase of chlorophyll content, protein content, and phenolic content, suggesting that λ-carrageenan increases photosynthesis rate, protein biosynthesis, and secondary metabolites biosynthesis which eventually stimulate growth. Besides, λ-carrageenan at optimum concentration also increased catalase and peroxidase activities, which led to a significant reduction in hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, maintaining cellular homeostasis in banana plants. Altogether, λ-carrageenan at optimum concentration improves the growth of banana plants via inducing metabolic processes, enhancing nutrient uptake, and regulation of cell homeostasis. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of λ-carrageenan on banana plants under field conditions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Carrageenan/pharmacology
  2. Fulltext γ-Tocotrienol and 6-Gingerol in Combination Synergistically Induce Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis in HT-29 and SW837 Human Colorectal Cancer Cells
    Yusof KM, Makpol S, Jamal R, Harun R, Mokhtar N, Ngah WZ
    Molecules, 2015 Jun 03;20(6):10280-97.
    PMID: 26046324 DOI: 10.3390/molecules200610280
    Numerous bioactive compounds have cytotoxic properties towards cancer cells. However, most studies have used single compounds when bioactives may target different pathways and exert greater cytotoxic effects when used in combination. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the anti-proliferative effect of γ-tocotrienol (γ-T3) and 6-gingerol (6G) in combination by evaluating apoptosis and active caspase-3 in HT-29 and SW837 colorectal cancer cells. MTS assays were performed to determine the anti-proliferative and cytotoxicity effect of γ-T3 (0-150 µg/mL) and 6G (0-300 µg/mL) on the cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 6G+ γ-T3 for HT-29 was 105 + 67 µg/mL and for SW837 it was 70 + 20 µg/mL. Apoptosis, active caspase-3 and annexin V FITC assays were performed after 24 h of treatment using flow cytometry. These bioactives in combination showed synergistic effect on HT-29 (CI: 0.89 ± 0.02,) and SW837 (CI: 0.79 ± 0.10) apoptosis was increased by 21.2% in HT-29 and 55.4% in SW837 (p < 0.05) after 24 h treatment, while normal hepatic WRL-68 cells were unaffected. Increased apoptosis by the combined treatments was also observed morphologically, with effects like cell shrinkage and pyknosis. In conclusion, although further studies need to be done, γ-T3 and 6G when used in combination act synergistically increasing cytotoxicity and apoptosis in cancer cells.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology*; Catechols/pharmacology*; Chromans/pharmacology*; Cytotoxins/pharmacology*; Fatty Alcohols/pharmacology*; Vitamin E/pharmacology
  3. γ-Synuclein confers both pro-invasive and doxorubicin-mediated pro-apoptotic properties to the colon adenocarcinoma LS 174T cell line
    Goh KW, Say YH
    Tumour Biol., 2015 Sep;36(10):7947-60.
    PMID: 25956278 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-3455-6
    γ-synuclein, a neuronal protein of the synuclein family, is involved in carcinogenesis. To investigate its role in colorectal cancer carcinogenesis, we overexpressed γ-synuclein in LS 174T colon adenocarcinoma cell line (termed LS 174T-γsyn). When compared with untransfected/mock transfectants, LS 174T-γsyn had higher mobility in scratch wound assay, tend to scatter more in cell-scattering assay, and had enhanced lamellipodia and filopodia formation in cell-spreading assay. Enhanced adhesion of LS 174T-γsyn to fibronectin and collagen and significantly higher proliferation rate showed that γ-synuclein was able to increase extracellular matrix interaction and promoted proliferation of LS 174T. Higher invasiveness of LS 174T-γsyn was evidenced by enhanced invasion to the bottom of the basement membrane in Boyden chamber assay. However, LS 174T-γsyn were significantly more vulnerable to doxorubicin, vincristine and hydrogen peroxide insults, via apoptotic cell death. LS 174T-γsyn also had reduced anchorage-independent growth as shown by reduced colony formation and reduced anoikis resistance. We found that overexpression of γ-synuclein confers both pro-invasive and doxorubicin-mediated pro-apoptotic properties to LS 174T, where the former was mediated through enhanced cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation, while the latter involved hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) downregulation and subsequent downstream signalling pathways possibly involving extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2, p38α, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pan and Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STATs). This unexpected contrasting finding as compared to other similar studies on colon cancer cell lines might be correlated with the degree of tumour advancement from which the cell lines were derived from.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/pharmacology; Doxorubicin/pharmacology*
  4. Fulltext γ-Secretase Inhibitors and Modulators Induce Distinct Conformational Changes in the Active Sites of γ-Secretase and Signal Peptide Peptidase
    Gertsik N, Chau DM, Li YM
    ACS Chem. Biol., 2015 Aug 21;10(8):1925-31.
    PMID: 26030233 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.5b00321
    γ-Secretase inhibitors (GSIs) and modulators (GSMs) are at the frontline of cancer and Alzheimer's disease research, respectively. While both are therapeutically promising, not much is known about their interactions with proteins other than γ-secretase. Signal peptide peptidase (SPP), like γ-secretase, is a multispan transmembrane aspartyl protease that catalyzes regulated intramembrane proteolysis. We used active site-directed photophore walking probes to study the effects of different GSIs and GSMs on the active sites of γ-secretase and SPP and found that nontransition state GSIs inhibit labeling of γ-secretase by activity-based probes but enhance labeling of SPP. The opposite is true of GSMs, which have little effect on the labeling of γ-secretase but diminish labeling of SPP. These results demonstrate that GSIs and GSMs are altering the structure of not only γ-secretase but also SPP, leading to potential changes in enzyme activity and specificity that may impact the clinical outcomes of these molecules.
    Matched MeSH terms: Benzophenones/pharmacology; Small Molecule Libraries/pharmacology*
  5. γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles filled polyvinyl alcohol as potential biomaterial for tissue engineering scaffold
    Ngadiman NH, Idris A, Irfan M, Kurniawan D, Yusof NM, Nasiri R
    J Mech Behav Biomed Mater, 2015 Sep;49:90-104.
    PMID: 26002419 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2015.04.029
    Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticle with its unique magnetic properties is recently known to enhance the cell growth rate. In this study, γ-Fe2O3 is mixed into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix and then electrospun to form nanofibers. Design of experiments was used to determine the optimum parameter settings for the electrospinning process so as to produce elctrospun mats with the preferred characteristics such as good morphology, Young's modulus and porosity. The input factors of the electrospinnning process were nanoparticles content (1-5%), voltage (25-35 kV), and flow rate (1-3 ml/h) while the responses considered were Young's modulus and porosity. Empirical models for both responses as a function of the input factors were developed and the optimum input factors setting were determined, and found to be at 5% nanoparticle content, 35 kV voltage, and 1 ml/h volume flow rate. The characteristics and performance of the optimum PVA/γ-Fe2O3 nanofiber mats were compared with those of neat PVA nanofiber mats in terms of morphology, thermal properties, and hydrophilicity. The PVA/γ-Fe2O3 nanofiber mats exhibited higher fiber diameter and surface roughness yet similar thermal properties and hydrophilicity compared to neat PVA PVA/γ-Fe2O3 nanofiber mats. Biocompatibility test by exposing the nanofiber mats with human blood cells was performed. In terms of clotting time, the PVA/γ-Fe2O3 nanofibers exhibited similar behavior with neat PVA. The PVA/γ-Fe2O3 nanofibers also showed higher cells proliferation rate when MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay was done using human skin fibroblast cells. Thus, the PVA/γ-Fe2O3 electrospun nanofibers can be a promising biomaterial for tissue engineering scaffolds.
    Matched MeSH terms: Biocompatible Materials/pharmacology; Calcium Chloride/pharmacology; Polyvinyl Alcohol/pharmacology
  6. β-Sitosterol from Ifloga spicata (Forssk.) Sch. Bip. as potential anti-leishmanial agent against leishmania tropica: Docking and molecular insights
    Majid Shah S, Ullah F, Ayaz M, Sadiq A, Hussain S, Ali Shah AU, et al.
    Steroids, 2019 08;148:56-62.
    PMID: 31085212 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2019.05.001
    The current study was aimed to evaluate the anti-leishmanial potentials of β-sitosterol isolated from Ifloga spicata. The anti-leishmanial potential of β-sitosterol is well documented against Leishmania donovani and Leishmania amazonensis but unexplored against Leishmania tropica. Structure of the compound was elucidated by FT-IR, mass spectrometry and multinuclear (1H and 13C) magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The compound was evaluated for its anti-leishmanial potentials against L. tropica KWH23 using in vitro anti-promastigote, DNA interaction, apoptosis, docking studies against leishmanolysin (GP63) and trypanothione reductase (TR) receptors using MOE 2016 software. β-sitosterol exhibited significant activity against leishmania promastigotes with IC50 values of 9.2 ± 0.06 μg/mL. The standard drug glucantaime showed IC50 of 5.33 ± 0.07 µg/mL. Further mechanistic studies including DNA targeting and apoptosis induction via acridine orange assay exhibited promising anti-leishmanial potentials for β-sitosterol. Molecular docking with leishmanolysin (GP63) and trypanothione reductase (TR) receptors displayed the binding scores of β-sitosterol with targets TR and GP63 were -7.659 and -6.966 respectively. The low binding energies -61.54 (for TR) and -33.24 (for GP63) indicate that it strongly bind to the active sites of target receptors. The results confirmed that β-sitosterol have considerable anti-leishmanial potentials and need further studies as potential natural anti-leishmanial agent against L. tropica.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology*; Sitosterols/pharmacology*
  7. Fulltext β-Caryophyllene Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Angiogenesis in Colorectal Cancer Models
    Dahham SS, Tabana Y, Asif M, Ahmed M, Babu D, Hassan LE, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Sep 29;22(19).
    PMID: 34638895 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910550
    Beta-Caryophyllene (BCP), a naturally occurring sesquiterpene abundantly found in cloves, hops, and cannabis, is the active candidate of a relatively new group of vascular-inhibiting compounds that aim to block existing tumor blood vessels. Previously, we have reported the anti-cancer properties of BCP by utilizing a series of in-vitro anti-tumor-related assays using human colorectal carcinoma cells. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of BCP on in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo models of anti-angiogenic assays and evaluate its anti-cancer activity in xenograft tumor (both ectopic and orthotopic) mice models of human colorectal cancer. Computational structural analysis and an apoptosis antibody array were also performed to understand the molecular players underlying this effect. BCP exhibited strong anti-angiogenic activity by blocking the migration of endothelial cells, tube-like network formation, suppression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion from human umbilical vein endothelial cells and sprouting of rat aorta microvessels. BCP has a probable binding at Site#0 on the surface of VEGFR2. Moreover, BCP significantly deformed the vascularization architecture compared to the negative control in a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. BCP showed a remarkable reduction in tumor size and fluorescence molecular tomography signal intensity in all the mice treated with BCP, in a dose-dependent relationship, in ectopic and orthotopic tumor xenograft models, respectively. The histological analysis of the tumor from BCP-treated mice revealed a clear reduction of the density of vascularization. In addition, BCP induced apoptosis through downregulation of HSP60, HTRA, survivin, and XIAP, along with the upregulation of p21 expressions. These results suggest that BCP acts at multiple stages of angiogenesis and could be used as a promising therapeutic candidate to halt the growth of colorectal tumor cells.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology
  8. β Mangostin suppress LPS-induced inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro and carrageenan-induced peritonitis in vivo
    Syam S, Bustamam A, Abdullah R, Sukari MA, Hashim NM, Mohan S, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2014 Apr 28;153(2):435-45.
    PMID: 24607509 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.02.051
    The fruit hull of Garcinia mangostana Linn. has been used in traditional medicine for treatment of various inflammatory diseases. Hence, this study aims to investigate the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of β mangostin (βM), a major compound present in Garcinia mangostana.
    Matched MeSH terms: Xanthones/pharmacology
  9. Fulltext α6GABAA Receptor Positive Modulators Alleviate Migraine-like Grimaces in Mice via Compensating GABAergic Deficits in Trigeminal Ganglia
    Tzeng HR, Lee MT, Fan PC, Knutson DE, Lai TH, Sieghart W, et al.
    Neurotherapeutics, 2021 Jan;18(1):569-585.
    PMID: 33111258 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-020-00951-1
    Migraine is caused by hyperactivity of the trigeminovascular system, where trigeminal ganglia (TG) play an important role. This hyperactivity might originate from an underfunctional GABAergic system in TG. To investigate this possibility, we adapted a mouse model of migraine by inducing migraine-like grimaces in male mice via repeated injections of nitroglycerin (NTG, 10 mg/kg, i.p.), once every 2 days, for up to 5 sessions. Migraine-like facial pain scores were measured using the mouse grimace scale. Repeated NTG treatments in mice caused significant increases in migraine-like grimaces that were aborted and prevented by two anti-migraine agents sumatriptan and topiramate, respectively. After 5 sessions of NTG injections, the GABA-synthesizing enzyme, 65-kDa glutamate decarboxylase (GAD65), but not the GABA transporter 1 (GAT1) or the α6 subunit-containing GABAA receptors (α6GABAARs), was downregulated in mouse TG tissues. Taking advantage of the unaffected TG α6GABAAR expression in NTG-treated mice, we demonstrated that an α6GABAAR-selective positive allosteric modulator (PAM), DK-I-56-1, exhibited both abortive and prophylactic effects, comparable to those of sumatriptan and topiramate, respectively, in this migraine-mimicking mouse model. The brain-impermeable furosemide significantly prevented the effects of DK-I-56-1, suggesting its peripheral site of action, likely via preventing α6GABAAR modulation in TG. Results suggest that a decreased GABA synthesis caused by the reduced GAD65 expression in TG contributes to the trigeminovascular activation in this repeated NTG-induced migraine-mimicking model and that the unaltered α6GABAARs in TG are potential targets for migraine treatment. Thus, α6GABAAR-selective PAMs are potential anti-migraine agents for both abortive and preventive therapies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Nitroglycerin/pharmacology
  10. α-glucosidase inhibitors isolated from Mimosa pudica L
    Tasnuva ST, Qamar UA, Ghafoor K, Sahena F, Jahurul MHA, Rukshana AH, et al.
    Nat Prod Res, 2019 May;33(10):1495-1499.
    PMID: 29281898 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1419224
    The aim of the study was to isolate digestive enzymes inhibitors from Mimosa pudica through a bioassay-guided fractionation approach. Repeated silica gel and sephadex LH 20 column chromatographies of bioactive fractions afforded stigmasterol, quercetin and avicularin as digestive enzymes inhibitors whose IC50 values as compared to acarbose (351.02 ± 1.46 μg mL-1) were found to be as 91.08 ± 1.54, 75.16 ± 0.92 and 481.7 ± 0.703 μg mL-1, respectively. In conclusion, M. pudica could be a good and safe source of digestive enzymes inhibitors for the management of diabetes in future.
    Matched MeSH terms: Flavonoids/pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology; Quercetin/pharmacology; Stigmasterol/pharmacology; Acarbose/pharmacology; Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors/pharmacology*
  11. Fulltext α-Mangostin from Cratoxylum arborescens demonstrates apoptogenesis in MCF-7 with regulation of NF-κB and Hsp70 protein modulation in vitro, and tumor reduction in vivo
    Ibrahim MY, Hashim NM, Mohan S, Abdulla MA, Kamalidehghan B, Ghaderian M, et al.
    Drug Des Devel Ther, 2014;8:1629-47.
    PMID: 25302018 DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S66105
    Cratoxylum arborescens is an equatorial plant belonging to the family Guttiferae. In the current study, α-Mangostin (AM) was isolated and its cell death mechanism was studied. HCS was undertaken to detect the nuclear condensation, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell permeability, and the release of cytochrome c. An investigation for reactive oxygen species formation was conducted using fluorescent analysis. To determine the mechanism of cell death, human apoptosis proteome profiler assay was conducted. In addition, using immunofluorescence and immunoblotting, the levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2 proteins were also tested. Caspaces such as 3/7, 8, and 9 were assessed during treatment. Using HCS and Western blot, the contribution of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) was investigated. AM had showed a selective cytotoxicity toward the cancer cells with no toxicity toward the normal cells even at 30 μg/mL, thereby indicating that AM has the attributes to induce cell death in tumor cells. The treatment of MCF-7 cells with AM prompted apoptosis with cell death-transducing signals. This regulated the mitochondrial membrane potential by down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax, thereby causing the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol. The liberation of cytochrome c activated caspace-9, which, in turn, activated the downstream executioner caspace-3/7 with the cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase protein, thereby leading to apoptotic alterations. Increase of caspace 8 had showed the involvement of an extrinsic pathway. This type of apoptosis was suggested to occur through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways and prevention of translocation of NF-κB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Our results revealed AM prompt apoptosis of MCF-7 cells through NF-κB, Bax/Bcl-2 and heat shock protein 70 modulation with the contribution of caspaces. Moreover, ingestion of AM at (30 and 60 mg/kg) significantly reduced tumor size in an animal model of breast cancer. Our results suggest that AM is a potentially useful agent for the treatment of breast cancer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology*; Xanthones/pharmacology*
  12. Fulltext α-Mangostin Nanoparticles Cytotoxicity and Cell Death Modalities in Breast Cancer Cell Lines
    Herdiana Y, Wathoni N, Shamsuddin S, Muchtaridi M
    Molecules, 2021 Aug 24;26(17).
    PMID: 34500560 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26175119
    α-Mangostin (AMG) is a potent anticancer xanthone that was discovered in mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn.). AMG possesses the highest opportunity for chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic therapy. AMG inhibits every step in the process of carcinogenesis. AMG suppressed multiple breast cancer (BC) cell proliferation and apoptosis by decreasing the creation of cancerous compounds. Accumulating BC abnormalities and their associated molecular signaling pathways promotes novel treatment strategies. Chemotherapy is a commonly used treatment; due to the possibility of unpleasant side effects and multidrug resistance, there has been substantial progress in searching for alternative solutions, including the use of plant-derived natural chemicals. Due to the limitations of conventional cancer therapy, nanotechnology provides hope for effective and efficient cancer diagnosis and treatment. Nanotechnology enables the delivery of nanoparticles and increased solubility of drugs and drug targeting, resulting in increased cytotoxicity and cell death during BC treatment. This review summarizes the progress and development of AMG's cytotoxicity and the mechanism of death BC cells. The combination of natural medicine and nanotechnology into a synergistic capital will provide various benefits. This information will aid in the development of AMG nanoparticle preparations and may open up new avenues for discovering an effective BC treatment.
    Matched MeSH terms: Xanthones/pharmacology*
  13. Fulltext α-Linolenic acid supplementation in BioXcell® extender can improve the quality of post-cooling and frozen-thawed bovine sperm
    Kaka A, Wahid H, Rosnina Y, Yimer N, Khumran AM, Sarsaifi K, et al.
    Anim. Reprod. Sci., 2015 Feb;153:1-7.
    PMID: 25544152 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2014.12.001
    The present study was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing α-linolenic acid (ALA) into BioXcell(®) extender on post-cooling, post-thawed bovine spermatozoa and post thawed fatty acid composition. Twenty-four semen samples were collected from three bulls using an electro-ejaculator. Fresh semen samples were evaluated for general motility using computer assisted semen analyzer (CASA) whereas morphology and viability with eosin-nigrosin stain. Semen samples extended into BioXcell(®) were divided into five groups to which 0, 3, 5, 10 and 15 ng/ml of ALA were added, respectively. The treated samples were incubated at 37°C for 15 min for ALA uptake by sperm cells before being cooled for 2 h at 5°C. After evaluation, the cooled samples were packed into 0.25 ml straws and frozen in liquid nitrogen for 24 h before thawing and evaluation for semen quality. Evaluation of cooled and frozen-thawed semen showed that the percentages of all the sperm parameters improved with 5 ng/ml ALA supplement. ALA was higher in all treated groups than control groups than control group. In conclusion, 5 ng/ml ALA supplemented into BioXcell(®) extender improved the cooled and frozen-thawed quality of bull spermatozoa.
    Matched MeSH terms: Cryoprotective Agents/pharmacology*; alpha-Linolenic Acid/pharmacology*
  14. α-Glucosidase inhibitory potential and hemolytic evaluation of newly synthesized 3,4,5-trisubstituted-1,2,4-triazole derivatives
    Nafeesa K, Aziz-Ur-Rehman -, Abbasi MA, Siddiqui SZ, Rasool S, Ali Shah SA, et al.
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2019 Nov;32(6):2651-2658.
    PMID: 31969298
    A series of 1, 2, 4-triazole derivatives bearing piperidine moiety has been introduced as new anti-diabetic drug candidates with least cytotoxicity. p-Chlorophenylsulfonyl chloride (1) and ethyl nipecotate (2) were the starting reagents that resulted into corresponding 3,4,5-trisubstituted-1,2,4-triazole (6) through a series of steps. A series of electrophiles, 9a-e, were synthesized by reacting 4-bromobutyryl chloride (7) with differently substituted aromatic amines (8a-e) under basic aqueous medium. Target derivatives, 10a-e, were synthesized by the reaction of compound 6 with N-aryl-4-bromobutanamides (9a-e) in an aprotic solvent. Structures of all the derivatives were verified by spectroscopic analysis using IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and EIMS. Most of the derivatives revealed moderate to good α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with reference to acarbose. The moderate hemolytic potential demonstrated least toxicity.
    Matched MeSH terms: Triazoles/pharmacology; Hemolytic Agents/pharmacology; Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors/pharmacology
  15. α-Glucosidase activity of oleanolic acid and its oxidative metabolites: DFT and Docking studies
    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.
    Matched MeSH terms: Oleanolic Acid/pharmacology*; Glycoside Hydrolase Inhibitors/pharmacology*
  16. Fulltext α-Amylase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory effects of Melicope latifolia bark extracts and identification of bioactive constituents using in vitro and in silico approaches
    Quek A, Kassim NK, Lim PC, Tan DC, Mohammad Latif MA, Ismail A, et al.
    Pharm Biol, 2021 Dec;59(1):964-973.
    PMID: 34347568 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2021.1948065
    CONTEXT: Melicope latifolia (DC.) T. G. Hartley (Rutaceae) was reported to contain various phytochemicals including coumarins, flavonoids, and acetophenones.

    OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of M. latifolia bark extracts, fractions, and isolated constituents.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Melicope latifolia extracts (hexane, chloroform, and methanol), fractions, and isolated constituents with varying concentrations (0.078-10 mg/mL) were subjected to in vitro α-amylase and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory assay. Molecular docking was performed to study the binding mechanism of active compounds towards α-amylase and DPP-4 enzymes. The antioxidant activity of M. latifolia fractions and compounds were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and β-carotene bleaching assays.

    RESULTS: Melicope latifolia chloroform extract showed the highest antidiabetic activity (α-amylase IC50: 1464.32 μg/mL; DPP-4 IC50: 221.58 μg/mL). Fractionation of chloroform extract yielded four major fractions (CF1-CF4) whereby CF3 showed the highest antidiabetic activity (α-amylase IC50: 397.68 μg/mL; DPP-4 IC50: 37.16 μg/mL) and resulted in β-sitosterol (1), halfordin (2), methyl p-coumarate (3), and protocatechuic acid (4). Isolation of compounds 2-4 from the species and their DPP-4 inhibitory were reported for the first time. Compound 2 showed the highest α-amylase (IC50: 197.53 μM) and β-carotene (88.48%) inhibition, and formed the highest number of molecular interactions with critical amino acid residues of α-amylase. The highest DPP-4 inhibition was exhibited by compound 3 (IC50: 911.44 μM).

    DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro and in silico analyses indicated the potential of M. latifolia as an alternative source of α-amylase and DPP-4 inhibitors. Further pharmacological studies on the compounds are recommended.

    Matched MeSH terms: Antioxidants/pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*; Phytochemicals/pharmacology
  17. trans-Cinnamic Acid Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles as Potent Therapeutics against Brain-Eating Amoeba Naegleria fowleri
    Rajendran K, Anwar A, Khan NA, Shah MR, Siddiqui R
    ACS Chem Neurosci, 2019 06 19;10(6):2692-2696.
    PMID: 30970208 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00111
    Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a deadly brain infection, is caused by brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The current first line of treatment against PAM is a mixture of amphotericin B, rifampin, and miltefosine. Since, no single effective drug has been developed so far, the mortality rate is above 95%. Moreover, severe adverse side effects are associated with these drugs. Nanotechnology has provided several advances in biomedical applications especially in drug delivery and diagnosis. Herein, for the first time we report antiamoebic properties of cinnamic acid (CA) and gold nanoparticles conjugated with CA (CA-AuNPs) against N. fowleri. CA-AuNPs were successfully synthesized by sodium borohydride reduction of tetrachloroauric acid. Size and morphology were determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) while the surface plasmon resonance band was analyzed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry for the characterization of the nanoparticles. Amoebicidal and cytopathogenicity (host cell cytotoxicity) assays revealed that both CA and CA-AuNPs displayed significant anti- N. fowleri properties ( P < 0.05), whereas nanoparticles conjugation further enhanced the anti- N. fowleri effects of CA. This study established a potential drug lead, while CA-AuNPs appear to be promising candidate for drug discovery against PAM.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology*; Cinnamates/pharmacology*
  18. siRNAs targeting multidrug transporter genes sensitise breast tumour to doxorubicin in a syngeneic mouse model
    Tiash S, Chowdhury EH
    J Drug Target, 2019 03;27(3):325-337.
    PMID: 30221549 DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2018.1525388
    Chemotherapy, the commonly favoured approach to treat cancer is frequently associated with treatment failure and recurrence of disease as a result of development of multidrug resistance (MDR) with concomitant over-expression of drug efflux proteins on cancer cells. One of the most widely used drugs, doxorubicin (Dox) is a substrate of three different ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, namely, ABCB1, ABCG2 and ABCC1, predominantly contributing to MDR phenotype in cancer. To silence these transporter-coding genes and thus enhance the therapeutic efficacy of Dox, pH-sensitive carbonate apatite (CA) nanoparticles (NPs) were employed as a carrier system to co-deliver siRNAs against these genes and Dox in breast cancer cells and in a syngeneic breast cancer mouse model. siRNAs and Dox were complexed with NPs by incubation at 37 °C and used to treat cancer cell lines to check cell viability and caspase-mediated signal. 4T1 cells-induced breast cancer mouse model was used for treatment with the complex to confirm their action in tumour regression. Smaller (∼200 nm) and less polydisperse NPs that were taken up more effectively by tumour tissue could enhance Dox chemosensitivity, significantly reducing the tumour size in a very low dose of Dox (0.34 mg/kg), in contrast to the limited effect observed in breast cancer cell lines. The study thus proposes that simultaneous delivery of siRNAs against transporter genes and Dox with the help of CA NPs could be a potential therapeutic intervention in effectively treating MDR breast cancer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/pharmacology*; Doxorubicin/pharmacology*
  19. siRNA-mediated inhibition of survivin gene enhances the anti-cancer effect of etoposide in U-937 acute myeloid leukemia cells
    Jafarlou M, Baradaran B, Shanehbandi D, Saedi TA, Jafarlou V, Ismail P, et al.
    Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand), 2016 May 30;62(6):44-9.
    PMID: 27262801
    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most frequent types of leukemia which mostly affects adult people. Resistance to therapeutic drugs is considered as a major clinical concern resulting in a weaker response to chemotherapy, disease relapse and decreased survival rate. Survivin, a member of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs), is associated with drug resistance and inhibition of apoptotic mechanisms in numerous hematological malignancies. In the present study, we examined the combined effect of etoposide and siRNA-mediated silencing of survivin on U-937 acute myeloid leukemia cells. The AML cells were transfected with survivin specific siRNA and gene knockdown was confirmed by quantitative real time PCR and western blotting. Subsequently, U-937 cells were assessed for response to etoposide treatment and apoptosis rate was measured with flowcytometery. The cytotoxic effects in siRNA-etoposide group were measured and compared to etoposide single therapy group. Survivin siRNA effectively knocked down the mRNA and protein levels of survivin, which led to lower cell proliferation and enhanced apoptosis. Furthermore, combined treatment of etoposide and survivin siRNA synergistically increased the cell toxic effects of etoposide and its ability to induce apoptosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology; Etoposide/pharmacology
  20. pink1, atp13a2 and uchl1 expressions are affected by inflammation in the brain
    Moriya S, Tan VP, Yee AK, Parhar IS
    Neurosci Lett, 2019 08 24;708:134330.
    PMID: 31201839 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134330
    In Parkinson's disease (PD), several genes have been identified as the PD-related genes, however, the regulatory mechanisms of these gene expressions have not been fully identified. In this study, we investigated the effect of inflammation, one of the major risk factors in PD on expressions of the PD-related genes. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was intraperitoneally administered to mature male zebrafish and gene expressions in the brains were examined by real-time PCR. In the inflammation-related genes, expressions of tnfb, il1b and il6 were increased at 2 days post administration in the 10 μg group, and tnfb expression was also increased at 4 days post administration in the 1 μg and 10 μg group. In the PD-related genes, pink1 expression was significantly decreased at 4 days, atp13a2 expression was significantly increased at 7 days, and uchl1 expression was significantly decreased at 7 days. This suggests that pink1, atp13a2 and uchl1 expressions are regulated by inflammation, and this regulatory mechanism might be involved in the progress of PD.
    Matched MeSH terms: Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology*
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