MyMedR

Displaying all 6 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Success stories of AI in drug discovery - where do things stand?

Mak KK, Balijepalli MK, Pichika MR

Expert Opin Drug Discov, 2022 Jan;17(1):79-92.
PMID: 34553659 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.1985108

INTRODUCTION: Artificial intelligence (AI) in drug discovery and development (DDD) has gained more traction in the past few years. Many scientific reviews have already been made available in this area. Thus, in this review, the authors have focused on the success stories of AI-driven drug candidates and the scientometric analysis of the literature in this field.
AREA COVERED: The authors explore the literature to compile the success stories of AI-driven drug candidates that are currently being assessed in clinical trials or have investigational new drug (IND) status. The authors also provide the reader with their expert perspectives for future developments and their opinions on the field.
EXPERT OPINION: Partnerships between AI companies and the pharma industry are booming. The early signs of the impact of AI on DDD are encouraging, and the pharma industry is hoping for breakthroughs. AI can be a promising technology to unveil the greatest successes, but it has yet to be proven as AI is still at the embryonic stage.
Fulltext Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptosis in estrogen receptor-positive and negative human breast carcinoma cell lines by Gmelina asiatica roots

Balijepalli MK, Tandra S, Pichika MR

Pharmacognosy Res, 2010 Mar;2(2):113-9.
PMID: 21808551 DOI: 10.4103/0974-8490.62949

Low risk of breast cancer has been proposed to be associated with high intake of lignans. We have reported the presence of lignans in Gmelina asiatica roots. There are no scientific reports on the antiproliferative activity of G. asiatica roots. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of ethyl acetate extract from G. asiatica roots (EGAR) on estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and negative (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cell lines. The effects of 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) of EGAR on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay kit. The mode of cell death caused by EGAR was determined using dual apoptosis assay kit by observing the cells under fluorescent microscope. The quantification of apoptosis and necrosis in cells caused by EGAR was determined using cell death detection kit through ELISA. Down-regulation of the proliferative activity occurred in a clear dose-dependent response with IC(50) values of 32.9 ± 3.8 μg/mL in MCF-7 and 19.9 ± 2.3 μg/mL in MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Treatment of breast cancer cells with EGAR resulted in significant apoptosis. The EGAR contain lignans and flavonoids. The antiproliferative activity of the extract is attributed to the presence of these secondary metabolites. The results suggest the efficacy of G. asiatica roots as antiproliferative agents on human breast cancer cells, supporting the hypothesis that plants containing lignans have beneficial effects on human breast cancer.
Fulltext Swietenine potentiates the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activity of Metformin in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Shiming Z, Mak KK, Balijepalli MK, Chakravarthi S, Pichika MR

Biomed Pharmacother, 2021 Jul;139:111576.
PMID: 33862494 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111576

Diabetes mellitus or type-2 diabetes, commonly referred as diabetes, is a metabolic disorder that results in high blood sugar level. Despite the availability of several antidiabetic drugs in the market, they still do not adequately regulate blood sugar levels. Thus, in general people prefer to use herbal supplements/medicines along with antidiabetic drugs to control blood sugar levels. One of such herbal medicine is Swietenia macrophylla seeds. It is widely used in Asia for controlling blood sugar levels. One of the major bioactive compounds, Swietenine, is reported to be responsible for controlling blood glucose levels. However, there were no studies on its efficacy in controlling the blood glucose in diabetic rats. In this study, we evaluated the antihyperglycemic activity of Swietenine and its pharmacodynamic interaction with Metformin in Streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats. The activity of Swietenine was investigated at three different doses: 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg body weight (bw). Metformin (50 mg/kg bw) was used as a standard drug. Swietenine (20 and 40 mg/kg bw) and Metformin (50 mg/kg bw) showed significant effect in reducing the glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, urea, creatinine, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and malondialdehyde level in serum while it had increased the high-density lipoprotein, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity level. In addition, Swietenine (20 and 40 mg/kg) had shown significant synergistic effect with Metformin. Administration of Swietenine at 10 mg/kg bw neither showed activity nor influenced Metformin's activity. The results from this study confirmed the beneficial effects of Swietenine and its synergistic action with Metformin in controlling the dysregulated serum parameters in Streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats.
In vitro methods used for discovering plant derived products as wound healing agents - An update on the cell types and rationale

Low JS, Mak KK, Zhang S, Pichika MR, Marappan P, Mohandas K, et al.

Fitoterapia, 2021 Oct;154:105026.
PMID: 34480992 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2021.105026

Wounds still pose a huge burden on human health and healthcare systems in many parts of the world. Phytomedicines are being used to heal the wounds since ancient times. Now-a-days also many researchers are exploring the wound healing activity of phytomedicines. Wound healing is a complex process thus, it is always a question mark regarding the best test model (in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro) model to assess the wound healing activity of phytomedicines. In general, the researchers would opt for in vivo model - probably because of closer physiological relevance to human wounds. However, in vivo experimental models are not suitable for high throughput screening and not ethical in terms of initial screening of the phytomedicines. The in vivo models are associated with difficulties in obtaining the ethical approvals, requires huge budget, and resources. We argue that judicious selection of cell types would serve the purpose of developing a physiologically relevant in vitro experimental model. A lot of progress has been made in molecular biology techniques to bridge the gap between in vitro models and their physiological relevance. The in vitro models are the best suited for high throughput screening and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms. The main aim of this review is to provide insights on selection of the cell types for developing physiologically relevant in vitro wound healing assays, which can be used to improve the value of phytomedicines further.
Fulltext Acute oral toxicity studies of Swietenia macrophylla seeds in Sprague Dawley rats

Balijepalli MK, Suppaiah V, Chin AM, Buru AS, Sagineedu SR, Pichika MR

Pharmacognosy Res, 2015 Jan-Mar;7(1):38-44.
PMID: 25598633 DOI: 10.4103/0974-8490.147197

BACKGROUND: Swietenia macrophylla King. (Meliaceae) seeds (SMS); commonly known as sky fruit and locally known in Malaysia as Tunjuk Langit; have been used in traditional Malay medicine for the treatment of diabetes and hypertension. The people eat only a tiny amount of raw seed, weighing not more than 5 mg.
AIM: To evaluate the safety of Swietenia macrophylla seeds (SMS) at a single-dose oral administration of 2 g/kg body weight (bw) in sprague dawley (SD) rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight-week old male and female SD rats were administered a single-oral dose of 2g/kg bw. The rats' general behavior, and toxic signs were observed throughout the 14-day study period. The food and water intake by rats and their body weight were monitored during the study period. At the end of the study period, the relative weights of the organs (lung, liver, spleen, heart, kidney, testis, stomach); the hematological and biochemical parameters were measured; the architecture and histology of the organs (liver, kidney and lungs) were observed.
RESULTS: Oral administration of SMS to rats did not affect, either food or water intake; relative organ weight of vital organs; the hematological and biochemical parameters; did not show significant changes in the architecture and histology of vital organs. Overall, there were neither signs of toxicity nor deaths recorded during the study period.
CONCLUSION: The rat dose of 2 g/kg bw is equivalent to the human dose of 325 mg/kg bw, which is well below the usual amount consumed by people, did not show any signs of toxicity in rats.
KEYWORDS: Diabetes; Swietenia macrophylla; sky fruit; toxicity; traditional Malay medicine; tunjuk langit
Fulltext Swietenine Alleviates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Diabetic Mice via Lipogenesis Inhibition and Antioxidant Mechanisms

Mak KK, Zhang S, Chellian J, Mohd Z, Epemolu O, Dinkova-Kostova AT, et al.

Antioxidants (Basel), 2023 Feb 27;12(3).
PMID: 36978843 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030595

Our previous studies have reported the effect of swietenine (a major bioactive component of Swietenia macrophylla seeds) in reversing and potentiating the effect of metformin in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidaemia in diabetic rats. Moreover, we reported that the anti-inflammatory effect of swietenine is mediated via the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). This study evaluated the effect of swietenine and its mechanisms in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The effect was assessed by determining blood biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, alanine transaminase (ALT), asparate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and liver biochemical parameters (liver index, cholesterol, and triglycerides). Hepatic lipid accumulation (initial causative factor in NAFLD) was determined by oil-O-red staining. Gene expression (qPCR) and immunohistochemical studies were performed to elucidate the mechanism of swietenine's effect in NAFLD. The critical regulators (genes and proteins) involved in lipogenesis (ACLY, ACC1, FASN, SREBP1c, and ChREBPβ) and oxidative stress (Nrf2, NQO-1 and HO-1) pathways were determined. In mice fed with a high-fat diet followed by streptozotocin injection, the liver cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipids were elevated. These increases were reversed by the oral administration of swietenine, 80 mg/kg body weight, on alternate days for eight weeks. Gene expression and immunohistochemical studies showed that swietenine reversed the elevated levels of crucial enzymes of lipogenesis (ACLY, ACC1 and FASN) and their master transcription factors (SREBP1c and ChREBPβ). Furthermore, swietenine activated the Nrf2 antioxidant defense mechanism, as evidenced by the upregulated levels of Nrf2, NQO-1, and HO-1. It is concluded that swietenine shows beneficial effects in diabetes-induced NAFLD via inhibiting lipogenesis and activating the Nrf2 pathway.