An integrated virtual screening and drug repurposing strategy for the discovery of new antimalarial drugs against Plasmodium falciparum phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase

The emergence and spread of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite causing the most severe form of human malaria, is a major threat to malaria control and elimination programs around the globe. With P. falciparum having evolved widespread resistance against a number of previously widely used drugs, currently, artemisinin (ART) and its derivatives are the cornerstones of first-line treatments of uncomplicated malaria. However, growing incidences of ART failure reflect the spread of ART-resistant P. falciparum strains. Despite current efforts to understand the primary cause of ART resistance due to mutations in the Kelch 13 gene (PfK13), the mechanism underlying ART resistance is still not completely unclear and no feasible strategies to counteract the causes and thereby restoring the efficiency of ART have been developed. We use a polypharmacology approach to identify potential drugs that can be used for the novel purpose (target). Of note, we have designed a multimodal stratagem to identify approved drugs with a potential antimalarial activity using computational drug reprofiling. Our investigations suggest that oxetacaine, simvastatin, repaglinide, aclidinium, propafenone, and lovastatin could be repurposed for malaria control and prevention.

Health Benefits of Silybum marianum: Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Applications

Silybum marianum (SM), a well-known plant used as both a medicine and a food, has been widely used to treat various diseases, especially hepatic diseases. The seeds and fruits of SM contain a flavonolignan complex called silymarin, the active compounds of which include silybin, isosilybin, silychristin, dihydrosilybin, silydianin, and so on. In this review, we thoroughly summarize high-quality publications related to the pharmacological effects and underlying mechanisms of SM. SM has antimicrobial, anticancer, hepatoprotective, cardiovascular-protective, neuroprotective, skin-protective, antidiabetic, and other effects. Importantly, SM also counteracts the toxicities of antibiotics, metals, and pesticides. The diverse pharmacological activities of SM provide scientific evidence supporting its use in both humans and animals. Multiple signaling pathways associated with oxidative stress and inflammation are the common molecular targets of SM. Moreover, the flavonolignans of SM are potential agonists of PPARγ and ABCA1, PTP1B inhibitors, and metal chelators. At the end of the review, the potential and perspectives of SM are discussed, and these insights are expected to facilitate the application of SM and the discovery and development of new drugs. We conclude that SM is an interesting dietary medicine for health enhancement and drug discovery and warrants further investigation.