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Liang J, Xu W, Gou F, Qin L, Yang H, Xiao J, Li L, Zhang W, Peng D. Antiviral activity of flavonol against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. Virology 2024; 597:110128. [PMID: 38861876 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.110128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) remains one of the major causative microorganisms of viral diarrhea in piglets worldwide, with no approved drugs for treatment. We identified a natural molecule, flavonol, which is widely found in tea, vegetables and herbs. Subsequently, the antiviral activity of compound flavonol was evaluated in Vero cells and IPEC-J2 cells, and its anti-PEDV mechanism was analyzed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics. The results showed that flavonol could effectively inhibit viral progeny production, RNA synthesis and protein expression of PEDV strains in a dose-dependent manner. When flavonol was added simultaneously with viral infection in Vero cells, it demonstrated potent anti-PEDV activity by affecting the viral attachment and internalization phases. Similarly, in IPEC-J2 cells, flavonol effectively inhibited PEDV infection at different stages of infection, except for the release phase. Moreover, flavonol mainly interacts with PEDV Mpro through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces, and the complex formed by it has high stability. Importantly, flavonol also showed broad-spectrum activity against other porcine enteric coronaviruses such as TGEV and PDCoV in vitro. These findings suggest that flavonol may exert antiviral effects by interacting with viral Mpro, thereby affecting viral replication. This means that flavonol is expected to become a potential drug to prevent or treat porcine enteric coronavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixiang Liang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for the Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Weihang Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Gou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Liangni Qin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for the Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfei Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for the Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaxu Xiao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for the Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for the Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanpo Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dapeng Peng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MOA Key Laboratory for the Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, People's Republic of China; Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei, 430200, People's Republic of China.
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Yang L, An Y, Xu D, Dai F, Shao S, Lu Z, Liu G. Comprehensive Overview of Controlled Fabrication of Multifunctional Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots and Exploring Applications. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2309293. [PMID: 38342681 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202309293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, carbon dots (CDs) have garnered increasing attention due to their simple preparation methods, versatile performances, and wide-ranging applications. CDs can manifest various optical, physical, and chemical properties including quantum yield (QY), emission wavelength (Em), solid-state fluorescence (SSF), room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP), material-specific responsivity, pH sensitivity, anti-oxidation and oxidation, and biocompatibility. These properties can be effectively regulated through precise control of the CD preparation process, rendering them suitable for diverse applications. However, the lack of consideration given to the precise control of each feature of CDs during the preparation process poses a challenge in obtaining the requisite features for various applications. This paper is to analyze existing research and present novel concepts and ideas for creating CDs with different distinct features and applications. The synthesis methods of CDs are discussed in the first section, followed by a comprehensive overview of the important properties of CDs and the modification strategy. Subsequently, the application of CDs and their requisite properties are reviewed. Finally, the paper outlines the current challenges in controlling CDs properties and their applications, discusses potential solutions, and offers suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Yibo An
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Dazhuang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Fan Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Shillong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Zhixiang Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
| | - Gang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics & Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, China
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Choudhary S, Nehul S, Singh A, Panda PK, Kumar P, Sharma GK, Tomar S. Unraveling antiviral efficacy of multifunctional immunomodulatory triterpenoids against SARS-COV-2 targeting main protease and papain-like protease. IUBMB Life 2024; 76:228-241. [PMID: 38059400 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be over, but its variants continue to emerge, and patients with mild symptoms having long COVID is still under investigation. SARS-CoV-2 infection leading to elevated cytokine levels and suppressed immune responses set off cytokine storm, fatal systemic inflammation, tissue damage, and multi-organ failure. Thus, drug molecules targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus-specific proteins or capable of suppressing the host inflammatory responses to viral infection would provide an effective antiviral therapy against emerging variants of concern. Evolutionarily conserved papain-like protease (PLpro) and main protease (Mpro) play an indispensable role in the virus life cycle and immune evasion. Direct-acting antivirals targeting both these viral proteases represent an attractive antiviral strategy that is also expected to reduce viral inflammation. The present study has evaluated the antiviral and anti-inflammatory potential of natural triterpenoids: azadirachtin, withanolide_A, and isoginkgetin. These molecules inhibit the Mpro and PLpro proteolytic activities with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) values ranging from 1.42 to 32.7 μM. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) analysis validated the binding of these compounds to Mpro and PLpro. As expected, the two compounds, withanolide_A and azadirachtin, exhibit potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in cell-based assays, with half-maximum effective concentration (EC50) values of 21.73 and 31.19 μM, respectively. The anti-inflammatory roles of azadirachtin and withanolide_A when assessed using HEK293T cells, were found to significantly reduce the levels of CXCL10, TNFα, IL6, and IL8 cytokines, which are elevated in severe cases of COVID-19. Interestingly, azadirachtin and withanolide_A were also found to rescue the decreased type-I interferon response (IFN-α1). The results of this study clearly highlight the role of triterpenoids as effective antiviral molecules that target SARS-CoV-2-specific enzymes and also host immune pathways involved in virus-mediated inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Choudhary
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
| | - Sanketkumar Nehul
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
| | - Ankur Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
| | - Prasan Kumar Panda
- Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Infectious diseases), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, India
| | - Pravindra Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
| | - Gaurav Kumar Sharma
- Centre for Animal Disease Research and Diagnosis (CADRAD), Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shailly Tomar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
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Srivastava A, Ahmad R, Wani IA, Siddiqui S, Yadav K, Trivedi A, Upadhyay S, Husain I, Ahamad T, Dudhagi SS. Steroidal lactones from Withania somnifera effectively target Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 and reveal a decreased susceptibility to viral infection and perpetuation: a polypharmacology approach. In Silico Pharmacol 2024; 12:14. [PMID: 38419919 PMCID: PMC10897645 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-023-00184-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Prevention from disease is presently the cornerstone of the fight against COVID-19. With the rapid emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants, there is an urgent need for novel or repurposed agents to strengthen and fortify the immune system. Existing vaccines induce several systemic and local side-effects that can lead to severe consequences. Moreover, elevated cytokines in COVID-19 patients with cancer as co-morbidity represent a significant bottleneck in disease prognosis and therapy. Withania somnifera (WS) and its phytoconstituent(s) have immense untapped immunomodulatory and therapeutic potential and the anticancer potential of WS is well documented. To this effect, WS methanolic extract (WSME) was characterized using HPLC. Withanolides were identified as the major phytoconstituents. In vitro cytotoxicity of WSME was determined against human breast MDA-MB-231 and normal Vero cells using MTT assay. WSME displayed potent cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50: 66 µg/mL) and no effect on Vero cells in the above range. MD simulations of Withanolide A with SARS-CoV-2 main protease and spike receptor-binding domain as well as Withanolide B with SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein and SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease were performed using Schrödinger. Stability of complexes followed the order 6M0J-Withanolide A > 6W9C-Withnaolide B > 5WRG-Withanolide B > 6LU7-Withanolide A. Maximum stable interaction(s) were observed between Withanolides A and B with SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV spike glycoproteins, respectively. Withanolides A and B also displayed potent binding to pro-inflammatory markers viz. serum ferritin and IL-6. Thus, WS phytoconstituents have the potential to be tested further in vitro and in vivo as novel antiviral agents against COVID-19 patients having cancer as a co-morbidity. Graphical abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00184-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Srivastava
- Department of Biochemistry, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Rumana Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Irshad A. Wani
- Department of Cardiology, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Sahabjada Siddiqui
- Department of Biotechnology, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Kusum Yadav
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, UP 226007 India
| | - Anchal Trivedi
- Department of Biochemistry, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Shivbrat Upadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Ishrat Husain
- Department of Biochemistry, Era’s Lucknow Medical College & Hospital, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Tanveer Ahamad
- Department of Biotechnology, Era University, Sarfarazganj, Hardoi Road, Lucknow, UP 226003 India
| | - Shivanand S. Dudhagi
- Plant Physiology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, UP 226001 India
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Kumar P, Banik SP, Goel A, Chakraborty S, Bagchi M, Bagchi D. Revisiting the Multifaceted Therapeutic Potential of Withaferin A (WA), a Novel Steroidal Lactone, W-ferinAmax Ashwagandha, from Withania Somnifera (L) Dunal. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN NUTRITION ASSOCIATION 2024; 43:115-130. [PMID: 37410676 DOI: 10.1080/27697061.2023.2228863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, abundant in the Indian subcontinent as Ashwagandha or winter cherry, is a herb of unprecedented therapeutic value. The number of ailments for which crude Ashwagandha extract can be used as a preventive or curative is practically limitless; and this explains why its use has been in vogue in ancient Ayurveda since at-least about four thousand years. The therapeutic potential of Ashwagandha mainly owes from its reservoir of alkaloids (isopelletierine, anaferine), steroidal lactones (withanolides) and saponins with an extra acyl group (sitoindoside VII and VIII). Withaferin A is an exceptionally potent withanolide which is found in high concentrations in W. somnifera plant extracts. The high reactivity of Withaferin A owes to the presence of a C-28 ergostane network with multiple sites of unsaturation and differential oxygenation. It interacts with the effectors of multiple signaling pathways involved in inflammatory response, oxidative stress response, cell cycle regulation and synaptic transmission and has been found to be significantly effective in inducing programmed cell death in cancer cells, restoring cognitive health, managing diabetes, alleviating metabolic disorders, and rejuvenating the overall body homeostasis. Additionally, recent studies suggest that Withaferin A (WA) has the potential to prevent viral endocytosis by sequestering TMPRSS2, the host transmembrane protease, without altering ACE-2 expression. The scope of performing subtle structural modifications in this multi-ring compound is believed to further expand its pharmacotherapeutic horizon. Very recently, a novel, heavy metal and pesticide free formulation of Ashwagandha whole herb extract, with a significant amount of WA, termed W-ferinAmax Ashwagandha, has been developed. The present review attempts to fathom the present and future of this wonder molecule with comprehensive discussion on its therapeutic potential, safety and toxicity.Key teaching pointsWithania somnifera (L.) Dunal is a medicinal plant with versatile therapeutic values.The therapeutic potential of the plant owes to the presence of withanolides such as Withaferin A.Withaferin A is a C-28 ergostane based triterpenoid with multiple reactive sites of therapeutic potential.It is effective against a broad spectrum of ailments including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, inflammatory and oxidative stress disorders and it also promotes cardiovascular and sexual health.W-ferinAmax Ashwagandha, is a heavy metal and pesticide free Ashwagandha whole herb extract based formulation with significant amount of Withaferin A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawan Kumar
- Research and Development Department, Chemical Resources (CHERESO), Panchkula, Haryana, India
| | - Samudra P Banik
- Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad College, Kolkata, India
| | - Apurva Goel
- Regulatory Department, Chemical Resources (CHERESO), Panchkula, India
| | - Sanjoy Chakraborty
- Department of Biological Sciences, New York City College of Technology/CUNY, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Manashi Bagchi
- Research & Development Department, Dr. Herbs LLC, Concord, California, USA
| | - Debasis Bagchi
- Department of Biology, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, USA
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Kumar V, Sari AN, Gupta D, Ishida Y, Terao K, Kaul SC, Vrati S, Sundar D, Wadhwa R. Anti-COVID-19 Potential of Withaferin-A and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester. Curr Top Med Chem 2024; 24:830-842. [PMID: 38279743 DOI: 10.2174/0115680266280720231221100004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic triggered research on the development of new vaccines/drugs, repurposing of clinically approved drugs, and assessment of natural anti-COVID-19 compounds. Based on the gender difference in the severity of the disease, such as a higher number of men hospitalized and in intense care units, variations in sex hormones have been predicted to play a role in disease susceptibility. Cell surface receptors (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; ACE2 and a connected transmembrane protease serine 2- TMPSS2) are upregulated by androgens. Conversely, androgen antagonists have also been shown to lower ACE2 levels, implying their usefulness in COVID-19 management. OBJECTIVES In this study, we performed computational and cell-based assays to investigate the anti- COVID-19 potential of Withaferin-A and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester, natural compounds from Withania somnifera and honeybee propolis, respectively. METHODS Structure-based computational approach was adopted to predict binding stability, interactions, and dynamics of the two test compounds to three target proteins (androgen receptor, ACE2, and TMPRSS2). Further, in vitro, cell-based experimental approaches were used to investigate the effect of compounds on target protein expression and SARS-CoV-2 replication. RESULTS Computation and experimental analyses revealed that (i) CAPE, but not Wi-A, can act as androgen antagonist and hence inhibit the transcriptional activation function of androgen receptor, (ii) while both Wi-A and CAPE could interact with ACE2 and TMPRSS2, Wi-A showed higher binding affinity, and (iii) combination of Wi-A and CAPE (Wi-ACAPE) caused strong downregulation of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression and inhibition of virus infection. CONCLUSION Wi-A and CAPE possess multimodal anti-COVID-19 potential, and their combination (Wi-ACAPE) is expected to provide better activity and hence warrant further attention in the laboratory and clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipul Kumar
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110 016, India
| | - Anissa Nofita Sari
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305 8565, Japan
| | - Dharmender Gupta
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, 121 001, India
| | - Yoshiyuki Ishida
- CycloChem Bio Co., Ltd., 7-4-5 Minatojima-minamimachi, Kobe, 6500047, Japan
| | - Keiji Terao
- CycloChem Bio Co., Ltd., 7-4-5 Minatojima-minamimachi, Kobe, 6500047, Japan
| | - Sunil C Kaul
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305 8565, Japan
| | - Sudhanshu Vrati
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, 121 001, India
| | - Durai Sundar
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110 016, India
| | - Renu Wadhwa
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305 8565, Japan
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Nair A, Kuppusamy K, Nangan S, Natesan T, Haponiuk JT, Thomas S, Ramasubburayan R, Gnanasekaran L, Selvaraj M, Gopi S. Multifunctional natural derived carbon quantum dots from Withania somnifera (L.) - Antiviral activities against SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviron. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 239:117366. [PMID: 37827368 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Natural carbon dots (NCQDs) are expediently significant in the photo-, nano- and biomedical spheres owing to their facile synthesis, optical and physicochemical attributes. In the present study, three NCQDs are prepared and optimized from Withania somnifera (ASH) by one-step hydrothermal (bottom-up) method: HASHP (without dopant), nitrogen doped HASHNH3 (surface passivation using ammonia) and HASHEDA (surface passivation with ethylenediamine). The HR-TEM images reveal that HASHP, HASNH3, HASHEDA are spherically shaped with 2.5 ± 0.5 nm, 4 ± 1 nm and 5 ± 2 nm particle size, respectively, whereas FTIR confirms the aqueous solubility and nitrogen doping. The XRD patterns ensure that the NCQDs are amorphous and graphitic in nature. Comparatively, HASHNH3 (32.5%) and HASHEDA (27.6%) portray better fluorescence quantum yield than HASHP (5.6%). The increase in quantum yield for the doped NCQDs can be attributed to the surface passivation using ammonia and ethylenediamine. Surface passivation plays a crucial role in enhancing the fluorescence properties of quantum dots. The introduction of nitrogen through ammonia and ethylenediamine provides additional electronic states, possibly reducing non-radiative recombination sites and hence boosting the QY. In addition, an antiviral study unveils the striking potential of surface passivated NCQDs to curb Covid-19 crises with around 85% inhibition of SARS-CoV pseudoviron cells, which is better in comparison to the non-doped NCQDs. Hence, to understand the paramount efficacy of these NCQDs, a hypothesis on their possible mechanism of action against Covid-19 is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhila Nair
- Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Polymer Technology Department, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Kanagaraj Kuppusamy
- Center for Supramolecular Chemistry & Catalysis and Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shang-Da Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Senthilkumar Nangan
- Department of Chemistry, Graphic Era Deemed to be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248002, India
| | - Thirumalaivasan Natesan
- Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jozef T Haponiuk
- Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Polymer Technology Department, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Sabu Thomas
- School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, India
| | - Ramasamy Ramasubburayan
- Marine Biomedical Research Laboratory & Environmental Toxicology Unit, Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, India
| | - Lalitha Gnanasekaran
- Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Tarapacá, Avda. General Velásquez 1775, Arica, Chile
| | - Manickam Selvaraj
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sreeraj Gopi
- Gdansk University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Polymer Technology Department, Gdansk, Poland; Molecules Food Solutions Private Limited, Kinfra, Koratty, 680309, Kerala, India.
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Chinnadurai RK, Ponne S, Chitra L, Kumar R, Thayumanavan P, Subramanian B. Pharmacoinformatic approach to identify potential phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain in native and variants of concern. Mol Divers 2023; 27:2741-2766. [PMID: 36547813 PMCID: PMC9773690 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10580-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogenesis is initiated by the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2R) on the host cell surface. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S protein mediates the binding and is more prone to mutations resulting in the generation of different variants. Recently, molecules with the potential to inhibit the interaction of S protein with ACE2R have been of interest due to their therapeutic value. In this context, the present work was performed to identify potential RBD binders from the Indian medicinal plant's phytochemical database through virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation. Briefly, 1578 compounds filtered from 9596 phytochemicals were chosen for screening against the RBD of the native SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Based on the binding energy, the top 30 compounds were selected and re-docked individually against the native and five variants of concern (VOCs: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron) of SARS-CoV-2. Four phytochemicals, namely withanolide F, serotobenine, orobanchol, and gibberellin A51, were found to be potential RBD binders in native and all SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. Among the four, withanolide F exhibited lower binding energy (- 10.84 to - 8.56 kcal/mol) and better ligand efficiency (- 0.3 to - 0.25) against all forms of RBD and hence was subjected to a 100 ns MD simulation which confirmed its stringent binding to the RBDs in native and VOCs. The study prioritizes withanolide F as a prospective COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) therapeutic agent based on the observations. It warrants deeper investigations into the four promising leads for understanding their precise therapeutic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Kumar Chinnadurai
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidhyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pondicherry, 607402, India.
| | - Saravanaraman Ponne
- Department of Biotechnology, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, 605014, India
| | - Loganathan Chitra
- Department of Biochemistry, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu, 636011, India
| | - Rajender Kumar
- Division of Glycoscience, Department of Chemistry, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Balanehru Subramanian
- School of Biological Sciences, Sri Balaji Vidhyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Pondicherry, 607402, India
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Cavaleri F, Chattopadhyay S, Palsule V, Kar PK, Chatterjee R. Study of Drug Target Identification and Associated Molecular Mechanisms for the Therapeutic Activity and Hair Follicle Induction of Two Ashwagandha Extracts Having Differential Withanolide Constitutions. J Nutr Metab 2023; 2023:9599744. [PMID: 37808919 PMCID: PMC10560109 DOI: 10.1155/2023/9599744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ashwagandha extracts play a significant role in traditional Indian medicine to help treat a wide range of disorders from amnesia, erectile dysfunction, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, stress, anxiety, and many more. Ashwagandha root is enriched with bioactive plant metabolites of which withanolides are the most important ones. The concentration and constitution of withanolides primarily determine ashwagandha's potency and pharmacology. Various factors modulate the withanolide constitution in the plant-derived extracts, rendering inconsistent therapeutic efficacy. Standardisation of the extraction protocol and a better understanding of the pharmacology mechanism of different extracts with varied withanolide constitutions is therefore critical for developing reliable, repeatable, and effective ashwagandha-based treatment. Objectives Here, we work toward defining indication mechanisms for two varieties of ashwagandha extract-ASHWITH (ASH-Ext1) and Regenolide (ASH-Ext2)-with different proprietary withanolide proportions. Methods ASH-Ext1 was studied for antioxidant signaling modulation using HEK293, HeLa, and A549 cells, and ASH-Ext2 was studied for subcellular drug targets associated with the reactivation and longevity of human hair follicles, using primary human hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs). Results Study findings support the antioxidant activity and Nrf2 signaling modulation by ASH-Ext1 in various cell models. Of note, ASH-Ext2 was found to increase β-catenin and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) protein expression levels in HFDPCs. Conclusion The results of drug target modulation show us that the withanolide constitution associated with different extraction protocols influences the pharmacological potential of the extract significantly and points to the value of standardisation not only of total withanolide content but also of internal withanolide proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Cavaleri
- Biologic Pharmamedical Research, 688-2397 King George Blvd, White Rock V4A 7E9, BC, Canada
- Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, Panchanan Nagar, Vivekananda Street, Cooch Behar 736101, West Bengal, India
| | - Sukalpa Chattopadhyay
- Biologic Pharmamedical Research, 688-2397 King George Blvd, White Rock V4A 7E9, BC, Canada
| | - Vrushalee Palsule
- Biologic Pharmamedical Research, 688-2397 King George Blvd, White Rock V4A 7E9, BC, Canada
| | - Pradip Kumar Kar
- Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, Panchanan Nagar, Vivekananda Street, Cooch Behar 736101, West Bengal, India
| | - Ritam Chatterjee
- Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University, Panchanan Nagar, Vivekananda Street, Cooch Behar 736101, West Bengal, India
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10
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Singh H, Yadav B, Rai AK, Srivastava S, Saiprasad A, Jameela S, Singhal R, Muralidharan S, Mohan R, Chaudhary S, Rana R, Khanduri S, Sharma BS, Chandrasekhararao B, Srikanth N, Dhiman KS. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Shunthi (Zingiber officinale) in mild and moderate COVID-19: An open-label randomized controlled exploratory trial. Complement Ther Med 2023; 76:102966. [PMID: 37482107 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ayurveda interventions have been used for prophylaxis and care during the COVID-19 pandemic in India and have shown promising results in promoting early clinical recovery from COVID-19. OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha [Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal] tablet and Shunthi (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) capsule in mild and moderate COVID-19 compared to conventional standard care. METHODS A randomized controlled exploratory trial was conducted at a designated COVID-19 care center in India with 60 participants having mild or moderate COVID-19. Ashwagandha, two tablets (250 mg each), and Shunthi, two capsules (500 mg each) twice daily for 15 days, were given orally to the participants in the Ayurveda group (AG) and the control group (CG) received conventional standard care. The outcome measures included clinical recovery rate, the proportion of participants with negative RT-PCR assay for COVID-19 on day 7 and day 15, mean time to attain clinical recovery, change in pro-inflammatory markers, serum IgG for COVID-19, HRCT chest findings, disease progression and incidence of adverse events (AE). RESULTS A total of 60 participants were enrolled, and the data of 48 participants (AG = 25 and CG = 23) were considered for the statistical analysis. The mean time for clinical recovery was reduced by almost 50 % in the AG (6.9 days) compared to CG (13.0 days) (p < 0.001). The proportion of participants who attained viral clearance in AG was 76.0 % compared to 60.8 % in the CG (RR= 1.24, 95 % CI: 0.841, 1.851, p-value = 0.270). Changes in the pro-inflammatory markers, serum IgG for COVID-19, and HRCT chest findings were comparable in both groups, and no AE or disease progression was reported. CONCLUSIONS The Ayurveda interventions, Ashwagandha and Shunthi, can effectively reduce the duration of clinical recovery and improve time for viral clearance in mild and moderate COVID-19. These interventions were observed to be safe and well-tolerated during the duration of the trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinical Trial Registry of India - CTRI/2020/08/027224.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harbans Singh
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Patiala, Punjab, India
| | - Babita Yadav
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Amit K Rai
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India.
| | - Sumit Srivastava
- Department of Ayurveda, Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ajv Saiprasad
- Department of Ayurveda, Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Sophia Jameela
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Richa Singhal
- Former Statistical Investigator, Biostatistical Unit, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Sanuj Muralidharan
- Department of Ayurveda, Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rijin Mohan
- Department of Ayurveda, Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Shikha Chaudhary
- Department of Ayurveda, Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rakesh Rana
- Biostatistical Unit, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Shruti Khanduri
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Bhagwan S Sharma
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Bhogavalli Chandrasekhararao
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Narayanam Srikanth
- Department of Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
| | - Kartar S Dhiman
- Former Director-General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, India
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Kumar V, Sari AN, Meidinna HN, Kaul A, Basu B, Ishida Y, Terao K, Kaul SC, Vrati S, Sundar D, Wadhwa R. Computational and experimental evidence of the anti-COVID-19 potential of honeybee propolis ingredients, caffeic acid phenethyl ester and artepillin c. Phytother Res 2023; 37:3651-3654. [PMID: 36757055 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vipul Kumar
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Anissa Nofita Sari
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- School of Integrative & Global Majors (SIGMA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hazna Noor Meidinna
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- School of Integrative & Global Majors (SIGMA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ashish Kaul
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- School of Integrative & Global Majors (SIGMA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Brohmomoy Basu
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, India
| | | | | | - Sunil C Kaul
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | | | - Durai Sundar
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Renu Wadhwa
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
- School of Integrative & Global Majors (SIGMA), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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12
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Zhang H, Wang J, Prakash J, Zhang Z, Kaul SC, Wadhwa R. Three-Way Cell-Based Screening of Antistress Compounds: Identification, Validation, and Relevance to Old-Age-Related Pathologies. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2023; 78:1569-1577. [PMID: 37061830 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glad103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A variety of environmental stress stimuli have been linked to poor quality of life, tissue dysfunctions, and ailments including metabolic disorders, cognitive impairment, and accelerated aging. Oxidative, metal, and hypoxia stresses are largely associated with these phenotypes. Whereas drug development and disease therapeutics have advanced remarkably in last 3 decades, there are still limited options for stress management. Because the latter can effectively decrease the disease burden, we performed cell-based screening of antistress compounds by recruiting 3 chemical models of oxidative (paraquat), metal (cadmium nitrate), or hypoxia (cobalt chloride) stresses. The screening of 70 compounds for their ability to offer protection against oxidative, metal, and hypoxia stresses resulted in the selection of 5 compounds: Withaferin-A (Wi-A), methoxy Withaferin-A (mWi-A), Withanone (Wi-N), triethylene glycol (TEG), and Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) leaf M2-DMSO extract (M2DM). Molecular assays revealed that whereas stress caused increase in (a) apoptosis, (b) reactive oxygen species accumulation coupled with mitochondrial depolarization, (c) DNA double-strand breaks, and (d) protein aggregation, low nontoxic doses of the selected compounds caused considerable protection. Furthermore, Wi-N, TEG, and their mixture-treated normal human fibroblasts (at young, mature, and senescent stages representing progressively increasing accumulation of stress) showed increase in proliferation. Taken together, these results suggested 3-way (oxidative, metal, and hypoxia) antistress potential of Wi-N and TEG that may be useful for management of environmental and old-age-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huayue Zhang
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Jia Wang
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Jay Prakash
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Zhenya Zhang
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Sunil C Kaul
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Renu Wadhwa
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
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13
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Rafiq A, Jabeen T, Aslam S, Ahmad M, Ashfaq UA, Mohsin NUA, Zaki MEA, Al-Hussain SA. A Comprehensive Update of Various Attempts by Medicinal Chemists to Combat COVID-19 through Natural Products. Molecules 2023; 28:4860. [PMID: 37375415 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global panic because of its continual evolution and recurring spikes. This serious malignancy is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the outbreak, millions of people have been affected from December 2019 till now, which has led to a great surge in finding treatments. Despite trying to handle the pandemic with the repurposing of some drugs, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir, ivermectin, etc., against COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues its out-of-control spread. There is a dire need to identify a new regimen of natural products to combat the deadly viral disease. This article deals with the literature reports to date of natural products showing inhibitory activity towards SARS-CoV-2 through different approaches, such as in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies. Natural compounds targeting the proteins of SARS-CoV-2-the main protease (Mpro), papain-like protease (PLpro), spike proteins, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), endoribonuclease, exoribonuclease, helicase, nucleocapsid, methyltransferase, adeno diphosphate (ADP) phosphatase, other nonstructural proteins, and envelope proteins-were extracted mainly from plants, and some were isolated from bacteria, algae, fungi, and a few marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Rafiq
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Tooba Jabeen
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Sana Aslam
- Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Matloob Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Noor Ul Amin Mohsin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sami A Al-Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
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14
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Ramli S, Wu YS, Batumalaie K, Guad RM, Choy KW, Kumar A, Gopinath SCB, Rahman Sarker MM, Subramaniyan V, Sekar M, Fuloria NK, Fuloria S, Chinni SV, Ramachawolran G. Phytochemicals of Withania somnifera as a Future Promising Drug against SARS-CoV-2: Pharmacological Role, Molecular Mechanism, Molecular Docking Evaluation, and Efficient Delivery. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041000. [PMID: 37110423 PMCID: PMC10142625 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has killed millions of people since first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Intriguingly, Withania somnifera (WS) has shown promising antiviral effects against numerous viral infections, including SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which are contributed by its phytochemicals. This review focused on the updated testing of therapeutic efficacy and associated molecular mechanisms of WS extracts and their phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 infection in preclinical and clinical studies with the aim to develop a long-term solution against COVID-19. It also deciphered the current use of the in silico molecular docking approach in developing potential inhibitors from WS targeting SARS-CoV-2 and host cell receptors that may aid the development of targeted therapy against SARS-CoV-2 ranging from prior to viral entry until acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This review also discussed nanoformulations or nanocarriers in achieving effective WS delivery to enhance its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, consequently preventing the emergence of drug resistance, and eventually therapeutic failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suaidah Ramli
- Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu 20400, Malaysia
| | - Yuan Seng Wu
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Kalaivani Batumalaie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Asia Metropolitan University, Johor Bahru 81750, Malaysia
| | - Rhanye Mac Guad
- Department of Biomedical Science and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
| | - Ker Woon Choy
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh 47000, Malaysia
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Subash C B Gopinath
- Centre of Excellence (CoE), Faculty of Chemical Engineering & Technology & Micro System Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Arau 02600, Malaysia
- Institute of Nano Electronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Kangar 01000, Malaysia
| | - Md Moklesur Rahman Sarker
- Department of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, 77 Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
- Health Med Science Research Network, 3/1, Block F, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh
| | - Vetriselvan Subramaniyan
- Pharmacology Unit, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, MONASH University, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Subang Jaya 42610, Malaysia
| | - Mahendran Sekar
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Neeraj Kumar Fuloria
- Centre of Excellence for Biomaterials Engineering & Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Bedong 08100, Malaysia
- Center for Transdisciplinary Research, Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India
| | - Shivkanya Fuloria
- Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST University, Semeling, Bedong 08100, Malaysia
| | - Suresh V Chinni
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience, and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom 42610, Malaysia
- Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Chennai 600077, India
| | - Gobinath Ramachawolran
- Department of Foundation, RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus, No 4, Jalan Sepoy Lines, Georgetown 10450, Malaysia
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15
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Das K, Das P, Almuqbil M, Asdaq SMB, Nikhil K, Preethi K, Angelinkiruba A, Alomar NF, Al Harbi RM, Al Abdullah WA, Alshehri SM, Laghabi YA, Alsaegh AR, Mohzari Y, Alshehri S, Mannasaheb BA, Rabbani SI. Inhibition of SARS-CoV2 viral infection with natural antiviral plants constituents: An in-silico approach. JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY. SCIENCE 2023; 35:102534. [PMID: 36619666 PMCID: PMC9811905 DOI: 10.1016/j.jksus.2022.102534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objective In 2019, a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) was declared pandemic. Advancement in computational technology has provided rapid and cost-effective techniques to test the efficacy of newer therapeutic agents. This study evaluated some of the potent phytochemicals obtained from AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy)-listed medicinal plants against SARS-CoV-2 proteins using computational techniques. Materials and methods The potential SARS-CoV-2 protein targets were utilized to study the ligand-protein binding characteristics. The bioactive agents were obtained from ashwagandha, liquorice, amla, neem, tinospora, pepper, and stevia. Ivermectin was utilized as a reference agent to compare its efficacy with phytochemicals. Results The computational analysis suggested that all the bioactive components from the selected plants possessed negative docking scores (ranging from -6.24 to -10.53). The phytoconstituents were well absorbed, distributed in the body except for the CNS, metabolized by liver enzymes, well cleared from the body, and well tolerated. The data suggest that AYUSH-recommended plants demonstrated therapeutic efficacy against SARS CoV-2 virus infection with significantly reduced toxicity. Conclusion The phytoconstituents were found to hinder the early stages of infection, such as absorption and penetration, while ivermectin prevented the passage of genetic material from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Additional research involving living tissues and clinical trials are suggested to corroborate the computational findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuntal Das
- NITTE College of Pharmacy, Yelahanka, Bangalore 560064, India
| | - Paramita Das
- Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, #12/1, Chikkabelandur, Carmelaram Post, Varthur Hobli, Bangalore 560035, India
| | - Mansour Almuqbil
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - K Nikhil
- Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, #12/1, Chikkabelandur, Carmelaram Post, Varthur Hobli, Bangalore 560035, India
| | - K Preethi
- Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, #12/1, Chikkabelandur, Carmelaram Post, Varthur Hobli, Bangalore 560035, India
| | - A Angelinkiruba
- Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, #12/1, Chikkabelandur, Carmelaram Post, Varthur Hobli, Bangalore 560035, India
| | | | - Rawabi M Al Harbi
- Pharmaceutical Services, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Sami M Alshehri
- Pharmaceutical Services, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yahya A Laghabi
- Pharmaceutical Services, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed R Alsaegh
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yahya Mohzari
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Ad Diriyah 13713, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Syed Imam Rabbani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
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Chakraborty S, Mallick D, Goswami M, Guengerich FP, Chakrabarty A, Chowdhury G. The Natural Products Withaferin A and Withanone from the Medicinal Herb Withania somnifera Are Covalent Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2022; 85:2340-2350. [PMID: 36098617 PMCID: PMC9491402 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) created a global health crisis. The ability of vaccines to protect immunocompromised individuals and from emerging new strains are major concerns. Hence antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 are essential. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro is vital for replication and an important target for antivirals. Using CMap analysis and docking studies, withaferin A (wifA) and withanone (win), two natural products from the medicinal herb Withania somnifera (ashwagandha), were identified as promising candidates that can covalently inhibit the viral protease Mpro. Cell culture, enzymatic, LC-MS/MS, computational, and equilibrium dialysis based assays were performed. DFT calculations indicated that wifA and win can form stable adducts with thiols. The cytotoxicity of Mpro was significantly reduced by wifA and win. Both wifA and win were found to irreversibly inhibit 0.5 μM Mpro with IC50 values of 0.54 and 1.8 μM, respectively. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed covalent adduct formation with wifA at cysteines 145 and 300 of Mpro. The natural products wifA and win can irreversibly inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro. Based on the work presented here we propose that both wifA and win have the potential to be safely used as preventative and therapeutic interventions for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dibyendu Mallick
- Department of Chemistry, Presidency
University, Kolkata700073, India
| | - Mausumi Goswami
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences,
Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, TN632014,
India
| | - F. Peter Guengerich
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt
University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee37235, United
States
| | - Anindita Chakrabarty
- Department of Life Science, Shiv Nadar
University, Greater Noida, UP201314, India
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Sahu R, Gupta PK, Mishra A, Kumar A. Ayurveda and in silico Approach: A Challenging Proficient Confluence for Better Development of Effective Traditional Medicine Spotlighting Network Pharmacology. Chin J Integr Med 2022; 29:470-480. [PMID: 36094769 PMCID: PMC9465656 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-022-3584-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Coalescence of traditional medicine Ayurveda and in silico technology is a rigor for supplementary development of future-ready effective traditional medicine. Ayurveda is a popular traditional medicine in South Asia, emanating worldwide for the treatment of metabolic disorders and chronic illness. Techniques of in silico biology are not much explored for the investigation of a variety of bioactive phytochemicals of Ayurvedic herbs. Drug repurposing, reverse pharmacology, and polypharmacology in Ayurveda are areas in silico explorations that are needed to understand the rich repertoire of herbs, minerals, herbo-minerals, and assorted Ayurvedic formulations. This review emphasizes exploring the concept of Ayurveda with in silico approaches and the need for Ayurinformatics studies. It also provides an overview of in silico studies done on phytoconstituents of some important Ayurvedic plants, the utility of in silico studies in Ayurvedic phytoconstituents/formulations, limitations/challenges, and prospects of in silico studies in Ayurveda. This article discusses the convergence of in silico work, especially in the least explored field of Ayurveda. The focused coalesce of these two domains could present a predictive combinatorial platform to enhance translational research magnitude. In nutshell, it could provide new insight into an Ayurvedic drug discovery involving an in silico approach that could not only alleviate the process of traditional medicine research but also enhance its effectiveness in addressing health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Sahu
- Department of Balroga, Shri NPA Govt. Ayurveda College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492010, India
| | - Prashant Kumar Gupta
- Department of Balroga, Shri NPA Govt. Ayurveda College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492010, India.,Ayurinformatics Lab, Department of Kaumarabhritya, All India Institute of Ayurveda, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi, 110076, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 342037, India
| | - Awanish Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492010, India.
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Singh M, Jayant K, Singh D, Bhutani S, Poddar NK, Chaudhary AA, Khan SUD, Adnan M, Siddiqui AJ, Hassan MI, Khan FI, Lai D, Khan S. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Ashwagandha) for the possible therapeutics and clinical management of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Plant-based drug discovery and targeted therapy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:933824. [PMID: 36046742 PMCID: PMC9421373 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.933824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has killed huge populations throughout the world and acts as a high-risk factor for elderly and young immune-suppressed patients. There is a critical need to build up secure, reliable, and efficient drugs against to the infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. Bioactive compounds of Ashwagandha [Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal] may implicate as herbal medicine for the management and treatment of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the current work is to update the knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 infection and information about the implication of various compounds of medicinal plant Withania somnifera with minimum side effects on the patients' organs. The herbal medicine Withania somnifera has an excellent antiviral activity that could be implicated in the management and treatment of flu and flu-like diseases connected with SARS-CoV-2. The analysis was performed by systematically re-evaluating the published articles related to the infection of SARS-CoV-2 and the herbal medicine Withania somnifera. In the current review, we have provided the important information and data of various bioactive compounds of Withania somnifera such as Withanoside V, Withanone, Somniferine, and some other compounds, which can possibly help in the management and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Withania somnifera has proved its potential for maintaining immune homeostasis of the body, inflammation regulation, pro-inflammatory cytokines suppression, protection of multiple organs, anti-viral, anti-stress, and anti-hypertensive properties. Withanoside V has the potential to inhibit the main proteases (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. At present, synthetic adjuvant vaccines are used against COVID-19. Available information showed the antiviral activity in Withanoside V of Withania somnifera, which may explore as herbal medicine against to SARS-CoV-2 infection after standardization of parameters of drug development and formulation in near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manali Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Invertis University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Department of Biochemistry, C.B.S.H, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttrakhand, India
| | - Kuldeep Jayant
- Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal, Kharagpur, India
| | - Dipti Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, C.B.S.H, G.B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttrakhand, India
| | - Shivani Bhutani
- Department of Biotechnology, Invertis University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nitesh Kumar Poddar
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Anis Ahmad Chaudhary
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salah-Ud-Din Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Adnan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arif Jamal Siddiqui
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Faez Iqbal Khan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Science, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Dakun Lai
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shahanavaj Khan
- Department of Health Sciences, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation 7 Peterlee Place, Hebersham, NSW, Australia
- Department of Medical Lab Technology, Indian Institute of Health and Technology (IIHT), Deoband, Saharanpur, UP, India
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Kashyap D, Roy R, Kar P, Jha HC. Plant-derived active compounds as a potential nucleocapsid protein inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2: an in-silico study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-16. [PMID: 35532092 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2072951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2. This virus has a high mismatch repair proofreading ability due to its unique exonuclease activity, making it knotty to treat. The nucleocapsid protein can serve as a potential antiviral drug target, as this protein is responsible for multiple captious functions during the viral life cycle. Herein, we have investigated the potential to repurpose active antiviral compounds of plant origins for treating the SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the present study, we followed the molecular docking methodology to screen druggable natural plants' active compounds against the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2. The virtual screening of all 68 compounds revealed that the top seven active compounds, such as withanolide D, hypericin, silymarin, oxyacanthine, withaferin A, Acetyl aleuritolic acid, and rhein, exhibit good binding affinity with druggable ADME properties, toxicity, and Pass prediction. The stability of the docked complexes was studied by conducting molecular simulations of 100 ns. MM-GBSA calculated the binding free energy uncovered that withanolide D, hypericin, and silymarin result in highly stable binding conformations in three different sites of the nucleocapsid protein. However, further investigation is needed in order to validate the candidacy of these inhibitors for clinical trials. HighlightsNatural plants' active compounds may aid in the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication and COVID-19 therapeutics.Hypericin, silymarin, withanolide D, oxyacanthine, withaferin A, Acetyl aleuritolic acid, and rhein are effective against SARS-CoV-2 N protein.Studied natural plants' active compounds could be useful against COVID-19 and its associated organs comorbidities.ADMET properties of selected compounds favor these compounds as druggable candidates.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dharmendra Kashyap
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Rajarshi Roy
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Parimal Kar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Hem Chandra Jha
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
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20
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Rathi A, Kumar V, Sundar D. Insights into the potential of withanolides as Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4D) inhibitors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:2108-2117. [PMID: 35060432 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2028679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Medicinal herbs have been used as traditional medicines for centuries. The molecular mechanism of action of their bioactive molecules against various diseases or therapeutic targets is still being explored. Here, the active compounds (withanolides) of a well-known Indian medicinal herb, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), have been studied for their most potential therapeutic targets and their mechanism of action using ligand-based screening and receptor-based approaches. Ligand-based screening predicted the six top therapeutic targets, namely, Protein kinase C alpha (PRKCA), Protein kinase C delta (PRKCD), Protein kinase C epsilon (PRKCE), Androgenic Receptor (AR), Cycloxygenase-2 (PTGS-2) and Phosphodiesterase-4D (PDE4D). Further, when these predictions were validated using receptor-based studies, i.e. molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and free energy calculations, it was found that PDE4D was the most potent target for four withanolides, namely, Withaferin-A, 17-Hydroxywithaferin-A, 27-Hydroxywithanone and Withanolide-R. These compounds had a better binding affinity and similar interactions as that of an already known inhibitor (Zardaverine) of PDE4D. These results warrant further in-vitro and in-vivo investigations to examine their therapeutic potential as an inhibitor of PDE4D.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Rathi
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India
| | - Vipul Kumar
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India
| | - Durai Sundar
- DAILAB, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India
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21
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Potential of Withaferin-A, Withanone and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl ester as ATP-competitive inhibitors of BRAF: A bioinformatics study. Curr Res Struct Biol 2022; 3:301-311. [PMID: 35028596 PMCID: PMC8714769 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine/threonine-protein kinase B-raf (BRAF) plays a significant role in regulating cell division and proliferation through MAPK/ERK pathway. The constitutive expression of wild-type BRAF (BRAFWT) and its mutant forms, especially V600E (BRAFV600E), has been linked to multiple cancers. Various synthetic drugs have been approved and are in clinical trials, but most of them are reported to become ineffective within a short duration. Therefore, combinational therapy involving multiple drugs are often recruited for cancer treatment. However, they lead to toxicity and adverse side effects. In this computational study, we have investigated three natural compounds, namely Withaferin-A (Wi-A), Withanone (Wi-N) and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl ester (CAPE) for anti-BRAFWT and anti-BRAFV600E activity. We found that these compounds could bind stably at ATP-binding site in both BRAFWT and BRAFV600E proteins. In-depth analysis revealed that these compounds maintained the active conformation of wild-type BRAF protein by inducing αC-helix-In, DFG-In, extended activation segment and well-aligned R-spine residues similar to already known drugs Vemurafenib (VEM), BGB283 and Ponatinib. In terms of binding energy, among the natural compounds, CAPE showed better affinity towards both wild-type and V600E mutant proteins than the other two compounds. These data suggested that CAPE, Wi-A and Wi-N have potential to block constitutive autophosphorylation of BRAF and hence warrant in vitro and in vivo experimental validation. Out of all the human cancers approximately 8% involve BRAF mutations. The 40–50% of the commercialized drugs in the market are from the natural sources or inspired by it. Three natural compounds Withaferin-A , Withanone and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) have been studied against BRAF. CAPE binds with higher binding affinity with BRAF wild type protein and BRAF V600E mutant protein than other natural compounds.
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22
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Kaur K, Dolker D, Behera S, Pati PK. Critical factors influencing in vitro propagation and modulation of important secondary metabolites in Withania somnifera (L.) dunal. PLANT CELL, TISSUE AND ORGAN CULTURE 2022; 149:41-60. [PMID: 35039702 PMCID: PMC8754361 DOI: 10.1007/s11240-021-02225-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is a valuable medicinal plant in the Solanaceae family. It is commonly known as Ashwagandha and is widely distributed around the globe. It has multiple pharmacological properties owing to the existence of diverse secondary metabolites viz., withanolide A, withanolide D, withaferin A, and withanone. It is in great demand in the herbal industry because of its extensive use. In this background, the major challenge lies in the rapid multiplication of elite cultivars of W. somnifera in order to produce genetically and phytoconstituents uniform plant material for pharmaceutical industries. Thus it is necessary to explore various biotechnological approaches for the clonal mass propagation and synthesis of pharmaceutically important constituents in W. somnifera. Though there are several studies on in vitro propagation on W. somnifera, yet many factors that critically influence the in vitro response and withanolides production need to be fine-tuned in the pretext of the existing knowledge. The current review focuses on the advancements and prospects in biotechnological interventions to meet the worldwide demands for W. somnifera and its bioactive compounds. This update on in vitro studies on W. somnifera will be useful to many researchers, entrepreneurs, and herbal industries looking for its in vitro mass multiplication and scientific utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuldeep Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005 Punjab India
| | - Dechen Dolker
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005 Punjab India
| | - Shashikanta Behera
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005 Punjab India
| | - Pratap Kumar Pati
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005 Punjab India
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23
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Shefrin S, Sari AN, Kumar V, Zhang H, Meidinna HN, Kaul SC, Wadhwa R, Sundar D. Comparative computational and experimental analyses of some natural small molecules to restore transcriptional activation function of p53 in cancer cells harbouring wild type and p53Ser46 mutant. Curr Res Struct Biol 2022; 4:320-331. [PMID: 36164647 PMCID: PMC9507986 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic mutations in p53 are frequently associated with many types of cancers that affect its stability and activity through multiple ways. The Ser46 residue present in the transactivation domain2 (TAD2) domain of p53 undergoes phosphorylation that blocks its degradation by MDM2 and leads to cell cycle arrest/apoptosis/necrosis upon intrinsic or extrinsic stresses. On the other hand, unphosphorylated p53 mutants escape cell arrest or death triggered by these molecular signaling axes and lead to carcinogenesis. Phosphorylation of Ser in the TAD2 domain of p53 mediates its interactions with transcription factor p62, yielding transcriptional activation of downstream pro-apoptotic genes. The p53 phosphorylation causes string-like elongated conformation that increases its binding affinity with the PH domain of p62. On the other hand, lack of phosphorylation causes helix-like motifs and low binding affinity to p62. We undertook molecular simulation analyses to investigate the potential of some natural small molecules (Withanone (Wi-N) & Withaferin-A (Wi-A) from Ashwagandha; Cucurbitacin-B (Cuc-B) from bitter Cucumber; and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and Artepillin C (ARC) from honeybee propolis) to interact with p62-binding region of p53 and restore its wild-type activity. We found that Wi-N, Wi-A, and Cuc-B have the potential to restore p53-p62 interaction for phosphorylation-deficient p53 mutants. Wi-N, in particular, caused a reversal of the α-helical structure into an elongated string-like conformation similar to the wild-type p53. These data suggested the use of these natural compounds for the treatment of p53Ser46 mutant harbouring cancers. We also compared the efficiency of Wi-N, Wi-A, Cuc-B, CAPE, and ARC to abrogate Mortalin-p53 binding resulting in nuclear translocation and reactivation of p53 function and provide experimental evidence to the computational analysis. Taken together, the use of these small molecules for reactivation of p53 in cancer cells is suggested. Wild type p53 (p53WT) and its mutant form (p53S46PΔ) are associated with multiple cancers. Natural compounds serve as a potential mediator to restore the function of p53 in wild type and Ser46 phosphor mutant. In-silico analysis suggested that Wi-A, Wi-N, and Cuc-B are stronger inhibitors of p53 -mortalin interaction. These entities could also bind to p53S46PΔ and mimic the phosphorylated conformation, suggesting reactivation of p53WT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyad Shefrin
- Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110-016, India
| | - Anissa Nofita Sari
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Vipul Kumar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110-016, India
| | - Huayue Zhang
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Hazna Noor Meidinna
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Sunil C. Kaul
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8565, Japan
| | - Renu Wadhwa
- AIST-INDIA DAILAB, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, 305-8565, Japan
- Corresponding author.
| | - Durai Sundar
- Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110-016, India
- Corresponding author.
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Kandimalla R, Chakraborty P, Vallamkondu J, Chaudhary A, Samanta S, Reddy PH, De Feo V, Dewanjee S. Counting on COVID-19 Vaccine: Insights into the Current Strategies, Progress and Future Challenges. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1740. [PMID: 34829969 PMCID: PMC8615473 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of a novel coronavirus viz., severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in late 2019 and its subsequent substantial spread produced the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide. Given its unprecedented infectivity and pathogenicity, the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on human health, and its clinical management has been a great challenge, which has led to the development and speedy trials of several vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 at an exceptional pace. As a result, several COVID-19 vaccines were made commercially available in the first half of 2021. Although several COVID-19 vaccines showed promising results, crucial insights into their epidemiology, protective mechanisms, and the propensities of reinfection are not largely reviewed. In the present report, we provided insights into the prospects of vaccination against COVID-19 and assessed diverse vaccination strategies including DNA, mRNA, protein subunits, vector-based, live attenuated, and inactivated whole/viral particle-based vaccines. Next, we reviewed major aspects of various available vaccines approved by the World Health Organization and by the local administrations to use against COVID-19. Moreover, we comprehensively assessed the success of these approved vaccines and also their untoward effects, including the possibility of reinfection. We also provided an update on the vaccines that are under development and could be promising candidates in the future. Conclusively, we provided insights into the COVID-19 vaccine epidemiology, their potency, and propensity for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection, while a careful review of their current status, strategies, success, and future challenges was also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Kandimalla
- Applied Biology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Technology, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, India
- Department of Biochemistry, Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal 506007, Telangana, India
| | - Pratik Chakraborty
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India;
| | | | - Anupama Chaudhary
- Orinin-BioSystems, LE-52, Lotus Road 4, CHD City, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India;
| | - Sonalinandini Samanta
- Department of Dermatology (Skin & Venereology), ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Patna 801103, Bihar, India;
| | - P. Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA;
- Department of Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Public Health Department of Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, School Health Professions, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Saikat Dewanjee
- Advanced Pharmacognosy Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India;
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