Investigating the multitargeted anti-diabetic potential of cucurbitane-type triterpenoid from Momordica charantia: an LC-MS, docking-based MM\GBSA and MD simulation study

Investigating the Inhibitory Effects of Paliperidone on RAGEs: Docking, DFT, MD Simulations, MMPBSA, MTT, Apoptosis, and Immunoblotting Studies

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer are the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Receptors for Advanced Glycation End products (RAGEs) are ubiquitous factors that catalyse Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), proteins, and lipids that become glycated from sugar ingestion. RAGEs are cell surface receptor proteins and play a broad role in mediating the effects of AGEs on cells, contributing to modifying biological macromolecules like proteins and lipids, which can cause Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation, inflammation, and cancer. We targeted RAGE inhibition analysis and screening of United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) libraries through molecular docking studies that identified the four most suitable FDA compounds: Zytiga, Paliperidone, Targretin, and Irinotecan. We compared them with the control substrate, Carboxymethyllysine, which showed good binding interaction through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and π-stacking at active site residues of the target protein. Following a 100 ns simulation run, the docked complex revealed that the Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) values of two drugs, Irinotecan (1.3 ± 0.2 nm) and Paliperidone (1.2 ± 0.3 nm), were relatively stable. Subsequently, the Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA) determined that the Paliperidone molecule had a high negative energy of -13.49 kcal/mol, and the Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) properties were in control for use in the mentioned cases. We extended this with many in vitro studies, including an immunoblotting assay, which revealed that RAGEs with High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) showed higher expression, while RAGEs with Paliperidone showed lower expressions. Furthermore, cell proliferation assay and Apoptosis assay (Annexin-V/PI staining) results revealed that Paliperidone was an effective anti-glycation and anti-apoptotic drug-however, more extensive in vivo studies are needed before its use.

Therapeutic Potential of Momordicine I from Momordica charantia: Cardiovascular Benefits and Mechanisms

Momordica charantia (bitter melon), a traditional medicinal plant, has been demonstrated to have potential in managing diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, and infections. Among its bioactive compounds, momordicine I, a cucurbitane-type triterpenoid, has attracted attention due to its substantial biological activities. Preclinical studies have indicated that momordicine I possesses antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antihypertrophic, antifibrotic, and antioxidative properties, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for cardiovascular diseases. Its mechanisms of action include modulating insulin signaling, inhibiting inflammatory pathways, and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. The proposed mechanistic pathways through which momordicine I exerts its cardiovascular benefits are via the modulation of nitric oxide, angiotensin-converting enzymes, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (Akt), oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammatory pathways. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effects of momordicine I are pivotal. Momordicine I might reduce inflammation through the following mechanisms: inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines, reducing adhesion molecules expression, suppressing NF-κB activation, modulating the Nrf2 pathway and suppressing c-Met/STAT3 pathway. However, its therapeutic use requires the careful consideration of potential side effects, contraindications, and drug interactions. Future research should focus on elucidating the precise mechanisms of momordicine I, validating its efficacy and safety through clinical trials, and exploring its pharmacokinetics. If proven effective, momordicine I could considerably affect clinical cardiology by acting as a novel adjunct or alternative therapy for cardiovascular diseases. To date, no review article has been published on the role of bitter-melon bioactive metabolites in cardiovascular prevention and therapy. The present work constitutes a comprehensive, up-to-date review of the literature, which highlights the promising therapeutic potential of momordicine I on the cardiovascular system and discusses future research recommendations.

Exploring Holy Basil's Bioactive Compounds for T2DM Treatment: Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations with Human Omentin-1

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) presents a substantial health concern on a global scale, driving the search for innovative therapeutic strategies. Phytochemicals from medicinal plants, particularly Ocimum tenuiflorum (Holy Basil), have garnered attention for their potential in T2DM management. The increased focus on plant-based treatments stems from their perceived safety profile, lower risk of adverse effects, and the diverse range of bioactive molecules they offer, which can target multiple pathways involved in T2DM. Computational techniques explored the binding interactions between O. tenuiflorum phytochemicals and Human Omentin-1, a potential T2DM target. ADMET evaluation and targeted docking identified lead compounds: Luteolin (-4.84 kcal/mol), Madecassic acid (-4.12 kcal/mol), Ursolic acid (-5.91 kcal/mol), Stenocereol (-5.59 kcal/mol), and Apigenin (-4.64 kcal/mol), to have a better binding affinity to target protein compared to the control drug, Metformin (-2.01 kcal/mol). Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations evaluated the stability of Stenocereol, Luteolin, and Metformin complexes for 200 nanoseconds, analysing RMSD, RMSF, RG, SASA, PCA, FEL, and MM-PBSA parameters. Results indicated Stenocereol's strong binding affinity with Omentin-1, suggesting its potential as a potent therapeutic agent for T2DM management. These findings lay the groundwork for further experimental validation and drug discovery endeavours.

Anti-diabetic drug discovery using the bioactive compounds of Momordica charantia by molecular docking and molecular dynamics analysis

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multifactorial life-threatening endocrine disease characterized by abnormalities in glucose metabolism. It is a chronic metabolic disease that involves multiple enzymes such as α-amylase and α-glucosidases. Inhibition of these enzymes has been identified as a promising method for managing diabetes, and researchers are currently focusing on discovering novel α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors for diabetes therapy. Hence, we have selected 12 bioactive compounds from the Momordica charantia (MC) plant and performed a virtual screening and molecular dynamics investigation to identify natural inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidases. Our in silico result revealed that phytocompound Rutin showed the highest binding affinity against α-amylase (1HNY) enzymes at (-11.68 kcal/mol), followed by Karaviloside II (-9.39), Momordicoside F (-9.19), Campesterol (-9.11. While docking against α-glucosidases (4J5T), Rutin again showed the greatest binding affinity (-11.93 kcal/mol), followed by Momordicine (-9.89), and Campesterol (-8.99). Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation research is currently the gold standard for drug design and discovery. Consequently, we conducted simulations of 100 nanoseconds (ns) to assess the stability of protein-ligand complexes based on parameters like RMSD, RMSF, RG, PCA, and FEL. The significance of our findings indicates that rutin from MC might serve as an effective natural therapeutic agent for diabetes management due to its strongest binding affinities with α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Further research in animals and humans is essential to validate the efficacy of these drug molecules.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.