Ameliorations in dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic plaque by the inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase and antioxidant potential of phytoconstituents of an aqueous seed extract of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd in rabbits

Deciphering Structural Dynamics of Atherosclerosis Proteins: Insights from Crataegus oxyacantha Phytochemicals that Interceded Functional and Structural Changes in Targeted Atherosclerotic Proteins

Atherosclerosis (ASC) is characterized by foam cell-mediated plaque formation, vascular endothelial inflammation, and lipidosis and is the rudimentary cause of cardiovascular diseases. This is the pre-eminent global factor of mortality. This etiological paradigm is significantly influenced by several proteins, where 23 pivotal proteins involved in ASC were meticulously gleaned on the basis of literature studies. The crux of the present study was aimed to probe the drugability of four active phytochemicals from Crataegus oxyacantha (COC): epicatechin, gallate, tyramine, and vitexin against the selected 23 proteins. The molecular docking analysis was judiciously administered via Glide, the binding free energy was calculated in detail utilizing the prime molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) module, and a deeper comprehensive investigation of protein-ligand dynamic associations was elucidated through Desmond. Drawing from the upper echelons of our docking results, the molecular dynamics simulation outcomes revealed that the macrophage migration inhibitory factor and prethrombin-1 showed persistent binding nature with gallate. The bioactive compound known as gallate sourced from COC shows the best molecular association with pivotal proteins involved in ASC and has a promising therapeutic potential for drug development endeavors.

Arid/semi-arid flora as a treasure trove of bioactives and bioenergy: the case for underutilized desert legumes towards environmental sustainability

As the spectre of climate change gains in strength with each passing moment, many of our mundane food crops like rice face the heat, leading to uncertain yields and unforeseen disease outbreaks. Subsequently, mankind is forced to look for alternative food choices that should primarily come from indigenous plants that are less demanding in terms of usage of water and application of chemical-based fertilizers/pesticides. There are plants growing in the wild in the arid and semi-arid zones of Rajasthan, India, that can come to the rescue, with an added potential for development into valuable functional foods-i.e., not only as source of carbohydrates, proteins, and micro-nutrients but also that of health benefiting nutraceuticals (like antioxidant flavonoids) and relevant enzymes. The other parts (non-edible) of these plants have often also been traditionally validated via diverse ethnomedicinal practices; these could also be useful bioenergy sources. Keeping in mind the broader aim of looking at future functional foods that are also required to be environmentally sustainable, the current report: (a) reviews the extant literature on underutilized legumes from arid/semi-arid zones, (b) discusses current status with respect to biological activities present therein, and (c) suggests pertinent research questions and solution paths in the domains of bioactives, bioenergy, and sustainable environment.

Virtually selected phytochemicals from edible seeds as possible potential medicaments for hypercholesterolemia: an in silico approach

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the major health concerns in today's time. Bioactive compounds from various sources have been implicated in managing the conditions of Hypercholesterolemia. With advancements in research, several edible seeds have been explored in managing the disease. This study employs in silico approach to gain insights into the binding interactions of the bioactive compounds which are reportedly present in Edible seeds, against the protein HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a crucial role in cholesterol metabolism. The bioactive compounds were virtually screened and selected based on molecular docking studies which revealed the strong binding interactions of HMG-CoA reductase with Acacetin (-7.6 kcal/mol), Irilone (-7.5 kcal/mol), Orobanchol (-7.5 kcal/mol), Diadzein (-7.4 kcal/mol) and Malvidin (-7.4 kcal/mol). These compounds largely conformed to drug likeliness criteria and ADME properties with lesser mutagenic, hepatotoxic effects and higher absorption percentage in human intestine. Moreover, we performed molecular dynamics simulation studies for docked complexes to explore their stability under simulated conditions. Data gathered from this study will support the future in vitro and in vivo research in development of potential medicaments using the bioactive compounds from edible seeds for management of hypercholesterolemia.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Imine Derivatives of Benzoxazole Attenuate High-Fat Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia by Modulation of Lipid-Regulating Genes

Purpose: Hyperlipidemia being the prominent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases and side effects associated with the current lipid-lowering drugs have attracted the interest of scientists in the quest for new alternatives. In view of the diverse pharmacological potentials of benzoxazole (BZX) compounds, this study was designed to evaluate the antihyperlipidemic activity of imine derivatives of BZX in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. Methods: Hyperlipidemia was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by using HFD for 28 days. On the 28th day, blood samples were collected, and animals having serum triglycerides (TG) greater than 400 mg/dL and total cholesterol (TC) greater than 280 mg/dL were selected for further study. Hyperlipidemic rats were daily treated with either a vehicle or simvastatin (SIM; 20 mg/kg) or BZX compounds (10, 20, and 30 mg/kg), for 12 consecutive days. After the specified time duration, hyperlipidemic biomarkers were evaluated in the blood samples of sacrificed rats. Liver samples were collected for histopathological and mRNA analyses. Binding affinities of BZX derivatives with different targets were assessed by molecular docking. Results: The present study revealed that the BZX derivatives dose-dependently reduced the serum levels of TC, TG, low-density lipoprotein, and very low-density lipoprotein along with improvement in high-density lipoprotein levels. Similarly, all the compounds reduced HFD-induced alanine transaminase and aspartate aminotransferase levels except BZX-4. Histopathology of liver samples demonstrated mild to moderate fatty changes upon treatment with BZX-1, BZX-2, and BZX-4. The hepatic architecture of the BZX-3-treated samples was close to normal, and only mild inflammation was witnessed in these samples. Moreover, all the compounds significantly increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione levels, indicating their antioxidant potentials. Gene expression data showed that BZX-1 and BZX-3 reduced lipid levels by inhibiting HMGCR, APOB, PCSK9, SRB1, and VCAM1 and via improving PPAR-α and APOE mRNA levels. BZX-2 demonstrated its antihyperlipidemic effects mainly due to inhibition of APOB, while BZX-4-mediated effects appeared to be due to attenuation of APOB, PCSK9, and SRB1. BZX derivatives displayed strong binding affinities with HMGCR, APOB, and VCAM1, which suggested that some of the interactions might be required for inhibition of these target proteins. Conclusions: Based on the current findings, it can be concluded that BZX derivatives exert their antihyperlipidemic effects via modulation of multiple lipid-regulating genes.