Chemical Characterization and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Phytoconstituents from Swertia alata

Structure-based virtual screening of anti-breast cancer compounds from Artemisia absinthium-insights through molecular docking, pharmacokinetics, and molecular dynamic simulations

Breast cancer is the world's second most frequent malignancy, with a significant mortality and morbidity rate. Nowadays, natural breast cancer medicine has piqued attention as disease-curing agent with low side effects. Herein, the leaf powder of Artemisia absinthium was extracted with ethanol, and GC-MS and LC-MS methods were employed to identify the phytocompounds. Using commercial software SeeSAR-9.2 and StarDrop, identified phytocompounds were docked with estrogen and progesterone breast cancer receptors as they promote breast cancer growth to find the binding affinity of the ligands, drugability, and toxicity. Hormone-mediated breast cancer accounts for about 80% of all cases of breast cancer. Cancer cells proliferate when estrogen and progesterone hormones are attached to these receptors. The molecular docking results demonstrated that 3',4',5,7-Tetrahydroxyisoflavanone (THIF) has stronger binding efficacy than standard drugs and other phytocompounds with -28.71 (3 hydrogen bonds) and -24.18 kcal/mol (6 hydrogen bonds) binding energies for estrogen and progesterone receptors, respectively. Pharmacokinetics and toxicity analysis were done to predict the drug-likeness of THIF which results in good drugability and less toxicity. The best fit THIF was subjected to a molecular dynamics simulation analysis by using Gromacs to analyze the conformational changes that occurred during protein-ligand interaction and found that, the structural changes were observed. The results from MD simulation and pharmacokinetic studies suggested that THIF can be expected that in vitro and in vivo research on this compound may lead to the development of a potent anti-breast cancer drug in the future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Heat shock increases the anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity activity of soybean by increasing polyphenol, antioxidant and aglycon form isoflavones

We know that heat shock can activate the functional components in soybeans, but we don't know the type, level, and duration of heat shock for maximum activation. To address this, the present study investigated the changes in functional components like polyphenols, antioxidants, and isoflavones in soybeans at various temperature levels and durations with their respective functionality or health benefits. For this, treated seed samples were extracted with 70 % ethanol. Heat shock at 60 °C for 2 h increased polyphenol content (60.67 % of control) and antioxidant activity for both ABTS (41.14 % of control) and DPPH (217.72 % of control). This also increased the beneficial aglycone form of isoflavones that includes daidzein (8.36-fold of control), glycitein (3.85-fold of control) and genistein (20.50-fold of control) but decreased the harmful β-glucoside form (3.65-fold) including daiazin (1.84-fold of control); glycitin (1.45-fold of control) and genistin (23.88-fold of control) over untreated dry seed. This may happen because of the conversion of conjugated β-glucoside isoflavones to their aglycone forms that have various health benefits. Maximum inhibition of NO production in RAW 264.7 cells was achieved by samples elicited for 2 h with 300 μg/mL concentration. This sample also confirmed the maximum anti-obesity activity treated against 3-T-3L1 cells. This study summarized that heat shock at 60 °C for 2 h increased polyphenols, antioxidants, and aglycon isoflavone in soybeans resulting in increased anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity activity.

Anti-inflammatory, remorin-like protein from green marine Macroalga Caulerpa sertularioides (S.G.Gmel.) M.Howe

The most prevalent natural source of hydrocolloids, cosmetics, medications, and nutraceuticals is marine seaweed (macroalgae). Numerous bioactivities, including antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory characteristics, have been found in bioactive substances such as polyphenols and sulfated and non-sulfated polysaccharides. As a result, new start-up projects and industries based on seaweed are emerging in all regions of the world with abundant marine biodiversity. In this current investigation, the anti-inflammatory activity of two different marine macroalgae Caulerpa racemosa (CR) and Caulerpa sertularioides (CS) was evaluated. Consequently, CS demonstrated more anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects at a lower dose than CR. The IC50 value for DPPH inhibition was 456.1 μg/mL, and 180.9 μg/mL for CS and CR respectively. A similar result was obtained in the case of protein denaturation (PD), membrane stabilization (MS), and protease inhibition (PI) anti-inflammatory assays with 127.2 μg/mL, 135.5 μg/mL, and 71.88 μg/mL for CR, and 66.78 μg/mL, 88.96 μg/mL, and 59.54 μg/mL for CS respectively. Based on the SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight of lectin responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity was determined as 17 kDa. Protein mass fingerprinting was performed for the particular lectin by in-gel trypsin digestion, MALDI-MS analysis, and Mascot peptide mass fingerprinting. Because of this, the unidentified lectin protein was discovered to be a remorin-like protein that shared 65% of its sequence with the remorin-like protein of Aegilops tauschii subsp. tauschii. Therefore, it is the hitherto report on the presence of remorin-like protein from the green macroalga Caulerpa sertularioides.

The Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) Leaf Extract on Streptozotocin-induced Pancreatic Cell Regeneration of White Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Objectibe The rate of pancreatic cell regeneration after avocado leaf extract intervention in a diabetic animal model induced by streptozotocin was investigated in this study. Method: Experimental study was conducted on 18 male white rats as subjects, which were divided into 6 groups, 3 animals of each. Those were G1 (Feed + Streptozotocin + 10% Sucrose + 100 mg/kg b.w. of extract + 0.5% NaCMC), G2 (Feed + Streptozotocin + 10% Sucrose + 150 mg/kg b.w. of extract + 0.5% NaCMC), G3 (Feed + Streptozotocin + 10% Sucrose + 200 mg/kg b.w. of extract + 0.5% NaCMC), G4 (Feed + Streptozotocin + 10% sucrose + 0.5% Na-CMC), G5 (Feed + Streptozotocin + 10% sucrose + Glibenclamid + 0.5% Na-CMC), G6 (Normal healthy animal + Feed). Results: The pancreatic cells damage in animal diabetic model, G1 = 1.67 (moderate cell damage); G2 = 1.00 (mild cell damage); G3 = 0.33 (no damage); G4 = 3.00 (severe cell damage); G5 = 0.33 (no damage); G6 = 0.33 (no damage). Conclusion: The dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. of avocado leaf extract contributed the most significant recovery of pancreatic cell of diabetic animal induced with streptozotocin, equivalent to glibenclamide.