Extrapolation of phenolic compounds as multi-target agents against cancer and inflammation

Novel N-pyrocatechoyl and N-pyrogalloyl hydrazone antioxidants endowed with cytotoxic and antibacterial activity

Over the years, pharmacological agents bearing antioxidant merits arose as beneficial in the prophylaxis and treatment of various health conditions. Hazardous effects of radical species hyperproduction disrupt normal cell functioning, thus increasing the possibility for the development of various oxidative stress-associated disorders, such as cancer. Contributing to the efforts for efficient antioxidant drug discovery, a thorough in vitro and in silico assessment of antioxidant properties of 14 newly synthesized N-pyrocatechoyl and N-pyrogalloyl hydrazones (N-PYRs) was accomplished. All compounds exhibited excellent antioxidant potency against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. The extensive in silico analysis revealed multiple favorable features of N-PYRs to inactivate harmful radical species, which supported the obtained in vitro results. Also, in silico experiments provided insights into the preferable antioxidant pathways. Prompted by these findings, the cytotoxicity effects and the influence on the redox status of cancer HCT-116 cells and healthy fibroblasts MRC-5 were evaluated. These investigations exposed four analogs exhibiting both cytotoxicity and selectivity toward cancer cells. Furthermore, the frequently uncovered antimicrobial potency of hydrazone-type hybrids encouraged investigations on G+ and G- bacterial strains, which revealed the antibacterial potency of several N-PYRs. These findings highlighted the N-PYRs as excellent antioxidant agents endowed with cytotoxic and antibacterial features.

3D-printed solid phase microextraction fiber based on Co-Al layered double hydroxide nanosheets; application in determination of phenolic acids in fruit juice samples

3D printing technology has attracted great attention in various fields of science and technology. Application of this technology in manufacturing analytical tools is developing fast. High precision in manufacturing designed objects, fast production and low cost also green production approach by using biodegradable materials like polylactic acid is promising bright future in scientific researches. The development of new approaches in improving the functional groups of the surface of 3D printed objects in order to make 3D printed parts more functional with conventional 3D printed materials, causes the entry of many advanced materials in this field. In this study, a novel solid phase microextraction fiber was prepared based on Co-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets in-situ growth on 3D-printed aluminum-polylactic acid (PLA) composite and its application for determination of phenolic acids (PAs) including vanillic acid (VA), ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), protocatechuic acid (PCA) and caffeic acid (CA) in fruit juice samples was investigated. The proposed fiber was prepared via a robust one-step hydrothermal synthesis of Co-Al LDH on an anodized 3D-printed Al-PLA fiber. Factors crucial for the extraction, including pH, extraction and desorption time and ionic strength were explored in detail. Under the optimal experimental conditions, for all PAs except PCA, LOD, LOQ and LDR were obtained as 0.03, 0.1 and 0.1-100.0 µgL-1, respectively. For PCA, LOD, LOQ and LDR were obtained as 0.15, 0.50 and 0.5-100.0 µgL-1, respectively.

Discovery of Palbociclib as a potent c-Myc G4 stabilizer for lung cancer treatment using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and in vitro activity evaluation

Despite significant progress in lung cancer treatment, this disease remains a prevalent and serious global malignancy, leading to high rates of illness and death. Urgent research is needed to discover new or alternative therapies that can improve clinical outcomes for lung cancer patients. In our study, we successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of Palbociclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, in suppressing the growth of lung cancer cells. The IC50 values obtained were 11.00 μM and 11.74 μM for H1299 and A549 cells, respectively. Furthermore, our findings indicate that Palbociclib may possess strong c-Myc G4 stabilizing properties by significantly reducing both protein and mRNA expression levels of c-Myc. Additionally, Palbociclib induces apoptosis and causes cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase in two cells. Through circular dichroism (CD), molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, we have provided evidence that Palbociclib enhances the structural stability of c-Myc G4 while exhibiting a high binding affinity to its ligand's binding site on c-Myc G4. These results suggest that Palbociclib holds promise as a novel c-Myc G4 stabilizer for treating cancers associated with abnormal c-Myc activity; further optimization and development are warranted.

Computer-aided analysis for identification of novel analogues of ketoprofen based on molecular docking, ADMET, drug-likeness and DFT studies for the treatment of inflammation

Computer-based drug design is increasingly used in strategies for discovering new molecules for therapeutic purposes. The targeted drug is ketoprofen (KTP), which belongs to the family of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are widely used for the treatment of pain, fever, inflammation and certain types of cancers. In an attempt to rationalize the search for 72 new potential anti-inflammatory compounds on the COX-2 enzyme, we carried out an in silico protocol that successfully combines molecular docking towards COX-2 receptor (5F1A), ADMET pharmacokinetic parameters, drug-likeness rules and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP). It was found that six of the compounds analyzed satisfy with the associated values to physico-chemical properties as key evaluation parameters for the drug-likeness and demonstrate a hydrophobic character which makes their solubility in aqueous media difficult and easy in lipids. All the compounds presented good ADMET profile and they showed an interaction with the amino acids responsible for anti-inflammatory activity of the COX-2 isoenzyme. The calculation of the MEP of the six analogues reveals new preferential sites involving the formation of new bonds. Consequently, this result allowed us to understand the origin of the potential increase in the anti-inflammatory activity of the candidates. Finally, it was obtained that six compounds have a binding mode, binding energy, and stability in the active site of COX-2 like the reference drug ketoprofen, suggesting that these compounds could become a powerful candidate in the inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Cytotoxic effect and induction of apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells by a wood extract from Prosopis laevigata

Cervical cancer ranks fourth in incidence among women worldwide. Cisplatin is currently the first-line drug of treatment for cervical cancer; however, it causes serious adverse effects. Therefore, it is crucial to explore natural products for cervical cancer treatment. Prosopis laevigata is a medicinal plant frequently used for ophthalmological and gastrointestinal infections. In this study, we used the MTT cell viability assay to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of a wood extract from Prosopis laevigata (Extract T7) in SiHa, HeLa, Ca Ski, and C-33 A cancer cell lines. Phosphatidylserine translocation and cell cycle evaluations were performed to determine the mechanism of cellular death. The extract's safety was evaluated using the Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium strains, in vivo acute toxicity assay, and repeated dose toxicity assay in mice. We also identified phenolic compounds of Extract T7 through liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Naringin, catechin, and eriodictyol demonstrated a higher concentration in Extract T7. Additionally, Extract T7 exhibited a cytotoxic effect against cervical cancer cells, where C-33 A was the most sensitive (IC50= 22.58 ± 1.10 µg/mL and 14.26 ± 1.11 µg/mL at 24 h and 48 h respectively). Extract T7 induced death by apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the G2 phase in C-33 A. Extract T7 was not mutagenic. No toxicological effects were observed during acute toxicity and repeated dose toxicity for 28 days. Therefore, further evaluations of Extract T7 should be conducted to identify the complete mechanism of action for potential anti-tumoral activity and safety before conducting studies in animal models.

Investigation of berberine and its derivatives in Sars Cov-2 main protease structure by molecular docking, PROTOX-II and ADMET methods: in machine learning and in silico study

Bioactive compounds found in plants also have pharmacological antiviral effects. Berberine (BBR), an alkaloid found naturally in plants, is one of the phytochemicals with a wide range of biological activities, including antiviral, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory. In this study, we firstly aimed to predict pIC50 values for selcted compounds and then extract the binding patterns of berberine and its derivatives in the Sars Cov-2 Master Protease structure via employing molecular docking approache. Our results showed that berberine and its derivatives have good binding affinities towared Sars Cov2 main protease protein. Based on docking results the pharamaccokinetic studies for berberine, berberrubine, demethylen-berberine, jatrorrhizin, and thalifendine, were conducted and showed a good pharamacokinetic properties as an oral drugs. For deep inspection, we utiilized molecular dynmaics simulation to examine the Sars Cov2 main protease-ligand stabilities. The molecular dynamics simulation and PCA investigations revealed that thalifendine have a strong willing to act as good bindinder to SARS-CoV-2 protease. Further, the network based pharamacology showed that these drugs mediate different pathways such as human T-cell leukemia virus 1 infection, viral carcinogenesis, human immunodeficiency virus 1 infection, kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection and epstein-Barr virus infection.The findings of this study have an important recomendation for thalifendine for more in vivo and in vitro studies to work.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Extraction, characterization of polyphenols from certain medicinal plants and evaluation of their antioxidant, antitumor, antidiabetic, antimicrobial properties, and potential use in human nutrition

Introduction

Dietary medicinal plants are among the most sought-after topics in alternative medicine today due to their preventive and healing properties against many diseases.

Aim

This study aimed to extract and determine the polyphenols from indigenous plants extracts, i.e., Mentha longifolia, M. arvensis, Tinospora cordifolia, Cymbopogon citratus, Foeniculum vulgare, Cassia absus, Camellia sinensis, Trachyspermum ammi, C. sinensis and M. arvensis, then evaluate the antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial properties, besides enzyme inhibition of isolated polyphenols.

Methods

The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, Superoxide radical, Hydroxyl radical (OH.), and Nitric oxide (NO.) scavenging activity; the antidiabetic activity was evaluated by enzymatic methods, and anticancer activity using MTT assay, while the antibacterial activity.

Results

The results showed that tested medicinal plants' polyphenolic extracts (MPPE) exhibited the most significant antioxidant activity in DPPH, hydroxyl, nitric oxide, and superoxide radical scavenging methods because of the considerable amounts of total polyphenol and flavonoid contents. UHPLC profile showed twenty-five polyphenol complexes in eight medicinal plant extracts, categorized into phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids. The main polyphenol was 3-Feroylquinic acid (1,302 mg/L), also found in M. longifolia, C. absus, and C. sinensis, has a higher phenolic content, i.e., rosmarinic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, catechin, luteolin, 7-O-neohesperideside, quercetin 3,7-O-glucoside, hesperidin, rutin, quercetin, and caffeine in the range of (560-780 mg/L). At the same time, other compounds are of medium content (99-312 mg/L). The phenolics in C. sinensis were 20-116% more abundant than those in M. longifolia, C. absus, and other medicinal plants. While T. cordifolia is rich in alkaloids, T. ammi has a lower content. The MTT assay against Caco-2 cells showed that polyphenolic extracts of T. ammi and C. citratus had maximum cytotoxicity. While M. arvensis, C. sinensis, and F. vulgare extracts showed significant enzyme inhibition activity, C. sinensis showed minor inhibition activity against α-amylase. Furthermore, F. vulgare and C. sinensis polyphenolic extracts showed considerable antibacterial activity against S. aureus, B. cereus, E. coli, and S. enterica.

Discussion

The principal component analysis demonstrated clear separation among medicinal plants' extracts based on their functional properties. These findings prove the therapeutic effectiveness of indigenous plants and highlight their importance as natural reserves of phytogenic compounds with untapped potential that needs to be discovered through advanced analytical methods.

Mitochondriotropic Derivative of Ethyl Ferulate, a Dietary Phenylpropanoid, Exhibits Enhanced Cytotoxicity in Cancer Cells via Mitochondrial Superoxide-Mediated Activation of JNK and AKT Signalling

Specific targeting of anti-cancer drugs to mitochondria is an emerging strategy to enhance cancer cell killing whilst simultaneously overcoming the problem of drug resistance, low bioavailability and limited clinical success of natural products. We have synthesized a mitochondria targeted derivative of Ethyl Ferulate (EF, a naturally occurring ester of ferulic acid), by conjugating it with triphenylphosphonium ion and compared its cytotoxicity with the parent molecule. Mito-Ethyl Ferulate (M-EF) was found to be more potent than EF (~ 400-fold) in inhibiting the growth of A549 and MCF-7 cells and suppressing the clonogenic potential of A549 cells. Notably, M-EF did not induce any cytotoxicity in normal cells (mouse normal fibroblast cells) up to a concentration of 25 μM. Furthermore, M-EF treatment induced significantly higher cell death in MCF-7 and A549 cells, as compared to EF via induction of apoptosis. M-EF treatment increased mitochondrial superoxide production and induced mitochondrial DNA damage and phosphorylation of JNK and AKT in A549 cells. Furthermore, M-EF induced increase in mitochondrial superoxide production and cytotoxicity was attenuated on pre-treatment with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (mitoTEMPO) indicating the involvement of mitochondrial ROS in the cytotoxic effects of M-EF. Finally, in silico prediction revealed putative mitochondrial targets of M-EF which are known to regulate mitochondrial ROS and cell viability. In conclusion, the improved cytotoxic efficacy of M-EF exemplifies the use of mitochondria-specific drug delivery in future development of natural product based mitochondrial pharmacology.

Comparison of In Vitro Estrogenic Activity of Polygoni multiflori Radix and Cynanchi wilfordii Radix via the Enhancement of ERα/β Expression in MCF7 Cells

Postmenopausal women experience several symptoms, including inflammation and a sharp rise in oxidative stress caused by estrogen deprivation. Although estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is generally regarded as an effective treatment for menopause, it has been used less frequently due to some adverse effects and high costs. Therefore, there is an immediate need to develop an effective herbal-based treatment that is affordable for low-income populations. Acordingly, this study explored the estrogen-like properties of methanol extracts from Cynanchum wilfordii (CW) and Poligonum multiflorum (PM), two important medicinal plants in Republic of Korea, Japan, and China. Due to the similar names and morphologies of these two radixes, they are frequently confused in the marketplace. Our previous colleagues discriminated between these two plants. In this study, we investigated the estrogenic activity of PM and CW using several in vitro assays with their possible mechanism of action. First, their phytochemical contents, such as gallic acid, 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-glucoside (TSG) and emodin, were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Secondly, estrogen-like activity was assessed utilizing the well-known E-screen test and gene expression analysis in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF7 cells. ROS inhibition and anti-inflammatory effects were analyzed using HaCaT and Raw 264.7 cells, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that PM extracts significantly increased the expression of the estrogen-dependent genes (ERα, ERβ, pS2) and boosted MCF7 cell proliferation in comparison to CW extracts. Additionally, PM extract demonstrated a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as well as an enhanced antioxidant profile compared to the CW extract. Further, the PM extract treatment significantly reduced the generation of nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line, demonstrating the anti-inflammatory properties of the extract. Finally, this research offers an experimental foundation for the use of PM as a phytoestrogen to minimize menopausal symptoms.

In silico protein engineering shows that novel mutations affecting NAD+ binding sites may improve phosphite dehydrogenase stability and activity

Pseudomonas stutzeri phosphite dehydrogenase (PTDH) catalyzes the oxidation of phosphite to phosphate in the presence of NAD, resulting in the formation of NADH. The regeneration of NADH by PTDH is greater than any other enzyme due to the substantial change in the free energy of reaction (G°' = - 63.3 kJ/mol). Presently, improving the stability of PTDH is for a great importance to ensure an economically viable reaction process to produce phosphite as a byproduct for agronomic applications. The binding site of NAD⁺ with PTDH includes thirty-four residues; eight of which have been previously mutated and characterized for their roles in catalysis. In the present study, the unexplored twenty-six key residues involved in the binding of NAD⁺ were subjected to in silico mutagenesis based on the physicochemical properties of the amino acids. The effects of these mutations on the structure, stability, activity, and interaction of PTDH with NAD⁺ were investigated using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, free energy calculations, and secondary structure analysis. We identified seven novel mutations, A155I, G157I, L217I, P235A, V262I, I293A, and I293L, that reduce the compactness of the protein while improving PTDH stability and binding to NAD⁺.

Anti-colorectal cancer of Ardisia gigantifolia Stapf. and targets prediction via network pharmacology and molecular docking study

BACKGROUND

Ardisia gigantifolia Stapf. (AGS), a Chinese folk medicine widely grows in the south of China and several studies reported that AGS could inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer, liver cancer, and bladder cancer cell lines. However, little is known about its anti-colorectal cancer (CRC) efficiency.

METHODS

In the present study, a combination of MTT assay, network pharmacological analysis, bioinformatics, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation study was used to investigate the active ingredients, and targets of AGS against CRC, as well as the potential mechanism.

RESULTS

MTT assay showed that three kinds of fractions from AGS, including the n-butanol extract (NBAGS), ethyl acetate fraction (EAAGS), and petroleum ether fraction (PEAGS) significantly inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells, with the IC₅₀ values of 197.24, 264.85, 15.45 µg/mL on HCT116 cells, and 523.6, 323.59, 150.31 µg/mL on SW620 cells, respectively. Eleven active ingredients, including, 11-O-galloylbergenin, 11-O-protocatechuoylbergenin, 11-O-syringylbergenin, ardisiacrispin B, bergenin, epicatechin-3-gallate, gallic acid, quercetin, stigmasterol, stigmasterol-3-o-β-D-glucopyranoside were identified. A total of 173 targets related to the bioactive components and 21,572 targets related to CRC were picked out through database searching. Based on the crossover targets of AGS and CRC, a protein-protein interaction network was built up by the String database, from which it was concluded that the core targets would be SRC, MAPK1, ESR1, HSP90AA1, MAPK8. Besides, GO analysis showed that the numbers of biological process, cellular component, and molecular function of AGS against CRC were 1079, 44, and 132, respectively, and KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that 96 signaling pathways in all would probably be involved in AGS against CRC, among which MAPK signaling pathway, lipid, and atherosclerosis, proteoglycans in cancer, prostate cancer, adherens junction would probably be the major pathways. The docking study verified that AGS had multiple ingredients and multiple targets against CRC. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analysis showed that the binding would be stable via forming hydrogen bonds.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that AGS had good anti-CRC potency with the characteristics of multi-ingredients, -targets, and -signaling pathways.

Modeling the structure and reactivity landscapes of a pyrazole-ammonium ionic derivative using wavefunction-dependent characteristics and screening for potential anti-inflammatory activity

Spectroscopic investigations of 1-phenyl -2,3-dimethyl-5-oxo-1,2-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-4-ammonium 2[(2-carboxyphenyl) disulfanyl]benzoate (PACB) reported experimentally and theoretically. NH-O interaction is observed and there is a very large downshift for NH-O stretching frequency. Reactive sites are identified from the chemical and electronic properties. For PACB the maximum repulsion was around H33, H55 and H57 atom. LOL shows red regions between C-C and blue around C atoms are surrounded by a delocalized electron cloud. The red ring is a hallmark of electron density depletion from the NCI plot due to electrostatic repulsion and its existences suggests that coordination sphere for PACB is minimally strained around the central ion. Atomic contact energy values and high score of the docking results obtained propose that, PACB may have inhibitory properties and have a significant function in pharmacological chemistry. Molecular dynamics simulation was performed to validate the stability of the title compound with the Bovine thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor protein.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Enhance the Anticancer Efficacy of Platinum(IV)-Phenolate Conjugates in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

The main reasons for the limited clinical efficacy of the platinum(II)-based agent cisplatin include drug resistance and significant side effects. Due to their better stability, as well as the possibility to introduce biologically active ligands in their axial positions constructing multifunctional prodrugs, creating platinum(IV) complexes is a tempting strategy for addressing these limitations. Another strategy for developing chemotherapeutics with lower toxicity relies on the ability of nanoparticles to accumulate in greater quantities in tumor tissues through passive targeting. To combine the two approaches, three platinum(IV) conjugates based on a cisplatin scaffold containing in the axial positions derivatives of caffeic and ferulic acid were prepared and loaded into SBA-15 to produce the corresponding mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). The free platinum(IV) conjugates demonstrated higher or comparable activity with respect to cisplatin against different human breast cancer cell lines, while upon immobilization, superior antiproliferative activity with markedly increased cytotoxicity (more than 1000-fold lower IC₅₀ values) compared to cisplatin was observed. Mechanistic investigations with the most potent conjugate, cisplatin-diacetyl caffeate (1), and the corresponding MSNs (SBA-15|1) in a 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line showed that these compounds induce apoptotic cell death causing strong caspase activation. In vivo, in BALB/c mice, 1 and SBA-15|1 inhibited the tumor growth while decreasing the necrotic area and lowering the mitotic rate.

Molecular Docking of the Terpenes in Gorgonian Corals to COX-2 and iNOS Enzymes as Anti-Inflammatory

Background:

Because the inflammatory pathway is triggered by the enzymes cyclooxygenase- 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), inhibitors, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are needed, although these have side effects. Therefore, the discovery and development of natural medicine as a lead compound are needed. The gorgonian corals have been reported to contain cyclic diterpenes with anti-inflammatory activities. The specific anti-inflammatory inhibitor potential has not been reported regarding these secondary metabolites, whether in COX-2 or iNOS. Thus, the in silico method is the right alternative.

Objective:

This study aimed to determine the potency of fifteen terpenes of the various gorgonian corals to COX-2 and iNOS enzymes as an anti-inflammatory.

Methods:

Molecular docking was performed using ChemDraw Ultra 12.0, Chem3D Pro 12.0, Biovia Discovery Studio 2016 Client®, Autodock Tools 4.2, prediction pharmacokinetics (Pre-ADMET), and oral administration (Lipinski rule of five).

Results:

Potential terpenes based on ΔG (kcal/mol) and Ki (nM) to COX-2 were gyrosanol B (-10,32; 27,15), gyrosanol A (-10,20; 33,57), echinolabdane A (-9,81; 64,76). Only nine terpenes were specific to COX-2 active sites, while for iNOS were palmonine F (-7.76; 2070), briarenol C (-7.55; 2910), and all test compounds binding to the iNOS active sites. Pre-ADMET prediction obtained that HIA was very excellent (70–100%), Caco-2 had moderate permeability (4–70 nm sec-1), and PPB had strong binding (> 90%). Eight terpenes qualified for the Lipinski rule of five.

Conclusion:

iNOS was a specific target for terpenes based on the free energy of binding (ΔG).

Pepper Mild Mottle Virus Coat Protein as a Novel Target to Screen Antiviral Drugs

Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) has caused serious economic losses to crop production in many countries. The coat protein (CP) of PMMoV is a multifunctional protein proved to be a determining factor in the assignment of virulence type. Therefore, we studied the interaction between drugs and PMMoV CP as a method to screen anti-PMMoV agents. In this study, vanisulfane (6f) exhibited good inactivation activity (68.5%) by biological activity screening. Meanwhile, the green fluorescent protein and PMMoV CP expression changes of vanisulfane against PMMoV were verified by western blot and qRT-PCR experiments. The affinity between vanisulfane and PMMoV CP was predicted to be the best by autodocking and molecular dynamics simulation. PMMoV CP was purified for the first time from the soluble fraction, and the strong affinity between vanisulfane and CP was further verified by interaction experiments. Therefore, this study found that vanisulfane is a potential anti-PMMoV drug targeting PMMoV CP.

Identification of Trovafloxacin, Ozanimod, and Ozenoxacin as potent c-Myc G-quadruplex stabilizers to suppress c-Myc transcription and myeloma growth

c-Myc is a major oncogene that is estimated to result in almost all human cancers and the c-Myc downregulation has become an attractive strategy for cancer treatment. For it is hard to design compounds that can directly interact with the c-Myc protein, the DNA G-quadruplex (G4) was discovered in its promoter region which was referred to as a potential drug target for controlling c-Myc expression. In this study, a combined strategy of molecular docking-based virtual screening, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and molecular mechanics/generalized Born surface area (MM/GBSA) free energy calculation was conducted on the existing FDA-Approved Drugs Library, eight compounds were selected for further experimental assay. Among them, five compounds exhibited dose-dependently anticancer activities against RPMI-8226 cells with IC50 values less than 18.4 μM. Further experiments showed that Trovafloxacin, Ozanimod, and Ozenoxacin decreased c-Myc mRNA level obviously and downregulated c-Myc expression significantly. In summary, compounds Trovafloxacin, Ozanimod, and Ozenoxacin might be regarded as new c-Myc G4 stabilizers for the treatment of c-Myc related cancers in the future.

Efficient Extraction of Total Polyphenols from Apple and Investigation of Its SPF Properties

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sun protection factor (SPF) of cosmetic emulsions with the addition of hydroalcoholic apple extract. First, the total polyphenolic content, the antioxidant activity and SPF properties of the extracts obtained by sonication and refluxing were evaluated. The two extraction methods were improved using the central composite design. For cosmetic emulsion that contained a different concentration of apple extract (10–40%), a SPF value between 0.51 and 0.90 was obtained. The most efficient apple extract was obtained by reflux using 50% ethanol and a 60 min extraction time. The concentrated extract was incorporated in a cosmetic emulsion whose SPF maximum was 0.90. Accordingly, due to photoprotective properties, the apple extract can be a candidate for use in cosmetic formulations.

Recent development of imidazole derivatives as potential anticancer agents

Cancer, one of the key health problems globally, is a group of related diseases that share a number of characteristics primarily the uncontrolled growth and invasive to surrounding tissues. Chemotherapy is one of the ways for the treatment of cancer which uses one or more anticancer agents as per chemotherapy regimen. Limitations of most anticancer drugs due to a variety of reasons such as serious side effects, drug resistance, lack of sensitivity and efficacy etc. generate the necessity towards the designing of novel anticancer lead molecules. In this regard, the synthesis of biologically active heterocyclic molecules is an appealing research area. Among heterocyclic compounds, nitrogen containing heterocyclic molecules has fascinated tremendous consideration due to broad range of pharmaceutical activity. Imidazoles, extensively present in natural products as well as synthetic molecules, have two nitrogen atoms, and are five membered heterocyclic rings. Because of their countless physiological and pharmacological characteristics, medicinal chemists are enthused to design and synthesize new imidazole derivatives with improved pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. The aim of this present chapter is to discuss the synthesis, chemistry, pharmacological activity, and scope of imidazole-based molecules in anticancer drug development. Finally, we have discussed the current challenges and future perspectives of imidazole-based derivatives in anticancer drug development.

Influence of potato variety on polyphenol profile composition and glycoalcaloid contents of potato juice

The results of studies published in recent years indicate the broad biological activity of potato juice (PJ), which is a byproduct of the starch production process. Among the most frequently described activities are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic effects. Nevertheless, this waste juice is produced by the processing of many varieties of potatoes with different proportions, which does not allow to conclude on the biological activity of individual varieties. This article is a report on the antioxidant activity of PJ from seven selected potato varieties, their profile of polyphenolic compounds, and the content of glycoalkaloids (GAs). The use of similar cultivation conditions allowed to eliminate the influence of environmental factors on the content of the analyzed compounds. The influence of PJ on the growth of probiotic, commensal, and pathogenic bacteria was also assessed. It was shown that the varieties significantly influenced the differences in antioxidant activity as well as the content of GAs, but despite the observed differences, none of them showed antimicrobial activity. Therefore, it can be concluded that an appropriately selected variety will make it possible to obtain PJ that will be characterized by high antioxidant activity and, at the same time, will be safe from the toxicological point of view.

Natural Products as Potential Lead Compounds for Drug Discovery Against SARS-CoV-2

For the past 2 years, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 infection has become a world pandemic, ruining the lives and economies of several nations in the world. This has scaled up research on the virus and the resulting infection with the goal of developing new vaccines and therapies. Natural products are known to be a rich source of lead compounds for drug discovery, including against infectious diseases caused by microbes (viruses, bacteria and fungi). In this review article, we conducted a literature survey aimed at identifying natural products with inhibitory concentrations against the coronaviruses or their target proteins, which lie below 10 µM. This led to the identification of 42 compounds belonging to the alkaloid, flavonoid, terpenoid, phenolic, xanthone and saponin classes. The cut off concentration of 10 µM was to limit the study to the most potent chemical entities, which could be developed into therapies against the viral infection to make a contribution towards limiting the spread of the disease.

Protein-polyphenol conjugates: Preparation, functional properties, bioactivities and applications in foods and nutraceuticals

Protein is a crucial nutritional ingredient in the daily human diet. Polyphenols (PPNs) are the abundant phytochemicals in plants, which are associated with health promotion as well as affect functionality in food systems. Both ingredients possess different types of functionalities (crosslinking, gelling, emulsifying, film-forming, etc.) and bioactivities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, etc.). In the past decade, various methods have been implemented to enhance the functionalities and bioactivities of foods. Conjugation or grafting methods has been introduced widely. Conjugations of PPNs with proteins through various methods have been performed for the synthesis of the protein-polyphenol conjugate. Those potential grafting methods are alkaline associated, free-radical mediated, enzyme catalyzed, and chemical coupling methods. Several factors such as reaction conditions, type of proteins, and PPNs also influenced the conjugation efficiency. Various technologies, e.g., mass spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, circular dichroism, and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis have been used to elucidate conjugation and structural alternation of proteins and some properties of resulting conjugates. The prepared protein-PPN conjugates have been documented to enhance the bioactivities and functional properties of an initial protein. Moreover, conjugates have been employed in emulsions or as nanoparticles for nutraceutical delivery. Edible-films for food packaging and hydrogels for controlled drug release have been developed using protein-PPN conjugates. This chapter focuses on the methodologies and characteristics of protein-PPN conjugates and their applications in various food systems and nutraceutical field.

Phytochemical Profiling in Conjunction with In Vitro and In Silico Studies to Identify Human α-Amylase Inhibitors in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit for the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus

Bioactive constituents from natural sources are of great interest as alternatives to synthetic compounds for the treatment of various diseases, including diabetes mellitus. In the present study, phytochemicals present in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit leaves were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and further examined by qualitative and quantitative methods. α-Amylase enzyme activity assays were performed and revealed that L. leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit leaf extract inhibited enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner, with efficacy similar to that of the standard α-amylase inhibitor acarbose. To determine which phytochemicals were involved in α-amylase enzyme inhibition, in silico virtual screening of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties was performed and pharmacophore dynamics were assessed. We identified hexadecenoic acid and oleic acid ((Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid) as α-amylase inhibitors. The binding stability of α-amylase to those two fatty acids was confirmed in silico by molecular docking and a molecular dynamics simulation performed for 100 ns. Together, our findings indicate that L. leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit-derived hexadecanoic acid and oleic acid are natural product-based antidiabetic compounds that can potentially be used to manage diabetes mellitus.

Pterocarpus santalinus L. extract mitigates gamma radiation-inflicted derangements in BALB/c mice by Nrf2 upregulation

Plant-based natural extracts contain several nutrients and bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and flavonoids, that possess various health-promoting activities. This study investigated the effects of polyphenols from Pterocarpus santalinus hydroalcoholic extract (PSHE) against gamma radiation-induced derangements via the upregulation of Nrf2. Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) analysis was performed to identify the possible radioprotectors. In vivo and in vitro studies, namely Real-Time-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) scavenging activity, lipid peroxidation and GSH levels, DNA damage and cell death studies, anti-inflammatory (Sandwich ELISA), immunomodulatory studies (antibody staining), and model free radical scavenging assays, were performed. Vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, para-hydroxybenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, TNF-α inhibitor (Eudesmin), isoflavone (Daidzein 7-o-glucoside), astragalin (Kaempferol 3-o-glycoside), and other polyphenols were identified in PSHE using UHPLC-HRMS/MS analysis. Prophylactic administration of PSHE (-1 h) rendered more than 33% survival in mice exposed to 8 Gy whole-body-irradiation with increased mice survival and recovery of bone marrow and spleen cellularity. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that PSHE treatment (50 µg/mL) upregulated Nrf2, HO-1, and GPX-1 in mice splenocytes. At 50 µg/mL, PSHE reduced ROSscavenging activity, mitochondrial and spleen membrane lipid peroxidation levels, DNA damage, and cell death, and increased GSH levels. At 10 µg/mL, PSHE treatment diminished the content of IL-6 and TNF-α. At 50 µg/mL, PSHE suppressed lymphocyte proliferation. These findings indicate that polyphenols of PSHE possess marked antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory capacities, which play important roles in the prevention of radiation damage.

Heat Treatment Improves UV Photoprotective Effects of Licorice in Human Dermal Fibroblasts

External stimulation of the skin by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation induces oxidative stress or inflammation, causing skin aging and skin cancer. Glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice) has been used as a medicinal plant for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic, and hepatoprotective properties. The present study analyzed the effects of thermal processing on the bioactivities of licorice. Heat-treated licorice (HL) extracts had better antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities than non-treated licorice (NL) extract. HL extracts also had higher total phenol contents than NL extract. In particular, contents of isoliquiritigenin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance of licorice, increased in proportion to the skin-protection effects of HL extracts. Heat treatment increased the contents of phenolic compounds such as isoliquiritigenin in licorice extract, which improved the UV photoprotective effect of licorice in human dermal fibroblasts.

Supramolecular self-assembly and perfected in vitro/vivo property of 5-fluorouracil and ferulic acid on the strength of double optimized strategy: the first 5-fluorouracial-phenolic acid nutraceutical cocrystal with synergistic antitumor efficacy

For highlighting the predominance of phenolic acid nutraceutical ferulic acid (FR) in regulating the in vivo/vitro performances of anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (Flu) and strengthening their cooperativity in antitumor effect, thus achieving a major breakthrough in the development of drug-nutraceutical cocrystal with synergistic antitumor action, a cocrystallization strategy of dual optimization is created, in which both the in vivo and vitro natures of Flu are improved by exploiting the FR's excellent physicochemical property. Moreover, Flu's anticancer effects were promoted by exerting the assistant antitumor peculiarity of FR. Such dual optimization of FR for Flu in physicochemical properties and anticancer activities is beneficial for realizing synergistic augmentation effect by taking the benefit of the cooperativeness of Flu and FR in the anticancer ability. Based on this idea, a novel cocrystal of Flu and FR, namely, Flu-FR-H2O, is successfully assembled as the first 5-fluorouracil-nutraceutical cocrystal with synergistic antitumor effect and its explicit structure is resolved. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction demonstrates that Flu and FR have a ratio of 1 : 1 with one equivalent of solvent water in the cocrystal, where one-dimensional hydrogen-bonding helices and FR-Flu hydrogen-bonding pairs, together construct a three-dimensional supramolecular network. By combining experimental evaluation with theoretical analysis, in vitro/vivo pharmaceutical properties are scientifically investigated. Results show that the permeability and aqueous solubility of Flu are respectively elevated by 5.08 and 1.64 folds, which has brought about ameliorated pharmacokinetics, thus providing prolonged retention time and increased oral bioavailability. More interestingly, the cocrystal shows synergistic inhibition ability of Flu and FR against tested tumor cell strains, hence laying the groundwork for reducing the dosage and even the toxic side effects of Flu. As a result of this, the present research not only provides a new strategy for Flu to optimize its physicochemical properties and antitumor activities simultaneously but also offers some opinions for the development of synergistic antitumor pharmaceutical cocrystals.

Investigations of metallic elements and phenolics in Chinese medicinal plants

Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) can be contaminated with heavy metals, and therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Cr, and phenolic compounds contents in TCM plants used against civilization diseases. Metals were determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) for Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for Pb, Cd, and Cr. The total phenolic, flavonoid, and phenolic acid contents were determined by HPLC and UV/vis spectrometry. The contents of the studied elements were highest in Radix Rehmanniae, whereas lowest in Fructus Lycii and Fructus Crataegi. The studied metals were assayed in the decreasing order: Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Cd. Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Preparata showed the lowest phenolic composition, while Fructus Lycii showed the richest content. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the contents of ferulic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and Cu, Cr, and Cd were among the most important factors responsible for the differentiation between the investigated medicinal plants. Cluster analysis (CA) showed that the TCM samples originating from the same botanical plant species were often found in the same cluster, which confirms the similar level of studied elements determined within the samples.

Molecular dynamics simulation, free energy landscape and binding free energy computations in exploration the anti-invasive activity of amygdalin against metastasis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Historically, amygdalin has been used as alternative medicine or in vitro and in vivo studies, but no single study exists which discusses the structural mechanism of amygdalin at a molecular level. This paper inquiries into the inhibitory actions of amygdalin on the selected targets: AKT1, FAK, and ILK, which are regulators for various mediated signaling pathways, and are associated with cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation. In order to get details at the molecular level of amygdalin's inhibitory activities against chosen proteins, molecular modeling and simulation techniques including double docking, molecular dynamics simulation, free energy landscape analysis, and binding free energy calculation were exerted.

METHODS

To get molecular level details of amygdalin inhibitory effects against the relevant proteins; here the utilized tools are the following: the double docking, molecular dynamics simulation, free energy landscape analysis, g_mmpbsa, and interaction entropy were used to evaluate the inhibitory activity against targeted proteins.

RESULTS

The computational calculations revealed that amygdalin inhibits the selected targets via block the ATP-binding pocket of AKT1, FAK, and ILK by forming stable hydrogen bonds. Moreover, free energy landscape, FEL exposed that amygdalin stabilized the global conformations of both FAK and ILK proteins to the minimum global energy besides it reduced the essential dynamics of FAK and ILK proteins. MMPBSA computations provided further evidence for amygdalin's stability inside the ATP-binding pocket of AKT1, FAK, and ILK with a binding free energy of 45.067, -13.033, 13.109 kJ/mol, respectively. The binding free energies are lastly consistent with the hydrogen bonding and pairs within 0.35 nm results. The decomposition of binding energy shows the pivotal amino acid residues responsible for the stability of amygdalin's interactions inside the ATP-binding sites by forming hydrogen bonds.

CONCLUSIONS

Before this work, it was enigmatic to make predictions about how amygdalin inhibits metastasis of cancer. But the computational results contribute in several ways to our understanding of amygdalin activity and provide a basic insight into the activity of amygdalin as a multi-target drug in the metastasis and invasion of cancer.

Leonurus sibiricus root extracts decrease airway remodeling markers expression in fibroblasts

Bronchial asthma is believed to be provoked by the interaction between airway inflammation and remodeling. Airway remodeling is a complex and poorly understood process, and controlling it appears key for halting the progression of asthma and other obstructive lung diseases. Plants synthesize a number of valuable compounds as constitutive products and as secondary metabolites, many of which have curative properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-remodeling properties of extracts from transformed and transgenic Leonurus sibiricus roots with transformed L. sibiricus roots extract with transcriptional factor AtPAP1 overexpression (AtPAP1). Two fibroblast cell lines, Wistar Institute-38 (WI-38) and human fetal lung fibroblast (HFL1), were incubated with extracts from transformed L. sibiricus roots (TR) and roots with transcriptional factor AtPAP1 over-expression (AtPAP1 TR). Additionally, remodeling conditions were induced in the cultures with rhinovirus 16 (HRV16). The expressions of metalloproteinase 9 (MMP)-9, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), arginase I and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunoblotting methods. AtPAP1 TR decreased arginase I and MMP-9 expression with no effect on TIMP-1 or TGF-β mRNA expression. This extract also inhibited HRV16-induced expression of arginase I, MMP-9 and TGF-β in both cell lines (P < 0·05) Our study shows for the first time to our knowledge, that transformed AtPAP1 TR extract from L. sibiricus root may affect the remodeling process. Its effect can be attributed an increased amount of phenolic acids such as: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid or ferulic acid and demonstrates the value of biotechnology in medicinal research.

Extrapolation of hydroxytyrosol and its analogues as potential anti-inflammatory agents

Discovery of potential lead molecule is a challenging, and complex process which require lots of money, patience, and manpower. Human beings are using natural products, predominantly secondary metabolites, for this purpose since ancient time and they are still working on them as a potent source for drug discovery due to their wide structural diversity. Phenolic phytochemicals such as hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol are natural antioxidant and involved in many biological disease cure. Herein, we have carried out the quantum chemical calculations for conformational analysis, geometry optimization and computation of electronic as well as optical properties of hydroxytyrosol and its analogues (1a-1k) in terms of density functional theory by using Gaussian 09 program suite. The eventual charge transfer within the molecules has been confirmed by the analysis of frontier molecular orbitals. The molecular docking studies of 1a-1k with cyclooxygenase-2 showed the noticeable binding affinity as compared to other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs viz. aspirin, naproxen and celecoxib. Computation of pharmacokinetics and pharmacological properties confirmed the lead/drug like potential of these screened molecules. Furthermore, the molecular dynamics simulation of best three docked ligands (1f, 1h and 1k)-receptor complex and their binding free energy calculations reveals that these molecules bind in the catalytic cavity of cyclooxygenase-2 and found stable during the 100 ns of simulation. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Spontaneously fermented traditional beverages as a source of bioactive compounds: an overview

Fermented food has been present throughout history, since fermentation not only helps preserving food, but also provides specific organoleptic characteristics typically associated to these foods. Most of the traditional fermented foods and artisanal beverages are produced by spontaneous generation, meaning no control of the microbiota, or the substrate used. Nevertheless, even not being standardized, they are an important source of bioactive compounds, such as antioxidant compounds, bioactive beeps, short chain fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. This review compiles a list of relevant traditional fermented beverages around the world, aiming to detail the fermentation process itself-including source of microorganisms, substrates, produced metabolites and the operational conditions involved. As well as to list the bioactive compounds present in each fermented food, together with their impact in the human health. Traditional fermented beverages from Mexico will be highlighted. These compounds are of high interest for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry. To scale-up the home fermentation processes, it is necessary to fully understand the microbiology and biochemistry behind these traditional products. The use of good quality raw materials with standardized methodologies and defined microorganisms, may improve and increase the production of the desirable bioactive compounds and open a market for novel functional products.

Bioinformatic and computational analysis for predominant mutations of the Nrf2/Keap1 complex in pediatric leukemia

The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are tightly controlled and regulated by Nuclear Factor Erythroid-2-Like 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor, which is the main regulator of antioxidant responses and its suppressor protein Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Our previous study has identified six novel changes in Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in pediatric ALL, which were described for the first time. These changes in the pathway are likely to alter the evolutionary process of amino acids and cause structural changes in the final products of genes. In this study, we aimed to compare the pathogenicity of eight determined mutations reported in our previous study by utilizing different programs with different algorithms and molecular dynamics simulation. Since it is too difficult to handle each existing mutation in a wet laboratory, in silico methods may give suggestion to choose the important mutations for further analysis and to establish the appropriate patient population and conduct wet laboratory studies. For this purpose, four different algorithms were used to evaluate the effects of single amino acid mutation. In addition, root-mean-square deviation, root-mean-square fluctuation and free-energy landscape analyses were performed to observe stability, flexibility and energetically favorable conformations, respectively, for each amino acid mutation. As a result, our study emphasizes the importance of Keap1 mutations in pediatric ALL Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, a total of eight mutations, two of which were shown for the first time in our study. Especially the mutations in the Keap1 Broad-Complex, Tramtrack and Bric-à-brac domain are worthy of attention.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Using integrated computational approaches to identify safe and rapid treatment for SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 is a new generation of coronavirus, which was first determined in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. So far, however, there no effective treatment has been found to stop this new generation of coronavirus but discovering of the crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2 Mpro) may facilitate searching for new therapies for SARS-COV-2. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of available FDA approved drugs which can construct a covalent bond with Cys145 inside binding site SARS-CoV-2 main protease by using covalent docking screening. We conducted the covdock module MMGBSA module in the Schrodinger suite 2020-1, to examine the covalent bonding utilizing. Besides, we submitted the top three drugs to molecular dynamics simulations via Gromacs 2018.1. The covalent docking showed that saquinavir, ritonavir, remdesivir, delavirdine, cefuroxime axetil, oseltamivir and prevacid have the highest binding energies MMGBSA of –72.17, −72.02, −65.19, −57.65, −54.25, −51.8, and −51.14 kcal/mol, respectively. The 50 ns molecular dynamics simulation was conducted for saquinavir, ritonavir and remdesivir to evaluate the stability of these drugs inside the binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 main protease. The current study provides a powerful in silico results, means for rapid screening of drugs as anti-protease medications and recommend that the above-mentioned drugs can be used in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 in combined or sole therapy.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Structure-based drug design of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma inhibitors: ferulic acid and derivatives

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), ligand-activated transcription factor, is a key modulator of genes considered in diabetes development as well as treatment. Adipogenesis differentiation through PPARγ, CCAAT-enhancer protein alpha (C/EBPα) is identified as a critical mechanism in fat accumulation and weight gain. Polyphenols studied against adipocyte differentiation is taken up for consistent support and drug discovery. Structure-based drug design found useful to distinguish the underlying mechanism of receptor-ligand interaction and function. In this work, phenolic acids, ferulic acid and its derivatives are used as ligands. Molecular parameters have been set to filter and sort the 34 derivatives from ZINC and PubChem databases. Besides, for affinity and activity identification, troglitazone and resveratrol co-crystallized ligands have been studied. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity, density functional theory, highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital values and docking scores define the drug candidate as a potential inhibitor. Residues Ser 342 and Arg 280 bind with the ligands by forming hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts. Based on the docking score, pharmacophore properties and functional energy values of the top six compounds are chosen for molecular dynamics and simulation. Consistency and stability maintained throughout the simulation up to 50 ns were observed. Free binding energy values and standard deviation of receptor and ligand calculated using molecular mechanics-generalized Born and surface area solvation method (MM_GBSA) is found significant. Therefore, ferulic acid derivatives and phenolic acids could be a potential inhibitor for adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Understanding the mechanism of amygdalin's multifunctional anti-cancer action using computational approach

Amygdalin possesses anticancer properties and induces apoptosis. Based on experimental studies the presence of amygdalin with cancer cells led to activate the caspase-3 and BAX and inhibits Bcl-2 and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) but without deep information on action mode of these activities. Herein, we leaped forward to examine the molecular dynamics of the bound amygdalin and free ligand proteins, to identify precise action (conformation changes in targeted proteins) of amygdalin through using double docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 50 ns time scale. The MD simulations revealed that the binding of amygdalin led to disrupting the interaction between the Bcl-2/BAX complex. We furthermore conducted MD simulation for Bcl-2/amygdalin to investigate the stability of the complex which is responsible for inhibition of Bcl-2. It has been obtained a stable Bcl-2/amygdalin complex during the 50 ns. The results give a detail explanation of how amygdalin activates BAX and inhibits Bcl-2. For caspase-3, the matter is different, we found that amygdalin led to disrupting the interaction of caspase-3's two chains for intervals during 50 ns and then bind together repeatedly. The mechanism of caspase-3's activation through switching by disrupt the interacts for periodic intervals manner. For PARP-1, the dynamics simulations results indicated amygdalin interacts with PARP-1's binding site and forms stable interaction during simulation to render it inactive. Hence, amygdalin revealed a supernatural behavior through the MD simulations: it revealed a further clarification of the mystery amygdalin's experimental action which can act as a multifunctional drug in the cancer therapeutics.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Phenolic acids: Natural versatile molecules with promising therapeutic applications

Plant phenolics are considered to be a vital human dietary component and exhibit a tremendous antioxidant activity as well as other health benefits. Epidemiology evidence indicates that a diet rich in antioxidant fruits and vegetables significantly reduces the risk of many oxidative stress related diseases viz. cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular. The number and position of hydroxyl group in a particular phenolic compound leads to the variation in their antioxidant potential. Polyphenols are the main source of dietary antioxidants, and are effortlessly absorbed in the intestine. Phenolic acids, a sub class of plant phenolics, possess phenol moiety and resonance stabilized structure which causes the H-atom donation results in antioxidant property through radical scavenging mechanism. Other mode such as radical quenching via electron donation and singlet oxygen quenching are also known for the antioxidant activity of phenolic acids. Furthermore, phenolic acids are found ubiquitously and well documented for other health protective effects like antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic etc. The contribution emphasize on the phenolic acids potential in drug discovery. In addition their occurrence, biosynthesis, metabolism and health effects are discussed in detail.

Exploration of interaction mechanism of tyrosol as a potent anti-inflammatory agent

Drug discovery for a vigorous and feasible lead candidate is a challenging scientific mission as it requires expertise, experience, and huge investment. Natural products and their derivatives having structural diversity are renowned source of therapeutic agents since many years. Tyrosol (a natural phenylethanoid) has been extracted from olive oil, and its structure was confirmed by elemental analysis, FT-IR, FT-NMR, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The conformational analysis for tyrosol geometry was performed by Gaussian 09 in terms of density functional theory. Validation of bond lengths and bond angles obtained experimentally as well as theoretically were performed with the help of curve fitting analysis, and values of correlation coefficient (R) obtained as 0.988 and 0.984, respectively. The charge transfer within the tyrosol molecule was confirmed by analysis of HOMO→LUMO molecular orbitals. In molecular docking with COX-2 (PDB ID: 5F1A), tyrosol was found to possess satisfactory binding affinity as compared to other NSAIDs (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen) and a COX-2 selective drug (Celecoxib). ADMET prediction, drug-likeness and bioactivity score altogether confirm the lead/drug like potential of tyrosol. Further investigation of simulation quality plot, RMSD and RMSF plots, ligands behavior plot as well as post simulation analysis manifest the consistency of 5F1A-tyrosol complex throughout the 20 ns molecular simulation process that signifies its compactness and stability within the receptor pocket. AbbreviationsADMETAbsorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and ToxicityÅAngstromCOX-2Cyclooxygenase-2DFTDensity Functional TheoryDMFDimethylformamideFMOFrontier Molecular OrbitalFT-IRFourier-transform Infrared SpectroscopyFT-NMRNuclear Magnetic Resonance SpectroscopyHOMOHighest Occupied Molecular OrbitalLUMOLowest Unoccupied Molecular OrbitalMDMolecular DynamicsNSNanosecondNSAIDsNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsOPEOsiris Property ExplorerRMSDRoot-Mean-Square DeviationRMSFRoot Sean Square FluctuationCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.