Comprehensive assessment of Zingiber sianginensis: Phytometabolomic analysis and its impact on oxidative stress biomarkers.

In India, ginger is highly valued for cultural and medicinal purposes. Besides traditional uses, ginger has been proven for its efficacy in cancer, chemotherapy-induced nausea, bacterial infections, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. This study focuses on Zingiber sianginensis, a rare ginger species in the Siang region of Arunachal Pradesh, India. This study studied pharmacognostical evaluation, phytometabolomics analysis, and its effect on oxidative stress biomarkers. Microscopic and chemical tests were employed for pharmacognostical evaluation, revealing distinctive characteristics of Zingiber sianginensis, such as non-close collateral vascular bundles and unique cork layers. Chemical tests, including the phloroglucinol and hydrochloric acid test, differentiated Zingiber sianginensis from Zingiber officinale Roscoe. Phytometabolomics analysis, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionisation-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS) techniques, identified a diverse range of metabolites in Zingiber sianginensis, including polyphenols, monoterpenoids, diterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and organic compounds. The LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis revealed 158 compounds, verified through cross-referencing with established databases. Heavy metal analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) confirmed that Zingiber sianginensis complies with safety standards, showing concentrations of heavy metals within acceptable limits. The isolation and characterization of compounds from Zingiber sianginensis identified natural products such as (R)-(-)- alpha-Curcumene (1), 1-Dehydro-[10]-gingerdione (2), 6-Shogaol (3), and 6-Gingerol (4). Quantification of 6-gingerol revealed that Zingiber sianginensis contains approximately twice the amount compared to Zingiber officinale Roscoe's, suggesting its potential as a source for higher 6-gingerol content. The hydroalcoholic extract of Zingiber sianginensis exhibited antioxidant properties, reducing oxidative stress biomarkers in human dermal fibroblast cells treated with rotenone. Allantoin and 3-bromotyrosine levels significantly decreased, indicating the extract's potential in combating oxidative stress-related disorders. Overall, this comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the pharmacognostical, phytometabolomic, and safety aspects of Zingiber sianginensis, highlighting its potential as a source of bioactive compounds with health benefits.

Improved QSAR models for PARP-1 inhibition using data balancing, interpretable machine learning, and matched molecular pair analysis.

The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) enzyme is an important target in the treatment of breast cancer. Currently, treatment options include the drugs Olaparib, Niraparib, Rucaparib, and Talazoparib; however, these drugs can cause severe side effects including hematological toxicity and cardiotoxicity. Although in silico models for the prediction of PARP-1 activity have been developed, the drawbacks of these models include low specificity, a narrow applicability domain, and a lack of interpretability. To address these issues, a comprehensive machine learning (ML)-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approach for the informed prediction of PARP-1 activity is presented. Classification models built using the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) for data balancing gave robust and predictive models based on the K-nearest neighbor algorithm (accuracy 0.86, sensitivity 0.88, specificity 0.80). Regression models were built on structurally congeneric datasets, with the models for the phthalazinone class and fused cyclic compounds giving the best performance. In accordance with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines, a mechanistic interpretation is proposed using the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) to identify the important topological features to differentiate between PARP-1 actives and inactives. Moreover, an analysis of the PARP-1 dataset revealed the prevalence of activity cliffs, which possibly negatively impacts the model's predictive performance. Finally, a set of chemical transformation rules were extracted using the matched molecular pair analysis (MMPA) which provided mechanistic insights and can guide medicinal chemists in the design of novel PARP-1 inhibitors.

Purification and characterization of pure curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin from North-East India Lakadong turmeric (Curcuma longa).

Lakadong turmeric has been outlined for its high content of curcuminoids across the globe. Three significant molecular markers are widely present in turmeric viz, curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin, and they are present very high amount in Lakadong turmeric. Curcuminoids have been reported for structural and spectrum similarity of 3 to 4 nm (432, 434, and 436 nm, respectively). Current purification methods are based on recrystallisation where it is difficult to get highly pure material and preparative methods associated with tedious separation with high cost. Lakadong turmeric has not been explored commercially since long time. No reports are available in the literature with highly pure reference materials with in-depth characterization data and purity assessment. Curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin were characterized using different analytical techniques viz, UV-Visible Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1HNMR), Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13CNMR), High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HR-MS) and Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Purified 3 markers has shown High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD) purity more than 99.5%. DSC the melting peaks of curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin were observed at 168 °C, 165 °C, and 210 °C, respectively. These plant-based markers have high commercial potential as reference material for routine Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) in herbal industries.

Curcumin nanoparticles as a multipurpose additive to achieve high-fidelity SLA-3D printing and controlled delivery.

Light-based three-dimensional (3D) printing has been under use extensively to fabricate complex geometrical constructs which find a vast application in the fields of drug delivery and tissue engineering fields due to its ability to recapitulate the intricate biological architecture and thus provides avenues to achieve previously unachievable biomedical devices. The inherent problem associated with light-based 3D printing (from a biomedical perspective) is that of light scattering causing inaccurate and defective prints which results in erroneous drug loading in 3D printed dosage forms and can also render the environment of the polymers toxic for the biological cells and tissues. In this regard, an innovative additive comprising of a nature-derived drug-cum-photoabsorber (curcumin) entrapped in naturally derived protein (bovine serum albumin) is envisaged to act as a photoabsorbing system that can improve the printing quality of 3D printed drug delivery formulations (macroporous pills) as well as provide stimuli-responsive release of the same upon oral ingestion. The delivery system was designed to endure the chemically and mechanically hostile gastric environment and deliver the drug in the small intestine to improve absorption. A 3 × 3 grid macroporous pill was designed (specifically to withstand the mechanically hostile gastric environment) and 3D printed using Stereolithography comprising of a resin system including acrylic Acid, PEGDA and PEG 400 along with curcumin loaded BSA nanoparticles (Cu-BSA NPs) as a multifunctional additive and TPO as the photoinitiator. The 3D printed macroporous pills were found to show excellent fidelity to CAD design as evident from the resolution studies. The mechanical performance of the macroporous pills was found to be extremely superior to monolithic pills. The pills found to release curcumin in pH responsive manner with slower release at acidic pH but faster release at intestinal pH due to its similar swelling behavior. Finally, the pills were found to be cytocompatible to mammalian kidney and colon cell lines.

Biochanin A Ameliorates Nephropathy in High-Fat Diet/Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats: Effects on NF-kB/NLRP3 Axis, Pyroptosis, and Fibrosis.

Nephropathy is the most prevalent microvascular disorder in diabetes mellitus. Oxidative stress and inflammatory cascade provoked by the persistent hyperglycemic milieu play integral roles in the aggravation of renal injury and fibrosis. We explored the impact of biochanin A (BCA), an isoflavonoid, on the inflammatory response, nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis in diabetic kidneys. A high-fat-diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ)-induced experimental model of diabetic nephropathy (DN) was established in Sprague Dawley rats, and in vitro studies were performed in high-glucose-induced renal tubular epithelial (NRK-52E) cells. Persistent hyperglycemia in diabetic rats was manifested by perturbation of renal function, marked histological alterations, and oxidative and inflammatory renal damage. Therapeutic intervention of BCA mitigated histological changes, improved renal function and antioxidant capacity, and suppressed phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and nuclear factor-kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα) proteins. Our in vitro data reveal excessive superoxide generation, apoptosis, and altered mitochondrial membrane potential in NRK-52E cells that were cultured in a high-glucose (HG) environment were subsided by BCA intervention. Meanwhile, the upregulated expressions of NLRP3 and its associated proteins, the pyroptosis-indicative protein gasdermin-D (GSDMD) in the kidneys, and HG-stimulated NRK-52E cells were significantly ameliorated by BCA treatment. Additionally, BCA blunted transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß/Smad signaling and production of collagen I, collagen III, fibronectin, and alfa-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in diabetic kidneys. Our results indicate the plausible role of BCA in attenuating DN, presumably through modulation of the apoptotic cascade in renal tubular epithelial cells and the NF-κB/NLRP3 axis.

Amoxapine-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles with Superior Preclinical Pharmacokinetics for Better Brain Delivery: LC-MS/MS and GC-MS Analysis.

The tricyclic antidepressant amoxapine (AMX) has been reported for a rapid onset of action compared to other cyclic antidepressants. It has very low solubility and bioavailability due to first-pass metabolism. Therefore, we planned to develop solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of AMX using a single emulsification method to increase its solubility and bioavailability. HPLC and LC-MS/MS methods were developed further to quantify AMX in the formulation, plasma, and brain tissue samples. The formulation was studied for entrapment efficiency, loading, and in vitro drug release. Particle size and ζ potential analyses, AFM, SEM, TEM, DSC, and XRD were used for further characterization. In vivo oral pharmacokinetic and brain pharmacokinetic studies were performed using Wistar rats. The entrapment and loading efficiencies of AMX in SLNs were 85.8 ± 3.42 and 4.5 ± 0.45%, respectively. The developed formulation had a mean particle size of 151.5 ± 7.02 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.40 ± 0.11. DSC and XRD results indicated that AMX was incorporated into the nanocarrier system in an amorphous form. SEM, TEM, and AFM studies of AMX-SLNs confirmed the particles' spherical shape and nanoscale size. AMX solubility increased by approx. 2.67 times compared to the pure drug. The developed LC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to the oral and brain pharmacokinetic study of AMX-loaded SLNs in rats. Oral bioavailability was enhanced 1.6 times compared to the pure drug. The peak plasma concentrations of pure AMX and AMX-SLNs were 617.4 ± 137.4 and 1043.5 ± 150.2 (ng/mL), respectively. AMX-SLNs showed more than 5.8 times brain concentration compared to the pure drug. Based on the findings, it appears that utilizing a solid lipid nanoparticle carrier to transport AMX can be a highly effective delivery method with improved pharmacokinetic properties in the brain. This approach may prove valuable for future antidepressant treatment.

Analysis of NSAIDs in Rat Plasma Using 3D-Printed Sorbents by LC-MS/MS: An Approach to Pre-Clinical Pharmacokinetic Studies.

Analytical sample preparation techniques are essential for assessing chemicals in various biological matrices. The development of extraction techniques is a modern trend in the bioanalytical sciences. We fabricated customized filaments using hot-melt extrusion techniques followed by fused filament fabrication-mediated 3D printing technology to rapidly prototype sorbents that extract non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from rat plasma for determining pharmacokinetic profiles. The filament was prototyped as a 3D-printed sorbent for extracting small molecules using AffinisolTM, polyvinyl alcohol, and triethyl citrate. The optimized extraction procedure and parameters influencing the sorbent extraction were systematically investigated by the validated LC-MS/MS method. Furthermore, a bioanalytical method was successfully implemented after oral administration to determine the pharmacokinetic profiles of indomethacin and acetaminophen in rat plasma. The Cmax was found to be 0.33 ± 0.04 µg/mL and 27.27 ± 9.9 µg/mL for indomethacin and acetaminophen, respectively, at the maximum time (Tmax) (h) of 0.5-1 h. The mean area under the curve (AUC0-t) for indomethacin was 0.93 ± 0.17 µg h/mL, and for acetaminophen was 32.33± 10.8 µg h/mL. Owing to their newly customizable size and shape, 3D-printed sorbents have opened new opportunities for extracting small molecules from biological matrices in preclinical studies.

An overview of compound properties, multiparameter optimization, and computational drug design methods for PARP-1 inhibitor drugs.

Breast cancer treatment with PARP-1 inhibitors remains challenging due to emerging toxicities, drug resistance, and unaffordable costs of treatment options. How do we invent strategies to design better anti-cancer drugs? A part of the answer is in optimized compound properties, desirability functions, and modern computational drug design methods that drive selectivity and toxicity and have not been reviewed for PARP-1 inhibitors. Nonetheless, comparisons of these compound properties for PARP-1 inhibitors are not available in the literature. In this review, we analyze the physchem, PKPD space to identify inherent desirability functions characteristic of approved drugs that can be valuable for the design of better candidates. Recent literature utilizing ligand, structure-based drug design strategies and matched molecular pair analysis (MMPA) for the discovery of novel PARP-1 inhibitors are also reviewed. Thus, this perspective provides valuable insights into the medchem and multiparameter optimization of PARP-1 inhibitors that might be useful to other medicinal chemists.

Selection of appropriate dapsone and poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) ratios for the preparation of amorphous solid dispersions.

Drug-polymer miscibility is a critical requirement for the efficient design and development of amorphous solid dispersions. The objective of the current study was to determine the miscibility between dapsone (DAP) and poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (PVP-VA) through theoretical and experimental approaches, including the use of a thermodynamic phase diagram and Gibbs free energy of mixing. In the theoretical study, the difference in the solubility parameter between the DAP and PVP-VA was 2.74, the interaction parameter was 0.50, and the distance between the drug and polymer in the Bagley plot was 2.60. Hence, all these theoretical parameters favour the miscibility between DAP and PVP-VA. Melting point depression study (through thermal analysis) and Flory-Huggins theory were utilized for the practical determination of drug-polymer miscibility, where the interaction parameter was positive, suggesting limited miscibility. The obtained thermodynamic phase diagram and Gibbs free energy of mixing plot can provide an indication for the selection of appropriate drug-polymer ratios in stable and metastable zones and the optimum processing temperature required for the preparation of amorphous solid dispersions.

A single-step plasma method for rapid production of 2D, ferromagnetic, surface vacancy-engineered MoO3-xnanomaterials, for photothermal ablation of cancer.

A rapid, clean plasma-chemical technique is demonstrated here, for cost-effective, synthesis of surface vacancy engineered, 2D, molybdenum-oxide nanomaterials, during a one-step, integrated synthesis-hydrogenation process for biomedical applications. A laminar plasma beam populated with O and H radicals impinges on a molybdenum target, out of which molybdenum-oxide nanomaterials are very rapidly generated with controlled surface O vacancies. 2D, dark-blue coloured, nano-flake/ribbon like MoO3-xis produced maximum up to 194 g h-1, the core of which still remains as stoichiometric molybdenum-oxide. These nanomaterials can get heated-up by absorbing energy from a near-infrared (NIR) laser, which enable them as photothermal therapy (PTT) candidate material for the invasive precision therapy of cancer. The surface defects endows the products with robust ferromagnetism at room temperature conditions (maximum saturation-magnetization: 6.58 emu g-1), which is order of magnitude stronger than most other vacancy engineered nanomaterials. These nanometric metal-oxides are observed to be perfectly compatible in animal physiological environment and easily dispersed in an aqueous solution even without any pre-treatment. The MoO3-xnanomaterials are stable against further oxidation even under prolonged atmospheric exposure.In vitroexperiments confirm that they have ideal efficacy for photothermal ablation of human and murine melanoma cancer at relatively lower dose. Duringin vivoPTT treatments, they may be manipulated with a simple external magnetic field for targeted delivery at the malignant tumours. It is demonstrated that commensurate to the neutralization of the malignant cells, the nanomaterials themselves get self-degraded, which should get easily excreted out of the body.

Effect of Tartrazine as Photoabsorber for Improved Printing Resolution of 3D Printed "Ghost Tablets": Non-Erodible Inert Matrices.

Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing of pharmaceuticals suffers from the problem of light scattering, which leads to over-curing, resulting in the printing of objects that are non-compliant with design dimensions and the overloading of drugs. To minimize this problem, photoabsorbers such as tartrazine (food grade) can be used to absorb the stray light produced by scattering, leading to unintended photopolymerization. Ghost tablets (i.e., non-erodible inert matrices) were additively manufactured using SLA with varying ratios of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA): polyethylene glycol (PEG) 300, along with tartrazine concentrations. The 3D printed ghost tablets containing maximum (0.03%) tartrazine were extremely precise in size and adhered to the nominal value of the metformin hydrochloride content. Resolution analysis reinstated the influence of tartrazine in achieving highly precise objects of even 0.07 mm2 area. Furthermore, 3D printed ghost tablets were characterized using analytical means, and swelling studies. Additionally, ghost tablets were tested for their mechanical robustness using dynamic mechanical and texture analysis, and were able to withstand strains of up to 5.0% without structural failure. The printed ghost tablets displayed a fast metformin hydrochloride release profile, with 93.14% release after 12 h when the PEG 300 ratio was at its maximum. Ghost tablets were also subjected to in vivo X-ray imaging, and the tablets remained intact even after four hours of administration and were eventually excreted in an intact form through fecal excretion.

Alternanthera brasiliana L. extract alleviates carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury and fibrotic changes in mice: Role of matrix metalloproteinases and TGF-ß/Smad axis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Alternanthera brasiliana L. is a flowering plant belonging to the family Amaranthaceae and is popularly known as "penicillin". It is used in folk medicine to treat infections, coughs, wound healing, and inflammatory diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: We investigated the effect of Alternanthera brasiliana L. leaves hydroalcoholic extract (AB) against oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrotic changes in an experimental model of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and fibrosis in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six male Balb/C mice were randomized into five groups: normal control, AB control, CCl4 control, CCl4 + AB-200 mg/kg, and CCl4 + AB-400 mg/kg. In mice, liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 (20% in corn oil, 5 ml/kg body weight) thrice a week for six consecutive weeks. AB extract at two doses (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight) was administered orally for six consecutive weeks. Liver injury-related serum markers (ALT, AST, ALP), antioxidants (GSH, GST, SOD, and vitamin C), pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-18, ultrasonographic and histological alterations, proteins of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), nuclear factor-κB (p65) (NF-κB), nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), and TGF-ß/Smad signaling were accessed. LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis of AB was performed. RESULTS: AB treatment significantly decreased the CCl4-induced rise in serum ALT, AST, and ALP activities and improved the histological alterations. Compared with the CCl4-treated group, treatment with AB significantly restored the hepatic antioxidants and reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver. The antioxidant activity of AB may be attributed to its terpenoid constituents, which was confirmed by LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis. The CCl4-induced rise in expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and decrease in TIMP-1 were markedly restored in the AB-treated groups. Further findings revealed a significant reduction in the protein levels of phospho-NF-κB (p65), NLRP3, TGF-ß, pSmad2/3, collagen I, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the AB treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: The hepatoprotective effect of AB may be attributed to the high content of terpenoid compounds and alleviates liver injury and associated fibrotic changes through modulating MMPs, NF-κB (p65), and the TGF-ß/Smad axis.

Mechanisms of Electron Transfer Rate Modulations in Cytochrome P450 BM3.

Bacterial cytochromes P450 BM3 (CYP450 BM3) catalyze reactions of industrial importance. Despite many successful biotransformations, robust (re)design for novel applications remains challenging. Rational design and evolutionary approaches are not always successful, highlighting a lack of complete understanding of the mechanisms of electron transfer (ET) modulations. Thus, the full potential of CYP450 reactions remains under-exploited. In this work, we report the first molecular dynamics (MD)-based explicit prediction of BM3 ET parameters (reorganization energies; λ and ET free energies; ΔG°), and log ET rates (log kET) using the Marcus theory. Overall, the calculated ET rates for the BM3 wild-type (WT), mutants (F393 and L86), ligand-bound state, and ion concentrations agree well with experimental data. In ligand-free (LF) BM3, mutations modulate kET via ET ΔG°. Simulations show that the experimental ET rate enhancement is due to increased driving force (more negative ΔG°) upon ligation. This increase is related to the protein reorganization required to accommodate the ligand in the binding pocket rather than binding interactions with the ligand. Our methodology (CYPWare 1.0) automates all the stages of the MD simulation step-up, energy calculations, and estimation of ET parameters. CYPWare 1.0 and this work thus represent an important advancement in the CYP450 ET rate predictions, which has the potential to guide the redesign of ET enzymes. This program and a Web tool are available on GitHub for academic research.

Process development for the total synthesis of the novel drug metabolite Carboxy toremifene as a standard reference material along with characterization and purity assessment for the Antidoping quality Control Purposes.

Tamoxifen and toremifene are two selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) commonly used to treat breast cancer in women. Toremifene is well-known as a triphenylethylene derivative. Carboxy toremifene is a common metabolite of toremifene and tamoxifen. Since 2005, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has banned the SERMs category during in and out of competition. These substances are in the S4 category in the WADA prohibited list as "agents with anti-oestrogenic activity." However, there is no commercially accessible carboxy toremifene reference material in the market. This research highlights the novel synthetic procedure, the development of a carboxy toremifene HPLC method, and validation, along with detailed characterization using advanced analytical techniques using 1 H NMR, HRMS, FT-IR-ATR and UV-visible spectroscopy. RP-HPLC-DAD method was developed and validated to assess the purity of carboxy toremifene. Developed reference material has shown 100% purity. Therefore, we recommend that this synthesized carboxy toremifene may be used as reference material to strengthen the WADA-accredited lab to maintain a clean sports mission during sports competitions.

Up-regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 and inhibition of TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling axis by daphnetin alleviates transverse aortic constriction-induced cardiac remodeling in mice.

Oxidative damage and accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components play a crucial role in the adverse outcome of cardiac hypertrophy. Evidence suggests that nuclear factor erythroid-derived factor 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) can modulate oxidative damage and adverse myocardial remodeling. Daphnetin (Daph) is a coumarin obtained from the plant genus Daphne species that exerts anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. Herein, we investigated the roles of Daph in transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in mice. TAC-induced alterations in cardiac hypertrophy markers, histopathological changes, and cardiac function were markedly ameliorated by oral administration of Daph in mice. We found that Daph significantly reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, increased the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and consequently, reinstated the protein levels of NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and other antioxidants in the heart. Besides, Daph significantly inhibited the TAC-induced accumulation of ECM components, including α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, collagen III, and fibronectin, and interfered with the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling axis. Further studies revealed that TAC-induced terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive nuclei and the protein levels of Bax/Bcl2 ratio and cleaved caspase 3 were substantially decreased by Daph treatment. We further characterized the effect of Daph on angiotensin II (Ang-II)-stimulated H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells and observed that Daph markedly decreased the Ang-II induced increase in cell size, production of ROS, and proteins associated with apoptosis and fibrosis. Mechanistically, Daph alone treatment enhanced the protein levels of Nrf2, NQO1, and HO-1 in H9c2 cells. The inhibition of this axis by Si-Nrf2 transfection abolished the protective effect of Daph in H9c2 cells. Taken together, Daph effectively counteracted the TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by improving the Nrf2/HO-1 axis and inhibiting the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling axis.

Biochanin A alleviates unilateral ureteral obstruction-induced renal interstitial fibrosis and inflammation by inhibiting the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 and NF-kB/NLRP3 signaling axis in mice.

AIMS: Tubulointerstitial fibrosis, a frequent complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue. Biochanin A (BCA), an isoflavone, has numerous pharmacological activities. However, its effect on renal fibrosis and underlying molecular mechanism has not yet been clarified. This study explored the effect of BCA on renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and inflammation in mice. MAIN METHODS: The mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in vivo and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 activated renal fibroblast (NRK 49F) cells in vitro model were used to assess the antifibrotic effect of BCA. Biochemical analysis, histopathology, western blotting, and immunofluorescent staining methods were performed to elucidate the mechanism of BCA. KEY FINDINGS: In vitro, BCA suppressed the expression of fibrogenic proteins in TGF-ß1-activated renal fibroblasts. The treatment with BCA displayed less tubular injury, prevented the aberrant accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and inhibited the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling axis in the kidneys. Furthermore, BCA impeded the phosphorylation of NF-kB(p65) and blunted the expression of inflammatory genes in the obstructed kidneys. The UUO induced expressions of nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), active caspase 1, interleukin(IL)-18, and IL-1ß proteins were decreased in the BCA treated groups. We also found the increased expression of redox-sensitive nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) proteins in BCA treated groups compared to the UUO control. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings indicate that BCA has a therapeutic benefit against renal fibrosis, and the ameliorative effect is mediated via inhibiting the TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 and NF-kB/NLRP3 signaling axis.

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluations of Berberine-Loaded Microparticles Filled In-House 3D Printed Hollow Capsular Device for Improved Oral Bioavailability.

The low oral bioavailability, short biological half-life, high dose, and frequent dosing of berberine (BBR) contribute to its restricted clinical use despite its extensive pharmacological activity. Thus, the objective of this study was to formulate sustained-release microparticles (MPs) using a pH-independent release polymer and to evaluate their potential to improve the oral bioavailability of BBR. BBR loaded MPs were prepared using the emulsion crosslinking method and evaluated for particle size, circularity, morphology, entrapment efficiency, solid-state analysis, swelling index, and in vitro BBR release study fitted with different models of release kinetics. The MPs exhibited desired particle sizes ranges between 11.09-11.62 µm and were almost spherical in shape, as confirmed by the circularity value and micrographic images. A loss of BBR crystallinity was observed after encapsulation in MPs, as evident from various solid-state analyses. The final optimized batch (F3) showed highest % BBR entrapment efficiency value of 81.63% ± 4.9. The in vitro BBR release performance in both acidic and alkaline media showed the desired sustained release behavior from the crosslinked MPs, where the maximum BBR release was observed at alkaline pH, which is in accordance with the swelling study data. In the in vivo study, the oral absorption profiles of BBR from both pristine and MPs formats were investigated using in-house prototyped 3D printed hollow capsules as a unit dose carrier. In vivo data showed sustained and prolonged absorption behavior of BBR from MPs compared to their pristine counterparts, which resulted in a cumulative increment of relative oral bioavailability to mitigate the aforementioned issues related to BBR. Graphical Abstract.

Biological Activities, Pharmacokinetics and Toxicity of Nootkatone: A Review.

Plant-based drugs have a significant impact on modern therapeutics due to their vast array of pharmacological activities. The integration of herbal plants in the current healthcare system has emerged as a new field of research. It can be used for the identification of novel lead compound candidates for future drug development. Nootkatone is a sesquiterpene derivative and an isolate of grapefruit. Shreds of evidence illustrate that nootkatone targets few molecular mechanisms to exhibit its pharmacological activity and yet needs more exploration. The current review is related to nootkatone, drafted through a literature search using research articles and books from different sources, including Science Direct, Google Scholar, Elsevier, PubMed, and Scopus. It has been reported to possess a wide range of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective. Although preclinical studies in experimental animal models suggest that nootkatone has therapeutic potential, it is further warranted to evaluate its toxicity and pharmacokinetic parameters before being applied to humans. Hence, in the present review, we have summarized the scientific knowledge on nootkatone with a particular emphasis on its pharmacological properties to encourage researchers for further exploration in preclinical and clinical settings.

A sensitive UPLC/ESI/MS/MS method for concomitant quantification of active plant constituent combinations in rat plasma after single oral administration.

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI/MS/MS) for the concomitant quantification of active plant constituents, namely quercetin and piperine, in rat plasma was developed and validated to assess pharmacokinetics after a single oral administration. Liquid-liquid extraction technique with ethyl acetate and n-hexane (1 : 1) was used, and fisetin was added as an internal standard (IS). Effective chromatographic separation of quercetin, piperine and IS was executed on a Waters Acquity BEH C18 column (50.0 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) using formic acid both (0.1% w/v) in water (A) and acetonitrile (B) as the mobile phase in gradient mode. For detection purposes, positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode was used with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for estimation using [M + H]+ fragment ions m/z 303.04 → 152.9 for quercetin, 286.12 → 201.04 for piperine and 287.01 → 136.93 for IS. The method was linear over the calibration range of 0.1-200 ng mL-1. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of quercetin and piperine was obtained as 0.1 ng mL-1 in rat plasma, along with negligible matrix effect and acceptable stability. Furthermore, the bioanalytical method was successfully implemented to determine the pharmacokinetic profiles of quercetin-and piperine-enriched nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) in rat plasma after oral administration. The enhancement in the oral bioavailability of quercetin and piperine was 20.72 and 4.67 fold, respectively, compared to their native pristine dispersions. Future exploration of the concentrations of these active constituents in human plasma and organs is feasible using this sensitive, validated UPLC/ESI/MS/MS method.

Simultaneous Method Development and Validation of Anastrozole Along with Piperine: Degradation Studies and Degradants Characterization Using LC-QTOF-ESI-MS Along with In-silico ADMET Predictions.

BACKGROUND: Anastrozole (ATZ) is a selective non-steroidal inhibitor widely used for the treatment of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. ATZ exerts its biological activity by inhibiting the enzyme aromatase, which is responsible for converting androgens to estrogens. Piperine (PIP), a natural alkaloid and the main component of black pepper, is used as a bioenhancer and for combating a variety of health issues ranging from upset stomach to dental problems. INTRODUCTION: ATZ has been reported to have poor water solubility and less bioavailability. The novel combination of ATZ and PIP was proposed to enhance the bioavailability of both the compounds. However, there are no reported studies on the simultaneous estimation of ATZ and PIP as well as stability studies to explore their potential interactions and degradation profiling. METHOD: A simple, accurate, precise, robust, sensitive, reliable, and economic analytical method for the simultaneous estimation of ATZ and PIP was developed using acetonitrile and water (60:40) as the mobile phase. Forced degradation studies and characterization of degradants were performed, and degradants were identified for molecular weight using LC-QTOF-ESI-MS; the structures of degradants were confirmed with mass accuracy measurements. The mechanism of each degradant has also been described in more detail in the manuscript. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A total of fourteen degradants were characterized and reported for their good human oral absorption. A precise, robust, accurate, cheap, and sensitive RP-HPLC-DAD simultaneous method for the estimation of ATZ and PIP has been developed. From the future point of view, there is huge scope to conduct pharmacological, pharmacodynamic, and drug-herb interaction studies based on this fruitful outcome. All the degradants may be screened against MDR-resistant breast cancer in the future to check their potential as a drug target.