Scaffolds imparting anthelmintic activity: recent advancements and SAR studies.

Helminthiasis, affecting billions globally, poses a significant health concern, especially in impoverished regions with inadequate sanitation. The intricate anatomical complexity of helminths requires specialized treatment approaches. There is currently no effective vaccine against helminth infections. Anthelmintics, crucial for combating these infections, target neuromuscular functions in parasites without harming the host. However, the emergence of resistance to existing anthelmintics, notably benzimidazoles, presents a growing global challenge. This review delves into the structure-activity relationship of previously synthesized core anthelmintic scaffolds-Benzimidazole, coumarin, pyrazoline, triazole, and others-to elucidate their promising anthelmintic activities. Understanding the structure-activity relationship of these novel benzimidazole derivatives, Coumarin derivatives, and others is crucial in designing potent anthelmintics, overcoming resistance, and optimizing efficacy to combat the escalating global burden of helminth infections. In the present review, we cover recently studied compounds (from the year 2019 to till date) which have promising anthelmintic activity. This review will be useful for the pharmacology and medicinal chemistry researchers working in the area anthelmintics with various scaffolds like aminobenzothiazole, benzimidazole, benzothiazole, coumarin, chromene, spiroketal, pyrazoline, triazole, etc. to design novel potent anthelmintic compound.

The therapeutic potential of typical plant-derived compounds for the management of metabolic disorders.

Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are prevalent metabolic dysfunctions that present significant health challenges worldwide. Available cures for these ailments have constraints with accompanying unwanted effects that persistently exist. Compounds originated from plants have recently been introduced as hopeful remedies to treat metabolic disorders because of their diverse pharmacological activities. This detailed observation gives an introduction into the treatment capacity of plant-derived compounds regarding metabolic syndromes while analyzing various groups alongside their performance in this field despite unique mechanisms designed by nature itself. Interestingly, this study provides some examples including curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, berberine, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and capsaicin, which highlights potential therapeutic impacts for future testing. However, current clinical trials inspecting human studies investigating efficacies concerning metabolism challenge present limitations. Finally, the review weighs up bad reactions possibly inflicted after administering plant-originated materials though suggestive insights will be provided later. Above all, it outlines the chance to identify novel therapies encapsulated within natural substances based upon recent developments could hold significant promise toward managing misplaced metabolisms globally.

Insights into Translational and Biomedical Applications of Hydrogels as Versatile Drug Delivery Systems.

Hydrogels are a network of crosslinked polymers which can hold a huge amount of water in their matrix. These might be soft, flexible, and porous resembling living tissues. The incorporation of different biocompatible materials and nanostructures into the hydrogels has led to emergence of multifunctional hydrogels with advanced properties. There are broad applications of hydrogels such as tissue culture, drug delivery, tissue engineering, implantation, water purification, and dressings. Besides these, it can be utilized in the field of medical surgery, in biosensors, targeted drug delivery, and drug release. Similarly, hyaluronic acid hydrogels have vast applications in biomedicines such as cell delivery, drug delivery, molecule delivery, micropatterning in cellular biology for tissue engineering, diagnosis and screening of diseases, tissue repair and stem cell microencapsulation in case of inflammation, angiogenesis, and other biological developmental processes. The properties like swellability, de-swellability, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and inert nature of the hydrogels in contact with body fluids, blood, and tissues make its tremendous application in the field of modern biomedicines nowadays. Various modifications in hydrogel formulations have widened their therapeutic applicability. These include 3D printing, conjugation, thiolation, multiple anchoring, and reduction. Various hydrogel formulations are also capable of dual drug delivery, dental surgery, medicinal implants, bone diseases, and gene and stem cells delivery. The presented review summarizes the unique properties of hydrogels along with their methods of preparation and significant biomedical applications as well as different types of commercial products available in the market and the regulatory guidance.

Recent Advancements and SAR Studies of Synthetic Coumarins as MAO-B Inhibitors: An Updated Review.

BACKGROUND: The oxidative deamination of a wide range of endogenous and exogenous amines is catalyzed by a family of enzymes known as monoamine oxidases (MAOs), which are reliant on flavin-adenine dinucleotides. Numerous neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), are significantly correlated with changes in the amounts of biogenic amines in the brain caused by MAO. Hydrogen peroxide, reactive oxygen species, and ammonia, among other toxic consequences of this oxidative breakdown, can harm brain cells' mitochondria and cause oxidative damage. OBJECTIVE: The prime objective of this review article was to highlight and conclude the recent advancements in structure-activity relationships of synthetic derivatives of coumarins for MAO-B inhibition, published in the last five years' research articles. METHODS: The literature (between 2019 and 2023) was searched from platforms like Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, etc. After going through the literature, we have found a number of coumarin derivatives being synthesized by researchers for the inhibition of MAO-B for the management of diseases associated with the enzyme such as Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. The effect of these coumarin derivatives on the enzyme depends on the substitutions associated with the structure. The structure-activity relationships of the synthetic coumarin derivatives that are popular nowadays have been described and summarized in the current study. RESULTS: The results revealed the updated review on SAR studies of synthetic coumarins as MAO-B inhibitors, specifically for Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. The patents reported on coumarin derivatives as MAO-B inhibitors were also highlighted. CONCLUSION: Recently, coumarins, a large class of chemicals with both natural and synthetic sources, have drawn a lot of attention because of the vast range of biological actions they have that are linked to neurological problems. Numerous studies have demonstrated that chemically produced and naturally occurring coumarin analogs both exhibited strong MAO-B inhibitory action. Coumarins bind to MAO-B reversibly thereby preventing the breakdown of neurotransmitters like dopamine leading to the inhibition of the enzyme A number of MAO-B blockers have been proven to be efficient therapies for treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. To combat these illnesses, there is still an urgent need to find effective treatment compounds.

Antidiabetic Evaluation of Kigelia pinnata Root Bark Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Type-2 Diabetes Model of Rats.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common endocrine disorder characterized by increased blood glucose levels resulting from defective insulin secretion, resistance to insulin action, or both. DM is often associated with severe complications, and there is an increasing appreciation that cognitive function declines in DM. The aim of this research work was to evaluate Kigelia pinnata root bark extract in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type-2 diabetes. Experimental diabetes was induced by a single administration of STZ (60 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [i.p.]), immediately after the STZ administration, and all animals were fed with normal food and water. Nicotinamide was administered (120 mg/kg, i.p.) 15 min before STZ. The development of hyperglycemia was confirmed by the elevated blood glucose levels determined at fixed intervals, which was confirmed by measuring fasting blood glucose levels in rats' blood taken from the tail vein. Supplementation with ethanolic extract of K. pinnata root bark (EEKP) significantly reduced the elevated blood glucose in STZ-induced hyperglycemia in rats. EEKP significantly restored the biochemical and antioxidant defense system. On the final day of the protocol, the extract also reduced inflammatory cytokines in the blood serum.

Designing novel anti-plasmodial quinoline-furanone hybrids: computational insights, synthesis, and biological evaluation targeting Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase.

To combat resistance against current antimalarials, modifying key pharmacophores and exploring novel parasite-specific drug targets remained one of the key drug design strategies. The resistance to quinoline-based antimalarials arises often due to the efflux of the drug. Hence, the development of newer agents containing bulkier pharmacophores will enable medicinal chemists to counteract drug resistance. In view of this, herein we designed bulkier quinoline-furanone hybrids. Initially, virtual drug-likeness and ADMET screening were conducted to optimize physicochemical properties followed by docking of the hybrids against the Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) enzyme. The most potent hybrids that emerged from the computational screening were synthesized and screened for their bioactivity against the resistant strain of Plasmodium through Schizont Maturation Inhibition assays. Among the compounds tested, 5g and 6e demonstrated the best activity, with IC50 values similar to chloroquine (CQ), and 5g exhibited superior LDH inhibition compared to CQ. Compounds 5f, 7a, and 7f showed IC50 values comparable to CQ and moderate LDH inhibition. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis revealed that halogen substitutions, particularly Br and Cl, enhanced antimalarial activity, while strong electron-withdrawing (-NO2) or -donating (-OH) groups led to diminished activity. Additionally, bulkier aromatic substitutions were favoured for antimalarial activity and LDH inhibition. The investigation successfully found potent anti-plasmodial quinoline-furanone hybrids, demonstrating promising prospects for combating malaria.

Anti-cancer potential of substituted "amino-alkyl-rhodamine" derivatives against MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent diagnosed cancer among women and the main cause of morbidity and mortality. As for breast cancer, MCF-7 cells are an important candidate since they are widely utilized in research for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cell assays, and various sub-clones have been identified to reflect different classes of ER-positive tumors with varied levels of nuclear receptor expression. Rhodamines and its derivatives have shown a great interest over the past two decades due to their excellent structural and spectroscopic properties. Rhodamine derivatives have been widely investigated for their mitochondrial targeting and chemotherapeutic properties. Rhodamine derivatives, in particular, have been widely investigated for their therapeutic properties. In this regard, several studies have shown that rhodamine dye derivatives have promising in vitro and in vivo therapeutic efficacy. The present study deals with potential anticancer activity of few synthesized rhodamine derivatives against MCF-7 cell lines.

Bioactive Flavonoids: A Comprehensive Review on Pharmacokinetics and Analytical Aspects.

Flavonoids are a diversified group of natural substances which were discovered to provide a variety of health benefits in human beings. Vegetables, fruits, wine and tea are the primary flavonoid dietary sources for humans and as the flavonoids are so closely connected to human dietary items and health, it is vital to explore the structural-activity connection. The arrangement, replacement of functional groups, and total number of hydroxyl groups around flavonoid's nucleus structure affect their biological activity, metabolism, and bioavailability. Various flavonoids have been proven to have hepatoprotective properties, that help in the prevention of coronary heart disease. Similarly, these flavonoids also possess anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. Flavonoids have been found to have a functional and structural link with their enzyme inhibitory action, that appears to have antiviral effect through acting as antioxidants, damaging cell membranes, blocking enzymes, activating mechanisms of host self-defense, and limiting virus penetration and attaching to cells. Identification, characterization, isolation, and biological role of flavonoids, as well as their uses on health advantages, are all major topics in research and development currently. This review represents a summary of various sources of flavonoids, class, subclass, their chemical structures, biological activities, the pharmacokinetics of flavonoids and various analytical, bioanalytical and electrochemical methods for determination of flavonoids from different matrices.

Evolving Role of Natural Products from Traditional Medicinal Herbs in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia by impairing mental capacity growth and disrupting neurocognitive activity. Despite recent advancements in AD therapy, therapeutic effectiveness has been small, noncurative, and susceptible to drug resistance. The reality that AD's origin remains unknown and that the blood-brain barrier limits treatment effectiveness are two significant impediments to science. Plants are repositories for novel chemical entities, which provide an exciting avenue for Alzheimer's disease studies. Although several herbal remedies are unquestionably efficient, only a small number have been clinically tested for their active chemical constituents and biological activities. Using published data in the literature, we summarized commonly used medicinal plants and herbs and their phyto components for the care and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease as an alternative therapy. In this, we summarize the main compounds found in 30 different herbal medicines that target neurodegenerative diseases. Using the experimental study of physicochemical properties, we put forward a hypothesis about potential medicinal plants and the management of Alzheimer's disease. The summary analysis demonstrates that conventional herbal medicines produce compounds with physicochemical properties with a high degree of similarities with existing approved medicines.

Anti-atherogenic effect of Nepitrin-7-O-glucoside: A flavonoid isolated from Nepeta hindostana via acting on PPAR - α receptor.

Atherogenic dyslipidemia is a condition and responsible for the induction of major cardiovascular diseases. Traditionally, Nepeta hindostana a medicinal plant commonly used as cardioprotective in Indo-Pak regions has gained importance because of its therapeutic active flavonoid Nepitrin-7-O-glucoside. Flavonoid-glycosides are steroids having the ability to exert specific, decisive action on the cardiac muscle. In the present research work flavonoid, Nepitrin-7-O-glucoside was isolated from methanolic extract via chromatographic techniques. The structure was elucidated and confirmed by different spectral techniques like Mass and 1H NMR spectrometry. Various preclinical atherosclerosis parameters such as lipid levels, SGOT/SGPT, body weight, histology of aorta and heart were estimated and beneficial effect of Nepitrin in high-fat diet (HFD) induced atherosclerosis for six weeks were observed. Outcomes of the preclinical results showed and proved that Nepitrin significantly improved dyslipidemia at an effective dose of 50 mg/kg as compared with HFD control and Simvastatin. Molecular docking showed significant binding affinity towards the target PPAR-α receptor (PDB: 2P54). Further the docked ligands with PDB: 2P54 were exposed to molecular dynamics studies to confirm the dynamic behaviour of PPAR-α receptor. Outcomes of the results of the in-vivo study and molecular dynamics study were in correlation with each-others. Further, it can be concluded that Nepitrin has a potent antiatherogenic agent and act by reducing the lipid levels via acting on PPAR-α receptor and regenerating the damaged cells.

Computational tool for immunotoxic assessment of pyrethroids toward adaptive immune cell receptors.

BACKGROUND: Pyrethroids have prominently known for their insecticidal actions worldwide, but recent reports as anticancer and antiviral applications gained a lot of interest to further understand their safety and immunotoxicity. OBJECTIVE: This encouraged us to carry out our present study to evaluate the interactions of pyrethroids toward adaptive immune cell receptors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Type 1 and Type 2 pyrethroids were tested on T (CD4 and CD8) and B (CD28 and CD45) immune cell receptors using Maestro 9.3 (Schrödinger, LLC, Cambridge, USA). In addition, top-ranked tested ligands were too explored for toxicity prediction in rodents using ProTOX tool. RESULTS: Pyrethroids (specifically type 2) such as fenvalerate (-5.534 kcal/mol: CD8), fluvalinate (-4.644 and - 4.431 kcal/mol: CD4 and CD45), and cypermethrin (-3.535 kcal/mol: CD28) have outcome in less energy or more affinity for B-cell and T-cell immune receptors which may later result in the immunosuppressive and hypersensitivity reactions. CONCLUSION: The current findings have uncovered that there is a further need to assess the Type 2 pyrethroids with wet laboratory experiments to understand the chemical nature of pyrethroid-induced immunotoxicity. SUMMARY: Fenvalerate showed apex glide score toward CD8 immune receptor, while fluvalinate confirmed top-ranked binding with CD4 and CD45 immune proteinsIn addition, cypermethrin outcame in top glide score against CD28 immune receptorTop dock hits (Type 2) pyrethroids have shown probable toxicity targets toward AOFA: Amine oxidase (flavin-containing) A and PGH1: Prostaglandin G/H synthase 1, respectively. Abbreviations used: PDB: Protein Data Bank; AOFA: Amine oxidase (flavin-containing) A; PGH 1: Prostaglandin G/H synthase 1.