Large-scale computational screening of Indian medicinal plants reveals Cassia angustifolia to be a potentially anti-diabetic.

Researchers are investigating the medicinal properties of herbal plants throughout the world, which often leads to the discovery of novel plants and their chemicals for prophylactic needs of humans. Natural phytochemicals continue to be sought as alternative treatments for various diseases because of their non-toxic and therapeutic properties. In recent years, computational phytochemistry has enabled large-scale screening of phytochemicals, enabling researchers to pursue a wide range of therapeutic research alternatives to traditional ethnopharmacology. We propose to identify an anti-diabetic plant by computational screening on Indian herbal plants in conjunction with experimental characterization and biological validation. The methodology involves the creation of an in-house Indian herbal plant database. Molecular docking is used to screen against alpha amylase for anti-diabetic prophylaxis. Cassia angustifolia was chosen because its phytochemicals are able to bind to alpha amylase. Plants were experimentally extracted, botanically studied and their biological activity was evaluated. Further, the use of molecular dynamics was then applied to pinpoint the phytochemicals responsible for the affinity of alpha amylase. Results in the phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed strong presence of alkaloids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides. Moreover, alpha amylase biological activity with C. angustifolia extracts of chloroform, hexane and ethyl acetate demonstrated activity of 3.26, 8.01 and 30.33 µg/ml validating computational predictions. In conclusion, this study developed, validated computational predictions of identifying potential anti-diabetic plants 'Cassia angustifolia' from house herbal databases. Hope this study shall inspire explore plant therapeutic repurposing using computational methods of drug discovery.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

In-house database phytochemicals preparation using Indian medicinal plants for repurposing plant therapeutics screening.Virtual screening of in-house database against alpha amylase for anti-diabetic therapeutics.The highest affinity plants Cassia angustifolia were identified, collected, processed four solvent extracts, along with qualitative and quantitative estimations.All plant extracts are subjected to botanical and biological experimental perspective.Advanced molecular dynamics simulations are used to understand the non-bonding interactions of phytochemicals with alpha amylase.

Hypnotic profile of imines from benzimidazole chalcones: mechanism of synthesis, DFT studies and in silico screening.

A series of 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-substituted phenylprop-2-en-1-ylidene] amino}-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2- thiols (6a-6f) were synthesized by the acid catalyzed nucleophilic addition reaction between 1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-3- phenylprop-2-en-1-ones (4a-4f) and 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol. All the synthesized compounds were characterised by IR, (1)HNMR, (13)CNMR, Mass and elemental analyses. A transition state calculation obtained from DFT study to explore the molecular mechanism of action of the synthetic route. The mechanism of synthesis revealed that the imidazole system can make an increase in the electrophilic character of carbonyl carbon in the benzimidazole chalcones. So the electron deficient carbonyl carbon could be efficiently attacked on the amino group of 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring to forms an imine linkage between the two heterocyclic systems. All the titled derivatives at a dose level of 10mg/kg body weight potentiate the hypnotic action of Phenobarbitone (at a dose of 10mg/kg body weight i.p.). The compounds such as 6b, 6a, and 6c showed a significant percentage increase in sleeping time relative to the control experiment 423.8, 387.6 and 329.5 respectively. The preclinical evaluation of the compounds was ascertained by blood-brain barrier, human oral absorption prediction and in silico toxicity assessment.