Uncovering the Potential ofO-Prenylated 3-aryl-benzopyran Derivatives as Osteogenic and Cancer Cell Growth Inhibitory Agents.

Naturally, O-prenylation of 3-aryl-benzopyrans enhances the biological activities of these compounds. In this study, substituted O-prenylated 3-aryl-benzopyrans (21a-c, 22a-c, 23a-c, 24a-c 25a-c, 27 and 28) were synthesized and evaluated for osteogenic and cancer cell growth inhibitory potentials using cell-based in-vitro models. Amongst the target compounds, 21a, 22b, 23c, and 24c showed good osteogenic activity at 1 pM concentration, whereas 26 and 27 showed osteogenic activity at 100pM and 10nM, respectively. Compounds 21a, 22b, and 23c showed good cancer cell growth inhibitory activity against breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MBA-231). Amongst active compounds, 27 presented the best anticancer activity against MDAMB-231 cells with selectivity towards non-cancerous cells [IC50 3.76 µM with SI 13.3]. The in-silico study of compounds showed their structural complementarities with the LBD of estrogen receptors and compliance with dragability parameters.

In-Vitro and In-Silico Studies of Brevifoliol Ester Analogues against Insulin Resistance Condition.

BACKGROUND: Brevifoliol is a diterpenoid that occurs naturally in the plants of Taxus genus and is widely used as chemotherapy agent for the management of cancer. A series of semisynthetic esters analogues of brevifoliol were prepared by Steglich esterification and attempted for their pharmacological potential against insulin resistance conditions using in-vitro and in-silico assays. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to understand the pharmacological potential of eighteen semisynthetic analogs through Steglich esterification of Brevifoliol against insulin resistance condition Methods: In the in-vitro study, insulin resistance condition was induced in skeletal muscle cells using TNF-α, pro-inflammatory cytokine and these cells were treated with brevifoliol analogues. The most potent analouge was further validated using in-silico docking study against the tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) (PDB ID: 2AZ5) and Human Insulin Receptor (PDB ID: 1IR3), using the Auto dock Vina v0.8 program. RESULTS: Although, all the analogues of Brevifoliol significantly exhibited the pharmacological potential. Among all, analogue 17 was most potent in reversing the TNF-α induced insulin resistance condition in skeletal muscle cells and also to inhibit the production of TNF-α in LPSinduced inflammation in macrophage cells in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, in-silico molecular docking studies revealed that analogue 17 possesses a more promising binding affinity than the selected control drug metformin toward the TNF-α and insulin receptor. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested the suitability of analogue 17 as a drug-like candidate for further investigation toward the management of insulin resistance conditions.

Computational investigation of stochastic Zika virus optimal control model using Legendre spectral method.

This study presents a computational investigation of a stochastic Zika virus along with optimal control model using the Legendre spectral collocation method (LSCM). By accumulation of stochasticity into the model through the proposed stochastic differential equations, we appropriating the random fluctuations essential in the progression and disease transmission. The stability, convergence and accuracy properties of the LSCM are conscientiously analyzed and also demonstrating its strength for solving the complex epidemiological models. Moreover, the study evaluates the various control strategies, such as treatment, prevention and treatment pesticide control, and identifies optimal combinations that the intervention costs and also minimize the proposed infection rates. The basic properties of the given model, such as the reproduction number, were determined with and without the presence of the control strategies. For R 0 < 0 , the model satisfies the disease-free equilibrium, in this case the disease die out after some time, while for R 0 > 1 , then endemic equilibrium is satisfied, in this case the disease spread in the population at higher scale. The fundamental findings acknowledge the significant impact of stochastic phonemes on the robustness and effectiveness of control strategies that accelerating the need for cost-effective and multi-faceted approaches. In last the results provide the valuable insights for public health department to enabling more impressive mitigation of Zika virus outbreaks and management in real-world scenarios.

Baicalein isolated from Oroxylum indicum acts as a potent µ- and κ-opioid receptor antagonist agent via the reversal of agonist-mediated cAMP inhibition.

The opioid receptors play a pivotal role in the treatment of several neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurtz is a very important medicinal plant with several therapeutic applications. It is a main constituent of the Ayurvedic formulation 'Dashmool' used for multifaceted disorders by the Indians. However, the constituents of this plant in neurological conditions have not been well studied. Here, we performed activity-guided isolation of compounds for opioid receptor modulator activity. In the study, we found that the isolated compound baicalein (3) has shown the most potent and competitive antagonistic activity at 20 mg/kg dose in vivo experiments. The acute dose of 3 (20 mg/kg) and pan opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (20 mg/kg) block the morphine-induced antinociception and the paw withdrawal latency decreases up to 8.3 s and 9.6 s, respectively. The in silico studies also support our in vitro data that compound 3 binds with MOR and KOR.

Synthesis, molecular modelling studies of artemisinin-chalcone derivatives and their antimalarial activity evaluation.

Twenty-two monomers and dimers of artemisinin having chalcone as a linker were synthesised, and their antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum was determined, and a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) was developed. Artemisinin is a frontline antimalarial drug known worldwide but is threatened because of the rapidly emerging artemisinin-resistant strain Plasmodium falciparum. In vitro, antimalarial IC50 (half-maximal inhibitory concentration) activity of a molecule against malaria parasites provides a good first screen for identifying the antimalarial potential of a particular molecule. The most active compound was artemisinin dimer dimethoxy chalcone as a linker (22) with IC50 of 4.34 nM. The molecular mechanism was explored through in silico docking & ADMET studies for the active compounds.

Synthesis of 2,2-dimethyl-chroman-based stereochemically flexible and constrained anti-breast cancer agents.

Receptors are proteinous macromolecules which remain in the apo form under normal/unliganded conditions. As the ligand approaches, there are specific stereo-chemical changes in the apo form of the receptor as per the stereochemistry of a ligand. Accordingly, a series of substituted dimethyl-chroman-based stereochemically flexible and constrained Tamoxifen analogs were synthesized as anti-breast cancer agents. The synthesized compounds 19a-e, 20a-e, 21, and 22a-e, showed significant antiproliferative activity against estrogen receptor-positive (ER+, MCF-7) and negative (ER-, MDA MB-231) cells within IC50 value 8.5-25.0 µM. Amongst all, four potential molecules viz 19b, 19e, 22a, and 22c, were evaluated for their effect on the cell division cycle and apoptosis of ER+ and ER- cancer cells (MCF-7 & MDA MB-231cells), which showed that these compounds possessed antiproliferative activity through triggering apoptosis. In-silico docking experiments elucidated the possible affinity of compounds with estrogen receptors-α and -ß.

Bridging fungal resistance and plant growth through constitutive overexpression of Thchit42 gene in Pelargonium graveolens.

KEY MESSAGE: Thchit42 constitutive expression for fungal resistance showed synchronisation with leaf augmentation and transcriptome analysis revealed the Longifolia and Zinc finger RICESLEEPER gene is responsible for plant growth and development. Pelargonium graveolens essential oil possesses significant attributes, known for perfumery and aromatherapy. However, optimal yield and propagation are predominantly hindered by biotic stress. All biotechnological approaches have yet to prove effective in addressing fungal resistance. The current study developed transgenic geranium bridging molecular mechanism of fungal resistance and plant growth by introducing cassette 35S::Thchit42. Furthermore, 120 independently putative transformed explants were regenerated on kanamycin fortified medium. Primarily transgenic lines were demonstrated peak pathogenicity and antifungal activity against formidable Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Fusarium oxysporum. Additionally, phenotypic analysis revealed ~ 2fold increase in leaf size and ~ 2.1fold enhanced oil content. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms for genotypic cause, de novo transcriptional profiles were analyzed to indicate that the auxin-regulated longifolia gene is accountable for augmentation in leaf size, and zinc finger (ZF) RICESLEEPER attributes growth upregulation. Collectively, data provides valuable insights into unravelling the mechanism of Thchit42-mediated crosstalk between morphological and chemical alteration in transgenic plants. This knowledge might create novel opportunities to cultivate fungal-resistant geranium throughout all seasons to fulfil demand.

Structure-Activity Relationship Studies on VEGFR2 Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Identification of Potential Natural Anticancer Compounds.

BACKGROUND: Over-expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptors (VEGFRs) leads to the hyperactivation of oncogenes. For inhibition of this hyperactivation, the USA Food Drug Administration (FDA) has approved many drugs that show adverse effects, such as hypertension, hypothyroidism, etc. There is a need to discover potent natural compounds that show minimal side effects. In the present study, we have taken structurally diverse known VEGFR2 inhibitors to develop a Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) model and used this model to predict the inhibitory activity of natural compounds for VEGFR2. METHODS: The QSAR model was developed through the forward stepwise Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) method. A developed QSAR model was used to predict the inhibitory activity of natural compounds. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET) assessment and molecular docking studies were performed. The binding stability of the natural compounds with VEGFR2 was elucidated through Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation. RESULTS: The developed QSAR model against VEGFR2 showed the regression coefficient of the training dataset (r2) as 0.81 and the external regression coefficient of the test dataset (r2 test) 0.71. Descriptors, viz., electro-topological state of potential hydrogen bonds (maxHBint2, nHBint6), atom types (minssNH), maximum topological distance matrix (SpMAD_Dt), and 2D autocorrelation (ATSC7v), have been identified. Using this model, 14 natural compounds have been selected that have shown inhibitory activity for VEGFR2, of which six natural compounds have been found to possess a strong binding affinity with VEGFR2. In MD simulation, four complexes have shown binding stability up to 50ns. CONCLUSION: The developed QSAR model has identified 5 conserved activity-inducing physiochemical properties, which have been found to be correlated with the anticancer activity of the nonidentical ligand molecules bound with the VEGFR2 kinase. Lavendustin_A, 3'-O-acetylhamaudol, and arctigenin have been obtained as possible lead natural compounds against the VEGFR2 kinase.

Mutational analysis of consanguineous families and their targeted therapy against dwarfism.

Dwarfism is a medical term used to describe individuals with a height-vertex measurement that falls below two standard deviations (-2SD) or the third percentile for their gender and age. Normal development of growth is a complicated dynamic procedure that depends upon the coordination of different aspects involving diet, genetics, and biological aspects like hormones in equilibrium. Any severe or acute pathologic procedure may disturb the individual's normal rate of growth. In this research, we examined four (A-D) Pakistani consanguineous families that exhibited syndromic dwarfism, which was inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. The genomic DNA of each family member was extracted by using phenol-chloroform and Kit methods. Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) of affected family members (IV-11, III-5, IV-4 and III-13) from each group was performed at the Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Belgium. After filtering the exome data, the mutations in PPM1F, FGFR3, ERCC2, and PCNT genes were determined by Sanger sequencing of each gene by using specific primers. Afterward, FGFR3 was found to be a suitable drug target among all the mutations to treat achondroplasia also known as disproportionate dwarfism. BioSolveIT softwares were used to discover the lead active inhibitory molecule against FGFR3. This research will not only provide short knowledge to the concerned pediatricians, researchers, and family physicians for the preliminary assessment and management of the disorder but also provide a lead inhibitor for the treatment of disproportionate dwarfism.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Synthesis and Structural Activity Relationship Study of Ursolic Acid Derivatives as Antitubercular Agent.

OBJECTIVE: The chemical transformation of ursolic acid (UA) into novel C-3 aryl ester derivatives and in vitro and silico assessment of their antitubercular potential. BACKGROUND: UA is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid with many pharmacological properties. Semisynthetic UA analogs have demonstrated enhanced anticancer, antimalarial, and antifilarial properties in our previous studies. METHOD: The C-30 carboxylic group of previously isolated UA was protected, and various C-3 aryl ester derivatives were semi-synthesized. The agar dilution method was used to evaluate the in vitro antitubercular efficacy of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) H37Ra. In silico docking studies of the active derivative were carried out against Mtb targets, catalase peroxidase (PDB: 1SJ2), dihydrofolate reductase (PDB: 4M2X), enoyl-ACP reductase (PDB: 4TRO), and cytochrome bc1 oxidase (PDB: 7E1V). RESULTS: The derivative 3-O-(2-amino,3-methyl benzoic acid)-ethyl ursolate (UA-1H) was the most active among the eight derivatives (MIC1 2.5 µg/mL) against Mtb H37Ra. Also, UA-1H demonstrated significant binding affinity in the range of 10.8-11.4 kcal/mol against the antiTb target proteins, which was far better than the positive control Isoniazid, Ethambutol, and co-crystallized ligand (HEM). Moreover, the predicted hit UA-1H showed no inhibition of Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6), suggesting its potential for favorable metabolism in Phase I clinical studies. CONCLUSION: The ursolic acid derivative UA-1H possesses significant in vitro antitubercular potential with favorable in silico pharmacokinetics. Hence, further in vivo assessments are suggested for UA-1H for its possible development into a secure and efficient antitubercular drug.

Mutational analysis of CRYAA gene of cataract and investigating risk assessment factors responsible for eye diseases in district buner, KPK, Pakistan.

This research has been designed to analyze the risk factors of major eye diseases and the genetic alterations contributing to the manifestation of such disease. For this purpose, data was collected from 256 patients diagnosed by an ophthalmologist by using a specialized questionnaire. Blood samples were collected from 100 patients to perform a genetic investigation of cataracts. Whole genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples via the phenol-chloroform method. The purified DNA was used as the template for the amplification of about 400 bp fragments amplifying exons 1 and 2 of the CRYAA gene. The statistical analysis showed that 68% of individuals were blind due to cataracts. During molecular analysis, nucleotide sequences obtained have resulted in one silent mutation that occured at 20 positions in exon 2. It was replacing A>G which in turn substitutes the Lysine at position 70 for Arginine. It was interpreted by statistical analysis that this mutation did not result in a significant change in the CRYAA gene. In addition, protein analysis showed no significant changes in the structure of normal and mutated genes. At last, it is concluded that environmental risk factors play a major role in the studied diseases as compared to genetic factors. It is recommended to extend the study to a larger population to study all exons of the CRYAA gene as well as develop better estimates of the magnitude of the problems of visual loss and eye diseases in the Pakistani population.

Identification of a Novel Nonsense Variant in the DLL3 Gene Underlying Spondylocostal Dysostosis in a Consanguineous Pakistani Family.

Introduction: Spondylocostal dysostosis (SCD) is characterized by multiple vertebral abnormalities associated with abnormalities of the ribs. Five genes causative for the disease have been identified. These include DLL3 (OMIM *602768), MESP2 (OMIM #608681), LFNG (OMIM #609813), TBX6 (OMIM *602427), and HES7 (OMIM *608059). Methods: In the current study, we investigated a Pakistani consanguineous family segregating spondylocostal dysotosis. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) followed by Sanger sequencing was performed using DNA of affected and unaffected individuals to identify pathogenic variant(s). The identified variant was interpreted using ACMG classification. Literature review was performed to summarize currently known mutated alleles of DLL3 and the underlying clinical phenotypes. Results: Clinical examination using anthropometric measurements and radiographs diagnosed the patients to be afflicted with SCD. Pedigree analysis of the affected family showed an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern of the disease. WES followed by Sanger sequencing identified a novel homozygous nonsense variant (DLL3(NM_016941.4): c.535G>T; p.Glu179Ter) in the DLL3 gene located on chromosome 19q13.2. Conclusion: The study will be helpful in carrier testing and genetic counseling to prevent segregation of the disease to the next generations within this family. It also provides knowledge for clinicians and researchers in search of a better understanding of SCD anomalies.

Synthesis of 6-alkoxy and 6-hydroxy-alkyl amine derivatives of braylin as vasorelaxing agents.

Braylin (10b) is a 8,8-dimethyl chromenocoumarin present in the plants of the family Rutaceae and Meliaceae and possesses vasorelaxing and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, six 6-alkoxy (10b, 15-19), and twelve 6-hydroxy-alkyl amine (20a-20l) derivatives of braylin (11 and 12) were synthesized to delineate its structural requirement for vasorelaxing activity. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for vasorelaxation response in preconstricted intact rat Main Mesenteric Artery (MMA). The compounds showed l-type VDCC channel blockade depended and endothelium-independent vasorelaxation within the range of Emax < 50.00-96.70 % at 30 µM. Amongst all, 6-alkoxy derivatives were more active than 6-hydroxy-alkyl amine derivatives. The structural refinements about braylin showed that deletion of its methoxy group or homologation beyond ethoxy group presented deleterious effect on vasorelaxation response of braylin. Interestingly, substituting the ethoxy group in 10b presented the best activity and selectivity towards l-type VDCC channel blockade, a specific target cardiovascular function.

Synthesis of amide derivatives of 3-aryl-3H-benzopyrans as osteogenic agent concomitant with anticancer activity.

The present study reports a series of 3-aryl-3H-benzopyran-based amide derivatives as osteogenic agents concomitant with anticancer activity. Six target compounds viz 22e, 22f, 23i, and 24b-d showed good osteogenic activity at 1 pM and 100 pM concentrations. One of the potential molecules, 24b, effectively induced ALP activity and mRNA expression of osteogenic marker genes at 1 pM and bone mineralization at 100 pM concentrations. These molecules also presented significant growth inhibition of osteosarcoma (MG63) and estrogen-dependent and -independent (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells. The most active compound, 24b, inhibited the growth of all the cancer cells within the IC50 10.45-12.66 µM. The mechanistic studies about 24b showed that 24b induced apoptosis via activation of the Caspase-3 enzyme and inhibited cancer cell migration. In silico molecular docking performed for 24b revealed its interaction with estrogen receptor-ß (ER-ß) preferentially.

In Silico Identification of Novel Derivatives of Rifampicin Targeting Ribonuclease VapC2 of M. tuberculosis H37Rv: Rifampicin Derivatives Target VapC2 of Mtb H37Rv.

The emergence of multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains has rendered many of the currently available anti-TB drugs ineffective. Hence, there is a pressing need to discover new potential drug targets/candidates. In this study, attempts have been made to identify novel inhibitors of the ribonuclease VapC2 of Mtb H37Rv using various computational techniques. Ribonuclease VapC2 Mtb H37Rv's protein structure was retrieved from the PDB databank, 22 currently used anti-TB drugs were retrieved from the PubChem database, and protein-ligand interactions were analyzed by docking studies. Out of the 22 drugs, rifampicin (RIF), being a first-line drug, showed the best binding energy (-8.8 Kcal/mol) with Mtb H37Rv VapC2; hence, it was selected as a parent molecule for the design of its derivatives. Based on shape score and radial plot criteria, out of 500 derivatives designed through SPARK (Cresset®, Royston, UK) program, the 10 best RIF derivatives were selected for further studies. All the selected derivatives followed the ADME criteria concerning drug-likeness. The docking of ribonuclease VapC2 with RIF derivatives revealed the best binding energy of -8.1 Kcal/mol with derivative 1 (i.e., RIF-155841). A quantitative structure-activity relationship study revealed that derivative 1's activity assists in the inhibition of ribonuclease VapC2. The stability of the VapC2-RIF155841 complex was evaluated using molecular dynamics simulations for 50 ns and the complex was found to be stable after 10 nsec. Further, a chemical synthesis scheme was designed for the newly identified RIF derivative (RIF-155841), which verified that its chemical synthesis is possible for future in vitro/in vivo experimental validation. Overall, this study evaluated the potential of the newly designed RIF derivatives with respect to the Mtb VapC2 protein, which is predicted to be involved in some indispensable processes of the related pathogen. Future experimental studies regarding RIF-155841, including the exploration of the remaining RIF derivatives, are warranted to verify our current findings.

Quebrachitol from Putranjiva roxburghii Wall. (Putranjivaceae) a potent antimalarial: Pre-clinical efficacy and its interaction with PfLDH.

Researchers are exploring natural resources in search of a new and effective anti-malarial compound to address the challenges in malarial treatment due to emerging incidences of drug-resistant strains. Following background knowledge of traditional medicine, we evaluated the in-vitro and in-vivo anti-malarial efficacy of Putranjiva P. roxburghii (Putranjivaceae) twigs ethanol extracts and fraction (PRT). In-vitro parasite-specific lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) assay was performed using a chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strain. The results of the in-vitro study were further validated by in-vivo anti-malarial studies on P. berghei Keyberg 173 (K173) infected mice. The crude ethanol extract of the PRT showed the most moderate antiparasitic activity (IC50 = 15.51 µg/mL). In contrast, its butanol fraction extract showed potent activity (IC50 = 5.14 µg/mL) with a selectivity index (SI) of 28.87. Two phytochemicals, viz. 2, 4 dihydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl) benzoic acid (DHMBA), and quebrachitol (QBC), were identified with anti-parasitic activity (IC50 = 5.01 µg/mL and 0.87 µg/mL) and selectivity index (SI) of 45 and 158. The in-vivo studies confirmed the significant anti-malarial activity of QBC at the dose of 30 and 60 mg/kg body weight with chemo-suppression values of 73.26% and 61.88%, respectively. The present study demonstrates the bioactive marker-based standardization of P. roxburghii twig, the antiplasmodial potential of PRT, and the role of QBC in suppressing parasitemia. The findings of the study support QBC as a prospective lead for a natural product-based adjunct remedy to conventional antiparasitic agents for malarial infectious.

Circulating microbiota and metabolites: Insights into cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: In almost every country, cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death, which are responsible for 17.7 million deaths worldwide, or 54% of all deaths. However, the latest evidence has shown that non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular events are significantly influenced by the blood microbiota and circulating metabolites. METHODS: We searched online databases for the most recent related papers through the comprehensive international databases of the Institute of PubMed/ MEDLINE, ISI/WOS, and Scopus up to August 2022, using MESH terms and the related keywords in the English language. Considering the titles and abstracts, unrelated studies were excluded. The full texts of the remained studies were evaluated by authors, independently. Then, the studies' findings were assessed and reported. RESULTS: The study demonstrated that the bacterial profiles of patients with cardiovascular diseases and healthy individuals are significantly different. The diseased patients showed a significantly high abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, an important Proteobacterial component known as lipopolysaccharides that has been linked to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, while phylum Firmicutes were found in healthy individuals. It suggests that Proteobacteria has a direct role in the onset of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION: We focused on the blood bacterial composition and circulating microbial metabolites in their relationship with the etiology and onset of cardiovascular disease. However, the various genera and species in the results reported were not always identical. Therefore, the microbial community structure of blood was more complicated and thus required a more in-depth exploration.

The menace of self citation: An audit of two years from journals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Objective: To assess the author and journal self-citation amongst journals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted from January 2021 to July 2021. In total, manuscript published in 10 journals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, either recognized by the Higher Education Commission or Pakistan Medical Commission, in the years 2018 and 2019 were included in the present research. All types of manuscripts were analyzed using a pre-designed data extraction table. Results were extracted, analyzed and appropriate statistics were applied. Results: About 1235 manuscripts published in 68 issues over a period of two years' time were analyzed. The majority of manuscripts were 1039 (84.1%) original articles followed by case reports 90 (7.3%). Author self-citation came out to be 11.26% and journal self-citation was 6.5%. The same institute's author affiliation came out to be 40.6%. Conclusion: The trend of author self-citation was found to be high while that of journal self-citation was low when compared with already prevalent literature.

Investigation of the potential of Glycyrrhiza glabra as a bioavailability enhancer of Vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is prevalent among individuals globally. Inadequate consumption of B12 rich diet and low bioavailability (due to diet based/physiological factors) are linked to the deficiency of Vitamin B12 inside the body. Bioavailability enhancers augment the bioavailability of an ingested substance (drug/nutrient) thus increasing their concentration inside the body and maximizing their therapeutic benefits. In traditional medicine, Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) finds utility in the treatment of various health conditions. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the potential of ethanolic extract obtained from G. glabra roots to enhance the bioavailability of Vitamin B12. The effect of ethanolic extract of G. glabra (GgEtOH) on intestinal absorption enhancement of B12 was assessed in vitro on Caco-2 and ex-vivo everted gut sac models. The influence of extract on the pharmacokinetics of Vitamin B12 was determined in vivo in Swiss albino mice. GgEtOH significantly enhanced the permeation (Papp) of B12 by 2-5 fold in vitro (25, 50, and 100 µg/ml concentrations) and ex-vivo (250 and 500 µg/ml concentrations). The pharmacokinetic parameters of B12 such as Cmax, AUC, Tmax, etc. were also significantly elevated in vivo upon oral administration of B12 (1 mg/kg dose) in combination with GgEtOH (100 and 1,000 mg/kg dose). These preliminary findings indicate that the ethanolic extract of G. glabra is capable of enhancing the bioavailability of Vitamin B12. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate herbal extract-mediated enhancement of Vitamin B12 bioavailability through in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays.

Frequency of resistance to first-line antiretroviral therapy observed among HIV patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the frequency of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) resistance among HIV patients and to identify the factors affecting the drug resistance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over a sample of 162 HIV-positive patients attending the Medicine Department of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar-Pakistan, from July 2020 to January 2021. Blood samples were collected for phylogenic profiles to determine first-line antiretroviral therapy resistance. Results: The frequency of ART resistance was detected in 64.8% of the enrolled HIV patients. Factors such as patient age, gender, comorbidities, and smoking status had no significant impact on drug resistance. While only body mass index (BMI) significantly affected ART resistance among HIV patients. The drug resistance mutations M184V and K103N were detected in the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), respectively, whereas the mutations G73SC and I47VA were detected in the protease inhibitors (PIs). Conclusion: There is a high frequency of resistance to first-line antiretroviral therapy among HIV patients presenting to the selected healthcare facility in Peshawar. Furthermore, we found no significant factors impacting ART resistance among HIV patients other than BMI.