In vitro enzymatic investigation of Ficus carica (Fruit).

The present study demonstrates the biological study of Ficus carica fruit. Methanolic extract of plant fruit was prepared and evaporated under reduced pressure by rota vapor and n- hexane, Chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol soluble fractions were prepared separately from crude methanolic extract. These fractions were then screened for acetyl cholinesterase, butryl cholinesterase and lipoxygenase activities. n-butanol soluble fraction showed significant antiacetylcholinesterase activity (78.55±0.76%) with IC50 of 55.8±0.37µg/ml, ethyl acetate soluble fraction showed significant anti-butrylcholinesterase activity (70.35±0.85%) with IC50 of 276.5±0.64µg/ml and significant antilipoxygenase activity was shown by ethyl acetate soluble fraction (62.52±0.26%) with IC50 of 380±0.08µg/ml.

Antimicrobial and toxicological studies of Ochthochloa compressa plant.

The present study demonstrates the biological activity of Ochthochloa compressa, since extensive literature survey has shown no documented biological activity of this plant. Ethanolic extract of whole plant was prepared and evaporated under reduced pressure by rota vapor. The crude extract was further fractionated into n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol soluble fractions. These fractions were screened for antifungal, phytotoxic, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Dichloromethane soluble fraction showed significant phytotoxicity whereas n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol soluble fractions showed non-significant phytotoxicity. Similarly, ethyl acetate soluble fraction was the only fraction, which showed significant cytotoxic activity. There was no antibacterial but moderate antifungal activity was shown by these fractions against selected strains of bacteria and fungi. This is the first report on the biological activity of O. compressa.

Fungal biotransformation of ezetimibe.

Structural transformation of ezetimibe was performed by fungi Beauvaria bassiana and Cunninghamella blakesleeana. The metabolites were identified by different spectroscopic techniques as (3R,4S)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-((E)-3-(4-fluorophenyl) allyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) azetidin-2-one (2), (3R, 4S)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-(3-(4fluorophenyl)-3-oxopropyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) azetidin-2-one (3), (3R,4S) 1-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-(3-(4-fluorophenyl) propyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) azetidin-2-one (4) and (2R,5S)-N, 5-bis (4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxybenzyl) pentanamide (5). This study displays two important features of these fungi, viz., their ability to metabolize halogenated compounds, and their capacity to metabolize drugs that are targets of the UDP-Glucuronyl Transferase System, a phenomenon not commonly observed.

Microbial biotransformation of beclomethasone dipropionate by Aspergillus niger

In the present research, the steroidal anti-asthmatic drug beclomethasone dipropionate was subjected to microbial biotransformation by Aspergillus niger. Beclomethasone dipropionate was transformed into various metabolites first time from microbial transformation. New drug metabolites produced can act as new potential drug molecules and can replace the old drugs in terms of safety, efficacy, and least resistance. They were purified by preparative thin layer chromatography technique, and their structures were elucidated using modern spectroscopic techniques, such as 13C NMR, 1H NMR, HMQC, HMQC, COSY, and NOESY, and mass spectrometry, such as EI-MS. Four metabolites were purified: (i) beclomethasone 17-monopropionate, (ii) beclomethasone 21-monopropionate, (iii) beclomethasone, and (iv) 9beta,11beta-epoxy-17,21-dihydroxy-16beta-methylpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione 21-propionate.

Na pesquisa presente o fármaco esteróide antiasmático dipropionato de beclometasona foi submetido à biotransformação microbiana pelo Aspergillus niger. O dipropionato de beclometasona foi transformado, pela primeira vez, em metabólitos variados por biotransformação microbiana. Novos metabólitos do fármaco produzidos podem agir como novas moléculas potenciais e podem substituir os fármacos antigos em questão de segurança, eficácia e mínima resistência. Eles foram purificados por cromatografia em camada delgada preparativa e as suas estruturas foram elucidadas usando técnicas espectroscópicas modernas, como 13C NMR, 1H NMR; HMQC; HMQC; COSY, NOESY e espectrometria de massas, por exemplo, EI-MS. Purificaram-se quatro metabólitos, denominados (i) 17-monopropionato de beclometasona; (ii) 21-monopropionato de beclometasona: (iii) beclometasona e (iv) 21-propionato de 9beta,11beta-epoxi-17,21-diidroxi-16beta-metilpregna-1,4-dieno-3,20-diona.