Medicinal plants are used from prehistoric time to cure various life-threatening bacterial diseases. Acorus calamus is an important medicinal plant widely used to cure gastrointestinal, respiratory, kidney and liver disorders. The objective of the current research was to investigate the interaction of major phytoconstituents of Acorus calamus with bacterial (6VJE) and fungal (1EA1) protein targets. Protein-ligand interactions were estimated using the AutoDock software, drug likeness was predicted by using the molinspiration server and toxicity was predicted with the swissADME and protox II servers. MD simulation of phytocompounds with the best profiles was done on the GROMACS software for 100 ns. Molecular docking results showed among all the selected major phytoconstituents, that ß-cadinene showed best binding interaction in complex with bacterial (6VJE) and fungal (1EA1) protein targets with binding energy -7.66 ± 0.1 and -7.73 ± 0.15 kcal mol-1, respectively. Drug likeness and toxicity predictions showed that ß-cadinene follows all rules of drug likeness and toxicity. MD simulation study revealed that ß-cadinene fit in binding pocket of bacterial and fungal targets and found to be stable throughout the duration of the simulation. Based on the observations from this in-silico study it is being proposed that ß-cadinene, a major phytocompound of Acorus calamus, can be considered for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections since the study shows that it might be one of the compounds that contributes majorly to the plant's biological activity. This study needs in vitro and in vivo validation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Acorus , Anti-Infective Agents , Molecular Docking Simulation , Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Computer Simulation , Software
Background: The identification of nearby neurovascular structures is a vital part of dental implant treatment planning. Commonly two implants are placed in the mandibular inter foraminal region to support the overdenture. Placing dental implants in this region is considered relatively safe. The purpose of this study was to employ cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) on a representative sample of Northeast Indians to find out the location and distribution of lingual foramen in the anterior mandible. Study Design: A total of 104 CBCT scans were performed using the Cranex 3D CBCT system. Three Oral and Maxillofacial Radiologists agreed on a visibility grade for assessing the lingual foramen using a 3-point scale. The number and presence of foramina were noted. On cross-sectional pictures, the distance in millimeters between the crest of the alveolar ridge and the superior cortical margin of the foramen was determined. Furthermore, the analysis of the distribution of lingual foramina in terms of frequency and percentages was performed. Results: Scan results showed that the lingual foramen was clearly visible in 65.4% of cases, somewhat visible in 12.5% of scans, and not visible at all in 22.1% of cases. Half of the people in the study had two foramina, whereas 27.9 percent had one and 22.1 percent had none. The mean distance from the crest of the alveolar ridge was 10.84 mm in males whereas 9.91 mm in females. Conclusion: The Northeast Indian population exhibits an unusually high prevalence of lingual foramen in the anterior portion of the mandible. This research will aid in the precise pre-operative identification of the position and number of lingual foramina prior to surgical treatments involving the midline of the mandible.
Aim The term "aphthous" is derived from the Greek word "aphtha," which means ulceration. The cause of aphthous ulcers is multifactorial, but emotional stress is one of the most important risk factors for its occurrence in young individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of recurrent oral ulcers (ROUs) with stress among dental students in the Northeast Indian Population. Materials and methods A total of 1,134 students were recruited for the study. Two sets of questionnaires were designed. The first set consisted of 11 questions related to demographic data and information about recurrent oral ulcers. The second set of questionnaire had 14 questions related to stress symptoms. Google Forms (Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) was used for recording the responses of the study participants. Questionnaires were sent to the participants through e-mail, and responses were recorded. Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA) and Microsoft Office Excel (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA). The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. Results Among the 1,134 participants, 32.7% (371 students) reported a previous history of recurrent oral ulcers. Out of 371 participants who had given a history of oral ulcers, only 27.2% exhibited direct stress to ulcer association. On further assessment using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), it was found that a far greater percentage of students (i.e., more than 27.2%) were under some form of stress or the other. Conclusions The results of this study will help improve the quality of life among the study population, either by tackling their stress levels or by identifying adequate interventions.
BACKGROUND: Weakened immune system from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) makes the individual prone to various opportunistic infections which are life-threatening including various carcinomas and disorders affecting the neurological system. AIMS: The present trial was done to assess the prevalence of oral presentations and treatment needs in AIDS/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected subjects visiting antiretroviral therapy centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 126 subjects. Oral cavity was assessed and dentition, periodontal condition, and lesions and conditions affecting the oral mucosa were identified along with their treatment needs. The collected data were subjected to statistical evaluation and the results were formulated. RESULTS: Candidiasis was seen in 25.39% (n = 32) of total subjects. Concerning the periodontal status of HIV-infected study population, it was seen that maximum attachment loss both in males and females was within the range of 0-3 mm. Regarding decayed, missing, and filled teeth scores, these were statistically significantly higher in males (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that the majority of subjects infected with HIV present one or more oral presentation and lesion, with candidiasis being the most common condition.
Several five membered ring systems, e.g., triazole, oxadiazole dithiazole and thiadiazole with three heteroatoms at symmetrical or asymmetrical positions have been studied because of their interesting pharmacological properties. In this article our emphasis is on synthetic development and pharmacological activity of the triazole moiety which exhibit a broad spectrum of pharmacological activity such as antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer etc. Triazoles have increased our ability to treat many fungal infections, for example, candidiasis, cryptococcal meningitis, aspergillosis etc. However, mortality due to these infections even with antifungal therapy is still unacceptably high. Therefore, the development of new antifungal agents targeting specific fungal structures or functions is being actively pursued. Rapid developments in molecular mycology have led to a concentrated search for more target antifungals. Although we are entering a new era of antifungal therapy in which we will continue to be challenged by systemic fungal diseases, the options for treatment will have greatly expanded.
