ABSTRACT
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first recognized in Wuhan in late 2019 and, since then, had spread globally, eventually culminating in the ongoing pandemic. As there is a lack of targeted therapeutics, there is certain opportunity for the scientific community to develop new drugs or vaccines against COVID-19 and so many synthetic bioactive compounds are undergoing clinical trials. In most of the countries, due to the broad therapeutic spectrum and minimal side effects, medicinal plants have been used widely throughout history as traditional healing remedy. Because of the unavailability of synthetic bioactive antiviral drugs, hence all possible efforts have been focused on the search for new drugs and alternative medicines from different herbal formulations. In recent times, it has been assured that the Mpro, also called 3CLpro, is the SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme responsible for viral reproduction and thereby impeding the host's immune response. As such, Mpro represents a highly specified target for drugs capable of inhibitory action against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As there continue to be no clear options for the treatment of COVID-19, the identification of potential candidates has become a necessity. The present investigation focuses on the in silico pharmacological activity of Calotropis gigantea, a large shrub, as a potential option for COVID-19 Mpro inhibition and includes an ADME/T profile analysis of that ligand. For this study, with the help of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of C. gigantea methanolic leaf extract, a total of 30 bioactive compounds were selected. Our analyses unveiled the top four options that might turn out to be prospective anti-SARS-CoV-2 lead molecules; these warrant further exploration as well as possible application in processes of drug development to combat COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To check TaqMan Realtime PCR in detecting genotypes of hepatitis C virus in Iran. METHODS: From July 2007 to April 2009, HCV genotyping was done on 52 patients who were referred to Research Centre for infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine, in Bou-Ali Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. All these patients had proven hepatitis C infection. RESULTS: Out of 52 anti HCV positive samples, 28 (53.84%) had genotype 1, 2 cases (3.88%) had genotype 2, 12 (23.08%) had genotype 3 and 7 (13.4%) had genotype 4. Mixed infection with genotypes 1 and 3 was seen in 3 cases (5.77%). CONCLUSION: TaqMan probes for detecting genotyping of HCV were successful in picking genotyping of HCV infection especially those with mixed genotypes.