Search

This study was conducted to evaluate the six heavy metals zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) in seven water samples collected from seven tribal districts (Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, South Waziristan and North Waziristan) from Ex-FATA Pakistan. All samples were digested using the wet digestion method and the digested samples were analyzed for heavy metals using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results from water samples from seven districts were compared to the recommended standard value from the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency. The results obtained from the analysis for nickel (Ni) showed that the highest concentration (0.093 mg/l) was reported in the water of Khyber district, while the lowest concentration (0.011 mg/l) was found in the water of South Orakzai district. Iron (Fe) had the highest concentration (0.32 mg/l) in the water of Orakzai district. The highest concentration (0.19 mg/L) of chromium (Cr) was reported in the water of Orakzai district. In addition, the result showed that the highest concentration (0.87 mg/l) of zinc (Zn) was in Orakzai district, the highest concentration (1.92 mg/l) of copper (Cu) in Khyber and Mohmand districts ( 1.92 mg/l), while the highest concentration (0.0029 mg/l) of cadmium (Cd) was measured in the water of Orakzai district. Therefore, based on comparison to WHO and EPA standard values, this study shows that the water of all tribal districts is safe for drinking water purposes

The purpose of the research is basically to find the effect of several patterns of climate, for example, a region’s weather, rainfall altitude, etc. on the production, quality, and quantity of olive oil. Olive fruits were gathered from a couple of varieties of olive plants i.e., Arbequina and Coratina in fully young phase from the orchards of different locations of Pakistan namely, Chakwal, Nowhera, and Quetta where the climate patterns are entirely different in regard to weather, rainfall, and altitude. The extracted oil which was taken after the mechanical pressure was analyzed in various quality parameters i.e., Peroxide value, Chlorophyll content, Vitamin E, etc. The average value which was observed was not affected (P≥0.05), but every figure was lying in the given accepted scale of the International Olive Council. Major change (P≤0.05) was observed in oil content for K232, K270, Chlorophyll contents, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, total antioxidant potential and total polyphenols in both the cultivars and the different regions which are mentioned above. It was observed that the olive of the Nowshera location acquires maximum average value of linoleic acid (10.99%), Linolenic acid (1.01%) and palmitoleic acid (2.74%). The second highest average value of olive oil was found was that of Chakwal, whereas Quetta has lowest average value of olive oil. The maximum average content of K232 (3.13), K270 (0.48) and total antioxidant (48.48%) were recorded in district Chakwal. The second maximum mean values were found at Nowshera whereas, the lowest mean values of K232 (3.13), K270 (0.48) and total antioxidant (48.48%) were found at Quetta. The maximum content of oleic acid (72.59%), palmitic acid (19.00%) and total polyphenols (28.97) were found in the olive oil of Quetta succeeded by Chakwal whereas, the content of oleic acid (72.59%), palmitic acid (19.00%) and total polyphenols (28.97) were found lowest in the oil of Nowshera. In a nutshell, it is clear from the above-mentioned experiment which was performed at different locations; that changing climatic patterns has a significant effect on the quantity of the oil. It has also a significant impact quantitative production of olive oil.

Inflammation is a complex response of the human organism and relates to the onset of various disorders including diabetes. The current research work aimed at investigating the anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects of ferruginan, a compound isolated from Olea ferruginea. Its in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was determined by using the heat-induced hemolysis assay, while the anti-diabetic effect of the compound was studied by the yeast cell glucose uptake assay. Ferruginan exhibited a maximum of 71.82% inhibition of inflammation and also increased the uptake of glucose by yeast cells by up to 74.96% at the highest tested concentration (100 µM). Moreover, ferruginan inhibited α-amylase dose-dependently, by up to 75.45% at the same concentration. These results indicated that ferruginan possesses promising anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties in vitro, even if at high concentrations. To provide preliminary hypotheses on the potentially multi-target mechanisms underlying such effects, docking analyses were performed on α-amylase and on various molecular targets involved in inflammation such as 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK, PDB ID 3AQV), cyclooxygenase (COX-1, PDB ID 1EQG, and COX-2, 1CX2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, PDB ID 2AZ5). The docking studies suggested that the compound may act on α-amylase, COX-2, and AMPK.

Various fatal diseases such as cancer, candidiasis, hepatic coma, gastritis, etc. have critically affected human health all over the world. Exploring nature for the treatment of such devastating diseases remains an area of immense interest to the scientific community. In this context, the genus Aspergillus was selected to explore its hidden therapeutic potential as a continuation of our research. As reported, the genus Aspergillus produces several new biologically-active compounds. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess the biological and pharmacological potency of the less-studied Aspergillus ficuum (FCBP-DNA-1266) (A. ficuum). An in vitro assay was used to investigate the antifungal, anticancer, and urease inhibitory potential of n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts of A. ficuum. Similarly, antispasmodic activity was assessed in an in vivo model. In silico model was applied to support the results obtained from the antifungal, anticancer, and urease inhibition. The antifungal studies indicated that both n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts were significantly effective against Candida albicans with their zone of inhibitions (ZOI) of 19 ±1.06 mm and 25 ±0.55 mm, respectively at a dose of 30 µgmL-1. The in vivo pharmacological study of A. ficuum demonstrated significant antispasmodic activity at 150 mgkg-1. In vitro cytotoxicity versus different cancer cell lines for example HeLa, fibroblast 3T3, prostrate PC3, and breast MCF-7 was performed. The ethyl acetate extract of A. ficuum was found to be significantly active versus MCF-7 with its IC50 value of 40.29 µgmL-1. No substantial effect on the percent cell death of HeLa cancer cell lines was observed. In addition, the A. ficuum extracts also inhibited the urease enzyme compared to standard thiourea. Molecular docking results also supported the antifungal, anticancer, and antiurease potency of A. ficuum. The results display the promising aspects of A. ficuum as a future pharmacological source.

Background:. The MNS16A variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene acts as a regulator of hTERT promoter activity and has been shown to have a role in the predisposition toward various cancers. The current study aimed to investigate the association between MNS16A VNTR alleles and genetic predisposition to bladder cancer in the Kashmir region of northern India. Materials and methods:. A total of 130 patients with bladder cancer and 170 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Primer-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to genotype the different variants of VNTR alleles of the MNS16A VNTR polymorphism. Results:. Short allele VNTR-243 (SS) genotype frequency significantly differed between cases (9.23%) and controls (3.52%) (OR = 3.08 [95% CI = 1.10–8.61], p = 0.042). The VNTR-243 short allele (S) was found significantly more frequent in bladder cancer cases (28.46%) than controls (20.88%) (OR = 1.50 [95% CI = 1.03–2.19], p = 0.034). Likewise, the long allele (LL) hTERT MNS16A genotype was distributed more frequently in low stage disease versus high stage disease (60.29% vs. 39.70%) (OR = 0.79 [95% CI = 0.39–1.60], p = 0.595). Conclusion:. The MNS16A VNTR short allele (S) was associated with a higher risk for bladder cancer in our population as compared to long alleles.

Aim There is an urgent need to set up a useful biomarker for ovarian cancer. Galectin-1 is a promising carbohydrate-binding protein which plays a remarkable role in various malignancies yet its clinical significance is questionable. In this study, we have tested the clinical implications of serum Galectin-1 levels in patients with ovarian tumours. Main methods Serum Galectin-1 levels were quantified in 84 newly diagnosed ovarian tumour patients and 20 healthy controls by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay during the course of the disease. Therefore the samples were taken at diagnosis, after surgery and after chemotherapy. Key findings The Galectin-1 levels were found to be associated with various variables of Ovarian Cancer patients. The levels were found to be prominently high in postmenopausal patients. Galectin-1 levels were raised in epithelial ovarian tumours with significantly high levels in serous subtype. A decrease in Galectin-1 levels post-surgical intervention and after receiving chemotherapy was found. Galectin-1 levels evidently distinguished between normal, benign, malignant and metastatic cases as compared to CA125 levels. Galectin-1 demonstrated to be a better biomarker than CA125 according to the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Significance The study emphasizes that serum Galectin-1 may serve as a better surrogate biomarker in Ovarian Cancer for early detection, discriminating between malignant and benign abdominal masses and monitoring the progression of the disease and response to treatment.

Evidence suggests that ETV6/RUNX1 translocation in pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia shows geographical variation. Therefore, the present study aimed at unveiling the incidence of ETV6/RUNX1 fusion in pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia cases of this region using fluorescent in-situ hybridization. Besides, we aimed to determine the incidence of MLL gene rearrangement and the pattern of chromosomal abnormalities in this study group.Samples from 57 acute lymphocytic leukemia cases of pediatric age group were subjected to fluorescent in-situ hybridization and conventional cytogenetic analysis using standard methods.Conventional cytogenetic analysis revealed chromosomal abnormalities in 19.3% cases. The other major chromosomal abnormalities reported were monosomies in 10.5%, hypodiploidy in 7%, marker chromosomes in 3.5% and deletions in 3.5% cases. We found a 44,XX,-7,-18, r(5), i(17q) complex karyotype in one of the cases. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization analysis revealed ETV6/RUNX1 translocation to be present in 28.07% cases and MLL gene rearrangement in 3.5% cases. 12.5% of ETV6/RUNX1 fusion positive cases were found to have a loss of ETV6 allele. Besides, 8.8% cases were found to exhibit a signal pattern suggestive of RUNX1 amplification. ETV6 gene deletion and MLL gene amplification was detected in 3.5% cases each, of our study.Frequency of ETV6/RUNX1 fusion oncogene was found to be higher in pediatric ALL cases of Kashmir region as compared to that reported from other parts of India. Besides, a case was found to have a karyotype viz 44,XX,-7,-18, r(5), i(17q) that has not been reported elsewhere in the childhood ALL.

The efficiency of Cd-tolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO

Background Recently, numerous novel bioactive fungal metabolites have been identified that possess broad therapeutic activities including anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidant, and antitumor. The fungal mycochemicals as well as extracts have increased the interest of the scientific community in drug discovery research through a combination approach such as, molecular metabolic, pharmacological and computational techniques. Therefore, the natural fungus Aspergillus ficuum (A. ficuum) (FCBP-DNA-1266) was selected for metabolic and pharmacological profiling in this study. Results The metabolic profile of A. ficuum was explored for the first time and revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as choline sulfate, noruron, hydroxyvittatine, aurasperone D, cetrimonium, kurilensoside, heneicosane, nonadecane and eicosane. Similarly, a pharmacological screen of A. ficuum was performed for the first time in in vivo and in vitro models. Interestingly, both the ethyl acetate and n-hexane fractions of A. ficuum were found to be more active against Bacillus subtilis among five tested bacteria with their zone of inhibition (ZOI) values of 21.00 mm ±1.00 and 23.00 mm ±1.00, at a concentration of 150 μgmL-1 respectively. Similarly, a significant decrease (PPA. ficuum-treated animals at doses of 50 and 150 mgkg-1, respectively, reflecting its potent anti-inflammatory effect. Furthermore, the docking results supported the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of A. ficuum. In addition, the crude extract demonstrated no acute toxicity and the highest percent radical scavenging was recorded for both n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts. Conclusion The metabolic profile of A. ficuum indicated the presence of biological relevant compounds. A. ficuum extract exhibited potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects supported by docking results. Furthermore, A. ficuum extract demonstrated the highest percentage of radical scavenging activity along with no acute toxicity.

Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous disease and ranks as 10th most common cancer worldwide. Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common histologic type of BC and majority constitute of papillary tumors that are well-differentiated (low-grade). Several genetic changes may occur in bladder cancer, but hTERT promoter mutations and its expression has been detected in most cases of transitional cell carcinoma. Numerous researches have led to the findings which suggest that the hTERT promoter mutations in conjunction with the common polymorphism and hTERT expression have potential of being used as clinical biomarkers in bladder cancer. Further studies need to explore the potential use of hTERT gene in bladder cancer detection, diagnosis and prognosis. This review focuses on the role of hTERT in bladder tumors in the backdrop of various studies published.

The metabolic profile ofGC-MS study showed the presence of alkanes, fatty acids, esters, azo and alcoholic compounds. Maculosin, obtain, phalluside, quinoline, 4,4'-diaminostilbene, funaltrexamine, amobarbital, and fraxetin were among the secondary metabolites identified using the LC-MS-QTOF technique. The n-hexane fraction ofMetabolic profile of

Background Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is a promising treatment for allergic disease that induces immunological tolerance through the administration of specific allergens. The study of AIT is in its early stage and its clinical effects are not well elucidated. The present study was aimed at determining the effect of AIT on pulmonary function and serum variables of mild allergic asthma patients. Methods A total of 80 patients with mild allergic asthma were recruited for the study. Allergen Specific Immunotherapy was administered in the form of Sublingual Immunotherapy and consisted of a build up phase followed by a maintenance phase (six months each respectively). Total serum IgE and vitamin D levels were quantified by ELISA. The percent eosinophill count was determined by cell analyzers. Pulmonary function test was performed at the baseline and after the end of study period. Subjective symptom score was recorded in the form of asthma control questionnaire score. Results There was a significant increase in the pre FEV1% and pre FEV1/FVC post AIT administration. A significant decrease in the total serum IgE was found post AIT. A decrease in Asthma control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores indicated an improvement in clinical symptoms. Besides there was a significant effect on ICS discontinuation after AIT. Conclusion The study supports SLIT as an effective treatment for Immunomodulation in mild allergic asthmatics besides it gives us significant information regarding the safety and efficacy of SLIT in such patients.

INTRODUCTION Glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene deletion or polymorphic sequence variations lead to decreased enzyme activity that influences susceptibility and response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We aimed to analyze relation of different GST gene sequence variants with susceptibility and response to Imatinib in CML. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 150 CML cases and equal number of age and gender matched healthy controls were genotyped for five GST polymorphisms by multiplex-PCR and PCR-RFLP techniques. BCR-ABL1 transcripts were quantified by quantitative Real Time PCR (qRT-PCR). RESULTS GSTT1, GSTO1, and GSTO2 SNPs revealed no association, while as GSTM1null genotype was observed to protect against the development of CML (OR = 0.53, P = .01). GSTP1 variant genotypes AG (OR = 2.1, P = .003) and GG (OR = 5.6, P

Fernandoa adenophylla (Wall. ex G. Don) Steenis is traditionally used to cure various diseases and can be included as an ingredient in massage oils, which are supposed to comfort muscular tension and pain. This study was designed to assess the antinociceptive, muscle relaxant, and molecular docking properties of a novel compound, namely, (5aR,5a1R,6R,7aS,14bR,15R)15-hydroxy-7a-methyl-6-(2-methylprop-1-en-1-yl)-7,7a,14b,15-tetrahydro-5H-t-5a,15methanobenzo[g]benzo[5,6]azuleno[1,8-bc]chromene-5,9,14,16(5a1H,6H)- tetraone (peshawaraquinone), isolated from the methanolic extract of F. adenophylla in an animal model. The chemical structure of the isolated compound was elucidated using advanced spectroscopic techniques and further confirmed by XRD analysis. Compound 1 was tested against hot plate-induced noxious stimuli at various doses (2.5, 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg i.p.). The muscle relaxation potency of compound 1 was evaluated in the inclined and traction test, while the open-field test was used for the determination of sedative potential. The isolated compound was also subjected to acute toxicity analysis. The compound was then subjected to molecular docking analysis to determine the exact mechanism of action. Compound 1 demonstrated significant (p < 0.05) analgesic effect in a dose-dependent manner. A noticeable muscle relaxant effect was observed with the passage of time in both experimental models. The compound 1 showed a significant (p < 0.05) sedative effect, and in an acute toxicity study, the compound 1 was devoid of any noxious effects. The docking studies showed preferential affinity for μ-opioid and GABAA receptors. Hence, the prospective antinociceptive and muscle relaxant and sedative properties are probably mediated through these two target interactions.

Heterophragma adenophyllum (Wall. ex G.Don) Seem belong to family Bignoniacea. To find a safe, effective and economical drugs candidate, the screening of chemical constituents for various biological actions is essential. The isolated compounds (1–3), such as, 2-hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione (1), methyl 1,2-dihydroxy-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-1-carboxylate (2), 2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[g]chromene-5,10-dione (3) were characterized with 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, EI-MS and UV spectroscopy. The pure constituents have shown significant inhibition potential against phosphodiesterase-1 (PDE-1) with percentage inhibition 98.4, 92.4 and 88.4%, respectively. The IC50 value of the compounds was calculated in which all the three compounds have shown potent activity against clinically important enzyme PDE-1 (IC50 = 21.9 ± 1.12 to 112.4 ± 2.08 µM). When these values were compared with standard EDTA (IC50 = 265.5 ± 2.25 µM), then it is concluded that H. adenophyllum can be used for the treatment of vasoconstriction and various inflammatory conditions. Molecular docking was performed to explore the possible role of isolated bioactive compounds into active sites of snake venom and human PDE-1. The data obtained in terms of binding energy values from docking studies of both snake venom and human PDE-I agrees with the experimental PDE-1 inhibition.

Heterophragma adenophyllum (HA) is an important medicinal plant which is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of muscular tension and pain. Herein, we report the isolation of methyl,1,2-dihydroxy-2-(3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl)-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-1-carboxylate (1), from the roots of H. adenophyllum. The isolated compound 1 was evaluated for in vivo muscle relaxant, sedative, and analgesic potential in Swiss albino mice. Results revealed that the isolated compound 1 exhibited a dose- and time-dependent muscle coordination (51%) and a significant (p p 1. Furthermore, the experimental results were compared with the theoretical studies by using density functional theory (DFT). The stability of the compound as well as the flow of electrons was determined by the calculated Frontier orbital analysis. The calculated stretching frequencies, 1H-NMR/13C-NMR chemical shift values and UV-visible spectra were found to be in agreement with experimental values. The results obtained from molecular docking studies were used to explore the mechanism of analgesic and muscle relaxant activity. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Inherited polymorphic sequence variations in drug transport genes like ABCB1 impact a portion of patients with hematologic malignancies that show intrinsic or acquire resistance to treatment. Keeping in view inter-individual sensitivities for such drugs, we through this case–control study tested whether ABCB1 C3435T and G2677T polymorphisms have any influence on the risk and treatment response in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Genotyping for ABCB1 polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 100 CML and 80 B-ALL patients along with 100 age and gender matched healthy controls. ABCB1 C3435T and G2677T polymorphism showed no association with CML. Genotype distribution revealed significant higher frequency of TT genotype for both SNPs in B-ALL cases and associated with increased B-ALL risk (OR 2.5, p = 0.04 for 3435TT; OR 2.4, p = 0.04 for 2677TT). There was no significant difference in genotype frequency of 3435C > T and 2677G > T among resistant and responsive groups for the two leukemia types. Kaplan–Meier survival plots revealed significantly lower event free survival in CML and B-ALL patients that were carriers of 3435TT genotype (p

The synthesis of the orbitide[1-8-NαC]-zanriorb A1, isolated from the medicinal plant Zanthoxylum riedelianum, was investigated by solution-phase macrocyclization of a linear peptide and on-resin solid-phase macrocyclization with an acylsulfonamide safety-catch linker. The solution-phase route produced a mixture of proline rotamers, and the main component was assigned as the trans, cis rotamer, identical to the natural product. The on-resin cyclization was less successful, producing mainly a linear peptide, and minor cyclic products as rotameric mixtures. Although the natural product was reported to be significantly cytotoxic against Jurkat leukemia T cells, our synthetic peptides were inactive, suggesting the presence of other rotamers or impurities in the naturally isolated material. Additional analogues of zanriorb A1 were synthesized in which proline and glycine residues were replaced with alanine. While these analogues were not cytotoxic, several of them inhibited the production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. The most active compound, cyclic[Ala

Background Organic cation transporter 1 primarily governs the action of metformin in the liver. There are considerable inter-individual variations in metformin response. In light of this, it is crucial to obtain a greater understanding of the influence of OCT1 expression or polymorphism in the context of variable responses elicited by metformin treatment. Results We observed that the variable response to metformin in the responders and non-responders is independent of isoform variation and mRNA expression of OCT-1. We also observed an insignificant difference in the serum metformin levels of the patient groups. Further, molecular docking provided us with an insight into the hotspot regions of OCT-1 for metformin binding. Genotyping of these regions revealed SNPs 156T>C and 1222A>G in both the groups, while as 181C>T and 1201G>A were found only in non-responders. The 181T>C and 1222A>G changes were further found to alter OCT-1 structure in silico and affect metformin transport in vitro which was illustrated by their effect on the activation of AMPK, the marker for metformin activity. Conclusion Taken together, our results corroborate the role of OCT-1 in the transport of metformin and also point at OCT1 genetic variations possibly affecting the transport of metformin into the cells and hence its subsequent action in responders and non-responders.

Studies of the ethyl acetate extract bark extract of Olea ferruginea led to the isolation of one new compound Ferruginan A (1) in addition to two known compounds, Ferruginan (2) and cycloolivil (3). Structures of the isolated compounds were confirmed by mass spectrometry (MS) and NMR spectral data. The ethyl acetate fraction and compounds (1–3) were evaluated against breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and as antioxidants using the free radical scavenging assay. Results revealed that compound 2 exhibits significant antioxidant activity with an I C 50 value of 21.74 μg/mL. In addition, the ethyl acetate fraction showed good cytotoxic activity (79.31% inhibition at 250 μg/mL), whereas compounds 1–3 exerted mild cytotoxic activity ( I C 50 = 8.03 – 12.01 μ g / mL ) as compared to the standard ( I C 50 = 4.41 μ g / mL ) against MCF-7. Docking studies suggested that antioxidant activity is due to the chelation of compounds with copper present in the active site of tyrosinase. These results suggest that the extract exhibits considerable antioxidant activity, and the isolated compounds exert moderate anticancer activity.

Penicillium produces a wide range of structurally diverse metabolites with significant pharmacological impacts in medicine and agriculture. For the first time, a complete metabolome of Penicillium claviforme (P. claviforme) (FBP-DNA-1205) was studied alongside pharmacological research in this study. The metabolic profile of P. claviforme fermented on Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) was investigated in this work. The complete metabolomics studies of fungus were performed using GC-MS and LC-MS-QTOF techniques. An in vitro model was utilised to study the cytotoxic and antioxidant activities, while an in vivo model was employed to investigate the antinociceptive and acute toxicity activities. Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software was used for molecular docking analysis. GC-MS study showed the presence of alkanes, fatty acids, esters, azo and alcoholic compounds. Maculosin, obtain, phalluside, quinoline, 4,4’-diaminostilbene, funaltrexamine, amobarbital, and fraxetin were among the secondary metabolites identified using the LC-MS-QTOF technique. The n-hexane fraction of P. claviforme displayed significant cytotoxic activity in vitro, with an LD50 value of 92.22 µgml−1. The antinociceptive effects in vivo were dose-dependent significantly (p < .001). Interestingly, during the 72 h of investigation, no acute toxicity was demonstrated. In addition, a docking study of tentatively identified metabolites against the inflammatory enzyme (COX-2) supported the antinociceptive effect in an in silico model. Metabolic profile of P. claviforme shows the presence of biologically relevant compounds in ethyl acetate extract. In addition, P. claviforme exhibits substantial antioxidant and cytotoxic activities in an in vitro model as well as antinociceptive activity in an in vivo model. The antinociceptive action is also supported by a molecular docking study. This research has opened up new possibilities in the disciplines of mycology, agriculture, and pharmaceutics. Key messagesThe first time explored complete metabolome through GC-MS and LC-MS-QTOF.Both in vivo & in vitro pharmacological investigation of P. claviforme.In silico molecular docking of LC-MS-QTOF metabolites. The first time explored complete metabolome through GC-MS and LC-MS-QTOF. Both in vivo & in vitro pharmacological investigation of P. claviforme. In silico molecular docking of LC-MS-QTOF metabolites.

Cadmium (Cd) toxicity can significantly limit plant growth and development. To eliminate the toxic effects of Cd stress, we intended to evaluate the biochemical mediated physiological responses in maize treated with biostimulant and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnPs). In silico analysis exhibited that the maize treated with Cd stress (200 μM) had an adverse impact on CAT1, CAT2, CAT3 and gor1 proteins, which are influential in managing the machinery of redox homeostasis. While maize inoculated with bacteria-based biostimulant and ZnPs (10 ppm) showed prominently improved biomass, chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid content. We found a significant increase in the total sugar, protein, proline content and antioxidants under the effect of Cd stress. However, these parameters are further enhanced by applying biostimulants and ZnPs. Declined lipid peroxidation and membrane solubilization index under the effect of biostimulant and ZnPs was observed. Furthermore, these treatments improved maize's zinc, copper, sodium, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium content. Based on these results, an antagonistic relationship between Zn and Cd uptake that triggered efficient Cd detoxification in maize shoot was found. Scanning electron micrography showed distorted leaf structure of the Cd stressed plants while the biostimulant and ZnPs reduced the structural cell damage of maize leaves. In silico study showed that ZnO positively regulates all protein interactors, including GRMZM2G317386_P01 (Metallo endo proteinase 1-MMP), GRMZM2G110220_P01 (Metallo endo proteinase 5-MMP), GRMZM2G103055_P01 (Alpha-amylase) and GRMZM2G006069_P01 (Zn-dependent exo peptidase superfamily) proteins which are involved in energy generating processes, channels formation, matrix re-localization and stress response. This suggests that ZnO offers an ideal role with protein interactors in maize. Our findings depict that these treatments, i.e., biostimulant and ZnPs alone, are efficient enough to exhibit Cd remediation potential in maize; however, their combination showed synergistic effects.

International audience; Berberine (BBR), a potential bioactive agent, has remarkable health benefits. A substantial amount of research has been conducted to date to establish the anticancer potential of BBR. The present review consolidates salient information concerning the promising anticancer activity of this compound. The therapeutic efficacy of BBR has been reported in several studies regarding colon, breast, pancreatic, liver, oral, bone, cutaneous, prostate, intestine, and thyroid cancers. BBR prevents cancer cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and controlling the cell cycle as well as autophagy. BBR also hinders tumor cell invasion and metastasis by down-regulating metastasis-related proteins. Moreover, BBR is also beneficial in the early stages of cancer development by lowering epithelial–mesenchymal transition protein expression. Despite its significance as a potentially promising drug candidate, there are currently no pure berberine preparations approved to treat specific ailments. Hence, this review highlights our current comprehensive knowledge of sources, extraction methods, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic profiles of berberine, as well as the proposed mechanisms of action associated with its anticancer potential. The information presented here will help provide a baseline for researchers, scientists, and drug developers regarding the use of berberine as a promising candidate in treating different types of cancers.

Growing evidence has implicated tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) as an important regulator of the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, various molecular epidemiological studies have proposed vitamin D deficiency to be a mediator of cancer progression. Here we comparatively analyzed the role of TNF-α and vitamin D in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in an ethnically conserved vitamin D deficient population. Confirmed NSCLC cases (n = 190) matchedfor age, gender, dwelling, and smoking against cancer-free healthy controls ((n = 200) were genotyped for TNF-α promoter polymorphisms (rs361525 and rs1800629) by PCR-RFLP. 48 NSCLC tumor and adjacent normal tissues were quantified for TNF-α mRNA expression by RT-qPCR. 48 NSCLC cases and 60 healthy controls were analyzed for TNF-α and vitamin D serum levels by ELISA and chemiluminescence respectively. Our study indicates thatrs361525 and rs1800629 bear a significant risk towards NSCLC. Both mutant genotype and mutant allele of rs361525 elicit a likelihood of NSCLC reflected by their odds ratio (OR) of 3.16 and 1.81 respectively. In case of rs1800629, the heterogeneous genotype (GA) showed two fold higher risk for NSCLC (OR-2.07, P = 0.006), which could be attributed to the presence of the mutant allele as reflected by overall frequency of mutant A allele vs wild G allele (OR-1.92, P = 0.01). A combined effect of genotypes for rs361525 and rs1800629 revealed a 3.7 fold higher risk towards NSCLC for the presence of heterozygous genotype at both loci. Our preliminary expression results showed significant increase of TNF-α mRNA expression in tumor tissues of NSCLC as compared to adjacent normal tissues [cases- 8.56 ± 3.90vs controls-4.88 ± 2.96, P lt; 0.0001)] which was further affirmed by extrapolation of TNF-α expression in serum (Cases- 55.75 ± 22.50vs controls- 21.46 ± 27.75, P lt; 0.0001). Multivariate regression analyses revealed TNF-α mRNA expression to be significantly associated with NSCLC cases less than 50 years of age (P lt; 0.05). In comparison to the putative role of TNF-α in NSCLC as suggested by the results observed, vitamin D showed no significance towards any of the analyzed parameters or with the risk of NSCLC. This study suggests that TNF-α could be a potential mediator of NSCLC which bears important clinical implications and could be an important therapeutic marker in NSCLC.

IntroductionGlutathione S-transferase (GST) gene deletion or polymorphic sequence variations lead to decreased enzyme activity that influences susceptibility and response to chemotherapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This case–control study investigated the association of GST gene polymorphisms with the etiology and therapeutic outcome of B-ALL among Kashmiri population.MethodsA total of 300 individuals including 150 newly diagnosed B-ALL patients and an equal number of age and gender matched controls were genotyped for five GST gene polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism technique (PCR-RFLP) and multiplex PCR techniques.ResultsHigher frequency of GSTT1null, GSTO2-AG, and GSTO2-GG genotypes was observed in ALL cases compared to controls that associated significantly with ALL risk (GSTT1null: OR = 2.93, p = 0.0001; GSTO2-AG: OR = 2.58, p = 0.01; GSTO2-GG: OR = 3.13, p = 0.01). GSTM1, GSTP1, and GSTO1 SNPs showed no significant association (p > 0.05). Combined genotype analysis revealed significant association of GSTT1null/GSTM1null (OR = 4.11, p = 0.011) and GSTT1null/GSTP1-AG (OR = 4.93, p = 0.0003) with B-ALL susceptibility. Haplotype analysis of rs4925 and rs156697 revealed that carriers of CG haplotype had increased risk of B-ALL (p = 0.04). Kaplan–Meier plots revealed significantly inferior 3-year disease-free survival for GSTO2-GG carriers (p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis confirmed GSTO2-GG as an independent poor prognostic factor for DFS (HR = 4.5, p = 0.034). Among combined genotypes, only GSTT1null/GSTP1-AG associated significantly with poorer DFS rates (p = 0.032).ConclusionThis study demonstrated that GSTT1null individually or in combination with GSTM1null and GSTP1-AG genotypes associated with increased B-ALL risk. Also, rs156697 variant genotypes (AG and GG) associated with B-ALL, whereas the GG genotype of rs156697 influenced the treatment outcome.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying treatment for allergic disorders that induces immunological tolerance through administration of specific allergens. Studies on AIT for subcutaneous route are in abundance; however, the efficacy of AIT in tablet form through sublingual route has not been well elucidated. The present prospective, parallel-group, controlled study sought to compare the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) tablets with pharmacotherapy (PT) in 332 house dust mite (HDM)-specific allergic asthma and/or rhinitis patients over a period of 3 years. Patients were followed up for a 6-month run-in period and then randomly stratified as those who would receive SLIT, SLIT in addition to PT (SLIT+PT), and PT alone. AIT was administered in the form of sublingual tablets. Symptom and medication scores were measured every 3 months. In vitro evaluation of serum total and HDM specific immunoglobulin E (HDM sIgE) levels was carried out every 3 months, whereas in vivo skin prick test was performed annually for 3 years. Our study demonstrated sustained clinical improvement, reduction in inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dose and duration as well as prevention from development of neosensitization to other aero allergens in HDM-allergic asthmatics and/or rhinitis patients treated with 3 years SLIT. Despite a remarkable clinical improvement with AIT, we observed that SLIT did not significantly change the skin reactivity to HDM at 3 years and there was no significant change in the ratio of serum total and HDM sIgE. Given the immune and disease modifying effects of AIT in allergic diseases, the present study supports the notion of its sublingual mode being an effective long-term immunomodulator in HDM-sensitized nasobronchial allergies.

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme-II and Angiotensin-converting enzyme are an integral part of Renin-Angiotensin system and mediate SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcome. Here we studied the role of host antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, ACE2 G8790A single nucleotide polymorphism, and ACE insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) as key determinants of Covid-19 severity and outcome. Methods: We evaluated anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers by chemiluminescence. ACE2 G8790A and ACE I/D were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP) and PCR respectively. Results: The overall positivity rate for SARS-CoV-2-IgG was 83.72%, but a significantly lower positivity was observed in asymptomatic subjects (66.67%, p < 0.05). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were comparatively higher in subjects who required hospitalization (13.06 ± 14.42 vs 7.37 ± 10.79, p < 0.05). ACE2 G8790A ‘AA’ genotype was significantly higher in subjects who did not require hospitalization (OR=0.40, CI 0.14-0.71, P= 0.007). In addition, the frequency of ACE I/D ‘ID’ genotype was significantly lower in symptomatic as compared to asymptomatic subjects (OR=0.235, CI 0.09-0.56, P=0.001). Conclusion: In summary, the current study shows that serological response to SARS-CoV-2 is more pronounced in symptomatic and severe covid-19 cases. Both ACE2 G8790A ‘AA’ and ACE I/D ‘ID’ genotype were observed to show protective role as far as the severity of covid-19 infection was considered. The study provides preliminary evidence of a genetic link between the analyzed polymorphic variants and covid-19 severity suggesting a subtle way of covid-19 risk stratification and utilization of respective variants as predictive biomarkers.

Although the exact cause of multiple sclerosis is not known, there are a number of factors involved mainly environmental and genetic factors. The present study was done to determine association between IL-32 gene promoter polymorphism and IL-32 levels with multiple sclerosis.48 relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients and 60 healthy controls were compared for IL-32 gene promoter polymorphism and IL-32 levels.There was no significant difference in genotype CT between the MS patients and healthy controls (p 0.130) where as a significant difference in genotype (CC) frequencies among MS patients and healthy controls (p 0.039) was observed. The difference in C allele frequency was also statistically significant between two study groups (p 0.01). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the CC genotype might impact the risk of disease susceptibility up to 3.71 times and the presence of C allele might increase the risk of susceptibility to multiple sclerosis by 2.26 fold. The serum IL-32 levels were not statistically different multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls and between wild and mutant genotypes.IL-32 gene promoter polymorphism is a genetic risk factor for multiple sclerosis patients particularly women.

Deleted in colorectal carcinoma (DCC) A > G (rs714) is the most widely studied SNP of tumor suppressor DCC gene found to be associated with increased risk of various cancers. Therefore, the aim of ...

Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) is a potential biomarker because of its variable concentration in different types of cancers. The current study is the first of its kind to evaluate the association between the APOA1 genotypes of −75 G/A and +83 C/T in tandem with the APOA1 protein expression in urine samples to find out the risk and potential relationship for differentially expressed urinary proteins and APOA1 genotypes. The study included 108 cases of bladder tumors and 150 healthy controls that were frequency matched to cases with respect to age, sex, and smoking status. Genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP and the urinary expression of the APOA1 protein was done using ELISA. Bladder tumor cases were significantly associated with the APOA1 −75 AA genotype (p < 0.05), while the APOA1 +83 C/T heterozygotes showed an association with cases (p < 0.05). The overall distribution of the different haplotypes showed a marked difference between the cases and controls in GT when compared with the wild type GC (p < 0.03). Bladder tumor cases that carried the variant genotype APOA1 −75AA were found more (70.0%) with a higher expression (≥20 ng/mL)of the APOA1 urinary protein and differed significantly against wild type GG (p = 0.03). Again, in low grade bladder tumors, urinary APOA1 protein was exhibited significantly more (52.4% vs. 15.4% high grade) with a higher expression (≥20 ng), while high grade tumor cases (84.6% vs. 47.5% low grade) showed a lower APOA1 expression (

Glutathione-S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) and glutathione-S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) genes are associated with increase susceptibility to developing different types of cancers. The aim of present study wa...

An assay was designed to evaluate the efficacy of each entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, and diatomaceous (DE) and their combinations at concentrations of 1 × 106 and 1 × 108 conidia kg−1 of wheat and 200 and 400 ppm, respectively, on the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Tenebrionidae: Coleoptera), infesting wheat. Percent mortality of T. castaneum was recorded after 7, 14, and 21 days. Percent mycosis on dead cadavers was assessed after 21 days. Alive adults were removed from plastic jars after 21 days and kept for the next 60 days to assess the progeny production. The results indicated that the highest concentrations of B. bassiana and DE in their combinations were more effective for the virulence and progeny suppression of T. castaneum. Maximum mean percent mortality (88.13%) was recorded by B. bassiana (1 × 108 conidia kg−1 of wheat) and DE (400 ppm) in their combination after a 21-day exposure interval, while a minimum percent mean mortality (10.00%) was recorded by B. bassiana (1 × 106 conidia kg−1 of wheat) alone. The maximum percent mycosis (78.89%) on dead cadavers was recorded at a low concentration rate (1 × 106 conidia/kg) of B. bassiana. Mean progeny adult emergence was the highest (62.67 adults) at the low concentration of B. bassiana alone. Present studies showed that B. bassiana and DE are more effective in combination against T. castaneum on wheat as both substances are advantageous.

Background Mismatch repair proteins are ubiquitous keys in diverse cellular functions and protects the genome by correcting mismatch as post replication error correction machinery. Mismatch repair deficiency was associated with tumor development and progression therefore, current study was aimed to investigate MLH1 and MSH2 expression in breast cancer and correlate patients' clinicopathological factors with status of mismatch repair genes. Material and methods Breast cancer tissues with adjacent normal tissue along with clinical details were collected during surgery from 80 cases. Immunohistochemistry was performed with primary and secondary antibodies for expressional analysis. Results were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that both MLH1 and MSH2 were crucial in maintaining DNA repair system and loss of these 2 mismatch repair proteins may lead to adverse outcomes in breast cancer. Statistically significant association was found between loss of MLH1 (P = 0.0004; odds ratio 13.8; 95% confidence interval 4.6-41.1), MSH2 (P = 0.0002; odds ratio 14.0; 95% confidence interval 4.7-42.2) and breast cancer. Statistical analysis demonstrated that MLH1 and MSH2 deficiency may lead breast cancer progression to advanced stage, correlated with tumor focality (MLH1 P = 0.001; MSH2 P = 0.002) and chemotherapy (MLH1 P = 0.01; MSH2 P = 0.04). Presence of CK7, GATA 3, and E cadherin tends to increase in mismatch repair deficient breast cancer. Whereas, no association of mismatch repair deficiency was observed with age, tumor grade, positive lymph nodes, menopause, and ER and/or PR status. Conclusion Loss of mismatch repair proteins in breast cancer highlights its potential role in DNA repair mechanisms and helps tumor cells to become resistant against chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, mismatch repair deficiency may contribute to breast cancer progression.

This work presents the joint use of advance modulation scheme i. e. m-QAM and optical chaos to combine the best of the two advantages i. e. higher data rates and security. A semiconductor laser diode is driven into chaotic region using direct modulation scheme and 4-QAM signal is added by Chaos message masking (CMS). The chaotically masked data stream is transmitted over an optical communication link to investigate the propagation issues and synchronization of chaos at the receiver. The transmitted chaos is synchronized at the receiver to unmask the QAM stream and binary data by using subtraction rule and conventional QAM demodulator, respectively. The deterioration of constellation diagrams and bit error rate found dependent upon transmitter/receiver synchronization and link parameters. The use of 4-QAM chaotic scheme is extendable to m-QAM and is applicable to long haul, short haul point to point and for passive optical networks.

Aims Distinct types of PML-RARα hybrid transcripts viz bcr-1, bcr-2 and bcr-3 result from translocation between chromosomes 15 and 17 t(15;17) in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia patients. We aimed to determine the frequencies of the PML-RARα transcripts and FLT3-ITD mutations in APL patients to evaluate their prognostic implications and also to analyze their impact on disease outcome. Main method RT-PCR and Rq-PCR were adopted for transcript typing and quantitation of PML-RARα transcripts while FLT3-ITD was detected by PCR in APL patients. Key findings PML-RARα bcr-1, bcr-2 and bcr-3 transcripts were found in 26, 3 and 16 cases respectively. 64.4% patients achieved complete remission, 22.2% expired early wherein majority of the cases expressed bcr-3 transcript (p = 0.03). 50% relapse rate was observed in patients with bcr-3 transcripts. Multivariate analysis showed expression of bcr-3 transcript associated with early death (p = 0.027) and increased relapse risk (P = 0.046). Patients expressing bcr-3 hybrid transcript showed lowest OS of 28.0 months (± 5.26) (p = 0.027). FLT3-ITD mutation was detected in 5 (11.1%) patients and presence of these mutations was not associated either with PML-RARα transcripts or with disease outcome. Significance bcr-3 transcript has a more lethal outcome and is also associated with frequent relapse risk in APL patients of our region.

Studies on polymorphisms in ABCB1 (ATP Binding Cassette subfamily B member 1) gene have shown importance in CML treatment. 42 CML patients comprising 18 males (42.86%) and 24 females (57.14%) aged from 7 to 75 years, of which 19 (45.24%) belonged to age group of ≤45 years and the rest 23 (54.76%) were >45 years of age. A case-control analysis of 3435C>T and 2677G>T ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with respect to imatinib treatment outcome and evaluation of correlation, if any, with molecular (both qualitative & quantitative) and cytogenetic responses of the patients at 01 year was done by Multiplex RT-PCR, PCR-RFLP, quantitative real time PCR and cytogenetics. No association of any statistical significance was noted between either of the two SNPs and the imatinib treatment outcome.

Plant-based materials are reported to have a wide range of applications in the environmental and biomedical sectors. In this report, we present an economic and environmentally friendly supported turmeric powder (TP) biomass for the support of Ag, Ni and Cu nanoparticles (NPs) designated as Ag@TP, Ni@TP and Cu@TP. The in situ syntheses of the stated NPs were achieved in aqueous medium using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. The prepared NPs were applied for the degradation of o-nitrophenol (ONP), m-nitrophenol (MNP), p-nitrophenol (PNP), methyl orange (MO), Congo red (CR), rhodamine B (RB) and methylene blue (MB). Initially, Ag@TP, Ni@TP and Cu@TP were screened for the MO dye and antibacterial activity, where Ag@TP displayed the strongest catalytic activity for MO and bactericidal activities as compared to Ni@TP and Cu@TP. The quantity of metal ions adsorbed onto the TP was investigated by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The Ag@TP, Ni@TP and Cu@TP were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis.

This work presents the joint use of Radio Over Fiber and optical chaos to investigate the secure ROF link. Merging the two technologies, optical chaos for physical layer communication security and Radio over Fiber creates new design issues which have been identified and studied in detail in this paper for both analog Radio Frequency/Intermediate Frequency and digitized data. A semiconductor laser diode is driven into chaotic region using direct modulation scheme and RoF signal is added by chaos message masking scheme. The chaotically masked signal is transmitted over an optical communication link to investigate the propagation issues and synchronization of chaos at the receiver. The transmitted chaos is synchronized at the receiver to unmask the signal by using subtraction rule. To investigate the performance of chaotic communication system for Radio over Fiber transmission, the figure of merits like Bit error rate, Quality factor, Eye Opening Penalty and Root-mean-squared phase jitter are studied for digital data and Signal to Noise ratio and Total Harmonic Distortion are studied for analog waveform to address the effects of link length and data rate/message bandwidth.

Background: Allergic diseases are hypersensitivity disorders induced by an allergen specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated response; Skin PrickTest (SPT) remains the gold standard for the in vivo assessment of IgEs. Many drugs are known to have anti histaminic effects and as such need to be stopped prior to the testing. However, the role of alternative system of medicine and other herbal remedies remains controversial in this regard. Objectives: To study the effect of alternative system of medicine and other herbal remedies on the results of SPT. Methods: The patients having a strong history and clinical symptoms of allergic diseases like allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma and chronic urticaria were subjected to skin prick testing. Results: There were six patients whose SPT results were negative although history and clinical symptoms suggested otherwise. On probing the drug intake of the patients prior to the testing, it was observed that the patients had taken certain herbal medications which interfered with the allergy testing and gave false negatives. Conclusion: It is for the first time that a study has reported the significant effect of alternative medicine and other herbal supplements in suppression of skin prick test results. Therefore it is extremely important to ask properly the history of intake of alternative medicine and other dietary herbal ingredients and then insist on its abstinence for 10 days before SPT. A protocol wherein the allergist recommends to stop the use of any regional herbs prior to allergy testing will be the right step in improving the results of allergy testing and preventing false positives. Keywords: Allergic disorders, Skin prick testing (SPT), Alternative medicine, Antihistaminic response

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the role of E2F1 in breast cancer biology. Background: Expression of E2F1, a transcription factor of many oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, is lowered in several malignancies, including breast carcinoma. Objectives: In the present study, we analyzed the status of E2F1 expression in association with diverse attributes of breast malignancy and its impact on cancer progression. Methods: For this purpose, we used various freely available online applications for gene enrichment, expression, and methylation analysis to extract mutation-based E2F1 map, to measure E2F1 drug sensitivity, and to determine E2F1 association with DNA damage response proteins. Results: Results revealed tissue-specific regulatory behavior of E2F1. Moreover, the key role of E2F1 in the promotion of metastasis, stem cell-mediated carcinogenesis, estrogen-mediated cell proliferation, and cellular defense system, has therefore highlighted it as a metaplastic marker and hot member of key resistome pathways. Conclusion: The information thus generated can be employed for future implications in devising rational therapeutic strategies. Moreover, this study has provided a more detailed insight into the diagnostic and prognostic potential of E2F1.

Carotenoids in food substances are believed to have health benefits by lowering the risk of diseases. Lutein, a carotenoid compound, is one of the essential nutrients available in green leafy vegetables (kale, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, and peas), along with other foods, such as eggs. As nutrition plays a pivotal role in maintaining human health, lutein, as a nutritional substance, confers promising benefits against numerous health issues, including neurological disorders, eye diseases, skin irritation, etc. This review describes the in-depth health beneficial effects of lutein. As yet, a minimal amount of literature has been undertaken to consider all its promising bioactivities. The step-by-step biosynthesis of lutein has also been taken into account in this review. Besides, this review demonstrates the drug interactions of lutein with β-carotene, as well as safety concerns and dosage. The potential benefits of lutein have been assessed against neurological disorders, eye diseases, cardiac complications, microbial infections, skin irritation, bone decay, etc. Additionally, recent studies ascertained the significance of lutein nanoformulations in the amelioration of eye disorders, which are also considered in this review. Moreover, a possible approach for the use of lutein in bioactive functional foods will be discussed.

In the current study, amphiphilic peptides were designed and screened against Jak bean urease by using computer aided drug discovery approach. The result showed that out of thirty eight amphiphilic peptides 1, 3, 12, 18, 30, and 33 exhibit stronger binding affinity with the active site of the enzyme and establish hydrogen bonds with the nickel ions i.e. Ni 841 and Ni 842 as well as make non-polar and hydrophobic contacts with the nonpolar residues in the active site. The selected amphiphilic peptides were synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis strategy, characterized by Fast atomic bombardment mass spectroscopy (FAB-MS) and Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H and 13C-NMR) and performed in vitro urease inhibitory activity. Amphiphilic peptides 12 and 33 showed excellent urease inhibitory activity, (p 50 values 20.5 ± 0.01 µM, and 28.1 ± 0.03 µM respectively, which was considerably better than thiourea used as positive control. We suggest that these amphiphilic could be potent urease inhibitors and sever as the starting point for effective interventions.