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Peptides are distinctive biomacromolecules that demonstrate potential cytotoxicity and diversified bioactivities against a variety of microorganisms including bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi via their unique mechanisms of action. Among broad-ranging pharmacologically active peptides, natural marine-originated thiazole-based oligopeptides possess peculiar structural features along with a wide spectrum of exceptional and potent bioproperties. Because of their complex nature and size divergence, thiazole-based peptides (TBPs) bestow a pivotal chemical platform in drug discovery processes to generate competent scaffolds for regulating allosteric binding sites and peptide–peptide interactions. The present study dissertates on the natural reservoirs and exclusive structural components of marine-originated TBPs, with a special focus on their most pertinent pharmacological profiles, which may impart vital resources for the development of novel peptide-based therapeutic agents.

In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Streblus asper Lour (Moraceae) is prescribed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.In the present study, α-amyrin acetate isolated from S. asper, and the petroleum ether extract of S. asper stem bark (PESA) was screened for their antidiabetic properties in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.Successive Soxhlet extraction of the dried stem bark with petroleum ether and then with ethanol (95%) yielded petroleum ether and ethanol extracts, respectively, which were concentrated under reduced pressure. Hyperglycemia was induced in rats by STZ (50 mg/kg, b.w.). Twenty-four hours after STZ induction, respective groups of diabetic rats received PESA (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg, b.w.) and α-amyrin acetate (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg, b.w.) respectively, orally daily for 15 days. Glibenclamide (0.5 mg/kg, orally) served as a reference. Blood glucose levels were measured on every 5th day during the 15 days of treatment. The serum lipid profiles and biochemical parameters, viz., serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin level, were measured.PESA significantly (p0.01) normalized blood-glucose levels and serum biochemical parameters as compared with those of STZ controls. α-Amyrin acetate (75 mg/kg, b.w.) exhibited maximum glucose lowering effect (71.10%) in diabetic rats compared to the other dose (25, 50 mg/kg) at the end of the study. The protective effect was further confirmed by histopathological examination of the liver.PESA and α-amyrin acetate demonstrated remarkable antidiabetic activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats.