Search

Background: Resistance to insecticides is one of the major problems in successfully controlling of mosquito-borne diseases. The present study explores the role of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel (VGSC) and their mutation in the development of insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquito. Materials and Methods: Homology protein modelling of wild-type and mutated VGSC protein was performed using the Swiss-Model server. Model proteins were analyzed using different bioinformatic tools, such as Procheck, Anolea, Errat, to study the overall quality. The binding affinity of insecticide permethrin with VGSC was analyzed using Autodock Tools software. Results and Discussion: The study observed that the model proteins have slight structural deviation between wild-type and mutant proteins. Model proteins docked with permethrin insecticide showed a higher binding affinity with wild-type than mutant channel protein. The present studies suggest that the point mutation in codon 1014 (Leucine→Cysteine) affects the complex stability, plausibly resisting the effect of the insecticide permethrin. Conclusion: The present study proposes the molecular interaction of permethrin with the ion channel leading to the development of insecticide resistance capacity in mosquito vectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensified Malaria Control Project (IMCP) was implemented in 2005 to control malaria in all North-Eastern and Odisha states of India. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of IMCP in reducing the malaria burden in Udalguri district, Assam state of North-East India. Malaria epidemiological data were obtained for IMCP intervention (Udalguri) and nonintervention district (West Singhbhumi, Jharkhand state). IMCP activities include introducing bi-valent rapid diagnostic kits (RDTs), Artemether-Lumefantrine drug in North-East India, long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) distribution, and creating awareness programs about malaria in an intensified mode. The data revealed a significant decline in annual parasite incidence (API) from 14.94 (2005) to 2.61 (2018), −37% (95%CI: −57%, −19%, p = 001) after using LLINs in 2009 and −64% (95%CI: −116%, −14%, p = 013) after the introduction of RDTs in district Udalguri. Whereas control district showed a −28% (95%CI: −63%, 6.3%, p = 0.051) decrease in API using LLINs and a 10% (95%CI: −7.6%, 28%, p = 0.122) increase after the introduction of RDTs. Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) were the major malarial parasites in Udalguri. Pv-malaria was much higher (71%) than Pf-malaria (29%) during the study period. An increasing trend of Pf cases was observed in Udalguri. Udalguri and Khoirabari BPHCs showed an overall reduction of 94% (95%CI: −143%, −45%, p = 0.001) and 84% (95%CI: −126%, −39%, p = 0.003), respectively; however, only a 10% (95%CI: −65%, −41%, p = 0.360) reduction in API was observed in Orang BPHC. An overall decrease in malaria indicates the effective implementation of vector and disease control strategies in the Udalguri district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mosquito-borne diseases are among the common problems in developing countries. For centuries, herbal formulations have been used by tribal communities as medicines. A survey was carried out to document the insecticidal plants from fringe villages of Manas National Park. Materials and Methods: The survey was carried out from April to July 2020. The survey was conducted in a face-to-face manner with a ready-made questionnaire. Results: A total of 25 fringe villages were surveyed, and 57 informants were interviewed. Most of the informants were male (87%) and aged (>50 years old). A total of 24 plant species belonging to 18 families were recorded in the present study. Among the plant families, Solanaceae and Lamiaceae were the most famous families. Brassica rapa was the most popular plant with five citations, followed by Cinnamomum tamala and Nicotiana tabacum. Leaves were the most commonly used plant parts, followed by stems. The survey also reported that smokes, produced by burning plant parts, are the most commonly practised mode of use, followed by the rubbing of raw juices of plant parts to repel mosquitoes by fringe villagers of Manas National Park. Conclusion: With a solid ethnobotanical knowledge system supported by scientific evidence, the present study may be used by researchers to explore further the insecticidal and mosquitocidal activities of the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Ananta. Swargiary, Abhijita. Daimari, Manita. Daimari, Noymi. Basumatary, Ezekiel. Narzary Objective: Clerodendrum viscosum, Eryngium foetidum, Lippia javanica, and Murraya koenigii are one among the common wild edible plants in [...]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) belongs to the group of diseases causing major health problems in India and world at large. Natural products including medicinal plants are known to treat various diseases worldwide since ancient times. It is well known that plants are a great source of bioactive compounds having tremendous medicinal properties and can be used to discover plant-based drugs with lesser side effects. A survey was carried out among the Bodo community of Kokrajhar district of Assam to explore the traditional knowledge on medicinal plants against diabetes using semi-structured interviews among the local healers and elderly people. A total of 54 informants were interviewed in a face-to-face manner following readymade questionnaire, of which 15 healers were known to have knowledge regarding antidiabetic medicinal plants. A total of 37 medicinal plants, belonging to 24 families and 33 genera were found to be used by traditional healers of Kokrajhar district to cure diabetes. The mostly cited plant was found to be Hodgsonia heteroclita (Roxb.) followed by Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees. Out of the 24 families, Apocynaceae was found to be the most popular plant family with four numbers of plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type-II diabetes, a major metabolic disorder has threatened the very existence of a healthy life since long ago. Commercially available antidiabetic drugs are known for several adverse effects. The present study attempted to identify potential phytocompounds as inhibitors of sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2), a major protein that helps in glucose re-absorption from renal tubules. A total of 28 phytocompounds were collected based on the literature survey. 3D co-ordinates of phytocompounds were collected from PubChem database. Molecular docking was carried out with SGLT2 protein and the best 3 docking complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation for 100 ns. Free energy changes were also analyzed using MM/PBSA analysis. Phytocompounds were also analyzed for their drug-likeness and ADMET properties. Docking study observed a strong binding affinity of phytocompounds (> -7.0 kcal/mol). More than 10 phytocompounds showed better binding affinity compared to reference drugs. Further analysis of three best docking complexes when analyzed by MD simulation showed better stability and compactness of the complexes compared to reference drug, empagliflozin. MM/PBSA analysis also revealed that van der Waals force and electrostatic energy are the major binding energy involved in the complex formation. Like docking energy, free energy analysis also observed stronger binding energies (ΔGGAS) in SGLT2-phytocompound complexes compared to empagliflozin complex. All the phytocompounds showed drug-likeness and considerable ADMET properties. The study, therefore, suggests that Trifolirhizin-6'-monoacetate, Aspalathin, and Quercetin-3-glucoside could be a possible inhibitor of SGLT2 protein. However, further studies need to be carried out to reveal the exact mode of activity.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.