Arabidopsis RecQl4A suppresses homologous recombination and modulates DNA damage responses

The DNA damage response and DNA recombination are two interrelated mechanisms involved in maintaining the integrity of the genome, but in plants they are poorly understood. RecQ is a family of genes with conserved roles in the regulation of DNA recombination in eukaryotes; there are seven members in Arabidopsis. Here we report on the functional analysis of the Arabidopsis RecQl4A gene. Ectopic expression of Arabidopsis RecQl4A in yeast RecQ-deficient cells suppressed their hypersensitivity to the DNA-damaging drug methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and enhanced their rate of homologous recombination (HR). Analysis of three recQl4A mutant alleles revealed no obvious developmental defects or telomere deregulation in plants grown under standard growth conditions. Compared with wild-type Arabidopsis, the recQl4A mutant seedlings were found to be hypersensitive to UV light and MMS, and more resistant to mitomycin C. The average frequency of intrachromosomal HR in recQl4A mutant plants was increased 7.5-fold over that observed in wild-type plants. The data reveal roles for Arabidopsis RecQl4A in maintenance of genome stability by modulation of the DNA damage response and suppression of HR.

BIO-CONTROL OF MULTIPLE DRUG-RESISTANT UROPATHOGENS USING MEDICINAL PLANT EXTRACTS

Objective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential of some medicinal plants used in Ayurveda in treating multiple drug-resistant human pathogens causing urinary tract infections (UTIs). Methods: Dried parts of six medicinal plants used in Ayurveda for treating UTI were Soxhlet extracted, and the extract was concentrated in vacuo. Various concentrations of the extract were tested for antimicrobial activity against three clinical isolates of multiple drug-resistant bacteria causing UTI. Results: Preliminary results showed the promising antibacterial effect of plant extracts. Escherichia coli, the most common pathogen associated with UTI, was susceptible to aqueous extracts of all the six medicinal plants. Conclusion: This study concluded that the medicinal plants used in Ayurveda to treat UTIs are effective against multiple drug-resistant uropathogens. Further study in this regard may lead to the identification of novel antimicrobial agent for treating multiple drug-resistant urinary tract pathogens

Natural Drugs from Plants

Natural Drugs from Plants emphasizes the importance of medicinal plants for drug discovery worldwide. Chapters discuss the active ingredients of certain medicinal plants, their mechanisms of action, and how they can be used to treat different diseases

The role of community in discovery of new drugs from herbal medicines

Medicinal plants are a good source of new drugs. An important approach in developing a new drug from medicinal plants is to examine scientifically the usage claimed in traditional medicine. Using medicinal plants throughout centuries provided valuable information that will be critical when they are evaluating as new drugs, because, the judgment on the efficacy and safety of a specific drug can rarely be found in the results of the scientific studies. In contrast, the scientific information published on toxicity and efficacy of a particular plant, resulted from some studies, together with the anecdotal evidence, can help whether it might be acceptable for medicinal use

An update on prodrugs from natural products

AbstractA natural prodrug is a chemical compound or substance obtained from plants, microorganism, animal and marine sources. Natural products are small molecule source for Food and Drug Administration approved drugs and major sources for drug discovery. Most of the drugs for different ailment diseases undergo first pass metabolism, resulting in drug inactivation and the generation of toxic metabolites in body. Enormous numbers of prodrugs naturally present in plants, microorganism, animal and marine sources and those prodrugs undergoes chemical reaction to form non-toxic compounds. This review summarizes the list of prodrugs naturally present in the natural product

Plant chemical genetics : from phenotype-based screens to synthetic biology

The treatment of a biological system with small molecules to specifically perturb cellular functions is commonly referred to as chemical biology. Small molecules are used commercially as drugs, herbicides, and fungicides in different systems, but in recent years they are increasingly exploited as tools for basic research. For instance, chemical genetics involves the discovery of small-molecule effectors of various cellular functions through screens of compound libraries. Whereas the drug discovery field has largely been driven by target-based screening approaches followed by drug optimization, chemical genetics in plant systems tends to be fueled by more general phenotype-based screens, opening the possibility to identify a wide range of small molecules that are not necessarily directly linked to the process of interest. Here, we provide an overview of the current progress in chemical genetics in plants, with a focus on the discoveries regarding small molecules identified in screens designed with a basic biology perspective. We reflect on the possibilities that lie ahead and discuss some of the potential pitfalls that might be encountered upon adopting a given chemical genetics approach

An examination into the possibility of the UK being a predominantly cannabis producing nation and a methodology of cultivation techniques

Previously, the UK has been known to heavily import cannabis from producer countries, more recently vast quantities of cannabis farms are being discovered throughout the nation. This review aims to analyse the evidence supporting that the UK is now a predominantly cannabis producing nation through the use of seizure statistics and farm discovery data, also to explore cultivation techniques utilised by domestic growers. The UK is highly efficient at producing high quality sinsemilla cannabis, with the number of commercial farms being discovered more than doubling between 2007/08-2010/11. The quantity of cannabis plant seizures however, has since fallen from 2011/12-2014/15 which the multiple site model explains. Police budgets are believed to be impacting upon seizure statistics explaining the recent decline in cannabis plants and herbal cannabis seizures. With such large quantities of domestic cannabis being grown, it is surprising that cannabis is still imported. The majority of domestic cannabis growers within the UK accomplish this indoors; facilitated with artificial lighting, soil or hydroponics grow mediums and ventilation systems. Further research is needed to indicate whether the UK has the potential to become an exporter of cannabis

Biopiracy <i>versus </i>one-world medicine – from colonial relicts to global collaborative concepts

Background: Practices of biopiracy to use genetic resources and indigenous knowledge by Western companies without benefit-sharing of those, who generated the traditional knowledge, can be understood as form of neocolonialism.Hypothesis: : The One-World Medicine concept attempts to merge the best of traditional medicine from developing countries and conventional Western medicine for the sake of patients around the globe.Study design: Based on literature searches in several databases, a concept paper has been written. Legislative initiatives of the United Nations culminated in the Nagoya protocol aim to protect traditional knowledge and regulate benefit-sharing with indigenous communities. The European community adopted the Nagoya protocol, and the corresponding regulations will be implemented into national legislation among the member states. Despite pleasing progress, infrastructural problems of the health care systems in developing countries still remain. Current approaches to secure primary health care offer only fragmentary solutions at best. Conventional medicine from industrialized countries cannot be afforded by the impoverished population in the Third World. Confronted with exploding costs, even health systems in Western countries are endangered to burst. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is popular among the general public in industrialized countries, although the efficacy is not sufficiently proven according to the standards of evidence-based medicine. CAM is often available without prescription as over-the-counter products with non-calculated risks concerning erroneous self-medication and safety/toxicity issues. The concept of integrative medicine attempts to combine holistic CAM approaches with evidence-based principles of conventional medicine.Conclusion: To realize the concept of One-World Medicine, a number of standards have to be set to assure safety, efficacy and applicability of traditional medicine, e.g. sustainable production and quality control of herbal products, performance of placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trials, phytovigilance, as well as education of health professionals and patients