Effect of Aqueous Extract of Nutmeg on Hyperglycaemia, Hyperlipidaemia and Cardiac Histology Associated with Isoproterenol-induced Myocardial Infarction in Rats

Purpose: The present study was designed to evaluate the hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic activities of the aqueous extract of nutmeg (i.e., the kernel of Myristica fragrans) in rat models against myocardial infarction (MI) induced by isoproterenol (ISO).Methods: Rats were pretreated with nutmeg extract (NM) at an oral dose of 100 mg/kg/day for a period of 30 days, followed by the induction of MI by subcutaneous administration of ISO (85 mg/kg) for two consecutive days. The heart tissue was excised immediately, washed with chilled isotonic saline and used in histopathological studies. Blood was also collected from the animals and the plasma separated was subjected to biochemical analysis.Results: In ISO-administered group, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the levels of blood glucose, plasma lipids and lipoprotein lipase activity was observed along with hyalinization of muscle fibres, compared NM-pretreated ISO-administered rats. In rats treated with NM, biochemical parameters were near normal. Histological studies revealed reduced damage of heart tissue in ISO-administered rats that were pretreated with NM.Conclusion: NM possesses protected rats against hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and cardiac tissue damage following MI. Therefore, NM should be further investigated as a prophylactic against the risk of MI

Pharmacognostic Investigation and HPTLC Fingerprinting of a Siddha Polyherbal Drug, Padai chankaran

The present study aims to establish the quality and purity of a Siddha formulation, Padai chankaran by laying down various pharmacognostic parameters, physico-chemical constants and HPTLC fingerprint profiles. Padai chankaran is a Siddha polyherbal preparation comprised of Catunaregum spinosa – root bark, C. spinosa – seed and Alangium salvifolium – root bark as the ingredients. The formulation is used as an external application, having astringent, anthelmintic and antiseptic activities that supports in healing of ulcers and dermatological diseases. Powder microscopy studies and physico-chemical analysis were carried out. Also, an attempt has been made to develop a HPTLC method for phytochemical fingerprinting and the mobile phase Toluene: Ethyl acetate: Formic acid (5: 2: 0.1) gave the best resolution for various components. Hence, the aforesaid analyses confirmed the purity and quality of the Siddha formulation for their future applications. Keywords: Padai chankaran, powder microscopy, physico-chemical, HPTLC studie

Remdesivir for 5 or 10 Days in Patients With Severe Covid-19

Background: Remdesivir is an RNA polymerase inhibitor with potent antiviral activity in vitro and efficacy in animal models of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Methods: We conducted a randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial involving hospitalized patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, oxygen saturation of 94% or less while they were breathing ambient air, and radiologic evidence of pneumonia. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive intravenous remdesivir for either 5 days or 10 days. All patients received 200 mg of remdesivir on day 1 and 100 mg once daily on subsequent days. The primary end point was clinical status on day 14, assessed on a 7-point ordinal scale. Results: In total, 397 patients underwent randomization and began treatment (200 patients for 5 days and 197 for 10 days). The median duration of treatment was 5 days (interquartile range, 5 to 5) in the 5-day group and 9 days (interquartile range, 5 to 10) in the 10-day group. At baseline, patients randomly assigned to the 10-day group had significantly worse clinical status than those assigned to the 5-day group (P = 0.02). By day 14, a clinical improvement of 2 points or more on the ordinal scale occurred in 64% of patients in the 5-day group and in 54% in the 10-day group. After adjustment for baseline clinical status, patients in the 10-day group had a distribution in clinical status at day 14 that was similar to that among patients in the 5-day group (P = 0.14). The most common adverse events were nausea (9% of patients), worsening respiratory failure (8%), elevated alanine aminotransferase level (7%), and constipation (7%). Conclusions: In patients with severe Covid-19 not requiring mechanical ventilation, our trial did not show a significant difference between a 5-day course and a 10-day course of remdesivir. With no placebo control, however, the magnitude of benefit cannot be determined. (Funded by Gilead Sciences; GS-US-540-5773 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04292899.)

Acquisition of Chemoresistance in Gliomas Is Associated with Increased Mitochondrial Coupling and Decreased ROS Production

Temozolomide (TMZ) is an alkylating agent used for treating gliomas. Chemoresistance is a severe limitation to TMZ therapy; there is a critical need to understand the underlying mechanisms that determine tumor response to TMZ. We recently reported that chemoresistance to TMZ is related to a remodeling of the entire electron transport chain, with significant increases in the activity of complexes II/III and cytochrome c oxidase (CcO). Moreover, pharmacologic and genetic manipulation of CcO reverses chemoresistance. Therefore, to test the hypothesis that TMZ-resistance arises from tighter mitochondrial coupling and decreased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), we have assessed mitochondrial function in TMZ-sensitive and -resistant glioma cells, and in TMZ-resistant glioblastoma multiform (GBM) xenograft lines (xenolines). Maximum ADP-stimulated (state 3) rates of mitochondrial oxygen consumption were greater in TMZ-resistant cells and xenolines, and basal respiration (state 2), proton leak (state 4), and mitochondrial ROS production were significantly lower in TMZ-resistant cells. Furthermore, TMZ-resistant cells consumed less glucose and produced less lactic acid. Chemoresistant cells were insensitive to the oxidative stress induced by TMZ and hydrogen peroxide challenges, but treatment with the oxidant L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine increased TMZ-dependent ROS generation and reversed chemoresistance. Importantly, treatment with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine inhibited TMZ-dependent ROS generation in chemosensitive cells, preventing TMZ toxicity. Finally, we found that mitochondrial DNA-depleted cells (ρ°) were resistant to TMZ and had lower intracellular ROS levels after TMZ exposure compared with parental cells. Repopulation of ρ° cells with mitochondria restored ROS production and sensitivity to TMZ. Taken together, our results indicate that chemoresistance to TMZ is linked to tighter mitochondrial coupling and low ROS production, and suggest a novel mitochondrial ROS-dependent mechanism underlying TMZ-chemoresistance in glioma. Thus, perturbation of mitochondrial functions and changes in redox status might constitute a novel strategy for sensitizing glioma cells to therapeutic approaches

MiR-155 Induction by F. novicida but Not the Virulent F. tularensis Results in SHIP Down-Regulation and Enhanced Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Response

The intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis causes the disease tularemia and is known for its ability to subvert host immune responses. Previous work from our laboratory identified the PI3K/Akt pathway and SHIP as critical modulators of host resistance to Francisella. Here, we show that SHIP expression is strongly down-regulated in monocytes and macrophages following infection with F. tularensis novicida (F.n.). To account for this negative regulation we explored the possibility that microRNAs (miRs) that target SHIP may be induced during infection. There is one miR that is predicted to target SHIP, miR-155. We tested for induction and found that F.n. induced miR-155 both in primary monocytes/macrophages and in vivo. Using luciferase reporter assays we confirmed that miR-155 led to down-regulation of SHIP, showing that it specifically targets the SHIP 3′UTR. Further experiments showed that miR-155 and BIC, the gene that encodes miR-155, were induced as early as four hours post-infection in primary human monocytes. This expression was dependent on TLR2/MyD88 and did not require inflammasome activation. Importantly, miR-155 positively regulated pro-inflammatory cytokine release in human monocytes infected with Francisella. In sharp contrast, we found that the highly virulent type A SCHU S4 strain of Francisella tularensis (F.t.) led to a significantly lower miR-155 response than the less virulent F.n. Hence, F.n. induces miR-155 expression and leads to down-regulation of SHIP, resulting in enhanced pro-inflammatory responses. However, impaired miR-155 induction by SCHU S4 may help explain the lack of both SHIP down-regulation and pro-inflammatory response and may account for the virulence of Type A Francisella

Micropropagation of Cyrtopodium paludicolum (Orchidaceae) from root tip explants

An efficient protocol for in vitro plant propagation of Cyrtopodium paludicolum has been developed using root tips dissected from well-developed seedlings. Root tips were cultured on Knudson medium supplemented with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and/or thidiazuron (TDZ). TDZ did not induce protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) in the NAA absence, indicating phytoregulators synergistic effect. Medium supplemented with 1.34 μM NAA and 2.27 μM TDZ resulted in better response on PBLs, and subsequent shoot differentiation (55.25 shoots per explant), and in better rooting number and root length responses, favoring acclimatization with 90% of survived plants. However, the medium supplemented with only NAA (1.34 μM) resulted in 33.50 shoots per explant. Histological sections confirmed that only one PLB was induced per responsive root tip, and it showed numerous dispersed and extended meristemoids, or division centers that originated new PBLs. Additionally, this protocol could be an excellent model to study molecular aspects of root to shoot conversion

Uncovering the multifaceted roles played by neutrophils in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) is a life-saving procedure used for the treatment of selected hematological malignancies, inborn errors of metabolism, and bone marrow failures. The role of neutrophils in alloHSCT has been traditionally evaluated only in the context of their ability to act as a first line of defense against infection. However, recent evidence has highlighted neutrophils as key effectors of innate and adaptive immune responses through a wide array of newly discovered functions. Accordingly, neutrophils are emerging as highly versatile cells that are able to acquire different, often opposite, functional capacities depending on the microenvironment and their differentiation status. Herein, we review the current knowledge on the multiple functions that neutrophils exhibit through the different stages of alloHSCT, from the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization in the donor to the immunological reconstitution that occurs in the recipient following HSC infusion. We also discuss the influence exerted on neutrophils by the immunosuppressive drugs delivered in the course of alloHSCT as part of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Finally, the potential involvement of neutrophils in alloHSCT-related complications, such as transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA), acute and chronic GVHD, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation, is also discussed. Based on the data reviewed herein, the role played by neutrophils in alloHSCT is far greater than a simple antimicrobial role. However, much remains to be investigated in terms of the potential functions that neutrophils might exert during a highly complex procedure such as alloHSCT