Evaluation of thyroid function in type 2 diabetes in north-eastern part of India: A hospital-based study

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and thyroid dysfunctions are the two most common endocrine disorders to come across in any clinical practice. Both thyroid hormones and insulin act antagonistically in metabolic pathways or cycles of cells. The aim of our study is to look for thyroid dysfunction in patients with type 2 DM and its correlation with insulin resistance (IR). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 80 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and insulin were measured in fasting serum sample. Homeostasis model assessment for IR was calculated as per formula. Results: Among 80 diabetic patients, 20 were hypothyroid, 4 were hyperthyroid, and 56 were found to be euthyroid. IR was found to be significantly higher in hypothyroid as compared to euthyroid patients. A positive association was found between TSH and IR (r = 0.230) among hypothyroid patients though association was not significant. In hyperthyroid patients, a strong negative correlation (r = −0.94933) was found between TSH and IR, but no association was found among euthyroid patients. Conclusion: The inability to recognize the presence of thyroid hormone dysfunction may be one of the important causes of poor management of type 2 DM. Therefore, there is a need for routine assay of thyroid hormones in type 2 diabetic patients to improve the medical management as well as to reduce the morbidity in them

Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy): Phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, clinical application and conservation strategies

Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy) is a medicinal plant used in folk and Ayurvedic medicines throughout India since ancient time. All the parts of the plant are immensely useful due to the presence of different compounds of pharmaceutical importance belonging to various groups as alkaloids, diterpenoid lactones, glycosides, steroids, sesquiterpenoid, and phenolics. These compounds possess pharmacological properties which makes it anti-diabetic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, hepatoprotective, and immuno-modulatory. However, due to the increasing population, there is an inadequate supply of drugs. Therefore, this review focuses on the phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, clinical application and its conservation strategies so that the plant can be conserved for future generations and utilized as an alternative medicine as well as to design various pharmacologically important drugs

Exploration of Potent Antiviral Phytomedicines from Lauraceae Family Plants against SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease

A new Coronaviridae strain, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged from Wuhan city of China and caused one of the substantial global health calamities in December 2019. Even though several vaccines and drugs have been developed worldwide since COVID-19, a cost-effective drug with the least side effects is still unavailable. Currently, plant-derived compounds are mostly preferred to develop antiviral therapeutics due to its less toxicity, easy access, and cost-effective characteristics. Therefore, in this study, 124 phytochemical compounds from plants of Lauraceae family with medicinal properties were virtually screened against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Identification of four phytomolecules, i.e., cassameridine, laetanine, litseferine and cassythicine, with docking scores −9.3, −8.8, −8.6, and −8.6 kcal/mol, respectively, were undertaken by virtual screening, and molecular docking. Furthermore, the molecular dynamic simulation and essential dynamics analysis have contributed in understanding the stability and inhibitory effect of these selected compounds. These phytomolecules can be considered for further in vitro and in vivo experimental study to develop anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics targeting the main protease (Mpro)