Traditional and Novel Herbal Drugs Emerging as Potent Novel Combinations for Managing Morbidities by Pharmacological and Mechanistic Studies

Background: Herbal drugs are used in treatment of diseases since decades. Major contributing factor for their use is easy availability, less expensive and more belief of common population because of relatively less side effects compared to allopathic medicines. Medicines of natural origin or functional foods in the prevention of disease are the need of hour. Hence, the present review focused on activity of four drugs viz. Withania somnifera,Allium sativum,Curcuma longa andAzadirachta indica and role in different clinical complications.Methods: A thorough review of all the articles, research as well as reviews available regarding the concerned topic was performed. MEDLINE database was searched and English language articles were preferably selected.Results: Withania somnifera, Allium sativum, Curcuma longa andAzadirachta indicahave shown alleviation in inflammation, diabetes and cancer states. The herbal drugs have shown beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of these disorders. Conclusion from these facts:Utilizing this concept, it can be assumed that herbal drugs play an intricate role in safeguarding the health of individuals from life-threatening complications. However, validation and reproducibility of results in clinical trails should be there in order to confirm the safety andefficacy of these herbal drugs

Role of Collectins and Complement Protein C1q in pregnancy and parturition

Collectins such as surfactant proteins SP-A, SP-D, and mannan-binding lectin (MBL), as well as complement protein C1q are evolutionarily conserved innate immune molecules. They are known to opsonize a range of microbial pathogens (bacteria, fungi, virus, and parasites) and trigger effector clearance mechanisms involving phagocytosis and/or complement activation. Collectins and C1q have also attracted attention in studies involving pregnancy as they are expressed in the female reproductive tissues during pregnancy; a unique state of immune suppression with increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Recent studies are beginning to unravel their functional significance in implantation, placentation, pregnancy maintenance and parturition in normal and adverse pregnancies. Collectins and C1q, expressed in gestational tissues during pregnancy, might alter the status of mother’s immune response to the allogenic fetus and the microenvironment, thereby serving as important regulators of fetus-mother interaction. Here, we discuss the functional roles that have been assigned to SPA, SP-D, MBL and C1q in pregnancy and parturition

Photoprotective Effects of Hydroalcohol Tagetes Erectus Extract Against UV-Induced Oxidative Damage in Mice

Purpose: To investigate the effects of topical application of Tagetes Erectus hydroalcohol extract as a dermal antioxidant agent and evaluate its capacity to prevent ultraviolet (UV)–induced oxidative damage. Methods: The plant flower was extracted with aqueous ethanol (60 %). Female Lacca mice were divided into five groups of 24 animals each. Group I was un-irradiated control (neither UV exposure nor any treatment received). Group II was irradiated control and received 5 min UV exposure twice a day. Groups III, 1V and V received both UV exposure and treatment of different concentrations of the extract, 4 h. prior to UV exposure. The degree of protection was quantified using biochemical tests (lipid peroxidation and glutathione level) and histopathological assessment. Results: The results showed that 2% topical extract treatment reduced the effect of UV light-induced photoaging on mice skin by decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) level by up to 50 % and increasing glutathione (GSH) level 3-fold (p<0.01) compared to UV-irradiated control group. Histopathological evaluation also indicated a photo-protective effect on the extract-treated mice skin as no signs of histological changes were seen after UV exposure. Conclusion: Topical application of T. erectus has a potential for preventing oxidative damage by UV irradiation

Individualized lifestyle intervention in PCOS women (IPOS): a study protocol for a multicentric randomized controlled trial for evaluating the effectiveness of an individualized lifestyle intervention in PCOS women who wish to conceive

Abstract Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition which affects women in the reproductive age group. South Asian women with PCOS have a higher risk of insulin resistance and metabolic disorder compared to women from other ethnic backgrounds. Lifestyle interventions such as dietary advice and physical exercise are recommended as a first-line management option for infertile women with PCOS. Most of the randomized controlled trials evaluating the role of lifestyle interventions in infertile PCOS women were characterized by methodological issues. The uptake of lifestyle modifications as a treatment strategy in the South Asian population is complicated by a difficult-to-change conventional high-carbohydrate diet and limited availability of space for physical activity in the region. Methods The study is designed as an open-label, multicentre, randomized controlled trial in South Asian women with PCOS. Women attending the fertility clinic will be screened for eligibility, and women aged between 19 and 37 years who have been diagnosed with PCOS and wishing to conceive will be invited to participate in the trial. We will include women with body mass index (BMI) between ≥ 23 and ≤ 35 kg/m2 and duration of infertility ≤ 3 years. We plan to randomize women with PCOS into two groups: group A will receive the intervention which will consist of individualized advice on diet and physical exercise along with a telephonic reminder system and follow-up visits, and group B (control) will receive one-time advice on diet and physical exercise. Both groups will receive up to three cycles of ovulation induction with letrozole after 3 months of randomization during the 6-month treatment period. The primary outcome of the trial will be the live birth following conception during the intervention period. The secondary outcomes include clinical pregnancy rate, ongoing pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, stillbirth, time to pregnancy, mean weight loss, differences in anthropometric parameters, improvement in menstrual regularity and quality of life score. Discussion The IPOS trial results could help clarify and provide more robust evidence for advocating an individualized lifestyle intervention in PCOS women who wish to conceive. Trial registration Clinical Trial Registry of India CTRI/2023/04/051620. Registered on 13 April 2023

Additional file 1 of Individualized lifestyle intervention in PCOS women (IPOS): a study protocol for a multicentric randomized controlled trial for evaluating the effectiveness of an individualized lifestyle intervention in PCOS women who wish to conceive

Additional file 1

Applications of Adductomics in Chemically Induced Adverse Outcomes and Major Emphasis on DNA Adductomics: A Pathbreaking Tool in Biomedical Research

Adductomics novel and emerging discipline in the toxicological research emphasizes on adducts formed by reactive chemical agents with biological molecules in living organisms. Development in analytical methods propelled the application and utility of adductomics in interdisciplinary sciences. This review endeavors to add a new dimension where comprehensive insights into diverse applications of adductomics in addressing some of society’s pressing challenges are provided. Also focuses on diverse applications of adductomics include: forecasting risk of chronic diseases triggered by reactive agents and predicting carcinogenesis induced by tobacco smoking; assessing chemical agents’ toxicity and supplementing genotoxicity studies; designing personalized medication and precision treatment in cancer chemotherapy; appraising environmental quality or extent of pollution using biological systems; crafting tools and techniques for diagnosis of diseases and detecting food contaminants; furnishing exposure profile of the individual to electrophiles; and assisting regulatory agencies in risk assessment of reactive chemical agents. Characterizing adducts that are present in extremely low concentrations is an exigent task and more over absence of dedicated database to identify adducts is further exacerbating the problem of adduct diagnosis. In addition, there is scope of improvement in sample preparation methods and data processing software and algorithms for accurate assessment of adducts