MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDY OF NOVEL COVID-19 PROTEASE WITH CURRENT CLINICAL MANAGEMENT AGENTS

Objective: The first case of a new strain of coronavirus (CoV), usually known as CoV disease (COVID)-19, was recognized in Wuhan city of China, in December 2019. Till today, there are no specific treatments available against COVID. During literature searching, it was observed that drugs such as remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and chloroquine as their therapeutic options to stop the progress of COVID-19 infections. In the present study, the molecular docking study was performed to understand the binding pattern of selected drugs. Methods: Molecular docking methods were carried out using molecular virtual Docker software using COVID-19 protease (PDB ID 6LU7), and interactions of these three drugs were visualized. Conclusion: All three drugs have shown binding interactions with an active site. We assume that these inhibitory activities helped us to identify the possible drug mechanism and further designing of new molecules or investigate the potential use of other available drugs

A REVIEW ON AGENTS FOR THE TREATMENT OF LEPROSY INFECTION

Leprosy is an ancient disease which is caused due to bacterial infection while curable but endures to be a substantial health problem in numerous parts across the world. It is an extremely contagious disease that is caused by any of 3 strains of bacteria such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Nontuberculous Mycobacterium; and Mycobacterium leprae. In several regions of Brazil, leprosy is a health issue which is still an endemic. Mainly skin, peripheral nerves, eyes, and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract are affected due to this chronic infection. As per the data shared by WHO across 159 countries globally, there were around 208,619 new leprosy cases reported. The global prevalence of leprosy is overcome with the aid of multidrug therapy which remains to be the chiefly targeted for treatment. The multidrug therapy gets attention as they show tremendous potential in fighting this disease. This review briefs about the different drugs and strategies which are used in treatment and superintendence of leprosy

An integrated transcriptomics-guided genome-wide promoter analysis and next-generation proteomics approach to mine factor(s) regulating cellular differentiation

Differential next-generation-omics approaches aid in the visualization of biological processes and pave the way for divulging important events and/or interactions leading to a functional output at cellular or systems level. To this end, we undertook an integrated Nextgen transcriptomics and proteomics approach to divulge differential gene expression of infant and pubertal rat Sertoli cells (Sc).Unlike, pubertal Sc, infant Sc are immature and fail to support spermatogenesis. We found exclusive association of 14 and 19 transcription factor binding sites to infantile and pubertal states of Sc, respectively, using differential transcriptomics-guided genome-wide computational analysis of relevant promoters employing 220 Positional Weight Matrices from the TRANSFAC database. Proteomic SWATH-MS analysis provided extensive quantification of nuclear and cytoplasmic protein fractions revealing 1,670 proteins differentially located between the nucleus and cytoplasm of infant Sc and 890 proteins differentially located within those of pubertal Sc. Based on our multi-omics approach, the transcription factor YY1 was identified as one of the lead candidates regulating differentiation of Sc.YY1 was found to have abundant binding sites on promoters of genes upregulated during puberty. To determine its significance, we generated transgenic rats with Sc specific knockdown of YY1 that led to compromised spermatogenesis

An integrated transcriptomics-guided genome-wide promoter analysis and next-generation proteomics approach to mine factor(s) regulating cellular differentiation.

Differential next-generation-omics approaches aid in the visualization of biological processes and pave the way for divulging important events and/or interactions leading to a functional output at cellular or systems level. To this end, we undertook an integrated Nextgen transcriptomics and proteomics approach to divulge differential gene expression of infant and pubertal rat Sertoli cells (Sc).Unlike, pubertal Sc, infant Sc are immature and fail to support spermatogenesis. We found exclusive association of 14 and 19 transcription factor binding sites to infantile and pubertal states of Sc, respectively, using differential transcriptomics-guided genome-wide computational analysis of relevant promoters employing 220 Positional Weight Matrices from the TRANSFAC database. Proteomic SWATH-MS analysis provided extensive quantification of nuclear and cytoplasmic protein fractions revealing 1,670 proteins differentially located between the nucleus and cytoplasm of infant Sc and 890 proteins differentially located within those of pubertal Sc. Based on our multi-omics approach, the transcription factor YY1 was identified as one of the lead candidates regulating differentiation of Sc.YY1 was found to have abundant binding sites on promoters of genes upregulated during puberty. To determine its significance, we generated transgenic rats with Sc specific knockdown of YY1 that led to compromised spermatogenesis

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF ALCOHOLIC ROOTS EXTRACT OF EUPHORBIA HIRTA LINN. – IN VITRO

Objective: The main objective of the present study was to undergo an investigation on free radical scavenging activity of the roots of Euphorbia hirta Linn. and was compared with a standard antioxidant compound like ascorbic acid. Methods: Euphorbia hirta roots extract was tested for total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, and in vitro antioxidant activity by 1, 1-diphenyl- 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay (DPPH) assay, superoxide anion radical scavenging assay, and nitric oxide scavenging assay. Results: The alcoholic roots extract of E. hirta was screened for free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities using three different methods. It was found that percentage inhibition of the extract was concentration-dependent. Total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were found to be 265.72±1.3 and 45.67±1.14, respectively. The alcoholic extract of E. hirta produced a dose-dependent inhibition of superoxide radicals ranging from 40.14±0.14 to 70.93±0.10. The mean IC50 values for DPPH radical by root extract of E. hirta and ascorbic acid were found to be 18.12 μg/ml and 13.17 μg/ ml, respectively. The alcoholic extract of E. hirta produced dose-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide radicals scavenging effect ranging from 17.05±0.18 to 51.08±0.30. The alcoholic extract of E. hirta and ascorbic acid shows mean IC50 values for superoxide radical as 23.64 μg/ml and 14.36 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusions: The present study showed that E. hirta possesses a considerable amount of both phenolic and flavonoid content. The alcoholic root extract also shows good antioxidant potential. The results of the present study also encourage for further in vivo studies and isolation and characterization of active compounds

Current status of minimally invasive management of pediatric upper urinary tract calculi

The surgical management of pediatric upper urinary tract calculi has evolved from open surgery to minimally invasive techniques. With advancement in instrumentation, endourological procedures are being performed more commonly in children. However, the endourological management of renal and ureteral stones in the pediatric population is considered challenging, owing to the smaller size of the urinary tract. Various minimally invasive techniques that are being applied in the management of pediatric urolithiasis, include shock wave lithitripsy (SWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), ureterorenoscopy and a combination of these procedures. The role of SWL is well established and is considered the first line of treatment in the management of urinary calculi in pediatric patients. Recent reports have confirmed the safety of PCNL and ureteroscopy in children, although they are not as widely practiced in children as in adults. This article reviews literature published till October 2005, pertaining to the minimally invasive management of pediatric upper urinary tract calculi

Clinical evidence on the effects of saffron (Crocus Sativus L.) in anxiety and depression

Crocus sativus L., a member of the Iridaceae family, commonly known as saffron has very much popular as both medicine and spice. Earlier saffron was used as one of the important constituents in opioid preparations for pain relief. Its uses in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression are well documented. Depression can affect the quality of life of individuals by causing headaches, difficulty in thinking, and loss of interest. Many clinical trials have been conducted for evaluating the efficacy of saffron in depression cases. Almost fifty constituents of C. sativus L are well known. Few of the major constituents include crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal. In the present review, the main focus is on the antidepressant effects of saffron and its major constituents, in which it was found that saffron has substantial effects on depression and anxiety because of double-blind study the data can be trusted