Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Almir Ribeiro De Carvalho Junior, Rafaela Oliveira Ferreira, Michel de Souza Passos, Milena Goncalves Curcino Vieira, Lorena de Lima Gloria das Virgens, Sanderson Dias Calixto, Thatiana Lopes Bia Ventura, Elena Lassounskaia, Mario Geraldo de Carvalho, Raimundo Braz-Filho, Ivo Jose Curcino Vieira
Summary: This study identified and characterized major compounds with anti-tuberculosis and anti-inflammatory activities in the leaves of Psychotria suterella, highlighting the potential of triterpene 3-O-acethyloleanolic acid as a promising antimycobacterial agent.
PHARMACOGNOSY MAGAZINE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Gwladys Djikam Sime, Norbert Mbabi Nyemeck, Auguste Abouem A. Zintchem, Natasha October, Marius Balemaken Missi, Rabia Farooq, Khalid Mohammed Khan, Dominique Serge Ngono Bikobo, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Dieudonne Emmanuel Pegnyemb
Summary: A new monoterpene indole alkaloid and triterpenes have been isolated from the leaves of Tricalysia atherura, showing moderate antimalarial activity. The crude extract exhibits high antimalarial activity and selectivity indices, and is considered safe.
NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zuzanna Rzepka, Ewa Bebenek, Elwira Chrobak, Dorota Wrzesniok
Summary: The synthesized new 28-indole-betulin derivatives showed promising anticancer activity, particularly against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, possibly through inducing apoptosis.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Ni Zhang, Junrong Song, Hanfei Liu, Fei Li, Weidong Pan
Summary: In this study, we reported the complete chloroplast genome of U. macrophylla and found it to be closely related to U. rhynchophylla.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Miao Zhang, Min-Min Chen, Xue-Min Zhang, Shao-Ning Chen, Zong-Suo Liang
Summary: In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of Uncaria macrophylla was sequenced and assembled, providing detailed genetic information. Phylogenomic analysis revealed the close relationship between U. macrophylla and Uncaria rhynchophylla.
MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Jing-Jing Liang, Tian-Ming Lv, Zhi-Yong Xu, Ning-Ning Du, Bin Lin, Xiao-Xiao Huang, Shao-Jiang Song
Summary: Two undescribed split-ring iridoids (1-2) along with six known triterpenes (3-8) and one steride (9) were isolated from Viburnum chingii. Compound 2 exhibited a novel split-ring iridoid skeleton formed by electrocyclic reaction and split ring. The structures and absolute configurations of the new iridoids were determined using NMR, HRESIMS, and ECD calculations. All the isolated compounds were tested for their AChE inhibitory activity, with compounds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 showing significant effects compared to the positive control donepezil. Molecular docking studies were also conducted for these compounds.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Marielle Cascaes Inacio, Tiago Antunes Paz, E. M. Kithsiri Wijeratne, G. M. Kamal B. Gunaherath, Rafael V. C. Guido, A. A. Leslie Gunatilaka
Summary: Celastroloids and their derivatives showed significant antibacterial and antifungal activities against bacteria and yeast. Quinonemethide-type celastroloids and phenolic triterpenes exhibited high activity. Some compounds showed antimicrobial activity at sub-cytotoxic concentrations, suggesting their potential as candidates for further studies.
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Renata Jardim Etchart, Raoni S. Rambo, Bruno Lopes Abbadi, Nathalia Sperotto, Christiano Ev Neves, Fernanda Fries Silva, Maiele Dornelles, Lovaine Duarte, Fernanda Souza Macchi, Marcia Alberton Perello, Rogerio Vescia Lourega, Cristiano Valim Bizarro, Luiz Augusto Basso, Pablo Machado
Summary: This study synthesized a series of 20 1H-indoles and found that one of the compounds exhibited bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant strains, with no apparent toxicity or genotoxicity. This compound showed a time-dependent behavior at concentrations close to the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration. This study represents the first description of 3-phenyl-1H-indole activity against Mtb.
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Rodrigo de Souza Miranda, Barbara da Silva Mascarenhas de Jesus, Sandra Regina da Silva Luiz, Cristina Borges Viana, Camila Rodrigues Adao Malafaia, Fabiana de Souza Figueiredo, Tatiane dos Santos Conceicao Carvalho, Matheus Lopes Silva, Vinicius Silva Londero, Thais Alves da Costa-Silva, Joao Henrique Ghilardi Lago, Roberto Carlos Campos Martins
Summary: This review provides an overview of the anti-inflammatory effects of various triterpenes and their presumed mechanisms of action, based on articles published in the last 15 years. The findings suggest that triterpenes could be valuable natural products with potential pharmaceutical applications.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ewa Bebenek, Elwira Chrobak, Zuzanna Rzepka, Dorota Wrzesniok
Summary: In the search for potential medicinal substances for oncology, new compounds combining the betulin molecule and the indole system were synthesized. The structure of the obtained derivatives was confirmed and their anticancer activity was evaluated. The results indicated that one derivative showed promising cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cells, making it a potential starting point for further research in breast cancer therapy or synthesis of new derivatives.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Bhaiyyasaheb Harale, Saqib Kidwai, Divya Ojha, Manisha Singh, Dwarika Kumar Chouhan, Ramandeep Singh, Vijay Khedkar, Ambadas B. Rode
Summary: Riboflavin derivatives showed promising antimycobacterial activity, with compound 5a being a lead candidate due to its potency and low toxicity. These compounds may exert their antimycobacterial effects through inhibition of riboflavin biosynthesis pathway via FMN riboswitch.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
R. T. Akande, G. Fouche, I. M. Famuyide, F. N. Makhubu, S. M. Nkadimeng, A. O. Aro, P. N. Kayoka-Kabongo, L. J. McGaw
Summary: This study isolated and characterized antimycobacterial compounds from Cissampelos mucronata, showcasing its potential as a traditional medicinal source for reducing the impact of co-infections with helminth parasites and tuberculosis-causing mycobacteria.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ya-ming Xu, E. M. Kithsiri Wijeratne, Aida Calderon-Rivera, Santiago Loya-Lopez, Samantha Perez-Miller, Rajesh Khanna, A. A. Leslie Gunatilaka
Summary: Four new triterpenes were isolated from Parthenium incanum and their structures were determined. These compounds were found to decrease the excitability of dorsal root ganglia neurons. The binding sites of these compounds in pain-relevant voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels were evaluated, and preliminary structure-activity relationships were established.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Vida Mashayekhi, Kamaleddin Haj Mohammad Ebrahim Tehrani, Parisa Azerang, Soroush Sardari, Farzad Kobarfard
Summary: In this study, a series of novel 1-substituted indole-3-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones were synthesized as potential antimycobacterial and anticancer agents. Two derivatives showed significant antimycobacterial activity, while four others showed considerable inhibitory effects on cancer cell lines.
ARCHIVES OF PHARMACAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Daria Elzbieta Nawrot, Ghada Bouz, Ondrsi Jandourek, Klara Konecna, Pavla Paterova, Pavel Barta, Martin Novak, Radim Kucera, Julia Zemanova, Martin Forbak, Jana Kordulakova, Oto Pavlis, Pavla Kubickova, Martin Dolezal, Jan Zitko
Summary: Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is the leading cause of death among infectious diseases caused by a single microbe. With the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, the success rate of treating this infection is decreasing, and there is an urgent need for novel treatments. In this study, a novel series of compounds inspired by combining fragments from first-line and second-line agents for tuberculosis were synthesized and evaluated. Compound 10c from the second series showed selective and potent antimycobacterial activity against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Mtb strains, with no cytotoxicity. The compound targeted methionine metabolism rather than the folate pathway and had a long half-life, overcoming the limitations of current drugs for tuberculosis.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Saif Khan, Mahvish Khan, Mohtashim Lohani, Saheem Ahmad, Subuhi Sherwani, Sundeep Bhagwath, Mohd Wajid A. Khan, Mohd Wahid, Farrukh Aqil, Shafiul Haque
Summary: This study investigated the unfolding of Mycobacterium Aspartate beta semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ASADH) using spectroscopic techniques and size exclusion chromatography. The unfolding of the apo ASADH was found to be non-cooperative, while the unfolding of the holoenzyme was cooperative. The presence of NADP/H stabilizes the tryptophan environment and the native NADP/H-bound enzyme. The folded holoenzyme was shown to be conformationally more stable compared to the apo state. These findings are important for the discovery of novel drugs targeting ASADH.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mariana Quaresma de Souza, Caroline Busatto, Ana Julia Reis, Andrea von Groll, Pedro Eduardo Almeida da Silva, Ivy Bastos Ramis
Summary: Infection disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are increasingly reported and often present similar symptoms to tuberculosis (TB). Rapid and accurate tests are necessary for identifying the specific species of mycobacteria and determining the appropriate treatment. This study evaluated a multiplex PCR assay for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). The PCR assay showed high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of MTBC and MAC. The multiplex PCR assay is an important tool for differentiating between M. tuberculosis and NTM and for identifying MAC, which is prevalent worldwide.
BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan Carlos Garcia-Cruz, Daniel Huelgas-Mendez, Jorge Santiago Jimenez-Zuniga, Xareni Rebollar-Juarez, Mariel Hernandez-Garnica, Ana Maria Fernandez-Presas, Fohad Mabood Husain, Rawaf Alenazy, Mohammed Alqasmi, Thamer Albalawi, Pravej Alam, Rodolfo Garcia-Contreras
Summary: Bacteriophages, as the most abundant biological entity on Earth, play crucial roles in bacterial ecology, animal and plant health, and biogeochemical cycles. In addition to phage therapy, they have potential applications in food preservation, surface disinfection, treatment of dysbiosis, and modulation of microbiomes. Bacteriophages can also be used for non-bacterial infections, pest control, reducing bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistance, and even combating global warming.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Monika Ziomek, Michal Gondek, Beatrice Torracca, Francesca Marotta, Giuliano Garofolo, Kinga Wieczorek, Katarzyna Michalak, Filippo Fratini, Francesca Pedonese
Summary: A study examined the presence of Campylobacter species in wild boars in Tuscany to determine their contribution to human infection through the food chain. The study found that 44.56% of the animals and various samples were contaminated with Campylobacter spp., with C. coli and C. lanienae being the dominant species. The study emphasizes the importance of providing food safety information to hunters and consumers due to the contamination of meat and liver with Campylobacter spp.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zeeshan Rafi, Mohammad Hassan Baig, Fohad Mabood Husain, Suliman Yousef Alomar, Jae-June Dong, Mohd Sajid Khan
Summary: This study achieved the facile synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their bioconjugation with herbal drug garcinol (G) in order to enhance the antiglycative, antidiabetic, and anticancer efficacy. The results showed that G-AuNPs were more effective in inhibiting glycation reactions and preventing the formation of early glycation adducts and AGEs. Additionally, G-AuNPs induced apoptosis in cancer cells, leading to cell death.
JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY SCIENCE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Farrukh Aqil, Ramesh Gupta
Review
Microbiology
Asghar Ali, Andaleeb Zahra, Mohan Kamthan, Fohad Mabood Husain, Thamer Albalawi, Mohammad Zubair, Roba Alatawy, Mohammad Abid, Md Salik Noorani
Summary: This review explores the diverse applications of microbial biofilms, their clinical consequences, and alternative therapies targeting these resilient structures. The beneficial applications of microbial biofilms in wastewater treatment, bioremediation, food industries, agriculture, and biotechnology are discussed. The mechanisms of biofilm formation, clinical consequences of biofilms, and their association with antibiotic resistance, chronic infections, and medical device-related infections are highlighted. Furthermore, the potential of antimicrobial agents, such as antimicrobial peptides, quorum-sensing inhibitors, phytoextracts, and nanoparticles, in targeting biofilms is examined.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Juliana Alves da Costa Ribeiro Souza, Terezinha Souza, Isadora Louise Alves da Costa Ribeiro Quintans, Davi Farias
Summary: Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are toxic substances that contaminate aquatic environments, interfere with the development of the nervous system, and induce Neurodevelopmental Toxicity (NDT) in animals and humans. The canonical mechanism of OP neurotoxicity involves the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), but other mechanisms non-AChE are also involved and not fully understood. This study used network toxicology and molecular docking to identify common molecular targets and toxicity mechanisms of OPs, and found that signal transduction, axon guidance, cellular responses to stress, and glutamatergic signaling activation play key roles in OP-induced NDT.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tathilene B. M. G. Arruda, Francisco Eduardo A. Rodrigues, Francisco Alessandro M. Rodrigues, Pedro O. B. Chaves, Lucas Mateus da Silva, Nagila Maria P. S. Ricardo
Summary: This study extracted polysaccharides from Inga edulis fruits using citric acid solution and evaluated the impact of extraction conditions on the properties of the polysaccharide. The results showed that the condition of pH 2.4, time 1 h, and temperature 90℃ provided a higher degree of methyl esterification and galacturonic acid content. The extraction yield was 3.97%, and the emulsifying capacity and emulsion stability were best at lower concentrations of polysaccharide. This research contributes to the understanding of the botanical potential and industrial applications of Inga edulis.
JOURNAL OF THE BRAZILIAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcus Vinicius Oliveira Barros de Alencar, Muhammad Torequl Islam, Ana Maria Oliveira Ferreira da Mata, Antonielly Campinho dos Reis, Rosalia Maria Torres de Lima, Jose Roberto de Oliveira Ferreira, Joao Marcelo de Castro e Sousa, Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira, Ana Amelia de Carvalho Melo-Cavalcante, Abdur Rauf, Hassan A. Hemeg, Khalaf F. Alsharif, Haroon Khan
Summary: This study evaluates the anticancer effects of Phytol on sarcoma 180 and human leukemia cell lines. The results show that Phytol significantly reduces cell viability and division rate, induces DNA damage and apoptosis, and exhibits potential anticancer effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Karen P. S. Lopes, Maria C. C. Lucena, Thiago Inacio B. Lopes, Amison R. L. da Silva, Leonardo P. da Silva, Norberto K. V. Monteiro, Pedro de Lima-Neto, Nagila M. P. S. Ricardo
Summary: This study aims to use infrared (IR) in silico data as a standard database for preliminary analysis of new synthetic seized drugs. Computational chemistry was used to compare ten of the most common synthetic illicit substances on the Brazilian market and evaluate infrared data from a standard electronic library, experimental data from seized samples, and data simulated by Density Functional Theory (DFT). The results suggest that using computational methodology is a feasible way to analyze the structures of new synthetic drugs and obtain preliminary infrared profiles.
JOURNAL OF THE BRAZILIAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira, Rayran Walter Ramos de Sousa, Dalton Dittz, Joao Marcelo de Castro e Sousa, Francisco Leonardo Torres-Leal, Daniel Pereira Bezerra
Summary: We critically analyzed clinical trials of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine with or without macrolides during the first wave of COVID-19 and discussed their limitations. The studies showed that these drugs did not show clinical advantages and were not effective in reducing mortality or improving symptoms in COVID-19 patients. The evidence was based mainly on retrospective trials with low quality, making it unreliable for decision-making.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mariana Quaresma de Souza, Dienefer Venske Bierhals, Ana Julia Reis, Erica Chimara, Julia Silveira Vianna, Andrea von Groll, Pedro Almeida da Silva, Ivy Bastos Ramis
Summary: This study proposed and evaluated a drug susceptibility testing method using 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) as a colorimetric indicator for the clinical relevant non-tuberculous mycobacteria (Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC), M. avium complex (MAC), and M. kansasii). The results showed high agreement between TTC assay and the recommended broth microdilution method, indicating the potential of TTC as a promising indicator in drug susceptibility testing for NTM.
DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2024)
Article
Biology
Ana Paula dos Santos, Roberta Carolina Rangel de Oliveira, Bianca Oliveira Louchard, Antonia Flavia Justino Uchoa, Nagila Maria Pontes Silva Ricardo, Luzia Kalyne Almeida Moreira Leal, Gandhi Radis-Baptista, Tamara Goncalves de Araujo
Summary: This article reports the preparation and optimized formulation of Ctn[15-34] anti-infective peptide using poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles. The prepared nanoparticles showed smaller particle size, better stability, and higher zeta potential values. The loaded nanoparticles demonstrated sustained release and enhanced antifungal activity compared to the free peptide.
BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF BIOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Beata Lachtara, Kinga Wieczorek, Jacek Osek
Summary: Antibiotic resistance has emerged among L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food and food-production environments in Poland, posing a potential health risk to consumers. Most of the tested strains displayed resistance to multiple antibacterial substances.
JOURNAL OF VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2023)