Nutraceuticals for Human Health and Hypersensitivity Reaction

An allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a substance called an antigen, e.g., pollen from grasses, dust mites, etc. The drugs used for allergy in allopathy have undesirable side effects. The use of medicinal plants becomes popular due to the adverse effects of allopathic drugs. Nutraceuticals are food playing a significant role in maintaining normal physiological function. Mast cells are immunologically important cells found in almost all parts of our body, and contain histamines, leukotrienes within their granular sacs, along with those of basophils, are responsible for the symptoms of allergy. According to sources mast cell stabilizers can be classified into three categories, e.g., synthetic, semi synthetic and natural. Mast cell stabilising agents from natural resources can be obtained from different group of compounds, e.g., flavonoids, coumarins, phenols, terpenoids, alkaloids. In this book chapter, the active constituents present in them and their mode of action are highlighted using techniques of computational biology, e.g., molecular docking, etc.

Oxidative Crosslinking of Peptides and Proteins: Mechanisms of Formation, Detection, Characterization and Quantification

Covalent crosslinks within or between proteins play a key role in determining the structure and function of proteins. Some of these are formed intentionally by either enzymatic or molecular reactions and are critical to normal physiological function. Others are generated as a consequence of exposure to oxidants (radicals, excited states or two-electron species) and other endogenous or external stimuli, or as a result of the actions of a number of enzymes (e.g., oxidases and peroxidases). Increasing evidence indicates that the accumulation of unwanted crosslinks, as is seen in ageing and multiple pathologies, has adverse effects on biological function. In this article, we review the spectrum of crosslinks, both reducible and non-reducible, currently known to be formed on proteins; the mechanisms of their formation; and experimental approaches to the detection, identification and characterization of these species.

Progranulin A Promotes Compensatory Hepatocyte Proliferation via HGF/c-Met Signaling after Partial Hepatectomy in Zebrafish

Compensatory hepatocyte proliferation and other liver regenerative processes are activated to sustain normal physiological function after liver injury. A major mitogen for liver regeneration is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and a previous study indicated that progranulin could modulate c-met, the receptor for HGF, to initiate hepatic outgrowth from hepatoblasts during embryonic development. However, a role for progranulin in compensatory hepatocyte proliferation has not been shown previously. Therefore, this study was undertaken to clarify whether progranulin plays a regulatory role during liver regeneration. To this end, we established a partial hepatectomy regeneration model in adult zebrafish that express a liver-specific fluorescent reporter. Using this model, we found that loss of progranulin A (GrnA) function by intraperitoneal-injection of a Vivo-Morpholino impaired and delayed liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis and confirmatory quantitative real-time PCR suggested that cell cycle progression and cell proliferation was not as active in the morphants as controls, which may have been the result of comparative downregulation of the HGF/c-met axis by 36 h after partial hepatectomy. Finally, liver-specific overexpression of GrnA in transgenic zebrafish caused more abundant cell proliferation after partial hepatectomy compared to wild types. Thus, we conclude that GrnA positively regulates HGF/c-met signaling to promote hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration.

Understanding the Therapeutic Potential of Ascorbic Acid in the Battle to Overcome Cancer

Cancer, a fatal disease, is also one of the main causes of death worldwide. Despite various developments to prevent and treat cancer, the side effects of anticancer drugs remain a major concern. Ascorbic acid is an essential vitamin required by our bodies for normal physiological function and also has antioxidant and anticancer activity. Although the body cannot synthesize ascorbic acid, it is abundant in nature through foods and other natural sources and also exists as a nutritional food supplement. In anticancer drug development, ascorbic acid has played an important role by inhibiting the development of cancer through various mechanisms, including scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), selectively producing ROS and encouraging their cytotoxicity against tumour cells, preventing glucose metabolism, serving as an epigenetic regulator, and regulating the expression of HIF in tumour cells. Several ascorbic acid analogues have been produced to date for their anticancer and antioxidant activity. The current review summarizes the mechanisms behind ascorbic acid's antitumor activity, presents a compilation of its derivatives and their biological activity as anticancer agents, and discusses delivery systems such as liposomes, nanoparticles against cancer, and patents on ascorbic acid as anticancer agents.

ROLE OF AYURVEDA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MANASA ROGA W.S.R. TO MENTAL DISORDERS

A healthy mind in a healthy body constitute absolute health. While defining health Ayurveda clarifies the importance of the clarity of the mind, the sense organs as also of the normal physiological function of the body as the criterion of health. They may be occasional or long-lasting (chronic). They can affect individual’s ability to relate to others and function each day. Ayurveda treats the body through the medium of mind or Manas this is the basic difference between the modern and Ayurvedic approach. Modern drugs promote relaxation by blocking awareness of a stressful event, or by diminishing the importance one attaches to it, whereas Ayurveda approach makes one to realize the situation and adopt suitably to solve the stress problems in a refreshing way forever. Purpose: The purpose of this study is the role of Ayurveda in the management of Manasa Roga w.s.r. to mental disorders. Material and Meth- ods: Various Ayurvedic, modern literature, textbooks, articles, journals and internet sources are studied for this review work. Conclusion: This review study describes significant information of Manasa, Roga and its manage- ment through Ayurveda. Keywords: Manasa, Roga, Mental disorder, mental illnesses.

Variable number tandem repeats – Their emerging role in sickness and health

Understanding the mechanisms regulating tissue specific and stimulus inducible regulation is at the heart of understanding human biology and how this translates to wellbeing, the ageing process, and disease progression. Polymorphic DNA variation is superimposed as an extra layer of complexity in such processes which underpin our individuality and are the focus of personalized medicine. This review focuses on the role and action of repetitive DNA, specifically variable number tandem repeats and SINE-VNTR- Alu domains, highlighting their role in modification of gene structure and gene expression in addition to their polymorphic nature being a genetic modifier of disease risk and progression. Although the literature focuses on their role in disease, it illustrates their potential to be major contributors to normal physiological function. To date, these elements have been under-reported in genomic analysis due to the difficulties in their characterization with short read DNA sequencing methods. However, recent advances in long read sequencing methods should resolve these problems allowing for a greater understanding of their contribution to a host of genomic and functional mechanisms underlying physiology and disease.

Protein Substitutes in PKU; Their Historical Evolution

Protein substitutes developed for phenylketonuria (PKU) are a synthetic source of protein commonly based on L-amino acids. They are essential in the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU) and other amino acid disorders, allowing the antagonistic amino acid to be removed but with the safe provision of all other amino acids necessary for maintaining normal physiological function. They were first formulated by a chemist and used experimentally on a 2-year-old girl with PKU and their nutritional formulations and design have improved over time. Since 2008, a bioactive macropeptide has been used as a base for protein substitutes in PKU, with potential benefits of improved bone and gut health, nitrogen retention, and blood phenylalanine control. In 2018, animal studies showed that physiomimic technology coating the amino acids with a polymer allows a slow release of amino acids with an improved physiological profile. History has shown that in PKU, the protein substitute’s efficacy is determined by its nutritional profile, amino acid composition, dose, timing, distribution, and an adequate energy intake. Protein substitutes are often given little importance, yet their pharmacological actions and clinical benefit are pivotal when managing PKU.

A GENERAL REVIEW ON NUTRACEUTICALS: ITS GOLDEN HEALTH IMPACT OVER HUMAN COMMUNITY

Nutraceutical is the hybrid of Nutrition and Pharmaceutical. Nutraceuticals, in broad, are food or part of food playing a significant role in modifying and maintaining normal physiological function that maintains healthy human beings. The principal reasons for the growth of the nutraceutical market worldwide are the current population and the health trends. The food products used as nutraceuticals can be categorized as dietary fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants and other different types of herbal/ natural foods. These nutraceuticals help in combating some of the major health problems of the century such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, cholesterol etc. In whole, Nutraceutical has led to the new era of medicine and health, in which the food industry has become a research-oriented sector.

HSP70 gene expression responses to the temperature stress in pufferfish (Takifugu rubripes)

In this study, we isolated and characterized HSP70 cDNA from pufferfish (Takifugu rubripes). The 3,053 bp full-length TrHSP70 sequence consisted of a 167 bp 5′-UTR (untranslated region), a 2,535 bp ORF (open reading frame), and a 351 bp 3′-UTR. BLAST analysis revealed that the TrHSP70 shared high similarity with HSP70 sequences in other species. In our study, we set three experimental groups as H1 group (20 °C), H2 group (24 °C) and H3 group (28 °C) for checking expression level of TrHSP70 in T. rubripes. Tissues specific gene expression results showed that TrHSP70 had higher expression in the intestines than other tissues of the T. rubripes by RT-qPCR. In the experimental group, we found that the expression of TrHSP70 was upregulated in different tissues in H3 group. The results show that TrHSP70 is a constitutively expressed gene, which plays an important role in maintaining normal physiological function and coping with stress

Emerging Evidence for cAMP-Ca2+ Cross Talk in Heart Atrial Nanodomains Where IP3-Evoked Ca2+ Release Stimulates Adenylyl Cyclases

Calcium handling is vital to normal physiological function in the heart. Human atrial arrhythmias, eg. atrial fibrillation, are a major morbidity and mortality burden, yet major gaps remain in our understanding of how calcium signaling pathways function and interact. Inositol trisphosphate (IP3) is a Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger and its agonist-induced effects have been observed in many tissue types. In the atria IP3 receptors (IR3Rs) residing on junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum augment cellular Ca2+ transients and, when over-stimulated, lead to arrhythmogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that the predominant pathway for IP3 actions in atrial myocytes depends on stimulation of calcium-dependent forms of adenylyl cyclase (AC8 and AC1) by IP3-evoked Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. AC8 shows co-localisation with IP3Rs and AC1 appears to be nearby. These observations support crosstalk between Ca2+ and cAMP pathways in nanodomains in atria. Similar mechanisms also appear to operate in the pacemaker region of the sinoatrial node. Here we discuss these significant advances in our understanding of atrial physiology and pathology, together with implications for the identification of potential novel targets and modulators for the treatment of atrial arrhythmias.