Rasayana karma of poisonous Bhallataka: A Review

Rasayan is a branch of the Ayurveda. Charaka had described fulfilling the aim of the Ayurveda i.e., drugs act by preventing old age and diseases in the healthy person. Charaka stated about two types of medicine, one which promotes resistance to the body and another which cures diseases and Rasayan therapy play a key role in achieving these goals The main aim of Rasayan therapy is to promote the formation of or resistance which in modern terminology can be called as promoting the strength of the immune system. Bhallataka, a medicinal drug has the ability to penetrate deeply into the tissues and rejuvenate the body that’s why it was used to hold in high esteem by ancient sages of Ayurveda. Maharshi Charak emphasized the Rasayana property of Bhallataka and described ten types of preparations with it. He considered bhallataka as the best drug to cure the kaphaj vyadhi. Charak has categorized Bhallataka as Dipaniya -an appetizer, Bhedaniya- to break accumulated doshas, mutra sangrahaniya- antidiuretic, and Kusthaghna -antidermatosis. In the present study, review of the drugs had been made from Ayurveda classics. Because it is important to have an awareness regarding the Poisonous drugs, when used in the proper form & prescribed dose they act as a potent therapeutic agent. It is a fact that virtually any substance can be harmful at high enough concentrations as rightly quoted that “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy.”

Combination of PRL-3 Inhibitor with Sorafenib Synergistically Promotes AML Apoptosis

Phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3) is recognized as a novel independent crucial driver for AML progression. Thus, the specific inhibitor of PRL-3 would be a potential therapeutic agent to AML in clinic, but there is no such preclinical application reported yet. Here we evaluated the cytotoxicity of PRL-3 inhibitor, BR-1, against AML cells ML-1 and MOLM-13. Meanwhile, the effect of BR-1 on the biological characteristics of AML cells and the underlying mechanism were investigated along with the combination of BR-1 and sorafenib on AML cell viability. Our results show that BR-1 promotes apoptosis by inactivation of JAK/STAT5 and PI3K/AKT pathways, while inhibits cell proliferation through arresting cell cycle in the S phase. In addition, combination of BR-1 with a FLT3 inhibitor, sorafenib can further improve the therapeutic effect on AML. Thus, our results demonstrated that BR-1 would be a novel and potent therapeutic agent to AML, and its combination with other anti-AML drugs would be a promising strategy to AML therapy.

Synthetic and therapeutic potential of 4-thiazolidinone and its analogs

Past researches on 4-thiazolidinone nucleus have revealed the prominent potential of derivatives containing this nucleus to be developed as a potent therapeutic agent. Because of these biological activities, their structure-activity relationship has created an interest for medicinal chemists leading to the discovery of a number of lead molecules. This review highlights the routes for its synthesis and summarizes the past and recent studies on its biological activities to guide the medicinal chemists working on this nucleus in the development of clinically viable drugs.

(Ascorb)ing Pb Neurotoxicity in the Developing Brain

Lead (Pb) neurotoxicity is a major concern, particularly in children. Developmental exposure to Pb can alter neurodevelopmental trajectory and has permanent neuropathological consequences, including an increased vulnerability to further stressors. Ascorbic acid is among most researched antioxidant nutrients and has a special role in maintaining redox homeostasis in physiological and physio-pathological brain states. Furthermore, because of its capacity to chelate metal ions, ascorbic acid may particularly serve as a potent therapeutic agent in Pb poisoning. The present review first discusses the major consequences of Pb exposure in children and then proceeds to present evidence from human and animal studies for ascorbic acid as an efficient ameliorative supplemental nutrient in Pb poisoning, with a particular focus on developmental Pb neurotoxicity. In doing so, it is hoped that there is a revitalization for further research on understanding the brain functions of this essential, safe, and readily available vitamin in physiological states, as well to justify and establish it as an effective neuroprotective and modulatory factor in the pathologies of the nervous system, including developmental neuropathologies.

Unrevealing the Magic of Wonder Fruit: Vaccinium Macrocarpon

Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) is a native fruit of northern America. It is a small evergreen shrub which grown in cooler climate of different parts of world. It is an abundant source of Vitamin and Minerals. It has potent health benefits which include its anti adhering property, anti oxidant property, UTI, gastrointestinal system, anti tumor effect as well as in oral diseases. It is more biocompatible and less noxious which makes it more potent therapeutic agent. This review is formed for displaying cranberry as a natural weapon against the medical and oral disease.

New Applications of Oleanolic Acid and its Derivatives as Cardioprotective Agents: A Review of their Therapeutic Perspectives

Oleanolic acid is an analogue of pentacyclic triterpenoids. It has been used as a hepatic drug for over 20 years in China. Currently, there are only five approved drugs derived from pentacyclic triterpenoids, including oleanolic acid (liver diseases), asiaticoside (wound healing), glycyrrhizinate (liver diseases), isoglycyrrhizinate (liver disease) and sodium aescinate (hydrocephalus). To understand more about the bioactivity and functional mechanisms of oleanolic acid, it can be developed as a potent therapeutic agent, in particular, for the prevention and treatment of heart diseases that are the leading cause of death for people worldwide. The primary aim of this mini-review is to summarize the new applications of oleanolic acid and its derivatives as cardioprotective agents reported in recent years and to highlight their therapeutic perspectives in cardiovascular diseases.

Molecular insights into the interaction of hemorphin and its targets

Hemorphins are atypical endogenous opioid peptides produced by the cleavage of hemoglobin beta chain. Several studies have reported the therapeutic potential of hemorphin in memory enhancement, blood regulation, and analgesia. However, the mode of interaction of hemorphin with its target remains largely elusive. The decapeptide LVV-hemorphin-7 is the most stable form of hemorphin. It binds with high affinity to mu-opioid receptors (MOR), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP). In this study, computational methods were used extensively to elucidate the most likely binding pose of mammalian LVV-hemorphin-7 with the aforementioned proteins and to calculate the binding affinity. Additionally, alignment of mammalian hemorphin sequences showed that the hemorphin sequence of the camel harbors a variation – a Q > R substitution at position 8. This study also investigated the binding affinity and the interaction mechanism of camel LVV-hemorphin-7 with these proteins. To gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the molecular interactions between the selected targets and hemorphin peptides, 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations of the best-ranked poses were performed. Simulations highlighted major interactions between the peptides and key residues in the binding site of the proteins. Interestingly, camel hemorphin had a higher binding affinity and showed more interactions with all three proteins when compared to the canonical mammalian LVV-hemorphin-7. Thus, camel LVV-hemorphin-7 could be explored as a potent therapeutic agent for memory loss, hypertension, and analgesia.