LigExtract: Large-scale Automated Identification of Ligands from Protein Structures in the Protein Data Bank.

The Protein Data Bank is an ever-growing database of 3D macromolecular structures that has become a crucial resource for the drug discovery process. Exploring complexed proteins and accessing the ligands in these proteins is paramount to help researchers understand biological processes and design new compounds of pharmaceutical interest. However, currently available tools to perform large-scale ligand identification do not address many of the more complex ways in which ligands are stored and represented in PDB structures.

Flavonoids as Potential Modulators of Pancreatic Lipase Catalytic Activity.

: Obesity has reached pandemic proportions, with predictions suggesting that, by 2030, over 1.5 billion people will be affected. Pancreatic lipase (PL), the enzyme primarily responsible for the absorption of dietary lipids, presents a potential target for obesity management.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Urea-Containing Carnosic Acid Derivatives with Anticancer Activity.

A series of novel carnosic acid derivatives incorporating urea moieties at the C-20 position was synthesized and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against the HCT116 colorectal cancer cell line. Most derivatives demonstrated enhanced antiproliferative activity compared to that of carnosic acid . The most promising derivatives were tested in other colorectal cancer cell lines (SW480, SW620, and Caco-2), melanoma (A375), and pancreatic cancer (MiaPaca-2).

Prevention of skin lesions caused by the use of protective face masks by an innovative gelatin-based hydrogel patch: Design and in vitro studies.

The recent Covid-19 pandemics led to the increased use of facial masks, which can cause skin lesions due to continuous pressure, tension and friction forces on the skin. A preventive approach is the inclusion of dressings between the face and the mask. However, there are still uncertainties about the protective effect of dressings and whether their use compromises the efficiency of masks.