Preclinical models are essential for understanding the pathophysiology of intermittent explosive disorder (IED) in rodents. However, current models fail to fully uncover the molecular mechanisms behind restraint stress-induced aggression. We introduced a restrainer combined with a biting rod to measure IED-associated symptoms in stressed rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Achieving reliable anesthesia induction and rapid postoperative recovery are crucial aspects of animal research, particularly in small experimental animals. Thiopentone is still a widely used anesthetic drug, but its safety is a primary concern in delivering a safe dose to experimental animals. However, the use of thiopentone in combination with xylazine for surgical procedures in small experimental animals remains underexplored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEthanol intake activates the posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA), enhancing dopamine synthesis in the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) and contributing to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Chronic adolescent ethanol exposure promotes neuroinflammation and disrupts reward pathways, increasing susceptibility to addiction. While transient receptor potential melastatin 3 (TRPM3) activation promotes inflammation and contributes to psychiatric disorders, its role in reward mechanisms remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Drug targeting and drug discovery methodologies are advancing rapidly due to recent developments in molecular docking techniques. Molecular docking forecasts the interactions between a small molecule, such as a potential medicine, and a target protein or receptor.
Objectives: This comprehensive review focuses on significant advances in molecular docking algorithms such as Vina, Glide, and AutoDock, including their enhanced accuracy and efficiency in predicting drug-target interactions.
Recent Pat Nanotechnol
January 2025
Background: Perphenazine (PPZ) is a prevalent antipsychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia. After oral treatment, however, it shows substantial first-pass metabolism and decreased bioavailability.
Objective: The goal of this research was to incorporate PPZ into nanostructured lipid carriers and thereby improve its bioavailability and brain targeting (PPZ-NLCs).
Although tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) plays an important role in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the pathogenesis remains unclear. Since transient receptor potential melastatin 3 (TRPM3) channels are activated during inflammatory conditions, crosstalk with TNF-α in the progression of OCD has not been investigated yet. We hypothesize that mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) stimulates TRPM3 channels, thereby enhancing the level of TNF-α in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a key brain region implicated in OCD pathogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory immune-triggered disease that causes synovitis, cartilage degradation, and joint injury. In nanotechnology, conventional liposomes were extensively investigated for RA. However, they frequently undergo rapid clearance, reducing circulation time and therapeutic efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrently, Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) stands as the predominant global cause of endstage renal disease. Many scientists believe that diabetes will eventually spread to pandemic levels due to the rising prevalence of the disease. While the primary factor leading to diabetic nephropathy is vascular dysfunction induced by hyperglycemia, several other pathological elements, such as fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, also contribute to the progression of the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Comput Aided Drug Des
October 2024
Introduction: DENV NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitors were designed based upon the reference molecule, 4-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)-N-(4-ethylphenyl) benzenesulfonamide, reported by our team with the aim to optimize lead compound via rational approach. Top five best scoring molecules with zinc ids ZINC23504872, ZINC48412318, ZINC00413269, ZINC13998032 and ZINC75249613 bearing 'pyrimidin-4(3H)-one' basic scaffold have been identified as a promising candidate against DENV protease enzyme.
Methods: The shape and electrostatic complementary between identified HITs and reference molecules were found to be Tanimotoshape 0.
The 5-HT3 receptor and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) enzyme play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of depression as their activation reduces serotonin contents in the brain. Since molecular docking analysis revealed lycopene as a potent 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and IDO1 inhibitor, we hypothesized that lycopene might disrupt the interplay between the 5-HT3 receptor and IDO1 to mitigate depression. In mice, the depression-like phenotypes were induced by inoculating Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe series of newer salicylate derivatives incorporating nitroxy functionality were synthesized and evaluated for their potential effect in gastrointestinal (GI) related toxicity produced by aspirin. The synthesized compounds (5a-j) were subjected to %NO (nitric oxide) release study, anti-inflammatory potential, % inhibition of carrageenan-induced paw edema and the obtained results were validated by studies including molecular docking, MD simulations and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination) calculations. Compounds 5a (20.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe lipid endocannabinoid system has recently emerged as a novel therapeutic target for several inflammatory and tissue-damaging diseases, including those affecting the cardiovascular system. The primary targets of cannabinoids are cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) receptors. The CB2 receptor is expressed in the cardiomyocytes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuropeptide S (NPS) is a 20 amino acids-containing neuroactive molecule discovered by the reverse pharmacology method. NPS is detected in specific brain regions like the brainstem, amygdala, and hypothalamus, while its receptor (NPSR) is ubiquitously expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). Besides CNS, NPS and NPSR are also expressed in the peripheral nervous system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuroinflammation is a complex biological process that typically originates as a protective response in the brain. This inflammatory process is triggered by the release of pro-inflammatory substances like cytokines, prostaglandins, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species from stimulated endothelial and glial cells, including those with pro-inflammatory functions, in the outer regions. While neuronal inflammation is common in various central nervous system disorders, the specific inflammatory pathways linked with different immune-mediated cell types and the various factors influencing the blood-brain barrier significantly contribute to disease-specific characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough the development of resistance by microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs has been recognized as a global public health concern, the contribution of various non-antibiotic antimicrobial agents to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains largely neglected. The present review discusses various chemical substances and factors other than typical antibiotics, such as preservatives, disinfectants, biocides, heavy metals and improper chemical sterilization that contribute to the development of AMR. Furthermore, it encompasses the mechanisms like co-resistance and co-selection, horizontal gene transfer, changes in the composition and permeability of cell membrane, efflux pumps, transposons, biofilm formation and enzymatic degradation of antimicrobial chemicals which underlie the development of resistance to various non-antibiotic antimicrobial agents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsoriasis is linked with unusual differentiation and hyperproliferation of epidermal keratinocytes that significantly impair the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The present treatment options only provide symptomatic relief and are surrounded by various adverse effects. Recently, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have emerged as next-generation nanocarriers with better physicochemical characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: In the era of globalization, a sedentary lifestyle is highly linked with obesity and neurobehavioral complications such as depression. While depression is associated with dopamine dysfunction in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), ghrelin enhances the dopaminergic activity in the VTA. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the effect of ghrelin on depression-like behaviour in rats subjected to a high-fat diet (HFD) and disturbed diurnal rhythm (DDR) for 45 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhloretin is a flavonoid of the dihydrogen chalcone class, present abundantly in apples and strawberries. The beneficial effects of phloretin are mainly associated with its potent antioxidant properties. Phloretin modulates several signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms to exhibit therapeutic benefits against various diseases including cancers, diabetes, liver injury, kidney injury, encephalomyelitis, ulcerative colitis, asthma, arthritis, and cognitive impairment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomed Pharmacother
October 2022
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker has poor bioavailability (20-30%) owing to extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism. Hence, the major objective of this research was to improve the oral bioavailability of Verapamil by Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (V-SLNs) using high shear homogenization and ultrasonication technology. A 3 factorial design was employed to statistically optimize the formulation to get minimum particle size with maximum entrapment efficiency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEarlier studies reported that long-term treatment with thymoquinone (TQ) at a high dose (20 mg/kg) exerts a cardioprotective effect against isoproterenol (ISO)-triggered myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that TQ, as a potent molecule, can exhibit cardioprotective effects at the lower dose for a short-term regimen. The rats were administered with TQ (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) at the 4 h interval for 2 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Res Pharmacol Drug Discov
June 2022
Molecular docking revealed curcumin as a potent CB2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R) agonist. Since CB2R is involved in cardioprotective functions, we explored its role in ameliorative actions of curcumin against myocardial damage triggered by isoproterenol in diabetic animals. Mice were kept on a high-fat diet (HFD) throughout the experiment (30 days).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFα-Bisabolol is one of the important monocyclic sesquiterpenes, derived naturally from essential oils of many edible and ornamental plants. It was first obtained from , commonly known as chamomile or German chamomile. The available literature indicates that this plant along with other α-Bisabolol containing plants is popularly used in traditional medicine for potential health benefits and general wellbeing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEntacapone, a reversible catechol-o-methyl transferase inhibitor, is used to enhance the action of dopamine agonists by reducing their metabolism and the 'Wearing-off' effects associated with long-term use in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. It is used as an adjunct to levodopa/Carbidopa therapy. Due to limited dissolution and first-pass clearance, it suffers low and variable bioavailability issues.
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