B. Sapkota, Karan Khadayat, B. Aryal, Jyoti Bashyal, S. Jaisi, Niranjan Parajuli
{"title":"LC-HRMS-Based Profiling: Antibacterial and Lipase Inhibitory Activities of Some Medicinal Plants for the Remedy of Obesity","authors":"B. Sapkota, Karan Khadayat, B. Aryal, Jyoti Bashyal, S. Jaisi, Niranjan Parajuli","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030055","url":null,"abstract":"Globally, obesity is a serious health concern that causes numerous diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Medicinal plants have been used to aid in weight loss since ancient times. Thus, this research is focused on the exploration of pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity and secondary metabolite profiling of Bergenia ciliata, Mimosa pudica, and Phyllanthus emblica, selected based on an ethnobotanical survey. The lipase inhibition was investigated using 4-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-NPB) as a substrate. To uncover further therapeutic potentials of these medicinal plants, antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts were also determined. The ethyl acetate plant extracts showed higher antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Shigella sonnei. The MIC of ethyl acetate extracts of medicinal plants considered in this study ranges from 1.56 to 6.25 mg/mL. The hexane fraction of Mimosa pudica and Phyllanthus emblica showed a higher lipase inhibitory activity as compared to others, with IC50 values of 0.49 ± 0.02 and 2.45 ± 0.003 mg/mL, respectively. In the case of Bergenia ciliata, the methanolic extract inhibited lipase more effectively than others, with an IC50 value of 1.55 ± 0.02 mg/mL (IC50 value of orlistat was 179.70 ± 3.60 µg/mL). A mass spectrometry analysis of various solvent/solvent partition fractions (extracts) revealed 29 major secondary metabolites. The research offers a multitude of evidence for using medicinal plants as antiobesity and antimicrobial agents.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42499353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
H. A. Wisnuwardhani, Slamet Ibrahim, R. Mukti, S. Damayanti
{"title":"Molecularly-Imprinted SERS: A Potential Method for Bioanalysis","authors":"H. A. Wisnuwardhani, Slamet Ibrahim, R. Mukti, S. Damayanti","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030054","url":null,"abstract":"The most challenging step in developing bioanalytical methods is finding the best sample preparation method. The matrix interference effect of biological sample become a reason of that. Molecularly imprinted SERS become a potential analytical method to be developed to answer this challenge. In this article, we review recent progress in MIP SERS application particularly in bioanalysis. Begin with the explanation about molecular imprinting technique and component, SERS principle, the combination of MIP SERS, and follow by various application of MIP SERS for analysis. Finally, the conclusion and future perspective were also discussed.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43985547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Ibuprofen and Chlorpheniramine Maleate","authors":"H. Aldewachi, Thamer A. Omar","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030053","url":null,"abstract":"One of the most prevalent over-the-counter cold and cough medications is the chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM)–ibuprofen (IBF) combination. A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was effectively optimized and developed for the simultaneous detection of chlorpheniramine maleate and ibuprofen in a pharmaceutical formulation. The mobile phase for the RP-HPLC method was an isocratic combination of acetonitrile and 0.01 M acetate buffer at pH 3.8 (55:45; v/v) on an Eclipse Plus C18 reversed phase column. An ultraviolet (UV) detector with a wavelength of 225 nm was used to detect the analytes at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. CPM and IBF were satisfactorily eluted, with mean retention times of 2.09 and 6.27 min, respectively. The approach was shown to be linear (R2 > 0.9998 for CPM and 0.9992 for IBF), precise (% RSD 3.02% for CPM and 3.48% for IBF), accurate (% recoveries 97.7–98.9% for CPM and 101–104.5% for IBF), specific, easy to use, sensitive, quick, and robust. Limits of detection (LODs) were found to be 10 and 27 μg/mL for CPM and IBF, respectively. Without interference from excipients, the validated method could be utilized in regular quality control analysis of various dosage combinations of hard gelatin capsules containing CPM and IBF.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42377631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New Quinazolin-4(3H)-one Derivatives Incorporating Hydrazone and Pyrazole Scaffolds as Antimicrobial Agents Targeting DNA Gyraze Enzyme","authors":"Eman M. Mohi El-Deen, E. Nossier, Eman A. Karam","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030052","url":null,"abstract":"The present work includes the synthesis of a new series of quinazolin-4(3H)-one compounds (4a–f, 5a–d) as antimicrobial agents. The starting compound, 2-hydrazinylquinazolin-4(3H)-one (2), was synthesized and treated with different carbonyl compounds to afford the hydrazone derivatives 4a–f. In addition, the hydrazone derivatives 4a–d were treated with a DMF/POCl3 mixture to give the formyl-pyrazole derivatives 5a–d. All the target compounds were evaluated as antimicrobial agents against four bacterial and four fungal strains. The majority of the tested compounds showed potent antimicrobial activity compared with the reference antibiotics. The most potent antimicrobial activity was shown by 5a with MIC values in the range (1–16) μg/mL. In addition, the most potent compounds against E. coli were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against E. coli DNA gyrase, whereas the target compounds 4a, 5a, 5c, and 5d showed the most potent inhibition to the target enzyme with IC50 values ranging from 3.19 to 4.17 µM. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were performed for the most active compounds against the target E. coli DNA gyrase to determine their binding affinity within the enzyme’s active site. Moreover, ADME evaluations of these compounds predicted their high oral bioavailability and good GI absorption.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43125896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Srinivas Ajjarapu, Srikanth Banda, Pratap Basim, N. Dudhipala
{"title":"Melt Fusion Techniques for Solubility Enhancement: A Comparison of Hot Melt Extrusion and KinetiSol® Technologies","authors":"Srinivas Ajjarapu, Srikanth Banda, Pratap Basim, N. Dudhipala","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030051","url":null,"abstract":"A successful candidate for oral drug delivery needs to possess adequate solubility and dissolution rate to elicit its therapeutic action. Extensive research is being carried out to enhance the solubility of poorly soluble drugs through a number of techniques involving polymeric and non-polymeric approaches. Non-polymeric approaches such as micronization and nanocrystals are successful in improving the apparent solubility of drugs, but the sustenance of solubility is not always possible. Amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) lead to solubility enhancement as well as the maintenance of solubility with the assistance of polymers, thereby improving bioavailability. Spray drying, hot melt extrusion (HME), and KinetiSol® technologies are some of the techniques capable of manufacturing ASDs. Each of these techniques has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of processing challenges and applicability in preparing ASDs. The latter two technologies are similar in being fusion and non-solvent techniques to improve solubility. This review compares both HME and KinetiSol® techniques regarding mechanism, equipment design, formulation, and process parameters involved and scalability.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42718278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nika Andriushchenko, Kira Nebogina, Y. Zorkina, O. Abramova, E. Zubkov, A. Ochneva, V. Ushakova, K. Pavlov, O. Gurina, V. Chekhonin, A. Morozova
{"title":"Antidepressant Effect of Neuropeptide Y in Models of Acute and Chronic Stress","authors":"Nika Andriushchenko, Kira Nebogina, Y. Zorkina, O. Abramova, E. Zubkov, A. Ochneva, V. Ushakova, K. Pavlov, O. Gurina, V. Chekhonin, A. Morozova","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030050","url":null,"abstract":"The search for potential effective antidepressants with minimal side effects is necessary. Peptides are possible applicants for this role. We investigated the antidepressant effect of neuropeptide Y (NY), alone and in combination with clomipramine, in models of acute and chronic stress induced by ultrasound of variable frequencies. Rats were divided into the following groups: the control group, stress group, and stress groups with intranasal administration of NY (100 μg/kg) or clomipramine (7.5 mg/kg), or their combination. Rat behavior was evaluated using a sucrose preference test and forced swimming test in an acute stress model, and a sucrose preference test, forced swimming test, social interaction test, open field test, and Morris water maze test in a chronic stress model. The results of our experiment demonstrated a protective effect of intranasal NY in a model of acute stress, which was comparable to the antidepressant effect of clomipramine. When the same dose was chronically administered, NY also demonstrated an antidepressant action, although expressed in a lesser degree than clomipramine. The combination of NY and clomipramine was much less effective in the chronic stress paradigm compared to the separated drug administration, but was just as effective in the acute stress paradigm. Until now, there was no convincing evidence for the efficacy of the chronic administration of neuropeptide Y; we demonstrated its effectiveness in the animal model of depressive-like behavior. However, our hypothesis that neuropeptide Y can enhance the effect of a classical antidepressant was not confirmed.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47587875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of Origanum vulgare and Scutellaria baicalensis on the Physiological Activity and Biochemical Parameters of the Blood in Rats on a High-Fat Diet","authors":"M. Lieshchova, V. Brygadyrenko","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030049","url":null,"abstract":"The pharmacological effects of medicinal plants play a primary role in the mild correction of body weight in humans and animals, reducing the accumulation of fat in their bodies during a state of obesity. Origanum vulgare L. and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi are widely used as food additives and medicinal plants, but their comprehensive physiological evaluation in model animals in a state of obesity has not been carried out. In a 30-day laboratory experiment on male rats which had developed obesity through a hypercaloric diet, the effects of adding the dry crushed grass O. vulgare or dry crushed roots of S. baicalensis to their feed was evaluated. During the experiment, the rats fed with O. vulgare increased in body weight to only 105.5% of their initial weight, while the body weight of the control group increased to 111.5%, and that of animals fed on S. baicalensis increased to 124.0% of their initial body weight. The average daily increase in the rats’ body weight when O. vulgare was added to their diet decreased to 205 mg/day, and when S. baicalensis was added, on the contrary, it increased to 1417 mg/day, compared to 700 mg/day among the control group. Under the influence of O. vulgare, the lipid metabolism of the rats normalized: the atherogenic index decreased to 33.7%, compared with the values of the control group, due to an increase in the concentration of high-density lipoproteins from cholesterol. The concentration of triglycerides decreased, and the concentration of glucose decreased. The roots of S. baicalensis being added into the diet of rats increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase and decreased the concentration of urea. The atherogenic index also decreased (by up to 35.5% in the control group) and the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased, while the concentrations of triglycerides and glucose decreased. The physical activity of the rats showed a slight tendency to decrease when both O. vulgare and S. baicalensis were added to their diet. Both plant species contributed to a decrease in the emotional status of animals, which was most pronounced when the O. vulgare grass was added to the feed. The results of the study demonstrate the potential of the use of O. vulgare and S. baicalensis as herbal supplementations for the correction of hyperlipidemia and type-2 diabetes mellitus in overweight patients.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47846570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeysson Sánchez-Suárez, L. Villamil, Luis Díaz, E. Coy-Barrera
{"title":"Uncovering Streptomyces-Derived Compounds as Cosmeceuticals for the Development of Improved Skin Photoprotection Products: An In Silico Approach to Explore Multi-Targeted Agents","authors":"Jeysson Sánchez-Suárez, L. Villamil, Luis Díaz, E. Coy-Barrera","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030048","url":null,"abstract":"The search for novel photoprotective substances has become a challenge in cosmeceutical research. Streptomyces-derived compounds can serve as a promising source of photoprotective agents to formulate skin photoprotection products, such as sunscreens. This study aimed to identify specialized metabolites with the potential to modulate UV-induced cellular damage in the skin by identifying potential multi-target-directed ligands. Using a combination of ligand- and target-based virtual screening approaches, a public compound library comprising 6524 Streptomyces-derived specialized metabolites was studied for their photoprotective capability. The compounds were initially filtered by safety features and then examined for their ability to interact with key targets in the photodamage pathway by molecular docking. A set of 50 commercially available UV filters was used as the benchmark. The protein–ligand stability of selected Streptomyces-derived compounds was also studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. From the compound library, 1981 compounds were found to meet the safety criteria for topically applied products, such as low skin permeability and low or non-toxicity-alerting substructures. A total of 34 compounds had promising binding scores against crucial targets involved in UV-induced photodamage, such as serotonin-receptor subtype 5-HT2A, platelet-activating factor receptor, IL-1 receptor type 1, epidermal growth factor receptor, and cyclooxygenase-2. Among these compounds, aspergilazine A and phaeochromycin F showed the highest ranked interactions with four of the five targets and triggered complex stabilization over time. Additionally, the predicted UV-absorbing profiles also suggest a UV-filtering effect. Streptomyces is an encouraging biological source of compounds for developing topical products. After in silico protein–ligand interactions, binding mode and stabilization of aspergilazine A and phaeochromycin F led to the discovery of potential candidates as photodamage multi-target inhibitors. Therefore, they can be further explored for the formulation of skin photoprotection products.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44051688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Thengyai, Yue-Meng Guo, K. Suwanborirux, H. Berner, H. Spreitzer, P. Wolschann, S. Hannongbua, A. Plubrukarn
{"title":"2D-QSAR and CoMFA Models for Antitubercular Activity of Scalarane-Type Sesterterpenes","authors":"S. Thengyai, Yue-Meng Guo, K. Suwanborirux, H. Berner, H. Spreitzer, P. Wolschann, S. Hannongbua, A. Plubrukarn","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030047","url":null,"abstract":"A series of scalarane sesterterpenes were prepared using heteronemin (1) as a primary precursor. Combined with the scalarane derivatives obtained from natural sources, a total of 22 antitubercular scalaranes were used to build QSAR models based in the 2D-QSAR and CoMFA approaches. Both models indicated the influences of substitutions in the vicinity of C-12 and C-16 of the scalaranes. A 2D-QSAR model suggested the necessity of hydrophilic functionalities on the peripherals with hydrophobic cores, and the lowering steric repulsion to improve the potential energy. This was complemented by the pictorial CoMFA model, which indicated the importance of the positive electrostatic with shortened steric extension crowning over C-12 and the lengthy negative functionalities extended from C-16.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42267961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Edward A. Wetzel, Grace C. Corriero, Sandra Brown-Ford, D. Sem, W. Donaldson
{"title":"Synthesis and Evaluation of (1,4-Disubstituted)-1,2,3-triazoles as Estrogen Receptor Beta Agonists","authors":"Edward A. Wetzel, Grace C. Corriero, Sandra Brown-Ford, D. Sem, W. Donaldson","doi":"10.3390/scipharm90030046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm90030046","url":null,"abstract":"Estrogen receptors (ER) are nuclear hormone receptors which are responsible for sex hormone signaling in women. A series of (1,4-disubstituted)-1,2,3-triazoles 5–21 were prepared by reaction of azidophenols with terminal alkynes under Fokin reaction conditions. The products were purified by column chromatography or recrystallization and characterized by NMR and HRMS. The compounds were tested for binding to ERβ via a ligand displacement assay, and 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-α-phenyl-1,2,3-triazole-4-ethanol (21) was found to be the most potent analog (EC50 = 1.59 μM). Molecular docking of 5–21 within the ligand binding pocket of ERβ (pdb 2jj3) was performed and the docking scores exhibited a general qualitative trend consistent with the measured EC50 values.","PeriodicalId":21601,"journal":{"name":"Scientia Pharmaceutica","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2022-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41494705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}