Njavara rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) bran oil exerts anti-inflammatory effects through regulation of Notch-mediated T-cell receptor (TCR) activation in experimentally induced atherosclerosis.

This study elucidated the molecular mechanism of the notch pathway in vascular health and the role of NjRBO as a nutraceutical for the modulation of notch-mediated CD4+ Tcell activation in atherosclerotic rats. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 150-200g given standard diet formula were used. After the study duration of 60 days, in order to determine the nutraceutical effects of NjRBO, we sought to study the effects of treatment with NjRBO on notch pathway components in isolated splenic CD4+ T lymphocytes.

Synergistic effect of Betulinic acid, Apigenin and Skimmianine (BASk) in high cholesterol diet rabbit: Involvement of CD36-TLR2 signaling pathway.

Background: Progression of chronic inflammatory disease, atherosclerosis is a multifactorial process. Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) mediated downstream activation of Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2) and NLRP3 (Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3) inflammasome signaling pathway actively participates during chronic inflammation. Nowadays, synergistic combinations of bioactive compounds attained priority in the field of drug discovery and development as therapeutic agents.

Medical Undergraduates' Perceptions on Medical Humanities Course in Nepal.

Background: Medical humanities is taught in medical schools in the  western countries, partly to address the lack of compassion within healthcare. It seeks to develop understanding of human experiences relating to disease, disability and death, through humanities, arts and social sciences. In 2018, Patan Academy of Health Sciences Nepal introduced an eight-week medical humanities course for new medical students.

Dietary amaranths modulate the immune response via balancing Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg response in collagen-induced arthritis.

Imbalance between Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg is crucial in RA progression. Various dietary factors can modulate the disease severity by restoring the balance in differentiation of CD4+ T cell subsets. Dietary amaranths hold an important part of diet as vegetables, where commonly consumed species includes Amaranthus cruentus (Ac), Amaranthus viridis (Av), and Amaranthus hybridus (Ah).

Scientific validation of anti-arthritic effect of Kashayams - A polyherbal formulation in collagen induced arthritic rats.

Background: Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) mediates activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) resulting in induction of proinflammatory genes such as that encoding tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) which played a significant role in cartilage destruction of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Low risk and better efficacy made herbal drugs more reliable than nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) in RA treatment. Gugguluthiktam Kashayam (GuK), Punarnavadi Kashayam (PuK) and Balaguluchiadi Kashayam (BgK) are ayurvedic polyherbal formulations prescribed in classical ayurvedic texts Sahasrayogam and Ashtangahridayam as medicines for the treatment of RA.

Isolation, identification and characterization of apigenin from Justicia gendarussa and its anti-inflammatory activity.

Inflammatory responses during chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer etc., are harmful to host organisms. Generally NSAIDs are used to treat against these severe conditions but due to its adverse effects studies are going on with medicinal plants, since they are rich in bioactive compounds.

Ruthenium(ii) arene NSAID complexes: inhibition of cyclooxygenase and antiproliferative activity against cancer cell lines.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of molecules which have been found to be active against cancer cells with chemopreventive properties by targeting cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) and lipoxygenase (LOX), commonly upregulated (particularly COX-2) in malignant tumors. Arene ruthenium(ii) complexes with a pseudo-octahedral coordination environment containing different ancillary ligands have shown remarkable activity against primary and metastatic tumors as reported earlier. This work describes the synthesis of four novel ruthenium(ii)-arene complexes viz.

Petroleum ether extract of Njavara rice (Oryza sativa) bran upregulates the JAK2-STAT3-mediated anti-inflammatory profile in macrophages and aortic endothelial cells promoting regression of atherosclerosis.

"Njavara" (Oryza sativa L.) is a unique rice variety grown in Kerala that is reported to have significantly higher antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, chemical indices, and bioactive components compared with staple rice varieties. However, the role of NBE in reversing the atherosclerosis development remains unclear.

Betulinic acid and fluvastatin exhibits synergistic effect on toll-like receptor-4 mediated anti-atherogenic mechanism in type II collagen induced arthritis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major problem during rheumatoid arthritis which leads to morbidity and mortality in arthritic patients. So the present study emphasizes combinatorial effect of Betulinic acid, a triterpenoid and fluvastatin, an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor on atherogenesis during arthritis. Arthritis was induced by bovine type II collagen dissolved in 0.

Anti-angiogenic effect of chebulagic acid involves inhibition of the VEGFR2- and GSK-3β-dependent signaling pathways.

Inhibition of angiogenesis is a useful strategy to prevent cancer growth by targeting new vessels that grow to nourish actively proliferating tumor cells. Endothelial cells can use a number of different pathways to cause angiogenesis, and each step in these pathways can be targeted. The use of multi-targeted drugs is gaining much importance in this scenario.

Quercetin modulates toll-like receptor-mediated protein kinase signaling pathways in oxLDL-challenged human PBMCs and regulates TLR-activated atherosclerotic inflammation in hypercholesterolemic rats.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pattern recognition receptors that have a unique and essential function in innate immunity. The effect of quercetin on TLR-mediated downstream signaling mechanism and its effect on TLR-mediated MAP kinase and Akt pathways were studied in oxLDL-stimulated hPBMCs using specific inhibitors. The pretreatment of hPBMCs with specific TLR inhibitor, CLI-095, decreased the NF-κB nuclear translocation and TNF-α release by oxLDL.

Attenuation of atherosclerotic complications by modulating inflammatory responses in hypercholesterolemic rats with dietary Njavara rice bran oil.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. The role of inflammation in atherosclerosis is well established, with all stages of disease progression being assessed as inflammatory response to injury. Preventive treatments and drugs identified so far are based on lipid lowering strategies which also involves functional foods and dietary supplementation.

Quercetin attenuates atherosclerotic inflammation and adhesion molecule expression by modulating TLR-NF-κB signaling pathway.

Adhesion molecules expressed by activated endothelial cells play key role in regulating leukocyte trafficking to sites of inflammation. The present study attempted to explore whether the polyphenolic flavonoid quercetin influence leukocyte endothelial attraction and the involvement of TLR-NF-κB signaling pathway in the expression of adhesion molecules involved in the early development of atherosclerosis. Quercetin at 25μM concentration significantly reduced the HUVEC expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 evidently enhanced by oxLDL.

Tricin, flavonoid from Njavara reduces inflammatory responses in hPBMCs by modulating the p38MAPK and PI3K/Akt pathways and prevents inflammation associated endothelial dysfunction in HUVECs.

Previous studies revealed the potent anti-inflammatory activity of tricin, the active component of Njavara rice bran. Here, we report the involvement of specific signaling pathways in the protective effect of tricin against LPS induced inflammation in hPBMCs and the role of tricin in modulating endothelial dysfunction in LPS induced HUVECs. Pretreatment with tricin (15μM) significantly inhibited the release of TNF-α and was comparable to the specific pathway blockers like ERK inhibitor (PD98059), JNK inhibitor (SP600125) and p38 inhibitor (SB203580), whereas an increased release of TNF-α was observed in PI3K/Akt inhibitor (LY294002) treated cells.

In silico study of peptide inhibitors against BACE 1.

Peptides are increasingly used as inhibitors of various disease specific targets. Several naturally occurring and synthetically developed peptides are undergoing clinical trials. Our work explores the possibility of reusing the non-expressing DNA sequences to predict potential drug-target specific peptides.

Mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect of tricin, a flavonoid isolated from Njavara rice bran in LPS induced hPBMCs and carrageenan induced rats.

Njavara is an indigenous medicinal rice variety traditionally used in Ayurvedic system of medicine practiced in Kerala, India. Tricin is a bioflavonoid present in significantly higher levels in rice bran of Njavara. Present study attempted to identify the molecular target of tricin in TLR mediated signaling pathways by using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) and carrageenan induced paw edema in rats as experimental models.

Dietary Njavara rice bran oil reduces experimentally induced hypercholesterolaemia by regulating genes involved in lipid metabolism.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-atherogenic effect of Njavara rice bran oil (NjRBO) on atherosclerosis by modulating enzymes and genes involved in lipid metabolism in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD). Adult male rats (Sprague-Dawley strain, weighing 100-120 g) were divided into three groups of nine animals each. Group I served as the control, group II were fed a HCD and group III were fed a HCD and NjRBO (100 mg/kg body weight).

Dolichos biflorus exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in an acute inflammatory model.

Dolichos biflorus (Muthira) is a branched, suberect, and downing herb, native to most parts of India, and found at altitudes of up to 1000 m, whose seeds can be cooked and eaten. Nutrition plays a key role in building immunity and preventing noncommunicable diseases to a certain extent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of 70% methanolic extract of seeds of D.

15-LOX metabolites and angiogenesis: angiostatic effect of 15(S)-HPETE involves induction of apoptosis in adipose endothelial cells.

Inflammation is critical in the dysregulated growth of adipose tissue and associated vascular dysfunctions. 15-Lipoxygenase metabolites, important mediators of inflammation in adipose tissue during obese conditions, may contribute to codependence of inflammation and angiogenesis in adipose tissue. We have already reported the pro-angiogenic effect of 15(S)-HETE in adipose tissue.

Anti-inflammatory potential of β-amyrin, a triterpenoid isolated from Costus igneus.

Costus igneus, common name Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Costaceae family. It is cultivated in India for its use in traditional medicine especially for diabetes. The present study was carried out to determine the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of β-amyrin isolated from the leaves of Costus igneus (C.

Investigating the Economic Impacts of New Public Pharmaceutical Policies in Greece: Focusing on Price Reductions and Cost-Sharing Rates.

Objective: Since 2010, cost-containment efforts in Greece focused on the reduction of public pharmaceutical expenditure. Changes in cost-sharing levels, reductions in prices, and generic substitution are some of the measures implemented after the second quarter of 2012. The objective of this study was to investigate the economic impact of the measures on public funds and households.

Downregulation of inflammatory mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines by alkaloids of Jeevaneeya rasayana in adjuvant-induced arthritis.

Jeevaneeya rasayana is an ayurvedic polyherbal formulation, with antirheumatic potential. The present study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of isolated total alkaloid fraction of Jeevaneeya Rasayana (AJR) in treating rheumatoid arthritis in a rat model of Adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Paw swelling, inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), level of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), expression of cytokines and serum nitric oxide (NO) level were analyzed in experimental rats after an experimental period of 21 days.

Poland syndrome a rare congenital anomaly.

Poland syndrome is a rare congenital anomaly classically consisting of unilateral hypoplasia of the sternocostal head of the pectoralis major muscle and ipsilateral brachysyndactyly. It was first described by Alfred Poland in 1840 and may occur with different gravity. Our patient is an eight-year-old Nigerian girl with left-sided anterior chest wall defect with no detectable structural heart abnormality but presented with repeated episodes of syncopal attacks following minor trauma to the anterior chest wall.