Bioactivities and Mode of Actions of Dibutyl Phthalates and Nocardamine from sp. H11809.

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) produced by sp. H11809 exerted inhibitory activity against human GSK-3β ( GSK-3β) and 3D7 ( 3D7) malaria parasites. The current study aimed to determine DBP's plausible mode of action against GSK-3β and 3D7.

Dual Anti-Malarial and GSK3β-Mediated Cytokine-Modulating Activities of Quercetin Are Requisite of Its Potential as a Plant-Derived Therapeutic in Malaria.

Although death in malaria is attributed to cerebrovascular blockage and anaemia, overwhelming cytokine production can contribute to the severity of the disease. Therefore, mitigation of dysregulated inflammatory signalling may provide further benefit for malaria treatment. Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) is known to inhibit glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), a potent regulator of both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects.

Data on antiplasmodial and stage-specific inhibitory effects of Aromatic (Ar)-Turmerone against 3D7.

Aromatic (ar)-turmerone is one of the aromatic constituents abundant in turmeric essential oil from . Ar-turmerone exhibited anti-inflammatory properties. So far, antiplasmodial data for ar-turmerone is still not reported.

The Antimalarial Effect of Curcumin Is Mediated by the Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β.

Curcumin, a bioactive compound in Curcuma longa, exhibits various pharmacological activities, including antimalarial effects. In silico docking simulation studies suggest that curcumin possesses glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β)-inhibitory properties. The involvement of GSK3 in the antimalarial effects in vivo is yet to be demonstrated.

Anti-malarial Activities of Two Soil Actinomycete Isolates from Sabah via Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β.

Exploiting natural resources for bioactive compounds is an attractive drug discovery strategy in search for new anti-malarial drugs with novel modes of action. Initial screening efforts in our laboratory revealed two preparations of soil-derived actinomycetes (H11809 and FH025) with potent anti-malarial activities. Both crude extracts showed glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β)-inhibitory activities in a yeast-based kinase assay.

Phage display of recombinant antibodies toward Burkholderia pseudomallei exotoxin.

We have used the phagemid pComb3H to construct recombinant phages displaying the single chain variable fragment (ScFv) towards exotoxin of Burkholderia pseudomallei. Variable heavy and light chain fragments were amplified from the hybridoma 6E6A8F3B line, with a wide spectrum of primers specific to mouse antibody genes. Through overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction, the heavy and light chain fragments were linked to form the ScFv which was subsequently cloned into the phage display vector and transformed into ER2537 cells to yield a complexity of 10(8) clones.

A competitive immunosorbent assay for detection of Pseudomonas pseudomallei exotoxin.

The development of monoclonal antibody and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques has made possible the detection of specific antigens at extremely low concentrations. Diagnosis of recalcitrant diseases such as melioidosis depends upon either early isolation and identification of the causative organism or the identification of a specific marker antigen, Pseudomonas pseudomallei exotoxin, in serum; the latter is better because it allows more rapid and simple diagnosis. A method of detecting exotoxin concentrations of greater than 16 ng/ml by an ELISA based on a monoclonal antitoxin is here described; it is significantly more sensitive than the mouse lethality test (lower threshold 30 micrograms/ml) currently in use and an in-vitro cytotoxicity test (lower threshold 10 micrograms/ml) that we have developed and describe here.