Immunomodulatory Effects of a Concoction of Natural Bioactive Compounds-Mechanistic Insights.

Natural bioactive compounds derived from plant-based products are known for their biological immunomodulatory activities. They possess systemic pleiotropic effects, minimal side effects, and very low toxicities. Plant-based bioactive compounds have tremendous potential as natural therapeutic entities against various disease conditions and act as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-tumour, anti-allergic, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective agents.

Correction: A clinical and computational study on anti-obesity effects of hydroxycitric acid.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C9RA01345H.].

A clinical and computational study on anti-obesity effects of hydroxycitric acid.

Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), a major active ingredient of extracts, is known to suppress body weight gain and fat synthesis in animals and humans. But the underlying mechanism of HCA action is not fully understood. Clinical study on 100 obese individuals for a period of 3 months was performed followed by a computational study aimed to investigate the effects of HCA treatment on human subjects at anthropometric and plasma lipid profile levels.

Effect of "DXB-2030," a Polyherbal Formulation, on Experimental Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Associated with Hyperandrogenism.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate "DXB-2030," a polyherbal combination of , , , , and extracts in an experimental model of testosterone propionate (TP), induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in female rats. Thirty animals were divided into 3 groups of 10 each; group 1 served as normal control; group 2 was administered with TP and served as positive control; along with TP, group 3 was treated with "DXB-2030" at a dose of 100 mg/kg p.o.

Anesthetic management of nephrectomy in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax.

Nephrectomies are usually performed under general anesthesia alone or in combination with regional anesthesia and rarely under regional anesthesia alone. We report the management of a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with a history of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax undergoing nephrectomy under regional anesthesia alone.

[Anesthetic management of nephrectomy in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax].

Nephrectomies are usually performed under general anesthesia alone or in combination with regional anesthesia and rarely under regional anesthesia alone. We report the management of a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with a history of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax undergoing nephrectomy under regional anesthesia alone.

Comparison of intranasal dexmedetomidine and dexmedetomidine-ketamine for premedication in pediatrics patients: A randomized double-blind study.

Background: Goal of premedication in pediatric anesthesia are relieving pre and postoperative anxiety, good parental separation, and smooth induction of anesthesia. Anxiety can produce aggressive reactions, increased distress, increased postoperative pain and postoperative agitation. The benzodiazepine, midazolam, is the most frequently used premedication in pediatric anesthesia.

Inferior venacaval compression due to excessive abdominal packing.

Inferior venacaval compression is a common problem in late pregnancy. It can also occur due to compression of inferior venacava by abdominal or pelvic tumors. We report a case of acute iatrogenic inferior venacaval compression due to excessive abdominal packing during an intraabdominal surgery.

Modulation of de novo purine biosynthesis leads to activation of AMPK and results in improved glucose handling and insulin sensitivity.

Background: AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates key metabolic reactions and plays a major role in glucose homeostasis. Activating the AMPK is considered as one of the potential therapeutic strategies in treating type-2 diabetes. However, targeting AMPK by small molecule mediated approach can be challenging owing to diverse isoforms of the enzyme and their varied combination in different tissues.

Orbital exenteration under trigeminal block: An innovative method of regional anesthesia.

Orbital exenteration is a disfiguring operation involving the removal of the entire contents of the orbit, with or without the eyelids. It is widely felt that such extensive surgery can only be performed under general anesthesia. We report our experience with a patient who underwent orbitalexenteration under trigeminal block with intravenous sedation.

Pourfour Du Petit syndrome after interscalene block.

Interscalene block is commonly associated with reversible ipsilateral phrenic nerve block, recurrent laryngeal nerve block, and cervical sympathetic plexus block, presenting as Horner's syndrome. We report a very rare Pourfour Du Petit syndrome which has a clinical presentation opposite to that of Horner's syndrome in a 24-year-old male who was given interscalene block for open reduction and internal fixation of fracture upper third shaft of left humerus.

Study of 0.5% lidocaine alone and combination of 0.25% lidocaine with fentanyl and vecuronium in intravenous regional anesthesia for upper limb surgeries.

Background And Objective: Intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) for upper limb surgeries with traditional high dose of lidocaine can lead to life threatening side effects. In order to avoid these potential life threatening side effects, many modified techniques of IVRA have been attempted by using a low dose of lidocaine, muscle relaxant and opioid.

Method: The present study is carried out in sixty unpremedicated ASA Class 1 and 2 patients to compare the sensory and motor characteristics, cardio-respiratory parameters and side-effects during intra-operative and post-tourniquet deflation period between the patients who received 40mL of 0.

Quantitation of multiple sphingolipid classes using normal and reversed-phase LC-ESI-MS/MS: comparative profiling of two cell lines.

Sphingolipids are an important class of compounds that regulate signal transduction and other vital cellular processes. Herein, we report sensitive normal and reversed phase LC-MS/MS methods for quantitation of multiple sphingolipid classes. In the normal-phase ESI/MS/MS method, a high content of organic solvents was utilized, which, although it included hexane, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile containing 2% methanol, 1-2% acetic acid, and 5 mM ammonium acetate, resulted in a very efficient electrospray ionization of the ceramides (Cers) and hexosylceramides (MHCers).

Ceramide transfer protein and cancer.

Sphingolipids are important structural components of membranes, and play an equally important role in basic cellular processes as second messengers. Recently, sphingolipids are receiving increasing attention in cancer research. Ceramide is the central molecule that regulates sphingolipid metabolism forming the basic structural backbone of sphingolipids and the precursor of all complex sphingolipids.

CDase is a pan-ceramidase in Drosophila.

Ceramidases catalyze the conversion of ceramide to sphingosine. They are acylaminohydrolases that catalyze the deacylation of the amide-linked saturated fatty acid from ceramide to generate sphingosine. They also catalyze the reverse reaction of ceramide biosynthesis using sphingosine and fatty acid.

Ceramide kinase regulates phospholipase C and phosphatidylinositol 4, 5, bisphosphate in phototransduction.

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) is a central effector for many biological responses regulated by G-protein-coupled receptors including Drosophila phototransduction where light sensitive channels are activated downstream of NORPA, a PLCbeta homolog. Here we show that the sphingolipid biosynthetic enzyme, ceramide kinase, is a novel regulator of PLC signaling and photoreceptor homeostasis. A mutation in ceramide kinase specifically leads to proteolysis of NORPA, consequent loss of PLC activity, and failure in light signal transduction.

Mitochondrial degeneration and not apoptosis is the primary cause of embryonic lethality in ceramide transfer protein mutant mice.

Ceramide transfer protein (CERT) functions in the transfer of ceramide from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. In this study, we show that CERT is an essential gene for mouse development and embryonic survival and, quite strikingly, is critical for mitochondrial integrity. CERT mutant embryos accumulate ceramide in the ER but also mislocalize ceramide to the mitochondria, compromising their function.

Sphingolipids and membrane biology as determined from genetic models.

The importance of sphingolipids in membrane biology was appreciated early in the twentieth century when several human inborn errors of metabolism were linked to defects in sphingolipid degradation. The past two decades have seen an explosion of information linking sphingolipids with cellular processes. Studies have unraveled mechanistic details of the sphingolipid metabolic pathways, and these findings are being exploited in the development of novel therapies, some now in clinical trials.

Ceramide transfer protein function is essential for normal oxidative stress response and lifespan.

Ceramide transfer protein (CERT) transfers ceramide from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex, a process critical in synthesis and maintenance of normal levels of sphingolipids in mammalian cells. However, how its function is integrated into development and physiology of the animal is less clear. Here, we report the in vivo consequences of loss of functional CERT protein.