In Vivo Examination of Folic Acid-Conjugated Gold-Silica Nanohybrids as Contrast Agents for Localized Tumor Diagnosis and Biodistribution.

Enhanced biocompatibility of nanosized contrast agent with high radiodensity and specific biodistribution is an important parameter for localized tumor imaging and organ safety. Various nanoparticles, especially gold nanorods (GNRs), have been applied for tumor diagnosis. However, their toxicity, nonspecific biodistribution, and easy aggregation are critical issues in cancer medicine.

Patho-physiological evaluation of Duranta erecta for the treatment of urolithiasis.

Background: Urolithiasis is the third common disorder of the urinary system affecting 10-15% of the general population. In recent years, search for new antilithiatic drugs from natural sources has assumed greater importance.

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the anti-urolithiatic activity of methanolic extract of Duranta erecta leaves by in vitro and in vivo analysis.

Chemo-biological evaluation of antidiabetic activity of Mentha arvensis L. and its role in inhibition of advanced glycation end products.

Background: There has been enormous curiosity in the development of alternative plant based medicines to control diabetes, oxidative stress and related disorders. One of the therapeutic approaches is to reduce postprandial release of glucose in the blood. Two key enzymes that are involved in reducing postprandial glucose are α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

Potential Dual Role of Eugenol in Inhibiting Advanced Glycation End Products in Diabetes: Proteomic and Mechanistic Insights.

Medicinally important genus Ocimum harbors a vast pool of chemically diverse metabolites. Current study aims at identifying anti-diabetic candidate compounds from Ocimum species. Major metabolites in O.

Mitigation of starch-induced postprandial glycemic spikes in rats by antioxidants-rich extract of Cicer arietinum Linn. seeds and sprouts.

Introduction: Consumption of highly processed calories dense diet leads abrupt increase in postprandial blood glucose level, which in turn induces immediate oxidative stress. Postprandial hyperglycemia (PPHG) and resultant oxidative stress is one of the earliest detectable abnormalities in diabetes prone individuals, independent risk factor for development of cardiovascular disorders (CVD), a major pathophysiological link between diabetes and CVD and an important contributing factor in atherogenesis even in non-diabetic individuals. Therefore, dietary supplements mitigating PPHG spikes along with potent antioxidant activities may help decrease development of PPHG and oxidative stress induced pathogenesis.

Mitigation of starch and glucose-induced postprandial glycemic excursion in rats by antioxidant-rich green-leafy vegetables' juice.

Objective: Consumption of green-leafy vegetables is being advocated beneficial for type 2 diabetes mellitus individuals possibly because they are cost effective source of potent biological antioxidants. This research analyzed various phytochemicals, free radicals scavenging antioxidant potentials and starch digesting enzymes inhibitory activities in fresh juice of nine green-leafy vegetables. Furthermore, this study also investigated influence of these vegetables juice on starch and glucose induced postprandial glycemic load.

Hsp90-targeted miRNA-liposomal formulation for systemic antitumor effect.

Chaperone protein Hsp90 maintains functional integrity and maturation of a large number of cellular proteins including transcription factors, kinases, etc. It is often over-expressed in cancer cells for simultaneous maintenance of many non-regulated and/or genetically mutated proteins. Small molecule-based regimens inhibiting over-expressing Hsp90 in cancer cells often plagued with improper targeting leading to non-specific toxicity.

A long-lasting dendritic cell DNA vaccination system using lysinylated amphiphiles with mannose-mimicking head-groups.

Dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed/transduced with tumor-associated or viral antigens have shown promise in combating cancer and infectious diseases. Despite significant progresses, development of a biologically safe DC-based genetic immunization (DNA vaccination) system capable of providing truly long-lasting protective immunity remains a significant scientific challenge. Here we show that immunization with autologous DCs pre-transfected with electrostatic complexes (lipoplexes) of a plasmid DNA encoding melanoma tumor associated antigen and liposomes of two lysinylated cationic amphiphiles with mannose-mimicking quinic and shikimic acid head-groups provides long-lasting (300 days post tumor challenge) protective immunity with significant memory response (more than six months after the second tumor challenge) in more than 80% immunized mice.

Garlic provides protection to mice heart against isoproterenol-induced oxidative damage: role of nitric oxide.

Garlic has been widely recognized as a cardioprotective agent. However, the molecular mechanism of its cardioprotective effects is not well established. Here we hypothesized that aqueous garlic homogenate may mediate cardioprotection via nitric oxide (NO).

Oxidative stress induced by aluminum oxide nanomaterials after acute oral treatment in Wistar rats.

This study investigated the oxidative stress induced after acute oral treatment with 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg⁻¹ doses of Al₂O₃ -30 and -40 nm and bulk Al₂O₃ in Wistar rats. Both the nanomaterials induced significant oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner in comparison to the bulk. There was no significant difference between the two nanomaterials.

Influence of antioxidant rich fresh vegetable juices on starch induced postprandial hyperglycemia in rats.

This research analyzed the major chemical components and multiple antioxidant activities present in the fresh juice of eight vegetables, and studied their influence on starch induced postprandial glycemia in rats. A SDS-PAGE based protein fingerprint of each vegetable juice was also prepared. The yields of juice, chemical components like total proteins, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins and free radicals like the ABTS˙(+) cation, DPPH, H(2)O(2), scavenging activities and reducing properties for NBT and FeCl(3) showed wide variations.

alpha-Glucosidase inhibitory antihyperglycemic activity of substituted chromenone derivatives.

Series of 3,4- and 3,6-disubstituted chromenones including new chromenone derivatives were synthesized applying various synthetic strategies including Pechmann condensation, Knoevenagel condensation, Reimer-Tiemann reaction and Suzuki coupling in very good yields. Synthesized compounds (4a-z) were screened for in vitro alpha-glucosidase inhibitory and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activities. Majority of compounds displayed varying degrees of alpha-glucosidase inhibitory and DPPH scavenging activity.

Single subcutaneous administration of RGDK-lipopeptide:rhPDGF-B gene complex heals wounds in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Development of effective therapeutics for chronic wounds remains a formidable clinical challenge. Deficiency of growth factors is of paramount importance among the multitude of factors contributing to the pathogenesis of diabetic wounds. Clinical interest has been witnessed in the past for exogenous applications of platelet derived growth factor B (PDGF-B) in chronic nonhealing wounds.

Rapid determination of rifaximin in rat serum and urine by direct injection on to a shielded hydrophobic stationary phase by HPLC.

A simple and rapid reversed-phase HPLC method for determination of rifaximin in rat serum and urine was developed. Separation of rifaximin from biological matrix was achieved by direct injection of rat serum and urine onto a restricted-access medium, Supelco LC-Hisep, a shielded hydrophobic stationary phase, using acetonitrile:water:acetic acid (18:82:0.1 v/v/v) as a mobile phase.

LC-ESI-MS determination and pharmacokinetics of adrafinil in rats.

A highly sensitive and specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for investigating the pharmacokinetics of adrafinil in rats was developed. Rat serum pretreated by solid-phase extraction (SPE) was analyzed by LC-MS/MS with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile:water:acetic acid (35:65:0.

Reduction in post-prandial hyperglycemic excursion through alpha-glucosidase inhibition by beta-acetamido carbonyl compounds.

A series of beta-acetamido carbonyl compounds (S(1)-S(7)) were prepared using Dakin-West reaction from different substituted aldehyde and acetophenone in the presence of lanthanum triflate as a solid catalyst. All the compounds were tested for their alpha-glucosidase inhibitory potential against rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase. The most potent rat intestinal alpha-glucosidase inhibitors S(5) and S(7) were tested for their antihyperglycemic activity following carbohydrate tolerance test.