Publications by authors named "Venkataraman Balaji"

Background/objective: Intestinal fibrosis, a prominent consequence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), presents considerable difficulty owing to the absence of licensed antifibrotic therapies. This review assesses the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals as alternate methods for controlling intestinal fibrosis. Phytochemicals, bioactive molecules originating from plants, exhibit potential antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities, targeting pathways associated with inflammation and fibrosis.

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Inflammation of the GI tract leads to compromised epithelial barrier integrity, which increases intestine permeability. A compromised intestinal barrier is a critical event that leads to microbe entry and promotes inflammatory responses. Inflammatory bowel diseases that comprise Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) show an increase in intestinal permeability.

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Inflammatory bowel disease, comprising Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is often debilitating. The disease etiology is multifactorial, involving genetic susceptibility, microbial dysregulation, abnormal immune activation, and environmental factors. Currently, available drug therapies are associated with adverse effects when used long-term.

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Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic inflammatory disorders that include Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The incidence of IBD is rising globally. However, the etiology of IBD is complex and governed by multiple factors.

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The pandemic of Covid-19, an epidemic outbreak created many challenges and increased the demand for medical equipments, medicines, and related accessories and most of them had to be imported from abroad. The advanced information technology (Industry 4.0) was considered imperative to track and monitor the spread of the SARS-2 Virus that is Covid-19.

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The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis) are increasing worldwide. The etiology of IBD is multifactorial, including genetic predisposition, dysregulated immune response, microbial dysbiosis, and environmental factors. However, many of the existing therapies are associated with marked side effects.

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The extraordinary expansion of Toxin Antitoxin (TA) modules in the genome of has received significant attention over the last few decades. The cumulative evidence suggests that TA systems are activated in response to stress conditions and are essential for pathogenesis. In , Rv1955-Rv1956-Rv1957 constitutes the only tripartite TAC (Toxin Antitoxin Chaperone) module.

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Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory disorders with increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide. Here, we investigated thymoquinone (TQ), a naturally occurring phytochemical present in , for anti-inflammatory effects in colonic inflammation. To address this, we used in vivo (mice) and in vitro (HT-29 cells) models in this investigation.

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Nerolidol (NED) is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene alcohol present in various plants with potent anti-inflammatory effects. In the current study, we investigated NED as a putative anti-inflammatory compound in an experimental model of colonic inflammation. C57BL/6J male black mice (C57BL/6J) were administered 3% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in drinking water for 7 days to induce colitis.

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The physiological role of prolactin (PRL) in the heart, and in particular the diabetic heart, are largely unknown. The effects of PRL on ventricular myocyte shortening and Ca transport in the streptozotocin (STZ) - induced diabetic and in age-matched control rats were investigated. PRL receptor protein, myocyte shortening, intracellular [Ca], L-type Ca current were measured by Western blot, cell imaging, fluorescence photometry and whole-cell patch-clamp techniques, respectively.

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Plant-based compounds or phytochemicals such as alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, volatile oils, tannins, resins, and polyphenols have been used extensively in traditional medicine for centuries and more recently in Western alternative medicine. Extensive evidence suggests that consumption of dietary polyphenolic compounds lowers the risk of inflammatory diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties of several phytochemicals are mediated through ligand-inducible peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), particularly the PPARγ transcription factor.

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Acetaminophen (APAP), which is also known as paracetamol or -acetyl--aminophenol is a safe and potent drug for fever, pain and inflammation when used at its normal therapeutic doses. It is available as over-the-counter drug and used by all the age groups. The overdose results in acute liver failure that often requires liver transplantation.

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In this study, the hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic actions of nootkatone (NTK) were investigated using carbon tetrachloride (CCl )-induced liver fibrosis in mice. CCl administration elevated serum aspartate and alanine transaminases levels, respectively. In addition, CCl produced hepatic oxidative and nitrative stress, characterized by diminished hemeoxygenase-1 expression, antioxidant defenses, and accumulation of 4-hydroxynonenal and 3-nitrotyrosine.

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Cisplatin (CP) is a potent and widely used chemotherapeutic agent. However, the clinical benefits of CP are compromised because it elicits nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. In this study, we investigated the nephroprotective effects of the phytochemical genipin (GP) isolated from the gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) fruit, using a murine model of CP-induced nephropathy.

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Research on toxin-antitoxin loci (TA loci) is gaining impetus due to their ubiquitous presence in bacterial genomes and their observed roles in stress survival, persistence and drug tolerance. The present study investigates the expression profile of all the seventy-nine TA loci found in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacterium was subjected to multiple stress conditions to identify key players of cellular stress response and elucidate a TA-coexpression network.

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Cisplatin (CSP) is a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used to treat a variety of malignancies. The major setback with CSP treatment is that its clinical efficacy is compromised by its induction of organ toxicity, particular to the kidneys and ears. Despite the significant strides that have been made in understanding the mechanisms underlying CSP-induced renal toxicity, advances in developing renoprotective strategies are still lacking.

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Microarrays have allowed gene expression profiling to progress from the gene level to the genome level, and oligonucleotide microarrays have become the platform of choice for large-scale, targeted gene expression studies. cDNA arrays and spotted oligonucleotide arrays have gradually given way to in situ synthesized oligonucleotide-based DNA microarrays for whole-genome expression profiling. With the identification of new coding and regulatory sequences, it is imperative that microarrays be updated to enable more complete expression profiling of genomes.

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We describe a robust method for the isolation of pure, intact RNA suitable for transcriptome studies from mycobacteria with consistent yields of 1 μg to 3 μg total RNA per 10(7) cells. The method reduces the use of hazardous chemicals and incorporates protocols for efficient removal of gDNA and rRNA.

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Aroclor 1254 is the commercial mixture of highly toxic environmental pollutant, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Being immensely durable, it is extensively used and widely distributed. Studies show that Aroclor 1254 causes a variety of adverse health effects through free radical generation.

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Diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) is an endocrine disruptor, it influences various organ systems in human beings and experimental animals. DEHP reduced the serum testosterone and increased the blood glucose, estradiol, T(3) and T(4) in rats. However, the effect of DEHP on insulin signaling and glucose oxidation in skeletal muscle is not known.

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