Investigation of phytochemical constituents of anti-leukemic herbal drugs used by the traditional healers of Purulia, Birbhum and Bankura districts of West Bengal.

In the present work, 16 different plant drugs used by traditional healers from West Bengal were screened through cell line model. Herbal drugs used by traditional tribal healers in Purulia, Birbhum and Bankura districts of West Bengal were collected and screening against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line (HL-60). Among 16 plant extracts, bark of (66.

A theoretical exploration of the intermolecular interactions between resveratrol and water: a DFT and AIM analysis.

The polyphenolic compound resveratrol, classified under stilbenes, offers a broad range of health advantages, including neuroprotection and playing a role in autophagy in the nervous system. However, resveratrol has poor water solubility and is soluble in the gel phase in liposomal membranes. The main aim of this work was to understand the nature of the interactions between resveratrol and water molecules.

Gold-Iron oxide yolk-shell nanoparticles (YSNPs) as magnetic probe for fluorescence-based detection of 3 base mismatch DNA.

Seed-mediated Gold-Iron oxide yolk-shell nanoparticles (YSNPs) were synthesized and functionalized with cy5 attached- thiolated single strand DNA probe for the detection of mutated DNA. The optimum concentration of thiolated DNA determined from a bathochromic shift of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak, was 0.177μM.

A meta-analysis of association of Human Leukocyte Antigens A, B, C, DR and DQ with Human Papillomavirus 16 infection.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) induced cervical cancer (CaCx) is a major health problem in women from both developing and developed regions of the world. This virus accounts for >95% of the CaCx cases with a preponderance of HPV type -16 (65%). Paradoxically HPV-16 is prevalent even in the cervix of healthier women and anti HPV-16 T-cell response is considered critical for the viral clearance.

An overview of plant-based interventions to ameliorate arsenic toxicity.

The industrial and technological advancements in the world have also contributed to the rapid deterioration in the environment quality through introduction of obnoxious pollutants that threaten to destroy the subtle balance in the ecosystem. The environment contaminants cause severe adverse effects to humans, flora and fauna that are mostly irreversible. Chief among these toxicants is arsenic, a metalloid, which is considered among the most dangerous environmental toxins that leads to various diseases which affect the quality of life even when present in small quantities.

Chemoresponsive smart mesoporous silica systems - An emerging paradigm for cancer therapy.

Nanotechnology-based interventions have gained popularity in the past decade for cancer therapy owing to their ability to overcome several shortcomings encountered in conventional therapy. Among the various nanoparticles that have been explored as drug carriers, mesoporous silica possesses certain desirable properties such as regulated pore size, high surface area, chemical and thermal stability, amenability for surface modification and biocompatibility. These systems have been widely investigated for site-specific delivery of single and multiple therapeutic agents as well as for imaging and theranostic applications.

Expression analysis of Cell wall invertase under abiotic stress conditions influencing specialized metabolism in Catharanthus roseus.

Catharanthus roseus is a commercial source for anti-cancer terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs: vincristine and vinblastine). Inherent levels of these TIAs are very low, hence research studies need to focus on enhancing their levels in planta. Since primary metabolism provides precursors for specialized-metabolism, elevating the former can achieve higher amounts of the latter.

Tannic acid protects against experimental acute lung injury through downregulation of TLR4 and MAPK.

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its severe form acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients, and no specific therapies are still available to control the mortality rate. Thus, we explored the preventive and therapeutic effects of tannic acid (TA), a natural polyphenol in the context of ALI. We used in vivo and in vitro models, respectively, using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce ALI in mice and exposing J774 and BEAS-2B cells to LPS.

Amelioration of oxidative stress in differentiated neuronal cells by rutin regulated by a concentration switch.

Increasing studies have implicated superfluous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a significant factor in the progress of neurodegenerative disorders ranging from ischemic stroke to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The possible mechanisms relating to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration are yet to be thoroughly understood. Rutin, a flavonoid, has been well documented for its beneficial and pharmacological activities against diverse targets.

Chemical Crosslinking-Mass Spectrometry (CXL-MS) for Proteomics, Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) and Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM).

Chemical crosslinking-mass spectrometry (CXL-MS) has emerged as a powerful tool in structural biology to elucidate protein-protein interactions. This review throws light on the advent of these technologies incorporating chemical crosslinking in proteomics, structural biology and extended to studies and applications of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Monoclonal ASCs are known to target their specific receptors, where the drug could be released for vastly improved therapeutic effect.

Delivery approaches for CRISPR/Cas9 therapeutics in vivo: advances and challenges.

Introduction: Therapeutic gene editing is becoming a viable biomedical tool with the emergence of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. CRISPR-based technologies have promise as a therapeutic platform for many human genetic diseases previously considered untreatable, providing a flexible approach to high-fidelity gene editing. For many diseases, such as sickle-cell disease and beta thalassemia, curative therapy may already be on the horizon, with CRISPR-based clinical trials slated for the next few years.

Zero valent silver nanoparticles capped with capsaicinoids containing Capsicum annuum extract, exert potent anti-biofilm effect on food borne pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and curtail planktonic growth on a zebrafish infection model.

Food plants Hungarian wax pepper (HWP) and Green Bell pepper (GBP), belonging to Capsicum annuum were utilized for biogenic fabrication of zero valent, nano-silver (AgNPs) through a photo-mediation procedure. In the bacterial strains evaluated, HWP/GBP AgNPs demonstrated effective bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect against Staphylococcus aureus. Time kill results portrayed that HWP/GBP nano-silver exhibited comparable bactericidal potency on S.

Potential anti-proliferative activity of AgNPs synthesized using M. longifolia in 4T1 cell line through ROS generation and cell membrane damage.

To overcome the problem of breast cancer, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using Indian medicinal plant Madhuca longifolia could be explored as an alternative anticancer medicine. Synthesized AgNPs were studied their characteristics and their anti-proliferative property was investigated in breast cancer cell line (4T1). Based on zeta sizer analysis, the size of the AgNPs was 103.

All that glitters is not gold: A non-destructive probing of Thanjavur painting by Raman spectroscopy.

In this work, we demonstrate the use of Raman spectroscopy in detecting the presence of gold and semi-precious/precious gemstones in one of the classical paintings of India namely the Thanjavur paintings which have been awarded the Geographical Indication. We find through Raman spectroscopy that there are paintings where fake gold is used in the place of original gold foils. This result has been validated by carrying out the energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) which confirms the Raman spectroscopy findings.

Nanotechnology-based electrochemical detection strategies for hypertension markers.

Hypertension results due to dysfunction of different metabolic pathways leading to the increased risk of cerebral ischemia, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders. Hypertension has been considered a one of the major contributors to metabolic syndrome and is often referred to as a 'silent killer'. Its incidence is on the rise across the globe owing to the drastic life style changes.

Amperometric determination of As(III) and Cd(II) using a platinum electrode modified with acetylcholinesterase, ruthenium(II)-tris(bipyridine) and graphene oxide.

The authors describe an amperometric biosensor for the determination As(III) and Cd(II) based on the inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholineesterase (AChE). A platinum electrode was modified with ruthenium(II)-tris(bipyridyl), graphene oxide and AChE and then showed redox peaks at 0.06 and 0.

Plant nutraceuticals (Quercetrin and Afzelin) capped silver nanoparticles exert potent antibiofilm effect against food borne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and curtail planktonic growth in zebrafish infection model.

Purified plant nutraceuticals afzelin and quercetrin from an edible plant- Crotolaria tetragona was employed for the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by a sunlight mediated process. From among a panel of strains tested, AgNPs displayed potent bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect against P. aeruginosa and S.

Generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line (VRFi001-A) from orbital adipose tissue of a bilateral retinoblastoma patient with heterozygous RB1 gene deletion.

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a pediatric intraocular tumor caused by mutations in retinoblastoma (RB1) gene. We have generated induced pluripotent stem cell line VRFi001-A from a bilateral retinoblastoma patient with heterozygous RB1 gene deletion. The iPSC line VRFi001-A retained the mutation and expressed pluripotency markers, had a normal karyotype and was capable of trilineage differentiation.

Disulphide linkage: To get cleaved or not? Bulk and nano copper based SERS of cystine.

Different nano-structures of noble metals have been the conventional substrates for carrying out Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). In this paper we examine electrodeposited copper (Cu) nano-structures on pencil graphite as novel substrate to carry out SERS measurements by considering l-cystine (Cys-Cys) (dimer of the amino acid cysteine) as the probe. The formation of monolayer of the probe molecule on the substrates was confirmed using cyclic voltammetric measurements.

Correction: The photocatalytic role of electrodeposited copper on pencil graphite.

Correction for 'The photocatalytic role of electrodeposited copper on pencil graphite' by Arathi P. J. et al.

Polymer-coated viral vectors: hybrid nanosystems for gene therapy.

The advantages and critical aspects of nanodimensional polymer-coated viral vector systems potentially applicable for gene delivery are reviewed. Various viral and nonviral vectors have been explored for gene therapy. Viral gene transfer methods, although highly efficient, are limited by their immunogenicity.

The photocatalytic role of electrodeposited copper on pencil graphite.

We report on the ability of template-electrodeposited copper on pencil graphite as a novel and cost effective photocatalyst by considering the photodimerization of p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) to 4,4'-dimercaptoazobenzene.