Purification,Characterization and Physico‐Chemical Properties of Three Galactose‐Specific Lectins from Pumpkin (Cucurbita Maxima) Seed Kernels

Three galactose‐specific lectins have been isolated and purified from the extract of pumpkin seed kernels by gel filtration on Sephadex G‐75 with 100% ammonium sulfate saturated crude extract, followed by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE‐cellulose and affinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B. All three lectins were found to be homogeneous as judged by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). The molecular weights of lectins, PSL‐1, PSL‐2 and PSL‐3, as estimated by gel filtration on Sephadex G‐75 were 40,000, 42,000 and 46,000, and by SDS‐PAGE about 39,500, 41,000 and 45,000, respectively. The lectins, PSL‐1, PSL‐2 & PSL‐3 were dimer in nature and the molecular weights of their subunits were about 25,500 and 14,000; 26,000 and 15,000; and 30,500 and 15,000, respectively. The lectins are glycoproteins with a neutral sugar content of 3‐5%. The lectins agglutinated rat red blood cells and the hemagglutination was inhibited specifically by galactose and galactose‐containing saccharides. The lectins exhibited a strong cytotoxic effect in a brine shrimp lethality bioassay.     

Synthesis of N-linked glycan derived from Gram-negative bacterium, Campylobacter jejuni

Recent research has revealed the presence of asparagine (Asn)-linked (N-linked) glycoproteins in certain prokaryotes. In this paper, we describe the chemical synthesis of a novel N-glycan derived from Campylobacter jejuni, a heptasaccharide composed of Asn-linked bacillosamine (Bac), repeating GalNAc, and branching Glc, namely GalNAc-α(1,4)-GalNAc-α(1,4)-[Glc-β(1,3)-]GalNAc-α(1,4)-GalNAc-α(1,4)-GalNAc-α(1,3)-Bac. The synthesis started from a Bac-acceptor, which was consecutively glycosylated with 4-O-pentafluoropropionyl (PFP) protected donors to give heptasaccharide. Reduction of azide groups was followed by debenzylation to complete the synthesis of the target oligosaccharide.     

Chromatographic and Spectroscopic Studies on β-Cyclodextrin Functionalized Ionic Liquid as Chiral Stationary Phase: Enantioseparation of Flavonoids

In this study, β-cyclodextrin functionalized ionic liquid was prepared by adding 1-benzylimidazole onto 6-monotosyl-6-deoxy-β-cyclodextrin (β-CDOTs) to obtain β-CD-BIMOTs. β-CD-BIMOTs were then bonded onto the modified silica to produce chiral stationary phases (β-CD-BIMOTs-CSP). The performance of β-CD-BIMOTs-CSP was evaluated by observing the enantioseparation of flavonoids. The performance of β-CD-BIMOTs stationary phase was also compared with native β-CD stationary phase. For the selected flavonoids, flavanone and hesperetin obtained a high resolution factor in reverse phase mode. Meanwhile, naringenin and eriodictyol attained partial enantioseparation in polar organic mode. In order to understand the mechanism of separation, the interaction of selected flavonoids and β-CD-BIMOTs was studied using spectroscopic methods (¹H NMR, NOESY and UV–Vis spectrophotometry). The enantioseparated flavanone and hesperetin were found to form an inclusion complex with β-CD-BIMOTs. However, naringenin and eriodictyol were not enantioseparated due to the formation of hydrogen bonding at exterior torus of β-CD-BIMOTs.

     

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles via green method using ultrasound irradiation in seaweed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kappaphycus alvarezii</Emphasis> media

Green methods are a safer alternative to natural chemical and physical methods for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), due to their being environmentally friendly and cost effective. This study offers a new green approach using ultrasound irradiation as the reducing agent and seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii (K. alvarezii) as the natural bio-media. The seaweed K. alvarezii/Ag-NPs was characterised by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray (FESEM-EDX), zeta potential, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies. UV–vis shows that surface plasmon resonance (SPR) arises from this solution due to the combined oscillations from the nanoparticles. The XRD study indicates the crystalline nature of the Ag-NPs. From the TEM images, the Ag-NPs are almost spherical with an average diameter of 11.78 nm. The FTIR spectrum provides adequate evidence of phytochemicals stabilising the nanoparticles. Synthesised Ag-NPs were successfully obtained using this green method.     

Natural Compound 3β,7β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al from Momordica charantia Acts as PPARγ Ligand

Momordica charantia is a popular vegetable associated with effective complementary and alternative diabetes management in some parts of the world. However, the molecular mechanism is less commonly investigated. In this study, we investigated the association between a major cucurbitane triterpenoid isolated from M. charantia, 3β,7β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al (THCB) and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) activation and its related activities using cell culture and molecular biology techniques. In this study, we report on both M. charantia fruit crude extract and THCB in driving the luciferase activity of Peroxisome Proliferator Response Element, associated with PPARγ activation. Other than that, THCB also induced adipocyte differentiation at far less intensity as compared to the full agonist rosiglitazone. In conjunction, THCB treatment on adipocytes also resulted in upregulation of PPAR gamma target genes expression; AP2, adiponectin, LPL and CD34 at a lower magnitude compared to rosiglitazone’s induction. THCB also induced glucose uptake into muscle cells and the mechanism is via Glut4 translocation to the cell membrane. In conclusion, THCB acts as one of the many components in M. charantia to induce hypoglycaemic effect by acting as PPARγ ligand and inducing glucose uptake activity in the muscles by means of Glut4 translocation.     

Biomedical application of responsive ‘smart’ electrospun nanofibers in drug delivery system: A minireview

Electrospinning is a versatile method for producing continuous nanofibers. It has since become an easy and cost-effective technique in the manufacturing process and drawn keen interests in most biomedical field applications. Nanofibers have garnered great attention in nanomedicine due to their resemblance with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Like nanoparticles, its unique characteristics of higher surface-to-volume ratio and the tunability of the polymers utilizing nanofiber have increased the efficiency in encapsulation and drug-loading capabilities. Smart or “stimuli-responsive” polymers have shown particular fascination in controlled release, where their ability to react to minor changes in the environment, such as temperature, pH, electric field, light, or magnetic field, distinguishes them as intelligent. Polymers are a popular material for the design of drug delivery carriers; consequently, various types of drugs, including antiviral, proteins, antibiotics, DNA and RNA, are successfully encapsulated in the pH-dependent nanofibers with smart polymers which is a polymer that can respond to change such as pH change, temperature. In this minireview, we discuss applications of smart electrospun pH-responsive nanofibers in the emerging biomedical developments which includes cancer drug targeting, oral controlled release, wound healing and vaginal drug delivery.     

Chemical,Nutrient and Physicochemical Properties of Brown Seaweed,Sargassum polycystum C. Agardh (Phaeophyceae) Collected from Port Dickson,Peninsular Malaysia

Recent increased interest in seaweed is motivated by attention generated in their bioactive components that have potential applications in the functional food and nutraceutical industries. In the present study, nutritional composition, metabolite profiles, phytochemical screening and physicochemical properties of freeze-dried brown seaweed, Sargassum polycystum were evaluated. Results showed that the S. polycystum had protein content of 8.65 ± 1.06%, lipid of 3.42 ± 0.01%, carbohydrate of 36.55 ± 1.09% and total dietary fibre content of 2.75 ± 0.58% on dry weight basis. The mineral content of S. polycystum including Na, K, Ca, Mg Fe, Se and Mn were 8876.45 ± 0.47, 1711.05 ± 0.07, 1079.75 ± 0.30, 213.85 ± 0.02, 277.6 ± 0.12, 4.70 ± 0.00 and 4.45 ± 0.00 mg 100/g DW, respectively. Total carotenoid, chlorophyll a and b content in S. polycystum were detected at 45.28 ± 1.77, 141.98 ± 1.18 and 111.29 µg/g respectively. The total amino acid content was 74.90 ± 1.45%. The study revealed various secondary metabolites and major constituents of S. polycystum fibre to include fucose, mannose, galactose, xylose and rhamnose. The metabolites extracted from the seaweeds comprised n-hexadecanoic acid, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester, benzenepropanoic acid, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy- methyl ester, 1-dodecanol, 3,7,11-trimethyl-, which were the most abundant. The physicochemical properties of S. polycystum such as water-holding and swelling capacity were comparable to several commercial fibre-rich products. In conclusion, results of this study indicate that S. polycystum is a potential candidate as functional food sources for human consumption and its cultivation needs to be encouraged.     

Free vibration of layered cylindrical shells filled with fluid

The vibration of the layered cylindrical shells filled with a quiescent, incompressible, and inviscid fluid is analyzed. The governing equations of the cylindrical shells are derived by Love’s approximation. The solutions of the displacement functions are assumed in a separable form to obtain a system of coupled differential equations in terms of the displacement functions. The displacement functions are approximated by Bickley-type splines. A generalized eigenvalue problem is obtained and solved numerically for the frequency parameter and an associated eigenvector of the spline coefficients. Two layered shells with three different types of materials under clamped-clamped (C-C) and simply supported (S-S) boundary conditions are considered. The variations of the frequency parameter with respect to the relative layer thickness, the length-to-radius ratio, the length-to-thickness ratio, and the circumferential node number are analyzed.     

Computational Study of Asian Propolis Compounds as Potential Anti-Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Agents by Using Inverse Virtual Screening with the DIA-DB Web Server,Tanimoto Similarity Analysis,and Molecular Dynamic Simulation

Propolis contains a wide range of pharmacological activities because of their various bioactive compounds. The beneficial effect of propolis is interesting for treating type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) owing to dysregulation of multiple metabolic processes. In this study, 275 of 658 Asian propolis compounds were evaluated as potential anti-T2DM agents using the DIA-DB web server towards 18 known anti-diabetes protein targets. More than 20% of all compounds could bind to more than five diabetes targets with high binding affinity (<−9.0 kcal/mol). Filtering with physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties, including ADMET parameters, 12 compounds were identified as potential anti-T2DM with favorable ADMET properties. Six of those compounds, (2R)-7,4′-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-8-methylflavone; (RR)-(+)-3′-senecioylkhellactone; 2′,4′,6′-trihydroxy chalcone; alpinetin; pinobanksin-3-O-butyrate; and pinocembrin-5-methyl ether were first reported as anti-T2DM agents. We identified the significant T2DM targets of Asian propolis, namely retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) and aldose reductase (AKR1B1) that have important roles in insulin sensitivity and diabetes complication, respectively. Molecular dynamic simulations showed stable interaction of selected propolis compounds in the active site of RBP4 and AKR1B1. These findings suggest that Asian propolis compound may be effective for treatment of T2DM by targeting RBP4 and AKR1B1.