A Comprehensive Review on Therapeutic Perspectives of Phytosterols in Insulin Resistance: A Mechanistic Approach

Natural products in the form of functional foods have become increasingly popular due to their protective effects against life-threatening diseases, low risk of adverse effects, affordability, and accessibility. Plant components such as phytosterol, in particular, have drawn a lot of press recently due to a link between their consumption and a modest incidence of global problems, such as Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In the management of diet-related metabolic diseases, such as T2DM and cardiovascular disorders, these plant-based functional foods and nutritional supplements have unquestionably led the market in terms of cost-effectiveness, therapeutic efficacy, and safety. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder categoriszed by high blood sugar and insulin resistance, which influence major metabolic organs, such as the liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. These chronic hyperglycemia fallouts result in decreased glucose consumption by body cells, increased fat mobilisation from fat storage cells, and protein depletion in human tissues, keeping the tissues in a state of crisis. In addition, functional foods such as phytosterols improve the body’s healing process from these crises by promoting a proper physiological metabolism and cellular activities. They are plant-derived steroid molecules having structure and function similar to cholesterol, which is found in vegetables, grains, nuts, olive oil, wood pulp, legumes, cereals, and leaves, and are abundant in nature, along with phytosterol derivatives. The most copious phytosterols seen in the human diet are sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol, which can be found in free form, as fatty acid/cinnamic acid esters or as glycosides processed by pancreatic enzymes. Accumulating evidence reveals that phytosterols and diets enriched with them can control glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as insulin resistance. Despite this, few studies on the advantages of sterol control in diabetes care have been published. As a basis, the primary objective of this review is to convey extensive updated information on the possibility of managing diabetes and associated complications with sterol-rich foods in molecular aspects.     

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxides to (R)-1-(1-phenylethyl)-3,5-bis[(E)-arylmethylidene]tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones: synthesis and antimycobacterial evaluation of novel enantiomerically pure di- and trispiroheterocycles

Enantiomerically pure (R)-(1-phenylethyl)-3,5-bis[(E)-arylmethylidene]tetrahydro-4(1H)-pyridinones were synthesized for the first time, and their 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with nitrile oxides affording di- and trispiroheterocycles regio- and stereoselectively in moderate yields was investigated. These compounds were evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (MTB) and multi-drug-resistant M. tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Among the compounds screened, the dispiroheterocycle, namely, (5R,6R,10S)-3,9-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-10-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-14-[(E)-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)methylidene]-12-[(R)-1-phenylethyl]-1,4,7-trioxa-2,8,12-tri-azadispiro[4.0.4.4]tetradeca-2,8-diene 5m was found to possess the maximum activity with MIC of 0.49 μM against MTB, being 9.6 and 15.6 times more potent than ciprofloxacin and ethambutol, respectively. Against MDR-TB, 5m displayed maximum activity with an MIC of 0.49 μM, with it thus being more active than rifampicin, isoniazid, ciprofloxacin and ethambutol by 7.8, 23, 77 and 124 times, respectively.     

Mixing characterization of mechanically milled Fe75Si15M10 powders using Mössbauer spectroscopy

Iron nitrides are attractive as they show excellent magnetic properties which can be utilized as recording and permanent magnetic materials for potential applications. Due to the high saturation magnetization and chemical stability, γ ^′-Fe₄N compound is widely investigated as a promising high density magnetic recording material. γ ^′-Fe₄N particles were synthesized by conventional gaseous nitriding in a heated atmosphere containing ammonia as a source of nitrogen. X-ray diffraction, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are used for the characterization of the as prepared sample.     

Characterization of Antioxidant Activity of Momordica Charantia Fruit by Infrared-Based Fingerprinting

Momordica charantia is widely consumed edible fruit. The food and pharmaceutical industries use it as a natural antioxidant. However, the quality control of M. charantia-based medicinal products is questionable due to the complexity of metabolites in this fruit. Hence, this study has developed a statistical model in predicting the antioxidant value through the 2, 2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power based on infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance. This technique was reliably used for quality control. Six ethanol extracts (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% in water) of this plant’s fruit were prepared. The radical scavenging and ferric reducing antioxidant power activities were measured and the chemical profiling of the extracts was fingerprinted by infrared spectroscopy between 4,000 and 600?cm^?1 at a resolution of 4?cm^?1. Statistical analysis was developed by correlating the bioactivity and infrared spectra of each extract using orthogonal partial least square discriminant analysis. The C–N, C?O, C–O, C–H, and OH infrared signals were positively correlated with biological activity. The antioxidant activity of the fruit of M. charantia may be due to the presence of several antioxidants that work synergistically.     

Synthesis of novel 3,4‐dihydropyrimidinones on water soluble solid support catalyzed by indium triflate

Syntheses of several new 3,4‐dihydropyrimidinones (DHPMs) on sodium sulfate solid support have been reported. The microwave enhanced rapid synthesis of the title compounds yielded a good percentage of the DHPMs. The catalytic activity of indium triflate enables to prepare a wide range of DHPMs. Syntheses of 2‐hydroxyphenyl, 2‐hydroxy‐4‐methoxyphenyl pendant groups on DHPMs scaffold are advantages of the present method, which are rather prone towards cyclization and the presence of free hydroxyl groups on the phenyl ring is confirmed via D₂O exchange study. The mechanism of the reaction is expected to proceed via absorption of substrates on the solid support followed by promotion of the reaction by In(OTf)₃ coupled with microwave irradiation.     

Synthesis, complexation studies and biological activity of some novel mono and tricyclic cyclophane amides and cyclophane sulfonamides

A series of mono, tricyclic cyclophane tetraamides and cyclophane sulfonamides have been synthesized and characterized from spectral and XRD studies. All the cyclophane amides form charge transfer (CT) complex with TCNQ. The cyclophane amides show moderate to good anti-inflammatory activity. Some of them were active against Gram positive (Klebsiella pneumonia) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) human pathogens.     

l-Proline-catalysed three-component domino reactions for the diastereoselective synthesis of 5,6-disubstituted 3-thiomorpholinones

l-Proline-catalysed three-component domino reactions of ethyl 2-[(2-oxo-2-arylethyl)sulfanyl]acetate, aromatic aldehydes and ammonia provide a rapid and facile access to novel trans-6-aroyl-5-aryl-3-thiomorpholinones. This diastereoselective reaction presumably proceeds via a domino sequence comprising enamine formation, Mannich reaction and intramolecular amidation individual steps and resulting in the generation of one C-C and two C-N bonds in a one-pot operation. The reaction also creates two contiguous stereocenters with complete diastereoselectivity.     

New four-component reactions in water: a convergent approach to the metal-free synthesis of spiro[indoline/acenaphthylene-3,4′-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives

New four-component domino reactions are described that allow the one-pot synthesis of spiro[indoline/acenaphthylene-3,4′-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives from the reaction of phenylhydrazine, 3-aminocrotononitrile, isatin/acenaphthylene-1,2-dione, and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, including cyclohexane-1,3-diones, barbituric acid, and 2-thioxodihydropyrimidine-4,6(1H,5H)-dione, in the presence of (±)-camphor-10-sulfonic acid (CSA). These processes take place in water and involve the generation of two rings and five new bonds (two C-C, two C-N and one CN) in a single synthetic operation, with expedient work-up and diminished waste generation due to the absence of extraction and purification steps.     

Assessment of indoor radiation dose received by the residents of natural high background radiation areas of coastal villages of Kanyakumari district,Tamil Nadu,India

Radiation exposure and effective dose received through two routes of exposure, viz. external and internal, via inhalation, by residents of 10 villages belonging to Natural High Background Radiation Areas (NHBRA) of coastal regions of Kanyakumari District and Tamil Nadu in India were studied. While the indoor gamma radiation levels were monitored using Thermo Luminescent Dosimeters (TLDs), the indoor radon and thoron gas concentrations were measured using twin chamber dosimeters employing Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTDs, LR-115-II). The average total annual effective dose was estimated and found to be varying from 2.59 to 8.76 mSv.