K. Elango

5-Aminosalicylic acid attenuates allergen-induced airway inflammation and oxidative stress in asthma.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines regulate the magnitude of allergic reactions during asthma. Tumor necrosis factor--alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) play a crucial role in aggravating the inflammatory conditions during allergic asthma. In addition, oxidative stress contributes to the pathogenesis of asthma by altering the physiological condition resulting in the development of status asthmaticus. Anti-inflammatory corticosteroids are being widely used for treating allergic asthma. In the present study 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), a salicylic acid derivative, was evaluated, in vivo for its potential to suppress TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-13 using ovalbumin (OVA) induced allergic asthma in Balb/C mice. Oral administration of 65, 130 and 195 mg/kg 5-ASA significantly reduced the OVA induced total and differential leucocyte count, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-13, nitrite, nitrate, MDA, MPO and TPL levels in the lung lavage samples. Collectively, these findings suggest that 5-ASA is a potent immunomodulator and suppresses key Th2 cytokines production and oxidative stress in OVA-induced asthma.

Novel glitazones: glucose uptake and cytotoxic activities, and structure–activity relationships

In this article, two series of novel glitazones are reported for their synthesis, in vitro glucose uptake activity by the rat hemi-diaphragm, and in vitro cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma HEp-2 (epidermoid carcinoma of the larynx) and A549 (human lung cancer cell line) cells. Some of the compounds exhibit good glucose uptake and cytotoxic activities. Compound 5 with 2,4-dichlorophenol moiety connected to TZD via the two carbon linker has exhibited good glucose uptake activity. One of the compounds exhibits both cytotoxic and glucose uptake activities (compound 4). Illustrations about their synthesis, and in vitro glucose uptake and cytotoxic activities are described along with their structure–activity relationships.Graphical abstractDesigned, synthesized some novel glitazones and evaluated them for their glucose uptake and cytotoxic activities.

Salicylic acid derivatives as potential anti asthmatic agents using disease responsive drug delivery system for prophylactic therapy of allergic asthma

Asthma is a multi-factorial and complicated lung disorder of the immune system which has expanded to a wider ambit unveiling its etiology to be omnipresent at both ends of the spectrum involving basic pharmacology and in-depth immunology. As asthma occurs through triggered activation of various immune cells due to different stimuli, it poses a great challenge to uncover specific targets for therapeutic interventions. Recent pharmacotherapeutic approaches for asthma have been focused on molecular targeting of transcription factors and their signaling pathways; mainly nucleus factor kappa B (NFκB) and its associated pathways which orchestrate the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, GM-CSF), chemokines (RANTES, MIP-1a, eotaxin), adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1) and inflammatory enzymes (cyclooxygenase-2 and iNOS). 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and sodium salicylate are known to suppress NFκB activation by inhibiting inhibitor of kappa B kinase (IKκB). In order to target the transcription factor, a suitable carrier system for delivering the drug to the intracellular space is essential. 5-ASA and sodium salicylate loaded liposomes incorporated into PEG-4-acrylate and CCRGGC microgels (a polymer formed by crosslinking of trypsin sensitive peptide and PEG-4-acrylate) could probably suit the needs for developing a disease responsive drug delivery system which will serve as a prophylactic therapy for asthmatic patients.

Pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies of 1,9-pyrazoloanthrone, a c-Jun-N-terminal kinase inhibitor in Wistar rats by a simple and sensitive HPLC method

JNK pathway activates c-Jun(s) which are responsible for cell apoptosis; as a result, inhibitors of JNK pathway have the potential to prevent dopaminergic neurons from death and decrease the loss of dopamine in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Recent in-vitro studies show that 1,9-pyrazoloanthrone (1,9-P) a potent JNK-3 inhibitor prevents the apoptosis of dopaminergic cells of brain. In the present study we formulated liposomes to increase the bioavailability of 1,9-P in the brain and developed a simple, sensitive and selective high performance liquid chromatographic method and validated for the estimation of 1,9-P in Wistar rat plasma and tissue samples. Plasma and tissue samples were extracted by protein precipitation technique using acetonitrile (ACN) and rasagiline as the internal standards. Chromatography was performed on Hibar C18 column with mobile phase of ammonium acetate (10mM, pH 8.0 adjusted with ammonia) and ACN at a flow rate of 1mL/min. The lower limit of quantification of the developed method was found to be 2.0ng/mL and 4.0ng/g in plasma and tissue samples respectively. The liposomes of 1,9-P administered to animals at the dose equivalent to 15mg/kg orally demonstrated remarkable absorption into the systemic circulation with maximum concentration (∼7500ng/mL) within 2.0h. The order of the area under curve was found to be kidney>liver>brain>lungs>spleen>heart. The liposomes of 1,9-P were rapidly taken up into brain and showed a good brain concentration after 2.0h; sustenance up to 4.0h was achieved which is better than 1,9-P solution.