Naseer Ali Shah

Phytochemical, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Alnus nitida bark in carbon tetrachloride challenged Sprague Dawley rats.

BackgroundAlnus nitida (Spach) Endl. is traditionally used for inflammatory disorders. Diarylheptanoids constituents having diverse therapeutically importance including hepato-protective was reported in A. nitida. The aim of this study was to explore the antioxidant and hepato-protective profile of A. nitida stem bark’s crude methanol extract (ANM).MethodsCrude methanol extract of A. nitida stem bark and its derived fractions were assessed for phytochemical classes and in vitro antioxidant profiling by multidimensional assays. Hepato-protective assessment of ANM was investigated on rats, which were made hepatotoxic using carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Additionally HPLC-DAD analysis of ANM, and its derived ethyl acetate and aqueous fraction was carried out to determine the presence of active constituents.ResultsQualitative analysis of crude extract-and its fractions depicted the presence of terpenoids, saponins, coumarins, phenols and flavonoids. Maximum quantity of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) was recorded in ANM and its derived fractions; n-hexane (ANH), chloroform (ANC), ethyl acetate (ANE) and the residual aqueous (ANA). ANM exhibited the best total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power, and scavenging of DPPH and OH radicals. ANE and ANA exhibited strong scavenging potential for iron chelation, nitric oxide and β-carotene bleaching assay. ANM treatment converse the activities of serum-marker enzymes and lipid profile, altered by CCl4 treatment in rat. CCl4 induced hepatic-cirrhosis in rat resulted in decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities such as catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione reductase-which were restored towards the normal level with ANM. Similarly diminished level of reduced glutathione while enhanced level of lipid peroxides, hydrogen peroxide and nitrite in liver of cirrhotic rats was normalized by treatment of ANM. The histopathological studies of liver tissues also represented that ANM possessed the hepato-protective activity. HPLC-DAD analysis against eight known standards confirmed the presence of gallic acid, catechin and rutin in ANM and in ANA while in ANE gallic acid was only detected.ConclusionBased on the results of antioxidants, restoration of various antioxidant enzymes and histopathological studies, the recent study concludes that antioxidant potential of A. nitida bark might protect the liver damages.

Synthesis, Structural Characterization, Theoretical Calculations and In Vitro Biological Activities of Organotin(IV) Complexes with [O,O] Donor Ligand

The present study deals with the synthesis of ligand 4-oxo-4-(thiazol-2-ylamino)butanoic acid and afterward its organotin(IV) carboxylates [Bu3SnL] (1), [Ph3SnL] (2), [Me2SnL2] (3), [Bu2SnL2] (4) and [Ph2SnL2] (5). These complexes were characterized by useful techniques like elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR (1H, 13C) and single crystal analysis. The ligand coordinates to tin atom via the carboxylate group. Complex 1 has also been studied by single crystal XRD analysis. It showed that tin has distorted tetrahedral geometry due to bulky butyl groups that hinder the carbonyl oxygen of the ligand interaction with the adjacent tin atom for further coordination. The HOMO–LUMO study of ligand “HL” and its tin complexes 3 and 5 indicated that tin complexes are thermodynamically more stable than the ligand. The synthesized complexes were screened for their biological activities like antibacterial, antifungal, antileishminial, cytotoxicity and protein kinase inhibition studies in vitro. Complexes 1 and 2 exhibited maximum antileishmanial activity that was even higher than that of standard Amphotericin B, with significant cytotoxicity and could be potential candidates for the treatment of leishmaniasis. The UV–visible spectroscopic studies revealed that ligand and its complexes bind with DNA via intercalative mode of interaction leading to hypochromism and minor bathochromic or hypsochromic shifts.

Documenting the indigenous knowledge on medicinal flora from communities residing near Swat River (Suvastu) and in high mountainous areas in Swat-Pakistan.

AIM OF THE STUDY The present study aimed at documenting the indigenous knowledge on medicinal flora from the local communities residing near Swat River and high mountainous areas in Swat, Pakistan. MATERIALS AND METHODS Field study was carried out in 2013-14. The area was visited 17 times, and semi-structured and open-ended interviews were conducted in both the plain area nearby the Swat River (4 villages) and mountains (7 villages). A total of 83 erudite informants participated in the interviews with their prior consent. The collected data were analysed through quantitative indices viz., medicinal use value (MUV), relative frequency citation (RFC), family use value (FUV), informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL). RESULTS A total of 78 species belonging to 45 vascular plant families were documented as medicinally important. Lamiaceae was observed the dominant medicinal plant family with 11 species, leaf was the most used part, and powder the most preferred preparation type. Maximum MUV (1) was shared by 15 species while maximum RFC (0.385) was demonstrated by both Brassica juncea and Lepidium sativum. Smaller families with mostly 1 species showed higher FUV while among the larger families Amaryllidaceae and Papaveraceae showed maximum FUV of 0.89 and 0.87, respectively. Highest FL was shown by Mentha arvensis (70%) against gastrointestinal diseases. Highest ICF was demonstrated by hepatic disorders (0.93). Furthermore, we revealed 108 indigenous herbal medicinal recipes, 6 plants added to the medicinal plant trade list, 1 species (Vincetoxicum arnottianum) reported for the first time as medicinal plant, and several new uses for 49 well known medicinal plants. CONCLUSION The present survey documents diverse plant species that are utilised by local communities for treating a broad spectrum of disorders. Quantitative indices helped in marking important and most preferred plants. To conclude, we recommend the plants for pharmacological studies, documenting new uses, especially Vincetoxicum arnottianum, never screened before.

New Targets in Malaria Parasite Chemotherapy: A Review

Malaria is a global health problem that causes significant mortality and morbidity annually and a serious problem to drug therapy and discovery as current anti-malarial therapeutics become increasingly ineffective. The need for new therapy for malaria is mandatory because of the emergence of resistance to most of the anti-malarial drugs. There are different approaches and targets proposed by researchers and scientist based on experimental data. Modern advancement in the biology of the parasite and different genomic techniques provide wide ranges of novel targets in the development of new therapy. Therefore, this review will discuss new targets in the chemotherapy of malaria parasite.

Antimicrobial efficiency of diorganotin(IV) bis-[3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methylacrylate]

Abstract Four new diorganotin(IV) carboxylates, [n-Bu2SnL2] (1), [Et2SnL2] (2), [Me2SnL2] (3) and [n-Oct2SnL2] (4), where L = 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methylacrylate, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C, and 119Sn) and X-ray single crystal analysis for 1. A chelating bidentate ligand and six-coordinate tin centers were confirmed in the solid state by IR for all complexes and for 1 by X-ray single crystal analysis. The NMR study has shown a decrease in the coordination number of tin in solution. The complexes were screened for their in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. A compromised lipo/hydrophilicity and a diffusion controlled antimicrobial activity was shown by the complexes in the order 1 > 2>3 > 4. Molecular docking studies have shown hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions for 1 with the target proteins of the antimicrobial strains. Graphical Abstract

Biological evaluations and spectroscopic characterizations of 3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-methylacrylate based organotin(IV) carboxylates derivatives

Six new organotin(IV) carboxylates, [Me2SnL2] (1), [n-Bu2SnL2] (2), [n-Oct2SnL2] (3), [Me3SnL] (4), [n-Bu3SnL] (5) and [Ph3SnL] (6), where L = 3-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-methylacrylate, have been synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The synthesized compounds were tested for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. The complexes 4–6 demonstrated higher activity than the complexes 1–3. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy indicated that the ligand and its complexes interacted with DNA via partial intercalation as well as minor groove binding.