Current Drug Discovery Technologies - Volume 16, Issue 2, 2019

Background: Portulaca oleracea L. (Purslane) has been used in traditional medicine against hepatic injury, although its actual efficacy has not been fully understood. The present study aimed to critically review the recent literature data from 1990 to 2017 regarding the hepato-protective effects of Portulaca oleracea L. and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Online literature resources were checked using different search engin Read More

Dihydropyrimidinones are extremely advantageous small sized molecules owning adaptable pharmaceutical properties. With a molecular formula C4H6N2O, they hold a wide range of biological activities. It is a heterocyclic moiety having two N-atoms at positions 1 and 3. They are derivatives of pyrimidine containing an additional ketone group. They have inspired development of a wide range of synthetic methods for preparation Read More

PKC is a family of serine-threonine kinases which play crucial roles in the regulation of important signal transduction pathways in mammalian cell-biology. These enzymes are themselves regulated by various molecules that can serve as ligands to the regulatory domains and translocate PKC to membrane for activity. The role of PKC in the modulation of both proliferative and apoptotic signaling in cancer has become a subject of Read More

Introduction and Background: Linum usitatissimum L., known as common Flax or linseed, from the family Linnaceae, has long been cultivated in different nations due to its applications in medicine and industry. The present study aims to collect nearly all available information about chemical constituents of Flax, as well as pharmacological properties and confirmed clinical usages of it. Methods: We searched through databases Read More

Background: Prediction of proteins’ secondary structure is one of the major steps in the generation of homology models. These models provide structural information which is used to design suitable ligands for potential medicinal targets. However, selecting a proper tool between multiple Secondary Structure Prediction (SSP) options is challenging. The current study is an insight into currently favored methods and tools, wit Read More

Background: Leishmaniasis reaches millions of people around the world. The control of the disease is difficult due to the restricted access to the diagnosis and medication, and low adherence to the treatment. Thus, more efficient drugs are needed and natural products are good alternatives. Iridoids, natural products with reported leishmanicidal activity, can be exploited for the development of anti- Leishmania drugs. The aim Read More

Background: Breast cancer is one of the common causes of mortality for women in Iran and other parts of the world. The substantial increasing rate of breast cancer in both developed and developing countries warns the scientists to provide more preventive steps and therapeutic measures. This study is conducted to investigate the impact of neurotransmitters (e.g., Dopamine) through their receptors and the importance of c Read More

Objective: In Iranian Traditional Medicine, the herbs with cold and wet temperament can help to improve insomnia. Portulaca oleracea has a cold and wet temperament, so the present study was carried out to investigate the sleep-prolonging effect of Portulaca oleracea. Methods: This work was an experimental study on mice which were randomly divided into these groups: saline (control); Diazepam: positive control); hydro- Read More

Background: The incidence of invasive fungal infections caused by Candida spp. has increased continuously in recent decades, especially in populations of immunocompromised patients or individuals hospitalized with serious underlying diseases. Therefore, the goal of our study was the search for new potent Candida albicans inhibitors via the development of QSAR models that could speed up this search process. A numb Read More

Background: Farsetia hamiltonii Royle, also known as Hiran Chabba grows in desert regions. It is widely used as folk medicine to treat joint pains, diarrhea and diabetes. However, its antioxidant and iron chelation abilities both in vitro and in vivo have not yet been investigated. Methods: The 70% methanolic extract of F. hamiltonii (FHME) was investigated for its free radical scavenging and iron chelation potential, in vitro. An ir Read More

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the most common complications of diabetic patients. Mostly, non-healing DFU leads to infection, gangrene, amputation and even death. High costs and poor healing of the wounds need a new treatment such as alternative medicine. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Aloe vera/ Plantago major gel (Plantavera gel) in healing of DFU. Methods: Forty patients wit Read More

Background: According to new studies, only 60% of depressed patients respond to pharmaceutical treatment while suffering from their side effects. Natural products as adjuvant or alternative therapies should be examined to find safer and more effective ways to cope with depression. Objective: To find out the potential benefits of a combined herbal drug based on Echium amoenum compared with citalopram in the treatment of Read More