Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Volume 20, Issue 6, 2019

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs and spreads to other organs of the body through the haematogenous route. It is one of the ten major causes of mortality worldwide. India has the highest incidence of new- and multidrug-resistant (MDR) - TB cases in the world. Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the vaccine commonly available against TB. BCG does offer some protection against serious for Read More

Background: In this study, local sustainable enzyme sources involving excised digestive juice of African land snail and yeast were utilized to achieve the simultaneous saccharification (SSF) and fermentation (SSF) of plantain pseudostem (PPS) waste, and afterwards their effects on terpenoids using gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector (GC-FID), were examined. Methods: The most abundant terpenoids we Read More

Background: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are increasingly utilized in both industrial and medical applications. Therefore, the study was aimed to investigate the effect of green nanoparticle complex (green tea extract/zinc oxide nanoparticles complex, GTE/ZnO NPs) on oxidative stress induced by monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the liver of rats. Methods: Wistar male rats (n=64) weighing between 200-250 g wer Read More

Background: Heparin is an essential drug used as an anticoagulant. Access to raw material suitable for heparin extraction is critical for creating a viable business opportunity. In Saudi Arabia, large amounts of raw material with potential for heparin extraction are wasted. Objective: To extract heparin and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) from the camel lung, and measure its potency and activity. Methods: Heparin prepar Read More

Background: EDIL3 is an extracellular matrix protein that plays a key role in angiogenesis. Changes in the pattern of its expression also affect cellular processes and the tumor microenvironment. Elevated level of EDIL3 is considered an unfavorable prognostic marker of survival. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in EDIL3 expression in endometrial cancer at various degrees of its differentiation (G1 Read More

Background: Pullulan can partially or completely replace starch or fat, thanks to which it can be used for the production of dietetic food. It allows you to maintain the desired consistency, and increases the viscosity of the product. Objective: Therefore, an attempt was made to produce yogurts with pullulan addition and determine the effect of its presence on the number of LAB, pH change, titratable acidity, and sensory quality Read More

Background: Bacterial lipases especially Pseudomonas lipases are extensively used for different biotechnological applications. Objectives: With the better understanding and progressive needs for improving its activity in accordance with the growing market demand, we aimed in this study to improve the recombinant production and biocatalytic activity of lipases via surface conjugation on gold nanoparticles. Methods: The full l Read More

Background: Lower human salivary aldehyde dehydrogenase (hsALDH) activity increases the risk of aldehyde mediated pathogenesis including oral cancer. Alliin, the bioactive compound of garlic, exhibits many beneficial health effects. Objective: To study the effect of alliin on hsALDH activity. Methods: Enzyme kinetics was performed to study the effect of alliin on the activity of hsALDH. Different biophysical techniques were em Read More

Background: The study aimed to investigate the effects of the active ingredient, nimodipine, on chondrocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) structures in cartilage tissue cells. Methods: Chondrocyte cultures were prepared from tissues resected via surgical operations. Nimodipine was then applied to these cultures and molecular analysis was performed. The data obtained were statistically calculated. Results: Both, Read More