In silico analysis of phytochemical compounds for optimizing the inhibitors of HMG CoA reductase.

HMGCoA Reductase (HMGCR), a key enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthesis, catalyzes the conversion of 3- hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) into mevalonate. Thus this enzyme is the target of the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as the statins. Phytoformulation1 is a polyherbal formulation consists of the extracts of plant constituents. The present study was designed to examine the ability of the secondary metabolites of Phytoformulation 1 as an antagonist to HMGCoA reductase enzyme by in silico molecular docking. The docking analysis was carried out by Ligand Fit Accelry’s Discovery studio 2.1, which allows virtual screening of database of compounds and predict the strongest binders based on various scoring functions. Fifteen ligands were docked with HMG CoA reductase receptor, out of which four compounds Dichloroacetic acid 2, 2- dimethylpropyl ester, 1, 6, 10-Dodecatriene-3-ol, 3, 7, 11-trimethyl-[S-(Z)]-, Isopropyl acrylate and 3, 3- Dimethylacryloyl chloride were able to form hydrogen bonds with active site of target protein. Thus it may be concluded that the secondary metabolites of Phytoformulation 1 can be an inhibitor of the HMGCR receptor that could be used to treat hyperlipidemia and further in vivo studies may be carried out to prove the same.

Lipid metabolic changes in experimentally induced leptospiral infection with serovars australis, canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae.

Changes in lipid fractions were evaluated in young guinea pigs when infected with 1 ml of 7 day old live cultures of leptospira interrogans serovars australis, canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae. Statistically significant elevation in triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein and phospholipid and a significant reduction in high density lipoprotein (HDL) in all the groups was observed. Cholesterol and low density lipoprotein showed ascending trend in icterohaemorrhagiae group, whereas they were normal in other groups. The results suggest that increase in triglycerides, phospholipid and decrease in HDL in a suspected case of leptospirosis may be considered as markers.

Zinc counteracts experimentally-induced cirrhotic changes in rats.

In the present study, cirrhosis was induced in rats by administration of carbon tetra chloride for 8 weeks. In these animals ZnSo4 (equivalent to 100 and 200 micrograms of zinc) was administered orally and liver function tests and plasma zinc (Zn) estimations were carried out after 2 and 4 week intervals. The results revealed that Zn supplement counteracts cirrhotic changes in liver.