Rubber tree seed utilization for green energy, revenue generation and sustainable development– A comprehensive review

With the growing awareness and sensitivity towards green energy, it makes an excellent opportunity to promote rubber trees [Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A.Juss.) Muell.Arg.] as an alternate source for sustainable development and cleaner production. In recent years, rubber tree has extensively been used only for its latex. The most neglected yet abundant by-product of the rubber tree is the seed biomass. The rubber tree seeds can yield a constant source of biomass which would need a little care, financial investment, and time. This biomass efficiently can be used in several small-scale or medium-scale industries, and one of the positive aspects of using this biomass is its zero or neutral CO₂ emission. A little effort, if given into its resource utilization, can go a long way in augmenting the income and improving the livelihood of the rubber tree cultivators, as well as help to develop a cleaner and sustainable environment. Instead of using the seeds as mere propagating material, these can otherwise be used in organic farming. Rubber tree seeds being protein-rich, the seed cakes and seed meal after the oil extraction can act as an abundant source of organic manure and a potential natural fertilizer. The seeds have an intrinsic property of acting as herbicides and fungicides. The seed cake, owing to its nutritional value, can be used as cattle and poultry feed. The problem of food scarcity is a major contributing factor to malnutrition in the underprivileged sections of society. The rubber tree seeds can play an influential role by supplementing protein and as an alternate source of food, thereby helping the developing nations combat the food crisis. The few available reports regarding rubber tree seeds consumed by the tribes inhabiting the Amazon basin are worth mentioning. Rubber tree seeds contain cyanogenic compounds, and extensive research is needed to develop a methodology to eliminate such toxic compounds, which can help humanity overcome the challenges of food shortages in underdeveloped and developing nations.In today's COVID-19 pandemic scenario, there is a multiple-fold increase in demand for soaps and handwash for personal hygiene. This demand shall continue to grow in the coming days, and the inclusion of rubber tree seed oil (RSO) in producing soaps may ease the burden on vegetable oil, which can be used for human consumption. Rubber tree seed oil can also be used effectively in the cosmetics industry. Several encouraging reports support the idea of the inclusion of RSO in cosmetics to minimize the detrimental effects of harmful chemicals on the human body.The use of rubber tree seed oil as an alternate energy source cannot be downplayed. Rubber tree seed oil not only has a high ability to become an excellent source of biofuel but also has enormous potential in other industrial sectors. Products derived from RSO are used in several industrial sectors, including the paint industry, soap industry, and engineering sector as core binders. All products obtained from rubber trees can clearly show a path for cleaner green energy production and help to establish a rapport between nature and livelihood generation. The present review investigates the overall possibilities of rubber tree seed utilization as an alternate source of biomass and its venture into the various fields of biological utility and possible means of revenue generation in developing countries.

Identification of potential edible mushroom as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor using rational drug designing approach.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly pathogenic to humans and has created health care threats worldwide. This urgent situation has focused the researchers worldwide towards the development of novel vaccine or small molecule therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2. Although several vaccines have already been discovered and are in use for the masses, no therapeutic medication has yet been approved by FDA for the treatment of COVID-19. Keeping this in view, in the present study, we have identified promising hits against the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 from edible mushrooms. Structure-based virtual screening (VS) of 2433 compounds derived from mushrooms was performed with Mpro protein (6LU7). Four promising hits, namely, Kynapcin-12 (M_78), Kynapcin-28 (M_82), Kynapcin-24 (M_83), and Neonambiterphenyls-A (M_366) were identified based on the result of docking, Lipinski's rule, 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and MM/PBSA binding free energy calculations. Finally, the inhibitory properties of these hits were compared with three known inhibitors, baicalein (1), baicalin (2), and biflavonoid (3). Data indicated that M_78, M_82 and M_83 compounds present in edible mushroom Polyozellus multiplex were potent inhibitors of Mproprotein (6LU7). It could be concluded that edible mushroom Polyozellus multiplex has potential activity against SARS-CoV-2 infection and identified molecules could be further explored as therapeutic inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2.

Rubber tree seed utilization for green energy, revenue generation and sustainable development– A comprehensive review

With the growing awareness and sensitivity towards green energy, it makes an excellent opportunity to promote rubber trees [Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A.Juss.) Muell.Arg.] as an alternate source for sustainable development and cleaner production. In recent years, rubber tree has extensively been used only for its latex. The most neglected yet abundant by-product of the rubber tree is the seed biomass. The rubber tree seeds can yield a constant source of biomass which would need a little care, financial investment, and time. This biomass efficiently can be used in several small-scale or medium-scale industries, and one of the positive aspects of using this biomass is its zero or neutral CO2 emission. A little effort, if given into its resource utilization, can go a long way in augmenting the income and improving the livelihood of the rubber tree cultivators, as well as help to develop a cleaner and sustainable environment. Instead of using the seeds as mere propagating material, these can otherwise be used in organic farming. Rubber tree seeds being protein-rich, the seed cakes and seed meal after the oil extraction can act as an abundant source of organic manure and a potential natural fertilizer. The seeds have an intrinsic property of acting as herbicides and fungicides. The seed cake, owing to its nutritional value, can be used as cattle and poultry feed. The problem of food scarcity is a major contributing factor to malnutrition in the underprivileged sections of society. The rubber tree seeds can play an influential role by supplementing protein and as an alternate source of food, thereby helping the developing nations combat the food crisis. The few available reports regarding rubber tree seeds consumed by the tribes inhabiting the Amazon basin are worth mentioning. Rubber tree seeds contain cyanogenic compounds, and extensive research is needed to develop a methodology to eliminate such toxic compounds, which can help humanity overcome the challenges of food shortages in underdeveloped and developing nations. In today’s COVID-19 pandemic scenario, there is a multiple-fold increase in demand for soaps and handwash for personal hygiene. This demand shall continue to grow in the coming days, and the inclusion of rubber tree seed oil (RSO) in producing soaps may ease the burden on vegetable oil, which can be used for human consumption. Rubber tree seed oil can also be used effectively in the cosmetics industry. Several encouraging reports support the idea of the inclusion of RSO in cosmetics to minimize the detrimental effects of harmful chemicals on the human body. The use of rubber tree seed oil as an alternate energy source cannot be downplayed. Rubber tree seed oil not only has a high ability to become an excellent source of biofuel but also has enormous potential in other industrial sectors. Products derived from RSO are used in several industrial sectors, including the paint industry, soap industry, and engineering sector as core binders. All products obtained from rubber trees can clearly show a path for cleaner green energy production and help to establish a rapport between nature and livelihood generation. The present review investigates the overall possibilities of rubber tree seed utilization as an alternate source of biomass and its venture into the various fields of biological utility and possible means of revenue generation in developing countries.

Phytochemicals of Zingiberaceae family exhibit potentiality against SARS-CoV-2 main protease identified by a rational computer-aided drug design.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created huge social, economic and human health crises globally. Discovery of specific drugs has become a new challenge to the researcher. Structure-based virtual-screening of our in-house databank containing1102 phytochemicals of Zingiberaceae family was performed with main protease(Mpro), a crucial enzyme of SARS-CoV-2. Rigorous docking and ADME study of top-scored twenty hits resulted from VS was performed. Then 100 ns molecular dynamics followed by MMPBSA binding free energy(ΔGbind) calculation of A280 and KZ133 was also performed. These two hits showed good interactions with crucial amino acid residues of Mpro HIS-41 and CYS-145, excellent ADME properties, fair ΔGbind values (> ‒188.03 kj/mol), and average protein-ligand complex RMSD < apo-protein RMSD. Therefore, the seed extracts of Alpinia blepharocalyx and rhizome extracts Kaempferia angustifolia containing A280 and KZ133, respectively, may be useful against COVID-19 after the proper biological screening. These two novel scaffolds could be exploited as potent SARS-CoV-2-Mpro inhibitors.

Identification of potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease and spike receptor from 10 important spices through structure-based virtual screening and molecular dynamic study.

The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 poses a serious threat to human health and world economic activity. There is no specific drug for the treatment of COVID-19 patients at this moment. Traditionally, people have been using spices like ginger, fenugreek and onion, etc. for the remedy of a common cold. This work identifies the potential inhibitors of the main protease (Mpro) and spike (S) receptor of SARS-CoV-2 from 10 readily available spices. These two proteins, S and Mpro, play an important role during the virus entry into the host cell, and replication and transcription processes of the virus, respectively. To identify potential molecules an in-house databank containing 1040 compounds was built-up from the selected spices. Structure-based virtual screening of this databank was performed with two important SARS-CoV-2 proteins using Glide. Top hits resulted from virtual screening (VS) were subjected to molecular docking using AutoDock 4.2 and AutoDock Vina to eliminate false positives. The top six hits against Mpro and top five hits against spike receptor subjected to 130 ns molecular dynamic simulation using GROMACS. Finally, the compound 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-Mpro complexes, and compound 17-, 18-, 19-, 20- and 21- spike receptor complexes showed stability throughout the simulation time. The ADME values also supported the drug-like nature of the selected hits. These nine compounds are available in onion, garlic, ginger, peppermint, chili and fenugreek. All the spices are edible and might be used as home remedies against COVID-19 after proper biological evaluation.

In Silico Identification of Potential Inhibitors of ADP-Ribose Phosphatase of SARS-CoV-2 nsP3 by Combining E-Pharmacophore- and Receptor-Based Virtual Screening of Database.

The recently emerged 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and associated COVID-19 disease cause serious or even fatal respiratory tract infection. Observing the spread, illness and death caused by COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. To date, there is no approved therapeutics or effective treatment available to combat the outbreak. This urgent situation is pressing the world to respond with development of novel vaccine or a small molecule therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2. In line with these efforts, the structure of several proteins of SARS-CoV-2 has been rapidly resolved and made publicly available to facilitate global efforts to develop novel drug candidates. In this paper, we aim to find out the small molecule inhibitors for ADP-ribose phosphatase of SARS-CoV-2. In order to identify potential inhibitors, we applied sequential E-pharmacophore and structure-based virtual screening (VS) of MolPort database containing 113687 number of commercially available natural compounds using Glide module. Six potential inhibitors having admirable XP glide score range from -11.009 to -14.684 kcal/mol and good binding affinity towards active sites were identified. All the molecules are commercially available for further characterization and development by scientific community. The in vitro activity of selected inhibitors can be done easily which will provide useful information for clinical treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia.