Repurposing of antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and impact of repurposed drugs on the nervous system.

The recent pandemic, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has devastated humanity and is continuing to threaten us. Due to the high transmissibility of this pathogen, researchers are still trying to cope with the treatment and prevention of this disease. Few of them were successful in finding cure for COVID-19 by including repurposed drugs in the treatment. In such pandemic situations, when it is nearly impossible to design and implement a new drug target, previously designed antiviral drugs could help against novel viruses, referred to as drug repurposing/redirecting/repositioning or re-profiling. This review describes the current landscape of the repurposing of antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and the impact of these drugs on our nervous system. In some cases, specific antiviral therapy has been notably associated with neurological toxicity, characterized by peripheral neuropathy, neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric effects within the central nervous system (CNS).

Production, Purification of Exo-Polygalacturonase from Soil Isolate Paecilomyces variotii NFCCI 1769 and Its Application.

The aim of the present study was to produce exo-polygalacturonase from potent soil isolate by submerged fermentation and its application for fruit juice treatment. Pectinase producing strains were selectively isolated from pectin industry waste. A selected isolate C2 was found to produce significant amount of exo-polygalacturonase. The isolate was identified as Paecilomyces variotii on the basis of morphological characteristics and 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The exo-polygalacturonase produced by the isolate was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, size exclusion chromatography and ion exchange chromatography. The purified enzyme had MW of 39.4 kD based on SDS PAGE. Under partially optimized conditions, purified exo-polygalacturonase showed specific activity of 98.49 U/mg protein at pH 6.0 and 30°C. The enzyme was comparatively stable from 10 to 30°C and the activity decreased with increasing temperature. Purified enzyme brought about considerable reduction in viscosity of fruit juice samples.

Prevalence of high blood pressure among young rural adults in relation to height in childhood and adult body mass index.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence, mostly based on developed countries, indicates that disease risks may be associated with changes in growth processes rather than a one-point phenomenon. In view of the increasing prevalence of hypertension in India, there is a need to understand how patterns of growth during early childhood and adolescence influence blood pressure in adulthood, particularly among rural populations in India. METHODS: The risk of hypertension was examined in 378 rural men older than 20 years who were measured for anthropometry during early childhood, adolescence, and as young adults in a community-based cohort study. RESULTS: At the young age of 24 years, 33.9% of men had either high systolic blood pressure (≥130 mmHg) or high diastolic blood pressure (≥85 mmHg), even in absence of obesity. The growth of the subjects during childhood, in whom blood pressure developed later in young adulthood, was characterized by higher body mass index (BMI) throughout early childhood and adolescence as compared with those who had normal blood pressure. The prevalence of high blood pressure, especially diastolic, at this adult age was strongly associated with stunting at 3+ years of age (<-2 SD height of the World Health Organization standard), and risk increased (odds ratio, 12.21; 95% confidence interval, 2.93-50.90; p < 0.001) among those having high BMI (≥23 kg/m(2)) at adult age as compared with those who were not stunted in early life with a low BMI at adult age. CONCLUSIONS: The primary prevention of the epidemic of high blood pressure in India may require measures to prevent children from being stunted in early childhood and also prevent them from being overweight at young adulthood.

Bacillus spp. of human origin: a potential siderophoregenic probiotic bacteria.

Bacillus spp. ST13, isolated from human stool, was evaluated for siderophoregenic and probiotic qualities prior to its possible application for iron nutrition in humans and animals. It was tested for siderophore production in iron-limiting conditions and found to produce catecholate type of siderophore on the basis of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), FT-IR, NMR, and mass spectra analysis. The isolate was screened for probiotic properties as per WHO and FAO guidelines. The strain ST13 can survive stomach acidity, bile salt and partially simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions. It was susceptible to most of the antibiotic tested and showed antimicrobial activity against enteric pathogens like Salmonella typhimurium, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Strain ST13 showed close similarity with Bacillus subtilis using 16S r-RNA gene sequence analysis and biochemical characterization. The methanolic extract of ST13 siderophore was evaluated for DPPH radical scavenging activity, which showed 94.55 ± 0.9% of radical scavenging effect.

A potential probiotic culture ST2 produces siderophore 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine under intestinal conditions.

The aim of this study was to characterise siderophores of a culture bearing better probiotic qualities of human origin. In this direction, bacterial strain ST2 was isolated from faecal sample of 6-month-old healthy infant, which showed close similarity with Escherichia coli based on 16S r-RNA gene sequence analysis and biochemical characteristics. It was tested for siderophore production under in vitro iron limiting intestinal conditions. The siderophore produced was catecholate type of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine on the basis of FTIR, NMR and mass spectra analysis. The strain obeyed probiotic properties as per WHO and FAO guidelines. It showed excellent tolerance in partially simulated gastro-intestinal tract conditions, non-haemolytic nature, susceptibility to many antibiotics tested and antimicrobial activity against enteric pathogens like Salmonella typhimurium, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Hence, this culture could be a possible probiotic candidate in iron nutrition, but only after conducting proper animal and human trials.

Production of hyaluronic acid from Streptococcus zooepidemicus MTCC 3523 and its wound healing activity.

Exopolysaccharide produced and purified from Streptococcus zooepidemicus MTCC 3523 was identified as hyaluronic acid (HA) based on IR and NMR spectroscopy while its Mw was found to be 5.38 × 10(5)Da. HA produced passed bacterial endotoxin test and showed significant wound healing activity in Wistar rats on 12th and 16th day.