Flavonoids as Antidiabetic and Anti-Inflammatory Agents: A Review on Structural Activity Relationship-Based Studies and Meta-Analysis.

Flavonoids are a group of naturally occurring polyphenolic secondary metabolites which have been reported to demonstrate a wide range of pharmacological properties, most importantly, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. The relationship between hyperglycaemia and inflammation and vascular complications in diabetes is now well established. Flavonoids possessing antidiabetic properties may alleviate inflammation by reducing hyperglycaemia through different mechanisms of action. It has been suggested that the flavonoids' biochemical properties are structure-dependent; however, they are yet to be thoroughly grasped. Hence, the main aim of this review is to understand the antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties of various structurally diverse flavonoids and to identify key positions responsible for the effects, their correlation, and the effect of different substitutions on both antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. The general requirement of flavonoids for exerting both anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects is found to be the presence of a C2-C3 double bond (C-ring) and hydroxyl groups at the C3', C4', C5, and C7 positions of both rings A and B of a flavonoid skeleton. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that substitution at the C3 position of a C-ring decreases the anti-inflammatory action of flavonoids while enhancing their antidiabetic activity. Correlation is discussed at length to support flavonoids possessing essential pharmacophores to demonstrate equipotent effects. The consideration of these structural features may play an important role in synthesizing better flavonoid-based drugs possessing dual antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. A meta-analysis further established the role of flavonoids as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory agents.

Potential Applications of Conducting Polymers to Reduce Secondary Bacterial Infections among COVID-19 Patients: a Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a motivation for material scientists to search for functional materials with valuable properties to alleviate the risks associated with the coronavirus. The formulation of functional materials requires synergistic understanding on the properties of materials and mechanisms of virus transmission and disease progression, including secondary bacterial infections that are prevalent in COVID-19 patients. A viable candidate in the struggle against the pandemic is antimicrobial polymer, due to their favorable properties of flexibility, lightweight, and ease of synthesis. Polymers are the base material for personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, face mask, face shield, and coverall suit for frontliners. Conducting polymers (CPs) are polymers with electrical properties due to the addition of dopant in the polymer structure. The conductivity of polymers augments their antiviral and antibacterial properties. This review discusses the types of CPs and how their properties could be exploited to ward off bacterial infections in hospital settings, specifically in cases involving COVID-19 patients. This review also covers common CPs fabrication techniques. The key components to produce CPs at several possibilities to fit the current needs in fighting secondary bacterial infections are also discussed.

Soft-Chewable Paracetamol Tablets by Melt Granulation Method: Formulation and Characterization.

BACKGROUND: Oral drug delivery is the most preferred route for drug administration in the world, with tablets being one of the most common dosage forms. However, some people, particularly children and the elderly, have difficulty swallowing the tablets. Chewable tablets are the dosage form that can address the issue while also providing a valuable masking effect on drug taste, allowing patients to swallow the drugs more easily. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the chewable tablets were manufactured using the melt granulation method, which resulted in tablets with a chewy texture. The tablets contained paracetamol as well as Arabic gum, starch, agar, and mannitol. RESULTS: The drug release profiles for the fragmented form showed that 50% of the drug was released within 4 min and 100% was released within 30 min of the dissolution process. The intact form released nearly 90% of the drug within 2 h. CONCLUSION: Formulation 2 was determined as the best formulation. This tablets' formulation had passed all characterization tests and displayed a moderate hardness and chewy texture.

Medicinal Potential of Isoflavonoids: Polyphenols That May Cure Diabetes.

In recent years, there is emerging evidence that isoflavonoids, either dietary or obtained from traditional medicinal plants, could play an important role as a supplementary drug in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) due to their reported pronounced biological effects in relation to multiple metabolic factors associated with diabetes. Hence, in this regard, we have comprehensively reviewed the potential biological effects of isoflavonoids, particularly biochanin A, genistein, daidzein, glycitein, and formononetin on metabolic disorders and long-term complications induced by T2DM in order to understand whether they can be future candidates as a safe antidiabetic agent. Based on in-depth in vitro and in vivo studies evaluations, isoflavonoids have been found to activate gene expression through the stimulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) (α, γ), modulate carbohydrate metabolism, regulate hyperglycemia, induce dyslipidemia, lessen insulin resistance, and modify adipocyte differentiation and tissue metabolism. Moreover, these natural compounds have also been found to attenuate oxidative stress through the oxidative signaling process and inflammatory mechanism. Hence, isoflavonoids have been envisioned to be able to prevent and slow down the progression of long-term diabetes complications including cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy. Further thoroughgoing investigations in human clinical studies are strongly recommended to obtain the optimum and specific dose and regimen required for supplementation with isoflavonoids and derivatives in diabetic patients.