Tocilizumab (TCZ), a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-6 (IL-6), emerged as an alternative treatment for COVID-19 patients with a risk of cytokine storms recently. In the present study, we aimed to discuss the treatment response of TCZ therapy in COVID-19 infected patients. The demographic, treatment, laboratory parameters of C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 before and after TCZ therapy and clinical outcome in the 15 COVID-19 patients were retrospectively assessed. Totally 15 patients with COVID-19 were included in this study. Two of them were moderately ill, six were seriously ill and seven were critically ill. The TCZ was used in combination with methylprednisolone in eight patients. Five patients received the TCZ administration twice or more. Although TCZ treatment ameliorated the increased CRP in all patients rapidly, for the four critically ill patients who received an only single dose of TCZ, three of them (No. 1, 2, and 3) still dead and the CRP level in the rest one patient (No. 7) failed to return to normal range with a clinical outcome of disease aggravation. Serum IL-6 level tended to further spiked firstly and then decreased after TCZ therapy in 10 patients. A persistent and dramatic increase of IL-6 was observed in these four patients who failed treatment. TCZ appears to be an effective treatment option in COVID-19 patients with a risk of cytokine storms. And for these critically ill patients with elevated IL-6, the repeated dose of the TCZ is recommended.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jmv.25801

Tocilizumab treatment in COVID-19: A single center experience.

Organic Chemistry By Dr. I. L. Finar. Vol. 2: Stereochemistry and the Chemistry of Natural Products. Pp. xi + 733. (London and New York: Longmans, Green and Co., Ltd., 1956.) 40s. net.

Advanced Organic Chemistry

Spectroscopy is the study of matter interacting with electromagnetic radiation (e.g., light). The electromagnetic spectrum in Figure 1 illustrates the many different types of electromagnetic radiation, including gamma rays (γ-rays), X-rays, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, visible light, infrared (IR) radiation, microwaves, and radio waves. The frequency (ν) and wavelength (λ) ranges associated with each form of radiant energy are also indicated in Figure 1.

Introduction to Spectroscopy

The therapeutic journey of benzimidazoles: a review.

The freely accessible web resource PASS Online is presented. This resource is designed for the prediction of the biological activity spectra of organic compounds based on their structural formulas for more than 4000 types of biological activity with average accuracy above 95% (
 http://www.way2drug.com/passonline
 ). The prediction is based on an analysis of the structure-activity relationships in the training set containing information on the structure and biological activity of more than 300000 organic compounds. The possibilities and limitations of this approach are described. Recommendations are given for interpreting the prediction results. Examples are given for the practical use of the PASS Online web resource in order to establish priorities for chemical synthesis and biological testing of substances on the basis of prediction results. The further trends are considered for the using PASS Online as an Internet platform for joint projects of academic researchers for the search and development of new pharmaceutical agents.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10593-014-1496-1.pdf

Prediction of the Biological Activity Spectra of Organic Compounds Using the Pass Online Web Resource

Coumarin hybrids as novel therapeutic agents.

Numerous research reports have indicated the coumarin nucleus as a potential candidate for development of anti-inflammatory drugs. Various phytoconstituents such as umbelliferone, scopoletin, columbiatnetin, visniadin, marmin, and many more derived from coumarin nucleus are found to have potent anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant activities. A large number of coumarin derivatives have also been designed, synthesized, and evaluated to have mild-to-very potent anti-inflammatory activity through different mechanisms. However, despite the continuing efforts in search of these drugs, no major breakthrough has been achieved so far. In the present review, a critical analysis of various reports on naturally as well as the synthetically derived coumarin derivatives having anti-inflammatory activity has been carried out and a structural–activity relationship around the coumarin nucleus has been proposed to assist the medicinal chemists in rationally designing the anti-inflammatory drugs.

/pdf/coumarin-a-potential-nucleus-for-anti-inflammatory-molecules-19b3qw18je.pdf

Coumarin: a potential nucleus for anti-inflammatory molecules

A panoramic review of IL-6: Structure, pathophysiological roles and inhibitors.

Actaea spicata Linn. (Ranunculaceae) has been traditionally used for the treatment of various ailments such as rheumatism, inflammation, nerve diseases, lumbago, scrofula and chorea, but no systematic phytochemical and pharmacological work has ever been carried out on this potential plant. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed presence of phenols and flavonoids in A. spicata. Thus, the present investigation was undertaken to estimate total phenols and flavonoids in methanol extract of A. spicata roots, and its ethyl acetate fraction. In vitro antioxidant activity was also evaluated in the methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction using DPPH method. Ethyl acetate fraction was found to contain twice the content of flavonoids and phenols in comparison to methanolic extract, whereas phenolic content in methanol extract was approximately similar to ethyl acetate fraction. A significant antioxidant activity, i.e., mean percentage inhibition of DPPH radical was observed in methanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction at the concentration of 10 μg/ml and 5 μg/ml respectively. Finally, it was suggested that polyphenols are responsible for antioxidant activity of A. spicata.

/pdf/estimation-of-total-phenols-and-flavonoids-in-extracts-of-22wq22r8pn.pdf

Gulshan Bansal

Papers

Coumarin hybrids as novel therapeutic agents.

Coumarin: a potential nucleus for anti-inflammatory molecules

A panoramic review of IL-6: Structure, pathophysiological roles and inhibitors.

Estimation of Total Phenols and Flavonoids in Extracts of Actaea spicata Roots and Antioxidant Activity Studies

Novel coumarin-benzimidazole derivatives as antioxidants and safer anti-inflammatory agents.