Showing papers by "Ponnampalam Gopalakrishnakone published in 2012"

Therapeutic application of natural inhibitors against snake venom phospholipase A(2).

Abstract: Natural inhibitors occupy an important place in the potential to neutralize the toxic effects caused by snake venom proteins and enzymes. It has been well recognized for several years that animal sera, some of the plant and marine extracts are the most potent in neutralizing snake venom phospholipase A2 (svPLA2). The implication of this review to update the latest research work which has been accomplished with svPLA2 inhibitors from various natural sources like animal, marine organisms presents a compilation of research in this field over the past decade and revisiting the previous research report including those found in plants. In addition to that the bioactive compounds/inhibitor molecules from diverse sources like aristolochic alkaloid, flavonoids and neoflavonoids from plants, hydrocarbones ­2, 4 dimethyl hexane, 2 methylnonane, and 2, 6 dimethyl heptane obtained from traditional medicinal plants Tragia involucrata (Euphorbiaceae) member of natural products involved for the inhibitory potential of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzymes in vitro and also decrease both oedema induced by snake venom as well as human synovial fluid PLA2. Besides marine natural products that inhibit PLA2 are manoalide and its derivatives such as scalaradial and related compounds, pseudopterosins and vidalols, tetracylne from synthetic chemicals etc. There is an overview of the role of PLA2 in inflammation that provides a rationale for seeking inhibitors of PLA2 as anti-inflammatory agents. However, more studies should be considered to evaluate antivenom efficiency of sera and other agents against a variety of snake venoms found in various parts of the world. The implications of these new groups of svPLA2 toxin inhibitors in the context of our current understanding of snake biology as well as in the development of new novel antivenoms therapeutics agents in the efficient treatment of snake envenomations are discussed.

Tongue Mounted Interface for Digitally Actuating the Sense of Taste

Abstract: Most of the systems for generating taste sensations are based on blending different chemicals appropriately, and there are less proven approaches to stimulate the sense of taste digitally. In this paper, a method to digitally stimulate the sense of taste is introduced and demonstrated based on electrical and thermal stimulation on human tongue. Thus, two digital control systems are presented to control taste sensations and their intensities effectively on the tongue. The effects of most persuading factors such as current, frequency, and temperature have been accounted to noninvasively stimulate the tongue. The initial experimental results indicate that sour (strong), bitter (mild), and salty(mild) are the main sensations, which can be evoked while there are evidences of sweet sensation too. Based on the results of the Tongue Mounted Digital Taste Interface, we have then developed another system which named as the Digital Sour Lollipop to effectively control the sour taste digitally. Initial experimental results of this system show the controllability of sour taste up to three levels of intensities using the electrical stimulation on human tongue.

Snake venom phospholipases A(2) : a novel tool against bacterial diseases

Abstract: The majority of snake venom phospholipases A(2) (svPLA(2)s) are toxic and induce a wide spectrum of biological effects. They are cysteine-rich proteins that contain 119-134 amino acids and share similar structures and functions. About 50% of the residues are incorporated into α-helices, whereas only 10% are in β-sheets. Fourteen conserved cysteines form a network of seven disulfide bridges that stabilize the tertiary structure. They show a high degree of sequence and structural similarity, and are believed to have a common calcium- dependent catalytic mechanism. Additionally, svPLA(2)s display an array of biological actions that are either dependent or independent of catalysis. The PLA(2)s of mammalian origin also exert potent bactericidal activity by binding to anionic surfaces and enzymatic degradation of phospholipids in the target membranes, preferentially of Gram-positive species. The bactericidal activity against Gram-negatives by svPLA(2) requires a synergistic action with bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI), but is equally dependent on enzymatic- based membrane degradation. Several hypotheses account for the bactericidal properties of svPLA(2)s, which include "fatal depolarization" of the bacterial membrane, creation of physical holes in the membrane, scrambling of normal distribution of lipids between the bilayer leaflets, and damage of critical intracellular targets after internalization of the peptide. The present review discusses several svPLA(2)s and derived peptides that exhibit strong bactericidal activity. The reports demonstrate that svPLA(2)-derived peptides have the potential to counteract microbial infections. In fact, the C-terminal cationic/hydrophobic segment (residues 115-129) of svPLA(2)s is bactericidal. Thus identification of the bactericidal sites in svPLA(2)s has potential for developing novel antimicrobials.