Central Drug Research Institute

About: Central Drug Research Institute is a facility organization based out in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Leishmania donovani & Brugia malayi. The organization has 4357 authors who have published 7257 publications receiving 143871 citations. The organization is also known as: Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow & CDRI.

Novel Mechanism of Drug Resistance in Kala Azar Field Isolates

Abstract: Clinical resistance to pentavalent antimonial drugs in the form of sodium antimony gluconate (SAG) has become a major problem in the treatment of kala azar (visceral leishmaniasis) in India. The mechanism of resistance is unclear in these clinical isolates, although work has been conducted with Leishmania species mutants selected in vitro by stepwise increase of drug concentration, using antimony-related metal arsenic and, more recently, SAG. In the present study, we investigated the molecular aspect of drug resistance in clinically confirmed SAG-resistant field isolates. Our results show that the mechanisms of resistance postulated for laboratory mutants of Leishmania species are not operating in field isolates of Leishmania donovani. Instead, we identified a novel gene amplified in these drug-resistant parasites whose locus is on chromosome 9. The significant finding was that this isolated fragment confers antimony resistance to wild-type Leishmania species after transfection. We speculate that protein phosphorylation may play a role in signal transduction pathway in the parasite after exposure to drug-conferring resistance.

Synthesis of novel N-rich polycyclic skeletons based on azoles and pyridines.

Abstract: An efficient method for the synthesis of new polycyclic skeletons: triaza-benzofluorenes and triaza-pentalenonaphthalene from bicyclic privileged structures imidazopyridine and imidazothiazole, respectively, has been described using the Pictet−Spengler cyclization.

Natural products of plant origin as anticancer agents.

Abstract: Natural products have been used as effective remedies for the treatment of various ailments. Numerous plant products in the form of decoction, tincture, tablets and capsules have been clinically used for the treatment of different kinds of cancer. This review covers some of the important plants with clinically proven anticancer activity, including Catharanthus roseus, Podophyllum peltatum, Taxus brevifolia, Camptothecin acuminata, Cephalotaxus harringtonia, Viscum album, Onchrosia elliptica, Annona bullata, Asmina triloba and Rhizoma zedoariae. Synthetic analogues in some cases have also been prepared to improve the efficacy and decrease the side effects of parent compounds. The modes of action of clinically used drugs are also delineated.