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.

Effect of polyamines on in vitro somatic embryogenesis in Momordica charantia L.

Abstract: The effects of exogenous polyamines (PAs) on enhancement of somatic embryogenic calli was investigated in Momordicacharantia L. in vitro. Induction of somatic embryogenesis (SE) in leaf explants of M. charantia after 21 days of culture in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium was determined using scanning electron microscopy. During induction of SE there were high titers of Putrescine (Put) as compared to Spermidine (Spd) and Spermine (Spm), a prerequisite for cell division. Addition of PAs to the embryogenic media resulted in an increase in fresh weights and number of somatic embryos of 21-day old embryogenic calli. Put at a concentration of 1 mM showed maximum increase in fresh weights of embryogenic calli (5 fold) and number of somatic embryos produced per 0.2 g of callus (2.5 fold). Moreover addition of PAs to the embryogenic media resulted in lowering of endogenous free PA level of 21-day old embryogenic calli. Thus, when the media was supplemented with exogenous PAs a positive correlation was found to exist between Somatic Embryogenesis enhancement and decrease in endogenous free PA levels.

Design and synthesis of ERα/ERβ selective coumarin and chromene derivatives as potential anti-breast cancer and anti-osteoporotic agents

Abstract: Several new coumarin and chromene prototype derivatives have been synthesised and evaluated for their ERα and ERβ selective activity. Coumarin prototype compounds 18 & 19 were found to be ERα selective and the most active, exhibiting potential antiproliferative activity against both ER +ve & ER −ve breast cancer cell lines. The surprise finding of the series, however, are the novel prototype III chromenes 45 & 46, with aroyl substitution at the 6th position. Both the compounds have shown potent antiproliferative activity against both the breast cancer cell lines, promote alkaline phosphatase activity, enhance osteoblast mineralization in vitro, significantly decrease ERE–ERα dependent transactivation and induce ERβ activity. This specific upregulation of ERβ isoform activity of compound 45 may be responsible for the antiosteoporotic activity at picomolar concentration. In addition, both the compounds were also devoid of any estrogenic activity, which correlates to their antiestrogenic behaviour in the two breast cancer cell lines. Assessment of selectivity using specific SiRNAs for ERα and ERβ revealed that most of the compounds showed ERα and ERβ-mediated action, except compound 28, which showed selectivity to ERα only. Computational docking analysis of active compounds 18 and 45 was conducted to correlate the interaction with the two receptors and it was found that the docked conformations of the coumarin prototype, compound 18 at ERα and ERβ active sites were more or less superimposable on each other. However, the unique orientation of the aminoalkoxy side chain of novel chromene (prototype III) compound 45 in the ERβ binding cavity may be responsible for its potential biological response.

Prevention of paracetamol-induced hepatic damage in rats by picroliv, the standardized active fraction from Picrorhiza kurroa†

Abstract: Single oral administration of paracetamol (2 g/kg body wt) to rats caused significant changes in the activities of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, 5′-nucleotidase, succinate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase and cytochrome P450 and contents of glycogen and cholesterol in liver after 24 and 48 h. Total lipids and lipid peroxides in liver increased both at 24 and 48 h while protein content of liver decreased after 48 h. Levels of transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin in serum also increased. The magnitude of these changes was more after 48 h of paracetamol administration. Picroliv, the iridoid glycoside fraction of Picrorhiza kurroa, when given orally to rats (6 and 12 mg/kg body wt for 7 days) caused significant reversal of the paracetamol-induced biochemical changes. The degree of protection at the two doses of picroliv was almost similar.

Antihepatotoxic Activity of Diterpenes of Andrographis Paniculata (Kal-Megh) Against Plasmodium Berghei-Induced Hepatic Damage in Mastomys Natalensis

Abstract: Administration of an alcohol extract of Andrographis paniculata (25 mg/kg) and two of its constituent diterpenes, andrographolide and neoandrographolide (6 mg/kg/day for two weeks) showed significant antihepatotoxic action in P. berghei K173- induced hepatic damage in M. natalensis. The increased levels of serum lipoprotein-X, alkaline phosphatase, GOT, GPT and bilirubin were markedly reduced by A. paniculata and its diterpenes. In the liver, these preparations decreased the levels of lipid peroxidation products and facilitated the recovery of superoxide dismutase and glycogen. The protective effects of andrographolide were comparable to those of neoandrographolide.