Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University

About: Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University is a education organization based out in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thermal decomposition & Lymnaea acuminata. The organization has 1032 authors who have published 1591 publications receiving 21734 citations. The organization is also known as: Gorakhpur University.

Stabilization of Microtubules by Taxane Diterpenoids: Insight from Docking and MD simulations

Abstract: Microtubules are formed from the molecules of tubulin, whose dynamics is important for many functions in a cell, the most dramatic of which is mitosis. Taxol is known to interact within a specific site on tubulin and also believed to block cell-cycle progression during mitosis by binding to and stabilizing microtubules. Along with the tremendous potential that taxol has shown as an anticancer drug, clinical problems exist with solubility, toxicity, and development of drug resistance. The crystal structure of taxane diterpenoids, namely, 10, 13-deacetyl-abeo-baccatin-IV (I), 5-acetyl-2-deacetoxydecinnamoyl-taxinine-0.29hydrate (II), 7, 9-dideacetyltaxayuntin (III), and Taxawallin-K (IV), are very similar to the taxol molecule. Considerable attention has been given to such molecules whose archetype is taxol but do not posses long aliphatic chains, to be developed as a substitute for taxol with fewer side effects. In the present work, the molecular docking of these taxane diterpenoids has been carried out with the tubulin alpha-beta dimer (1TUB) and refined microtubule structure (1JFF) using Glide-XP, in order to assess the potential of tubulin binding of these cytotoxic agents. Results show that all the ligands dock into the classical taxol binding site of tubulin. Taxol shows the best binding capabilities. On the basis of docking energy and interactions, apart from taxol, molecule II has a better tendency of binding with 1TUB while molecule I shows better binding capability with bovine tubulin 1JFF. To validate the binding capabilities, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the best docked complexes of ligands with 1JFF have been carried out for 15.0 ns using DESMOND. Average RMSD variations and time line study of interactions and contacts indicate that these complexes remain stable during the course of the dynamics. However, taxol and molecule II prevail over other taxoids.

Effect of active molluscicidal component of spices on different enzyme activities and biogenic amine levels in the nervous tissue of Lymnaea acuminata.

Abstract: In vivo exposure of Lymnaea acuminata to thymol and [6]-gingerol (active molluscicidal components of Trachyspermum ammi and Zingiber officinale, respectively) indicates that they significantly alter acetylcholinesterase, lactic dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase and cyto-oxidase activity in the nervous ­tissue of snails. In vitro exposure showed that, except for acetylcholinesterase and lactic dehydrogenase, no significant changes were observed in cyto-oxidase and succinic dehydrogenase activity in the nervous tissue of L. acuminata. Sublethal exposure to thymol and [6]-gingerol reduced the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in the nervous tissue of L. acuminata. There was, however, no significant change in the level of 5-hydroxy indol acetic acid (5-HIAA). Thymol and [6]-gingerol thus affects all the known neurotransmission mechanisms in the snail either separately or through a complex interaction between the different neurotransmitters. This may account for their toxicity to snails. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) stapf essential oil as herbal preservatives based on antifungal, antiaflatoxin, and antiochratoxin activities and in vivo efficacy during storage.

Abstract: Thirty-five randomly collected samples of stored table grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) from different markets of Gorakhpur city, Uttar Pradesh, India, revealed occurrence of 11 types of fungi. Of which, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus ochraceus were dominant causing severe decay of grapes with 58%, 52%, and 67% incidence, respectively. On screening of 15 essential oils at 0.33 μL/mL, Cymbopogon citratus oil caused 100% mycelial inhibition against aforesaid dominant fungi. Oil was fungistatic at 0.29 μL/mL and exhibited broad fungitoxicity against other fruit rotting fungi associated with collected samples. C. citratus oil completely inhibited the growth and mycotoxin (AFB1 and OTA) secretion of the aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic strains of A. flavus, A. niger, and A. ochraceus at 0.8 μL/mL. E-Citral (52.9%) and Z-Citral (39.38%) were the major components of C. citratus oil during gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Application of 200 and 300 μL of C. citratus oil on 1 kg of stored grapes showed enhancement of shelf life up to 10 d. The oil did not exhibit any phytotoxic effect on fruits. These results confirm that C. citratus oil could be a natural alternative to commercial fungicide for control of fruit rotting fungi of stored grapes.