β-sitosterol (SIT), the most abundant bioactive component of vegetable oil and other plants, is a highly potent antidiabetic drug. Our previous studies show that SIT controls hyperglycemia and insulin resistance by activating insulin receptor and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) in the adipocytes of obesity induced type 2 diabetic rats. The current research was undertaken to investigate if SIT could also exert its antidiabetic effects by circumventing adipocyte induced inflammation, a key driving factor for insulin resistance in obese individuals. Effective dose of SIT (20 mg/kg b.wt) was administered orally for 30 days to high fat diet and sucrose induced type-2 diabetic rats. Metformin, the conventionally used antidiabetic drug was used as a positive control. Interestingly, SIT treatment restores the elevated serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines including leptin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) to normalcy and increases anti-inflammatory adipocytokines including adiponectin in type 2 diabetic rats. Furthermore, SIT decreases sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and enhances Peroxisome Proliferator–activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) gene expression in adipocytes of diabetic rats. The gene and protein expression of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK1), inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit beta (IKKβ) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) were also significantly attenuated in SIT treated groups. More importantly, SIT acts very effectively as metformin to circumvent inflammation and insulin resistance in diabetic rats. Our results clearly show that SIT inhibits obesity induced insulin resistance by ameliorating the inflammatory events in the adipose tissue through the downregulation of IKKβ/NF-κB and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway.

Globally, millions of people suffer from poor wound healing, which is associated with higher mortality rates and higher healthcare costs. There are several factors that can complicate the healing process of wounds, including inadequate conditions for cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis, microbial infections, and prolonged inflammatory responses. Current therapeutic methods have not yet been able to resolve several primary problems; therefore, their effectiveness is limited. As a result of their remarkable properties, bio-based materials have been demonstrated to have a significant impact on wound healing in recent years. In the wound microenvironment, bio-based materials can stimulate numerous cellular and molecular processes that may enhance healing by inhibiting the growth of pathogens, preventing inflammation, and stimulating angiogenesis, potentially converting a non-healing environment to an appropriately healing one. The aim of this present review article is to provide an overview of the mechanisms underlying wound healing and its pathophysiology. The development of bio-based nanomaterials for chronic diabetic wounds as well as novel methodologies for stimulating wound healing mechanisms are also discussed.

Diabetes is one of the most significant health issues across the world. People identified with diabetes are more vulnerable to various infections and are at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The plant-based food we consume often contains many sterol-based bioactive compounds. It is well documented that these compounds could effectively manage the processes of insulin metabolism and cholesterol regulation. Insulin resistance followed by hyperglycemia often results in oxidative stress level enhancement and increased reactive oxygen species production. At the molecular level, these changes induce apoptosis in pancreatic cells and hence lead to insulin insufficiency. Studies have proved that plant sterols can lower inflammatory and oxidative stress damage connected with DNA repair mechanisms. The effective forms of phyto compounds are polyphenols, terpenoids, and thiols abundant in vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. The available conventional drug-based therapies for the prevention and management of diabetes are time-consuming, costly, and with life-threatening side effects. Thereby, the therapeutic management of diabetes with plant sterols available in our daily diet is highly welcome as there are no side effects. This review intends to offer an overview of the present scenario of the anti-diabetic compounds from food ingredients towards the therapeutic beneficial against diabetes.

The Bcl-2 protein is liked in several cancers and drug resistance to therapy is also known in this context. There are many Bcl-2 inhibitors under clinical trials. It is of further interest to design new Bcl2 inhibitors from phyto compounds such as artesunate, bruceantin, maytansin, Salvicine, indicine N-oxide, kamebanin and oxyacanthine. We report the optimal binding features of these compounds with Bcl-2 for further consideration towards in vitro and in vivo validation.

Several apoptotic signalling proteins such as Bax, Caspase 3, Cox 2 and Caspase 9 are known to be associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). It is of interest to study the interaction of these proteins with piperine a known drug candidate. We document the binding energy, hydrogen bond interaction and hydrophobic interaction between the piperine and apoptotic proteins for further consideration.

We report the molecular docking analysis of four analogues of metformin [1-Carbamimidoyl-1,2-dimethylguanidine hydrochloride, Metformin hydrochloride, N1,N1-Dimethyl-N5-methylbiguanide hydrochloride, and N1,N1,N5,N5-Tetrakis(methyl-biguanide hydrochloride] with GSK3.