Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease that causes both motor and nonmotor symptoms. While our understanding of putative mechanisms has advanced significantly, it remains challenging to verify biomarkers with sufficient evidence for regular clinical use. Clinical symptoms are the primary basis for diagnosing the disease, which can be mild in the early stages and overlap with other neurological disorders. As a result, clinical testing and medical records are mostly relied upon for diagnosis, posing substantial challenges during both the initial diagnosis and the continuous disease monitoring. Recent biochemical, neuroimaging, and genetic biomarkers have helped us understand the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. This comprehensive study focuses on these biomarkers, which were chosen based on their relevance, methodological excellence, and contribution to the field. Biochemical biomarkers, including α-synuclein and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), can predict disease severity and progression. The dopaminergic system is widely used as a neuroimaging biomarker to diagnose PD. Numerous genes and genome wide association study (GWAS) sites have been related to the development of PD. Recent research on the SNCA gene and leucine-rich repeat protein kinase 2 (LRRK2) has shown promising results. By evaluating current studies, this review intends to uncover gaps in biomarker validation and use, while also highlighting promising improvements. It emphasizes the need for dependable and reproducible indicators in improving PD diagnosis and prognosis. These biomarkers may open up new avenues for early diagnosis, disease progression tracking, and the development of personalized treatment programs.
Ocimum sanctum Linn (O. sanctum L.), commonly known as Holy Basil or Tulsi, is a fragrant herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. This plant is widely cultivated and found in north-central parts of India, several Arab countries, West Africa and tropical regions of the Eastern World. Tulsi is known to be an adaptogen, aiding the body in adapting to stress by harmonizing various bodily systems. Revered in Ayurveda as the “Elixir of Life”, Tulsi is believed to enhance lifespan and foster longevity. Eugenol, the active ingredient present in Tulsi, is a l-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-allylbenzene compound with diverse therapeutic applications. As concerns over the adverse effects of conventional antibacterial agents continue to grow, alternative therapies have gained prominence. Essential oils (EOs) containing antioxidants have a long history of utilization in traditional medicine and have gained increasing popularity over time. Numerous in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies have provided compelling evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of antioxidant EOs derived from medicinal plants for promoting health. This comprehensive review aims to highlight the scientific knowledge regarding the therapeutic properties of O. sanctum, focusing on its antibacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, radioprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neurogenesis, anti-depressant and other beneficial characteristics. Also, the extracts of O. sanctum L. have the ability to reduce chronic inflammation linked to neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. The information presented in this review shed light on the multifaceted potential of Tulsi and its derivatives in maintaining and promoting health. This knowledge may pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic interventions and natural remedies that harness the immense therapeutic potential of Tulsi in combating various health conditions, while also providing valuable insights for further research and exploration in this field.
1 January 2014 in American Journal of Life Sciences
A bacterium was isolated from the natural source. Gram staining & spore staining showed that the organism is gram positive and forms spore during adverse condition in the growth medium. After various tests it was suggested and the features agreed with the description of Bacillus sp in Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology [24]. It was also identified as Bacillus sp with 99.9% identity by API 50 CHB. In growth curve determination showed that the growth of the organism is increased with the increase of incubation period and the growth reached maximum at around 24 hours of incubation and the protease activity was the maximum of the 26 hours culture. This microbe has grown at high temperature and pressure. Its optimum pH and temperature were 8.5 and 60°C. It secretes an extracellular protease in the growth medium. The enzyme hydrolyses a number of proteins including azocasein which suggests that that it is an extracellular protease. The enzyme seems to be alkaline protease which is capable of De-Hairing from skin and hides. A number of companies such as NOVO chemicals started to produce NOVOzymes for tannery industries. The potential for use of microbial enzymes in leather processing lies mainly in areas in which pollution-causing chemicals are being used.
Background and objectives: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that results in severe dementia. Having ischemic strokes (IS) is one of the risk factors of the AD, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie IS and AD are not well understood. We thus aimed to identify common molecular biomarkers and pathways in IS and AD that can help predict the progression of these diseases and provide clues to important pathological mechanisms. Materials and Methods: We have analyzed the microarray gene expression datasets of IS and AD. To obtain robust results, combinatorial statistical methods were used to analyze the datasets and 26 transcripts (22 unique genes) were identified that were abnormally expressed in both IS and AD. Results: Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses indicated that these 26 common dysregulated genes identified several altered molecular pathways: Alcoholism, MAPK signaling, glycine metabolism, serine metabolism, and threonine metabolism. Further protein–protein interactions (PPI) analysis revealed pathway hub proteins PDE9A, GNAO1, DUSP16, NTRK2, PGAM2, MAG, and TXLNA. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional components were then identified, and significant transcription factors (SPIB, SMAD3, and SOX2) found. Conclusions: Protein–drug interaction analysis revealed PDE9A has interaction with drugs caffeine, γ-glutamyl glycine, and 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-7H-xanthine. Thus, we identified novel putative links between pathological processes in IS and AD at transcripts levels, and identified possible mechanistic and gene expression links between IS and AD.
18 September 2019 in Proteomics – Clinical Applications