Glutamic acid is a non-essential amino acid involved in multiple metabolic pathways. Of high importance is its relationship with glutamine, an essential fuel for cancer cell development. Compounds that can modify glutamine or glutamic acid behaviour in cancer cells have resulted in attractive anticancer therapeutic alternatives. Based on this idea, we theoretically formulated 123 glutamic acid derivatives using Biovia Draw. Suitable candidates for our research were selected among them. For this, online platforms and programs were used to describe specific properties and their behaviour in the human organism. Nine compounds proved to have suitable or easy to optimise properties. The selected compounds showed cytotoxicity against breast adenocarcinoma, lung cancer cell lines, colon carcinoma, and T cells from acute leukaemia. Compound 2Ba5 exhibited the lowest toxicity, and derivative 4Db6 exhibited the most intense bioactivity. Molecular docking studies were also performed. The binding site of the 4Db6 compound in the glutamine synthetase structure was determined, with the D subunit and cluster 1 being the most promising. In conclusion, glutamic acid is an amino acid that can be manipulated very easily. Therefore, molecules derived from its structure have great potential to become innovative drugs, and further research on these will be conducted.

Alcohol based solutions are among the most convenient and wide spread aid in the prevention of nosocomial infections. The current study followed the efficacy of several types and isomers of alcohols on different bacterial species. Seven alcohols (ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl alcohol, and ethylene glycol) were used to evaluate their minimal inhibitory and bactericidal effects by microdilution method on bacteria that express many phenotypical characteristics: different cell-wall structure (Gram positive/negative bacteria), capsule production (Klebsiella pneumoniae), antibiotic resistance (MRSA vs MSSA) or high environmental adaptability (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Results: The best inhibitory effect was noticed for n-propyl, followed by iso-propyl, n-butyl, and iso-butyl alcohols with equal values. Ethylene glycol was the most inefficient alcohol on all bacteria. In K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, the bactericidal concentrations were higher than the inhibitory one, and to a level similar to that encountered for most of the Gram-positive bacteria. Among Gram-positive cocci, E. faecalis presented the lowest susceptibility to alcohols. Conclusions: All alcohols presented good effect on bacteria, even in low concentrations. Compared to ethanol as standard, there are better alternatives that can be used as antimicrobials, namely longer-chain alcohols such as propyl or butyric alcohols and their iso- isomers. Ethylene glycol should be avoided, due to its toxicity hazard and low antimicrobial efficacy. Bacterial phenotype (highly adaptable bacteria, biofilm formation) and structure (cell wall structure, presence of capsule) may drastically affect the responsiveness to the antimicrobial activity of alcohols, leading to higher bactericidal than inhibitory concentrations.

Objective : Miconazole, an imidazole antifungal derivative, is a very hydrophobic compound, a major drawback in obtaining topical pharmaceutical formulations with optimal bioavailability. Cyclodextrins (CDs) may increase local drug delivery by enhancing the drug release and/or permeation. The aim of the study is the characterization of inclusion complexes between miconazole and different CD derivatives. Methods : Several CD derivatives were tested in the experiments. The binary systems between miconazole and different CDs were prepared in 1:1 molar ratios by physical-mixture and kneading methods. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transformed-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) methods were used to characterize solid state interactions between miconazole and CDs in their binary systems. Results : The FT-IR analysis suggests the formation of a new solid phase, indicating a molecular interaction between the components. The DSC analysis sustains the hypothesis of formation of partial inclusion complexes between miconazole nitrate and CD. Conclusion : The thermic behaviour of the complexes depends both on the preparation method and the composition of the products.

As more data are generated from proteome and transcriptome analysis revealing that metalloproteinases represent most of the Viperid and Colubrid venom components authors decided to describe in a short review a classification and some of the multiple activities of snake venom metalloproteinases. SVMPs are classified in three major classes (P-I, P-II and P-III classes) based on the presence of various domain structures and according to their domain organization. Furthermore, P-II and P-III classes were separated in subclasses based on distinctive post-translational modifications. SVMPs are synthesized in a latent form, being activated through a Cys-switch mechanism similar to matrix metalloproteinases. Most of the metalloproteinases of the snake venom are responsible for the hemorrhagic events but also have fibrinogenolytic activity, poses apoptotic activity, activate blood coagulation factor II and X, inhibit platelet aggregation, demonstrating that SVMPs have multiple functions in addition to well-known hemorrhagic function.

Polioxometalaţii sunt compuşi anorganici importanţi care prezintă o gamă largă de proprietăţi farmacologice incluzând efecte antivirale, antibacteriene, antiparazitare sau antitumorale, chiar dacă mecanismul molecular de acţiune nu este pe deplin înţeles. Scop: În această lucrare am evaluat acţiunea antibacteriană a unor compuşi polioxowolframici saturaţi (POW), datorită faptului că dezvoltarea rezistenţei bacteriilor faţă de antibiotice reprezintă în prezent o problemă majoră de sănătate. Material şi metodă: Acţiunea antibacteriană a fost studiată prin metoda difuziei în agar ca posibilă metodă de screening şi prin metoda microdiluţiilor. Prin microdiluţii au fost calculate concentrația minimă inhibitorie şi concentrația minimă bactericidă pentru fiecare compus. Totodată am comparat fiabilitatea celor două metode de testare faţă de compuşii POW. Rezultate: Cea mai bună acţiune antibacteriană a prezentat-o H4[SiW12O40]*nH2O, iar cea mai slabă Na3[PW12O40]*nH2O, dar în schimb cu o acţiune foarte bună pe Staphylococcus spp., în special pe MRSA. POW îşi exercită acţiunea antibacteriană la concentraţii relativ mari, iar acţiunea lor este dependentă de specia bacteriană, având activitate foarte bună pe Staphylococcus spp. Cea mai fiabilă metodă pentru evaluarea acţiunii antibacteriene a POW este cea a microdiluţiilor. POW îşi pot găsi aplicaţie practică în decontaminarea spitalelor sau ca agenţi antibacterieni in vivo