Research Keyword: drug discovery

Special Issue: Marine-Derived Compounds Applied in Cardiovascular Disease

This collection of studies explores how compounds from ocean sources like seaweed, fish, shrimp, and microalgae can help protect heart health and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Researchers examined various marine ingredients and found they can reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and prevent blood clots. The findings suggest that marine-derived products could become safer, more affordable alternatives or complements to current heart disease medications while supporting sustainable ocean resource use.

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Molecular docking as a tool for the discovery of molecular targets of nutraceuticals in diseases management

This review explains how scientists use computer simulations to understand how natural food compounds (called nutraceuticals) interact with disease-causing molecules in the body. By using molecular docking software, researchers can predict which compounds might fight diseases like cancer and heart disease before conducting expensive laboratory tests. The review shows that many common foods like turmeric, grapes, and green tea contain compounds that could potentially treat various diseases by targeting specific proteins and pathways involved in disease development.

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Fungal Drug Discovery for Chronic Disease: History, New Discoveries and New Approaches

This article examines how fungi have provided humanity with some of the most important medicines ever created, including penicillin, drugs that prevent organ rejection, and cholesterol-lowering statins. Many of these fungal compounds work as medicines because they target processes that are similar in both fungi and humans, helping them survive competition with other fungi while coincidentally treating human diseases. New researchers are now using modern genetic tools to discover additional fungal medicines, with several promising candidates currently being tested in clinical trials for cancer, depression, and other chronic diseases.

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The molecular mechanisms through which psilocybin prevents suicide: evidence from network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses

Researchers used computer-based analysis to understand how psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, might help prevent suicide. They identified four key proteins that psilocybin interacts with and found that it works through serotonin and calcium signaling pathways in the brain, which are known to be involved in depression and suicidal behavior. While these findings are promising, more research is needed to confirm these effects in humans before psilocybin can be used clinically for suicide prevention.

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Functional Approaches to Discover New Compounds via Enzymatic Modification: Predicted Data Mining Approach and Biotransformation-Guided Purification

Scientists are developing faster ways to discover new medicines from plants using two innovative methods. The first approach uses computer programs to predict which plant compounds can be chemically modified by enzymes to create new medicines with better properties. The second approach combines enzyme chemistry with traditional purification to directly isolate these modified compounds from plant extracts. These methods have successfully created new compounds with improved effectiveness against diseases like diabetes and cancer, often with much better solubility for medical use.

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From natural laboratory to drug discovery: Chemical structures, bioactivities, and biosynthesis of meroterpenoids from Ganoderma species

This review examines special compounds called meroterpenoids found in Ganoderma mushrooms (commonly known as Reishi). Scientists have identified over 350 of these compounds from 14 different Ganoderma species. These compounds show promise for treating various health conditions including cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, and inflammatory disorders. The researchers also propose how these compounds are made inside the mushroom, which could help scientists produce them more efficiently for medical use.

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Transcriptomics Insights into Targeting CK2 Complex in Cryptococcus neoformans: Implications for Large-Scale Antifungal Virtual Screening

Scientists studied how a fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans causes serious brain infections and found that disabling a specific protein complex (CK2) could be an effective treatment strategy. Using computer analysis of genetic data, they identified three existing drugs—amphotericin B, idarubicin, and candicidin—that could potentially target and kill this dangerous fungus. This research provides a foundation for developing better treatments for cryptococcal meningitis, a life-threatening infection that kills hundreds of thousands of people annually, especially those with weakened immune systems.

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Extraction and Identification of the Bioactive Metabolites Produced by Curvularia inaequalis, an Endophytic Fungus Collected in Iran from Echium khuzistanicum Mozaff

Researchers discovered a fungus living inside an Iranian medicinal plant that produces three natural compounds with powerful antimicrobial properties. The most promising compound, phomalactone, killed dangerous bacteria including MRSA and also prevented growth of fungal plant diseases. This discovery shows that exploring symbiotic fungi in medicinal plants could lead to new natural antibiotics and agricultural fungicides.

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Synthesis, Physicochemical Properties and Anti-Fungal Activities of New Meso-Arylporphyrins

Researchers created three new porphyrin compounds that effectively kill fungal infections like Candida and athlete’s foot fungi. These compounds can also generate singlet oxygen when exposed to light, making them potentially useful for photodynamic therapy treatments. Testing showed they inhibited fungal growth at relatively low concentrations, suggesting they could become new antifungal medications.

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Insights into metabolic and pharmacological profiling of Aspergillus ficuum through bioinformatics and experimental techniques

Researchers studied a fungus called Aspergillus ficuum and found it contains compounds with potential medicinal benefits. The fungal extract showed strong antibacterial activity against disease-causing bacteria and reduced inflammation in mice. Additionally, the extract had antioxidant properties that help fight harmful free radicals, with no toxic effects observed, making it a promising candidate for developing new medications.

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