Special Issues

Molecular Neuropharmacology: Drugs and Therapeutics
Editor: Jitendra Kumar Sinha and Shampa Ghosh

Submission Deadline: 31 December 2023 (Status: Open)


Special Issue Editors


Dr. Jitendra Kumar Sinha      Email   |   Website
GloNeuro Academy, Noida, India
Interests: neurotherapeutics; neurodegenerative disorders; neurobiology of obesity; sleep; epilepsy; spinal cord in-jury; sleep technology; digital health; democratizing health for all



Dr. Shampa Ghosh      Email   |   Website
GloNeuro Academy, Noida, India
Interests: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; neurotherapeutics; developmental origins of health and disease (dohad); vitamin b12; sleep; spinal cord injury; epilepsy; digital health; maternal and child health; nutrition


Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurological, neuropsychological, and neuropsychiatric disorders are a heavy burden on the overall health of a nation. They not only impact the physical and mental health of individuals but also the sus-tainability of families, communities, and the nation as a whole. The economic burden is high when there is a lack of early diagnosis, and the treatment is missed. Additionally, the lack of biological markers for many Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders and their stages of progression, impacts diminish the ability to di-agnose and treat these disorders. Moreover, the genetic makeup, epigenomic differences and environ-mental factors, including the exposure to different substances and nutritional status substantially changes the course of treatment of CNS disorders.

Therefore, it is very important to improve the quality of available drugs and therapies to treat and manage these disorders effectively. Alongside this, it becomes important to discuss and update with the commu-nity of scientists and physicians the latest developments in drug discovery, target identification - valida-tion, preclinical, and clinical development of therapies that are beneficial for CNS disorders. The knowledge of drug action at both cellular and molecular levels would help to unveil the role of certain molecules and compounds in CNS disorders. There is a critical need to discuss recent advances in cellular and molecular pharmacology, the mechanism of action of novel drugs, cell signalling, genomics, prote-omics, and metabolomics.

The aim of this special issue is to publish a comprehensive set of articles under the title “Molecular Neu-ropharmacology: Drugs and Therapeutics”. Submissions in any of the following categories will be consid-ered: Original Research articles, Reviews, and Mini-Reviews. This special issue will focus (but not limited to) on the current and novel intervention methods involve in the treatment of neurological and neuropsy-chological disorders and future directions of current therapies.

Jitendra Kumar Sinha and Shampa Ghosh
Guest Editors


Keywords

seizures; therapeutics; paediatric and adult types; EEG; TMS; non-invasive brain stimulation; epilepsy sur-gery; ethnopharmacology; cognition; depression


Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted via our online editorial system at https://www.biolifesas.org/journalx_brha/authorLogOn.action by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to start your submission. Manuscripts can be submitted now or up until the deadline. All papers will go through peer-review process. Accepted papers will be published in the journal (as soon as accepted) and meanwhile listed together on the special issue website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts will be thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. Please visit the Instruction for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted manuscripts should be well formatted in good English.


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  • Review
    Sarika Bano, Muhammad Asim Raza, Shampa Ghosh, Nayaab S. Pandit, Saumya Srivastava, Mohammad Azam, Sanjay Kumar Dey, Sung Soo Han, Jitendra Kumar Sinha, Munindra Ruwali
    Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents. 2023, 37(11): 5769-5784. https://doi.org/10.23812/j.biol.regul.homeost.agents.20233711.553
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    Alzheimer's disease (AD) stands as a devastating neurodegenerative disorder, depicted by the relentless erosion of cognitive and memory faculties. Despite relentless research spanning decades, the quest for efficacious disease-modifying therapies remains an ongoing challenge. Recent strides in the realm of molecular neuropharmacology, however, have revealed a number of potential therapeutic targets for AD, instilling a renewed sense of optimism. This comprehensive review navigates the landscape of emerging avenues in the quest to combat AD, shedding light on a diverse array of targets that hold substantial promise. Central to this discourse are novel targets such as beta-secretase (BACE) and gamma-secretase, instrumental in the making of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, the hallmark culprits of AD pathology. Deconstructing the pathological cascade further, the review delves into the intricate involvement of tau protein abnormalities, neuroinflammation cascades, and proteins linked with synaptic dysfunction. Beyond the traditional scope, this review also ventures into the realm of cutting-edge modalities, elucidating the potential of ground-breaking techniques including immunotherapies and microRNA-based interventions. These innovative strategies, harnessing immune modulation and intricate gene regulation, introduce new dimensions to AD therapeutics, providing novel avenues to halt disease progression. A thorough understanding of these emerging therapeutic targets, coupled with in-depth exploration of their underlying mechanisms, sparks a paradigm shift in conceptualizing potent AD interventions. By targeting these prospects, the objective extends beyond mere symptomatic relief, aiming to not just impede disease advancement but also enhance the well-being of patients and caregivers. However, the transition from potential to clinical reality mandates unwavering commitment to rigorous scientific inquiry and meticulous clinical validation. These promising candidates require further scientific scrutiny and systematic trials to establish efficacy, safety, and long-term benefits. Only through such concerted efforts can the transformative potential of these burgeoning therapeutic targets be translated into robust and secure AD treatments.

  • Article
    Wafaa LOUNIS, Khadidja KESSAS, Zehor CHOUARI, Imene BENYETTOU, Abdenour BOUMECHHOUR, Faiza CHAIB, Seghir Hadjadj AOUL, Gerard LIZARD, Omar KHAROUBI
    Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents. 2023, 37(8): 4345-4359. https://doi.org/10.23812/j.biol.regul.homeost.agents.20233708.425
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    Background: This study aims to examine the potential neuroprotective effects of flaxseed oil (FSO) on the brain activity of rat pups sired by females intoxicated with aluminum (Al). The brain is known to be particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of aluminum, which promotes oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. FSO is a rich source of omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids (FA), essential components of neuronal membranes and neurotransmission.

    Methods: After collecting 36 offspring aged three weeks from a control group and an intoxicated female group that received an intraperitoneal injection of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) (75 mg/kg body weight, twice a week) in the morning for 30 days. Six subgroups of pup rats for each group (n = 6) were used, with control groups having free access to food and water and two experimental groups receiving low and high doses of FSO administered by gavage (0.5 and 2 mL/kg b.wt.). An intoxicated group was also tested with rats receiving low and high FSO concentrations and free access to water. The study appears to focus on the effect of omega-3 in the FSO on the brain's development of young rats a neurobehavioral study was carried out, followed by estimation of prooxidant parameters and neurotransmitter activity of the brain, and a lipid composition was carried out on the brain membrane by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis.

    Results: The FA profile of FSO revealed domination by ω-3 type (86.9%). The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging capability was found at half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 18.12 g/mL. Neurobehavioral experiments showed significant hyperactivity and memory loss in intoxicated young rats, with decreased levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) and a significant increase in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain. However, ameliorative results were found in both concentrations of FSO administration when compared with intoxicated groups. GC-MS analysis of the brain membrane FA profile revealed the presence of elaidic acid in both the AL and AL+FSO. Neurobehavioral experiments showed significant hyperactivity and memory loss in intoxicated young rats, with decreased levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) and a significant increase in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain. However, ameliorative results were found in both concentrations of FSO administration when compared with intoxicated groups. GC-MS analysis of the brain membrane FA profile revealed the presence of elaidic acid in both the AL and AL+FSO” groups. In contrast, only the AL+FSO' group had eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) areas.

    Conclusions: Our results suggest that FSO supplementation at low concentrations has neuroprotective effects on developing rat brains, correcting and ameliorating the abnormalities brought on by embryo/fetal aluminum chloride toxicity.

  • Article
    Qimi Zheng, Chunxiao Yan, Nana Lv, Hengping Pu, Fatemeh Mollaamin, Majid Monajjemi
    Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents. 2023, 37(6): 3403-3416. https://doi.org/10.23812/j.biol.regul.homeost.agents.20233706.337
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    Background: Omicron currently accounts for over 85% of the pandemic cases in the world. Recently, the results of researches have exhibited that Omicron sub-lineages and B lineage (BA).4 and BA.5, evaluated to BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2, deserted neutralization from sera of triple vaccinated particulars to a bigger extension. The purpose of this study is because the Omicron variant is the most recent variant of concern (VOC) to emerge and was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Omicron lineage is phylogenetically distinct from earlier variants. These variants of Omicron threaten many lives, particularly among the unvaccinated, due to its higher transmissibility, pathogenicity. This study helps to realize the essential concepts of the Omicron variant, including its history, genome, transmissibility, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and the effectiveness of existing vaccines against this VOC. Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida) is known to possess antifungal, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and antiviral activities particularly anti coronavirus. Several studies investigated the effects of F. Asafoetida extract on the contractile responses induced by acetylcholine, methacholine, histamine and potassium chloride (KCl) on different smooth muscles.

    Methods: The method of this work basically is based on molecular mechanics with quantum approach which is known as quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method. In addition, for calculating the interaction energies between ligands and enzymes in the Nano-carriers systems containing carbon nanotubes with functional nanostructures, we used docking simulation via using the Gaussian, HyperChem, Chemoffice, Charmm, Autodock, and Schrodinger packages. In this research, asafoetida (asafoetida is also known colloquially as “devil's dung" in English and similar names in most languages of the other countries) as a medicinal plant can be applied in treatment for Omicron sub-units BA.4 and BA.5 through adsorbing of its effective compound of ferulic acid on the surface of (m, m) armchair single-walled carbon nanotube. In addition, we simulated a drug delivery density functional theory (DFT) calculation (QM/MM methods).

    Results: In fact, the achieved results have represented that the feasibility of using (m, m) armchair single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) (m = 6, 5) and ferulic acid are suitable in such drug delivery system due to physico-chemical properties of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy.

    Conclusions: Asafoetida has attracted much attention for the clinical treatment of Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 through adsorption of its effective compound of ferulic acid on the surface of (6,6) armchair SWCNT which introduces an efficient drug delivery system though charge distribution, NMR and IR spectroscopy on the optimized structure. Moreover, the lowering gap energies (∆E = ELUMO – EHOMO) has illustrated the charge transfer interactions taking place within ferulic acid.