Viral infections are among the most complex medical problems and have been a major threat to the economy and global health. Several epidemics and pandemics have occurred due to viruses, which has led to a significant increase in mortality and morbidity rates. Natural products have always been an inspiration and source for new drug development because of their various uses. Among all-natural sources, plant sources are the most dominant for the discovery of new therapeutic agents due to their chemical and structural diversity. Despite the traditional use and potential source for drug development, natural products have gained little attention from large pharmaceutical industries. Several plant extracts and isolated compounds have been extensively studied and explored for antiviral properties against different strains of viruses. In this review, we have compiled antiviral plant extracts and natural products isolated from plants reported since 2015.

Inflammatory disorders of the pancreas are divided into acute (AP) and chronic (CP) forms. Both states of pancreatitis are a result of pro-inflammatory mediators, including reactive oxygen species (ROS). One of the sources of ROS is NADPH oxidase (Nox). The rodent genome encodes Nox1-4, Duox1 and Duox2. Our purpose was to assess the extent to which Nox enzymes contribute to the pathogenesis of both AP and CP using Nox-deficient mice. Using RT-PCR, Nox1 was found in both isolated mouse pancreatic acini and pancreatic stellate cells (PaSCs). Subsequently, mice with genetically deleted Nox1 were further studied and showed that the histo-morphologic characteristics of caerulein-induced CP, but not caerulein-induced AP, was ameliorated in Nox1 KO mice. We also found that the lack of Nox1 impaired caerulein-induced ROS generation in PaSCs. Using Western blotting, we found that AKT mediates the fibrotic effect of Nox1 in a mouse model of CP. We also found a decrease in phospho-ERK and p38MAPK levels in Nox1 KO mice with CP, but not with AP. Both CP-induced TGF-β up-regulation and NF-ĸB activation were impaired in pancreas from Nox1 KO mice. Western blotting indicated increases in proteins involved in fibrosis and acinar-to-ductal metaplasia in WT mice with CP. No change in those proteins were observed in Nox1 KO mice. The lack of Nox1 lowered mRNA levels of CP-induced matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9 and E-cadherin repressor Twist in PaSCs. Conclusion: Nox1-derived ROS in PaSCs mediate the fibrotic process of CP by activating the downstream redox-sensitive signaling pathways AKT and NF-ĸB, up-regulating MMP-9 and Twist, and producing α-smooth muscle actin and collagen I and III.

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A simple, metal-free, cost-effective, and eco-friendly protocol for the preparation of trisubstituted 1,3,5 triazine from metformin using benzotriazole chemistry is reported. Short reaction time, large-scale synthesis, easy and quick isolation of the product, and excellent yield are the main advantages of this procedure. Furthermore, the use of benzotriazole chemistry results in a product free from metal traces. Our optimized reaction condition and methodology overcome the challenges of using a metal catalyst, such as a longer reaction time, lower yields, and expensive starting materials.

Patients with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from cardiac diseases than those without this diagnosis. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is known to improve the physical functioning and reduce risk factors in cardiac patients with diabetes. The aim of this study is to evaluate if cardiac patients with comorbidity of diabetes had improved physical functioning (measured by six-minute walk test [6MWT]) and reduced risk factors (measured reduced fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, overweight, fat composition) after the cardiac rehabilitation program. A retrospective observational cohort longitudinal study using secondary data from electronic medical records was conducted. Clinical data were collected from the individual cardiac treatment plan form used by a cardiac rehabilitation center. Among 93 patients, improvement in physical functioning (i.e.: six-minute walk distance) was significant (p-value = <.01). This was done by comparing pre and post 6MWT scores.