Recent investigations show that naturally occurring biflavanoids possess anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, antimicrobial, vasorelaxant, and anticlotting activities. These activities have been discovered from the small number of biflavanoid structures that have been investigated, although the natural biflavanoid library is likely to be large. Structurally, biflavanoids are polyphenolic molecules comprised of two identical or non-identical flavanoid units conjoined in a symmetrical or unsymmetrical manner through an alkyl or an alkoxy-based linker of varying length. These possibilities introduce significant structural variation in biflavanoids, which is further amplified by the positions of functional groups--hydroxy, methoxy, keto, or double bond--and stereogenic centers on the flavanoid scaffold. In combination, the class of biflavanoids represents a library of structurally diverse molecules, which remains to be fully exploited. Since the time of their discovery, several chemical approaches utilizing coupling and rearrangement strategies have been developed to synthesize biflavanoids. This review compiles these synthetic approaches into nine different methods including Ullmann coupling of halogenated flavones, biphenyl-based construction of biflavanoids, metal-catalyzed cross-coupling of flavones, Wessely-Moser rearrangements, oxidative coupling of flavones, Ullmann condensation with nucleophiles, nucleophilic substitutions for alkoxy biflavanoids, and dehydrogenation-based or hydrogenation-based synthesis. Newer, more robust synthetic approaches are necessary to realize the full potential of the structurally diverse class of biflavanoids.

Diabetes is a complex metabolic disorder and different environmental toxicants including heavy metals have been involved in diabetes induction. Therefore, assessment of the environmental risk factors and heavy metals induced toxicity have become critical for reducing the consequences of metals pollutants. Previously, we reported heavy metals induced nephrotoxicity in non-diabetic and diabetic rats. Here, we extended our analysis by examining the heavy metals induced organs (heart, kidney, liver, pancreas, and spleen) damage in diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats using histopathology and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Following the generation of the diabetic rat model, the animals were exposed to heavy metals including lead (Pb), arsenic (As), manganese (Mn) and cadmium (Cd). Both non-diabetic and diabetic rats were exposed to heavy metals for 30 days and subsequently, the heart, kidney, liver, pancreas and spleen tissues were examined. Heavy metal treatment resulted in irregularly arranged myofibrils and vacuolization in the heart tissue of metal treated groups as evident from hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining. The kidney tissue of rats treated with heavy metals showed tubular degeneration, fibrosis, hemorrhage, and vacuolation. The liver of the heavy metals treated rats exhibited cellular degeneration and necrosis. The pancreatic tissue of streptozotocin injected untreated and metal treated rats revealed severe degeneration, necrosis, degranulation, shrinkage, and depression in the islets of Langerhans. Increased red pulp area and congestion were observed in the spleen of the metal mixture treated non-diabetic and diabetic rats. In line with the histological data, the qRT-PCR analysis showed downregulated expression of Bcl 2 and upregulation of Caspase-3 in nondiabetic and diabetic metal treated rats as compared to the non-diabetic untreated rats. In conclusion, the present study revealed, diabetic rats are more prone to metal alone as well as metal mixture induced organ damage as compared to non-diabetic rats. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, characterized by impaired insulin secretion, fasting hyperglycemia or insulin receptor insensitivity. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing all over the world and increased from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014 1. Diabetes is the 7 th leading cause of mortality in the United States and worldwide and results in serious complications including kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, blindness, etc. 1,2. It is well documented that environmental exposure to synthetic or naturally occurring chemical elements contribute to diabetes induction 3-5. Metals are essential components of biological functions, while their higher concentrations can be toxic 6,7. Cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn) and lead (Pb) are known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals 8,9. Importantly, Pb, As, Mn and Cd play a crucial role in public health issues 10 .

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Background: A large percent of the population in developing countries is comprised of children. Drug utilization patterns in children is of great concern universally and has gained a lot of attention.Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the Pakistani parents’ knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) towards self-medicating their children.Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed and the data collection was carried out in several government and private hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Non probability convenient random sampling method was employed to select the participants.Results: In our study, 45 (44.55%) parents were university graduates. The most frequent medicines used were Panadol (paracetamol) 84 (83%). The most common self-treated symptom was cough & cold 73 (72.27%). In case of self-treatment failure most of the parents in the present study tend to consult general practitioners in private clinics 62 (61%), while 31 (31%) of them seek advice from child specialists in hospitals. Doctors were the first favourite source for 92 (91.0%) of parents. The most common reasons were the expensive consultation fees and long waiting time in the clinics. A large portion of parents disagreed that health care workers’ attitudes were bad, or that information relayed to them was insufficient. Another important finding was 52 (51.4%) of parents were convinced that they can diagnose their child’s illnesses by the symptoms.Conclusions: The study uncovered that parents’ knowledge was lacking, and their parental self-medication practice demonstrated to be unseemly. Based on the results of our study, we conclude that there is a critical need of appropriate interventions to tackle this issue.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(1) 2016 p.33-38

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One new benzo-isochromene, named cichorin A (1), together with three known compounds oleanolic acid, β-sitosterol, and β-sitosterol glucopyranoside, was isolated from Cichorium intybus. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis such as (1)H, (13)C NMR, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and HR-EI-MS. Relative configuration of asymmetric centers of cichorin A (1) was determined by the analysis of the (1)H NMR coupling constants together with the NOESY experiment.

This study investigated the effects of Discovery Learning Scientific Community Laboratories (DL-SCL) and traditional non-DLSCL laboratories on students' conceptual understanding in a Physics-1 lab. At many universities, physics programs use a traditional lab style, despite research on the benefits for reform-oriented physics labs. This DL-SCL approach included features of inquiry-based learning (e.g., students generated hypotheses and designed experiments) and scientific community labs (e.g., students discussed designs and findings). This study used a quasi-experimental design with quantitative-method data collection and analysis procedures. Twelve sections of a Physics I lab were assigned to two groups: Treatment (DL-SCL) and Control (non-DL-SCL). In Treatment and Control sections, conceptual understanding was measured pre/post using the Mechanics Baseline Test (MBT) and the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). Study findings indicated that DL-SCL approach in teaching Physics Lab-1 significantly improved students' conceptual understanding.

Two new benzo-isochromenes, named cichorins B (1) and C (2), were isolated from Cichorium intybus. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis such as ¹H, ¹³C NMR, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and HR-EI-MS. Relative configurations of asymmetric centers of cichorins B and C were determined by the analysis of the ¹H NMR coupling constants together with the 2D NOESY and 1D NOE experiments as well as from [α]²⁵(D) value.