1.A study of the PfNT3 in Plasmodium falciparum
Sahu Pratima Kumari ; Panda Kaheswar ; Patra Satyajit ; Das Sidhartha ; Satyamoorthy K ; Mohanty Dipika
Medicine and Health 2015;10(2):123-136
Previous genetic studies demonstrated that survival and proliferation of Plasmodium
falciparum parasites is dependent on salvage of essential purines from the host.
Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most lethal form of human
malaria lacks the enzymes required for de novo synthesis of purines. Analysis of
the hypothetical nucleoside/nucleobase transporter protein, the gene product of
PfNT3 (PF14_0662) gene in P. falciparum parasites was carried out by localisation,
in view of a novel chemotherapeutic target. Immunoblotting, immunofluorescent
and immunoelectron microscopic localization of PfNT3 was demonstrated
using polyclonal antiserum in in vitro cultured Plasmodium falciparum parasites,
propagated in human red blood cells. PfNT3 protein, the translated product of
PfNT3 gene was detected in intraerythrocytic ring, trophozoite, and schizont
stages. PfNT3 was localized primarily to the PPM (Parasite Plasma Membrane). The
endogenous PfNT3 putative nucleoside transporter with the predominant location
to the parasite plasma membrane may serve not only as routes for targeting of
purine analogs/cytotoxic agents into the intracellular parasite but may also serve as
drug targets. Being genome encoded the vital transporter protein can be prevented
from expression by silencing of the gene, validating it to be a novel drug target.
Plasmodium falciparum
2.Comparison of efficacy of metformin and D-chiro-inositol on clinical biomarkers in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome:an open label study
Aggarwal GAURIKA ; Gupta SHIKHA ; Sardana OJUS ; Harleen ; Kumari PRATIMA ; Kaur RUPINDER ; Singh Gurjeet THAKUR ; Sharma AMIT ; Singh RAVINDER
Global Health Journal 2023;7(3):147-152
Objective:Polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)is a pathophysiological disorder affecting reproductive and metabolic indices in females.The present study was designed to compare the efficacy of metformin and D-chiro-inositol in PCOS patients.Methods:In a tertiary care hospital in North India,prospective observational research was undertaken on 100 patients with PCOS,which was diagnosed based on European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology Guidelines and ultrasound of lower abdomen.The study involves various clinical characteristics into considera-tion for the determination of statistical significance(P<0.05)in PCOS patients.Student's t-test along with the association between PCOS and patients taking metformin and D-chiro-inositol,as well as their impact on various biochemical parameters,were investigated finally using Pearson Correlation Analysis.Results:This study comprises 50 patients taking metformin and 50 patients taking D-chiro-inositol in women suffering from PCOS.Body mass index(BMI)and waist-to-hip ratio(WHR)were statistically significant(P<0.05)within the groups of both metformin and D-chiro-inositol.Biochemical parameters such as luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH),anti-mullerian hormone(AMH)and glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c)were found to be statistically significant(P<0.05)in both groups.LH,FSH and AMH(14.40±0.52;14.28±0.53;1.99±0.10)were comparatively lower in patients taking D-chiro-inositol as compared to metformin group(14.17±0.42;19.88±1.01;2.61±0.04).HbA1c(3.71±0.08)with P<0.05 was found to be decreased more in metformin group as compared to patients taking D-chiro-inositol(4.90±0.09).A positive correlation was found between HbA1c and LH in metformin,& HbA1c and FSH in D-chiro-inositol groups,respectively.Conclusion:The results indicate that D-chiro-inositol shows better results in reducing clinical variables involved in causing PCOS as compared to metformin whereas metformin has better glycemic control in PCOS patients.