Over the last few decades, computer-aided drug design has emerged as a powerful technique playing a crucial role in the development of new drug molecules. Structure-based drug design and ligand-based drug design are two methods commonly used in computer-aided drug design. In this article, we discuss the theory behind both methods, as well as their successful applications and limitations. To accomplish this, we reviewed structure based and ligand based virtual screening processes. Molecular dynamics simulation, which has become one of the most influential tool for prediction of the conformation of small molecules and changes in their conformation within the biological target, has also been taken into account. Finally, we discuss the principles and concepts of molecular docking, pharmacophores and other methods used in computer-aided drug design. Keywords: Computer-aided drug design, structure-based drug design, ligand-based drug design, virtual screening, pharmacophore, QSAR, molecular docking, molecular dynamics.
Hundreds of millions of people around the globe are afflicted by diabetes mellitus. The alteration in glucose fixation process might result into hyperglycaemia and could affect the circulating plasma proteins to undergo nonenzymatic glycation reaction. If it is unchecked, it may lead to diabetes with increase in advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Therefore, the present study was designed to inhibit the diabetes and glycation by using natural antioxidant "ellagic acid" (EA). In this study, we explored the antidiabetes and antiglycation potential of EA in both in vitro (EA at micromolar concentration) and in vivo systems. The EA concentrations of 10 and 20 mg kg-1B.W./day were administered orally for 25 days to alloxan-induced diabetic rats, a week after confirmation of stable diabetes in animals. Intriguingly, EA supplementation in diabetic rats reversed the increase in fasting blood sugar (FBS) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level. EA also showed an inhibitory role against glycation intermediates including dicarbonyls, as well as AGEs, investigated in a glycation mixture with in vitro and in vivo animal plasma samples. Additionally, EA treatment resulted in inhibition of lipid peroxidation-mediated malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes (CD). Furthermore, EA exhibited an antioxidant property, increased the level of plasma glutathione (GSH), and also helped to decrease histological changes evaluated by histoimmunostaining of animal kidney tissues. The results from our investigation clearly indicates the antiglycative property of EA, suggesting EA as an adequate inhibitor of glycation and diabetes, which can be investigated further in preclinical settings for the treatment and management of diabetes-associated complications.
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are heterogeneous group of compounds, known to be implicated in diabetic complications. One of the consequences of the Maillard reaction is attributed to the production of reactive intermediate products such as α-oxoaldehydes. 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), an α-oxoaldehyde has been found to be involved in accelerating vascular damage during diabetes. In the present study, calf thymus histone H3 was treated with 3-deoxyglucosone to investigate the generation of AGEs (Nε-carboxymethyllysine, pentosidine), by examining the degree of side chain modifications and formation of different intermediates and employing various physicochemical techniques. The results clearly indicate the formation of AGEs and structural changes upon glycation of H3 by 3-deoxyglucosone, which may hamper the normal functioning of H3 histone, that may compromise the veracity of chromatin structures and function in secondary complications of diabetes.