Basic Medicine
Roohallah Yousefi
Abstract
Introduction: In beta-thalassemia, an imbalance in the production of beta subunits of hemoglobin leads to the oxidation and deposition of excess alpha-globin chains at the cell membrane, resulting in the hemolysis of erythrocytes and a disorder of erythropoiesis. Antioxidants, such as curcumin, may promote ...
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Introduction: In beta-thalassemia, an imbalance in the production of beta subunits of hemoglobin leads to the oxidation and deposition of excess alpha-globin chains at the cell membrane, resulting in the hemolysis of erythrocytes and a disorder of erythropoiesis. Antioxidants, such as curcumin, may promote this progression. This study aims to investigate the antioxidant effect of curcumin on hemolysate samples from patients with beta-thalassemia.Materials and methods: Pure curcumin was extracted and purified for use in studying its effect on the visual light absorbance of hemoglobin in hemolysate samples from beta-thalassemia patients compared to control samples. Changes in light absorbance at 540 and 700 nm wavelengths during exposure to curcumin were analyzed to examine the shift from oxyhemoglobin to deoxyhemoglobin.Results: Curcumin was found to dissolve rapidly and to a high degree in ethanol at 1 mg/ml, but did not dissolve in distilled water at the same concentration. The curcumin addition to the hemolysate sample of a patient with beta-thalassemia resulted in a decrease in the light absorbance of the sample at 540 nm wavelength, with minimal changes observed in the control sample.Conclusion: Curcumin deoxygenated the hemolysate samples from both the patient and control, causing hemoglobin precipitation to occur slowly. The study suggests a greater potential role for curcumin in deoxygenating hemoglobin in the hemolysate samples of beta-thalassemia patients compared to those of the normal control.
Basic Medicine
Roohallah Yousefi
Abstract
Introduction: Voxelotor, also known as GBT 440, binds to the alpha cleft in HbS tetramers and promotes the stability of the relaxed or oxygenated state of HbS. This process hinders the conformational change of the HbS tetramers into the deoxygenated state. Voxelotor prevents interactions between HbS ...
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Introduction: Voxelotor, also known as GBT 440, binds to the alpha cleft in HbS tetramers and promotes the stability of the relaxed or oxygenated state of HbS. This process hinders the conformational change of the HbS tetramers into the deoxygenated state. Voxelotor prevents interactions between HbS tetramers in the deoxygenated state, ultimately inhibiting the polymerization of HbS tetramers and resulting in significant clinical improvements, particularly in raising hemoglobin levels in patients. In this study, we have explored the use of herbal compound models, such as rosmarinic acid and compounds with similar structures that exhibit high binding affinity to Voxelotor's hemoglobin binding site.Materials and methods: The molecular model of hemoglobin (PDB: 5E83) was initially obtained from the RCSB PDB database. In addition, we collected 453 ligand models with structural similarity to rosmarinic acid from the PubChem database. To prepare these models for molecular docking, we utilized the Molegro Virtual Docker tool. Subsequently, we used the SwissADME web tool to predict the physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics of these compounds. Results: We investigated the affinity and binding site of 453 compounds similar to rosmarinic acid on the hemoglobin model (PDB: 5E83). Our focus was on the alpha cleft between two alpha chains of the hemoglobin model (PDB: 5E83). The results showed that most compounds had molecular weights above 500 daltons, and some exhibited acceptable hydrophobicity. Furthermore, their solubility in aqueous solutions was good. None of the compounds were able to cross the blood-brain barrier or have gastrointestinal absorption. However, they did have varying inhibitory effects on CYP2C9 cytochromes. The skin penetration rate was generally low.
Conclusion: Through our study, we identified three compounds (CID: 162739375, CID: 141386569, and CID: 24015539) with promising potential for further research. These compounds demonstrated high binding affinity to the hemoglobin model, favorable dissolution and digestive absorption rates, as well as suitable hydrophobicity, making them ideal candidates for continued laboratory investigation
Basic Medicine
Roohallah Yousefi; Shahla Mokaramian
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has emerged as a significant global threat to all countries and societies. Analyzing infection rates, mortality due to Covid-19, and the impact of vaccination, weather conditions, and demographic and ethnic composition on infection and mortality ...
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The coronavirus pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has emerged as a significant global threat to all countries and societies. Analyzing infection rates, mortality due to Covid-19, and the impact of vaccination, weather conditions, and demographic and ethnic composition on infection and mortality rates can provide crucial insights into this disease. SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus causing acute respiratory syndrome, first emerged as a global pandemic in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been 768,237,788 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported worldwide, resulting in 6,951,677 fatalities as of July 19, 2023. Analyzing various factors like infection rates, mortality, vaccination, weather conditions, and demographics helps us understand the disease better. The United States has the highest COVID-19 death toll, while African countries have reported the lowest. However, Africa's high death-to-infection ratio might be due to inadequate healthcare services and vaccination rates, which require urgent attention. In addition, the relationship between environmental temperatures and COVID-19 cases and mortality is still under investigation.
Clinical Medicine
Roohallah Yousefi
Abstract
In summary, this study investigated the relationship between climate, COVID-19 transmission and mortality rates. The results showed that countries with colder climates have higher infection and mortality rates. This could be due to factors such as increased time spent indoors during the winter and less ...
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In summary, this study investigated the relationship between climate, COVID-19 transmission and mortality rates. The results showed that countries with colder climates have higher infection and mortality rates. This could be due to factors such as increased time spent indoors during the winter and less outdoor activity in cold conditions. On the other hand, warmer temperatures and higher humidity were associated with lower transmission rates of COVID-19. In contrast, colder temperatures and lower humidity may favor the spread of the virus. In addition, air pollution was found to worsen COVID-19 transmission and mortality rates, possibly due to its effects on respiratory health and immune function. These findings highlight the complicated relationship between climate, air pollution, COVID-19 transmission, and mortality rates. We also point out that various factors must be taken into account to understand the COVID-19 dynamics in different climatic and environmental conditions.
