What is it about?
This research investigates how natural compounds found in Gundelia tournefortii (a wild medicinal plant) and Ocimum basilicum interact with four key proteins in the insulin signaling pathway: PI3K, PDK1, AKT, and RAC1. These proteins are essential for how the body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels. By using molecular docking simulations, the study predicts how compounds from the two plants bind to these proteins and influence their function. The study also analyzes drug-like properties (ADME/Tox) to assess how suitable these compounds could be as future drug candidates. Several compounds, particularly from Gundelia tournefortii, showed strong potential for targeting proteins like AKT and PDK1.
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Why is it important?
The findings offer a promising starting point for developing new, natural treatments for diabetes using plant-based compounds. This approach may provide safer and more affordable alternatives to synthetic drugs. The research also demonstrates how modern computational tools can support traditional medicine in the search for effective therapies.
Perspectives
This work sets the stage for further lab-based and clinical testing of these natural compounds. It also encourages more scientific exploration of regional plants like Gundelia tournefortii and Ocimum basilicum, combining traditional herbal knowledge with modern biotechnology and bioinformatics tools.
Baylasan Qasem
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Ligand-protein Docking of Gundelia tournefortii and Ocimum basilicum Derivatives in Scanning Hub Protein Targets (PI3K, PDK1, AKT, and RAC1) of the Insulin Signaling Pathway and ADME/Tox Drug Properties, New Emirates Medical Journal, August 2024, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/0102506882306428240613104944.
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