Current Issues in Molecular Biology

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sushobhan Mukhopadhyay

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida, 1345 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
Interests: medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry; pharmacology and pharmacy; biochemistry and molecular biology; plant sciences

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To understand the new dimension in drug discovery with better knowledge for the treatment of a disease, extensive recognition of the mechanism of action of a drug can make a huge difference. This is therapeutically important for a disease as well as to improve the concept of side effects associated with a drug. Recognizing a molecular target expands the insight about what we are treating. The challenges associated with the synthesis of a drug are equally important as synthetic steps, structural diversity, metabolized functional groups, lipophilicity, and permeability are the parameters necessary to overcome for the development of a drug.

This Special Issue will approach current challenges in the synthesis of a drug, defining molecular targets, mechanism of action, and biological activity of drugs based on molecular biology. The submission of original articles, short communications, reviews, and clinical trials reporting all the current and past advancement in the diagnosis, investigation, and treatment of a disease associated with a drug at the molecular level are welcome. We look forward to receiving valuable contributions from researchers and academicians all around the world.

Dr. Sushobhan Mukhopadhyay
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Issues in Molecular Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

drug discovery
biomolecules
mechanism of action
biological evaluation
molecular target

Published Papers (1 paper)

Review

23 pages, 2168 KiB

Open AccessReview

Bioconversion, Pharmacokinetics, and Therapeutic Mechanisms of Ginsenoside Compound K and Its Analogues for Treating Metabolic Diseases

by Md. Niaj Morshed, Reshmi Akter, Md. Rezaul Karim, Safia Iqbal, Se Chan Kang and Deok Chun Yang

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(3), 2320-2342; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46030148 - 11 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 933

Abstract

Rare ginsenoside compound K (CK) is an intestinal microbial metabolite with a low natural abundance that is primarily produced by physicochemical processing, side chain modification, or metabolic transformation in the gut. Moreover, CK exhibits potent biological activity compared to primary ginsenosides, which has raised concerns in the field of ginseng research and development, as well as ginsenoside-related dietary supplements and natural products. Ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, and Rc are generally used as a substrate to generate CK via several bioconversion processes. Current research shows that CK has a wide range of pharmacological actions, including boosting osteogenesis, lipid and glucose metabolism, lipid oxidation, insulin resistance, and anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis properties. Further research on the bioavailability and toxicology of CK can advance its medicinal application. The purpose of this review is to lay the groundwork for future clinical studies and the development of CK as a therapy for metabolic disorders. Furthermore, the toxicology and pharmacology of CK are investigated as well in this review. The findings indicate that CK primarily modulates signaling pathways associated with AMPK, SIRT1, PPARs, WNTs, and NF-kB. It also demonstrates a positive therapeutic effect of CK on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and its complications, as well as osteoporosis. Additionally, the analogues of CK showed more bioavailability, less toxicity, and more efficacy against disease states. Enhancing bioavailability and regulating hazardous variables are crucial for its use in clinical trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research on Drug Synthesis and Biological Activity)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Molecular Research on Drug Synthesis and Biological Activity

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (1 paper)

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI