Med-Chemist

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Glucokinase activators (GKAs) represent a promising new class of drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that act directly on both the pancreas and the liver. Glucokinase (GK) is a key enzyme in glucose-sensing tissues that regulates glucose homeostatasis. GKAs lower glucose levels by enhancing the ability of pancreatic beta cells to “sense glucose” and increase insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner. Simultaneously, GKAs increase the uptake and disposal of glucose in the liver, while simultaneously reducing the amount it produces.

For more details, read the link
Drug Pipeline

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Friday, October 16, 2009

Happy & Prosperous Diwali

I wish everyone "A Prosperous and Happy Diwali".

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Small amounts of funding can produce big results !

I agree with the author if planned and executed his ideas in a systematic manner, one could achieve miracles. Though, Southern Research Institute, Birmingham (for its High Throughput Studies for drug resistant TB) tried the same idea (by paying some money for the newly synthesized chemicals), the approach suggested by the author is far relevant now than it was in those days.....

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Human milk oligosaccharides protect infants against infection

An innovative process developed by Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH allows for the first time ever the production of these scarce sugar molecules (Human milk oligosaccharides) for use as an ingredient in baby food and in additional food products. For details, read the link..

Human milk oligosaccharides protect infants against infection

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Minimally Invasive Procedure Effective For Treating Snoring, Study Finds

Minimally Invasive Procedure Effective For Treating Snoring, Study Finds

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New Target For Treating Leukemia Identified

New Target For Treating Leukemia Identified

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A special protien in the stomach against Helicobacter pylori ....

In my earlier blogs, I did mention with the help of Broccoli and Glutamine how one can avoid the stomach ulcer caused by H. pylori infection (which in turn lead to gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma). But this is something interesting a special protein in the lining of the stomach has been shown to be an important part of the body’s defence against the stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori in a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. The discovery may explain why the bacterium makes some people more ill than others.

The research team has shown that a protein called MUC1 found in the lining of the stomach is important for the body’s defence against the bacterium. Greatly magnified, MUC1 looks like a tree growing out of low bushes on the surface of the stomach. As MUC1 is taller than the other structures on the cell surface, Helicobacter pylori readily becomes attached to the protein and then rarely gets to infect the cell. As per the claim by the researchers MUC1 acts as a decoy which prevents the bacterium from coming into close contact with the cell surface. Genetic variations between people mean that MUC1 molecules vary in length, and this may be part of the reason why Helicobacter pylori makes some people more ill than others. Congrats for this improtant achievement..

Ref : http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1000617