Moses Kiprotich Langat

1. Geum elatum Wall. Ex G.Don (Rosaceae) is a medicinal plant that has a native range from North Pakistan to Central China, occurring in the Himalayas (POWO 2025). In Pakistan, a decoction of the r...

Four ergostanes—ergosta‐7,22,24(28)‐trien‐3 β ‐ol ( 1 ), ergosta‐7,24(28)‐dien‐3‐one ( 2 ), ergosta‐7,22,24(28)‐trien‐3‐one ( 3 ), and ergosta‐4,6,8(14),22‐tetraen‐3‐one ( 4 )—and one cytochalasin, zygosporin D ( 5 ), were isolated from Xylaria longipes . Two compounds, 2 and 3, are novel but have a similar structure to Compound ( 1 ), except for the keto group at the C‐3 carbon and the C‐22 double bond being reduced. Compound 5 was the most active at a single‐dose concentration against the majority of breast cancer and CNS cell lines evaluated. The NCI COMPARE Analysis tool was used to investigate the mode of action of Compound 5 in one‐dose screening and revealed no correlations, suggesting that Compound 5 may have a novel mode of action. Compound 5 was further subjected to molecular docking studies, which revealed its potential to interact with multiple cancer drug targets, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐2, cyclin‐dependent kinases 2 and 6, ATPase/AMP‐PNP domain, and antiapoptotic protein BCL‐2, with binding affinity scores of −8.23, −9.25, −9.99, −9.43, and −9.15 kcal/mol, respectively. This molecule was also predicted to have a high drug‐likeness and good ADMET properties. Additionally, the diversity of compounds isolated from this Xylaria species highlights its potential as a valuable source for drug leads.

The use of metal-based complexes is currently taking centre stage in the field of nanomedicine for the treatment and control of various ailments. Rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes have frequently been evaluated in vitro for their anticancer activities, and a few have advanced to in vivo and clinical trials, owing to the distinct application characteristics of these complexes. Their inception in drug development is key. This study explores a detailed chronological overview of the medical applications of Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes over the past six years (2019–2024), focusing on their applications and clinical tests in the control and management of various ailments. An in-depth examination of their activities in anticancer treatments, Chagas disease, antifungal infections, antimalarial, and microbial infections was conducted, comparing the complexes to various standard antibiotics, conventional antimalarial drugs, antifungals, and standard anticancer agents.

The use of metal-based complexes is currently taking center stage in the field of nanomedicine for the treatment and control of various ailments. Rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes have frequently been evaluated in vitro for their anticancer activities, and a few have advanced to in vivo and clinical trials, owing to the distinct application characteristics of these complexes. Their inception in drug development is key. This study explores a detailed chronological overview of the medical applications of Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes over the past six years (2019-2024), focusing on their applications and clinical tests in the control and management of various ailments. An in-depth examination of their activities in anticancer treatments, Chagas disease, antifungal infections, antimalarial, and microbial infections was conducted, comparing the complexes to various standard antibiotics, conventional antimalarial drugs, antifungals, and standard anticancer agents.

Rhododendron anthopogon D.Don (Ericaceae) is a medicinal plant that occurs in the Swat District, Pakistan. Column chromatography was used to isolate cannabichromeorcinic acid (1), cannabigerorcinic acid (2), ursolic acid (3), friedelin (4) and 2-phenylethyl 4-methoxybenzoate (5) from the methylene chloride extract of R. anthopogon leaves that were collected from the Daral region in the Swat District, Pakistan. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and by comparison of the experimental data with those reported in the literature. The occurrence of cannabinoids (1) and (2), triterpenoids (3) and (4), and 2-phenylethyl 4-methoxybenzoate (5) in R. anthopogon leaves, as reported in this study, may shed some light on this species' traditional medicinal uses.

Summary: Here we describe Vepris wadigo based on new collections and observations of the informally published Diphasia sp. A of the Flora of Tropical East Africa. Vepris wadigo is known with certainty only from Kaya Kinondo and Kaya Timbwa forests in Kwale District of coastal Kenya where it is known as Mchikoma (Digo language). A sterile specimen from the Usambara Mts of Tanzania suggests that the species may also occur there, but this needs verification with a fertile specimen. Vepris wadigo is compared with the only other known diphasoid Vepris species of East Africa, Vepris morogoroensis of Tanzania. However, Vepris wadigo most closely resembles Vepris stolzii of Tanzania which differs in the 4-locular fruit. The chemistry of Vepris wadigo is unique among the African species of Vepris which have been analysed, since acridones, quinolines and limonoids which characterise the genus were not detected. The six compounds which were characterised included compound 1 a benzamide newly described and named in this paper as wadigin ( N -(2,6-dihydroxybenzoyl)- O -methyltyramine) which is an O -glucosylated derivative of riparin III, and four lignans and neolignans not previously found or very unusual in Vepris , namely heterotropan ( 2 ), asaraldehyde ( 3 ) a degradation product of compound 4 , E- asarone ( 4) and its isomer, Z- asarone ( 5) . Finally, Lupeol (compound 6 ) which has previously been found in African Vepris . Vepris wadigo is here provisionally assessed as Endangered, EN B1ab(i-iii)+B2ab(i-iii) since only two threat-based locations are known, with an area of occupation of 8 km ² using the IUCN preferred 4 km ² cell size, although the actual total area of the habitat occupied is 22.57 Ha as calculated with Google Earth Pro. Since there are only two points the extent of occurrence cannot be calculated. Satellite imagery has shown that the area of the habitat has slowly decreased in recent decades.

Plant extracts are increasingly becoming an answer to expensive, high-dose, synthesized chemotherapy, with milder side effects and easier accessibility. Many botanical plants contain active ingredients, such as terpenoids and alkaloids, which may combat cancer; however, studies need to be performed to test whether they are solely effective enough and whether the extracted compounds are selective for the tumor itself. Many chemotherapy drugs were initially of botanical origin, such as vincristine from Catharanthus roseus and paclitaxel from the Taxus baccata tree. The objective of this review is to assess the mechanisms of herbal therapeutics in their role against malignancy. Ajwa, curcumin, ginseng, lycopene, and ursolic acid were all respectively evaluated in the paper for their prevalent properties, their method of extraction, notable usage in medicine, which pathways they activate, and whether the transductions can disrupt cancer formation or proliferation. The findings from the review demonstrated that all the therapeutics exhibited pro-apoptotic behavior, Ajwa and curcumin exerted cell cycle arrest upon neoplasms, and Ajwa, curcumin, and lycopene showed anti-metastatic behavior. Most extracts were tested on colorectal cancer, and the pathways most commonly applied were through BAX/Bcl2 and endoproteases, such as caspase-3 and caspase-9, indicating predominantly mitochondrial apoptosis. In addition, cell cycle arrest was noted to occur during the G2/M phase via Wnt/β-catenin in both curcumin and ginseng, independently of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in Ajwa constituents, reducing cell viability. All of these studies were demonstrated in vitro within varieties of single cell cultures, which did not take into account bioavailability nor properly demonstrate the tumor microenvironment, which may not yield the same results in vivo. Clinical trials need to be undergone to appropriately test effective dosages, as if a compound is strongly pro-apoptotic, it may not be selective just to tumor cells but also to healthy cells, which may impair their functions.