Hafiz Aamir Ali Kharl

Inflammation and oxidative stress are involved in the physiological changes associated with many chronic diseases, which has led to sustained interest in small molecules with pleiotropic properties. As part of this effort, this study reports the synthesis and evaluation of six chalcones. These six synthesized derivatives were produced using acetophenone and benzaldehyde, and structures were characterised through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The compounds were tested for their in-vitro antioxidant properties using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay and anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties using an in-vivo model in rats and carrageenan-induced paw edema, heat-induced hyperalgesia, and mechanical allodynia.Computational finding by using AutoDockVina protocol against target enzyme (COX-II) (PDB: 3LN1), where the compounds 3B, 2B, and 1A exhibited strong binding affinities of − 9.8 kcal/mol, − 9.2 kcal/mol, and − 9.2 kcal/mol, respectively.Among these compounds, compound 3B exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, demonstrating an efficacy percentage of 78.34% and an IC₅₀ value of 7.86μg/ml. The chalcone derivatives were also assessed for their effectiveness in carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia, a model used to study pain response. Compound 1A significantly increased latency periods at 30, 60, 90, and 120 min compared to compounds 2B and 3B, suggesting its potential analgesic properties. Furthermore, compound 3B significantly reduced allodynia response at 120 min, indicating its potential to alleviate mechanical sensitivity.These findings suggest that chalcone derivatives, particularly 2B and 3B, hold strong potential as lead compounds for developing novel COX-2-targeted anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapeutics. This study offers a comprehensive preclinical framework for chalcone-based drug discovery targeting inflammation and oxidative stress. This study emphasizes structure-dependent variations in chalcones, which present potential leads and are worthy of further exploration. Graphical abstract

Some new aminobenzimidazole derivatives were synthesized and investigated their pharmacological potential including anti-oxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity to treat AD. A series of eight benzimidazole derivatives was synthesized by two-step procedure. All the synthesized derivatives were characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as NMR (1H-NMR) and FTIR. All the compounds were further evaluated for their anti-oxidant and AchE inhibitory potential. Four compounds 2g, 2a and 2b have shown potent inhibitory activity as 91.86%, 88.69%, and 81.91% respectively. Among eight synthesized compounds, the highest anti-oxidant activity 86.64% was exhibited by compound 2d, and compound 2d showed higher potency with IC50 of 4.96 µg/mL. Next docking studies were performed by using Auto Dock Vina program for which acetylcholinesterase has been used as target. Compounds 2e, 2a and 2d have exhibited the highest binding affinity with acetylcholinesterase among the synthesized derivatives with a value of -10.5 kcal/mol, -10.4 kcal/mol and -10.3 kcal/mol respectively. The results indicated that benzimidazole derivatives could be used as lead molecules for acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and can be further evaluated for their therapeutic potential for the treatment of AD.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterized by abnormal electrical activity within clusters of neurons in the brain. These irregular signals may remain confined to one region (focal epilepsy) or spread across both hemispheres (generalized epilepsy). The term epilepsy originates from the Greek word epilepsia, meaning “falling sickness,” and is often referred to as a seizure, ictus, or convulsion. Quinazoline derivatives have gained attention as promising scaffolds in the design of novel anticonvulsant and central nervous system (CNS) depressant agents. Their pharmacological potential is largely attributed to the presence of an aromatic or aliphatic group at the 2-position and a substituted aromatic ring at the 3-position of the quinazoline nucleus. Among the synthesized derivatives, compounds Zc, Zd, and Ze demonstrated notable antioxidant properties, with IC₅₀ values of 7.48, 4.85, and 10.28 µg/mL, respectively. These compounds also displayed strong binding affinities toward carbonic anhydrase II, suggesting a possible structure–activity relationship (SAR). In vivo evaluation using a PTZ-induced seizure model in mice revealed that the same compounds exhibiting strong antioxidant potential also showed marked anticonvulsant activity, effectively mitigating tonic-clonic seizures. Furthermore, results from enzyme inhibition assays and computational docking studies support their potential as lead candidates for future drug development. Overall, the 3H-quinazoline-4-one core emerges as a valuable structural framework for designing new therapeutics with significant CNS and anticonvulsant activities.

CRISPR stands for “Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats”, which form the foundation of an ancient immune system in single-cell organisms, especially bacteria and archaea. It has shown a positive therapeutic potential by modifying the genetic mutations responsible for incurable genetic disorders. CRISPR has several benefits over other gene-editing tools, as it is convenient, inexpensive and efficient. Despite therapeutic potential, CRISPR can also help to make animal models to study disease development and progression, and also to study the effect of new drugs. CRISPR can help to treat several genetic diseases, including cancers, allergic diseases, immunological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, viral infections, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, metabolic disorders, blood disorders and eye-related disorders. CRISPR can also help to treat celiac disease by modifying the gliadin content in the wheat crop. Pharmaceutical and therapeutic companies are developing CRISPR therapies against genetic diseases and are concerned about the off- target effects of CRISPR, along with its ethical, legal and safety concerns. CRISPR laws are more stringent in the European Union than in the United States, which critics believe could hamper the investment in this research. The future holds great promise for CRISPR in treating diseases, developing medicines and fostering agricultural production.

Background: Steroids and stress hormones are central regulators of cognitive processes, influencing memory formation, consolidation, and retrieval across both humans and animals. While acute stress responses may transiently enhance attention and recall, chronic activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is strongly associated with impaired cognition, reduced memory flexibility, and greater susceptibility to psychiatric and neurological disorders. Understanding these mechanisms has important implications for clinical and veterinary medicine, where corticosteroid use and stress-related conditions remain highly relevant. Objective: This narrative review aims to provide a comparative perspective on the neurobiology of memory, the physiology of stress, and the role of steroid hormones in shaping cognitive outcomes, highlighting translational insights between human and veterinary contexts. Main Discussion Points: The review synthesizes evidence from 2018 to 2025, covering the neurobiological basis of memory systems, the mechanistic pathways of stress responses, and the modulatory roles of glucocorticoids. Comparative analysis demonstrates shared mechanisms across species, with differences in stress physiology underscoring the need for careful extrapolation. Animal studies are shown to be critical in understanding human memory disorders such as Cushing’s syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder. Therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological agents, selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators, behavioral interventions, and environmental modifications, are discussed alongside existing limitations and knowledge gaps. Conclusion: Findings highlight the duality of steroids and stress in enhancing or impairing memory depending on context, while emphasizing the translational value of animal models. Integrative approaches combining neurobiology, pharmacology, and behavioral science are essential to advance therapeutic strategies and protect cognitive health under stress.