Cells become cancerous after being faced with several cellular insults, including DNA damages caused by oxidative stresses. Mitochondria are the main endogenous source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) because most ROS are generated by the oxidative phosphorylation processes that occur in mitochondria. ROS induce oxidative lesions and base alkylation in mtDNA that are thought to be repaired via BER pathway. However, the DNA repair proteins and other components/factors of BER pathway are not produced in the mitochondria but are translocated from cytoplasm or nucleus. This review explicitly presents the molecular, cellular and structural basis for trafficking of DNA repair proteins/factors, in particular APE1 from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria.

Medicinal plants and aromatic herbs are usually used today in modern phytomedicine and alternative therapy. The essential oils (EOs) and their chemical constituents are known to be active against a wide range of viruses. Oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes present in EOs contribute to their antiviral effect. Since the new strain of coronavirus, now named SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus), is still not completely understood, it is not yet possible to find which EOs will offer the best level of protection. More is learned about this virus on an almost weekly basis, but it could still be some considerable time before a cure is found. However, it is plausible to assume that some of the EOs and related terpenes are likely to offer a measurable level of defense in the same way that they do with many other known viruses.

Cynodon dactylon, Emblica officinalis, Kalanchoe pinnata and Bambusa nutans is reported to have diuretic and antiurolithiatic potential against ethylene glycol and ammonium chloride, and glyoxalate induced urolithiasis along with in vitro calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystal growth inhibition property. The ethyl acetate fraction of these plants have a high content of antioxidative phytocompounds like polyphenols and flavonoids. This study aims at the exploration of antilithiatic potential of C. dactylon, E. officinalis, K. pinnata, and B. nutans ethyl acetate fraction on 3 % glycolic acid diet feeding induced nephrolithiasis in rats. On the 28th day of glycolic acid diet feeding, urine samples were collected to determine oxalate, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium concentration. On the 29th day, blood samples were collected after sacrifice to determine oxalate, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium level and kidney tissue were observed for histopathological changes. Glycolic acid feeding resulted in a significant increase in serum oxalate, calcium, and phosphorus level with a decrease in magnesium. Urinary level of oxalate, calcium, and phosphorus was also increased with a decrease in sodium and potassium. C. dactylon, E. officinalis, K. pinnata, and B. nutans markedly ameliorates glycolic acid induced nephrolithiasis by reversing the abnormal serum and urinary levels of oxalate, calcium, and phosphorus. Ethyl acetate fraction of E. officinalis and K. pinnata showed decreased deposition of microcrystals in kidney tubules with a prominent reduction in glomerular and tubular damage. These observations indicate the prominent protective effect of E. officinalis and K. pinnata in the prevention of glycolic acid induced hyperoxaluria and morphological changes in rat kidney.

Datura is a genus of plants belonging to the Solanaceae family which possess potent, toxic, anticholinergic properties. One member of this genus is the Datura stramonium specie, an ubiquitously-growing hallucinogenic plant which has been known by different names – Jimson’s weed, Green Dragon, Angel’s Tear – in different parts of the world. Though rare, cases of acute intoxication by D. stramonium consumption have been reported, with victims often presenting with fulminant anticholinergic symptoms such as: dry skin, mydriasis and tachycardia, often with fatal consequences. Management of such cases is usually dependent on the severity of symptoms at presentation, ranging from supportive or symptomatic care to the induction of anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation and the use of physostigmine. In line with the CARE criteria, we report a case of acute intoxication following Datura stramonium consumption in a 14-year old male. We highlight the manner of case presentation and modalities of patient care in an emergency clinical setting and briefly review the available literature on D. stramonium intoxication and its pharmacological properties.

Background: Chloroquine is receiving a renewed attention in view of the current Corona virus-19 (COVID-19), severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), pandemic. Various options for therapeutic evaluation may be required.
Objective: Evaluation of the kinetics of disposition of Plasmodium falciparum during treatment with chlorpheniramine (CP) plus chloroquine (CQ) in children with acute, uncomplicated malaria and to correlate these with the conventional indices of therapeutic evaluation.
Patients and methods: 106 patients with malaria were randomized to one of two treatment regimens of chlorpheniramine plus chloroquine. Outcome of treatment were assessed using both the conventional fever clearance time (FCT), parasite clearance time (PCT), cure rate and parasite kinetics parameters using the area under the parasite density versus time curve (AUCpd), apparent half time of reduction of parasitaemia (t1/2pd), volume of blood completely cleared of parasite (CLBpd).
Result: The FCT was 1.4 ± 0.7 days and 1.3 ± 0.7 days for the high dose CP plus CQ and the very high dose CP plus CQ groups respectively. The mean PCT was 2.8 ± 0.7 and 2.9 ± 0.7 days, the cure rate was 95.8% and 94.1% respectively.
The parasite kinetics indices area under the parasite density versus time curve (AUCpd), half-lives (t1/2 pd) and volume of blood completely cleared of parasites (CLBpd) were 1.61± 3.28 versus 1.51 ± 2.85 ul h-1 , 3.65 ±1.04 versus 4.00 ± 1.79hr and 0.006 ± 0.005 versus 0.0062 ± 0.0058 ul h-1kg-1 in the high dose CP plus CQ and the very high dose respectively. There was positive and significant correlation between t1/2pd and PC50 r2 = 0.049, p=0.047 and between t1/2 pd and PC90 r2=0.073, p=0.015.
Conclusion: There was a positive and significant correlation between the kinetic and conventional indices suggesting the former may find ready application in therapeutic efficacy monitoring. Surprisingly t1/2 pd correlated more with PC90 than PC50 implying that PC90 may be a better predictor of t1/2pd. This may find application in the evaluation of chloroquine therapy in tCOVID-19. It is novel to employ basic pharmacological principle for clinical application.