Salem University

Background: Phytochemicals, bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants, have long contributed to drug discovery by providing diverse chemical scaffolds and broad biological activities. Despite strong preclinical evidence across inflammatory, metabolic, infectious, and neoplastic diseases, the clinical translation of many phytochemicals has been inconsistent, largely due to pharmacokinetic limitations, safety concerns, and regulatory challenges. Objective: This review critically examines the translational landscape of phytochemicals by adopting a mechanism-centered framework that links molecular actions to quantitative ADMET constraints, formulation strategies, and human clinical outcomes, with the aim of identifying factors that govern successful or failed clinical advancement. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, covering studies published between 2000 and 2025. Original research articles, clinical trials, and recent reviews were screened using predefined inclusion criteria. Evidence was synthesized by grouping phytochemicals according to shared molecular mechanisms and mapping these to pharmacokinetic profiles, safety data, and stages of clinical development. Results: Phytochemicals exert pleiotropic effects through modulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling pathways such as NF-kappa B and MAPK, and apoptosis-related processes. However, compounds such as curcumin and resveratrol demonstrate limited clinical efficacy despite robust mechanistic activity, primarily due to poor oral bioavailability and rapid metabolism. In contrast, formulation optimization and regulatory alignment have enabled the successful clinical development of select botanical drugs. Conclusion: This review highlights that mechanistic potency alone is insufficient for clinical translation. Integrating early ADMET evaluation, rational formulation design, and regulatory planning is essential to advance phytochemicals from experimental promise to clinically viable therapeutics.

This qualitative study highlights the voices of 37 first generation college students (FGCS) pursuing their bachelor’s degree at a four-year university. We framed the study using Tinto’s (1993) theory of student integration layered with student voice theory, to develop a deeper understanding of FGCS college experiences and what they needed to persist to graduation. FGCS attributes prior to attending college would suggest they are at greater risk for non-completion due to lack of college readiness, financial instability, as well as competing expectations, responsibilities, and family obligations. However, these FGCS shared stories of persistence, their focus on academic achievement, and determination to complete their degrees. The findings indicated these FGCS relied on a network of personal connections in addition to university services to support their unique journey through academia. These holistic supports mitigated to help them adapt to higher education demands despite a lack of on-campus social integration.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the psychological processes underlying impulse purchasing in live-streaming commerce. Drawing on signaling theory and inspiration theory, this study explored the antecedents of customer inspiration, represented by the characteristics of content, streamer, seller and influencer that lead to impulsive buying behavior. Design/methodology/approach The current study targeted 325 customers on live-streaming commerce platforms in Malaysia. “Partial least squares structural equation modeling” (PLS-SEM) and “fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis” (fsQCA) were used as quantitative and qualitative approaches, respectively. Findings The PLS-SEM results show that signals from content, streamers, sellers and influencers significantly shape customer inspiration and that this effect unfolds through a sequential mechanism from “inspired by” to “inspired to,” which in turn drives impulsive purchasing behavior. Notably, the fsQCA results further reveal that impulse buying does not arise from a single dominant factor alone, but from alternative configurations of cross-source signals that jointly inspire consumers. The qualitative approach identified five core solutions, emphasizing the combination of content, streamers, sellers and influencers to inspire customers and drive unplanned purchases. Content diagnosticity emerged as the most influential driver of impulse buying, followed by trustworthiness and attractiveness. The fsQCA solutions were ranked from weakest to strongest, with configuration three identified as the optimal pattern. Research limitations/implications Live streaming practitioners should strengthen vicarious expression, source credibility, empathy, real-time interaction, perceived symmetry, responsiveness, attractiveness, expertise and inspired-to mechanisms to stimulate impulse purchasing. Originality/value This study advances inspiration research by unpacking specific inspirational sources in live streaming commerce. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to examine how distinct inspirational triggers in live streams jointly drive impulsive buying.

Metabolic syndrome is a complex cardiometabolic disorder driven by coordinated dysregulation of energy balance, insulin signaling, and lipid metabolism. Central regulatory proteins—including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) - represent interconnected molecular nodes within this network, yet current therapeutic strategies largely rely on single-target modulation. Natural products offer structurally diverse scaffolds capable of engaging multiple targets, providing a rational basis for multi-target drug discovery. In this study, a systematic in silico multi-target screening strategy was employed to evaluate phytochemicals derived from Hyptis verticillata against AMPK, PPAR-γ, and IRS-1. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock Vina against crystallographic structures of AMPK and PPAR-γ, while a homology-modeled structure of IRS-1 was utilized. Binding affinities and protein–ligand interaction profiles were analyzed, followed by in silico assessment of drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties using SwissADME. Docking analyses revealed binding energies ranging from −3.8 to −8.6 kcal/mol across the targets. Dehydropodophyllotoxin, oleanolic acid, cadina-4,10(15)-dien-3-one, aromadendr-1(10)-en-9-one, and squalene consistently exhibited favorable binding across multiple proteins. Interaction mapping indicated that ligand stabilization was dominated by hydrophobic and π-alkyl interactions within functionally relevant binding regions. Pharmacokinetic profiling suggested acceptable oral drug-likeness for several top-ranking compounds, particularly oleanolic acid. Collectively, these findings identify H. verticillata phytochemicals as promising multi-target molecular scaffolds relevant to metabolic regulation. While the results reflect predicted molecular recognition rather than functional modulation, this work establishes a robust computational framework for prioritizing natural compounds for experimental validation and supports the utility of multi-target in silico approaches in metabolic syndrome drug discovery.

Hyperthyroidism is a metabolic disorder characterized by excessive synthesis of thyroid hormones, primarily mediated by thyroid peroxidase (TPO), a key enzyme involved in iodination and coupling reactions during hormone biosynthesis. Conventional antithyroid drugs target TPO but are often associated with adverse effects, prompting the search for safer, plant-derived alternatives. This study employed an in silico approach to investigate the inhibitory potential of bioactive compounds from Hyptis verticillata against human thyroid peroxidase. Selected phytochemicals were retrieved from public databases and subjected to molecular docking using AutoDock Vina integrated within PyRx. Drug-likeness properties were evaluated using Lipinski, Ghose, Veber, Egan, and Muegge rules, while pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles were predicted via SwissADME and pkCSM. Docking analysis revealed binding affinities ranging from −3.8 to −5.5 kcal/mol, with squalene (−5.5 kcal/mol), R-R,R-E-trans-phytol (−5.3 kcal/mol), and 3a,4,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-4,7-methanoindene (−5.0 kcal/mol) exhibiting the strongest interactions within the TPO active site. These compounds formed stable hydrophobic interactions that may hinder substrate access to the catalytic center of the enzyme. ADMET predictions indicated favorable gastrointestinal absorption, low toxicity, and acceptable pharmacokinetic profiles for the top-ranking compounds. Overall, the findings suggest that Hyptis verticillata contains phytochemicals with promising TPO inhibitory potential, providing a molecular basis for its traditional use and supporting further experimental validation for hyperthyroidism management.