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Topic Review
Oral Microbiome Related Diseases
The human oral microbiome refers to an ecological community of symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms found in the oral cavity. The oral cavity is an environment that provides various biological niches, such as the teeth, tongue, and oral mucosa. The oral cavity is the gateway between the external environment and the human body, maintaining oral homeostasis, protecting the mouth, and preventing disease.
  • 1.1K
  • 26 Jul 2021
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Cyclodextrin-Based Nanosponges and Proteins
Cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (CD-NSs) have gained importance in drug delivery in the last years due to their easy synthesis and versatility. However, their use as carriers for the delivery of macromolecules such as proteins is less known and sometimes difficult to consider. In this entry, the authors summarize and highlight the multiple possibilities of CD-NSs to deliver active proteins, improving their activity or stability. Starting with a brief description of CD-NSs and their characteristics, the entry will be focused on several proteins, such as (1) Lipase, (2) Insulin and (3) Nisin, for chemical or pharmaceutical applications. The revised results demonstrated that CD-NSs can generate different and interesting applications with proteins. These results could be added to their uses with small drugs, being an interesting alternative for protein delivery and applicability. 
  • 1.1K
  • 14 Apr 2022
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
Inhibitory Actions of Clinical Analgesics, Analgesic Adjuvants, and Plant-Derived Analgesics on Nerve Action Potential Conduction
The action potential (AP) conduction in nerve fibers plays a crucial role in transmitting nociceptive information from the periphery to the cerebral cortex. Nerve AP conduction inhibition possibly results in analgesia. It is well-known that many analgesics suppress nerve AP conduction and voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channels that are involved in producing APs. The compound action potential (CAP) recorded from a bundle of nerve fibers is a guide for knowing if analgesics affect nerve AP conduction. This entry mentions the inhibitory effects of clinically used analgesics, analgesic adjuvants, and plant-derived analgesics on fast-conducting CAPs and voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channels. The efficacies of their effects were compared among the compounds, and it was revealed that some of the compounds have similar efficacies in suppressing CAPs. It is suggested that analgesics-induced nerve AP conduction inhibition may contribute to at least a part of their analgesic effects.
  • 1.1K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Ethanol versus Adenosine on Emotional and Cognitive Disturbances
Binge drinking intake is the most common pattern of ethanol consumption by adolescents, which elicits emotional disturbances, mainly anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as cognitive alterations. Ethanol exposure may act on the adenosine neuromodulation system by increasing adenosine levels, consequently increasing the activation of adenosine receptors in the brain. The adenosine modulation system is involved in the control of mood and memory behavior.
  • 1.1K
  • 14 Nov 2022
Topic Review
MRNA Therapies
Currently, mRNA appears as a very promising and innovative therapeutic approach for diseases associated with functional loss of proteins, through the administration of a synthetic mRNA, which promotes the reestablishment of protein levels and restores its function. Moreover, mRNA can create new cellular functions, for example for passive immunization, allowing to stimulate the immune system, through the translation of antigenic mRNA for specific cell recognition (e.g., cancer cells) or antibody production. The fact that a relatively small amount of encoded antigen, from a synthetic mRNA, can be sufficient to obtain robust signs of efficacy, is one of the main advantages of using this biomolecule in immunotherapy. However, the global success of such mRNA-based treatments depends on a high number of these biomolecules and an effective in vivo delivery to target cells involved in a given disease. After proving that in vivo mRNA administration is possible and viable, the concept of using mRNA as a therapeutic basis was readily accepted and used in a variety of diseases, including diabetes, HIV infection, anemia, hemophilia, myocardial infarction, cancer, asthma, metabolic disorders, fibrosis, skeletal degeneration and neurological disorders, such as Friedreich’s ataxia and Alzheimer’s disease.
  • 1.1K
  • 04 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Polyethylene-Glycol Formulations
Background: Soft tissue regeneration and remodeling is fundamental in periodontal surgery, thus we investigated the angiogenic response elicited in the subcutaneous tissue of rats by a proprietary, polyethylene glycol hydrogel formulation (PEG) alone or conjugated with specific amelogenins (EMD) or nanobioglass particles (NBG). Methods: Discs with three different formulations (PEG, PEG-EMD, and PEG-NBG) were inserted into four unconnected subcutaneous pouches, produced on the back of Sprague-Dawley rats (n=56, divided into three groups), and used for blood flow evaluation by Laser Doppler analysis at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks or for histological and immunohistochemical analysis at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks. Results: All formulations showed tissue integration, absence of inflammatory reaction (as revealed by myeloperoxidase staining), and increased vascularization (by counting microvascular density following CD31 staining). Laser Doppler analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in blood flow after 1 week for PEG-EMD and after 2 weeks for PEG-NBG. The angiogenic response was significantly increased at 1, 2, and 8 weeks for PEG-EMD, but only at 4 weeks for PEG-NBG. Conclusions: The studied biomaterials revealed equal biocompatibility and tissue integration properties. PEG-EMD showed the most pronounced and consistent angiogenic response in the early phases of wound healing, while the PEG-NBG formulation provided a slower and delayed, but relevant, response.
  • 1.1K
  • 01 Nov 2020
Topic Review
CAR-T Therapy
Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) therapy targeting CD19 has revolutionised the treatment of advanced acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The success of CAR-T therapy in the first two indications led to the initiation of a large number of studies testing CAR-T therapy in different haematologic tumours such as acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML), Hodgkin’s disease (HD), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), multiple myeloma (MM), as well as different solid tumours. Notwithstanding, this did not prohibit further development of this new therapy to treat other malignancies.
  • 1.1K
  • 31 May 2021
Topic Review
Bacteriophage-Delivering Hydrogels
Hydrogels are non-toxic polymeric materials exhibiting three-dimensional networks along with their hydrophilic characteristics playing an essential role in containing large water content, which serves as a biocompatible environment suited for formulation and delivery of bacteriophages.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Diabetic Micro-Complication Management—Diabetic Neuropathy
The progression of diabetes leads to macro and microvascular complications, including diabetic neuropathy, which is the most prevalent microvascular complication with diabetes. Clinical manifestations of diabetic neuropathy begin with the loss of distal sensory function, pain, and substantial morbidity.
  • 1.1K
  • 11 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Anti-Angiogenic Drugs
Angiogenesis can be revisited as a complex biological process with numerous compensatory pathways that can be activated, challenging the discovery of predictive biomarkers, since the cancer microenvironment and the complex milieu are difficult to classify and several actors are simultaneously shaping the key pro-angiogenic ecosystem. Bevacizumab represents the archetypic example of the various mechanisms of action, which may differ between cancer types and chemotherapy, unveiling the multifaceted functions in driving regression of existing tumor vasculature, halting new vessel growth, shaping the anti-permeability of surviving vasculature, and priming vessel normalization and co-option. Unfortunately, a poor correlation between response and survival exists, and the effects are mainly limited to PFS, and from a clinical trials standpoint, cross-over events at progression make identification of response criteria and biomarkers difficult.
  • 1.1K
  • 29 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Investigational Polymeric Microparticles for Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive destruction of dopaminergic tissue in the central nervous system (CNS). There is no cure for the disease, with pharmacological treatments aimed at controlling the symptoms. Therefore, there is an unmet need for new treatments for PD. In addition to new therapeutic options, there exists the need for improved efficiency of the existing ones, as many agents have difficulties in crossing the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to achieve therapeutic levels in the CNS or exhibit inappropriate pharmacokinetic profiles, thereby limiting their clinical benefits. To overcome these limitations, an interesting approach is the use of drug delivery systems, such as polymeric microparticles (MPs) that allow for the controlled release of the active ingredients targeting to the desired site of action, increasing the bioavailability and efficacy of treatments, as well as reducing the number of administrations and adverse effects.
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors
Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (ITPRs) are intracellular calcium release channels located on the endoplasmic reticulum of virtually every cell.
  • 1.1K
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Photocatalysis of COVID-19 in Wastewater
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is currently posing a significant threat to the world’s public health and social-economic growth. Despite the rigorous international lockdown and quarantine efforts, the rate of COVID-19 infectious cases remains exceptionally high. Notwithstanding, the end route of COVID-19, together with emerging contaminants’ (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, nanoplastics, pesticide, etc.) occurrence in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), poses a great challenge in wastewater settings.
  • 1.1K
  • 09 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Gender-Specific Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
Women and men respond differently to treatments; this mainly depends on physiological, anatomical, and hormonal characteristics. The existence of the differences in therapeutic agent pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics influences the response to treatments.
  • 1.1K
  • 30 May 2023
Topic Review
Crocus sativus L. and Therapy
The dried stigma of the plant Crocus sativus L., (CS) commonly known as saffron, are used in traditional medicine for various purposes. 
  • 1.1K
  • 12 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Galectin-3
Galectin-3 is a member of the galectins family of carbohydrate-binding proteins with specificity for N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc)-containing glycoproteins, and the only known one with a single carbohydrate recognition domain and a unique N-terminus.
  • 1.1K
  • 16 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Metformin for Cardiovascular Disease
Metformin, the most widely prescribed drug therapy for type 2 diabetes, has pleiotropic benefits, in addition to its capacity to lower elevated blood glucose levels, including mitigation of cardiovascular risk. The mechanisms underlying the latter remain unclear. Mechanistic studies have, hitherto, focused on the direct effects of metformin on the heart and vasculature. However, emerging evidence is indicative of a major role of the gut in mediating the cardiovascular actions of metformin.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Mexican Medicinal Plants
Some natural compounds belonging to the group of Mexican medicinal plants or “Mexican folk medicine”are  used for pain management in Mexico.
  • 1.1K
  • 14 May 2021
Topic Review
Nanodelivery Systems for Herbal/Phytoconstituents
Herbs and spices have been historically characterized as plant components utilized in the diet for their fragrant characteristics, but have no or minimal nutritional value. Herbs and spices, on the other hand, have been found as sources of different phytochemicals with strong antioxidant activity. As a result, phytoconstituents from herbs and spices can be formulated in various forms of nano-drug delivery systems.
  • 1.1K
  • 29 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Flavocoxid, a Nutraceutical Approach to Blunt Inflammatory Conditions
Flavonoids, from Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap) and Acacia catechu (black catechu), have been shown to exert a variety of therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. Flavocoxid is a mixed extract containing baicalin and catechin and it acts as a dual balanced inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 peroxidase enzyme activities with a significant inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzyme activity in vitro. Flavocoxid downregulates gene or protein expression of several inflammatory markers and exerts also strong antioxidant activity in several experimental models. Controlled clinical trials and a postmarketing study have clearly shown that flavocoxid is as effective as naproxen in managing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee and it has better upper gastrointestinal, renal, and respiratory safety profile than naproxen. Flavocoxid may therefore provide a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions.
  • 1.1K
  • 01 Nov 2020
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