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Topic Review
Cyclic Peptides in Pipeline
Cyclic peptides are molecules that are already used as drugs in therapies approved for various pharmacological activities, for example, as antibiotics, antifungals, anticancer, and immunosuppressants. Interest in these molecules has been growing due to the improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the cyclic structure over linear peptides and by the evolution of chemical synthesis, computational, and in vitro methods.
  • 2.0K
  • 24 Mar 2025
Topic Review
Squalene and Cardiovascular Health
Squalene (SQ), an unsaturated hydrocarbon naturally synthesized in plants and animals, could become the alternative treatment or supplementary agent for cardiovascular health.
  • 2.0K
  • 26 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immune Basis of the Placebo Effect
The placebo effect can be defined as the improvement of symptoms in a patient after the administration of an innocuous substance in a context that induces expectations regarding its effects. During recent years, it has been discovered that the placebo response not only has neurobiological functions on analgesia, but that it is also capable of generating effects on the immune and endocrine systems. Beyond studies about its mechanism of action, the placebo effect has proved to be useful in the clinical setting with promising results in the management of neurological, psychiatric, and immunologic disorders. However, more research is needed to better characterize its potential use. 
  • 2.0K
  • 31 May 2022
Topic Review
DNA-Based Nanomaterials as Drug Delivery Platforms in Tumors
DNA nanotechnology has significantly advanced and might be used in biomedical applications, drug delivery, and cancer treatment. DNA nanomaterials are widely used in biomedical research involving biosensing, bioimaging, and drug delivery since they are remarkably addressable and biocompatible. Gradually, modified nucleic acids have begun to be employed to construct multifunctional DNA nanostructures with a variety of architectural designs. Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids (both DNAs and RNAs) capable of self-pairing to acquire secondary structure and of specifically binding with the target. Diagnosis and tumor therapy are prospective fields in which aptamers can be applied. Many DNA nanomaterials with three-dimensional structures have been studied as drug delivery systems for different anticancer medications or gene therapy agents. Different chemical alterations can be employed to construct a wide range of modified DNA nanostructures. Chemically altered DNA-based nanomaterials are useful for drug delivery because of their improved stability and inclusion of functional groups.
  • 2.0K
  • 27 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Phytosomes
Phytosomes are an innovative lipid-based delivery system that have a liposomes-related structure and can be used for the entrapment of different types of polyphenolic-based phytoconstituents to improve their absorption when administrated. The first phytosomes were developed by Indena company (Milan, Italy) in the late 1980s, which aimed to increase the bioavailability of drugs by complexing them to phospholipids. The structure of phytosomes is composed of standardized polyphenolic plant extract incorporated into phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine (PC).
  • 2.0K
  • 19 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Biomedical Applications of Plant-Mediated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Zinc oxide nanoparticles have become one of the most popular metal oxide nanoparticles and recently emerged as a promising potential candidate in the fields of optical, electrical, food packaging, and biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, low toxicity, and low cost. They have a role in cell apoptosis, as they trigger excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and release zinc ions (Zn2+) that induce cell death. The zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using the plant extracts appear to be simple, safer, sustainable, and more environmentally friendly compared to the physical and chemical routes. These biosynthesized nanoparticles possess strong biological activities and are in use for various biological applications in several industries. Initially, the present review discusses the synthesis and recent advances of zinc oxide nanoparticles from plant sources (such as leaves, stems, bark, roots, rhizomes, fruits, flowers, and seeds) and their biomedical applications (such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, photocatalytic, wound healing, and drug delivery), followed by their mechanisms of action involved in detail. 
  • 2.0K
  • 21 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Magnetic Resonance Imaging on Pregnant Women
Pregnancy is a delicate state, during which timely investigation of possible physiological anomalies is essential to reduce the risk of maternal and fetal complications. Medical imaging encompasses different technologies to image the human body for the diagnosis, course of treatment management, and follow-up of diseases. Ultrasound (US) is currently the imaging system of choice for pregnant patients. However, sonographic evaluations can be non-effective or give ambiguous results. Therefore, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), due to its excellent tissue penetration, the possibility of acquisition of three-dimensional anatomical information, and its high spatial resolution, is considered a valid diagnostical alternative.
  • 2.0K
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Techniques for Extraction of Phytochemicals from Medical Cannabis
Cannabis is a rich source of phytochemicals with over 125 types of cannabinoids and 400 non-cannabinoids like flavonoids, alkaloids, phenols, and terpenes. These phytochemicals have been linked to various health benefits. Cannabis is well-known for its numerous therapeutic activities, as demonstrated in pre-clinical and clinical studies primarily due to its bioactive compounds. The Cannabis industry is rapidly growing; therefore, product development and extraction methods have become crucial aspects of Cannabis research. 
  • 2.0K
  • 27 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Endolysins
Endolysins are phage-encoded enzymes utilized by mature phage virions to hydrolyze the cell wall from within. There is significant evidence that proves the ability of endolysins to degrade the peptidoglycan externally without the assistance of phage. Thus, their incorporation in therapeutic strategies has opened new options for therapeutic application against bacterial infections in the human and veterinary sectors, as well as within the agricultural and biotechnology sectors. While endolysins show promising results within the laboratory, it is important to document their resistance, safety, and immunogenicity for in-vivo application.
  • 2.0K
  • 24 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Drug Delivery for Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year, representing one third of global mortality. As existing therapies still have limited success, due to the inability to control the biodistribution of the currently approved drugs, the quality of life of these patients is modest. The advent of nanomedicine has brought new insights in innovative treatment strategies.
  • 2.0K
  • 08 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Relevance of Crystal Forms in the Pharmaceutical Field
The existence of multiple crystal forms of an active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) is relevant not only for the selection of the best solid material to carry through the various stages of drug development, including the choice of dosage and of excipients suitable for drug development and marketing, but also in terms of intellectual property protection and/or extension. This is because the physico-chemical properties, such as solubility, dissolution rate, thermal stability, processability, etc., of the solid API may depend, sometimes dramatically, on the crystal form, with important implications on the drug’s ultimate efficacy.
  • 2.0K
  • 26 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Anti-NLRP3 Inflammasome Natural Compounds
The nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat related (NLR) family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a multimeric protein complex that recognizes various danger or stress signals from pathogens, the host, and the environment, leading to activation of caspase-1 and inducing inflammatory responses. This pro-inflammatory protein complex plays critical roles in pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, and metabolic disorders. Therefore, intensive efforts have been devoted to understanding its activation mechanisms and to searching for its specific inhibitors. Approximately forty natural compounds with anti-NLRP3 inflammasome properties have been identified.
  • 2.0K
  • 26 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Melatonin Usage and Considerations
Exogenous melatonin is commonly used to treat insomnia, other sleep problems, and numerous medical illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease, autism spectrum disorder, and mild cognitive impairment in adults and children. There is evolving information regarding issues with the use of chronic melatonin.
  • 2.0K
  • 24 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Therapeutic Potential of Jasmonic Acid
The main representatives of jasmonate compounds include jasmonic acid and its derivatives, mainly methyl jasmonate. Extracts from plants rich in jasmonic compounds show a broad spectrum of activity, i.e., anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and cosmetic. Studies of the biological activity of jasmonic acid and its derivatives in mammals are based on their structural similarity to prostaglandins and the compounds can be used as natural therapeutics for inflammation. Jasmonates also constitute a potential group of anti-cancer drugs that can be used alone or in combination with other known chemotherapeutic agents.
  • 2.0K
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Benefits of Mass Vaccination Programs
Since the late 1940s, mass vaccination programs in the USA have contributed to the significantly reduced morbidity and mortality of infectious diseases. To assist the evaluation of the benefits of mass vaccination programs, the number of individuals who would have suffered death or permanent disability in the USA in 2014, had mass vaccination never been implemented, was estimated for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B, varicella, and human papillomavirus (HPV). The estimates accounted for mortality and morbidity trends observed for these infections prior to mass vaccination and the impact of advances in standard of living and health care. The estimates also considered populations with and without known factors leading to an elevated risk of permanent injury from infection. Mass vaccination prevented an estimated 20 million infections and 12,000 deaths and permanent disabilities in 2014, including 10,800 deaths and permanent disabilities in persons at elevated risk. Though 9000 of the estimated prevented deaths were from liver cirrhosis and cancer, mass vaccination programs have not, at this point, shown empirical impacts on the prevalence of those conditions. Future studies can refine these estimates, assess the impact of adjusting estimation assumptions, and consider additional risk factors that lead to heightened risk of permanent harm from infection.
  • 2.0K
  • 16 Oct 2020
Topic Review
P-Glycoprotein Inhibitors
P-gp inhibitors are compounds that block or bypass P-gp efflux. The concurrent administration of P-gp inhibitors with P-gp substrates can prevent the expulsion of these substrates and increase their therapeutic effects. Researchers have identified, studied, and evaluated various P-gp inhibitors, including small molecules, natural products, and pharmaceutically inert excipients.
  • 2.0K
  • 18 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Intrinsic and Acquired Chemotherapy Resistance
Drug resistance is a commonly unavoidable consequence of cancer treatment that results in therapy failure and disease relapse. Intrinsic (pre-existing) or acquired resistance mechanisms can be drug-specific or be applicable to multiple drugs, resulting in multidrug resistance.
  • 2.0K
  • 23 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Solvent Injection for SLNs/NLCs Preparation
A number of studies have used the solvent injection method to produce solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), and various drugs have been loaded into these carriers for different applications. Here, we present major SLNs and NLCs systems and details of applications that use this method in 2006-2020. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of various parameters of solvent injection method on SLNs and NLCs production and propose some suggestions regarding future developments and applications.
  • 2.0K
  • 20 Apr 2021
Topic Review
Anti-inflammatory potential of Sesquiterpene Lactones
Inflammation is a crucial and complex process that reestablishes the physiological state after a noxious stimulus. In pathological conditions the inflammatory state may persist, leading to chronic inflammation and causing tissue damage. Sesquiterpene lactones (SLs) are composed of a large and diverse group of highly bioactive plant secondary metabolites, characterized by a 15-carbon backbone structure. In recent years, the interest in SLs has risen due to their vast array of biological activities beneficial for human health. The anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds results from their ability to target and inhibit various key pro-inflammatory molecules enrolled in diverse inflammatory pathways, and prevent or reduce the inflammatory damage on tissues. Research on the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of SLs has thrived over the last years, and numerous compounds from diverse plants have been studied, using in silico, in vitro, and in vivo assays. Besides their anti-inflammatory potential, their cytotoxicity, structure–activity relationships, and pharmacokinetics have been investigated.
  • 2.0K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Antihypertensives’ around the Clock
Although homeostasis is a commonly accepted concept, there is incontrovertible evidence that biological processes and functions are variable, and that variability occurs in cycles. So allostatic model has emerged as the first challenge to homeostasis. Circadian variation is the predominant variation in the body. As there is strong scientific and clinical evidence that blood pressure fluctuations undergo circadian rhythm, there is equally strong evidence that targeted time therapy for hypertension provides a better outcome of the disease. The research has gone even further by ensuring better patients' adherence throughout the development and approval process for the use of pulsatile drug release systems which can be considered as an option for an even more convenient dosage regimen of the medicines needed.
  • 2.0K
  • 20 May 2021
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