Topic Review
Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound, functioning in conjunction with creatine kinase to play a quintessential role in both cellular energy provision and intracellular energy shuttling. An extensive body of literature solidifies the ergogenic benefits gained following dietary creatine supplementation; however, recent findings have further indicated a potential therapeutic role for creatine in several pathologies such as myopathies, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disturbances, chronic kidney disease and inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, creatine has been found to exhibit non-energy-related properties, such as serving as a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Despite the therapeutic success of creatine supplementation in varying clinical populations, there is scarce information regarding the potential application of creatine for combatting the current leading cause of mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD). Taking into consideration the broad ergogenic and non-energy-related actions of creatine, it could be hypothesize that creatine supplementation may be a potential therapeutic strategy for improving vascular health in at-risk populations such as older adults or those with CVD. This entry gives a short background on creatine, its cellular function and metabolism, in addition to the pleiotropic applications of creatine within just a few clinical populations. Furthermore, this entry concludes by eluding to the potential in which creatine may possess to benefit vascular health and to combat the pathology the underlies CVD.  
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  • 28 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Tocotrienols: Stroke and Myocardial Infarction
Although the current treatments for stroke and myocardial infarction contribute to an improvement in mortality rates, the consequences of reperfusion therapy have remained a challenge. Tocotrienols have been shown to exert beneficial effects on the brain and heart.  We retrieved articles from Scopus, MEDLINE and PubMed from inception to June 2021, and included any studies using tocotrienols as a treatment for cerebral or myocardial I/R injury therapy. Observational studies and review articles were excluded, and the risk of bias was conducted using a specific tool for animal study (SYRCLE). The data were analyzed qualitatively. Twelve articles met the eligibility criteria. Tocotrienols significantly improved the structural, functional, and biochemical parameters in both cerebral and myocardial I/R injury models. In contrast, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis were markedly attenuated by tocotrienol treatment. Limitations to the analysis included marked differences in animal models, disease inductions, forms of tocotrienols, and an unclear risk of bias in certain types of bias. However, tocotrienols have the potential to serve as a supplement for reducing the impact of reperfusion injury. 
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  • 10 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Black Cumin
Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.), a highly valued nutraceutical herb with a wide array of health benefits, has attracted growing interest from health-conscious individuals, the scientific community, and pharmaceutical industries. The pleiotropic pharmacological effects of black cumin, and its main bioactive component thymoquinone (TQ), have been manifested by their ability to attenuate oxidative stress and inflammation, and to promote immunity, cell survival, and energy metabolism, which underlie diverse health benefits, including protection against metabolic, cardiovascular, digestive, hepatic, renal, respiratory, reproductive, and neurological disorders, cancer, and so on. Furthermore, black cumin acts as an antidote, mitigating various toxicities and drug-induced side effects.
  • 1.4K
  • 11 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Brain-Metastasis
       A higher propensity of developing brain metastasis exists in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Upon comparing the metastatic patterns of all breast cancer subtypes, patients with TNBC exhibited increased risks of the brain being the initial metastatic site, early brain metastasis development, and shortest brain metastasis-related survival. Notably, the development of brain metastasis differs from that at other sites owing to the brain-unique microvasculature (blood brain barrier (BBB)) and intracerebral microenvironment. Studies of brain metastases from TNBC have revealed the poorest treatment response, mostly because of the relatively backward strategies to target vast disease heterogeneity and poor brain efficacy. Moreover, TNBC is highly associated with the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which contribute to circulating cancer cell survival before BBB extravasation, evasion from immune surveillance, and plasticity in adaptation to the brain-specific microenvironment. We summarized recent literature regarding molecules and pathways and reviewed the effects of CSC biology during the formation of brain metastasis in TNBC.
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  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Geographic Tongue
Geographic tongue, also known by several other terms, is a condition of the mucous membrane of the tongue, usually on the dorsal surface. It is a common condition, affecting approximately 2–3% of the general population. It is characterized by areas of smooth, red depapillation (loss of lingual papillae) which migrate over time. The name comes from the map-like appearance of the tongue, with the patches resembling the islands of an archipelago. The cause is unknown, but the condition is entirely benign (importantly, it does not represent oral cancer), and there is no curative treatment. Uncommonly, geographic tongue may cause a burning sensation on the tongue, for which various treatments have been described with little formal evidence of efficacy.
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  • 20 Oct 2022
Topic Review
SLNs/NLCs Preparation Method
Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are alternatives to other colloidal drug delivery systems, such as liposomes, emulsions, and polymeric nanoparticles. They have been produced using numerous methods.
  • 1.4K
  • 20 Apr 2021
Topic Review Peer Reviewed
CRISPR/Cas9 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Genome-editing systems such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology have uncovered new opportunities to model diseases such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia. CRISPR/Cas9 is an important means of advancing functional studies of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) through the incorporation, elimination and modification of somatic mutations in CLL models.
  • 1.4K
  • 09 May 2022
Topic Review
Silver Nanoparticles for Chronic Wound Management
Infections are the primary cause of death from burns and diabetic wounds. The clinical difficulty of treating wound infections with conventional antibiotics has progressively increased and reached a critical level, necessitating a paradigm change for enhanced chronic wound care. The most prevalent bacterium linked with these infections is Staphylococcus aureus, and the advent of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has posed a substantial therapeutic challenge. Most existing wound dressings are ineffective and suffer from constraints such as insufficient antibacterial activity, toxicity, failure to supply enough moisture to the wound, and poor mechanical performance. Using ineffective wound dressings might prolong the healing process of a wound. To meet this requirement, nanoscale scaffolds with their desirable qualities, which include the potential to distribute bioactive agents, a large surface area, enhanced mechanical capabilities, the ability to imitate the extracellular matrix (ECM), and high porosity, have attracted considerable interest. The incorporation of nanoparticles into nanofiber scaffolds constitutes a novel approach to “nanoparticle dressing” that has acquired significant popularity for wound healing. Due to their remarkable antibacterial capabilities, silver nanoparticles are attractive materials for wound healing. 
  • 1.4K
  • 22 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Chemoresistance in Breast Cancers
Despite the leaps and bounds in achieving success in the management and treatment of breast cancers through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, breast cancer remains the most frequently occurring cancer in women and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Systemic therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy, although beneficial in treating and curing breast cancer subjects with localized breast tumors, tend to fail in metastatic cases of the disease due to (a) an acquired resistance to the chemotherapeutic drug and (b) the development of intrinsic resistance to therapy. The existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) plays a crucial role in both acquired and intrinsic chemoresistance. CSCs are less abundant than terminally differentiated cancer cells and confer chemoresistance through a unique altered metabolism and capability to evade the immune response system. Furthermore, CSCs possess active DNA repair systems, transporters that support multidrug resistance (MDR), advanced detoxification processes, and the ability to self-renew and differentiate into tumor progenitor cells, thereby supporting cancer invasion, metastasis, and recurrence/relapse. Hence, current research is focusing on targeting CSCs to overcome resistance and improve the efficacy of the treatment and management of breast cancer. Studies revealed that metformin (1, 1-dimethylbiguanide), a widely used anti-hyperglycemic agent, sensitizes tumor response to various chemotherapeutic drugs. Metformin selectively targets CSCs and improves the hypoxic microenvironment, suppresses the tumor metastasis and inflammation, as well as regulates the metabolic programming, induces apoptosis, and reverses epithelial–mesenchymal transition and MDR. Here, we discuss cancer (breast cancer) and chemoresistance, the molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance in breast cancers, and metformin as a chemo-sensitizing/re-sensitizing agent, with a particular focus on breast CSCs as a critical contributing factor to acquired and intrinsic chemoresistance. The review outlines the prospects and directions for a better understanding and re-purposing of metformin as an anti-cancer/chemo-sensitizing drug in the treatment of breast cancer. It intends to provide a rationale for the use of metformin as a combinatory therapy in a clinical setting.
  • 1.4K
  • 15 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Medicinal Mushrooms and COVID-19
Many mushroom species are consumed as food, while significant numbers are also utilised medicinally. Mushrooms are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. A growing body of in vitro, in vivo, and human research has revealed their therapeutic potentials, which include such properties as anti-pathogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, gut microbiota enhancement, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 specificity. The uses of medicinal mushrooms (MMs) as extracts in nutraceuticals and other functional food and health products are burgeoning. COVID-19 presents an opportunity to consider how, and if, specific MM compounds might be utilised therapeutically to mitigate associated risk factors, reduce disease severity, and support recovery. As vaccines become a mainstay, MMs may have the potential as an adjunct therapy to enhance immunity. 
  • 1.4K
  • 19 Apr 2022
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