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Topic Review
Molluscivorous and Vermivorous Conus Species
It is generally believed that more than 700 Conus species have evolved during the last 50 million years. With the highest species abundance occurring in southeast Asia, most Conus can be found in the shallow waters of tropical and subtropical oceans. Conus is widely distributed in rocky shores, sandy beaches, coral reefs and intertidal waters, with depths reaching up to over 600 m. Nowadays, Conus species are generally overexploited, and some species are now endangered. Exploring these waters of potentially high species diversity could enrich our understanding of their population’s genetic structure and provide the missing pieces for clarifying Conus evolution. As the conotoxin compounds vary greatly throughout the growth stages and across geolocations within the same species, further investigation of these species-specific regional distribution differences may provide crucial insights for artificial breeding and harvesting specific bioactive compounds in the future.
  • 814
  • 18 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Lectin Protein
Lectins are natural proteins with the ability to bind specific carbohydrates related to various microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Lectins have the ability to agglutinate and neutralize these pathogeneses. The delivery of the encapsulated antiviral agents or vaccines across the cell membrane can be possible by functionalized micellar and liposomal formulations. 
  • 813
  • 14 Apr 2022
Topic Review
ALA against COVID-19-Induced Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular complications are rapidly emerging as a major peril in COVID-19 in addition to respiratory disease. The mechanisms underlying the excessive effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection on patients with cardiovascular comorbidities remain only partly understood. SARS-CoV-2 infection is caused by binding of the viral surface spike (S) protein to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), followed by the activation of the S protein by transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). ACE2 is expressed in the lung (mainly in type II alveolar cells), heart, blood vessels, small intestine, etc., and appears to be the predominant portal to the cellular entry of the virus. Based on current information, most people infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus have a good prognosis, while a few patients reach critical condition, especially the elderly and those with chronic underlying diseases. The “cytokine storm” observed in patients with severe COVID-19 contributes to the destruction of the endothelium, leading to “acute respiratory distress syndrome” (ARDS), multiorgan failure, and death. At the origin of the general proinflammatory state may be the SARS-CoV-2-mediated redox status in endothelial cells via the upregulation of ACE/Ang II/AT1 receptors pathway or the increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production. Furthermore, this vicious circle between oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation induces endothelial dysfunction, endothelial senescence, high risk of thrombosis and coagulopathy. The microvascular dysfunction and the formation of microthrombi in a way differentiate the SARS-CoV-2 infection from the other respiratory diseases and bring it closer to cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction and stroke. Due the role played by OS in the evolution of viral infection and in the development of COVID-19 complications, the use of antioxidants as adjuvant therapy seems appropriate in this new pathology. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) could be a promising candidate that, through its wide tissue distribution and versatile antioxidant properties, interferes with several signaling pathways.
  • 812
  • 12 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Parthenin
Parthenin, a sesquiterpene lactone of pseudoguaianolide type, is the representative secondary metabolite of the tropical weed Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae). It accounts for a multitude of biological activities, including toxicity, allergenicity, allelopathy, and pharmacological aspects of the plant. Thus far, parthenin and its derivatives have been tested for chemotherapeutic abilities, medicinal properties, and herbicidal/pesticidal activities. However, due to the lack of toxicity-bioactivity relationship studies, the versatile properties of parthenin are relatively less utilised. The possibility of exploiting parthenin in different scientific fields (e.g., chemistry, medicine, and agriculture) makes it a subject of analytical discussion. It is important to highlight that the toxic nature of parthenin can be overcome by thoroughly understanding its structural basis, designing suitable derivatives, and deciding the appropriate doses.
  • 811
  • 09 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Leptin Receptors
It is widely accepted that the endocrine hormone leptin controls food intake and energy homeostasis via activation of leptin receptors expressed on hypothalamic arcuate neurons. The hippocampal formation also displays raised levels of leptin receptor expression and accumulating evidence indicates that leptin has a significant impact on hippocampal synaptic function.
  • 808
  • 09 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Glycemic Control
Experimental evidence suggests that cadmium (Cd) boosts oxidative stress that may result in toxicity on the endocrine system also in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the glycemic control and oxidative stress markers in male adolescents with increased urinary levels of cadmium. We investigated 111 males, aged 12–14 years, living in a polluted area of Sicily and a control age-matched population (n = 60) living 28–45 km far from the polluted site. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant activity (TAC), metallothionein-1A (MT-1A) gene expression, insulin resistance by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR), and urinary cadmium were investigated. Cd levels were significantly higher in adolescents living in the polluted area than in control age-matched subjects. Adolescents with elevated Cd levels had a significant increase in MDA, MT-1A, and HOMA-IR and reduced TAC compared to the control group. A robust correlation was found between urinary cadmium and MT-1A, HOMA-IR, and MDA whereas an inverse correlation was identified between urinary cadmium and TAC. This study indicates that cadmium burden alters glycemic control in adolescents and suggests that oxidative stress plays a key role in cadmium-induced insulin resistance, increasing the risk of developing metabolic disorders.
  • 805
  • 01 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Combination Therapies in Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Until now, available therapeutic agents for AD treatment only provide symptomatic treatment. Since AD pathogenesis is multifactorial, use of a multimodal therapeutic intervention addressing several molecular targets of AD-related pathological processes seems to be the most practical approach to modify the course of AD progression. It has been demonstrated through numerous studies, that the clinical efficacy of combination therapy (CT) is higher than that of monotherapy. It is indeed difficult to combine several pharmacophores into a single molecule.  It is essential to carry out long-duration randomized controlled trials to establish whether CT delays disease progression in early AD stages. Other factors also need to be assessed in CT, such as its potential neuroprotective effects, cost-effectiveness, and a more exhaustive estimation of its potential benefits on the patients at the end-stage of AD.
  • 805
  • 28 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Superficial Heat Therapy
Low back pain (LBP) is an exceptionally common musculoskeletal problem and a leading cause of disability. LBP is experienced by most adults at some stage of their life, with an estimated 577 million people affected in 2017. A recent systematic literature review stated that the prevalence of LBP ranges from 1.4% to 20.0%, and the incidence from 0.024% to 7.0%. The review focused on the application and effect of mild superficial heat for musculoskeletal pain, especially back pain. The review was able to show that the application of mild heat is easily applicable and effective when indicated.
  • 805
  • 20 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Nano-Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a usual digestive tract malignancy and the third main cause of cancer death around the world, with a high occurrence rate and mortality rate. Conventional therapies for CRC have certain side effects and restrictions. However, the exciting thing is that with the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles have gradually become more valuable drug delivery systems than traditional therapies because of their capacity to control drug release and target CRC. This also promotes the application of nano-drug targeted delivery systems in the therapy of CRC.
  • 803
  • 24 May 2022
Topic Review
Plant-Anticancer Compounds in Cancer Treatment
Nowadays, cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in the world, which has been estimated to cause 9.9 million deaths in 2020. Conventional treatments for cancer commonly involve mono-chemotherapy or a combination of radiotherapy and mono-chemotherapy. However, the negative side effects of these approaches have been extensively reported and have prompted the search of new therapeutic drugs. In this context, scientific community started to look for innova-tive sources of anticancer compounds in natural sources, including traditional plants. Currently, numerous studies have evaluated the anticancer properties of natural compounds derived from plants, both in vitro and in vivo. In pre-clinical stages, some promising compounds could be men-tioned, such as the sulforaphane or different phenolic compounds. On the other hand, some phy-tochemicals obtained positive results in clinical stages and were further approved for cancer treatment, such as vinca alkaloids or the paclitaxel.
  • 802
  • 01 Mar 2021
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