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Topic Review
Eggshell Membrane Ameliorates Hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia is the primary cause of gouty arthritis and other metabolic disorders. Eggshell membrane (EM) is an effective and safe supplement for curing pain and stiffness connected with osteoarthritis. However, the effect of EM on hyperuricemia is unclear. This study determines the effects of EM on potassium oxonate-injected hyperuricemia. Uric acid, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen concentrations in the serum, and xanthine oxidase activity in the liver are measured. Protein levels of renal urate transporter 1 (URAT1), organic anion transporters 1 (OAT1), glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), and ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) in the kidney are determined with renal histopathology. The results demonstrate that EM reduces serum uric acid levels and increases urine uric acid levels in hyperuricemic rats. Moreover, EM downregulates renal URAT1 protein expression, upregulates OAT1 and ABCG2, but does not change GLUT9 expression. Additionally, EM does not change xanthine oxidase activity in the liver or the serum. EM also decreases uric acid uptake into oocytes expressing hURAT1. Finally, EM markedly reduces renal inflammation and serum interleukin-1β levels. These findings suggest that EM exhibits antihyperuricemic effects by promoting renal urate excretion and regulating renal urate transporters. Therefore, EM may be useful in the prevention and treatment of gout and hyperuricemia.
  • 728
  • 08 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Self-Assembling Nucleobase-Containing Peptides
The self-assembly of bio-inspired nanomaterials and biological nanostructures confers new properties and functions to conjugated biomaterials, such as the ability to respond to external stimuli. Nucleobase-containing peptides can be considered as aromatic peptides and, similar to these self-assembling structures, they can lead to interesting functional nanostructures as hereafter explained. Self-assembling nucleopeptides can form hydrogels based on supramolecular structures held by non-covalent molecular interactions occurring between the peptide segments, as well as π–π stacking and Watson–Crick interactions via complementary DNA bases.
  • 725
  • 16 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Paracetamol
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide. Synthetized over 150 years ago, paracetamol is highly efficient as analgesic and antipyretic and is on the list of the World Health Organization’s essential medicines. Paracetamol is also a hypothermic agent.
  • 724
  • 28 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Polymer-Based Nanovaccines
Polymer-based particles have found application as vaccine platforms and vaccine adjuvants due to their ability to prevent antigen degradation and clearance, coupled with enhanced uptake by professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Polymeric nanoparticles have been applied in vaccine delivery, showing significant adjuvant effects as they can easily be taken up by APCs. In other words, polymer-based systems offer a lot of advantages, including versatility and flexibility in the design process, the ability to incorporate a range of immunomodulators/antigens, mimicking infection in different ways, and acting as a depot, thereby persisting long enough to generate adaptive immune responses. 
  • 723
  • 03 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Ivermectin for the Treatment and/or Prophylaxis of COVID-19
The pathogenesis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is initiated by viral entry through the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor in the host cell. After entry, RNA is translated into viral proteins upon its release in the cytoplasm. The resulting symptoms and clinical manifestations include fever, headache, myalgia, and respiratory symptoms. Several drugs have been and continue to be repurposed for the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19. Ivermectin (IVM) belongs to the naturally occurring family of avermectins produced by the bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis. Its broad antiparasitic spectrum is achieved through the hyperpolarization of the invertebrate’s cell membrane, with subsequent parasite paralysis. It was tested and confirmed for its in vitro antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Trials have put IVM to test for both the treatment and prophylaxis of COVID-19, as well as its potential role in combination therapy. Additionally, the targeted delivery of IVM was studied in animals and COVID-19 patients.
  • 721
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Sulforaphane
Sulforaphane (SFN) is a natural glucosinolate found in cruciferous vegetables that acts as a chemopreventive agent, but its mechanism of action is not clear. Due to antioxidative mechanisms being thought central in preventing cancer progression, SFN could play a role in oxidative processes. Since redox imbalance with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in the initiation and progression of bladder cancer, this mechanism might be involved when chemoresistance occurs.
  • 719
  • 02 Jul 2021
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.
  • 718
  • 01 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Antioxidant Properties of Second-Generation Antipsychotics
Recent studies suggest a primary role of oxidative stress in an early phase of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and a strong neurobiological link has been found between dopaminergic system dysfunction, microglia overactivation, and oxidative stress. Different risk factors for schizophrenia increase oxidative stress phenomena raising the risk of developing psychosis. Oxidative stress induced by first-generation antipsychotics such as haloperidol significantly contributes to the development of extrapyramidal side effects. Haloperidol also exerts neurotoxic effects by decreasing antioxidant enzyme levels then worsening pro-oxidant events. Opposite to haloperidol, second-generation antipsychotics (or atypical antipsychotics) such as risperidone, clozapine, and olanzapine exert a strong antioxidant activity in experimental models of schizophrenia by rescuing the antioxidant system, with an increase in superoxide dismutase and glutathione (GSH) serum levels. Second-generation antipsychotics also improve the antioxidant status and reduce lipid peroxidation in schizophrenic patients. Interestingly, second-generation antipsychotics, such as risperidone, paliperidone, and in particular clozapine, reduce oxidative stress induced by microglia overactivation, decreasing the production of microglia-derived free radicals, finally protecting neurons against microglia-induced oxidative stress. Further, long-term clinical studies are needed to better understand the link between oxidative stress and the clinical response to antipsychotic drugs and the therapeutic potential of antioxidants to increase the response to antipsychotics. 
  • 717
  • 03 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a promising tool in drug discovery. Especially, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has benefited a lot from the NMR development. Multiple candidate compounds and FDA-approved drugs derived from FBDD have been developed with the assistance of NMR techniques. NMR has broad applications in different stages of the FBDD process, which includes fragment library construction, hit generation and validation, hit-to-lead optimization and working mechanism elucidation, etc.
  • 717
  • 09 Feb 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. 
  • 714
  • 14 Apr 2022
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