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Topic Review
Mechanisms of Neurorespiratory Toxicity Induced by Fentanyl Analogs
In 2020, fentanyl and its analogs contributed to ~65% of drug-attributed fatalities in the USA, with a threatening increasing trend during the last ten years. These synthetic opioids used as potent analgesics in human and veterinary medicine have been diverted to recreational aims, illegally produced and sold. Like all opioids, central nervous system depression resulting from overdose or misuse of fentanyl analogs is characterized clinically by the onset of consciousness impairment, pinpoint miosis and bradypnea. However, contrasting with what observed with most opioids, thoracic rigidity may occur rapidly with fentanyl analogs, contributing to increasing the risk of death in the absence of immediate life support. Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain this particularity associated with fentanyl analogs, including the activation of noradrenergic and glutamatergic coerulospinal neurons and dopaminergic basal ganglia neurons. Due to the high affinities to the mu-opioid receptor, the need for more elevated naloxone doses than usually required in morphine overdose to reverse the neurorespiratory depression induced by fentanyl analogs has been questioned. 
  • 325
  • 03 May 2023
Topic Review
Mechanisms of Light-Triggered Drug Release from Liposomes
Light-triggered mechanisms that can be exploited to release encapsulated drugs from liposomes are photoisomerization, photocleavage (photo-oxidation), surface plasmon resonance absorption (photothermal activation), photochemical hydrophobicity change (photochemical activation), and photo-crosslinking and de-crosslinking.
  • 304
  • 18 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Mechanisms of CYP450 Inhibition
In an ageing society, polypharmacy has become a major public health and economic issue. Overuse of medications, especially in patients with chronic diseases, carries major health risks. One common consequence of polypharmacy is the increased emergence of adverse drug events, mainly from drug–drug interactions. The majority of currently available drugs are metabolized by CYP450 enzymes. Interactions due to shared CYP450-mediated metabolic pathways for two or more drugs are frequent, especially through reversible or irreversible CYP450 inhibition. The magnitude of these interactions depends on several factors, including varying affinity and concentration of substrates, time delay between the administration of the drugs, and mechanisms of CYP450 inhibition. Various types of CYP450 inhibition (competitive, non-competitive, mechanism-based) have been observed clinically, and interactions of these types require a distinct clinical management strategy.
  • 1.5K
  • 17 May 2021
Topic Review
Mechanisms of anticoagulant drugs
Anticoagulant drugs have been used to prevent and treat thrombosis. However, they are associated with risk of hemorrhage. Therefore, prior to their clinical use, it is important to assess the risk of bleeding and thrombosis. In case of older anticoagulant drugs like heparin and warfarin, dose adjustment is required owing to narrow therapeutic ranges. The established monitoring methods for heparin and warfarin are activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)/anti-Xa assay and prothrombin time – international normalized ratio (PT-INR), respectively. Since 2008, new generation anticoagulant drugs, called direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), have been widely prescribed to prevent and treat several thromboembolic diseases. Although the use of DOACs without routine monitoring and frequent dose adjustment has been shown to be safe and effective, there may be clinical circumstances in specific patients when measurement of the anticoagulant effects of DOACs is required. Recently, anticoagulation therapy has received attention when treating patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
  • 8.8K
  • 23 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Mechanism of Antibiotics Resistance
Bacterial drug resistance is rapidly developing as one of the greatest threats to human health. Bacteria will adopt corresponding strategies to crack the inhibitory effect of antibiotics according to the antibacterial mechanism of antibiotics, involving the mutation of drug target, secreting hydrolase, and discharging antibiotics out of cells through an efflux pump, etc. Bacteria are found to constantly evolve new resistance mechanisms to antibiotics, including target protective protein, changes in cell morphology, and so on, endowing them with multiple defense systems against antibiotics, leading to the emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria and the unavailability of drugs in clinics. 
  • 1.0K
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Mechanism of Adjuvanticity
Vaccines have been extraordinary resources to prevent pathogen diffusion and cancer. Even if they can be formed by a single antigen, the addition of one or more adjuvants represents the key to enhance the response of the immune signal to the antigen, thus accelerating and increasing the duration and the potency of the protective effect. Their use is of particular importance for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or immunocompromised people.
  • 462
  • 01 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Matrix Metalloproteinases
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc-dependent proteases that have been extensively studied in the context of extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown and remodelling.
  • 666
  • 18 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Marine-Derived Secondary Metabolites
Sessile organisms such as seaweeds, corals, and sponges continuously adapt to both abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. This extremely complex and dynamic process often results in different forms of competition to ensure the maintenance of an ecological niche suitable for survival. A high percentage of marine species have evolved to synthesize biologically active molecules, termed secondary metabolites, as a defense mechanism against the external environment. These natural products and their derivatives may play modulatory roles in the epigenome and in disease-associated epigenetic machinery. Epigenetic modifications also represent a form of adaptation to the environment and confer a competitive advantage to marine species by mediating the production of complex chemical molecules with potential clinical implications. Bioactive compounds are able to interfere with epigenetic targets by regulating key transcriptional factors involved in the hallmarks of cancer through orchestrated molecular mechanisms, which also establish signaling interactions of the tumor microenvironment crucial to cancer phenotypes.
  • 820
  • 26 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Marine-Derived Biologically Active Compounds
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease with a prevalence rate of up to 1% and is significantly considered a common worldwide public health concern. Commercially, several traditional formulations are available to treat RA to some extent. However, these synthetic compounds exert toxicity and considerable side effects even at lower therapeutic concentrations. Considering the above-mentioned critiques, research is underway around the world in finding and exploiting potential alternatives. For instance, marine-derived biologically active compounds have gained much interest and are thus being extensively utilized to confront the confines of in practice counterparts, which have become ineffective for 21st-century medical settings. The utilization of naturally available bioactive compounds and their derivatives can minimize these synthetic compounds’ problems to treat RA. Several marine-derived compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and can be effectively used for therapeutic purposes against RA. The results of several studies ensured that the extraction of biologically active compounds from marine sources could provide a new and safe source for drug development against RA.
  • 358
  • 22 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Marine Resources for COVID-19 Treatment
Marine resources have significant pharmacological potential in combatting various diseases, such as COVID-19. The wide variety of marine bioactive compounds and their implications are extensive. Micro and macro-organisms produce inorganic polyphosphates, sulfated polysaccharides, Bromotyrosines and many more. These compounds possess unique properties that allow them to combat Sars-Cov-2 infection, proving as efficacious potential therapeutics. Despite the challenges faced, marine organisms serve as a promising avenue for future pharmacological intervention. The present review for the first time highlights marine bioactive compounds, their sources, and their anti-viral mechanisms of action, with a focus on potential COVID-19 treatment.
  • 743
  • 27 Jul 2021
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