Topic Review
Pyroptosis and Cancer
Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death characterized by the rupture of the plasma membranes and release of cellular content leading to inflammatory reaction. Four cellular mechanisms inducing pyroptosis have been reported, including the (i) caspase 1-mediated canonical, (ii) caspase 4/5/11-mediated non-canonical, (iii) caspase 3/8-mediated and (iv) caspase-independent pathways. Although discovered as a defense mechanism protecting cells from infections of intracellular pathogens, pyroptosis plays roles in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis of tumors, as well as in treatment response to antitumor drugs and, consequently, patient outcome. Pyroptosis induction following antitumor therapies has been reported in several tumor types, including lung, colorectal and gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and melanoma.
  • 297
  • 29 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance (IR) is defined as the decreased ability of insulin to insert the glucose transporter (glut4) on the cell membrane facilitating glucose entry into body cells. IR in the hepatocytes is associated with increased de novo lipogenesis and gluconeogenesis, leading to hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia.
  • 297
  • 06 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Promising Anticancer and Neuroprotective Compounds
Flavonoids derived from citrus plants are favored by phytomedicinal researchers due to their wide range of biological activities, and relevant studies have been sustained (since the first paper published in 1955). The modern pharmacological effects of citrus flavonoids are primarily focused on their anticancer activities (such as breast cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, and liver cancer), neuroprotective effects (such as anti-Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease), and metabolic diseases.
  • 295
  • 22 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Disrupting GPCR Complexes with Smart Drug-like Peptides
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a superfamily of proteins classically described as monomeric transmembrane (TM) receptors. However, increasing evidence indicates that many GPCRs form higher-order assemblies made up of monomers pertaining to identical (homo) or to various (hetero) receptors. The formation and structure of these oligomers, their physiological role and possible therapeutic applications raise a variety of issues that are currently being actively explored. In this context, synthetic peptides derived from TM domains stand out as powerful tools that can be predictably targeted to disrupt GPCR oligomers, especially at the interface level, eventually impairing their action.
  • 294
  • 10 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Pharmaceutical Importance of Broccoli
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) belongs to the Brassicaceae family and has more divided and stalked leaves. It has gained considerable attention due to its remarkable nutritional composition and numerous health benefits. The pharmaceutical importance of broccoli is widely known as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, immunomodulator, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and anti-amnesic.
  • 294
  • 26 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Interactions of Analgesics with Cisplatin
Cisplatin (CDDP), one of the most eminent cancer chemotherapeutic agents, has been successfully used to treat more than half of all known cancers worldwide. Despite its effectiveness, CDDP might cause severe toxic adverse effects on multiple body organs during cancer chemotherapy, including the kidneys, heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and auditory system, as well as peripheral nerves causing severely painful neuropathy. The latter, among other pains patients feel during chemotherapy, is an indication for the use of analgesics during treatment with CDDP. Different types of analgesics, such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and narcotic analgesics, could be used according to the severity of pain. Administered analgesics might modulate CDDP’s efficacy as an anticancer drug. NSAIDS, on one hand, might have cytotoxic effects on their own and few of them can potentiate CDDP’s anticancer effects via inhibiting the CDDP-induced cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme, or through COX-independent mechanisms. On the other hand, some narcotic analgesics might ameliorate CDDP’s anti-neoplastic effects, causing chemotherapy to fail. Concerning safety, some analgesics share the same adverse effects on normal tissues as CDDP, augmenting its potentially hazardous effects on organ impairment.
  • 290
  • 14 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Applications of Alginates
Alginates (ALG) have been used in biomedical and pharmaceutical technologies for a long time. ALG are natural polymers occurring in brown algae and feature multiple advantages, including biocompatibility, low toxicity and mucoadhesiveness. Moreover, ALG demonstrate biological activities per se, including anti-hyperlipidemic, antimicrobial, anti-reflux, immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory activities. ALG are characterized by gelling ability, one of the most frequently utilized properties in the drug form design. ALG have numerous applications in pharmaceutical technology that include micro- and nanoparticles, tablets, mucoadhesive dosage forms, wound dressings and films. However, there are some shortcomings, which impede the development of modified-release dosage forms or formulations with adequate mechanical strength based on pure ALG. Other natural polymers combined with ALG create great potential as drug carriers, improving limitations of ALG matrices. 
  • 288
  • 06 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Chronic Oral Methylphenidate Behavioral, Neurochemical and Developmental Effects
The majority of animal studies on methylphenidate (MP) use intraperitoneal (IP) injections, subcutaneous (SC) injections, or the oral gavage route of administration. While all these methods allow for delivery of MP, it is the oral route that is clinically relevant. IP injections commonly deliver an immediate and maximum dose of MP due to their quick absorption. This quick-localized effect can give timely results but will only display a small window of the psychostimulant’s effects on the animal model. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a SC injection does not accurately represent the pathophysiology of an oral exposure because the metabolic rate of the drug would be much slower. The oral-gavage method, while providing an oral route, possesses some adverse effects such as potential animal injury and can be stressful to the animal compared to voluntary drinking. It is thus important to allow the animal to have free consumption of MP, and drinking it to more accurately mirror human treatment. The use of a two-bottle drinking method allows for this. Rodents typically have a faster metabolism than humans, which means this needs to be considered when administering MP orally while reaching target pharmacokinetic levels in plasma.
  • 288
  • 31 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Alpha-2 Agonists for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which is marked by symptoms such as inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that can affect academic, social, and personal functioning in children and adolescents.
  • 285
  • 01 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Blood Microsamples for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a specialized area of laboratory medicine which involves the measurement of drug concentrations in biological fluids with the aim of optimizing efficacy and reducing side effects, possibly modifying the drug dose to keep the plasma concentration within the therapeutic range. Plasma and/or whole blood, usually obtained by venipuncture, are the “gold standard” matrices for TDM. Microsampling, commonly used for newborn screening, could also be a convenient alternative to traditional sampling techniques for pharmacokinetics (PK) studies and TDM, helping to overcome practical problems and offering less invasive options to patients.
  • 287
  • 21 Jul 2023
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