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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Illicium verum Hook f. (Star Anise)
Illicium verum Hook f. (star anise) is considered an important species in Traditional Chinese Medicine and is also used in contemporary medicine in East Asian countries. It occurs in natural habitats in southeastern parts of China and Vietnam, and is cultivated in various regions in China. The raw materials—Anisi stellati fructus and Anisi stellati aetheroleum obtained from this species exhibit expectorant and spasmolytic activities. The European Pharmacopoeia (4th edition) indicates that these raw materials have been used in allopathy since 2002. The biological activities of the above-mentioned raw materials are determined by the presence of valuable secondary metabolites such as monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids. Recent pharmacological studies on fruit extracts and the essential oil of this species have confirmed their antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities and thus their medicinal and cosmetic value.
1.1K
28 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Immunomodulatory of Ginseng
Ginseng, a medicinal plant of the genus Panax, boasts a rich historical record of usage that dates back to the Paleolithic period. This botanical is extensively acknowledged and consumed in Eastern countries for its therapeutic properties, and, in Western countries, it is becoming increasingly popular as a remedy for fatigue and asthenia.
210
22 May 2023
Topic Review
Immunomodulatory Properties of
Nigella sativa
Seed Extracts
For thousands of years till nowadays, Nigella sativa (NS) has served as a common spice and food preservative. Its seed extracts, seed oil, and essential oil in traditional medicine have been used to remedy many ailments such as headaches, fever, gastric complaints, and even rheumatism. In addition, the antibacterial, virucidal, fungicidal, and antiparasitic properties of NS are well known. However, studies on the possible immunomodulatory effects of black cumin are relatively scarce.
266
06 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Immunopotentiating Activity of Fucoidans
Fucoidans, discovered in 1913, are fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharides extracted mainly from brown seaweed. These versatile and nontoxic marine-origin heteropolysaccharides have a wide range of favorable biological activities, including antitumor, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering activities. In the early 1980s, fucoidans were first recognized for their role in supporting the immune response and later, in the 1990s, their effects on immune potentiation began to emerge. The understanding of the immunomodulatory effects of fucoidan has expanded significantly. The ability of fucoidan(s) to activate CTL-mediated cytotoxicity against cancer cells, strong antitumor property, and robust safety profile make fucoidans desirable for effective cancer immunotherapy.
361
06 May 2023
Topic Review
Immunoproteasome
Proteasome inhibition is a promising strategy for the treatment of multiple myeloma; unfortunately, this disease is often associated with an increasing chemoresistance. One novel approach may be to target the immunoproteasome, a proteasomal isoform mainly present in cells of hematopoietic origin. We investigated the activity of a panel of amides against immunoproteasome core particles as potential agents for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM). Amide 6 showed an ideal profile since it was able to inhibit both the chymotrypsin-like activities of the immunoproteasome with Ki values of 4.90 µM and 4.39 µM for β1i and β5i, respectively, coupled with an EC50 =17.8 µM against MM.1R cells. Compound 6 inhibited also ubiquitinated protein degradation and was able to act on different phases of MM cell cycle reducing the levels of cyclin A/CDK1, cyclin B/CDK1 and cyclin D/CDK4/6 complexes, which turns in cell cycle arrest.
619
03 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Immunotherapy for Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
Malignant melanoma (mM) is the leading cause of death among cutaneous malignancies. While its incidence is increasing, the most recent cancer statistics show a small but clear decrease in mortality rate. This trend reflects the introduction of novel and more effective therapeutic regimens, including the two cornerstones of melanoma therapy: immunotherapies and targeted therapies. Unlike chemotherapies or radiation, in which the therapy directly induces cancer cell death, immunotherapies stimulate the patient’s immune system to control and eliminate the tumor. Advantages of immunotherapies over traditional cancer treatments include increased durability for long-term control or even cure and more precisely targeted anti-tumor activity that spares healthy tissues, many times with comparable or even reduced overall toxicity. The high immunogenicity and somatic mutation burden of melanoma likely contribute to the success of immunotherapy. Treatments combining immunotherapies with targeted therapies, which disable the carcinogenic products of mutated cancer cells, have further increased treatment efficacy and durability. Toxicity and resistance, however, remain critical challenges to the field. There are three types of immunotherapies currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of advanced melanoma: (1) T-cell stimulating cytokines (i.e. interferon (IFN)-α2b and interleukin-2 (IL-2)); (2) T-cell exhaustion-mitigating immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI); and (3) a dendritic cell (DC)-activating oncolytic virus (T-VEC). Still others, such as adoptive cell transfer (ACT), hold strong promise for the future.
497
20 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Impact of Pharmacogenomics in Clinical Practice
Polymorphisms of genes encoding drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters can significantly modify pharmacokinetics, and this can be associated with significant differences in drug efficacy, safety, and tolerability. Moreover, genetic variants of some components of the immune system can explain clinically relevant drug-related adverse events. Knowledge of how genetic variations can modify the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of a drug can lead to the adjustment of usually recommended drug dosages, improve effectiveness, and reduce drug-related adverse events.
118
19 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Impact of Solute Carrier Transporters in Glioma Pathology
Solute carriers (SLCs) are the largest family of transmembrane transporters (consisting of 439 proteins without the pseudogenes), which are divided into 65 subfamilies (60 of which have been identified in the brain). They play a crucial role in exchanging different substances such as nutrients, ions, metabolites, as well as drugs through biological membranes. Most SLCs share the same protein structure consisting of 12 presumed transmembrane segments with molecular mass ranging between 50 to 100 kDa.
180
06 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Implementation of Pharmacogenetics - The PriME-PGx Initiative
Pharmacogenetics is the medical discipline born in the 1950s that studies the role of genetic variation affecting drug response or adverse reactions to drugs. Implemented in the clinical practice, this discipline helps to bring a personalized treatment to each patient. Consequently, ineffective or potentially toxic treatments are avoided or optimized. Here, we present the experience in Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation at the Clinical Pharmacology Department, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa.
350
10 Dec 2021
Topic Review
In Silico Models to Predict Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major cause of the withdrawal of pre-marketed drugs, typically attributed to oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, disrupted bile acid homeostasis, and innate immune-related inflammation. DILI can be divided into intrinsic and idiosyncratic DILI with cholestatic liver injury as an important manifestation. The diagnosis of DILI remains a challenge today and relies on clinical judgment and knowledge of the insulting agent. Early prediction of hepatotoxicity is an important but still unfulfilled component of drug development. In response, in silico modeling has shown good potential to fill the missing puzzle. Computer algorithms, with machine learning and artificial intelligence as a representative, can be established to initiate a reaction on the given condition to predict DILI.
490
29 Dec 2022
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