1,721,019 research outputs found
Mechanistic insights of hepatoprotective effects of curcumin: Therapeutic updates and future prospects
No full textThe liver is the most essential organ of the body performing vital functions. Hepatic disorders affect the physiological and biochemical functions of the body. These disorders include hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver cirrhosis, hepatic failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Drugs related hepatotoxicity is one of the major challenges facing by clinicians as it is a leading cause of liver failure. During post-marketing surveillance studies, detection and reporting of drug-induced hepatotoxicity may lead to drug withdrawal or warnings. Several mechanisms are involved in hepatotoxicity such as cell membrane disruption, initiating an immune response, alteration of cellular pathways of drug metabolism, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and cell death. Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric and exhibits therapeutic potential for the treatment of diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and various types of cancers. Curcumin is strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and thus it possesses hepatoprotective properties. Despite its low bioavailability, its hepatoprotective effects have been studied in various protocols of hepatotoxicity including acetaminophen, alcohol, lindane, carbon tetrachloride (CCL 4 ), diethylnitrosamine and heavy metals induced hepatotoxicities. This report reviews the hepatoprotective effects of curcumin with a focus on its mechanistic insights in various hepatotoxic protocols
Anti-Parkinson Potential of Silymarin: Mechanistic Insight and Therapeutic Standing
No full textParkinson’s disease (PD) involves aggregation of α-synuclein and progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons. Pathogenesis of PD may also be related to one’s genetic background. PD is most common among geriatric population and approximately 1–2% of population suffers over age 65 years. Currently no successful therapies are in practice for the management of PD and available therapies tend to decrease the symptoms of PD only. Furthermore, these are associated with diverse range of adverse effects profile. The neuroprotective effects of polyphenols are widely studied and documented. Among phytochemicals, silymarin is one of the most widely used flavonoids because of its extensive therapeutic properties and has been indicated in pathological conditions of prostate, CNS, lungs, skin, liver, and pancreas. Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignans (silybin, isosilybin, and silychristin), small amount of flavonoids (taxifolin), fatty acids, and other polyphenolic compounds extracted from the dried fruit of Silybum marianum and is clinically used for hepatoprotective effects since ancient times. Neuroprotective effects of silymarin have been studied in various models of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, PD, and cerebral ischemia. The aim of the present study is to provide a comprehensive review of the recent literature exploring the effects of silymarin administration on the progression of PD. Reducing oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, altering cellular apoptosis machinery, and estrogen receptor machinery are mechanisms that are responsible for neuroprotection by silymarin, as discussed in this review. Additionally, because of poor aqueous solubility, the bioavailability of silymarin is low and only 23–47% of silymarin reaches systemic circulation after oral administration. Our primary focus is on the chemical basis of the pharmacology of silymarin in the treatment of PD and its mechanisms and possible therapeutic/clinical status while addressing the bioavailability limitation
Epigenetic drug development for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
No full textMore than 100 types of autoimmune disorders have been identified so far, and most of them are usually chronic in nature. Multiple agents are known to have a role in causing autoimmunity, including genetic, epigenetic, immunologic, hormonal, and environmental factors. The available therapies for autoimmune disorders are associated with low efficacy, unfavorable safety profile, and high cost; thus there is always a need for a better drug in this respect. Epigenetics has been a novel target for drug discovery since the past few years. Altering expression of noncoding RNAs, DNA methylation, and histone modifications are prime targets for epigenetic drug development. Drugs with epigenetic targets are already in widespread use. Natural and synthetic compounds have been extensively studied for their ability to regulate epigenetics as their therapeutic targets, and they could be ideal sources for the development of epigenetic drugs in the future for the treatment of autoimmune disorders. This chapter focuses on the translational evidence for the role of histone modifications in disease prevention and treatment
Chapter 7 Nutraceuticals and inflammation
No full textThe chronic state of inflammation is widely associated with number of pathologies including asthma, pneumonia, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic ailment, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. The conventional drug therapies including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids have certain limitations, mainly related to their adverse effects and high cost. In this regard, there is continued focus on alternative therapies, including plant-derived components to prevent or treat inflammatory conditions. Food bioactive ingredients showed promising health effects with favorable safety profile and relatively low cost. In recent decades, they are being extensively evaluated for their anti-inflammatory effects, and further investigations on these bioactive ingredients will result in the development of effective and safe food supplement-based therapies for chronic inflammation. In this chapter, the immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory properties of dietary fibers, pre- biotics, probiotics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols, and spice-derived bioactive components are reviewed
Chapter 3 Nutraceutical properties of dietary lipids
No full textLipids have been described as harmful components of food due to their high caloric value and some unhealthy effects, in particular their association with cardiome- tabolic disorders. In recent decades, the research mainly focused on exploring the beneficial effects of plant's bioactive components, where lipids have been reported with associated health benefits. Thus, they emerged as one of the functional foods. They help the host to decrease the risk of chronic pathologies like obesity, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, and neurological ailments. Initial observations shed light on omega-3-fatty acids and other dietary lipids for their possible health benefits but thereafter much attention has been paid to unsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols for their noncalorific roles in prevention and treatment of certain diseased states. Regular intake of these lipids in adequate amount may not only suppress hypercholesterolemia, systemic inflammation, and neurodegeneration but also play a critical role in other signaling pathways in the body like cell survival, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. This chapter focuses on dietary lipids from different sources and their potential nutraceutical benefits providing a roadmap for the possibility of their incorporation in human diet as functional foods
Vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) (natural-occurring antioxidant; bright and dark side)
No full textVitamin E is extensively available in the natural world and is produced by prototrophs such as plants, algae, and blue-green algae. Vitamin E is used as a dietary supplement, an antioxidant food stabilizer, a pharmaceutical additive, and as a preservative in livestock feed. There are several types of vitamin E that can be differentiated by the position and number of the methyl functional group, and each form has a unique biological role. The function of antioxidants such as vitamin E is to defend cells from the effects of oxidative stress. Vitamin E is a free radical scavenger and is converted to vitamin E radical, which is then converted back to vitamin E by ascorbic acid. Vitamin E was discovered by Evans and Bishop in 1922 since that it has proved to be an effective nutrient for reproduction. It is also possible for vitamin E to act by a mechanism which is not directly linked to inhibition of oxidation. Such non-antioxidant actions of vitamin E may be a result of gene regulation and specific cell signaling. The function of vitamin E in cellular signaling, especially its biological impact is undoubtedly an imperative subject for future studies. The explicit roles of the several isomers and esters of vitamin E analogues should also be the subjects of future studies
Modulating Gut Microbiota: An Emerging Approach in the Prevention and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
No full textMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neuromuscular disorder characterized by demyelination of neurons of the central nervous system (CNS). The pathogenesis of the disorder is described as an autoimmune attack targeting the myelin sheath of nerve cell axons in the CNS. Available treatments only reduce the risk of relapse, prolonging the remissions of neurological symptoms and halt the progression of the disorder. Among the new ways of targeting neurological disorders, including MS, there is modulation of gut microbiota since the link between gut microbiota has been rethought within the term gut-brain axis. Gut microbiota is known to help the body with essential functions such as vitamin production and positive regulation of immune, inflammatory, and metabolic pathways. High consumption of saturated fatty acids, gluten, salt, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, or antibiotics is the responsible factor for causing gut dysbiosis. The latter can lead to dysregulation of immune and inflammatory pathways, which eventually results in leaky gut syndrome, systemic inflammation, autoimmune reactions, and increased susceptibility to infections. In modern medicine, scientists have mostly focused on the modulation of gut microbiota in the development of novel and effective therapeutic strategies for numerous disorders, with probiotics and prebiotics being the most widely studied in this regard. Several pieces of evidence from preclinical and clinical studies have supported the positive impact of probiotic and/or prebiotic intake on gut microbiota and MS. This review aims to link gut dysbiosis with the development/progression of MS, and the potential of modulation of gut microbiota in the therapeutics of the disease
Editorial: Herbal medical products and natural products targeting aging and age-related disorders-ethnopharmacological perspectives
Full text linkThe population aged ≥60 years is growing worldwide. The World Health Organization
(WHO) reported that the elderly population is expected to increase from 1 billion in 2020 to
1.4 billion in 2030 and 2.1 billion in 2050 (World Health Organization, 2022). This increase
in life expectancy around the globe is accompanied with the enhancing frequency of agingassociated
disorders, mainly due to the deterioration of metabolic, circulatory, and immune
functioning. Inflammaging (chronic low-grade inflammation) is considered as one of the
main drivers of the initiation and progression of diseases such as sarcopenia, osteoporosis,
metabolic ailments, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerations, and carcinogenesis (Ullah et al.,
2022). However, the actual etiology of these disorders is complicated due to the complex
interaction of genes and environment, making their management more challenging in realworld
circumstances. Currently, pharmacological interventions remained the mainstream
option for the treatment of age-related diseases although drugs are associated with increased
risk of the occurrence of adverse effects due to the increased susceptibility of adult
population to drug effects, altered pharmacokinetic parameters, and use of
polypharmacy, which may also increase the likelihood of drug interactions (Baldoni
et al., 2010; Goldberg et al., 2022; Kwak et al., 2022).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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