scholarly journals Recent Advances in Studies on the Therapeutic Potential of Dietary Carotenoids in Neurodegenerative Diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoung Sang Cho ◽  
Myeongcheol Shin ◽  
Sunhong Kim ◽  
Sung Bae Lee
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Natural Pigment ◽  
Protective Function ◽  
Characteristic Structure ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Bioactive Properties

Carotenoids, symmetrical tetraterpenes with a linear C40 hydrocarbon backbone, are natural pigment molecules produced by plants, algae, and fungi. Carotenoids have important functions in the organisms (including animals) that obtain them from food. Due to their characteristic structure, carotenoids have bioactive properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and autophagy-modulatory activities. Given the protective function of carotenoids, their levels in the human body have been significantly associated with the treatment and prevention of various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, we review the latest studies on the effects of carotenoids on neurodegenerative diseases in humans. Furthermore, animal and cellular model studies on the beneficial effects of carotenoids on neurodegeneration are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the possible mechanisms and limitations of carotenoids in the treatment and prevention of neurological diseases.

scholarly journals Anthocyanins and Their Metabolites as Therapeutic Agents for Neurodegenerative Disease

Antioxidants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee N. Winter ◽  
Paula C. Bickford
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Nitrosative Stress ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Stress Protein ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Oxidative And Nitrosative Stress ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Neuronal Populations ◽  
Neurodegenerative Process ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are characterized by the death of neurons within specific regions of the brain or spinal cord. While the etiology of many neurodegenerative diseases remains elusive, several factors are thought to contribute to the neurodegenerative process, such as oxidative and nitrosative stress, excitotoxicity, endoplasmic reticulum stress, protein aggregation, and neuroinflammation. These processes culminate in the death of vulnerable neuronal populations, which manifests symptomatically as cognitive and/or motor impairments. Until recently, most treatments for these disorders have targeted single aspects of disease pathology; however, this strategy has proved largely ineffective, and focus has now turned towards therapeutics which target multiple aspects underlying neurodegeneration. Anthocyanins are unique flavonoid compounds that have been shown to modulate several of the factors contributing to neuronal death, and interest in their use as therapeutics for neurodegeneration has grown in recent years. Additionally, due to observations that the bioavailability of anthocyanins is low relative to that of their metabolites, it has been proposed that anthocyanin metabolites may play a significant part in mediating the beneficial effects of an anthocyanin-rich diet. Thus, in this review, we will explore the evidence evaluating the neuroprotective and therapeutic potential of anthocyanins and their common metabolites for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

scholarly journals A Model of Evolutionary Selection: The Cardiovascular Protective Function of the Longevity Associated Variant of BPIFB4

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Villa ◽  
Albino Carrizzo ◽  
Anna Ferrario ◽  
Anna Maciag ◽  
Monica Cattaneo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Protective Function ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Frailty Status ◽  
Evolutionary Forces ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Oxide Synthase ◽  
Endothelial Nitric Oxide

Evolutionary forces select genetic variants that allow adaptation to environmental stresses. The genomes of centenarian populations could recapitulate the evolutionary adaptation model and reveal the secrets of disease resistance shown by these individuals. Indeed, longevity phenotype is supposed to have a genetic background able to survive or escape to age-related diseases. Among these, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most lethal and their major risk factor is aging and the associated frailty status. One example of genetic evolution revealed by the study of centenarians genome is the four missense Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) haplotype in bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing family B, member 4 (BPIFB4) locus that is enriched in long living individuals: the longevity associated variant (LAV). Indeed, LAV-BPIFB4 is able to improve endothelial function and revascularization through the increase of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) dependent nitric oxide production. This review recapitulates the beneficial effects of LAV-BPIFB4 and its therapeutic potential for the treatment of CVDs.

scholarly journals Procaine–The Controversial Geroprotector Candidate: New Insights Regarding Its Molecular and Cellular Effects

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Daniela Gradinaru ◽  
Anca Ungurianu ◽  
Denisa Margina ◽  
Maria Moreno-Villanueva ◽  
Alexander Bürkle
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion Injury ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Ischemia Reperfusion ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cellular Effects ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion

Since its discovery in 1905 and its employment in everyday medical practice as a local anesthetic, to its highly controversial endorsement as an “anti-aging” molecule in the sixties and seventies, procaine is part of the history of medicine and gerontoprophylaxis. Procaine can be considered a “veteran” drug due to its long-time use in clinical practice, but is also a molecule which continues to incite interest, revealing new biological and pharmacological effects within novel experimental approaches. Therefore, this review is aimed at exploring and systematizing recent data on the biochemical, cellular, and molecular mechanisms involved in the antioxidant and potential geroprotective effects of procaine, focusing on the following aspects: (1) the research state-of-the-art, through an objective examination of scientific literature within the last 30 years, describing the positive, as well as the negative reports; (2) the experimental data supporting the beneficial effects of procaine in preventing or alleviating age-related pathology; and (3) the multifactorial pathways procaine impacts oxidative stress, inflammation, atherogenesis, cerebral age-related pathology, DNA damage, and methylation. According to reviewed data, procaine displayed antioxidant and cytoprotective actions in experimental models of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, lipoprotein oxidation, endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation, inflammation, sepsis, intoxication, ionizing irradiation, cancer, and neurodegeneration. This analysis painted a complex pharmacological profile of procaine: a molecule that has not yet fully expressed its therapeutic potential in the treatment and prevention of aging-associated diseases. The numerous recent reports found demonstrate the rising interest in researching the multiple actions of procaine regulating key processes involved in cellular senescence. Its beneficial effects on cell/tissue functions and metabolism could designate procaine as a valuable candidate for the well-established Geroprotectors database.

scholarly journals Selected Monocyclic Monoterpenes and Their Derivatives as Effective Anticancer Therapeutic Agents

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4763
Author(s):  
Mariola Zielińska-Błajet ◽  
Przemysław Pietrusiak ◽  
Joanna Feder-Kubis
Keyword(s):  
Aromatic Compounds ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Deep Eutectic Solvents ◽  
Perillyl Alcohol ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
Disease Treatment ◽  
Anticancer Properties ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Bioactive Properties ◽  
Potential Applications

Terpenes—a diverse group of secondary metabolites—constitute the largest class of natural products abundant in almost every plant species. The properties of concrete terpenes and essential oils have been intensively studied due to their widespread use in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics industries. Despite the popularity of these aromatic compounds, their derivatives, terpenoids, are still not comprehensively characterized despite exhibiting potent bioactive properties. This review aims to assess the anticancer properties of selected monoterpenes including carvone, carvacrol, perillyl alcohol, perillaldehyde, limonene, menthol and their derivatives while also evaluating potential applications as novel anticancer treatments. Special attention is paid to functional groups that improve the bioactivity of monoterpene molecules. This review also covers the therapeutic potential of deep eutectic solvents that contain monoterpene substances. Taken together, the literature supports the use of monoterpene derivatives in the development of new alternatives for disease treatment and prevention.

scholarly journals Erythropoietin as a Neuroprotective Molecule: An Overview of Its Therapeutic Potential in Neurodegenerative Diseases

ASN NEURO ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 175909141987142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Rey ◽  
Alice Balsari ◽  
Toniella Giallongo ◽  
Sara Ottolenghi ◽  
Anna M. Di Giulio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Erythropoietin Receptor ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Erythroid Progenitor ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Cord Injury

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a cytokine mainly induced in hypoxia conditions. Its major production site is the kidney. EPO primarily acts on the erythroid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. More and more studies are highlighting its secondary functions, with a crucial focus on its role in the central nervous system. Here, EPO may interact with up to four distinct isoforms of its receptor (erythropoietin receptor [EPOR]), activating different signaling cascades with roles in neuroprotection and neurogenesis. Indeed, the EPO/EPOR axis has been widely studied in the neurodegenerative diseases field. Its potential therapeutic effects have been evaluated in multiple disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, as well as brain ischemia, hypoxia, and hyperoxia. EPO is showing great promise by counteracting secondary neuroinflammatory processes, reactive oxygen species imbalance, and cell death in these diseases. Multiple studies have been performed both in vitro and in vivo, characterizing the mechanisms through which EPO exerts its neurotrophic action. In some cases, clinical trials involving EPO have been performed, highlighting its therapeutic potential. Together, all these works indicate the potential beneficial effects of EPO.

scholarly journals Modulating disease-relevant tau oligomeric strains by small molecules

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (44) ◽  
pp. 14807-14825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippa Lo Cascio ◽  
Stephanie Garcia ◽  
Mauro Montalbano ◽  
Nicha Puangmalai ◽  
Salome McAllen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Lewy Bodies ◽  
Aggregation State ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Tau Oligomers ◽  
Curcumin Derivatives ◽  
Aggregation Pattern

The pathological aggregation of tau plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease and many other related neurodegenerative diseases, collectively referred to as tauopathies. Recent evidence has demonstrated that tau oligomers, small and soluble prefibrillar aggregates, are highly toxic due to their strong ability to seed tau misfolding and propagate the pathology seen across different neurodegenerative diseases. We previously showed that novel curcumin derivatives affect preformed tau oligomer aggregation pathways by promoting the formation of more aggregated and nontoxic tau aggregates. To further investigate their therapeutic potential, we have extended our studies o disease-relevant brain-derived tau oligomers (BDTOs). Herein, using well-characterized BDTOs, isolated from brain tissues of different tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and dementia with Lewy bodies, we found that curcumin derivatives modulate the aggregation state of BDTOs by reshaping them and rescue neurons from BDTO-associated toxicity. Interestingly, compound CL3 showed an effect on the aggregation pattern of BDTOs from different tauopathies, resulting in the formation of less neurotoxic larger tau aggregates with decreased hydrophobicity and seeding propensity. Our results lay the groundwork for potential investigations of the efficacy and beneficial effects of CL3 and other promising compounds for the treatment of tauopathies. Furthermore, CL3 may aid in the development of tau imaging agent for the detection of tau oligomeric strains and differential diagnosis of the tauopathies, thus enabling earlier interventions.

scholarly journals Probiotics: relevant during the coronavirus (COVID-19) infection pandemic?

2022 ◽  
pp. 165-172
Author(s):  
M. A. Shevyakov
Keyword(s):  
Viral Infections ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
The Body ◽  
Intestinal Damage ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Acute Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

The review presents modern views on the role of probiotics in the treatment and prevention of complications of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 infection. This infection can be complicated, for example, by the development of diarrhea after the use of antibacterial drugs in case of secondary bacterial infection, extrapulmonary viral infections, viremia, and the so-called «cytokine storm». The emphasis has been placed on such potentially beneficial effects of probiotics as а prevention of antibioticassociated diarrhea, prevention of intestinal damage induced directly by viral replication, prevention of leaky gut syndrome and immunomodulation in case of coronavirus COVID-19 infection. It has been shown that the use of probiotics alongside antibiotic therapy significantly reduces the risk of developing antibiotic-associated diarrhea, including such a severe variant as pseudomembranous colitis. The use of a probiotic during a viral respiratory disease reduces the risk of a severe disease course due to the positive modulation of inflammation and direct antiviral effects. Selected data showed the positive effect of probiotics on the tight junction stability of the intestine, which potentially protects against viremia and the penetration of immunogenic molecules into the internal environment of the body. In order to address the challenges adequately, a probiotic should meet certain requirements in terms of product quality, safety, evidence of efficacy, composition and understanding of the strains. The article presents data on the successful use of a multi-strain immuno-probiotic as an example demonstrating the therapeutic potential of modern multi-strain probiotics as a nonspecific immunomodulatory agent for the prevention of acute respiratory diseases.

scholarly journals Beneficial Effects of Metformin on the Central Nervous System, with a Focus on Epilepsy and Lafora Disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5351
Author(s):  
Pascual Sanz ◽  
José Maria Serratosa ◽  
Marina P. Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Lafora Disease ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy ◽  
The Family ◽  
Myoclonus Epilepsy ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Metformin is a drug in the family of biguanide compounds that is widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Interestingly, the therapeutic potential of metformin expands its prescribed use as an anti-diabetic drug. In this sense, it has been described that metformin administration has beneficial effects on different neurological conditions. In this work, we review the beneficial effects of this drug as a neuroprotective agent in different neurological diseases, with a special focus on epileptic disorders and Lafora disease, a particular type of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. In addition, we review the different proposed mechanisms of action of metformin to understand its function at the neurological level.

Involvement of Heme Oxygenase-1 in Neuropsychiatric and Neurodegenerative Diseases

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (20) ◽  
pp. 2283-2302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian B. Neis ◽  
Priscila B. Rosa ◽  
Morgana Moretti ◽  
Ana Lucia S. Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Heme Oxygenase ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Redox Homeostasis ◽  
Antioxidant Defenses ◽  
Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽  
Physiological Conditions ◽  
And Oxidative Stress ◽  
Defensive Mechanism

Heme oxygenase (HO) family catalyzes the conversion of heme into free iron, carbon monoxide and biliverdin. It possesses two well-characterized isoforms: HO-1 and HO-2. Under brain physiological conditions, the expression of HO-2 is constitutive, abundant and ubiquitous, whereas HO-1 mRNA and protein are restricted to small populations of neurons and neuroglia. HO-1 is an inducible enzyme that has been shown to participate as an essential defensive mechanism for neurons exposed to oxidant challenges, being related to antioxidant defenses in certain neuropathological conditions. Considering that neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS)) and neuropsychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, Bipolar Disorder (BD) and schizophrenia) are associated with increased inflammatory markers, impaired redox homeostasis and oxidative stress, conditions that may be associated with alterations in HO-levels/activity, the purpose of this review is to present evidence on the possible role of HO-1 in these Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases. In addition, the possible therapeutic potential of targeting brain HO-1 is explored in this review.

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