scholarly journals Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa’s pharmacological properties and health effects: A scoping review of current evidence

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245471
Author(s):  
Xin Yi Lim ◽  
Terence Yew Chin Tan ◽  
Siti Hajar Muhd Rosli ◽  
Muhammad Nor Farhan Sa’at ◽  
Syazwani Sirdar Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Cannabis Sativa ◽  
Journal Club ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pharmacological Properties ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Spontaneous Bowel Movement

Introduction Hemp (Cannabis sativa subsp. sativa), commonly used for industrial purposes, is now being consumed by the public for various health promoting effects. As popularity of hemp research and claims of beneficial effects rises, a systematic collection of current scientific evidence on hemp’s health effects and pharmacological properties is needed to guide future research, clinical, and policy decision making. Objective To provide an overview and identify the present landscape of hemp research topics, trends, and gaps. Methods A systematic search and analysis strategy according to the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis-ScR (PRISMA-ScR) checklist on electronic databases including MEDLINE, OVID (OVFT, APC Journal Club, EBM Reviews), Cochrane Library Central and Clinicaltrials.gov was conducted to include and analyse hemp research articles from 2009 to 2019. Results 65 primary articles (18 clinical, 47 pre-clinical) were reviewed. Several randomised controlled trials showed hempseed pills (in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulation MaZiRenWan) improving spontaneous bowel movement in functional constipation. There was also evidence suggesting benefits in cannabis dependence, epilepsy, and anxiety disorders. Pre-clinically, hemp derivatives showed potential anti-oxidative, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-neuroinflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-acne, and anti-microbial activities. Renal protective effects and estrogenic properties were also exhibited in vitro. Conclusion Current evidence on hemp-specific interventions are still preliminary, with limited high quality clinical evidence for any specific therapeutic indication. This is mainly due to the wide variation in test item formulation, as the multiple variants of this plant differ in their phytochemical and bioactive compounds. Future empirical research should focus on standardising the hemp plant for pharmaceutical use, and uniformity in experimental designs to strengthen the premise of using hemp in medicine.

What is the impact of physicians in prehospital treatment for patients in need of acute critical care? – An overview of reviews

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitte Valentin ◽  
Lotte Groth Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Critical Conditions ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Prehospital Treatment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this overview was to systematically identify and synthesize existing evidence from systematic reviews on the impact of prehospital physician involvement.MethodsThe Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched from 1 January 2000 to 17 November 2017. We included systematic reviews comparing physician-based with non–physician-based prehospital treatment in patients with one of five critical conditions requiring a rapid response.ResultsTen reviews published from 2009 to 2017 were included. Physician treatment was associated with increased survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and patients with severe trauma; in the latter group, the result was based on more limited evidence. The success rate of prehospital endotracheal intubation (ETI) has improved over the years, but ETI by physicians is still associated with higher success rates than intubation by paramedics. In patients with severe traumatic brain injury, intubation by paramedics who were not well skilled to do so markedly increased mortality.ConclusionsCurrent evidence is hinting at a benefit of physicians in selected aspects of prehospital emergency services, including treatment of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and critically ill or injured patients in need of prehospital intubation. Evidence is, however, limited by confounding and bias, and comparison is hampered by differences in case mix and the organization of emergency medical services. Future research should strive to design studies that enable appropriate control of baseline confounding and obtain follow-up data for the proportion of patients who die in the prehospital setting.

scholarly journals Patients’ and psychiatrists’ perspectives on clozapine treatment—a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e054308
Author(s):  
Michelle Iris Jakobsen ◽  
Ole Jakob Storebø ◽  
Stephen Fitzgerald Austin ◽  
Jimmi Nielsen ◽  
Erik Simonsen
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Patient Perspectives ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clozapine Treatment ◽  
Primary Literature ◽  
Conference Presentations ◽  
Review Protocol

IntroductionThe atypical antipsychotic clozapine has shown superior efficacy compared with other antipsychotics and is the gold standard for treating otherwise treatment resistant schizophrenia. However, multiple studies have found that clozapine is underutilised in most parts of the world. A few reviews of literature addressing barriers to clozapine prescribing have been conducted. While there is some variation in the literature included in these reviews, a common feature of the studies included is that they primarily focus on clinical staff’s attitudes and perceived barriers for prescribing. Studies of patient perspectives are only sparsely included. A preliminary literature search revealed though, that additional literature on the subject exists, including literature on patient perspectives. It is therefore difficult to conclude if the formerly synthesised literature is representative of current evidence or if the topic has been adequately investigated to inform clinical practice. A scoping review is warranted in order to map and synthesise primary literature on patients’ and psychiatrists’ perspectives on clozapine treatment, and to identify gaps for future research.Methods and analysisThe electronic databases Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, Psychinfo, MEDLINE and EMBASE will be searched for relevant publications, supplied with searches of Google scholar, The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations and OpenGrey. Citation tracking of selected studies will furthermore be undertaken. Two researchers will independently screen and extract data. Data will be collated to provide a descriptive summary of the literature, along with a qualitative content analysis of key findings. Identified gaps in research will be accompanied by recommendations for future investigations.Ethics and disseminationFindings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations. The scoping review does not require ethics approval.

scholarly journals Anticancer Effects of Disulfiram: A Systematic Review of in Vitro, Animal, and Human Studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
ling wang ◽  
yang yu ◽  
cong zhou ◽  
run wan ◽  
Yumin Li
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Human Studies ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tumor Inhibition ◽  
Anti Tumor Activity

Abstract Background and objectives: Cancer morbidity and mortality rates remain high, and thus, at present, considerable efforts are focused on finding drugs with higher sensitivity against tumor cells and fewer side effects. Several preclinical and clinical studies have examined the potential of repurposing disulfiram (DSF) as an anticancer treatment. This systematic review aimed to assess evidence regarding the antineoplastic activity of DSF in in vitro and in vivo models, as well as in humans.Methods: Two authors independently conducted this systematic review of English and Chinese articles from the PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases up to July 2019. Eligible in vitro studies needed to include assessments of the apoptosis rate by flow cytometry using annexin V/propidium iodide, and studies in animal models and clinical trials needed to examine tumor inhibition rates, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: Overall, 35 studies, i.e., 21 performed in vitro, 11 based on animal models, and three clinical trials, were finally included. In vitro and animal studies indicated that DSF was associated with enhanced apoptosis and tumor inhibition rates. Human studies showed that DSF prolongs PFS and OS. The greatest anti-tumor activity was observed when DSF was used as combination therapy or as a nanoparticle-encapsulated molecule.Conclusions: This systematic review provides evidence regarding the anti-tumor activity of DSF in vitro, in animals, and in humans and indicates the optimal forms of treatment to be evaluated in future research.

scholarly journals Understanding Acupoint Sensitization: A Narrative Review on Phenomena, Potential Mechanism, and Clinical Application

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huijuan Tan ◽  
Steve Tumilty ◽  
Cathy Chapple ◽  
Lizhou Liu ◽  
Suzanne McDonough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurogenic Inflammation ◽  
Clinical Effect ◽  
The Body ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pain Sensitization ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Heat Sensitization ◽  
Stimulation Of

As part of traditional Chinese medicine, acupoints are considered a dynamic functional area, which can reflect the internal condition of the body. When the body is suffering from disease or injury, corresponding acupoints are believed to be activated and manifest in several sensitized forms, including expansion of the receptive field, pain sensitization, and heat sensitization. Such phenomena are believed to gradually disappear concomitantly with recovery from the disease. Acupoint states are therefore changeable according to health status, a phenomenon known as acupoint sensitization. This review aims to provide an overview of acupoint sensitization based on existing research results and determine priorities for future research. Systematic literature retrieval was conducted in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and AMED from inception to 18 July 2018. Current evidence from research findings to date indicate that acupoint sensitization is based on neurogenic inflammation and that stimulation of sensitized acupoints presents a potential trend of generating a better clinical effect when compared with stimulation of unsensitized points.

Nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties as intervention for reducing the health effects of fine particulate matter: Potential and Prospects

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanwi Trushna ◽  
Amit K. Tripathi ◽  
Sindhuprava Rana ◽  
Rajnarayan R. Tiwari
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

: Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutraceuticals in ameliorating the health effects of particulate matter air pollution. The studies discussed in this review suggest that these nutraceuticals when consumed as a part of the diet, or as additional supplementation, can potentially negate the cellular level adverse effects of exposure to particulate pollution. The potential benefits of adopting a non-pharmacological diet-based approach to air pollution-induced disease management have also been discussed. We argue that before a nutraceuticals-based approach can be used for widespread public adoption, further research, especially human clinical trials, is essential to confirm the beneficial action of relevant nutraceuticals and to explore the safe limits of human supplementation and the risk of side effects. Future research should focus on systematically translating bench-based knowledge regarding nutraceuticals gained from in-vitro and in-vivo studies into clinically usable nutritional guidelines.

Citrus peel derived’ Poly-Methoxylated Flavones (PMF)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Mahdi Vajdi ◽  
Mahdieh Abbasalizad Farhangi
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Accumulation ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
In Vitro Studies ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Citrus Peel ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Methoxylated Flavones

Abstract. The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially over the last several decades and several environmental factors have accelerated this trend. Poly-methoxy flavones (PMFs) exist abundantly in the peels of citrus, and their biological activities have been broadly examined in recent years. Several studies have examined the effects of PMFs on obesity and its-related diseases. This systematic review conducted to focus on the effect of PMFs on obesity and its related conditions management. The PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Science Direct databases were searched for relevant studies published before November 2020. Out of 1,615 records screened, 16 studies met the study criteria. The range of dosage of PMFs was varied from 10 to 200 mg/kg (5–26 weeks) and 1–100 μmol (2h–8 days) across selected animal and in vitro studies, respectively. The literature reviewed shows that PMFs modulate several biological processes associated with obesity such as lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation, energy balance, and oxidative stress by different mechanisms. All of the animal studies showed significant positive effects of PMFs on obesity by reducing body weight (e.g. reduced weight gain by 21.04%), insulin resistance, energy expenditure, inhibiting lipogenesis and reduced blood lipids (e.g. reduced total cholesterol by 23.10%, TG by 44.35% and LDL by 34.41%). The results of the reviewed in vitro studies have revealed that treatment with PMFs significantly inhibits lipid accumulation in adipocytes (e.g. reduced lipid accumulation by 55–60%) and 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation as well by decreasing the expression of PPARγ and C/EBPα and also reduces the number and size of fat cells and reduced TG content in adipocytes by 45.67% and 23.10% and 16.08% for nobiletin, tangeretin and hesperetin, respectively. Although current evidence supports the use of PMFs as a complementary treatment in obesity, future research is needed to validate this promising treatment modality.

Food additive emulsifiers: a review of their role in foods, legislation and classifications, presence in food supply, dietary exposure, and safety assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selina Cox ◽  
Alicia Sandall ◽  
Leanne Smith ◽  
Megan Rossi ◽  
Kevin Whelan
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Dietary Exposure ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Food Additive ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Concentration Data ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Specific Food

Abstract Food additive intakes have increased with the increase in “ultra-processed” food consumption. Food additive emulsifiers have received particular research attention in recent years due to preliminary evidence of adverse gastrointestinal and metabolic health effects. In this review, the use of emulsifiers as food additives is discussed, and the current estimations of exposure to, and safety of, emulsifiers are critically assessed. Food additive emulsifier research is complicated by heterogeneity in additives considered to be emulsifiers and labelling of them on foods globally. Major limitations exist in estimating food additive emulsifier exposure, relating predominantly to a lack of available food occurrence and concentration data. Development of brand-specific food additive emulsifier databases are crucial to accurately estimating emulsifier exposure. Current research on the health effects of food additive emulsifiers are limited to in vitro and murine studies and small, acute studies in humans, and future research should focus on controlled human trials of longer duration.

Protective Effects of Quercetin Derivatives against Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Damage in PC-12 Cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 998-999 ◽  
pp. 291-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Yu Shi ◽  
Yong Qiang Li
Keyword(s):  
Pc12 Cells ◽  
Pc12 Cell ◽  
Structural Modification ◽  
Pharmacological Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Quercetin Derivatives ◽  
Protein Levels

In order to search for new structural modification strategies on quercetin, we have designed and synthesized a series of quercetin derivatives. Several novel quercetin derivatives displayed potent protect effect on H2O2-induced injury in PC12 cells. In the recent study, we investigated the effect of 3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (HPS5) on the apoptosis of PC12 cells in vitro. We used neuronal PC12 cell line to study the regulation role of HPS5 in H2O2 induced cell apoptosis. MTT assay was used for detection the proliferation of PC12 cells upon H2O2 treatment. PC12 cell nuclear morphological change was detected with Hoechst 33258 staining. The antioxidative capacity was judged by SOD determinations. The protein levels of Bax and Bcl-2 were deteanined by Western blotting. Our results demonstrated that Quercetin derivatives HPS5 can prevent and protect against H2O2-induced injury in PC12 cells. Together, our studies provided new insights activities of quercetin, and may contribute to pharmacological study of quercetin in future research.

scholarly journals Anti-Inflammatory and Immunosuppressive Effects of the A2AAdenosine Receptor

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 320-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian R. Milne ◽  
Timothy M. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Receptor Subtypes ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Stress Injury ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

The production of adenosine represents a critical endogenous mechanism for regulating immune and inflammatory responses during conditions of stress, injury, or infection. Adenosine exerts predominantly protective effects through activation of four 7-transmembrane receptor subtypes termed A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, of which the A2Aadenosine receptor (A2AAR) is recognised as a major mediator of anti-inflammatory responses. The A2AAR is widely expressed on cells of the immune system and numerousin vitrostudies have identified its role in suppressing key stages of the inflammatory process, including leukocyte recruitment, phagocytosis, cytokine production, and immune cell proliferation. The majority of actions produced by A2AAR activation appear to be mediated by cAMP, but downstream events have not yet been well characterised. In this article, we review the current evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of the A2AAR in different cell types and discuss possible molecular mechanisms mediating these effects, including the potential for generalised suppression of inflammatory gene expression through inhibition of the NF-κB and JAK/STAT proinflammatory signalling pathways. We also evaluate findings fromin vivostudies investigating the role of the A2AAR in different tissues in animal models of inflammatory disease and briefly discuss the potential for development of selective A2AAR agonists for use in the clinic to treat specific inflammatory conditions.

scholarly journals Electronic Cigarettes and Oral Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452110021
Author(s):  
R. Holliday ◽  
B.W. Chaffee ◽  
N.S. Jakubovics ◽  
R. Kist ◽  
P.M. Preshaw
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Tobacco Smoking ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
In Vitro Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
The Past

Novel nicotine products, particularly electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), have become increasingly popular over the past decade. E-cigarettes are sometimes regarded as a less harmful alternative to tobacco smoking, and there is some evidence of their potential role as a smoking cessation aid. However, there are concerns about their health consequences, particularly in users who are not tobacco smokers, and also when used long term. Given the mode of delivery of these products, there is potential for oral health consequences. Over the past few years, there have been an increasing number of studies conducted to explore their oral health effects. In vitro studies have reported a range of cellular effects, but these are much less pronounced than those resulting from exposure to tobacco smoke. Microbiological studies have indicated that e-cigarette users have a distinct microbiome, and there is some indication this may be more pathogenic compared to nonusers. Evidence of oral health effects from clinical trials is still limited, and most studies to date have been small in scale and usually cross-sectional in design. Epidemiological studies highlight concerns over oral dryness, irritation, and gingival diseases. Interpreting data from e-cigarette studies is challenging, given the different populations that have been investigated and the continual emergence of new products. Overall, studies reveal potential oral health harms, underscoring the importance of efforts to reduce use in nonsmokers. However, in smokers who are using e-cigarettes as an aid to help them quit, the benefits of quitting tobacco smoking may outweigh any negative oral health impacts of e-cigarette use, particularly in the short term. Future research is needed to understand the clinical significance of some of the biological changes observed by following different cohorts of users longitudinally in carefully designed clinical studies and pragmatic trials supported by high-quality in vitro studies.

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