Emerging Potential of Naturally Occurring Autophagy Modulators Against Neurodegeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 772-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Ataur Rahman ◽  
Md Rezanur Rahman ◽  
Toyfiquz Zaman ◽  
Md. Sahab Uddin ◽  
Rokibul Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Therapeutic Assistance ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis ◽  
Made In

Background: Naturally-occurring products derived from living organisms have been shown to modulate various pharmacological and biological activities. Natural products protect against various diseases, which could be used for therapeutic assistance. Autophagy, a lysosome-mediated self-digestion pathway, has been implicated in a range of pathophysiological conditions and has recently gained attention for its role in several neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: In this current review, we emphasized the recent progress made in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of autophagy in different cellular and mouse models using naturally-occurring autophagy modulators for the management of several neurodegenerative diseases. Results: Accumulating evidence has revealed that a wide variety of natural compounds such as alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids, xanthonoids, flavonoids, lignans, disaccharides, glycolipoproteins, and saponins are involved in the modulation of the autophagy signaling pathway. These natural products have been used to treat various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinocerebellar ataxia, neuroblastoma, and glioblastoma. Although a number of synthetic autophagy regulators have been recognized as encouraging neurodegenerative therapeutic candidates, natural autophagy- regulating compounds have been of further interest as potential disease therapeutics, as they cause insignificant side effects. Conclusion: Existing in vitro and in vivo data are promising and highlight that naturally-occurring autophagyregulating compounds play an important role in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

scholarly journals Unraveling Natural Products’ Role in Osteoarthritis Management—An Overview

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia-Eirini Deligiannidou ◽  
Rafail-Efraim Papadopoulos ◽  
Christos Kontogiorgis ◽  
Anastasia Detsi ◽  
Eugenia Bezirtzoglou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Living Organisms

The natural process of aging gradually causes changes in living organisms, leading to the deterioration of organs, tissues, and cells. In the case of osteoarthritis (OA), the degradation of cartilage is a result of both mechanical stress and biochemical factors. Natural products have already been evaluated for their potential role in the prevention and treatment of OA, providing a safe and effective adjunctive therapeutic approach. This review aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of natural products and their derivatives in osteoarthritis via a systematic search of literature after 2008, including in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and animal models, along with clinical trials and meta-analysis. Overall, 170 papers were obtained and screened. Here, we presented findings referring to the preventative and therapeutic potential of 17 natural products and 14 naturally occurring compounds, underlining, when available, the mechanisms implicated. The nature of OA calls to initially focus on the management of symptoms, and, in that context, several naturally occurring compounds have been utilized. Underlying a global need for more sustainable natural sources for treatment, the evidence supporting their chondroprotective potential is still building up. However, arriving at that kind of solution requires more clinical research, targeting the implications of long-term treatment, adverse effects, and epigenetic implications.

scholarly journals Phytosterols: Potential Metabolic Modulators in Neurodegenerative Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 12255
Author(s):  
Niti Sharma ◽  
Mario A. Tan ◽  
Seong Soo A. An
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Pharmacological Activities ◽  
Isolated Structures ◽  
Biological And Pharmacological Activities

Phytosterols constitute a class of natural products that are an important component of diet and have vast applications in foods, cosmetics, and herbal medicines. With many and diverse isolated structures in nature, they exhibit a broad range of biological and pharmacological activities. Among over 200 types of phytosterols, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were ubiquitous in many plant species, exhibiting important aspects of activities related to neurodegenerative diseases. Hence, this mini-review presented an overview of the reported studies on selected phytosterols related to neurodegenerative diseases. It covered the major phytosterols based on biosynthetic considerations, including other phytosterols with significant in vitro and in vivo biological activities.

Potential for Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases with Natural Products or Synthetic Compounds that Stabilize Microtubules

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (35) ◽  
pp. 4362-4372
Author(s):  
John H. Miller ◽  
Viswanath Das
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
In Vivo Models ◽  
Synthetic Compounds ◽  
Stabilizing Agents ◽  
Animal Models Of Disease ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Models Of Disease

No effective therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative diseases exist, despite significant attempts to find drugs that can reduce or rescue the debilitating symptoms of tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Pick’s disease. A number of in vitro and in vivo models exist for studying neurodegenerative diseases, including cell models employing induced-pluripotent stem cells, cerebral organoids, and animal models of disease. Recent research has focused on microtubulestabilizing agents, either natural products or synthetic compounds that can prevent the axonal destruction caused by tau protein pathologies. Although promising results have come from animal model studies using brainpenetrant natural product microtubule-stabilizing agents, such as paclitaxel analogs that can access the brain, epothilones B and D, and other synthetic compounds such as davunetide or the triazolopyrimidines, early clinical trials in humans have been disappointing. This review aims to summarize the research that has been carried out in this area and discuss the potential for the future development of an effective microtubule stabilizing drug to treat neurodegenerative disease.

Hemoglobin F (HbF) inducers; History, Structure and Efficacies

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Hashemi ◽  
Mohammad Ali Ebrahimzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Natural Products ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Globin Gene ◽  
Beta Thalassemia ◽  
Gene Promoters ◽  
Hemoglobin F ◽  
Chemical Structures

Abstract: Inherited beta-thalassemia is a major disease caused by irregular production of hemoglobin through reducing beta-globin chains. It has been observed that increasing fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production improves symptoms in the patients. Therefore, an increase in the level of HbF has been an operative approach for treating patients with beta-thalassemia. This review represents compounds with biological activities and pharmacological properties that can promote the HBF level and therefore used in the β-thalassemia patients' therapy. Various natural products with different mechanisms of action can be helpful in this medication cure. Clinical trials were efficient in improving the signs of patients. Association of in vivo, and in vitro studies of HbF induction and γ-globin mRNA growth displays that in vitro experiments could be an indicator of the in vivo response. The current study shows that; (a) HbF inducers can be grouped in several classes based on their chemical structures and mechanism of actions; b) According to several clinical trials, well-known drugs such as hydroxyurea and decitabine are useful HbF inducers; (c) The cellular biosensor K562 carrying genes under the control of the human γ-globin and β-globin gene promoters were applied during the researches; d) New natural products and lead compounds were found based on various studies as HbF inducers.

scholarly journals Evidences of Herbal Medicine-Derived Natural Products Effects in Inflammatory Lung Diseases

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Paula R. Santana ◽  
Nathalia M. Pinheiro ◽  
Márcia Isabel B. Mernak ◽  
Renato F. Righetti ◽  
Mílton A. Martins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Pulmonary Inflammation ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

Pulmonary inflammation is a hallmark of many respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute respiratory syndrome distress (ARDS). Most of these diseases are treated with anti-inflammatory therapy in order to prevent or to reduce the pulmonary inflammation. Herbal medicine-derived natural products have been used in folk medicine and scientific studies to evaluate the value of these compounds have grown in recent years. Many substances derived from plants have the biological effectsin vitroandin vivo, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Among the biological activities of natural products derived from plants can be pointed out the anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiplatelet, antitumor anti-allergic activities, and antioxidant. Although many reports have evaluated the effects of these compounds in experimental models, studies evaluating clinical trials are scarce in the literature. This review aims to emphasize the effects of these different natural products in pulmonary diseases in experimental models and in humans and pointing out some possible mechanisms of action.

A Survey of the Anti-microbial Properties of Naturally Occurring Prenyloxyphenylpropanoids and Related Compounds

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 2097-2101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Fiorito ◽  
Francesco Epifano ◽  
Vito Alessandro Taddeo ◽  
Salvatore Genovese ◽  
Francesca Preziuso
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Microbial Properties ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Oral Pathogens ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Pharmacological Potential ◽  
Related Compounds

O-Prenylphenylpropanoids represent a group of rare natural products. During the last twenty years, such phytochemicals have been revealed to possess a great pharmacological potential. These compounds have been obtained for the most part from plant species of the Rutaceae, Apiaceae, and Fabaceae families, as well as from fungi and bacteria. In this review we wish to detail the state of the art about O-prenylphenylpropanoids having in vitro and in vivo anti-microbial properties from different points of view. The herein cited natural products are effective in inhibiting the virulence of human oral pathogens.

Toxicity of secondary metabolites

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham Madariaga-Mazón ◽  
Ricardo Bruno Hernández-Alvarado ◽  
Karla Olivia Noriega-Colima ◽  
Adriana Osnaya-Hernández ◽  
Karina Martinez-Mayorga
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Toxicity Assessment ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Food Preservatives ◽  
Living Organisms

Abstract Secondary metabolites, commonly referred to as natural products, are produced by living organisms and usually have pharmacological or biological activities. Secondary metabolites are the primary source for the discovery of new drugs. Furthermore, secondary metabolites are also used as food preservatives, biopesticides or as research tools. Although secondary metabolites are mainly used by their beneficial biological activity, the toxicity of some of them may limit their use. The toxicity assessment of any compound that is prone to be used in direct contact with human beings is of vital importance. There is a vast spectrum of experimental methods for toxicity evaluation, including in vitro and in vivo methodologies. In this work, we present an overview of the different sources, bioactivities, toxicities and chemical classification of secondary metabolites, followed by a sketch of the role of toxicity assessment in drug discovery and agrochemistry.

scholarly journals Current Methods for the Discovery of New Active Ingredients from Natural Products for Cosmeceutical Applications

Planta Medica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (07) ◽  
pp. 535-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Espinosa-Leal ◽  
Silverio Garcia-Lara
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Active Ingredients ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Skin Whitening ◽  
Regulatory Policies ◽  
In Vivo Tests

AbstractCosmeceuticals are designed to serve a dual purpose: to provide desired esthetical effects and to treat dermatological conditions. Natural products derived from plants and marine organisms are a novel source of potential cosmeceutical active ingredients for incorporation into new formulations due to consumer demands. Contrary to common perceptions, most regulatory agencies do not view cosmeceuticals as being a separate category from cosmetics; thus, these products are not regulated accordingly, thereby forcing the consumer to rely on the self-regulatory policies of the cosmetics industry. Cosmeceuticals are advertised as having capabilities that include anti-aging, anti-acne, solar-protective, wound healing, and skin whitening. Such traits normally comprise several biological activities. In order to ensure the safety and efficacy of these products, active ingredients employed in the formulations must undergo a series of tests. In this review, in vitro (enzymatic and cellular) and in vivo tests employed to evaluate the potential of new cosmeceutical active ingredients are discussed, and new trends that are being explored by the cosmeceutical industry are described.

scholarly journals Evaluating the In Vitro Potential of Natural Extracts to Protect Lipids from Oxidative Damage

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Félix ◽  
Patrícia Valentão ◽  
Paula B. Andrade ◽  
Carina Félix ◽  
Sara C. Novais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Peroxidation ◽  
Natural Products ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Peroxyl Radicals ◽  
Antioxidant Compounds ◽  
Organic Matrices ◽  
Inhibit Lipid Peroxidation ◽  
Living Organisms

Lipid peroxidation is a chemical reaction known to have negative impacts on living organisms’ health and on consumer products’ quality and safety. Therefore, it has been the subject of extensive scientific research concerning the possibilities to reduce it, both in vivo and in nonliving organic matrices. It can be started by a variety of oxidants, by both ROS-dependent and -independent pathways, all of them reviewed in this document. Another feature of this reaction is the capacity of lipid peroxyl radicals to react with the non-oxidized lipids, propagating the reaction even in the absence of an external trigger. Due to these specificities of lipid peroxidation, regular antioxidant strategies—although being helpful in controlling oxidative triggers—are not tailored to tackle this challenge. Thus, more suited antioxidant compounds or technologies are required and sought after by researchers, either in the fields of medicine and physiology, or in product development and biotechnology. Despite the existence of several laboratory procedures associated with the study of lipid peroxidation, a methodology to perform bioprospecting of natural products to prevent lipid peroxidation (a Lipid Peroxidation Inhibitory Potential assay, LPIP) is not yet well established. In this review, a critical look into the possibility of testing the capacity of natural products to inhibit lipid peroxidation is presented. In vitro systems used to peroxidize a lipid sample are also reviewed on the basis of lipid substrate origin, and, for each of them, procedural insights, oxidation initiation strategies, and lipid peroxidation extent monitoring are discussed.

scholarly journals An Update on Oligosaccharides and Their Esters from Traditional Chinese Medicines: Chemical Structures and Biological Activities

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang-Yang Chen ◽  
Ru-Feng Wang ◽  
Bin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicines ◽  
Chinese Medicines ◽  
Chemical Structures ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Prevention And Treatment ◽  
Chinese Medicinal Plants

A great number of naturally occurring oligosaccharides and oligosaccharide esters have been isolated from traditional Chinese medicinal plants, which are used widely in Asia and show prominent curative effects in the prevention and treatment of kinds of diseases. Numerousin vitroandin vivoexperiments have revealed that oligosaccharides and their esters exhibited various activities, including antioxidant, antidepressant, cytotoxic, antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, cerebral protective, antidiabetic, plant growth-regulatory, and immunopotentiating activities. This review summarizes the investigations on the distribution, chemical structures, and bioactivities of natural oligosaccharides and their esters from traditional Chinese medicines between 2003 and 2013.

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