scholarly journals Nigerian polyherbal-based hydrotherapy: a panacea to infectious diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-79
Author(s):  
Ibraheem O. Lawal ◽  
Temitope O. Omogbene
Keyword(s):  
Plant Physiology ◽  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Western Medicine ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Past ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge System ◽  
Reliable Methods

Summary A global society, including developed countries, continues to struggle with fatal diseases that are difficult to treat with Western medicine. A variety of infectious diseases have existed for ages, but in Africa they had been limited thanks to the Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) prior to the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine. Influenza virus repression has been demonstrated by a number of herbal antivirals, yet the invaluable therapeutic potential of herbal medicine has been underestimated. Despite various reliable methods offered by Western medicine, the globally destructive COVID-19 pandemic requires a successful fight. The wisdom of African IKS used in tackling epidemics that have broken out in the past is brought to mind again. Pneumonia – a COVID-19 symptom, could be treated with polyherbal fomentation. Selected plants cultivated across Nigeria for hydrotherapy are under consideration to be used in proper doses. Given the potential associated with IKS, a multi-disciplinary approach involving experts in phytomedicine, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, plant physiology and ecology is necessary to unlock the therapeutic potential of traditional medicine.

Vitamin A: dietologist’s position

2020 ◽  
pp. 49-57
Author(s):  
S. V. Orlova ◽  
E. A. Nikitina ◽  
L. I. Karushina ◽  
Yu. A. Pigaryova ◽  
O. E. Pronina
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Gastrointestinal Tract ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Therapeutic Practice ◽  
The Past ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mucous Membranes

Vitamin A (retinol) is one of the key elements for regulating the immune response and controls the division and differentiation of epithelial cells of the mucous membranes of the bronchopulmonary system, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, eyes, etc. Its significance in the context of the COVID‑19 pandemic is difficult to overestimate. However, a number of studies conducted in the past have associated the additional intake of vitamin A with an increased risk of developing cancer, as a result of which vitamin A was practically excluded from therapeutic practice in developed countries. Our review highlights the role of vitamin A in maintaining human health and the latest data on its effect on the development mechanisms of somatic pathology.

A summary of beach nourishment in China: The past decade of practices

Shore & Beach ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 65-73
Author(s):  
Gen Liu ◽  
Feng Cai ◽  
Hongshuai Qi ◽  
Jianhui Liu ◽  
Gang Lei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Beach Nourishment ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Ecological Design ◽  
Optimized Design ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Personal Communications ◽  
Design Considerations ◽  
The Past ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Urban Beaches

Beach nourishment has been widely used for beach protection around the world. However, there is limited information about beach nourishment in China. This study offers an overview of beach nourishment practices, status and technological advances in China, based on the literature, reports, and personal communications. The results demonstrate that beach nourishment has been recognized as an effective and environmentally friendly measure to combat coastal erosion and has been increasingly adopted in China, especially in the past decade. The unique characteristics of coastal China resulted in a difference in beach nourishment between China and Western developed countries in terms of the types, objectives, and shapes of beach nourishment. For the types of nourishments in China, there were approximately the same number of restored beaches and newly constructed beaches. For fill sediment, homogeneous fill and heterogeneous fill comprised 51.1% and 48.9% of projects, respectively. The objective of beach nourishment was mainly to promote coastal tourism, and the shape of nourished beaches was dominated by headland bays. This study also indicated that China has achieved a number of technological advances in beach nourishment, including methods of beach nourishment on severely eroded coasts and muddy coasts, an optimized design of drain pipes involved in urban beaches, and ecological design considerations. From the past decade of practices, four aspects were proposed as considerations for future nourishment: sand sources, technique advances, ecological effects, and management of beach nourishments.

The Medicinal Chemistry of Therapeutic Peptides: Recent Developments in Synthesis and Design Optimizations

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 2330-2355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anutthaman Parthasarathy ◽  
Sasikala K. Anandamma ◽  
Karunakaran A. Kalesh
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
The Past ◽  
Recombinant Production ◽  
Tremendous Progress ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Therapeutic Peptides ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Delivery Strategies

Peptide therapeutics has made tremendous progress in the past decade. Many of the inherent weaknesses of peptides which hampered their development as therapeutics are now more or less effectively tackled with recent scientific and technological advancements in integrated drug discovery settings. These include recent developments in synthetic organic chemistry, high-throughput recombinant production strategies, highresolution analytical methods, high-throughput screening options, ingenious drug delivery strategies and novel formulation preparations. Here, we will briefly describe the key methodologies and strategies used in the therapeutic peptide development processes with selected examples of the most recent developments in the field. The aim of this review is to highlight the viable options a medicinal chemist may consider in order to improve a specific pharmacological property of interest in a peptide lead entity and thereby rationally assess the therapeutic potential this class of molecules possesses while they are traditionally (and incorrectly) considered ‘undruggable’.

Therapeutic Potential of Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors for Endothelial Dysfunction- Related Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (30) ◽  
pp. 3633-3651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Blanco-Rivero ◽  
Fabiano E. Xavier
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Endothelial Dysfunction ◽  
Endothelial Function ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Major Health Problem ◽  
Pde Inhibitors ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are considered a major health problem worldwide, being the main cause of mortality in developing and developed countries. Endothelial dysfunction, characterized by a decline in nitric oxide production and/or bioavailability, increased oxidative stress, decreased prostacyclin levels, and a reduction of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor is considered an important prognostic indicator of various CVD. Changes in cyclic nucleotides production and/ or signalling, such as guanosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cGMP) and adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP), also accompany many vascular disorders that course with altered endothelial function. Phosphodiesterases (PDE) are metallophosphohydrolases that catalyse cAMP and cGMP hydrolysis, thereby terminating the cyclic nucleotide-dependent signalling. The development of drugs that selectively block the activity of specific PDE families remains of great interest to the research, clinical and pharmaceutical industries. In the present review, we will discuss the effects of PDE inhibitors on CVD related to altered endothelial function, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, stroke, aging and cirrhosis. Multiple evidences suggest that PDEs inhibition represents an attractive medical approach for the treatment of endothelial dysfunction-related diseases. Selective PDE inhibitors, especially PDE3 and PDE5 inhibitors are proposed to increase vascular NO levels by increasing antioxidant status or endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression and activation and to improve the morphological architecture of the endothelial surface. Thereby, selective PDE inhibitors can improve the endothelial function in various CVD, increasing the evidence that these drugs are potential treatment strategies for vascular dysfunction and reinforcing their potential role as an adjuvant in the pharmacotherapy of CVD.

Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds for Diabetes Management: Important Advances for Drug Discovery

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kondeti Ramudu Shanmugam ◽  
Bhasha Shanmugam ◽  
Gangigunta Venkatasubbaiah ◽  
Sahukari Ravi ◽  
Kesireddy Sathyavelu Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Major Public Health Problem

Background : Diabetes is a major public health problem in the world. It affects each and every part of the human body and also leads to organ failure. Hence, great progress made in the field of herbal medicine and diabetic research. Objectives: Our review will focus on the effect of bioactive compounds of medicinal plants which are used to treat diabetes in India and other countries. Methods: Information regarding diabetes, oxidative stress, medicinal plants and bioactive compounds were collected from different search engines like Science direct, Springer, Wiley online library, Taylor and francis, Bentham Science, Pubmed and Google scholar. Data was analyzed and summarized in the review. Results and Conclusion: Anti-diabetic drugs that are in use have many side effects on vital organs like heart, liver, kidney and brain. There is an urgent need for alternative medicine to treat diabetes and their disorders. In India and other countries herbal medicine was used to treat diabetes. Many herbal plants have antidiabetic effects. The plants like ginger, phyllanthus, curcumin, aswagandha, aloe, hibiscus and curcuma showed significant anti-hyperglycemic activities in experimental models and humans. The bioactive compounds like Allicin, azadirachtin, cajanin, curcumin, querceitin, gingerol possesses anti-diabetic, antioxidant and other pharmacological properties. This review focuses on the role of bioactive compounds of medicinal plants in prevention and management of diabetes. Conclusion: Moreover, our review suggests that bioactive compounds have the potential therapeutic potential against diabetes. However, further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to validate these findings.

Integrating Bioinformatics Strategies in Cancer Immunotherapy: Current and Future Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 687-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Houda N. Washah ◽  
Elliasu Y. Salifu ◽  
Opeyemi Soremekun ◽  
Ahmed A. Elrashedy ◽  
Geraldene Munsamy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Immunotherapy ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Cell Cancer ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
The Past ◽  
Bioinformatics Tools ◽  
Treatment Paradigm ◽  
Immunotherapy Of Cancer ◽  
Significant Attention

For the past few decades, the mechanisms of immune responses to cancer have been exploited extensively and significant attention has been given into utilizing the therapeutic potential of the immune system. Cancer immunotherapy has been established as a promising innovative treatment for many forms of cancer. Immunotherapy has gained its prominence through various strategies, including cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), adoptive T cell cancer therapy, and immune checkpoint therapy. However, the full potential of cancer immunotherapy is yet to be attained. Recent studies have identified the use of bioinformatics tools as a viable option to help transform the treatment paradigm of several tumors by providing a therapeutically efficient method of cataloging, predicting and selecting immunotherapeutic targets, which are known bottlenecks in the application of immunotherapy. Herein, we gave an insightful overview of the types of immunotherapy techniques used currently, their mechanisms of action, and discussed some bioinformatics tools and databases applied in the immunotherapy of cancer. This review also provides some future perspectives in the use of bioinformatics tools for immunotherapy.

scholarly journals Small Molecule Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Entry

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 587
Author(s):  
Zhaoyu Chen ◽  
Qinghua Cui ◽  
Michael Caffrey ◽  
Lijun Rong ◽  
Ruikun Du
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Drug Target ◽  
Small Molecule Inhibitors ◽  
Virus Entry ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
The Past

Hemagglutinin (HA) plays a critical role during influenza virus receptor binding and subsequent membrane fusion process, thus HA has become a promising drug target. For the past several decades, we and other researchers have discovered a series of HA inhibitors mainly targeting its fusion machinery. In this review, we summarize the advances in HA-targeted development of small molecule inhibitors. Moreover, we discuss the structural basis and mode of action of these inhibitors, and speculate upon future directions toward more potent inhibitors of membrane fusion and potential anti-influenza drugs.

scholarly journals Flavonoids as natural phenolic compounds and their role in therapeutics: an overview

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh E. Mutha ◽  
Anilkumar U. Tatiya ◽  
Sanjay J. Surana
Keyword(s):  
Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Main Body ◽  
The Past ◽  
Secondary Chemicals ◽  
Natural Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Development And Management ◽  
Major Emphasis ◽  
Present Understanding

Abstract Background Natural plants and plant-derived formulations have been used by mankind from the ancient period of time. For the past few years, many investigations elaborated the therapeutic potential of various secondary chemicals present in the plants. Literature revealed that the various secondary metabolites, viz. phenolics and flavonoids, are responsible for a variety of therapeutic action in humans. Main body In the present review, an attempt has been made to compile the exploration of natural phenolic compounds with major emphasis on flavonoids and their therapeutic potential too. Interestingly, long-term intake of many dietary foods (rich in phenolics) proved to be protective against the development and management of diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, etc. Conclusion This review presents an overview of flavonoid compounds to use them as a potential therapeutic alternative in various diseases and disorders. In addition, the present understanding of phenolics and flavonoids will serve as the basis for the next scientific studies.

scholarly journals MicroRNAs: Biological Regulators in Pathogen–Host Interactions

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Maia Acuña ◽  
Lucile Maria Floeter-Winter ◽  
Sandra Marcia Muxel
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Small Rnas ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Biological Aspects

An inflammatory response is essential for combating invading pathogens. Several effector components, as well as immune cell populations, are involved in mounting an immune response, thereby destroying pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In the past decade, microRNAs (miRNAs), a group of noncoding small RNAs, have emerged as functionally significant regulatory molecules with the significant capability of fine-tuning biological processes. The important role of miRNAs in inflammation and immune responses is highlighted by studies in which the regulation of miRNAs in the host was shown to be related to infectious diseases and associated with the eradication or susceptibility of the infection. Here, we review the biological aspects of microRNAs, focusing on their roles as regulators of gene expression during pathogen–host interactions and their implications in the immune response against Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma, and Plasmodium infectious diseases.

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