scholarly journals Melatonin as a Potential Adjuvant Treatment for COVID-19 beyond Sleep Disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (16) ◽  
pp. 8623
Author(s):  
Adam Wichniak ◽  
Aleksander Kania ◽  
Mariusz Siemiński ◽  
Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Multiorgan Failure ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Respiratory Drive ◽  
Sleep Wake Disorders ◽  
Recommended Treatment ◽  
Ventilator Induced Lung Injury

Melatonin is registered to treat circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorders and insomnia in patients aged 55 years and over. The essential role of the circadian sleep rhythm in the deterioration of sleep quality during COVID-19 confinement and the lack of an adverse effect of melatonin on respiratory drive indicate that melatonin has the potential to be a recommended treatment for sleep disturbances related to COVID-19. This review article describes the effects of melatonin additional to its sleep-related effects, which make this drug an attractive therapeutic option for treating patients with COVID-19. The preclinical data suggest that melatonin may inhibit COVID-19 progression. It may lower the risk of the entrance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into cells, reduce uncontrolled hyper-inflammation and the activation of immune cells, limit the damage of tissues and multiorgan failure due to the action of free radicals, and reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and the risk of disability resulting from fibrotic changes within the lungs. Melatonin may also increase the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination. The high safety profile of melatonin and its potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects make this molecule a preferable drug for treating sleep disturbances in COVID-19 patients. However, randomized clinical trials are needed to verify the clinical usefulness of melatonin in the treatment of COVID-19.

Role of Interventional Radiology in the Management of Acute Cholangitis

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (03) ◽  
pp. 321-329
Author(s):  
Pouya Entezari ◽  
Jonathan A. Aguiar ◽  
Riad Salem ◽  
Ahsun Riaz
Keyword(s):  
Interventional Radiology ◽  
Biliary Drainage ◽  
Multiorgan Failure ◽  
Acute Cholangitis ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Endoscopic Drainage ◽  
Local Infection ◽  
General Management ◽  
Fatal Sepsis

AbstractAcute cholangitis presents with a wide severity spectrum and can rapidly deteriorate from local infection to multiorgan failure and fatal sepsis. The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and general management principles will be discussed in this review article. The focus of this article will be on the role of biliary drainage performed by interventional radiology to manage acute cholangitis. There are specific scenarios where percutaneous drainage should be preferred over endoscopic drainage. Percutaneous transhepatic and transjejunal biliary drainage are both options available to interventional radiology. Additionally, interventional radiology is now able to manage these patients beyond providing acute biliary drainage including cholangioplasty, stenting, and percutaneous cholangioscopy/biopsy.

Vitamin D as a Potential Therapeutic Option in Cancer Treatment: Is There a Role for Chemoprevention?

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (18) ◽  
pp. 2138-2149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Afsane Bahrami ◽  
Amirhossein Sahebkar
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Cancer Risk ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Bone Fractures ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Proliferation And Apoptosis

Background: Vitamin D (Vit D) serves as a precursor to the potent steroid hormone calcitriol, which regulates numerous genes that control homeostasis, epithelial cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Low level of Vit D is implicated in the development and progression of several diseases including bone fractures, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancers. The present review highlights the role of vitamin D in cancer with a particular emphasis on genetic variants related to Vit D metabolism as well as clinical trials of Vit D supplementation as a potential therapeutic option in the treatment of cancer patients. Methods: Data were collected following an electronic search in the Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus databases by using some keywords such as “cancer”, “tumor”, “malignancy”, “vitamin D”, “cholecalciferol” and “calcitriol”. Results: The collected evidence from the studies revealed a consistent and strong association between Vit D status and cancer risk and survival. The associations between Vit D-related genetic variants and cancer survival support the hypothesis that Vit D may affect cancer outcomes. The mechanisms whereby Vit D reduces cancer risk and increases survival are regulation of cellular differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis as well as decreased angiogenesis in tumor microenvironment and inhibition of metastasis. Conclusion: There is a paucity of evidence-based recommendations for the optimal 25(OH)D levels in patients with cancer and the role of Vit D supplementation for primary or secondary prevention of cancer. Well-designed and sufficiently powered randomized clinical trials are necessary to assess the clinical application of Vit D in enhancing the clinical efficacy of standard and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens.

Population Control (Review Article)

1961 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 89-98
Author(s):  
Karol J. Krotki
Keyword(s):  
Population Control ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Small Enterprise ◽  
Opportunity Costs ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Factual Information ◽  
Undue Influence ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Economic Considerations

Discussions about the role of small enterprise in economic development tend to remain inconclusive partly because of the difficulty of assessing the relative importance of economic and non-economic objectives and partly because of the dearth of factual information on which to base an economic calculus. It is probably true, moreover, that, because of a lack of general agreement as to the economic case for or against small enterprise, non-economic considerations, including some merely romantic attitudes toward smallness and bigness, tend to exert an undue influence on public policies. There may, of course, be no clear-cut economic case. And noneconomic considerations should and will inevitably weigh significantly in policy decisions. If, however, some of the economic questions could be settled by more and better knowledge, these decisions could more accurately reflect the opportunity costs of pursuing non-economic objectives.

Biological role of AKT, and regulation of AKT signaling pathway by thymoquinone: perspectives in cancer therapeutics

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Junaid ◽  
Yeasmin Akter ◽  
Syeda Samira Afrose ◽  
Mousumi Tania ◽  
Md. Asaduzzaman Khan
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Akt Signaling ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Therapeutic Drug ◽  
Akt Signaling Pathway ◽  
Anti Cancer

Background: AKT/PKB is an important enzyme with numerous biological functions, and its overexpression is related to the carcinogenesis. AKT stimulates different signaling pathways that are downstream of activated tyrosine kinases and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, hence functions as an important target for anti-cancer drugs. Objective: In this review article, we have interpreted the role of AKT signaling pathways in cancer and natural inhibitory effect of Thymoquinone (TQ) in AKT and its possible mechanism. Method: We have collected the updated information and data on AKT, their role in cancer and inhibitory effect of TQ in AKT signaling pathway from google scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Elsevier, Scopus and many more. Results: There are many drugs already developed, which can target AKT, but very few among them have passed clinical trials. TQ is a natural compound, mainly found in black cumin, which has been found to have potential anti-cancer activities. TQ targets numerous signaling pathways, including AKT, in different cancers. In fact, many studies revealed that AKT is one of the major targets of TQ. The preclinical success of TQ suggests its clinical studies on cancer. Conclusion: This review article summarizes the role of AKT in carcinogenesis, its potent inhibitors in clinical trials, and how TQ acts as an inhibitor of AKT and TQ’s future as a cancer therapeutic drug.

Decoding the Inter-relationship between Sleep Disorders and Alzheimer’s disease Pathogenesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeba Mueed ◽  
Pankaj Kumar Rai ◽  
Mohammad A. Kamal ◽  
Nitesh Kumar Poddar
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Sleep Disorders ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Light Therapy ◽  
Paired Helical Filaments ◽  
Bidirectional Relationship ◽  
Causative Agents

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by abnormally phosphorylated tau, paired helical filaments (PHFs), neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), deregulated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Aβ deposits, is a multifactorial disease with sleep disorders being one of the causative agents. Therefore, we have reviewed the literature and have tried to decode the existence of positive feedback, reciprocal and a bidirectional relationship allying between sleep disturbances and AD. Much light has been thrown on the role of tau pathology and amyloid pathology in sleep pathology and its association with AD pathology. We have also discussed the role of melatonin in regulating sleep disorders and AD. The neuroprotective action of melatonin via inhibiting tau hyperphosphorylation and Aβ deposition has also been pondered upon. Moreover, astrocytes involvement in aggravating AD has also been highlighted in this review. Several therapeutic approaches aimed at improving both sleep disorders and AD have been duly discussed such as administration of antidepressants and antihistamines, immunotherapy, metal chelators, melatonin supplementation, light therapy and physical activity. Despite consistent efforts, the complete etiology concerning sleep disorder and AD is still unclear. Therefore, further research is needed to unravel the mechanism involved and also to develop strategies that may help in obstructing AD in its preclinical stage.

Cholesterol and its Ayurvedic Complement – Depicting its role in Pathogenesis as well as Management of Diabetes

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Kajaria
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Modality ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Natural Properties ◽  
Lipid Balance ◽  
Vast Area

Role of cholesterol in the pathogenesis of diabetes is the emergent are of research with full of potential; it not only open a vast area of therapeutic interventions but also can change the prevailing treatment modality. Ayurveda, the Indian system of medicine materialize the concept of lipocenteric approach for the management of diabetes even thousands of years back. According to Ayurveda, the natural properties of lipid are deranged that causes diabetes. It may prove beneficial to quest the search of herbal remedies that can harmonize the lipid balance and uproot the pathogenesis. In the presenting review article, role of cholesterol in the pathogenesis of diabetes is discussed along with detailed description of Ayurvedic concepts regarding pathogenesis and a brief description of herbal management.

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