scholarly journals Medicinal Cannabis and Synthetic Cannabinoid Use

Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Simona Pichini ◽  
Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro ◽  
Francesco Paolo Busardò ◽  
Raffaele Giorgetti
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoids ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Biological Matrices ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Medicinal Cannabis ◽  
Harmful Effects

Cannabis products have been used for centuries by humans for recreational and medical purposes. Resent research, proposed the promising therapeutic potential of cannabis and related cannabinoids for a wide range of medical conditions, including psychiatric and neurological diseases. This Special Issue presents the latest updates on medicinal cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids pharmacology, toxicology and new analytical methods to identify and quantify these compounds in conventional and non-conventional biological matrices. Moreover, it provides current data regarding their adverse effects, safety, application for medical purposes and their harmful effects.

scholarly journals Therapeutic Potential of Diosgenin and Its Major Derivatives against Neurological Diseases: Recent Advances

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bangrong Cai ◽  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Zengtao Wang ◽  
Dujuan Xu ◽  
Yongyan Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Therapeutic Efficacy ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Therapeutic Agents ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Diosgenin (DG), a well-known steroidal sapogenin, is present abundantly in medicinal herbs such as Dioscorea rhizome, Dioscorea villosa, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Smilax China, and Rhizoma polgonati. DG is utilized as a major starting material for the production of steroidal drugs in the pharmaceutical industry. Due to its wide range of pharmacological activities and medicinal properties, it has been used in the treatment of cancers, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, and infections. Numerous studies have reported that DG is useful in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. Its therapeutic mechanisms are based on the mediation of different signaling pathways, and targeting these pathways might lead to the development of effective therapeutic agents for neurological diseases. The present review mainly summarizes recent progress using DG and its derivatives as therapeutic agents for multiple neurological disorders along with their various mechanisms in the central nervous system. In particular, those related to therapeutic efficacy for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, neuroinflammation, and ischemia are discussed. This review article also critically evaluates existing limitations associated with the solubility and bioavailability of DG and discusses imperatives for translational clinical research. It briefly recapitulates recent advances in structural modification and novel formulations to increase the therapeutic efficacy and brain levels of DG. In the present review, databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were used for studies of DG and its derivatives in the treatment of central nervous system diseases published in English until December 10, 2019. Three independent researchers examined articles for eligibility. A total of 150 articles were screened from the above scientific literature databases. Finally, a total of 46 articles were extracted and included in this review. Keywords related to glioma, ischemia, memory, aging, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer, Parkinson, and neurodegenerative disorders were searched in the databases based on DG and its derivatives.

Research on the Economic Organization Environmental Impact

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-601
Author(s):  
Dan Paul Stefanescu ◽  
Oana Roxana Chivu ◽  
Claudiu Babis ◽  
Augustin Semenescu ◽  
Alina Gligor
Keyword(s):  
Economic Activity ◽  
Economic Organization ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Environmental Implications ◽  
Minimal Impact ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Material Environment ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Harmful Effects

Any economic activity carried out by an organization, can generate a wide range of environmental implications. Particularly important, must be considered the activities that have a significant negative effect on the environment, meaning those which pollute. Being known the harmful effects of pollution on the human health, the paper presents two models of utmost importance, one of the material environment-economy interactions balance and the other of the material flows between environmental factors and socio-economic activities. The study of these models enable specific conditions that must be satisfied for the economic processes friendly coexist to the environment for long term, meaning to have a minimal impact in that the residues resulting from the economic activity of the organization to be as less harmful to the environment.

Nanoparticles Functionalized with Venom-Derived Peptides and Toxins for Pharmaceutical Applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana P. dos Santos ◽  
Tamara G. de Araújo ◽  
Gandhi Rádis-Baptista
Keyword(s):  
Oral Absorption ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Pharmacological Activities ◽  
Venom Peptides ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Direct Use ◽  
Animal Venoms ◽  
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Venom-derived peptides display diverse biological and pharmacological activities, making them useful in drug discovery platforms and for a wide range of applications in medicine and pharmaceutical biotechnology. Due to their target specificities, venom peptides have the potential to be developed into biopharmaceuticals to treat various health conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic pain. Despite the high potential for drug development, several limitations preclude the direct use of peptides as therapeutics and hamper the process of converting venom peptides into pharmaceuticals. These limitations include, for instance, chemical instability, poor oral absorption, short halflife, and off-target cytotoxicity. One strategy to overcome these disadvantages relies on the formulation of bioactive peptides with nanocarriers. A range of biocompatible materials are now available that can serve as nanocarriers and can improve the bioavailability of therapeutic and venom-derived peptides for clinical and diagnostic application. Examples of isolated venom peptides and crude animal venoms that have been encapsulated and formulated with different types of nanomaterials with promising results are increasingly reported. Based on the current data, a wealth of information can be collected regarding the utilization of nanocarriers to encapsulate venom peptides and render them bioavailable for pharmaceutical use. Overall, nanomaterials arise as essential components in the preparation of biopharmaceuticals that are based on biological and pharmacological active venom-derived peptides.

Cardiovascular Modulating Effects of Magnolol and Honokiol, Two Polyphenolic Compounds from Traditional Chinese Medicine-Magnolia Officinalis

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 559-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Yuan ◽  
Xiaocui Zhou ◽  
Yuanyuan Wang ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Xiangyan Teng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Chinese Medicine ◽  
Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Polyphenolic Compounds ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Magnolia Officinalis

Honokiol and its isomer magnolol are poly-phenolic compounds isolated from the Magnolia officinalis that exert cardiovascular modulating effects via a variety of mechanisms. They are used as blood-quickening and stasis-dispelling agents in Traditional Chinese Medicine and confirmed to have therapeutic potential in atherosclerosis, thrombosis, hypertension, and cardiac hypertrophy. This comprehensive review summarizes the current data regarding the cardioprotective mechanisms of those compounds and identifies areas for further research.

Isoform-Selective PI3K Inhibitors for Various Diseases

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 1074-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rammohan R.Y. Bheemanaboina
Keyword(s):  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Type I ◽  
Selective Inhibitors ◽  
Pi3k Inhibitors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Lipid Kinases ◽  
Isoform Selectivity

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of ubiquitously distributed lipid kinases that control a wide variety of intracellular signaling pathways. Over the years, PI3K has emerged as an attractive target for the development of novel pharmaceuticals to treat cancer and various other diseases. In the last five years, four of the PI3K inhibitors viz. Idelalisib, Copanlisib, Duvelisib, and Alpelisib were approved by the FDA for the treatment of different types of cancer and several other PI3K inhibitors are currently under active clinical development. So far clinical candidates are non-selective kinase inhibitors with various off-target liabilities due to cross-reactivities. Hence, there is a need for the discovery of isoform-selective inhibitors with improved efficacy and fewer side-effects. The development of isoform-selective inhibitors is essential to reveal the unique functions of each isoform and its corresponding therapeutic potential. Although the clinical effect and relative benefit of pan and isoformselective inhibition will ultimately be determined, with the development of drug resistance and the demand for next-generation inhibitors, it will continue to be of great significance to understand the potential mechanism of isoform-selectivity. Because of the important role of type I PI3K family members in various pathophysiological processes, isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors may ultimately have considerable efficacy in a wide range of human diseases. This review summarizes the progress of isoformselective PI3K inhibitors in preclinical and early clinical studies for anticancer and other various diseases.

scholarly journals What If the ‘Anthropocene’ Is Not Formalized as a New Geological Series/Epoch?

Quaternary ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentí Rull
Keyword(s):  
Present State ◽  
Executive Committee ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Environmental Sciences ◽  
International Union ◽  
Quaternary Stratigraphy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Geological Sciences

In the coming years, the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) will submit its proposal on the ‘Anthropocene’ to the Subcommission of Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) and the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) for approval. If approved, the proposal will be sent to the Executive Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) for ratification. If the proposal is approved and ratified, then the ‘Anthropocene’ will be formalized. Currently, the ‘Anthropocene’ is a broadly used term and concept in a wide range of scientific and non-scientific situations, and, for many, the official acceptance of this term is only a matter of time. However, the AWG proposal, in its present state, seems to not fully meet the requirements for a new chronostratigraphic unit. This essay asks what could happen if the current ‘Anthropocene’ proposal is not formalized by the ICS/IUGS. The possible stratigraphic alternatives are evaluated on the basis of the more recent literature and the personal opinions of distinguished AWG, SQS, and ICS members. The eventual impact on environmental sciences and on non-scientific sectors, where the ‘Anthropocene’ seems already firmly rooted and de facto accepted as a new geological epoch, are also discussed. This essay is intended as the editorial introduction to a Quaternary special issue on the topic.

scholarly journals Frequency of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies in a large cohort of neurological patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205521732110227
Author(s):  
Friederike Held ◽  
Sudhakar Reddy Kalluri ◽  
Achim Berthele ◽  
Ana-Katharina Klein ◽  
Markus Reindl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
External Validation ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein ◽  
Large Cohort ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Neurological Patients ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Nosological Entity

Background Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody disease (MOG-AD) is recognized as a distinct nosological entity. IgG antibodies against MOG (MOG-Ab) overlap with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) phenotype in adults. However, an increasing number of clinical phenotypes have been reported to be associated with MOG-Ab. Objective To investigate the seroprevalence of MOG-Ab under consideration of demographics, disease entities and time course in a large cohort of unselected neurological patients. Methods Blood samples of 2.107 consecutive adult neurologic patients admitted to our department between 2016-2017 were tested for MOG-Ab using a cell-based assay. MOG-Ab persistence was analyzed in follow-up samples. External validation was performed in two independent laboratories. Results We found MOG-Ab in 25 of 2.107 (1.2%) patients. High antibody ratios were mostly associated with NMOSD and MOG-AD phenotype (5/25). Low ratios occurred in a wide range of neurological diseases, predominantly in other demyelinating CNS diseases (5/25) and stroke (6/25). MOG-Ab persistence over time was not confined to NMOSD and MOG-AD phenotype. Conclusion The present study demonstrates the occurrence of MOG-Ab in a wide range of neurological diseases. Only high MOG-Ab ratios were associated with a defined clinical phenotype, but low MOG-Ab ratios were not. The diagnostic value of low MOG-Ab is thus highly limited.

scholarly journals Bioactive potential of natural biomaterials: identification, retention and assessment of biological properties

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieran Joyce ◽  
Georgina Targa Fabra ◽  
Yagmur Bozkurt ◽  
Abhay Pandit
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Biological Assessment ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Natural Polymers ◽  
Drug Delivery Device ◽  
Biomedical Device ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bioactive Potential

AbstractBiomaterials have had an increasingly important role in recent decades, in biomedical device design and the development of tissue engineering solutions for cell delivery, drug delivery, device integration, tissue replacement, and more. There is an increasing trend in tissue engineering to use natural substrates, such as macromolecules native to plants and animals to improve the biocompatibility and biodegradability of delivered materials. At the same time, these materials have favourable mechanical properties and often considered to be biologically inert. More importantly, these macromolecules possess innate functions and properties due to their unique chemical composition and structure, which increase their bioactivity and therapeutic potential in a wide range of applications. While much focus has been on integrating these materials into these devices via a spectrum of cross-linking mechanisms, little attention is drawn to residual bioactivity that is often hampered during isolation, purification, and production processes. Herein, we discuss methods of initial material characterisation to determine innate bioactivity, means of material processing including cross-linking, decellularisation, and purification techniques and finally, a biological assessment of retained bioactivity of a final product. This review aims to address considerations for biomaterials design from natural polymers, through the optimisation and preservation of bioactive components that maximise the inherent bioactive potency of the substrate to promote tissue regeneration.

scholarly journals Robust Step Detection from Different Waist-Worn Sensor Positions: Implications for Clinical Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-58
Author(s):  
Matthias  Tietsch ◽  
Amir Muaremi ◽  
Ieuan Clay ◽  
Felix Kluge ◽  
Holger Hoefling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Study ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Human Gait ◽  
Robust Solution ◽  
Step Detection ◽  
Study Protocols ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Analyzing human gait with inertial sensors provides valuable insights into a wide range of health impairments, including many musculoskeletal and neurological diseases. A representative and reliable assessment of gait requires continuous monitoring over long periods and ideally takes place in the subjects’ habitual environment (real-world). An inconsistent sensor wearing position can affect gait characterization and influence clinical study results, thus clinical study protocols are typically highly proscriptive, instructing all participants to wear the sensor in a uniform manner. This restrictive approach improves data quality but reduces overall adherence. In this work, we analyze the impact of altering the sensor wearing position around the waist on sensor signal and step detection. We demonstrate that an asymmetrically worn sensor leads to additional odd-harmonic frequency components in the frequency spectrum. We propose a robust solution for step detection based on autocorrelation to overcome sensor position variation (sensitivity = 0.99, precision = 0.99). The proposed solution reduces the impact of inconsistent sensor positioning on gait characterization in clinical studies, thus providing more flexibility to protocol implementation and more freedom to participants to wear the sensor in the position most comfortable to them. This work is a first step towards truly position-agnostic gait assessment in clinical settings.

scholarly journals Phytotoxicity and Other Adverse Effects on the In Vitro Shoot Cultures Caused by Virus Elimination Treatments: Reasons and Solutions

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 670
Author(s):  
Katalin Magyar-Tábori ◽  
Nóra Mendler-Drienyovszki ◽  
Alexandra Hanász ◽  
László Zsombik ◽  
Judit Dobránszki
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Physiological Condition ◽  
Harmful Effect ◽  
Shoot Cultures ◽  
Virus Elimination ◽  
In Vitro Shoots ◽  
Further Development ◽  
In Vitro Shoot Cultures ◽  
Harmful Effects

In general, in vitro virus elimination is based on the culture of isolated meristem, and in addition thermotherapy, chemotherapy, electrotherapy, and cryotherapy can also be applied. During these processes, plantlets suffer several stresses, which can result in low rate of survival, inhibited growth, incomplete development, or abnormal morphology. Even though the in vitro cultures survive the treatment, further development can be inhibited; thus, regeneration capacity of treated in vitro shoots or explants play also an important role in successful virus elimination. Sensitivity of genotypes to treatments is very different, and the rate of destruction largely depends on the physiological condition of plants as well. Exposure time of treatments affects the rate of damage in almost every therapy. Other factors such as temperature, illumination (thermotherapy), type and concentration of applied chemicals (chemo- and cryotherapy), and electric current intensity (electrotherapy) also may have a great impact on the rate of damage. However, there are several ways to decrease the harmful effect of treatments. This review summarizes the harmful effects of virus elimination treatments applied on tissue cultures reported in the literature. The aim of this review is to expound the solutions that can be used to mitigate phytotoxic and other adverse effects in practice.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document