Effects of imidazoline agents in a rat conditioned place preference model of addiction

Agmatine (AG), idazoxan (IDZ), and efaroxan (EFR) are imidazoline receptor ligands with beneficial effects in central nervous system disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the interaction between AG, IDZ, and EFR with an opiate, tramadol (TR), in a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. In the experiment, we used five groups with 8 adult male Wistar rats each. During the condition session, on days 2, 4, 6, and 8, the rats received the drugs (saline, or TR, or IDZ and TR, or EFR and TR, or AG and TR) and were placed in their least preferred compartment. On days 1, 3, 5, and 7, the rats received saline in the preferred compartment. In the preconditioning, the preferred compartment was determined. In the postconditioning, the preference for one of the compartments was reevaluated. TR increased the time spent in the non-preferred compartment. AG decreased time spent in the TR-paired compartment. EFR, more than IDZ, reduced the time spent in the TR-paired compartment, but without statistical significance. AG reversed the TR-induced CPP, while EFR and IDZ only decreased the time spent in the TR-paired compartment, without statistical significance.

Congenital Tarsal Kink Syndrome: Literature Review and Case Report

Background: The congenital tarsal kink syndrome is a rare form of congenital upper eyelid entropion associated with cardiovascular, musculoskeletal or central nervous system disorders. This syndrome must be recognized and surgically treated as a perinatal emergency to avoid associated complications—corneal ulcer, corneal leucoma, secondary amblyopia and decreased vision among children. Methods: A literature review was conducted to clarify the diagnosis particularities and the corrective surgery options of the congenital entropion on the upper eyelid. Results: Four relevant studies were found by researching the Web of Science and PubMed databases up to November 2021 for “congenital tarsal kink syndrome” and “congenital upper eyelid entropion”. Conclusions: In this paper, we present a case of congenital unilateral entropion of the upper left eyelid in the context of a tarsal kink syndrome in a one-month old infant, manifested by the absence of eyelashes on the upper eyelid of the left eye, hyperlacrimation and conjunctival hyperemia. Essential in managing the upper eyelid entropion is protecting the cornea. Furthermore, correcting a tarsal kink is eminently surgical, choosing between open or closed procedures. Herein, we address the difficulty in the timely diagnosis of this uncommon condition and make formal recommendations based on all reported cases.

Plant-Derived Compounds and Their Potential Role in Drug Development

This article describes how with the development of biotechnology, plants have gained again a prominent place as a relatively inexpensive source for the creation of recombinant pharmaceuticals. Plant-derived compounds have started playing a major role in the pharmaceutical industry with many plant-based products to have found their way in drugs and chemicals used for the treatment of different diseases and their symptoms. Plant-derived compounds have been tested for the treatment of several types of cancer, Central Nervous System disorders, as enhancers during chemotherapy and as vessels for targeted drug delivery. Genetically modified plant cells have been recruited for the production of therapeutic agencies as well as in the creation of expression systems for virus-like particles that could be used as vaccines. Moreover, microRNAs mimicking the plant ones have the ability to inhibit tumors in mammalian cells. This review describes plant-derived compounds and their properties as potential therapeutic agents and precursors for the development of novel drugs in the pharmaceutical industry.

Central Nervous System Disorders Associated To Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

: New therapies and alternatives for the containment of tumor progression are being proposed for the treatment of cancer. In this context, monoclonal therapies using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) come as a therapeutic proposal. They are responsible for immunological control by blocking PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 molecules. However, among the effects caused by therapy, the use of medications is associated with neurological diseases reported as an adverse effect, affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and causing a wide range of symptoms. In this regard, the present bibliographic review presents the main CNS disorders associated with this therapy, in addition to the incidence, symptoms and treatment of these diseases.

Metallothionein 1: A New Spotlight on Inflammatory Diseases

MT1 has been demonstrated to be an essential stress protein in maintaining physiological balance and regulating immune homeostasis. While the immunological involvement of MT1 in central nervous system disorders and cancer has been extensively investigated, mounting evidence suggests that MT1 has a broader role in inflammatory diseases and can shape innate and adaptive immunity. In this review, we will first summarize the biological features of MT1 and the regulators that influence MT1 expression, emphasizing metal, inflammation, and immunosuppressive factors. We will then focus on the immunoregulatory function of MT1 on diverse immune cells and the signaling pathways regulated by MT1. Finally, we will discuss recent advances in our knowledge of the biological role of MT1 in several inflammatory diseases to develop novel therapeutic strategies.