Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Formerly Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Allergy Agents) - Volume 22, Issue 2, 2023

Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii pneumonitis could persist asymptomatically for indefinite periods, resolve, or progress to symptomatic dissemination, mainly in immunocompromised individuals (e.g., treated with corticosteroids). The symptoms of COVID-19 may range from a self-limiting illness with general symptoms, such as fever, to more severe complications, such as pneumonitis. The glucocorticoids emerged as potential for treatment of COVID-19, mainly those patients who required ventilator therapy. However, although treatment with glucocorticoids has shown benefits in patients with COVID-19, they can be dangerous due to increased risk of coinfections and superinfections caused by opportunistic pathogens such as Cryptococcus ssp. Some patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated with glucocorticoids developed cryptococcal infection and died. Therefore, immunomodulatory therapy could increase the susceptibility to acute infection or reactivation of Cryptococcus ssp in COVID-19 patients, and this could be complicated once pulmonary cryptococcosis has symptoms similar to COVID-19 becomes difficult to distinguish between the two disease states and treatment.

An artificial glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties is triamcinolone acetonide. It is abundantly used to treat redness, itching, and many other skin conditions like itching and psoriasis. As a result, there are several different triamcinolone acetonide formulations available. Each of these formulations must go through the correct phases of development and validation in order to identify the medications and other additives for safer use. This review article is just a representation of all the methods reported for the development and validation of triamcinolone acetonide in pure form to break down contaminants, in addition to other medications, and even in biological samples. The International Council for Harmonization (ICH) technical requirements for human use suggestions, which include a number of analytical parameters, have been followed in the validation of all the procedures. The present study also clarified the most significant drug combination.

Background: Oral strip is very similar to thin strip of postage stamp in shape, size and thickness. The strip is designed to be placed on the tongue or any oral mucosal tissue which immediately gets wet and hydrated after being in contact with the saliva. Desloratadine is one of the better- known second-generation antihistamines that has been studied for being effective in relieving the allergic nasal and skin symptoms.Objective: The aim of this study is to develop desloratadine orodispersible film (ODF) with fast disintegration time and suitable mechanical strength to treat allergic symptoms in geriatric patients in order to increase compliance and convenience.Methods: Solvent casting method using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as the film forming polymer was applied. Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) and glycerol (Gly) were used as the plasticizers and citric acid (CA) was used as saliva stimulating agent. The resultant films were evaluated for disintegration time, folding endurance, surface pH, weight variation, thickness, surface morphology using scanning electron microscopy, drug content, content uniformity, moisture loss, moisture uptake, and drug-excipient compatibility using DSC and FT-IR. Results: All the selected films started to disintegrate in less than 14 seconds. Selected optimum films exhibited good mechanical properties with a folding endurance value greater than 100. The uniformity in weight, thickness, and drug content in the selected films was obtained. Surface pH was within the normal range (6.4 - 6.8). A smooth surface of the films was obtained and drugexcipient compatibility was proved using DSC and FT-IR. The dissolution test was done for optimum film formulations by simulating the oral cavity physiological conditions using the conventional dissolution test apparatus. More than 87% of the drug was released by the 4th minute.Conclusion: Orodispersible film of desloratadine was successfully prepared by solvent casting method in order to improve the disintegration/dissolution of the drug in oral cavity and hence better patient compliance and effective therapy.

Background: Juglone is a phenolic bioactive compound with antimicrobial, antitumour, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Given its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, it was selected for evaluation in the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) model.Objective: The current study was performed to evaluate the therapeutic impacts of the juglone in acetic acid-induced colitis in male Wistar rats.Methods: Juglone was extracted from Pterocarya fraxinifolia via maceration method. Colitis was induced in 36 male Wistar rats (n = 6), except in the sham group, 1 ml of acetic acid 4% was administered intrarectally. Twenty-four hours after induction of colitis, in 3 groups, juglone was administered orally (gavage) at 3 doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg for 2 successive days (once a day). Other groups included the control group (only treated with acetic acid), sham group (normal saline), and standard group (Dexamethasone). To evaluate the inflammation sites, macroscopic and microscopic markers were assessed. The mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-α were assessed by real-time PCR, while myeloperoxidase (MPO) was measured spectrophotometrically. ELISA assay kits were used to determine the colonic levels of SOD, ROS, NF-ΚB, and TLR-4.Results: Macroscopic and microscopic assessments revealed that juglone significantly decreased colonic tissue damage and inflammation at 150 mg/kg. Juglone at 100, 150 mg/kg significantly decreased the TNF-α, MPO, and TLR-4 levels, as well as the SOD activity. All juglone-treated groups reduced the NF-ΚB levels compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The compound decreased the IL-1β, and ROS levels at the concentration of 150 mg/kg. Juglone attenuated colitis symptoms, reduced inflammation cytokines, declined neutrophil infiltration, and suppressed IL- 1β and TNF-α expressions in acetic acid-induced colitis rats. It may be proposed that juglone improved colitis in animal model through suppression of inflammatory parameters and downregulation of the NF-ΚB-TLR-4 pathway.Conclusion: Juglone exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the experimental colitis model and could be a therapeutic candidate for IBD. Juglone should be a subject for further animal and clinical trials in IBD models and for safety concerns.

Background: The combination of two drugs may lead to better results while reducing the need for each medication.Objective: This study aimed to explore the synergistic benefits of combination therapy by suboptimal dose of niacin (Nic.) and prednisolone (Pred.) in an experimental model of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods: About 50 male Wistar rats (weighing 150 - 160 grams) were randomly divided into five groups of ten, including healthy and RA groups treated with Nic. (80 mg/kg-orally), or Pred. (2 mg/kg-orally), and/or co-administration of Nic. and Pred. (half doses with each one-orally). RA was induced by the injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the hind paw of each rat. All treatments were initiated on the fifth day following the induction and continued until day 30 post-induction.Results: The combined Nic. and Pred. at half doses promoted a significant regression in the severity of the established RA, which is more pronounced than full doses of either drug alone. Combination therapy promoted a reduction in some hematological and biochemical RA parameters, like neutral red uptake by phagocytic cells, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, and C-reactive protein, more profound than each drug alone. Combined treatment caused a greater decrease in IFN-γ expression than other treatments in the area of plantar joints. All treatments were effective in increasing the expression of the IL-10 in the area of plantar joints. Prednisolone was less effective in reducing the expression of the TNF-α in the area of plantar joints than the other group.Conclusion: This combination may be a useful approach to controlling RA.

Background: Acquired immunity plays an important role in the prevention of viral infections. SARS-CoV-2 is an infection that leads to a pandemic. The development of specific anti-SARSCoV- 2 antibodies may play a vital role in disease prevention and control. Thus IgG antibody screening in the general population provides information on the immunological status of the community.Aim: To clarify the SARS-CoV-2 immune status in the general population.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kirkuk province during the period from 15 May 2022 to 11 September 2022. The samples were collected from voluntary subjects and informed consent was taken from each participant before their enrolment in the study. SARS-CoV-2 IgG, SARSCoV- 2 IgM, 25-OH Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and Folate were determined using the Electrochemiluminescence Immunoassay (eCLIA) technique with the instrument NIPIGON-Robot R1Automated ECL Analyzer (Canada).Results: The overall IgG mean concentration was 37.75 ± 23.18 COI, with a median of 39.99 COI and a range of 0.25 - 87.23 COI. Additionally, 93% of tested samples were with concentrations of more than 1 COI. The highest frequency (18.2%) was for the IgG concentration of 51 to 60 COI, while the lowest frequency (1.3%) was for the concentration of 81 - 90 COI. The IgG was significantly higher (P = 0.046) in males (39.87 ± 24.04 COI) than that in females (35.12 ± 21.89 COI). The IgM overall concentration was 0.569 ± 0.456 COI, with a median of 0.489 COI and a range of 0.17 - 6.40 COI. The mean serum level of folic acid concentration was 9.03 ± 5.72 ng/ml, with a median of 7.476 ng/ml and a range of 0.60 - 20.00 ng/ml. The mean serum concentration of vitamin B12 was 462.65 ± 349.18 pg/ml, with a median of 353 pg/ml and a range of 13.05 - 2000 pg/ml. The mean serum concentration of vitamin D was 18.29 ± 18.42 ng/ml with a median of 12.44 ng/ml and a range of 3 - 100 ng/ml. IgG and IgM serum levels did not show a significant correlation with serum levels of folic acid, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. However, there was a significant correlation between folic acid and vitamin D (r = 0.197; P = 0.012); vitamin B12 and vitamin D (r = 0.253, P = 0.001). While there was a non-significant correlation between folic acid and vitamin D serum levels (r = 0.129, P = 0.10).Conclusion: General population IgG antibody concentration reflects a high rate of herd immunity. Folic acid was with a mean value of about half of the upper normal limit and only 17.7% were with low values. Vitamin B12, only 6.3% of the population had values lower than normal. However, the range of vitamin B12 was wide. While vitamin D values were lower than the normal limit at 82.6%. However, a large scale well designed was warranted to evaluate COVID-19 national immune response.