Current Drug Research Reviews - Volume 17, Issue 2, 2025

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease characterized by degeneration of cartilage or wear and tear. OA is a cause of disability and health issues. It is a disease that affects more than 500 million adults annually worldwide, of which India accounts for about 22 to 39% of OA patients. The most common type of osteoarthritis is knee OA. Pathogenesis of OA requires evolution in basic science and clinical research to enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis and as well as different treatment options. It is mainly classified as primary and secondary OA. The treatment for OA can only reduce the symptoms and cannot cure the disease itself, including pharmacological treatment, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acting on COX1 (cyclooxygenase 1) and COX2 (cyclooxygenase 2) enzymes. Non-pharmacological treatments for OA include exercise like walking, and aerobic exercise, diet, weight loss, hot and cold therapy, as well as electrotherapy, which improves muscle strength and decreases joint pain. Surgical treatment is the last treatment option for OA patients, which includes arthroscopy and joint replacement therapy. Thus, necessary precautions should be taken for joints to be healthy and disease-free.

Adolescence is an immature but adventurous time period of exploration. Due to rapid developments of the brain with unbalanced release of neurotransmitters, adolescents are prone to impulsivity that may carry out potentially dangerous behaviors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of high school students have reported the use of cannabis or marijuana in 2019, and the trend has not declined since. Previous studies have shown that cannabis not only affects cognitive and social behaviors, but also produces psychological responses to stress. In this review, we have summarized recent studies on cannabis-produced effects during the unique period of adolescent development, and we have also briefly discussed the legalization of cannabis. Though there are slight differences between cannabis and marijuana, the major active component of them is tetrahydrocannabinol. We have used the term “cannabis” in this review. Cannabis use in adolescents causes structural and functional changes in the brain, increasing the probability of depression, which is also associated with other illicit substance use, and impairs education achievement. Given that cannabis use can cause detrimental harm to adolescents, it is suggested that adolescents should generally avoid using cannabis in a recreational manner. More preclinical and clinical studies are needed to provide detailed information for evidence-based decisions.

Pharmaceutical excipients play a crucial role in determining the outcome of delivered therapeutic cargo density. By far, polymers have captured the biggest share in the excipients market. This surge in demand motivated researchers to look for newer and novel polymeric platforms. Interpenetrating polymeric networks (IPN) are a class of polymer in the same polymer blend league, where two different polymer chains penetrate; and align with each other without any sustainable covalent bond. The novel agreement between the polymer chains equips the IPN with the characteristic features of each participating polymer unit, thus making IPN superior to its predecessors. IPN has crossed a long path, especially in the pharmaceutical medicine field, from the mere coinage of the term to widespread usage, especially in drug delivery, where they increased the bioavailability and efficacy of the co-delivered drugs. The current review will highlight the major studies that have led to the current face of the IPN in various pharmaceutical domains. The present review was conducted by comprehensively reviewing published reports within the recent period using multiple keywords related to IPN and its role in drug delivery. Moving forward, continued exploration and innovation in IPN technologies promise to further enhance their applications, offering novel solutions for the challenges in drug delivery and therapeutic cargo density.

The global health of individuals is severely threatened by drug-resistant microorganisms. Existing antibiotics available in the market, such as penicillin, cephalosporins, new β-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, lincomycin, and quinolones, are losing their effectiveness due to overuse and inappropriate prescribing, among other factors. This situation underscores the urgent need to develop new antimicrobial agents. In response to this challenge, attention has been directed towards natural products derived from plants, which have been utilized for their medicinal benefits over an extended period. Various studies have demonstrated that plant-based natural products exhibit antibacterial action against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, making them potential candidates for the development of novel antimicrobial medicines. Plants belonging to classes, such as alkaloids, organosulfur compounds, terpenoids, coumarin, and polyphenols have been found to possess antimicrobial properties. This paper reviews the antimicrobial activity of plant-based natural products, whether used alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics. Additionally, the paper explores their mechanisms against drug-resistant bacteria, the potential development of resistance against them, their current role in medicine, and their future perspectives.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease affecting the lungs and the respiratory system that carries along a high fatality rate with no specific therapeutic approaches, making it a disorder sometimes termed as incurable. There have been various researches elaborating on the potential treatment and formulation approaches. Therapeutically effective drugs, new molecules, potential drug targets and novel delivery approaches have been identified. Recent findings suggest galectin-3 as a potential target to alleviate the condition by inhibition of the lectin. Certain molecules of galectin-3 have been discovered as promising therapeutic agents. These drug molecules have been administered either orally or through inhalation, and as of now, there is no candidate in the market to pose as a treatment for pulmonary fibrosis. There is a wide window to research and find novel dosage forms for the drug molecules to be presented as an efficacious and tolerable drug therapy against pulmonary fibrosis.

Emulgel is considered an advanced leading form of topical drug delivery system. It possesses the quality of a dual control drug mechanism for drug release as it holds the properties of both gel as well as emulsion. Emulgel is capable of overcoming the problems of the conventional route of topical drug delivery, like low spreadability and stickiness with the delivery of hydrophobic drugs, enhanced bioavailability at the local site of action, no greasy texture, and ensuring patient compliance. An emulsion is used either w/o or o/w, and the drug can be incorporated into the suitable phase of the emulsion. After that, the emulsion is incorporated into the gel phase. Several factors like oil phase, gelling agent, and emulsifier can affect the efficacy and stability. This advancement is beneficial not only for dermatology but also for cosmetology as well. Currently, emulgel-based formulations are used for the delivery of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-acne, and antifungal drugs with a wide array of exploration.

Chalcone derivatives continue to captivate medicinal chemists due to their modest chemistry, facile synthetic method, and promising biological activities. They have become well-known in the therapeutic and pharmaceutical industries due to their diverse biological actions. These complexes offer different features and applications in a human biological system due to the flexibility of the reactions, including antimicrobial, antineoplastic, antimalarial, and other uses. As a result, chalcones have sparked much attention in malignancy research. Cancer is characterized by uncontrollably growing and spreading abnormal cells and aberrant cell behavior. These masses destroy surrounding normal tissue and can attack vital organs, leading to widespread disease. Cancer is frequently used as a warning sign for impending patient death. In the age of pharmaceutical chemistry, it is unavoidably a cause for concern and a growing weight on the populace. The pathophysiology of all malignancies is due to faulty genes that regulate the development, division, and death of cells. Various genetic and environmental variables combine to cause mutations in genes encoding essential cell-regulatory proteins, leading to the numerous alterations that characterize the evolution of cancers. Rather than directly targeting DNA synthesis, the new generation of anticancer medications target signals that promote or control the cell cycle, growth factors and their receptors, signal transduction pathways, and pathways impacting DNA repair and death. Drug hunters are focusing their attention on chalcone derivatives with varying chemical structures since they are essential in the search for anticancer drugs. Chalcone's anticancer action may be attributed to molecular changes such as drug efflux protein activities, activation of apoptosis, DNA and mitochondrial damage, inhibition of angiogenesis, tubulin inhibition, and kinase inhibition. Chalcones are used to diagnose cancer as well. The development of chalcone congeners as a prodrug or prime chemical to combat cancer necessitates a thorough investigation. This review gives an update on the different pharmacological activities of natural and synthesized chalcones in recent years. Furthermore, the structure-activity connections and processes are extensively documented, providing essential design and synthesis assistance in the future.

Iatrogenic diseases, also referred to as drug-induced diseases (DIDs), represent a recognized yet inadequately investigated phenomenon that may result in enduring afflictions, hospital admissions, pharmacological interventions, protracted pharmaceutical reliance, and health complications. In the contemporary era of personalized medicine, it is imperative for prescribers to remain abreast of the dynamic advancements in the field of toxicology. Iatrogenic disorders may manifest as a result of medical interventions, including diagnostic procedures, therapeutic interventions, or preventative measures. Key factors to be taken into consideration encompass the patient's chronological age, dietary patterns, genetic predisposition, pre-existing medical conditions, diminished host response mechanisms, and pharmacological tolerance. Teratogenicity pertains to the prevalence of congenital anomalies and disorders resulting from exposure to teratogenic agents, environmental influences, and pharmacological interventions. The primary objective of this review is to provide individuals with comprehensive knowledge regarding the potential risks associated with iatrogenic diseases, thereby facilitating the prevention of unforeseen adverse outcomes.

It is a known fact that Alzheimer's disease causes degeneration of the central nervous system, which progresses and causes memory loss as well as loss of cognition. For many years, extensive research has been undertaken to find out newer possibilities to fight this disease at a molecular level along with many long-standing and expensive clinical trials. Many scientific research programs have either been discarded or unsuccessful. However, the research has not stopped and in the process, many heterocyclic scaffolds have been tried to build up novel drug molecules to combat this disease. A literature survey reveals that many heterocycles have been explored and were found to be very useful in treating many neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinsonism and a few more. This review explains the journey and highlights the various strategies to develop new anti-Alzheimer drug candidates. It is a concise and rigorous literature excerpt involving research findings on heterocyclic scaffolds for treating this disease.