Current Drug Therapy - Volume 20, Issue 5, 2025

Mpox is an emerging zoonotic viral infection caused by the Monkeypox virus that has become a global health threat. Though vaccines for smallpox are available and used, therapeutics are scarce for Mpox, and increasing drug-resistant strains are found. Among recent advances in antiviral therapy, amphiphilic small molecules have been found, which could potentially serve as inhibitors of viral replication. This editorial describes the challenges presented by the Mpox virus as it evolves over time and delves deeper into more recent studies based on computational drug design and nanoassembly. In this regard, small amphiphilic molecules have established their potential to inhibit viral entry and replication through interaction with viral envelope proteins. This editorial also describes the current state of research into such small molecules. It underlines their promise in the potential struggle against Mpox and explores their mechanisms of action, therapeutic efficacy, and prospects for clinical application.

Currently, studies on various natural products that aid in wound healing have seen significant growth. Betulin and its derivative, betulinic acid, are triterpenes abundant in the leaves and barks of certain species, such as birch, which has been of particular interest. Clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated their ability to accelerate wound healing, as well as other properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory action, and anti-cancer properties, and beneficial effects on HIV, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disorders. However, further research focusing exclusively on betulin and betulinic acid is needed to better understand its therapeutic potential and develop new medications for effective management. These advancements could greatly enhance the treatment of wounds, skin lesions and other diseases, offering more effective and safer therapeutic options to improve the quality of life of the population.

Seaweeds are regarded as an important and alternative source of bioactive metabolites. It has recently come to the attention of researchers that marine algae have important physiologically active metabolites capable of displaying a range of biological activities, and the compounds extracted from seaweeds are known to target key molecules that control the processes leading to cancer. Cancer is one of the most common and potentially fatal diseases worldwide. It is characterised by uncontrolled proliferation of cells and tumour development. Every year, the global cancer burden is increasing progressively as a result of the ability of cancer cells to acquire resistance against existing chemotherapeutic drugs. Thus, there is a need to develop new drugs that could hamper this process leading to cancer. Marine-derived natural bioactive compounds pose as major potential candidates to develop such molecules. Portieria hornemannii, a marine macroalgae belonging to the group Rhodophyta found in coastal plains of Indo-Pacific regions, has shown the presence of a variety of bioactive compounds that show significant anticancer activities and antioxidant properties. A number of chemical compounds are found in this species, which results in the macroalgae having significant anticancer activity. Therefore, the primary focus of the review is to highlight the bioactive compounds found in P. hornemannii that exhibit such anticancer potential.

Diabetic Neuropathy (DN) stands as one of the most deleterious consequences of prolonged hyperglycemia, affecting an estimated 50% of individuals with diabetes during their lifetime. Despite the prominent role of oxidative stress and inflammatory pathogenesis in DN, its precise etiology remains elusive. This study explores the recent strides in the field of plant interventions for DN, shedding light on promising avenues while navigating through existing challenges.

A comprehensive search of the literature was carried out using keywords related to diabetes mellitus, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, herbal medicine, plant extracts, phytoconstituents, and diabetic complications. The search was conducted across different reputable scientific databases, including Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and others.

It has been observed that the antioxidant properties of plants and plant-derived constituents, especially the phenolic constituents, coupled with their impact on inflammatory cytokines, opioid receptors, nerve conduction velocity, and glial activation, exhibited potential in ameliorating impaired nerve function through modulation of oxidative stress markers. Behavioral parameters, including mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, allodynia, and tactile allodynia, demonstrated notable improvement following the oral administration of these plant interventions in in vivo animal models. Despite the promising outcomes, challenges persist, encompassing a limited understanding of precise mechanisms, variability in study designs, and a dearth of robust clinical evidence.

The study underscores the imperative for comprehensive research, standardization, and rigorous clinical testing to fully unlock the therapeutic potential of herbal interventions in the management of DN.

A faulty cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductor regulator gene causes the hereditary disease. This causes pulmonary symptoms and pancreatic insufficiency, malnutrition, liver illness, and CF-related diabetes. The assumption is fibrotic growth destroys islets. The article aims to review cystic fibrosis-related diabetes to cover previous findings, contemporary breakthroughs, and future research plans. We conducted a comprehensive literature survey on CFRD's clinical manifestations, monitoring, and analysis, as well as its diagnosis and management. A few theories, such as the deletion of phenylalanine at amino acid position 508, relate pancreatic dysfunction to cystic fibrosis. A study of 950 cord blood samples in India found 1:40000 CF newborns. Many groups and foundations recommend CF diabetic diagnosis criteria. They include oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), HbA1c, and fasting hyperglycemia. Recently, fructosamine and glycated albumin have also used to diagnose hyperglycemia in Cystic fibrosis. The accuracy of OGTT and CGM makes them valuable diagnostic tools, with OGTT being the standard. CFRD causes pulmonary decline, malnutrition, microvascular issues, and death. Dietary control, which should be high in calories, protein, fat, salt, and carbohydrates, and physical activity are key CF treatments. Numerous pathophysiological pathways cause diabetes, however, insulin is still the best therapy. Drugs and tools are available to improve insulin treatment. Other therapies include metformin, repaglinide, GLP-1 agonists, and DPP-4 inhibitors.

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological condition that is becoming increasingly common and is typified by dementia. Drug development for AD is a major issue with a startlingly high failure rate despite a marked increase in the frequency of the disease linked to genetic factors. As AD is the most common neurological illness and contributes to both the high patient burden and the cost of healthcare, this issue must be addressed.

The current manuscript aims to focus on the current treatment approaches of newer drugs under clinical trials of Alzheimer’s disease by targeting the various pathological pathways that are involved in AD.

Data provided in this review are from literature surveys and ongoing clinical trials from reputed search engines like PubMed, ResearchGate, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, as well as from various respected authors and—registered websites such as memory.ucsf.edu/genetics/familial-Alzheimer’s-disease and https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

There are diverse forms of drugs and multiple pathways on which many advancements and clinical trials have been conductedand are undergoing. Various investigations and studies are going on.

There are different pathogenesis of AD, such as Tau, vascular, Amyloid β, estrogen deficiency, and the role of gut microbiota in AD. Donepezil, Rivastigmine, etc., are currently used for treatment, and certain drugs are in different stages of clinical trials, such as ANI792, ACC-001, CAD106 &ABvac40, and it is concluded that after successful trials of the new drugs, they can be used for the treatment of AD with maximum benefits and less side effect.

Emulsomes have gained attention because they are a novel lipoidal vesicular system that has an internal solid fat core surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer. Cancer is a complex and broad term that refers to a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. In the context of cancer targeting, emulsomes have shown promising potential due to their ability to improve the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of anticancer drugs, leading to enhanced therapeutic efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity.

This article addresses emulsomal composition, preparation techniques, and different kinds of emulsomes loaded with drugs like fluvastatin and raloxifene hydrochloride to target cancer cells. The use of emulsomes in cancer targeting holds great promise for improving the precision, efficacy, and safety of cancer treatments.

A comprehensive search of relevant scientific literature was performed. This involved searching databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and others to identify relevant studies, articles, and reviews related to the topic.

Emulsomes loaded with specific drugs show promising results in cancer treatment. Examples include piceatannol-loaded emulsomes for colon cancer, raloxifene hydrochloride-loaded emulsomes for breast cancer, and fluvastatin-loaded emulsomes for prostate cancer.

Emulsomes represent a cutting-edge approach to cancer drug delivery, offering a versatile and effective solution to address challenges associated with traditional anticancer formulations. Ongoing research holds promise for the continued development of personalized cancer therapy.

The hair is a distinguishing feature of animals that has several functions, such as providing warmth, providing protection, facilitating sweating and pheromone evaporation, providing sensory stimulation, and, in certain situations, acting as color-based camouflage. Hair grooming and styling have progressed significantly over the years, and modern hair treatments primarily focus on enhancing hair quality. However, standard active ingredients in formulations display suboptimal performance, and some may present toxicity issues, demanding a stronger formulation design that is appropriate for performance and safety. The need for natural ingredients, such as macromolecules and biomolecules sourced from plants, animals, and marine environments, is increasing among consumers. The favorable benefits induced by including lipid-rich components in Personal Care Products (PCP) formulations are regarded as valuable elements. A lipid-based preparation is specifically employed for innovative medicine-targeted distribution of bioactive substances among all medication administration strategies. The distribution of LBDDS transdermally and topically is exciting since the lipid bilayer might enter the uppermost layer of skin with ease and release medicine in a regulated way. It offers benefits in terms of stability, bioacceptability, and biodegradability, as well as receptor-mediated fast absorption by the particular site. Various lipid-based formulations for hair care therapy have been created, showing some improvement in hair care. This review focuses on several lipid-based formulations for hair care therapy, including their thorough mechanism of action, efficacy on hair care, patents, obstacles, and future prospects, along with the challenges and future prospects in the hair care industry.

Paracellular transport is the movement of pharmaceuticals across biological membranes, which acts as a major barrier to drug delivery and sometimes limits the efficacy of therapeutic agents. Liposomes and other lipid vesicles have emerged as one of the most promising pharmaceutical carriers because of their inherent biocompatibility and ability to trap both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs. Drug release and, hence, permeation through the target membranes for drug delivery is often blocked by the steadily impermeable nature of the lipid bilayers. This work aims to increase the permeability of membranes by using terpenes, an extensive and diverse class of natural compounds, as additives in lipid vesicles. Moreover, it is believed that terpenes can disrupt the lipid bilayer structure, thereby enhancing drug release and increasing the transport of drugs across biological barriers. In this review, we examine how terpenes can enhance the permeability of lipid vesicles and their implications for drug delivery. There are various mechanisms through which terpenes interact with lipid bilayers, including factors that can affect the efficacy of terpenes.

Additionally, we explore the diverse array of terpenes studied for this purpose. We will discuss recent advances in terpene-modified lipid vesicles in relation to the delivery of different drugs, especially anticancer drugs, peptides, and proteins. The review will highlight some of the challenges and possible future directions for that most exciting epiphany.

Recent research has introduced numerous nano-drug delivery technologies into the biomedical field, with carbon dots (CDs) standing out as a significant breakthrough in nanomaterials. Known as “emerging light” due to their unique structural features and adaptability, CDs are a particular type of carbon-based nanoparticle. These characteristics make CDs highly versatile and attractive for a wide range of applications, including biosensing, bioimaging, and drug delivery. The remarkable properties of CDs have made them central to nanotechnology and medical research. Their effective electron transferability and photo-blinking effects enhance their efficiency in imaging and sensing applications, ensuring safety for use in biological systems. CDs also exhibit a high photoluminescent quantum yield, making them highly efficient light emitters. Their exceptional resistance to photobleaching and photo-decomposition extends their usefulness in long-term applications. Additionally, CDs possess strong electrocatalytic activity, excellent water solubility, and long-term chemical stability, making them both effective and durable. Their low toxicity and cost-effectiveness further enhance their suitability for widespread use. CDs' high surface area-to-volume ratio increases their utility in various applications. Recent advancements have highlighted the potential of CDs as nanocarriers for biological applications, such as gene, vaccine, and antiviral drug delivery. The easy modification of their physico-chemical properties to suit specific applications underscores their versatility. This review article provides a comprehensive summary of the latest developments in carbon dots, covering their characteristics, synthesis techniques, properties, classification, and applications.