Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 32, Issue 8, 2025

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most frequent endocrinopathology affecting women in their reproductive ages. However, PCOS is also related to metabolic abnormalities such as metabolic syndrome (MS), insulin resistance (IR), and type 2 diabetes, among others. Consequently, an inflammatory and pro-oxidative status is also present in these patients, aggravating the syndrome's symptoms. This work aims to discuss some late treatments that focus on oxidative stress (OS) as a central feature related to primary PCOS abnormalities. Therefore, this review focuses on the evidence of anti-oxidant diets, natural compounds, mineralocorticoids, and combined therapies for PCOS management. Oxidative stress (OS) is important in PCOS pathogenesis. In this regard, increased levels of oxidative oxygen species and decreased levels of anti-oxidant agents’ impact PCOS's reproductive and metabolic features. In the last years, non-pharmacological therapies have been considered a first line of treatment. For these reasons, several natural compounds such as Kelult honey (KH), Foeniculum vulgare, Calendula officinalis Linn, Eugenia caryophyllus and Myristicafragrans, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, beta-carotene, magnesium, curcumin, mineralocorticoids and melatonin alone or in combination are powerful anti-oxidant agents being used for PCOS management. Data presented here suggest that natural therapies are essential in managing both reproductive and metabolic features in PCOS patients. Due to the results obtained, these incipient therapies deserve further investigation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant health issue, with countless individuals suffering. With its bleak outlook, the number of deaths caused by CRC can only be reduced if new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are identified and developed quickly. Recent developments in screening programme development and patient management have been encouraging, but many unanswered questions still need to be addressed before a customized colorectal cancer approach can be implemented. Prevention of diseases, the detection of them in their early stages, the analysis of the severity, and the treatment of any metastasized diseases are all paramount. Despite the increased utilization of genetic profiles in decision-making processes, such as the selection of therapy and predicting drug response, there are only a limited number of validated biomarkers for colorectal cancer that are suitable for clinical practice. To further research into colorectal carcinogenesis, pinpoint prospective indicators, and validate these indicators, creating non-intrusive, sensitive, and exact biomarkers is an urgent requirement. This procedure is reliant on translational proteomics. This investigation serves as a comprehensive resource on the current state of genetic and epigenetic biomarkers in diagnosing, predicting, and evaluating colorectal cancer. It underscores the transformative potential of these biomarkers in advancing CRC patient care, from early detection to personalized treatment strategies. However, it also underscores the need for ongoing research and validation to realize their clinical utility fully.

To overcome the limits of traditional antibiotic medications, novel approaches are needed to combat the growing global epidemic of Multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. As drug-resistant bacteria develop, the importance of innovative antimicrobial methods is underscored by antibiotic abuse and misuse. The global threat of MDR microorganisms is increasing, which calls for a coordinated global response. Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) possess several characteristics that make them attractive choices for managing multidrug resistant (MDR) infections, as well as potential delivery systems for antimicrobial agents. Thus, LNPs improve drug solubility, stability, and targeted delivery, thereby mitigating the drawbacks of conventional antibiotic therapy. Several characteristics of LNPs, which stop MDR bacteria from developing resistance mechanisms, serve as guidelines for precision medicine. It presents a powerful approach for combating the growing concern of MDR bacteria by increasing Anti-Microbial Peptides (AMPs) bioavailability and targeting distribution to bacterial cells. LNPs have the potential to redefine antibacterial treatments for MDR illnesses in the context of this study. Further, it discusses LNP use in larger applications, such as fighting Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) and MDR. A complete understanding of the unique features, many uses, and importance of collaborative efforts to overcome the global challenge of antibiotic resistance are also conveyed in the study.

The unique characteristics of nanoparticles (NPs) have captivated scientists in various fields of research. However, their safety profile has not been fully scrutinized. In this regard, the effects of NPs on the reproductive system of animals and humankind have been a matter of concern. In this article, we will review the potential reproductive toxicity of various types of NPs, including carbon nanomaterials, dendrimers, quantum dots, silica, gold, and magnetic nanoparticles, reported in the literature. We also mention some notable cases where NPs have elicited beneficial effects on the reproductive system. This review provides extensive insight into the effects of various NPs on sperm and ovum and the outcomes of their passage through blood-testis and placental barriers and accumulation in the reproductive organs.

Numerous techniques exist for the production of liposomes; however, these methods need to be revised due to their incapacity to achieve precise management of the dimensions and uniformity of liposomes and their inefficient utilization of reagents and resources. One particular challenge lies in replicating accurate form and size control seen in biological cells, as accomplishing this level of precision through macroscale approaches proves exceptionally arduous. The advent of microfluidic technology tackles this problem by lowering liposome synthesis to a centimeter-level chip, drastically cutting related costs, and enhancing liposome manufacturing efficiency and mobility. Although various microfluidic technologies for micro or nanoparticle preparation have been established, manufacturing microfluidic devices poses challenges due to their high cost and time-consuming nature. However, a promising and cost-effective solution lies in additive production, commonly guided by 3D printing. This innovative technique has demonstrated significant potential and has been successfully applied to create microfluidic chips. Here, we will explore using 3D printing to produce microfluidic devices specifically designed for liposome production. Moreover, the biomedical applications of the liposomes produced by 3D printing-fabricated chips will be fully discussed.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2) is one of the biggest unsolved global problems of the 21^st century for which there has been no definitive cure yet. Like other respiratory viruses, SARS-COV-2 triggers the host immunity dramatically, causing dysfunction in the immune system, both innate and adaptive, which is a common feature of COVID-19 patients. Evidence shows that in the early stages of COVID-19, the immune system is suppressed while it is overactive in severe patients characterized by excessive and prolonged inflammatory responses called “Cytokine Storm”. There are many elements in the immune system that undergo alterations as the disease progresses. Some significant changes in the innate immune system following infection with SARS-COV-2 include delayed or inhibited interferon type 1 production by the infected cells leading to elevated virus replication, excessive recruitment of activated monocytes and macrophages, decrease in eosinophil population (eosinopenia), consequent decrease in CD⁸⁺T lymphocyte proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell dysfunction, and increase in neutrophil infiltration (neutrophilia) and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation. Moreover, hallmark alterations in the adaptive immune system in this process cause an overall decrease in the T lymphocyte number (lymphopenia) and changes in the activity of some lymphocyte subsets and a number of B cells. This review delves into the mentioned changes in the immune system following SARS-COV-2 infection and the implications thereof to guide the development of immunotherapies for patients with COVID-19.