Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 27, Issue 34, 2021

Neurodegeneration is a multifactorial process involved the different cytotoxic pathways that lead to neuronal cell death. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a persistent neurodegenerative disorder that normally has a steady onset and gradually worsens. Neuropathology, AD is characterized by the presence of neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased oxidative stress, decreased antioxidant defense as well as increased acetylcholinesterase activity. Moreover, enhanced expression of amyloid precursor proteins leads to neural apoptosis, which has a vital role in the degeneration of neurons. The inability of commercial therapeutics to treat a single feature of AD pathology leads to the attraction towards organic drugs. Ellagic acid is a dimer of gallic acid; latest studies revealed that ellagic acid can initiate numerous cell signaling transmissions and decrease the progression of neurodegeneration. The neuroprotective effects of ellagic acid to protect the neurons against neurodegenerative events are due to its antioxidant effect, iron chelating, and mitochondrial protective effect. The main goal of this review is to critically analyze the molecular mechanism of action of ellagic acid against AD.

Non-small cell lung cancer is usually diagnosed at the advanced stage of the disease. We have novel diagnostic tools. However, prevention is still the best way to deal with this disease. Patients receive different treatments with different adverse effects. Targeted treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy have entered everyday clinical practice. The nutritional status of a patient plays a crucial role in the treatment of the patient. Cachexia is observed in most cancer patients, and it has been identified as an independent factor in the overall survival of the patient. The improvement of nutritional status and metabolism directly impacts the quality of life, daily living, and overall survival of a lung cancer patient. We conducted a search on PubMed and Scopus and identified relevant publications. In this review, we will focus on the nutritional status of NSCLC patients and how food supplements assist in the QoL based on published literature. Additional information from other cancer types will be included where necessary.

The Mandragora genus (Solanaceae) is well known for its association with myths and has been used in herbal medicine since ancient times. This extensive literature review synthesizes the information currently available on the ethnobotany, Persian medicine (PM), traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity profile of Mandragora spp. The electronic search engines Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect were searched using keywords such as Mandragora, mandrake, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, Persian medicine, ethnobotany, and toxicity. Pertinent information was also extracted from books on PM, ethnomedicine, and dissertations. Mandragora species are found throughout the Mediterranean basin, Europe, Northern Africa, and the Himalayan regions. Traditionally, the species have been used to treat insomnia, dysuria, hemorrhoids, rheumatic pain, toothache, melancholia, and depression, among many others. In vitro studies have confirmed the biological properties of Mandragora spp. crude extracts, such as antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and enzyme-inhibiting effects. Various phytochemicals, such as alkaloids (e.g., atropine and scopolamine), coumarins (e.g., umbelliferone and scopoletin), withanolides (e.g., salpichrolide C), and lipid-like compounds (e.g., beta-sitosterol), have been isolated from Mandragora spp. Some of the pure compounds composing this plant are highlighted for their biologically active effects, including anticholinergic, antidepressant, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Modern identifications of biological activities of the compounds isolated from Mandragora, especially alkaloids, support its traditional uses (e.g., for their narcotic effects). More in vivo studies are required to further understanding and most effectively utilize this genus, and extensive toxicological studies are required to validate its safety in clinical use.

Background: Extraction is the foremost step to isolate the natural constituents from a medicinal plant and leads the process of development of herbal formulation from bench to bed. Introduction: In the field of extraction, the optimization approach helps in achieving better yield and quality where a response of concern is determined or influenced by various variables. This review aimed at congregating the application of different statistical designs (CCD/BBD) to optimize the Ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) parameters for the recovery of various plant actives belonging to different categories. Methodology: The literature published during the last decade in the various reputed databases (Web of Science, Pubmed, Scopus) was reviewed and compiled to reveal the role of response surface methodology in optimizing the influential parameters involved in the ultrasound assisted extraction of herbs. Conclusion: From the present investigations, it can be concluded that the different variables, such as sonication power, temperature, time, solute to solvent ratio are generally optimized in UAE of herbs. Moreover, it has also been evidenced from the review of published data that the flavonoids/phenolic acids (>50%) leads the race for the extraction of plants using sound waves. It can be said that the statistically designed UAE has a vast prospective in bringing about a green mutiny in the herbal drug industry and the modeling of various parameters shall be able to absolutely build up a complete drug innovation course (bench to bed).

Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) is one of the natural biopolymers with unique features, such as nontoxicity, biocompatibility, high tensile profile, nanofiber structure, and purity. The current review aimed to summarize the latest development in BNC-based biomaterials in cancer drug delivery. The original articles were found by searching key databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Scientific and using key terms such as “bacterial nanocellulose OR bacterial cellulose OR BNC” AND “cancer OR carcinoma OR tumor”. The obtained data were in a wide timeframe and the English language. Totally, 350 articles were found from the three main databases (i.e., 106, 251, and 173 articles from PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science, respectively). In general, 32 articles met the inclusion criteria after duplicate removal and screening according to the aim of the study. In this review study, different applications of the BNC were considered for cancer drug delivery in addition to describing advanced methods that may be applied to improve therapeutic potency while reducing the adverse effects of chemodrugs by decreasing their dosages. The high ratio of the surface area-to-volume and easy modifications of their chemical components lead to BNC potential use as an appropriate matrix structure for the binding and controlled release of various pharmaceutical agents, specifically for topical or transdermal administrations. In addition, BNC-based products regulate the release of hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds, thus providing appropriate materials related to cancer drug delivery. However, undoubtedly, further developments of BNC-based products as cancer drug delivery systems require more extensive investigations.