Volume 34, Issue 2

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a crucial neurotrophic factor adding to neurons’ development and endurance. The amount of BDNF present in the brain determines susceptibility to various neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), often it is seen that low levels of BDNF are present, which primarily contributes to cognition deficit by regulating long-term potentiation (LTP) and synaptic plasticity. Molecular mechanisms underlying the synthesis, storage and release of BDNF are widely studied. New molecules are found, which contribute to the signal transduction pathway. Two important receptors of BDNF are TrkB and p75NTR. When BDNF binds to the TrkB receptor, it activates three main signalling pathways-phospholipase C, MAPK/ERK, PI3/AKT. BDNF holds an imperative part in LTP and dendritic development, which are essential for memory formation. BDNF supports synaptic integrity by influencing LTP and LTD. This action is conducted by modulating the glutamate receptors; AMPA and NMDA. This review paper discusses the aforesaid points along with inducers of BDNF. Drugs and herbals promote neuroprotection by increasing the hippocampus’ BDNF level in various disease-induced animal models for neurodegeneration. Advancement in finding pertinent molecules contributing to the BDNF signalling pathway has been discussed, along with the areas that require further research and study.

Diabetic wounds are of profound clinical importance. Despite immense efforts directed towards its management, it results in the development of amputations, following a diagnosis of diabetic foot. With a better understanding of the complexities of the microbalance involved in the healing process, researchers have developed advanced methods for the management of wounds as well as diagnostic tools (especially, for wound infections) to be delivered to clinics sooner. In this review, we address the newer developments that hope to drive the transition from bench to bedside in the coming decade.

Metformin is a biguanide, evolved as one of the most widely used medicines. The applications of this component include but are not limited to reducing blood glucose, weight loss, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Studies about other probable indications have emerged, indicating that this agent can also be utilized for other purposes. In this review, applications of metformin are noticed based on the current evidence. Metformin commonly is used as an off-label drug in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but it worsens inflammation and should not be used for this purpose, according to the latest research. Metformin decreased the risk of death in patients with liver cirrhosis. It is an effective agent in the prevention and improvement of survival in patients suffering hepatocellular carcinoma. There is evidence of the beneficial effects of metformin in colorectal cancer, early-stage prostate cancer, breast cancer, urothelial cancer, blood cancer, melanoma, and bone cancer, suggesting metformin as a potent anti-tumor agent. Metformin shows neuroprotective effects and provides a potential therapeutic benefit for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It also has been shown to improve mental function and reduce the incidence of dementia. Another condition that metformin has been shown to slow the progression of is Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Regarding infectious diseases, tuberculosis (TB) and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are among the conditions suggested to be affected by metformin. The beneficial effects of metformin in cardiovascular diseases were also reported in the literature. Concerning renal function, studies showed that daily oral administration of metformin could ameliorate kidney fibrosis and normalize kidney structure and function. This study reviewed the clinical and preclinical evidence about the possible benefits of metformin based on recent studies. Numerous questions like whether these probable indications of metformin can be observed in non-diabetics, need to be described by future basic experiments and clinical studies.

The COVID-19 pandemic remains a severe global threat, with the world engulfed in the struggle against the disease’s second or third waves, which are approaching frightening proportions in terms of cases and mortality in many nations. Despite the critical need for effective therapy, there is still uncertainty about the optimal practices for treating COVID-19 with various pharmaceutical approaches. This being third year, global immunity and eradication of SARS-CoV-2 is currently seems to be out of reach. Efforts to produce safe and effective vaccinations have shown promise, and progress is being made. Additional therapeutic modalities, as well as vaccine testing in children, are required for prophylaxis and treatment of high-risk individuals. As a result, neutralising antibodies and other comparable therapeutic options offer a lot of promise as immediate and direct antiviral medications. Bispecific antibodies offer a lot of potential in COVID-19 treatment because of their qualities including stability, small size and ease of manufacture. These can be used to control the virus’s infection of the lungs because they are available in an inhalational form. To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative approaches with effective nanobodies, high-expression yield and acceptable costs may be required.

Sarcoma is defined as a tumor located in the thoracic cavity. However, sarcoma can occur on every side of the body. Synovial sarcoma is a rare soft tissue tumor originating from pluripotent with a high malignancy rate. The most common predilection of synovial sarcoma is in the joints. Primary synovial sarcoma of the lung and mediastinum are rare tumors and generally malignant. There are only a few cases have been reported. Definite diagnosis is made by histopathological, immunohistochemistry, and cytogenetic examination. The management strategy for synovial sarcoma requires multimodality treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, effective and relatively non-toxic therapy for primary synovial sarcoma is still developed. The five years life expectancy is higher if the patient received adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy after surgery.

Objectives Primary Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of progressive joints degeneration due to idiopathic causes. Recent evidence showed a positive relationship between OA and metabolic syndrome. This pilot study aimed to assess the baseline level of pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in OA patients with or without Diabetic Mellitus (DM) and assess the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in cytokine production. Methods Patients with primary hip and knee OA were recruited, and 3 mL of bone marrow was harvested during joint replacement surgery. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) was isolated and cultured in a culture flask for three passages. Later experiment was then sub-cultured in a well plate labeled as the control group and H 2 O 2 (0.1 mM) treated group. ProcartaPlex ® Multiplex Immunoassay was performed to measure cytokine levels produced by the BMSC at 0 h, as well as 72 h. Results Cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-1β generally exhibited higher cytokine levels in subjects with DM than in nonDM subjects at 0 and 72 h. For IL-17, its expression was similar in nonDM and DM groups at 0 and 72 h. Cytokine IL-10 showed no significant difference in both the groups while DM and nonDM groups treated with H 2 O 2 showed decreased IL-4 levels compared to control groups at 72 h. Bone marrow cells from DM-OA are more vulnerable to chemical insult and are associated with higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines production and lower IL-4 level production. Conclusions This study provides a clue that management of OA with co-morbidity like DM needs future studies.

Objectives Olive ( Olea europaea L.) plays a promising role in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic production. On the other hand, olive leaf is widely used in folk medicine due to its antihyperglycemic activity. For this aim, possible effects of olive leaf extract (OLE) in the brain tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Methods A total of 28 male rats were divided into four equal groups as control, diabetic (single dose of 45 mg/kg streptozotocin, i.p.), OLE (500 mg/kg/day), and diabetic + OLE groups. The study was terminated 21 days after the diabetes model was formed. At the end of the study, all the animals were sacrificed and blood and brain tissues were isolated. Relative brain weights, complete blood count, blood glycated hemoglobin, serum glucose, total protein, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, gonadal hormone levels, production and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators, total thiol, total oxidative stress, and total antioxidant status levels and fatty acid composition in brain tissue were measured in all study groups. Results In diabetic rats, relative brain weight and serum insulin level decreased, glycated hemoglobin, oxidative stress, production and mRNA level of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators increased, hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, degraded fatty acid composition, anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia occurred. After OLE treatment, a remarkable improvement in most of these parameters, except gonadal hormones, has been observed in diabetic rats. Conclusions This study suggests that olive leaf can be a precious neuroprotective agent in diabetes.

Objectives Seizures are abnormal discharge of neurons in the brain. Ferulic acid (FA) is a phenolic compound with antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. The present study aimed to investigate the role of the nitrergic system in the anticonvulsant effect of FA in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in male mice. Methods 64 male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice weighing 25–29 g were randomly divided into eight experimental groups (n=8). FA at doses 5, 10, and 40 mg/kg alone and in combination with L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) or L-arginine (L-arg) (nitric oxide [NO] precursor) was administrated (intraperitoneal). PTZ was injected (i.v. route) 30 min after drugs administration (1 mL/min). Seizure onset time was recorded and the nitrite levels of prefrontal cortex and serum were determined by the Griess method. Results FA at doses of 10 and 40 mg/kg significantly increased the seizure threshold as well as reduced the serum and brain NO levels in comparison to the saline-received group. Co-administration of the effective dose of FA (10 mg/kg) plus L-arg significantly decreased the seizure threshold in comparison to the effective dose of FA alone. Co-injection of the sub-effective dose of FA (5 mg/kg) with L-NAME significantly increased the seizure threshold as well as significantly decreased the brain NO level in comparison to the sub-effective dose of FA alone. Conclusions We showed that the nitrergic system, partially at least, mediated the anticonvulsant effect of FA in PTZ-induced seizures in mice. We concluded that L-NAME potentiated while L-arg attenuated the anticonvulsant effect of FA.

Background Diabetic cardiometabolic disorders are characterized by significant changes in cardiac metabolism and are increased in postmenopausal women, which emphasize the role of 17 β -estradiol (E2). Despite this, there are few safe and effective pharmacological treatments for these disorders. The role of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPR30), which mediates the non-genomic effects of E2, is mostly unexplored. Methods In this study, we used ovariectomy (menopausal model) and type 2 diabetic (T2D) rats’ models to evaluate the preclinical action of G-1 (GPR30 agonist) against cardiometabolic disorders. T2D was induced by a high-fat diet and a low dose of streptozotocin. G-1 was administrated for six weeks after the establishment of T2D. Results We found that G-1 counteracts the effects of T2D and ovariectomy by increasing the body weight, reducing fasting blood sugar, heart weight, and heart weight to body weight ratio. Also, both ovariectomy and T2D led to decreases in the cardiac protein levels of hexokinase 2 (HK2) and GLUT4, while G-1–treated female rats reversed these changes and only increased HK2 protein level. In addition, T2D and ovariectomy increased glucose and glycogen content in the heart, but G-1 treatment significantly reduced them. Conclusions In conclusion, our work demonstrates that G-1 as a selective GPR30 agonist is a viable therapeutic approach against T2D and cardiometabolic diseases in multiple preclinical female models.

Objectives Endurance exercise is an effective strategy for maintaining an anti-inflammatory environment and weight management. However, the effect of this type of exercise on decreasing body fat and TNF-α levels and increasing adiponectin levels is controversial. The aims of this study was to prove the effects of weight-bearing vs. non-weight-bearing endurance exercise on reducing body fat and inflammatory markers in obese females. Methods 24 obese adolescents were recruited from female students from the State University of Malang. The interventions given in this study were weight-bearing endurance exercise (WBEE), and non-weight-bearing endurance exercise (NWBEE). Serum TNF-α levels and serum adiponectin levels were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis techniques use paired sample T-test with a significant level of 5%. Results Results of the statistical analysis show that the average body fat (PBF, FM, FFM) and TNF-α levels before endurance exercise vs. after endurance exercise in both types of exercise experienced a significant decrease (p≤0.05), while average adiponectin levels in both types of exercise experienced a significant increase before endurance exercise vs. after endurance exercise (p≤0.001). Conclusions In general, it can be concluded that weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing endurance exercise with moderate-intensity for 40 min/exercise session reduce body fat and TNF-α levels and increase adiponectin levels as a marker of inflammation in obese female.

Objectives Neurokinin 2 receptor (NK2R) agonists may be useful for treating bladder and bowel dysfunction via direct contraction of detrusor and gastrointestinal smooth muscle. The NK2R agonist [Lys5, MeLeu9, Nle10]-NKA(4–10) (LMN-NKA) induces urination and defecation, but also produces the potential side effect of dermal flushing in rats. Although LMN-NKA is a NK2R agonist, it also has affinity for neurokinin 1 receptors (NK1R). Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the neurokinin receptor (NKR) subtypes responsible for LMN-NKA-induced urination, defecation, and flushing by blocking either NK2Rs or NK1Rs before LMN-NKA administration. Methods To accomplish this goal, we developed a simple high-throughput ‘rapid detection voiding assay’ to detect rapid-onset drug-induced urination and defecation in rats. In LMN-NKA dose-response experiments, LMN-NKA (10–100 μg/kg, subcutaneous) was injected and urination, defecation, and flushing were monitored for 30 min. For NKR antagonist experiments, vehicle, the NK2R antagonist GR159897, or the NK1R antagonist CP-99,994 were injected before an acclimation period. Following acclimation, saline or 100 μg/kg LMN-NKA were injected, and behavior was observed for 30 min. Results LMN-NKA produced dose-related increases in urination, defecation, and flushing. Blocking NK2Rs reduced urination and blocked defecation, without affecting flushing. Blocking NK1Rs did not change LMN-NKA-induced urination or defecation but reduced LMN-NKA-induced flushing. Conclusions Using the rapid detection voiding assay we show that LMN-NKA-induced urination and defecation are mediated by NK2Rs, while flushing is mediated by NK1Rs. Therefore, drugs that are more selective for NK2 vs. NK1Rs should produce rapid-onset urination and defecation without producing the potential side effect of flushing.

Objectives Regular treadmill exercise may result in changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. However, the way acute treadmill exercise mechanisms affect the changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in obese has not been comprehensively exposed. This study aimed to analyze the pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress between 30 min before treadmill exercise and 24 h after treadmill exercise in obese adolescents. Methods A total of 20 obese females aged 19–24 years were recruited from female students and given one session of treadmill exercise with an intensity of 60–70% HR max . Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) was used to analyze serum levels of MDA, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyze serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6. Moreover, the independent samples t-test with a significance level of 5% was employed to have the statistical analysis. Results The results on 24 h after treadmill exercise and delta (Δ) between CTRL and TREG showed a significant difference (p<0.001). Conclusions This study found a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress 24 h after treadmill exercise in obese adolescents. Therefore, treadmill exercise can be a promising strategy for preventing adolescents from obesity as well as preventing disease risks associated with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.