Effect of Metformin Nanoparticle-Mediated Thioredoxin Interacting Protein Expression on Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuralgia

Is metformin a possible treatment for diabetic neuropathy?

Metformin is a hypoglycemic drug widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It has been proven to have analgesic and neuroprotective effects. Metformin can reverse pain in rodents, such as diabetic neuropathic pain, neuropathic pain caused by chemotherapy drugs, inflammatory pain and pain caused by surgical incision. In clinical use, however, metformin is associated with reduced plasma vitamin B12 levels, which can further neuropathy. In rodent diabetes models, metformin plays a neuroprotective and analgesic role by activating adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, clearing methylgloxal, reducing insulin resistance, and neuroinflammation. This paper also summarized the neurological adverse reactions of metformin in diabetic patients. In addition, whether metformin has sexual dimorphism needs further study.

Recent advances in nanoplatforms for the treatment of neuropathic pain

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative review.

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to summarize the literature on nanoplatforms in spinal cord injury (SCI) and describe their effect in facilitating experiments for SCI. Currently, the primary clinical treatment for neuropathic pain (NP) is drug therapy, but these traditional drugs have many disadvantages, such as high dose, rapid clearance from the circulatory system, off-target side effects, and cytotoxicity. Moreover, the treatment for NP is complicated by the existence of blood-brain barrier. In recent years, nanomedicine has been receiving increased attention; this novel modality could help deliver drugs to treat NP via nanoplatforms, making it a promising alternative therapy. The use of nanoplatforms can enhance pharmaceutic effectiveness by either avoiding rapid clearance from the blood or ensuring adequate concentration in the lesion.

METHODS

A literature review was conducted, with a focus on nanoplatforms that have been described in the experimental studies of neuropathic pain.

RESULTS

We provide a brief description of the roles of liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, micelles, and dendrimers in the treatment of NP and discuss the prospective development of the nanoplatform system for NP.

CONCLUSION

The emergence of various nanoplatform drug delivery systems can provide an advantageous resource tool for real-time diagnosis and effective treatment of SCI-related NP.

A near-infrared light-controlled, ultrasensitive one-step photoelectrochemical detection of dual cell apoptosis indicators in living cancer cells

The proposed near-infrared (NIR) light-controlled, one-step photoelectrochemical (PEC) strategy could simultaneously detect cell apoptosis indicators, phosphatidylserine (Pho) and sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Sat), on living cancer cells.