A novel approach regarding the anti-aging of facial skin through collagen reorganization

The Role of Selected Flavonoids from Bajakah Tampala (Spatholobus littoralis Hassk.) Stem on Cosmetic Properties: A Review

Cosmetics made from natural ingredients are increasingly popular because they contain bioactive compounds which can provide many health benefits, more environmentally friendly and sustainable. The health benefits obtained from natural-based ingredients include anti-aging, photoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. This article reviewed the potential of selected flavonoids from bajakah tampala (Spatholobus littoralis Hassk.) as the native plant in Indonesia. We present in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research data on the use of selected flavonoids that have been reported in other extracts.

Eryngium caeruleum: an update on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and biomedical applications

Background

A biennial or perennial plant of the Apiaceae family, Eryngium caeruleum M. Bieb. is traditionally used in medicine as an antitoxic, diuretic, digestive, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug. This plant is widely distributed in temperate regions around the world. Young leaves of the plant are used in cooking as aromatic cooked vegetables in various local products in Iran.

Purpose

The current review aimed to highlight complete and updated information about the Eryngium caeruleum species, regarding botanical, ethnopharmacological, phytochemical data, pharmacological mechanisms as well as some nutritional properties. All this scientific evidence supports the use of this species in complementary medicine, thus opening new therapeutic perspectives for the treatment of some diseases.

Methods

The information provided in this updated review is collected from several scientific databases such as PubMed/Medline, ScienceDirect, Mendeley, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Ethnopharmacology books and various professional websites were also researched.

Results

The phytochemical composition of the aerial parts and roots of E. caeruleum is represented by the components of essential oil (EO), phenolic compounds, saponins, protein, amino acids, fiber, carbohydrates, and mineral elements. The antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antihypoxic, and anti-inflammatory properties of E. caeruleum have been confirmed by pharmacological experiments with extracts using in vitro and in vivo methods. The syrup E. caeruleum relieved dysmenorrhea as effectively as Ibuprofen in the blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study.

Conclusion

Current evidence from experimental pharmacological studies has shown that the different bioactive compounds present in the species E. caeruleum have multiple beneficial effects on human health, being potentially active in the treatment of many diseases. Thus, the traditional uses of this species are supported based on evidence. In future, translational and human clinical studies are necessary to establish effective therapeutic doses in humans.

Urtica dioica-Derived Phytochemicals for Pharmacological and Therapeutic Applications

Urtica dioica belongs to the Urticaceae family and is found in many countries around the world. This plant contains a broad range of phytochemicals, such as phenolic compounds, sterols, fatty acids, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and lignans, that have been widely reported for their excellent pharmacological activities, including antiviral, antimicrobial, antihelmintic, anticancer, nephroprotective, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antiarthritis, antidiabetic, antiendometriosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiaging effects. In this regard, this review highlights fresh insight into the medicinal use, chemical composition, pharmacological properties, and safety profile of U. dioica to guide future works to thoroughly estimate their clinical value.

Tobacco Smoking and Liver Cancer Risk: Potential Avenues for Carcinogenesis

Smoking a cigarette generates over 4000 chemicals that have a deleterious impact on each part of the human body. It produces three main severe effects on the liver organ: oncogenic, immunological, and indirect or direct toxic effects. It results in the production of cytotoxic substances, which raises fibrosis and necro-inflammation. Additionally, it also directs the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor alfa (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6) that will be responsible for the chronic liver injury. Furthermore, it gives rise to secondary polycythemia and successively raises the turnover and mass of red cells, which might be a common factor responsible for the development of oxidative stress in the liver due to iron overload. It also produces chemicals that are having oncogenic properties and raises the risk of liver cancer especially in sufferers of chronic hepatitis C. Smoking modulates both humoral and cell-mediated responses by restricting the proliferation of lymphocytes and inducing their apoptosis and ultimately decreasing the surveillance of cancer cells. Moreover, it has been determined that heavy smoking impacts the response of hepatitis C patients to interferon (IFN) therapy through different mechanisms, which can be improved by phlebotomy. Efforts are being made in different nations in decreasing the prevalence of smoking to improve premature death and ill effects of their nation's individuals.

Safety evaluation of the atmospheric low-temperature plasma (ALTP) on the conjunctiva: an animal study and histopathological findings; 6-month follow-up

BACKGROUND

Plasma medicine is an innovative research field focused on the application of atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasmas (ALTP) for therapeutic purposes. Considering the potentials of plasma in ophthalmology, in this study, we evaluated the safety of plasma on the conjunctival tissue in animal models for 6 months.

METHODS

Twelve adult male New Zealand albino rabbits were divided into four groups. The right eye of each rabbit was chosen for the test and the left eye was considered as the control. Experiments were performed using the Plexr device (GMV, Rocca Priora, RM, Italy). Four plasma spots were applied on the superior part of the conjunctiva (from 10 to 2 o'clock positions) using the continuous mode and a low power level (white handpiece) of the Plexr. For evaluation of the plasma safety, the histopathological changes were assessed 1 week (A), 1 month (B), 3 months (C), and 6 months (D) after the intervention.

RESULTS

According to the histopathological findings, a mild decrease in blood vessels and severe stromal edema, as well as a superficial epithelium loss, were observed in group A. No chronic inflammation, scar tissue, deposition, and hemorrhage were found in group B. Epithelialization was confirmed by the histological examinations after 1 month. There was no evidence of atypia or dysplasia after 3 and 6 months.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there were no persistent histopathological changes on conjunctival tissue after plasma exposure. Then, plasma can be considered as a minimally invasive alternative method for treating some ocular surface disorders.

Genistein: An Integrative Overview of Its Mode of Action, Pharmacological Properties, and Health Benefits

Genistein is an isoflavone first isolated from the brooming plant Dyer's Genista tinctoria L. and is widely distributed in the Fabaceae family. As an isoflavone, mammalian genistein exerts estrogen-like functions. Several biological effects of genistein have been reported in preclinical studies, such as the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral activities, the effects of angiogenesis and estrogen, and the pharmacological activities on diabetes and lipid metabolism. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date evidence of preclinical pharmacological activities with mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and clinical evidence of genistein. The literature was researched using the most important keyword "genistein" from the PubMed, Science, and Google Scholar databases, and the taxonomy was validated using The Plant List. Data were also collected from specialized books and other online resources. The main positive effects of genistein refer to the protection against cardiovascular diseases and to the decrease of the incidence of some types of cancer, especially breast cancer. Although the mechanism of protection against cancer involves several aspects of genistein metabolism, the researchers attribute this effect to the similarity between the structure of soy genistein and that of estrogen. This structural similarity allows genistein to displace estrogen from cellular receptors, thus blocking their hormonal activity. The pharmacological activities resulting from the experimental studies of this review support the traditional uses of genistein, but in the future, further investigations are needed on the efficacy, safety, and use of nanotechnologies to increase bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.

Pharmacological Properties of Chalcones: A Review of Preclinical Including Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence

Chalcones are among the leading bioactive flavonoids with a therapeutic potential implicated to an array of bioactivities investigated by a series of preclinical and clinical studies. In this article, different scientific databases were searched to retrieve studies depicting the biological activities of chalcones and their derivatives. This review comprehensively describes preclinical studies on chalcones and their derivatives describing their immense significance as antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiparasitic, psychoactive, and neuroprotective agents. Besides, clinical trials revealed their use in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, skin conditions, and cancer. Bioavailability studies on chalcones and derivatives indicate possible hindrance and improvement in relation to its nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Multifaceted and complex underlying mechanisms of chalcone actions demonstrated their ability to modulate a number of cancer cell lines, to inhibit a number of pathological microorganisms and parasites, and to control a number of signaling molecules and cascades related to disease modification. Clinical studies on chalcones revealed general absence of adverse effects besides reducing the clinical signs and symptoms with decent bioavailability. Further studies are needed to elucidate their structure activity, toxicity concerns, cellular basis of mode of action, and interactions with other molecules.