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Chagas disease (CD), or American trypanosomiasis, caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, is a substantial global health burden. This comprehensive review explored the multifaceted landscape of CD treatment, providing a historical perspective on the development and discontinuation of benznidazole (BNZ) and nifurtimox (NF), the primary medications. Efforts towards a pediatric version of BZN in Brazil address demographic‐specific treatments, while concerns over drug resistance prompt the exploration of alternative medications like Amiodarone, Allopurinol, Posaconazole, Ravuconazole, and Fexinidazole, which were clinically tested as antichagasic drugs. In recent years, some of the synthesized derivative (1,3‐thiazoles, 4‐thiazolidinones, 2‐styrylquinolines, imidazole‐containing nitrophthalazine, and some others) were found to better activity as compared to standard drug. Traditional herbal alternatives (Resveratrol, curcumin, 1,8‐cineole, β‐pinene, and some others) rooted in traditional practices show promise, with various plant extracts exhibiting anti‐parasitic properties. The frontier of nanomedicine unfolds with studies on solid nanomedicines, PLA‐nanoparticles, ZIF‐8, BNZ carriers, and PLGA nanoparticles, showcasing improved drug delivery systems and controlled release mechanisms. The absence of a definitive vaccine accentuates ongoing research in recombinant antigens, peptide‐based vaccines, and nanoparticle formulations, with notable candidates like TcG1, TcG2, TcG4, MASPpep‐KLH, adenovirus vectors, Tc24 protein, and integrin activators. A novel strategy combining a recombinant protein vaccine with low dose BZN treatment presents promising results in a mouse model, emphasizing the urgency for further research and potential advancements in CD therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impurities found in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and pharmaceutical products are of ever‐increasing interest. According to several regulatory agencies, purity and impurity profiles are essential. An impurity is defined as any additional inorganic or organic material, residual solvents other than the medicinal components, or undesired compounds that remain with APIs. Impurities and degradation products in bulk drug materials and pharmaceutical formulations are identified, their structures are clarified, and their quantitative determination is part of impurity profiling. Unrecognized, poisonous impurities are dangerous to health and should be identified by selective procedures to increase the safety of drug therapy, and impurity profiling has become more significant in pharmaceutical analysis. This review briefly introduces process and product‐related impurities and emphasizes the creation of cutting‐edge analytical techniques for identifying them. It discusses the use of analytical methods, particularly high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography, liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (MS), ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography–MS, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the identification of contaminants and degradation products. It has discussed the importance of the quality, efficacy, and safety of drug substances and products, including the origin, types, and quality control of impurities, the need for the development of impurity profiling methods, impurity identification, and regulatory aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have indicated the significant involvement of the gut microbiome in both human physiology and pathology. Additionally, therapeutic interventions based on microbiome approaches have been employed to enhance overall health and address various diseases including aging and neurodegenerative disease (ND). Researchers have explored potential links between these areas, investigating the potential pathogenic or therapeutic effects of intestinal microbiota in diseases. This article provides a summary of established interactions between the gut microbiome and ND. Post-biotic is believed to mediate its neuroprotection by elevating the level of dopamine and reducing the level of α-synuclein in substantia nigra, protecting the loss of dopaminergic neurons, reducing the aggregation of NFT, reducing the deposition of amyloid β peptide plagues and ameliorating motor deficits. Moreover, mediates its neuroprotective activity by inhibiting the inflammatory response (decreasing the expression of TNFα, iNOS expression, free radical formation, overexpression of HIF-1α), apoptosis (i.e. active caspase-3, TNF-α, maintains the level of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio) and promoting BDNF secretion. It is also reported to have good antioxidant activity. This review offers an overview of the latest findings from both preclinical and clinical trials concerning the use of post-biotics in ND. [Display omitted] • Intestinal dysbiosis causes neuroinflammatory cascade worsening the homeostasis of brain. • The brain-gut-microbiome axis enables exchange of information between gut microbes and brain. • Microbiome based treatments can be employed for the management of NDs. • Post-biotics (PBs) positively influence the gut-brain axis and potentially exert neuroprotection. • PBs influence gene expression in the nucleus accumbens of the brain associated with NDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disorder (ND), affecting more than 44 million individuals globally as of 2023. It is characterized by cognitive dysfunction and an inability to perform daily activities. The progression of AD is associated with the accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ), the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), increased oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Presently, various phytomedicines and their bioactive compounds have been identified for their neuroprotective effects in reducing oxidative stress, alleviating neuroinflammation, and mitigating the accumulation of Aβ and acetylcholinesterase enzymes in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex regions of the brain. However, despite demonstrating promising anti-Alzheimer's effects, the clinical utilization of phytoconstituents remains limited in scope. The key factor contributing to this limitation is the challenges inherent in traditional drug delivery systems, which impede their effectiveness and efficiency. These difficulties encompass insufficient drug targeting, restricted drug solubility and stability, brief duration of action, and a lack of control over drug release. Consequently, these constraints result in diminished bioavailability and insufficient permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In response to these challenges, novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) founded on nanoformulations have emerged as a hopeful strategy to augment the bioavailability and BBB permeability of bioactive compounds with poor solubility. Among these systems, nanoemulsion (NE) have been extensively investigated for their potential in targeting AD. NE offers several advantages, such as ease of preparation, high drug loading, and high stability. Due to their nanosize droplets, NE also improves gut and BBB permeability leading to enhanced permeability of the drug in systemic circulation and the brain. Various studies have reported the testing of NE-based phytoconstituents and their bioactives in different animal species, including transgenic, Wistar, and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, as well as mice. However, transgenic mice are commonly employed in AD research to analyze the effects of Aβ. In this review, various aspects such as the neuroprotective role of various phytoconstituents, the challenges associated with conventional drug delivery, and the need for NDDS, particularly NE, are discussed. Various studies involving phytoconstituent-based NE for the treatment of AD are also discussed., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)