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Chronic urticaria (CU) is a pathologic condition marked by the emergence of wheals, angioedema, or both for more than six weeks. The improper activation and degranulation of mast cells is the triggering event, which results in the production of various mediators such as histamine, leukotrienes, PAF, chemokines, and cytokines. Antihistamines are currently the most common pharmacological treatment for urticaria, but corticosteroids and monoclonal antibodies can also be employed. Patients who have been taking antihistamines for a long time are often looking for alternatives. Whole plants, portions of plants, or single extracted active compounds are all used in phytomedicine. Plant elements are frequently combined to create formulations that can be utilized to treat a variety of pathological disorders. Anti-inflammatory and/or anti-allergic properties are found in several herbs regularly used in herbal formulations. Antioxidant properties are also present in some of the constituents. Exogenous antioxidants have been shown to improve the progression of autoimmune disorders in numerous studies. The aim of this review is to identify the most common herbs used to treat chronic urticaria, and to characterize their efficacy, mechanisms of action, and risk/benefit ratio in comparison to western treatment, and also to find less often used formulations and assess their therapeutic efficacy, safety profile, and potential for wider use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lower-than-normal platelet counts are a hallmark of the acquired autoimmune illness known as immune thrombocytopenia, which can affect both adults and children. Immune thrombocytopenia patients' care has evolved significantly in recent years, but the disease's diagnosis has not, and it is still only clinically achievable with the elimination of other causes of thrombocytopenia. The lack of a valid biomarker or gold-standard diagnostic test, despite ongoing efforts to find one, adds to the high rate of disease misdiagnosis. However, in recent years, several studies have helped to elucidate a number of features of the disease's etiology, highlighting how the platelet loss is not only caused by an increase in peripheral platelet destruction but also involves a number of humoral and cellular immune system effectors. This made it possible to identify the role of immune-activating substances such cytokines and chemokines, complement, non-coding genetic material, the microbiome, and gene mutations. Furthermore, platelet and megakaryocyte immaturity indices have been emphasized as new disease markers, and prognostic signs and responses to particular types of therapy have been suggested. Our review's goal was to compile information from the literature on novel immune thrombocytopenia biomarkers, markers that will help us improve the management of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegeneration is a degenerative process characterized by the progressive loss of the structure and function of neurons that involves several immune cells. It is the primary cause of dementia and other several syndromes, known as neurodegenerative diseases. These disorders are age-related and it is estimated that by 2040 there will be approximately 81.1 million people suffering from these diseases. In addition to the traditional pharmacological therapy, in recent years nutraceuticals, naturally based compounds with a broad spectrum of biological effects: anti-aging, antioxidants, hypoglycaemic, hypocholesterolemic, anticancer, anxiolytic, antidepressant, etc., assumed an important role in counteracting these pathologies. In particular, several compounds such as astaxanthin, baicalein, glycyrrhizin, St. John's wort, and Ginkgo biloba L. extracts show particular neuroprotective and immunomodulatory abilities, involving several immune cells and some neurotransmitters that play a critical role in neurodegeneration, making them particularly useful in improving the symptoms and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the use of natural compounds as adjuvant treatments and alternatives to traditional pharmacological therapies has become increasingly popular. These compounds have a wide range of biological effects, such as: antioxidant, anti-aging, hypocholesterolizing, hypoglycemic, antitumoral, antidepressant, anxiolytic activity, etc. Almost all of these compounds are easily available and are contained in different foods. At the end of 2019 the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 appeared in China and quickly spread throughout the world, causing a pandemic. The most common symptoms of this infection are dry cough, fever, dyspnea, and in severe cases bilateral interstitial pneumonia, with consequences that can lead to death. The nations, in trying to prevent the spread of infection, have imposed social distancing and lockdown measures on their citizens. This had a strong psychological-social impact, leading to phobic, anxious and depressive states. Pharmacological therapy could be accompanied by treatment with several natural compounds, such as vitamins, baicalein, zinc and essential oils. These compounds possess marked immunostimulant activity, strengthening the immune response and mitigating interactions between the virus and the host cell. They also have an antidepressant effect, acting on certain neurotransmitters. Highlight how several nutraceuticals may have an immunostimulant and antidepressant effect on Covid-19 symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immune system is highly dynamic and susceptible to many alterations throughout pregnancy. Since December 2019, a pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has swept the globe. To contain the spread of COVID-19, immediate measures such as quarantine and isolation were implemented. These containment measures have contributed to exacerbate situations of anxiety and stress, especially in pregnant women, who are already particularly anxious about their condition. Alterations in the psychological state of pregnant women are related to alterations in the immune system, which is more vulnerable under stress. COVID-19 could therefore find fertile soil in these individuals and risk more severe forms. Normally a controlled dietary regimen is followed during pregnancy, but the use of particular vitamins and micronutrients can help counteract depressive-anxiety states and stress, can improve the immune system, and provide an additional weapon in the defense against COVID-19 to bring the pregnancy to fruition. This review aims to gather data on the impact of COVID-19 on the immune system and psychological condition of pregnant women and to assess whether some micronutrients can improve their psychophysical symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is one of the most widespread chronic inflammatory skin diseases, affecting about 2%–3% of the worldwide adult population. The pathogenesis of this disease is quite complex, but an interaction between genetic and environmental factors has been recognized with an essential modulation of inflammatory and immune responses in affected patients. Psoriatic plaques generally represent the clinical psoriatic feature resulting from an abnormal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes, which cause dermal hyperplasia, skin infiltration of immune cells, and increased capillarity. Some scientific pieces of evidence have reported that psychological stress may play a key role in psoriasis, and the disease itself may cause stress conditions in patients, thus reproducing a vicious cycle. The present review aims at examining immune cell involvement in psoriasis and the relationship of depression and stress in its pathogenesis and development. In addition, this review contains a focus on the possible use of natural products, thus pointing out their mechanism of action in order to counteract clinical and psychological symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]