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The widely distributed, essential redox factor pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ, methoxatin) (

Globally, the leading causes of natural death are attributed to coronary heart disease and type 1 and type 2 diabetes. High blood pressure levels, high cholesterol levels, smoking, and poor eating habits lead to the agglomeration of plaque in the arteries, reducing the blood flow. The implantation of devices used to unclog vessels, known as stents, sometimes results in a lack of irrigation due to the excessive proliferation of endothelial tissue within the blood vessels and is known as restenosis. The use of drug-eluting stents (DESs) to deliver antiproliferative drugs has led to the development of different encapsulation techniques. However, due to the potency of the drugs used in the initial stent designs, a chronic inflammatory reaction of the arterial wall known as thrombosis can cause a myocardial infarction (MI). One of the most promising drugs to reduce this risk is everolimus, which can be encapsulated in lipid systems for controlled release directly into the artery. This review aims to discuss the current status of stent design, fabrication, and functionalization. Variables such as the mechanical properties, metals and their alloys, drug encapsulation and controlled elution, and stent degradation are also addressed. Additionally, this review covers the use of polymeric surface coatings on stents and the recent advances in layer-by-layer coating and drug delivery. The advances in nanoencapsulation techniques such as liposomes and micro- and nanoemulsions and their functionalization in bioresorbable, drug-eluting stents are also highlighted.

Natural products have long been regarded as a source of anticancer compounds with low toxicity. Evidence revealed that maslinic acid (MA), a widely distributed pentacyclic triterpene in common foodstuffs, exhibited pronounced inhibitory effects against various cancer cell lines. Most cancer cells thrive by acquiring cancer hallmarks, as coined by Hanahan and Weinberg in 2000 and 2011.This represents the first systematic review concerning the anticancer properties of MA as these cancer hallmarks are targeted. It aims to summarize the antineoplastic activities of MA, discuss the diverse mechanisms of action based on the effects of MA exerted on each hallmark.A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the search terms "maslinic," "cancer," "tumor," and "neoplasm," to retrieve articles from the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus published up to September 2022. Study selection was conducted by three reviewers independently from title and abstract screening until full-text evaluation. Data extraction was done by one reviewer and counterchecked by the second reviewer.Of the 330 articles assessed, 40 papers met the inclusion criteria and revealed that MA inhibited 16 different cancer cell types. MA impacted every cancer hallmark by targeting multiple pathways.This review provides insights regarding the inhibitory effects of MA against various cancers and its remarkable biological properties as a pleiotropic bioactive compound, which encourage further investigations.

The structure elucidation of three new alkaloids named isoformosaninol (1), formosaninol (2), and longiflorine (3), isolated from the leaves of Uncaria longiflora var. pteropoda (Miq.) Ridsdale, along with their biosynthetic pathways are discussed. Their absolute structures were determined through a combination of physical data interpretation and quantum chemical calculations using the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method.

Eight new bis-styryllactones, goniolanceolatins A-H (1-8), possessing a rare α,β-unsaturated δ-lactone moiety with a (6S)-configuration, were isolated from the CH2Cl2 extract of the stembark and roots of Goniothalamus lanceolatus Miq., a plant endemic to Malaysia. Absolute structures were established through extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR data analysis, in combination with electronic dichroism (ECD) data. All of the isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against human lung and colorectal cancer cell lines. Compounds 2 and 4 showed cytotoxicity, with IC50 values ranging from 2.3 to 4.2 μM, and were inactive toward human noncancerous lung and colorectal cells. Compounds 1, 3, 6, 7, and 8 showed moderate to weak cytotoxicity. Docking studies of compounds 2 and 4 showed that they bind with EGFR tyrosine kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 through hydrogen bonding interactions with the important amino acids, including Lys721, Met769, Asn818, Arg157, Ile10, and Glu12.

A stereoselective synthesis of the trans-syn-trans perhydrobenzo[f]chromene skeleton is presented. The target compound 3 was achieved in six steps starting from the (S)-(+)-Wieland-Miescher ketone. Key steps include the sp2 alkylation at the a-carbon of an unsaturated ketone, Birch-type reductive alkylation, and an acid-catalyzed cyclization.

A stereoselective synthesis of the trans-syn-trans perhydrobenzo[f]chromene skeleton is presented. The target compound 3 was achieved in six steps starting from the (S)-(+)-Wieland-Miescher ketone. Key steps include the sp2 alkylation at the a-carbon of an unsaturated ketone, Birch-type reductive alkylation, and an acid-catalyzed cyclization.

An overview is presented of the well-established role of alkaloids in drug discovery, the application of more sustainable chemicals, and biological approaches, and the implementation of information systems to address the current challenges faced in meeting global disease needs. The necessity for a new international paradigm for natural product discovery and development for the treatment of multidrug resistant organisms, and rare and neglected tropical diseases in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Quintuple Helix is discussed.

COVID-19 has challenged health professionals in widely divergent areas, including innovation of practice, communication, multidisciplinary activities, broader use of technology, and adaptability. The role of the dietitian and other health professionals in dealing with the evolving crisis might be considered essential in treating patients. Given the limited access to various food options, nutrition screening and assessment deserves a high priority to complete a comprehensive nutrition evaluation, identify nutrition risks, prioritize care, and provide early nutrition intervention and support to all patients with or who have had, COVID-19 and are experiencing ongoing symptoms. Such an intervention would benefit the patients and the health system by reducing the length of hospital stay, ameliorating further complications, limiting hospital readmission, enhancing recovery, and assisting in the management of comorbidities and their metabolic alterations. This brief overview outlines the essential role of nutrition intervention and support as part of an integrated, multidisciplinary treatment program for the care of COVID-19 patients during the pandemic. Restrictive movements have changed consultative approaches, and the importance of Telenutrition for the effective communication of health status and recommendations.

A selection of the established and recently characterized alkaloids from the exploration of plant- and some marine-associated endophytic fungi is reviewed, with reference to alkaloids of biological significance.

Humans have co-evolved alongside numerous other organisms, some having a profound effect on health and nutrition. As the earliest pharmaceutical subject, pharmacognosy has evolved into a meta-discipline devoted to natural biomedical agents and their functional properties. While the acquisition of expanding data volumes is ongoing, contextualization is lagging. Thus, we assert that the establishment of an integrated and open databases ecosystem will nurture the discipline. After proposing an epistemological framework of knowledge acquisition in pharmacognosy, this study focuses on recent computational and analytical approaches. It then elaborates on the flux of research data, where good practices could foster the implementation of more integrated systems, which will in turn help shaping the future of pharmacognosy and determine its constitutional societal relevance.

The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial capacity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and cytotoxic effects of a Peganum harmala seed extract in comparison to 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). The oral pathogen Enterococcus faecalis was used to evaluate the antimicrobial capacity, and the MIC values were determined through serial dilution. Inhibition zones were measured in millimeter, and the data were analyzed statistically by analysis of variance and the Tukey HSD test. For cytotoxicity testing, P. harmala seed extract and 5.25% NaOCl solution were incubated with L929 fibroblast cells. After 1, 24, and 72 hr of incubation, cells were stained and the optical density determined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reader. Data were analyzed with Chi-Square statistical test. The significance level was set at p .05. There was no significant difference between the antimicrobial capacity of 5.25% NaOCl and the P. harmala extract (p .05; MIC 4 μg/ml). The Microculture Tetrazolium (MTT) assay test showed that the cytotoxic effects of the P. harmala extract were significantly lower than 5.25% NaOCl (p .05). The results show that 5.25% NaOCl and P. harmala seed extract have similar antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecalis; but P. harmala, which shows reduced cytotoxicity, should be considered for further investigation as a safe, phytotherapeutic, intracanal irrigant.

The acronym C.A.R.E. is used to explore some of the parameters in creating research awareness in the contemporary natural product sciences and to encourage graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty to develop good research practices and ethical awareness in developing excellence in their individual and collaborative research programs.

Glass ionomer cements and resin-based composites are promising materials in restorative dentistry. However, their limited mechanical properties and the risk of bulk/marginal fracture compromise their lifespan. Intensive research has been conducted to understand and develop new materials that can mimic the functional behavior of the oral cavity. Nanotechnological approaches have emerged to treat oral infections and become a part of scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Carbon nanotubes are promising materials to create multifunctional platforms for dental applications. This review provides a comprehensive survey of and information on the status of this state-of-the-art technology and describes the development of glass ionomers reinforced with carbon nanotubes possessing improved mechanical properties. The applications of carbon nanotubes in drug delivery and tissue engineering for healing infections and lesions of the oral cavity are also described. The review concludes with a summary of the current status and presents a vision of future applications of carbon nanotubes in the practice of dentistry.

The vibrant future of pharmacognosy is discussed in terms of sustainable development. The future role of biologically active natural products is presented with respect to the time and consciousness required to contemplate the continuing future strategies for ecopharmacognosy to be impactful. Integration of allied sciences and technologies through regulatory harmonization, international collaboration, and translation of holistic quality control techniques to manufacturers, is essential to achieve higher levels of quality, safe, effective, and consistent (QSEC) traditional medicine products in global primary health care. Structured and highly focused research and development initiatives are needed to address chasmal gaps in global health care, particularly in light of ongoing changes in climate and the implications for disease demographics.

The volatile constituents from then-hexane extracts of the roots and rhizomes ofValeriana officinalis(VO) andValeriana turkestanica(VT) were investigated by GC-MS analysis. Two VO samples were obtained from cultivation, one from commercially available material, while VT was collected in a mountain of Kazakhstan. The most characteristic components present in all of the analysed samples were sesquiterpenoids. The three investigated samples of VO produced mainly valerenane and kessane sesquiterpenoids. Acetoxyvalerenic acid (33.94%), valerenic acid (15.05%), valerenal (11.93%), valeric acid 2,6-dimethylnon-1-en-3-yn-5-yl ester (5.24%), valerenol (3.31%), elemol (3.19%) and (E)-valerenyl isovalerate (2.53%), were the common components identified in then-hexane extract from the roots of VT. In comparison to VO this species does not produce kessane sesquiterpenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study shows that the roots of VT possess compounds of high biological significance, since they have the appropriate contents of valerenic acid and its derivatives, thus VT can be considered as a substitute for VO.

The structure elucidation of three new alkaloids named isoformosaninol (

Diterpene pyrones (DTPs) are a group of well-known, mainly fungal, natural products, first isolated in 1966. As the name indicates, they are composed of two main structural features: a diterpenyl moiety and a pyrone ring. Various names have been given to this class of metabolites; however, biogenetic evidence indicates that they originate through the same metabolic pathway. Based on their biosynthesis, which leads to differences in their structural architecture, the DTPs can be classified into three main types. In addition to their intriguing chemistry, these compounds demonstrate a wide range of biological activities rendering them a desirable target for total synthesis. To date, sixty-seven DTPs have been isolated from various fungal species, with one example originating from the plant kingdom. This review aims at unifying the classification of these compounds, in addition to presenting a detailed description of their isolation, bioactivities, biosynthesis, and total synthesis.

Eight new bis-styryllactones, goniolanceolatins A-H (

Development of a new term which describes the contemporary, composite, constituent sciences of ethnopharmacology.To discuss the polysyllabic term cyberecoethnopharmacolomics in the context of the future of ethnopharmacology in global health care.Literature background and assessment from the prior literature, diverse databases, and personal discussions.The profiles and literature background with contemporary and future thoughts regarding the concepts and practices of cyber-, eco-, ethno-, pharmacol-, and -omics, and their impact in ethnopharmacology for the future are presented in the context of integrated health care systems.Ethnopharmacology has a major role to play in global health care if the relevant sciences and cutting-edge technologies can coalesce synergistically as a responsive, evidence-based health care practice.

The profound interconnectedness of the sciences and technologies embodied in the Fourth Industrial Revolution is discussed in terms of the global role of natural products, and how that interplays with the development of sustainable and climate-conscious practices of cyberecoethnopharmacolomics within the Quintuple Helix for the promotion of a healthier planet and society.

Following the current 'Globesity' trend, there is an increasing demand for alternative natural therapies for weight management. Numerous phytoconstituents reduce body weight through suppressing appetite and reducing food intake. Caraway (Carum carvi L.) is one of the medicinal plants that is traditionally used for weight loss. In this study, the appetite-suppressing effects of caraway aqueous extract (CAE) on 70 aerobically trained, overweight, and obese women were examined in a triple-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study. Subjects were randomly allocated into placebo and experimental groups and consumed either 30 mL/day of CAE or placebo without changing their diet or physical activity over a period of 90 days. Calorie and macronutrient intake and anthropometric indices were measured before and after the intervention. In addition, appetite changes were assessed through a visual analog scale and an ad libitum pizza test. After the intervention, the results showed a significant reduction in appetite levels and carbohydrate intake of the experimental group compared with the placebo group. All of the anthropometric indices were reduced significantly in CAE compared with placebo group (p < 0.01). These preliminary outcomes suggest that a dietary CAE might be effective in weight management of physically active, adult females, reducing their body size and hunger level. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The isolation, structure elucidation, synthesis, biological properties, and biosynthesis of the homopurine alkaloids are reviewed, with an emphasis on the “victim-guardian” relationships between co-occurring alkaloids.

Bone collagen is the required substrate for a variety of archaeometric analyses, including radiocarbon dating, stable isotope analysis, proteomics, and ancient DNA. Sampling of bone for such analyses is, however, a destructive process, and biomolecular extraction is a time-, labor-, and capital-intensive process. As such, the ability to pre-screen bone for potential collagen level in the field (or in remote museums, storage repositories, or other deployed and austere environments) for archaeological and forensic purposes is highly desirable. Building on previous assessments of hand-held spectroscopic tools and several recent bench top Raman studies, and using a robust selection of well-characterized ancient bone samples, it is demonstrated here that rapid (30 s), non-destructive assessment by means of 1064 nm Raman spectroscopy can provide a field-deployable means by which to quantify bone collagen content. Specifically, it was found that the 1450 cm −1 to 960 cm −1 peak height ratio can provide quantitative estimates of bone collagen content with an error of ±2.8 wt%, and those samples with ratios of greater than 0.1 are uniformly suitable for analysis. Hand-held Raman spectroscopic technology has therefore evolved to the point where field deployment by archaeologists and forensic scientists would be both justified and worthwhile.

The recently developed term “ecopharmacognosy” is defined as the study of sustainable, biologically active, natural resources. As a philosophical approach, it provides a conceptual framework for developing new strategies and new scientific perspectives which may improve future global food and health care product accessibility and assure beneficial outcomes. In this brief article some facets of how the precepts of ecopharmacognosy may apply in developing new medicinal products may be developed, based on sustainability and the use of integrated technologies. Although from a medicinal agent perspective, plants remain a primary source of global health care, these resources are not being pursued by major pharmaceutical companies as sources of new agents, and essentially all tropical diseases, as well as most microbially based diseases, remain outside the scope of their drug discovery programs. Countries and regions therefore must address their own drug discovery needs for “local” and some global diseases. In addition, the cost of drug importation is so high that development of local resources, i.e. traditional medicines, may be the only rational alternative approach. At the same time, network pharmacology is exploring the many diverse effects of both individual and complex natural products at the gene level, and this is offering new opportunities to rethink and restructure the core, long-standing, Western, magic bullet philosophy to drug discovery. Other ecopharmacognosy changes underway include the computer-aided design of natural product derivatives, based on molecular docking, which is providing targetable enzyme substrates, and remote sensing technologies which can assess natural materials non-invasively for critical constituents as a part of rethinking quality control strategies in the field. Furthermore, there are the hyphenated chromatographic and spectroscopic procedures to quantitatively analyze single and multicomponent plant mixtures for bioactive markers to enhance quality control and, thereby, patient care. The relationship of these evolving approaches will serve as practical examples to the philosophies of ecopharmacognosy. In summary, with respect to health care, ecopharmacognosy poses the long-term practical question for drugs, “How Green is Your Medicine?”

The use of traditional medicines, phytotherapeuticals, and dietary supplements, should be based on quality, safety, efficacy, and consistency (QSEC). Evidence relating to each of those facets of a plant-based medicine is being hampered, in part, by fourteen myths. While these myths are both powerful and persistent, they must be debunked for significant progress to be made in enhancing integrated global health care. This paper, an update on an earlier report, will examine these myths, and the roles that phytochemistry should play in this process. Some examples of the use of the new strategies will be presented from the contemporary literature, together with a brief summary of a clinical trial of a traditional medicine treatment for obesity, and a summary of activities in the European Union to address issues related to the approval and marketing of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products.

Obesity is emerging globally as a leading, underlying contributor to a variety of different diseases, some of which are fatal. This study aims to provide a brief review of the botanical sources which are available to serve as an alternative to modern, synthetic anti-obesity drugs, and to provide a brief discussion of their mechanism of action, and their safe and effective usage. Information was gathered from books, journals, and a variety of electronic sources published in the period of 1991 to 2014. Medicinal plants can reduce weight through five basic mechanisms: controlling appetite, stimulating thermogenesis and lipid metabolism, inhibiting pancreatic lipase activity, preventing adipogenesis, and promoting lipolysis. Based on a review of the available literature, the consumption of recommended medicinal plants in a single form, and at an optimum dosage, could be a safe and effective complementary treatment for obesity.