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Introduction: Nutraceuticals are food-derived products offering supplementary health benefits. These nutraceuticals have been found effective in the treatment of the Parkinson's disease (PD) as they possess multifaceted effects against neurodegeneration. Nutraceuticals have proven their safety and efficacy in several pre-clinical and clinical trials against PD, however, still there is an urgent need to report the health benefits of nutraceuticals on a broader platform and evaluate their complete molecular mechanism against PD. Area covered: The review emphasizes the role of nutraceuticals in combating pathogenic mechanisms associated with PD. These include, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein ubiquitination, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, neurotransmitter imbalance, neuroinflammation, inhibition of PPAR-ϒ/PGC-1α/NRF-2, and PON2 signaling pathways. The review also includes pre-clinical and clinical aspects of nutraceuticals in balancing the impaired gut-brain axis in PD. Expert opinion: In recent years there have been many reports on neuroprotective potential of PD. The growing interest showed that various supplements, including polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and the Mediterranean diet, can aid promising therapeutic properties for relieving PD symptoms. However, at present, there is no specific nutraceutical that has been designed to treat the symptoms of PD. Future studies on nutraceuticals may focus on developing individualized as well as customized therapies using specialized nutraceuticals based on epigenetics and the expression of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the combined administration of docetaxel (DOC) and erlotinib (ERL) using nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), with folic acid (FA) conjugation to enhance their synergistic anticancer efficacy against triple-negative breast cancer. NLCs were developed through hot melt homogenization–ultrasound dispersion, and optimized by a quality-by-design (QbD) approach using Plackett–Burman design and Box–Behnken design. Plots were generated based on maximum desirability. Spherical, nanosized dispersions (<200 nm) with zeta potential ranging from −16.4 to −14.15 mV were observed. These nanoformulations demonstrated ~95% entrapment efficiency with around 5% drug loading. Stability tests revealed that the NLCs remained stable for 6 months under storage conditions at 4 °C. In vitro release studies indicated sustained release over 24 h, following Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas models for NLCs and FA NLCs, respectively. Additionally, an in vitro pH-stat lipolysis model exhibited a nearly fivefold increase in bioaccessibility compared to drug-loaded suspensions. The DOC–ERL-loaded formulations exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity, revealing synergism at a 1:3 molar ratio in MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells, with combination indices of 0.35 and 0.37, respectively. Co-treatment with DOC–ERL-loaded FA NLCs demonstrated synergistic anticancer effects in various in vitro assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic disorder affecting musculoskeletal and autoimmune system with inflammatory characteristics. Anemia is most prevailing, among other extra-articular complications in RA. These complications are analogous to exorbitant inflammation and biological redox imbalance which ultimately affects the quality life and life expectancy of RA patients. Objectives: The study was planned to investigate the palliative action of Woodfordia fruticosa (WF) leaf extracts and isolation from active fraction, on articular/extra-articular complications in rats with Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis. Materials and Methods: The action of Petroleum ether (WFP) and Ethanolic (WFE) extracts of WF was assessed in CFA induced adult Lewis rats (180-200gm) arthritic rats. In prophylactic treatment they received WF extracts 100mg/kg p.o. for 28 successive days and therapeutic treatment from the 14th day of CFA injection. Active extract was then fractionated by solvent-solvent extraction and chromatographic techniques. The isolated compound was characterized by TLC and various spectroscopic studies. Results: WFP significantly alleviated the severity of arthritis in animals than WFE in 28 days. Remarkable reduction (p< 0.001) in various complications was observed including paw volume (85.42%), loss in body weight, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, locomotor activity, and lipid peroxidation of hepatic/synovial tissues and increment in SOD (U/mg) activities. A compound was isolated and characterized by UV, TLC, FTIR, LCMS and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Conclusion: WFP at 100mg/kg was advantageous in the superintendence of RA intricacies which was also confirmed by the histological and radiological studies. And a tannin compound Woodfruticosin was isolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the anti-arthritic potential of ethanolic extract of Aconitum ferox root (EAF) and isolation of a compound from the active fraction. Materials and Methods: The EAF obtained from successive solvent extraction was evaluated for antirheumatic action by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis in adult Lewis rats (150-200gm) at 10mg/kg dose for prophylactic and therapeutic effect after acute toxicity study. Paw volume, body weight changes, locomotor activity, hemoglobin (Hb) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, LPO, and SOD levels were assessed in arthritic animals. These were supported by histological and radiological studies of the affected joints. Statistical analysis was performed using one way ANOVA followed by Dunnett's test. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. A compound isolated was characterized by spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. Results: The EAF 10mg/kg showed a significant reduction in paw volume (58.32%), body weight, ESR (8.1-7.5 mm/h), and LPO level (37.5nmol/g). There was a significant increase in hemoglobin count (13.42g/dl), locomotors activity (92.95%), and SOD level (201U/mg). The isolated compound after TLC, UV, FTIR, and LCMS analysis was identified as delphinine. Conclusion: The data shows that EAF has anti-arthritic activity at 10mg/kg, p.o., and a compound delphinine isolated from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The silymarin phytosome (SPY) was developed to improve the solubility and dissolution. The prepared phytosome was evaluated for hemolytic, membrane stabilization activity, and in vivo acute and subchronic toxicity. Materials and Methods: The toxicological evaluation was carried out by assessing its effects on liver, kidney, brain, lungs, heart and spleen in a rat model. In addition to confirmation of formation of phytosome, the physical-chemical characterization was done by FTIR, DSC, PXRD, and 1H NMR. Results: The optimized formulation has higher aqueous solubility of SPY compared to that of pure silymarin. The formulation also exhibited a significantly higher rate and extent of silymarin release in dissolution studies. The percent hemolysis for SPY was significantly less than silymarin. As a result, SPY can be concluded to be non-toxic and biocompatible for in vivo administration. SPY significantly inhibited hypotonic solutioninduced hemolysis in a dose-dependent manner. In acute oral toxicity, no treatment-related death or toxic signs were observed. The sub-acute test observations indicated that there are no treatment-related changes up to the high dose level. Food consumption, body weight, organ weight, hematological parameters, biochemical parameters and histopathological examination revealed no abnormalities. Conclusion: The study shows that SPY is a promising and viable strategy for improving the delivery of silymarin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of present study is to determine the efficacy of ethanolic extract of Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. for therapeutics at various doses. One more purpose is also to determine anti-inflammatory effects of E. alsinoides which are highly associated with CNS disease. Methods: Ethanolic extract of E. alsinoides has been used for estimation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity at dose of 100, 200, 300 mg/kg on rat. For estimation of acetylcholinesterase, Ellman's method is used which is based on absorbance. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by two in vitro experimental models i.e. heat induced hemolysis and hypotonic solution-induced hemolysis. Results: Ethanolic extract of E. alsinoides at the dose of 200mg/kg is more effective than 100 and 300. In heat hemolysis, inflammation was significantly reduced at 50 and 100 µg/ ml in EA while hypotonic solution induced inhibition was shown significant at 50, 100 and 200 µg/ml in EA. Extract was effective in inhibition of hemolysis in a dose-dependent manner due to its membrane stabilizing action. Thus, E. alsinoides may be employed as alternative and safe drug therapy against inflammation. Conclusion: Several natural products have been used for medicinal purposes in which E. alsinoides is also one of them. It is traditionally claimed for memory enhancement and will help as therapeutics for brain related problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been growing interest in the research of flavonoids due to their potential antiviral activities. Recently, some natural flavonoids have shown potential inhibitory activity against zika virus NS3–NS2B protease. In order to accelerate the drug discovery efforts using flavonoids, a Monte Carlo simulation-based QSAR method has been applied to find out the structural requirements for the inhibitory activity. The best QSAR model was obtained using SMILES descriptors and HSG descriptors with 1EC connectivity with the following statistical parameters: R2 = 0.9569 and Q2 = 0.9050 for the test set. The best model was further utilised for the prediction of inhibitory activity of some other natural flavonoids. Four flavonoids (amentoflavone, fisetin, isorhamnetin and theaflavin-3-gallate) have shown higher predicted inhibitory activity and further validated by performing docking analysis. This study may help in understanding and performing natural flavonoids-based drug discovery against zika virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world, comprising a variety of disorders such as hypertension, heart attacks, Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), dyslipidemias, strokes, coronary heart disease, and cardiomyopathies. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that 22.2 million people will die from CVD in 2030. Conventional treatments for CVDs are often quite expensive and also have several side effects. This potentiates the use of medicinal plants, which are still a viable alternative therapy for a number of diseases, including CVD. Natural products' cardio-protective effects result from their anti-oxidative, anti-hypercholesterolemia, anti-ischemic, and platelet aggregation-inhibiting properties. The conventional therapies used to treat CVD have the potential to be explored in light of the recent increase in the popularity of natural goods and alternative medicine. Some natural products with potential in the management of cardiovascular diseases such as Allium sativum L., Ginkgo biloba, Cinchona ledgeriana, Ginseng, Commiphora mukul, Digitalis lanata, Digitalis purpurea L., Murrayakoenigii, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Polygonum cuspidatum, Fenugreek, Capsicum annuum , etc. are discussed in this article., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Guggulipid, an oleo-gum resin extracted from the bark of Commiphora wightii of the Burseraceae family, holds a significant place in Ayurvedic medicine due to its historical use in treating various disorders, including inflammation, gout, rheumatism, obesity, and lipid metabolism imbalances., Objective: This comprehensive review aims to elucidate the molecular targets of guggulipids and explore their cellular responses. Furthermore, it summarizes the findings from in-vitro, in-vivo , and clinical investigations related to arthritis and various inflammatory conditions., Methods: A comprehensive survey encompassing in-vitro, in-vivo , and clinical studies has been conducted to explore the therapeutic capacity of guggulipid in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Various molecular pathways, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), PI3-kinase/AKT, JAK/STAT, nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and NFκB signaling pathways, have been targeted to assess the antiarthritic and anti-inflammatory effects of this compound., Results: The research findings reveal that guggulipid demonstrates notable antiarthritic and anti-inflammatory effects by targeting key molecular pathways involved in inflammatory responses. These pathways include COX-2, VEGF, PI3-kinase/AKT, JAK/STAT, iNOS, and NFκB signaling pathways. in-vitro, in-vivo , and clinical studies collectively support the therapeutic potential of guggulipid in managing rheumatoid arthritis and related inflammatory conditions., Conclusion: This review provides a deeper understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms and potential of guggulipid in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. The collective evidence strongly supports the promising role of guggulipid as a therapeutic agent, encouraging further research and development in guggulipid-based treatments for these conditions., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: The genus Costus is the largest genus in the family Costaceae and encompasses about 150 known species. Among these, Costus pictus D. Don (Synonym: Costus mexicanus ) is a traditional medicinal herb used to treat diabetes and other ailments. Currently, available treatment options in modern medicine have several adverse effects. Herbal medicines are gaining importance as they are cost-effective and display improved therapeutic effects with fewer side effects. Scientists have been seeking therapeutic compounds in plants, and various in vitro and in vivo studies report Costus pictus D. Don as a potential source in treating various diseases. Phytochemicals with various pharmacological properties of Costus pictus D. Don, viz . anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, diuretic, analgesic, and anti-microbial have been worked out and reported in the literature., Objective: The aim of the review is to categorize and summarize the available information on phytochemicals and pharmacological properties of Costus pictus D. Don and suggest outlooks for future research., Methods: This review combined scientific data regarding the use of Costus pictus D. Don plant for the management of diabetes and other ailments. A systematic search was performed on Costus pictus plant with anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and other pharmacological properties using several search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Sci-Finder, other online journals and books for detailed analysis., Results: Research data compilation and critical review of the information would be beneficial for further exploration of its pharmacological and phytochemical aspects and, consequently, new drug development. Bioactivity-guided fractionation, isolation, and purification of new chemical entities from the plant as well as pharmacological evaluation of the same will lead to the search for safe and effective novel drugs for better healthcare., Conclusion: This review critically summarizes the reports on natural compounds, and different extract of Costus pictus D. Don with their potent anti-diabetic activity along with other pharmacological activity. Since this review has been presented in a very interactive manner showing the geographical region of availability, parts of plant used, mechanism of action and phytoconstituents in different extracts of Costus pictus responsible for particular action, it will be of great importance to the interested readers to focus on the development of the new drug leads for the treatment of diseases., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Nanogels have gotten much attention as nanoscopic drug carriers, especially for delivering bioactive mediators to specific sites or at certain times. The versatility of polymer systems and the ease with which their physicochemical properties can be changed have resulted in versatile nano gel formulations. Nanogels offer exceptional stability, drug-loading capacity, biological consistency, strong penetration ability, and the ability to respond to environmental stimuli. Nanogels have shown great promise in various sectors, including gene delivery, chemotherapeutic medication delivery, diagnostics, organ targeting, and many more. This review focuses on various types of nanogels, preparation methods, including drug loading methods, various modes of biodegradation mechanisms, and primary mechanisms of drug release from nanogels. The article also focuses on the historical data for herb-related nanogels that are used to treat various disorders with great patient compliance, delivery rate, and efficacy., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)