Interplay between Heat Shock Proteins, Inflammation and Pain: A Promising Therapeutic Approach.

Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) are important molecular chaperones that facilitate many functions of the cells. They also play a pivotal role in cell survival, especially in the presence of stressors, including nutritional deprivation, lack of oxygen, fever, alcohol, inflammation, oxidative stress, heavy metals, as well as conditions that cause injury and necrosis. In the face of a painful stimulus encounter, many factors could be associated with pain that may include nitric oxide, excitatory amino acids, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, prostaglandins, and inflammatory cytokines. One influential factor affecting pain reduction is the expression of HSPs that act as a ROS scavenger, regulate the inflammatory cytokines, and reduce pain responses subsequently. Hence, we assembled information on the painkilling attributes of HSPs. In this field of research, new painkillers could be developed by targetting HSPs to alleviate pain and widen our grasp of pain in pathological conditions and neurological diseases.

The Effect of Ocimum basilicum L. and Its Main Ingredients on Respiratory Disorders: An Experimental, Preclinical, and Clinical Review.

Ocimum basilicum L. (O. basilicum) and its constituents show anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects. The plant has been mainly utilized in traditional medicine for the treatment of respiratory disorders. In the present article, effects of O. basilicum and its main constituents on respiratory disorders, assessed by experimental and clinical studies, were reviewed. Relevant studies were searched in PubMed, Science Direct, Medline, and Embase databases using relevant keywords including "Ocimum basilicum," "basilicums," "linalool," "respiratory disease," "asthma," "obstructive pulmonary disease," "bronchodilatory," "bronchitis," "lung cancer," and "pulmonary fibrosis," and other related keywords.The reviewed articles showed both relieving and preventing effects of the plant and its ingredients on obstructive pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and other respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, aspergillosis tuberculosis, and lung cancer. The results of the reviewed articles suggest the therapeutic potential of O. basilicum and its constituent, linalool, on respiratory disorders.

The Potential Role of Green Tea and its Main Constituent (Epigallocatechin -3-Gallate) in Pain Relief: A Mechanistic Review.

Medicinal plants and dietary supplements may provide an effective and safe treatment for pain relief. Green tea is one of the most common beverages with many several pharmacological activities. The results of various studies have indicated that green tea possesses antinociceptive effects. Many of the protective effects of green tea in terms of pain relief are attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Epigallocatechin -3-gallate (EGCG), as one of the major phytochemical components in green tea, is effective in the management of pain through suppression of inflammation and oxidative stress. We have reviewed the effects of green tea on pain and also discussed mechanisms involved in pain relief. This review suggests that green tea can be a safe and often effective treatment for pain.