Therapeutic Strategies for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - Thriving Present and Promising Tomorrow.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a continuous, progressive, and lethal age-related respiratory disease. It is characterized by condensed and rigid lung tissue, which leads to a decline in the normal functioning of the lungs. The pathophysiology of IPF has still not been completely elucidated, so current strategies are lagging behind with respect to improving the condition of patients with IPF and increasing their survival rate. The desire for a better understanding of the pathobiology of IPF and its early detection has led to the identification of various biomarkers associated with IPF. The use of drugs such as pirfenidone and nintedanib as a safe and effective treatment alternative have marked a new chapter in the treatment of IPF. However, nonpharmacological therapies, involving long-term oxygen therapy, transplantation of the lungs, pulmonary rehabilitation, ventilation, and palliative care for cough and dyspnea, are still considered to be beneficial as supplementary methods for IPF therapy. A major risk factor for IPF is aging, with associated hallmarks such as telomere attrition, senescence, epigenetic drift, stem cell exhaustion, loss of proteostasis, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These are promising earmarks for the development of potential therapy for the disease. In this review, we have discussed current and emerging novel therapeutic strategies for IPF, especially for targets associated with age-related mechanisms.

In situ nanostructured hydrogel of resveratrol for brain targeting: in vitro-in vivo characterization.

The purpose of conducting the present research work was to develop resveratrol nanostructured in situ gel for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Resveratrol loaded lipid carrier was prepared by melt emulsification-probe sonication method, and the final product was evaluated for particle size (132 ± 11.90 nm), polydispersity index (0.209 ± 0.005), zeta potential (- 23 ± 3.79 mV), drug loading (9.26 ± 3.79%), and entrapment efficiency (74 ± 11.40%). Following incorporation of the resveratrol nanostructured lipid carrier in gellan gum and xanthan gum, in situ gel was formulated and characterized. The optimized in situ gel showed fivefold higher permeation across the nasal mucosa as compared to resveratrol suspension-based in situ gel. Finally, optimized in situ gel was evaluated using in vivo pharmacodynamic study by the scopolamine-induced amnesia model in rats using Morris Water Maze test. It showed significant improvement in memory function in rats treated with optimized in situ gel as compared to orally administered resveratrol suspension. The enhanced permeation across nasal mucosa and improved memory function suggest that the resveratrol nanostructured lipid carrier-based in situ gel could be an effective and promising approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.