Association between cytomegalovirus infection and neurological disorders: A systematic review.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) belongs to the Herpesviridae family and is also known as human herpesvirus type 5. It is a common virus that usually doesn't cause any symptoms in healthy individuals. However, once infected, the virus remains in the host's body for life and can reactivate when the host's immune system weakens. This virus has been linked to several neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Autism spectrum disorder, Huntington's disease (HD), ataxia, Bell's palsy (BP), and brain tumours, which can cause a wide range of symptoms and challenges for those affected. CMV may influence inflammation, contribute to brain tissue damage, and elevate the risk of moderate-to-severe dementia. Multiple studies suggest a potential association between CMV and ataxia in various conditions, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, acute cerebellitis, etc. On the other hand, the evidence regarding CMV involvement in BP is conflicting, and also early indications of a link between CMV and HD were challenged by subsequent research disproving CMV's presence. This systematic review aims to comprehensively investigate any link between the pathogenesis of CMV and its potential role in neurological disorders and follows the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis checklist. Despite significant research into the potential links between CMV infection and various neurological disorders, the direct cause-effect relationship is not fully understood and several gaps in knowledge persist. Therefore, continued research is necessary to gain a better understanding of the role of CMV in neurological disorders and potential treatment avenues.

Promising influences of zingerone against natural and chemical toxins: A comprehensive and mechanistic review.

Zingerone is a flavor phytochemical present in ginger, a flowering plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family used as a condiment and herbal remedy. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties and also exhibits protective effects against radiation, chemicals, biological toxins, and oxidative stress. The current comprehensive literature review was performed in order to assess the therapeutical and protective properties of zingerone against various chemical and natural toxins by considering the mechanisms of action. Extensive searches were performed on Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. Zingerone lessens oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative DNA damage by increasing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). It prevents alginate production, which increases the cell's susceptibility to macrophages, serum, and antibiotics and dramatically lowers the generation of proinflammatory cytokines brought on by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cytokine production, MAPK, and NF-κB activation are all inhibited dose-dependently by zingerone. Zingerone also reduces 8-OHdG over-expression in the liver tissue and the expression of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-6, COX-2, TNF-α, and iNOS mRNA level), decreases macrophage inflammatory protein cytokines and eliminates free radicals. It also suppresses matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 during tumor progression, showing its anti-angiogenic activity. Strong radioprotective properties of zingerone are demonstrated against radiation-induced toxicity. The authors hope this review gives researchers some insight into conducting novel clinical and preclinical studies on pharmaceutical applications and the efficiency of zingerone in cancer treatment, and drug adverse effects.