Translation from Preclinical Research to Clinical Trials: Transdermal Drug Delivery for Neurodegenerative and Mental Disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), particularly dementia, provide significant problems to worldwide healthcare systems. The development of therapeutic materials for various diseases has a severe challenge in the form of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Transdermal treatment has recently garnered widespread favor as an alternative method of delivering active chemicals to the brain. This approach has several advantages, including low invasiveness, self-administration, avoidance of first-pass metabolism, preservation of steady plasma concentrations, regulated release, safety, efficacy, and better patient compliance. Topics include the transdermal method for therapeutic NDs, their classification, and the mechanisms that allow the medicine to enter the bloodstream through the skin. The paper also discusses the obstacles and potential outcomes of transdermal therapy, emphasizing the benefits and drawbacks of different approaches.

The Potential Crosstalk Between the Brain and Visceral Adipose Tissue in Alzheimer's Development.

The bidirectional communication between the brain and peripheral organs have been widely documented, but the impact of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) dysfunction and its relation to structural and functional brain changes have yet to be fully elucidated. This review initially examines the clinical evidence supporting associations between the brain and VAT before visiting the roles of the autonomic nervous system, fat and glucose metabolism, neuroinflammation, and metabolites. Finally, the possible effects and potential mechanisms of the brain-VAT axis on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease are discussed, providing new insights regarding future prevention and therapeutic strategies.

Advances in Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common central nervous system disorder (CNS) characterized by cell loss in the substantia nigra. Severe loss of dopaminergic neurons and Lewy body formation with α-synuclein inclusions are the main neuropathological features of PD. There's currently no cure for PD, but treatments are available to help relieve the symptoms and maintain quality of life. However, the variety of clinically available therapeutic molecules is mainly limited to treating symptoms rather than halting or reversing disease progression via medical interventions. As an emerging drug carrier, hydrogels loaded with therapeutic agents and cells are attracting attention as an alternative and potentially more effective approach to managing PD. The current work highlights applications of hydrogel-based biomaterials in cell culture and disease modeling as carriers for cells, medicines, and proteins as PD therapeutic models.

Lipid-Based Nanocarriers via Nose-to-Brain Pathway for Central Nervous System Disorders.

Neurodegenerative disorders are distinguished by the gradual deterioration of the nervous system's structure and function due to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, excitotoxicity, and neuroinflammation. Among these NDs, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis characterized an increasing dysfunction and loss of neuronal structure leading to neuronal cell death. Although there is currently no drug to totally reverse the effects of NDs, such novel formulations and administration routes are developed for better management and nose-to-brain delivery is one of delivery for treating NDs. This review aimed to highlight advances in research on various lipid based nanocarriers such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, microemulsion, nanoemulsion, and cubosomes which are reported to treat and alleviate the symptoms of NDs via nose-to-brain route. The challenges during clinical translation of lipid nanocarriers from bench to bed side is also discussed.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): Beginning to Understand a New Virus.

Within the last two decades, several members of the Coronaviridae family demonstrated epidemic potential. In late 2019, an unnamed genetic relative, later named SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), erupted in the highly populous neighborhoods of Wuhan, China. Unchecked, COVID-19 spread rapidly among interconnected communities and related households before containment measures could be enacted. At present, the mortality rate of COVID-19 infection worldwide is 6.6%. In order to mitigate the number of infections, restrictions or recommendations on the number of people that can gather in a given area have been employed by governments worldwide. For governments to confidently lift these restrictions as well as counter a potential secondary wave of infections, alternative medications and diagnostic strategies against COVID-19 are urgently required. This review has focused on these issues.

Natural flavonoids as potential therapeutics in the management of Alzheimer's disease: a review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder which is associated with the accumulation of proteotoxic Aß peptides, and pathologically characterized by the deposition of Aß-enriched plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Given the social and economic burden caused by the rising frequency of AD, there is an urgent need for the development of appropriate therapeutics. Natural compounds are gaining popularity as alternatives to synthetic drugs due to their neuroprotective properties and higher biocompatibility. While natural compound's therapeutic effects for AD have been recently investigated in numerous in vitro and in vivo studies, only few have developed to clinical trials. The present review aims to provide a brief overview of the therapeutic effects, new insights, and upcoming perspectives of the preclinical and clinical trials of flavonoids for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Recent Advancements in Nanomaterials: A Promising Way to Manage Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are some of the most prevalent disorders currently afflicting healthcare systems. Many of these diseases share similar pathological hallmarks, including elevated oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, excitotoxicity, and neuroinflammation, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the nervous system's structure and function. The development of diagnostic and therapeutic materials in the monitoring and treatment of these diseases remains challenging. One of the biggest challenges facing therapeutic and diagnostic materials is the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a multifunctional membrane possessing a plethora of biochemical, cellular, and immunological features that ensure brain homeostasis by preventing the entry and accumulation of unwanted compounds. With regards to neurodegenerative diseases, the recent application of tailored nanomaterials (nanocarriers and nanoparticles) has led to advances in diagnostics and therapeutics. In this review, we provide an overview of commonly used nanoparticles and their applications in NDs, which may offer new therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Evaluation of Antidiabetic Properties of Adenosma Bracteosum Bonati Extracts in Mice with Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia. Traditional medicinal plants with antidiabetic properties can be used as drugs or dietary adjuvants to existing therapies. This chapter presents the preparation of aqueous and ethanol extracts of Adenosma bracteosum Bonati (A. bracteosum) and evaluation of these for antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition activities in vitro. In addition, we tested the extracts and the purified A. bracteosum compound (isoscutellarein 8-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside) for antihyperglycemic effects in glucose-loaded hyperglycemic and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities of Bouea macrophylla Ethanol Extract.

The Bouea macrophylla (B. macrophylla) tree is widely grown throughout South East Asia and has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of various illnesses. This chapter presents a protocol for preparation of ethanol extracts of B. macrophylla leaves and evaluation of the potential antimicrobial and anticancer activities in vitro. The extract displayed antibacterial activity against nine out of the ten target microorganisms tested. In addition, the extract was capable of inhibiting the proliferation of HeLa and HCT116 cells, thus demonstrating some anticancer activity.

Evaluation of Anti-Hepatocellular-Cancer Properties of ß-Sitosterol and ß-Sitosterol-Glucoside from Indigofera zollingeriana Miq.

Liver cancer is the most frequent cancer, making it the leading cause of cancer death globally. Traditional medicinal plants with anticancer properties can be used as drugs or dietary adjuvants to existing therapies. This chapter presents a protocol for the preparation of ß-sitosterol and ß-sitosterol-glucoside from Indigofera zollingeriana Miq (I. zollingeriana) and the evaluation of these for anticancer activity in hepatocellular cells.

Nanotechnology-based drug delivery for central nervous system disorders.

Drug delivery to central nervous system (CNS) diseases is very challenging since the presence of the innate blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier that impede drug delivery. Among new strategies to overcome these limitations and successfully deliver drugs to the CNS, nanotechnology-based drug delivery platform, offers potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of some common neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease. This review aimed to highlight advances in research on the development of nano-based therapeutics for their implications in therapy of CNS disorders. The challenges during clinical translation of nanomedicine from bench to bed side is also discussed.