Turmeric: from spice to cure. A review of the anti-cancer, radioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric sourced compounds.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been extensively studied for its diverse pharmacological properties, including its potential role as an anticancer agent, antioxidant, and radioprotector. This review provides an overview of the chemical composition of turmeric, focusing on its main bioactive compounds, such as curcuminoids and volatile oils. Curcumin, the most abundant curcuminoid in turmeric, has been widely investigated for its various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the ability of curcumin to modulate multiple signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis, leading to inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and suppression of metastasis. Furthermore, curcumin has shown promising potential as a radioprotective agent by mitigating radiation-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage. Additionally, turmeric extracts containing curcuminoids have been reported to exhibit potent antioxidant activity, scavenging free radicals and protecting cells from oxidative damage. The multifaceted pharmacological properties of turmeric make it a promising candidate for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for cancer prevention and treatment, as well as for the management of oxidative stress-related disorders. However, further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of turmeric and its bioactive constituents in cancer therapy and radioprotection. This review consolidates the most recent relevant data on turmeric's chemical composition and its therapeutic applications, providing a comprehensive overview of its potential in cancer prevention and treatment, as well as in radioprotection.

Development and Functionalization of a Novel Chitosan-Based Nanosystem for Enhanced Drug Delivery.

Nowadays, infection diseases are one of the most significant threats to humans all around the world. An encouraging strategy for solving this issue and fighting resistant microorganisms is to develop drug carriers for a prolonged release of the antibiotic to the target site. The purpose of this work was to obtain metronidazole-encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles using an ion gelation route and to evaluate their properties. Due to the advantages of the ionic gelation method, the synthesized polymeric nanoparticles can be applied in various fields, especially pharmaceutical and medical. Loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency varFied depending on the amount of antibiotic in each formulation. Physicochemical characterization using scanning electron microscopy revealed a narrow particle size distribution where 90% of chitosan particles were 163.7 nm in size and chitosan-loaded metronidazole nanoparticles were 201.3 nm in size, with a zeta potential value of 36.5 mV. IR spectra revealed characteristic peaks of the drug and polymer nanoparticles. Cell viability assessment revealed that samples have no significant impact on tested cells. Release analysis showed that metronidazole was released from the chitosan matrix for 24 h in a prolonged course, implying that antibiotic-encapsulated polymer nanostructures are a promising drug delivery system to prevent or to treat various diseases. It is desirable to obtain new formulations based on drugs encapsulated in nanoparticles through different preparation methods, with reduced cytotoxic potential, in order to improve the therapeutic effect through sustained and prolonged release mechanisms of the drug correlated with the reduction of adverse effects.

Understanding How Minerals Contribute to Optimal Immune Function.

Sufficient mineral supply is vital not only for the innate immune system but also for the components of the adaptive immune defense, which encompass defense mechanisms against pathogens and the delicate balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory regulation in the long term. Generally, a well-balanced diet is capable of providing the necessary minerals to support the immune system. Nevertheless, specific vulnerable populations should be cautious about obtaining adequate amounts of minerals such as magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, and selenium. Inadequate levels of these minerals can temporarily impair immune competence and disrupt the long-term regulation of systemic inflammation. Therefore, comprehending the mechanisms and sources of these minerals is crucial. In exceptional circumstances, mineral deficiencies may necessitate supplementation; however, excessive intake of supplements can have adverse effects on the immune system and should be avoided. Consequently, any supplementation should be approved by medical professionals and administered in recommended doses. This review emphasizes the crucial significance of minerals in promoting optimal functioning of the immune system. It investigates the indispensable minerals required for immune system function and the regulation of inflammation. Moreover, it delves into the significance of maintaining an optimized intake of minerals from a nutritional standpoint.

Post-Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Outcomes of Patients with/without Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease Treated with SGLT2 Inhibitor Dapagliflozin: A Single-Center Experience Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Increasingly, SGLT2 inhibitors save patients with heart failure and comorbidities such as type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD); the inhibition of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) was first studied in patients with diabetes as a solution to lower glucose levels by preventing glucose reabsorption and facilitating its elimination; in the process, researchers took notice of how SGLT2 inhibitors also seemed to have beneficial cardiovascular effects in patients with both diabetes and cardiovascular disease. AIM: Our single-center prospective study assesses outcomes of post-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) rehabilitation and SLGT2 inhibition in CABG patients with/without T2DM and with/without CKD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty consecutive patients undergoing CABG were included in the analysis. Patients were divided into four subgroups: diabetes patients with chronic kidney disease (T2DM + CKD), diabetes patients without chronic kidney disease (T2DM-CKD), prediabetes patients with chronic kidney disease (PreD+CKD), and prediabetes patients without chronic kidney disease (PreD-CKD). Echocardiographic and laboratory investigations post-surgery (phase I) and 6 months later (phase II) included markers for cardiac ischemia, glycemic status, and renal function, and metabolic equivalents were investigated. RESULTS: One hundred twenty patients participated, mostly men, overweight/obese, hypertensive, smokers; 65 had T2DM (18 with CKD), and 55 were prediabetic (17 with CKD). The mean ejection fraction increased by 8.43% overall but significantly more in the prediabetes group compared to the T2DM group (10.14% vs. 6.98%, p < 0.05). Overall, mean heart-type fatty-acid-binding protein (H-FABP) levels returned to normal levels, dropping from 68.40 ng/mL to 4.82 ng/mL (p = 0.000), and troponin data were more nuanced relative to an overall, strongly significant decrease of 44,458 ng/L (p = 0.000). Troponin levels in patients with CKD dropped more, both in the presence of T2DM (by 82,500 ng/L, p = 0.000) and in patients without T2DM (by 73,294 ng/L, p = 0.047). As expected, the overall glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels improved significantly in those with prediabetes (from 6.54% to 5.55%, p = 0.000); on the other hand, the mean HbA1c changed from 7.06% to 6.06% (p = 0.000) in T2DM, and the presence or absence of CKD did not seem to make any difference: T2DM+CKD 7.01-6.08% (p = 0.000), T2DM-CKD 7.08-6.04% (p = 0.000), PreD+CKD 5.66-4.98% (p = 0.014), and PreD-CKD 6.03-4.94% (p = 0.00). Compared to an overall gain of 11.51, the GFRs of patients with CKD improved by 18.93 (68.15-87.07%, p = 0.000) in the presence of established diabetes and 14.89 (64.75-79.64%, p = 0.000) in the prediabetes group. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding the patients' cardiac statuses, the results from our single-center analysis revealed a significant decrease in ischemic risk (H-FABP and hs-cTnI levels) with improvements in mean ejection fraction, glycemic status, and renal function in patients post-CABG with/without T2DM, with/without CKD, and with SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin treatment while undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.

Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Loaded Chitosan Used to Limit Microorganisms Resistance.

From their discovery, antibiotics have significantly improved clinical treatments of infections, thus leading to diminishing morbidity and mortality in critical care patients, as well as surgical, transplant and other types of medical procedures. In contemporary medicine, a significant debate regarding the development of multi-drug resistance involves all types of pathogens, especially in acute care hospitals due to suboptimal or inappropriate therapy. The possibility of nanotechnology using nanoparticles as matrices to encapsulate a lot of active molecules should increase drug efficacy, limit adverse effects and be an alternative helping to combat antibiotic resistance. The major aim of this study was to obtain and to analyze physico-chemical features of chitosan used as a drug-delivery system in order to stop the antibiotic resistance of different pathogens. It is well known that World Health Organization stated that multidrug resistance is one of the most important health threats worldwide. In last few years, nano-medicine emerged as an improved therapy to combat antibiotic-resistant infections agents. This work relies on enhancement of the antimicrobial efficiency of ceftriaxone against gram(+) and gram(-) bacteria by antibiotic encapsulation into chitosan nanoparticles. Physicochemical features of ceftriaxone-loaded polymer nanoparticles were investigated by particle size distribution and zeta potential, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TG/TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) characteristics techniques. The obtained results revealed an average particle size of 250 nm and a zeta potential value of 38.5 mV. The release profile indicates an incipient drug deliverance of almost 15%, after 2 h of approximately 83%, followed by a slowed drug release up to 24 h. Characteristics peaks of chitosan were confirmed by FTIR spectra indicating a similar structure in the case of ceftriaxone-loaded chitosan nanoparticles. A good encapsulation of the antibiotic into chitosan nanoparticles was also provided by thermo-gravimetric analysis. Morphological characteristics shown by SEM micrographs exhibit spherical nanoparticles of 30-250 nm in size with agglomerated architectures. Chitosan, a natural polymer which is used to load different drugs, provides sustained and prolonged release of antibiotics at a specific target by possessing antimicrobial activity against gram(+) and gram(-) bacteria. In this research, ceftriaxone-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were investigated as a carrier in antibiotic delivery.