Evaluation of the Phytochemistry-Therapeutic Activity Relationship for Grape Seeds Oil.

Seeds' abundant biologically active compounds make them a suitable primary platform for the production of natural extracts, innovative foods, medicines, and cosmetics. High levels of industrial and agricultural residues and byproducts are generated during the processing of grapes, although some parts can also be repurposed. This paper examines the phytochemical composition, manufacturing processes, and health-improving attributes of many varieties of grape oil derived using various extraction methods. Since the results are influenced by a range of factors, they are expressed differently among studies, and the researchers employ a variety of measuring units, making it difficult to convey the results. The primary topics covered in most papers are grape seed oil's lipophilic fatty acids, tocopherols, and phytosterols. In addition, new methods for extracting grape seed oil should therefore be designed; these methods must be affordable, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly in order to increase the oil's quality by extracting bioactive components and thereby increasing its biological activity in order to become part of the overall management of multiple diseases.

A Narrative Review of the Classical and Modern Diagnostic Methods of the No-Reflow Phenomenon.

The incidence of the no-reflow (NR) phenomenon varies depending on the diagnostic criteria used. If just the angiographic criteria are considered (i.e., a degree of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction ≤2), it will be found that the incidence of NR is quite low; on the other hand, when the myocardial NR is taken into account (i.e., a decrease in the quality of myocardial reperfusion expressed by the degree of myocardial blush), the real incidence is higher. Thus, the early establishment of a diagnosis of NR and the administration of specific treatment can lead to its reversibility. Otherwise, regardless of the follow-up period, patients with NR have a poor prognosis. In the present work, we offer a comprehensive perspective on diagnostic tools for NR detection, for improving the global management of patients with arterial microvasculature damage, which is a topic of major interest in the cardiology field, due to its complexity and its link with severe clinical outcomes.

Use of anticoagulant drugs in patients with atrial fibrillation. Does adherence to therapy have a prognostic impact?

Anticoagulant therapy represents a pivotal element that strongly influences the thromboembolic risk of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) subjects. The main purpose of this review was to identify issues and suggest strategies to improve the oral anticoagulants (OACs) treatment adherence, which is the most important predictor of NVAF outcome. Advantages, efficacy, and impact of these drugs on patients' prognosis were revealed in important clinical trials on large cohorts of patients and are often prescribed nowadays. A real-life data registry, the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the Field-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) analyzed the profile and outcome of patients diagnosed with NVAF receiving oral antithrombotic treatment. The observations gathered in the registry were crucial for identifying relevant elements that clinicians must improve, such as adherence strategies and predisposing factors that correlated with stroke. Adherence to OACs in AF patients is essential from the viewpoint of clinical efficacy and safety. Major adverse events and negative outcome are correlated with a weak anticoagulation control caused by an ineffective treatment adherence strategy. Solving the issue of oral anticoagulation adherence is possible using new technologies, but future directions should be explored. Mobile phone applications centered on patients' needs, telemedicine programs that evaluate patients' evolution and detect adverse reactions or events, encouraging an adequate management of the event without interruption of OACs, represent perspectives with a major impact on treatment adherence.

Non-conventional therapeutical approaches to acne vulgaris related to its association with metabolic disorders.

The ever-increasing frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is still a major challenge of the public health care system, worldwide. In recent years, researchers have been drawn to the uncommon (at first look) link between skin illnesses and MetS. Because of the pro-inflammatory mechanisms and insulin resistance (IR) that are upregulated in metabolic syndrome, many skin disorders are correlated to metabolic dysfunctions, including acne vulgaris. A comprehensive understanding of the link between MetS and acne vulgaris may contribute to the development of new treatment strategies. The current review focuses on dietary and therapeutic interventions and assesses the effect of various approaches such as improving diet by avoiding certain food products (i.e., milk and chocolate) or increasing the intake of others (i.e., food products rich in omega-3 fatty acids), metformin administration, therapy with plant extracts, plant essential oils, and probiotic supplementation on the improvement of certain acne vulgaris severity parameters. These therapeutic approaches, when combined with allopathic treatment, can improve the patients' quality of life.

Acute coronary syndromes in diabetic patients, outcome, revascularization, and antithrombotic therapy.

Diabetes exacerbates the progression of atherosclerosis and is associated with increased risk of developing acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Approximatively 25-30% of patients admitted for ACS have diabetes. ACS occurs earlier in diabetics and is associated with increased mortality and a higher risk of recurrent ischemic events. An increased proinflammatory and prothrombotic state is involved in the poorer outcomes of diabetic patients. In the past decade advancement in both percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery by-pass graft (CABG) techniques and more potent antiplatelet drugs like prasugrel and ticagrelor improved outcomes of diabetic patients with ACS, but this population still experiences worse outcomes compared to non-diabetic patients. While in ST elevation myocardial infarction urgent PCI is the method of choice for revascularization, in patients with non-ST elevation ACS an early invasive approach is suggested by the guidelines, but in the setting of multivessel (MV) or complex coronary artery disease (CAD) the revascularization strategy is less clear. This review describes the accumulating evidence regarding factors involved in promoting increased incidence and poor prognosis of ACS in patients with diabetes, the evolution over time of prognosis and outcomes, revascularization strategies and antithrombotic therapy studied until now.

The Footprint of Kynurenine Pathway in Neurodegeneration: Janus-Faced Role in Parkinson's Disorder and Therapeutic Implications.

Progressive degeneration of neurons and aggravation of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta results in the loss of dopamine in the brain of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Numerous therapies, exhibiting transient efficacy have been developed; however, they are mostly accompanied by side effects and limited reliability, therefore instigating the need to develop novel optimistic treatment targets. Significant therapeutic targets have been identified, namely: chaperones, protein Abelson, glucocerebrosidase-1, calcium, neuromelanin, ubiquitin-proteasome system, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the kynurenine pathway (KP). The role of KP and its metabolites and enzymes in PD, namely quinolinic acid (QUIN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), 3-hydroxyanthranillic acid (3-HAA), kunurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO), etc. has been reported. The neurotoxic QUIN, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist, and neuroprotective KYNA-which antagonizes QUIN actions-primarily justify the Janus-faced role of KP in PD. Moreover, KP has been reported to play a biomarker role in PD detection. Therefore, the authors detail the neurotoxic, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory neuroactive components, alongside the upstream and downstream metabolic pathways of KP, forming a basis for a therapeutic paradigm of the disease while recognizing KP as a potential biomarker in PD, thus facilitating the development of a suitable target in PD management.

Current Perspective on the Natural Compounds and Drug Delivery Techniques in Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the debilitating brain tumors, being associated with extremely poor prognosis and short median patient survival. GBM is associated with complex pathogenesis with alterations in various cellular signaling events, that participate in cell proliferation and survival. The impairment in cellular redox pathways leads to tumorigenesis. The current standard pharmacological regimen available for glioblastomas, such as radiotherapy and surgical resection following treatment with chemotherapeutic drug temozolomide, remains fatal, due to drug resistance, metastasis and tumor recurrence. Thus, the demand for an effective therapeutic strategy for GBM remains elusive. Hopefully, novel products from natural compounds are suggested as possible solutions. They protect glial cells by reducing oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting pro-oncogene events and intensifying the potent anti-tumor therapies. Targeting aberrant cellular pathways in the amelioration of GBM could promote the development of new therapeutic options that improve patient quality of life and extend survival. Consequently, our review emphasizes several natural compounds in GBM treatment. We also assessed the potential of drug delivery techniques such as nanoparticles, Gliadel wafers and drug delivery using cellular carriers which could lead to a novel path for the obliteration of GBM.

Chemically Diverse and Biologically Active Secondary Metabolites from Marine Phylum chlorophyta.

For a long time, algal chemistry from terrestrial to marine or freshwater bodies, especially chlorophytes, has fascinated numerous investigators to develop new drugs in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. As such, chlorophytes comprise a diverse structural class of secondary metabolites, having functional groups that are specific to a particular source. All bioactive compounds of chlorophyte are of great interest due to their supplemental/nutritional/pharmacological activities. In this review, a detailed description of the chemical diversity of compounds encompassing alkaloids, terpenes, steroids, fatty acids and glycerides, their subclasses and their structures are discussed. These promising natural products have efficiency in developing new drugs necessary in the treatment of various deadly pathologies (cancer, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, several inflammations, etc.). Marine chlorophyte, therefore, is portrayed as a pivotal treasure in the case of drugs having marine provenience. It is a domain of research expected to probe novel pharmaceutically or nutraceutically important secondary metabolites resulting from marine Chlorophyta. In this regard, our review aims to compile the isolated secondary metabolites having diverse chemical structures from chlorophytes (like Caulerpa ssp., Ulva ssp., Tydemania ssp., Penicillus ssp., Codium ssp., Capsosiphon ssp., Avrainvillea ssp.), their biological properties, applications and possible mode of action.

Orchard management under the effects of climate change: implications for apple, plum, and almond growing.

The authors analyzed certain species and varieties of fruit tree in which applied crop technology is used and also undergoes the effects of climate change. The aim is to extend productive crop varieties, resistant to disease and pests, in order to obtain superior yields. The research was conducted in orchards located in northwestern Romania (on 8.59 ha), intensively cultivated with apple, plum, and almond species. The blooming period of the species and fruit production was studied in 2009, the first year of the farm's commercial production, and then compared to figures from 2016 to see the changes that occurred. Climatic conditions were studied throughout the period of existence of the farm (2002-2016). To determine the influence of the climatic factor on the blooming and production periods, respectively, every year is considered having pre-blooming, blooming, and ripening periods. It was found that climate change influences the annual biological cycle of the trees: the vegetative rest period of the trees shortens, the tree vegetation begins earlier in the spring, and the blooming period is advanced by as much as 10 days compared to normal cultivated varieties. All these factors have direct repercussions on the quantity of production.

History of the pharmacies in the town of Alesd, Bihor county.

In 1848 pharmacist Horváth Mihály established the first pharmacy in Alesd, called Speranta (Remény). Following the brief history of this pharmacy we will notice that in 1874 the pharmacy comes into the possession of Kocsiss József. In 1906 the personal rights of the pharmacy are transcribed to Kocsiss Béla, and since 1938 the his son, Kocsiss Dezso, pharmacist, became the new owner. In 1949 the pharmacy was nationalized and became the property of the Pharmaceutical Office Oradea, the pharmacy got the name Farmacia nr. 22 of Alesd, and continued its activity throughout the whole communist period. Starting with the year 1991 it entered into private system as Angefarm, as the property of Mermeze Gheorghe, pharmacist, and from 2003 until now works under the name Vitalogy 3, as the property of Ghitea Sorin. A second pharmacy, Sfântul Anton was founded in 1937 by pharmacist Herceg Dobreanu Atena, which however had no continuity during the communist period.