Interdigital-type antifungal socks for prevention and treatment of tinea pedis.

BACKGROUND: Interdigital tinea pedis is the most common type of foot infection, which is often treated by topical or systemic antifungals. Due to the increase in antifungal resistance, antifungal socks are becoming potential alternatives for the daily management of tinea pedis. METHODS: In this study, antifungal fibres were adopted to produce interdigital hygiene socks to split the third and fourth toe seams of the feet. In vitro antifungal activity was first examined to verify the effectiveness of the socks. Preventive efficacy against tinea pedis was then evaluated among healthy participants, followed by therapeutic effect detection in patients diagnosed with tinea pedis by analysing the improvement in total symptom scores (TTS). RESULTS: The interdigital-type hygiene socks exhibited apparent antifungal activities in vitro. An in vivo study demonstrated significant preventive effects against tinea pedis for interdigital socks compared to plain socks (P = 0.011) and a lower TTS than noninterdigital (P = 0.04) or plain socks (P < 0.0001). Moreover, interdigital socks showed a total effectiveness rate of 72.9% in patients with tinea pedis, with most of the symptoms alleviated. CONCLUSION: Interdigital-type hygiene socks not only exhibited in vitro antifungal activities but also showed significant prophylactic and therapeutic effects against interdigital tinea pedis in vivo.

Current Knowledge and Perspectives of Phage Therapy for Combating Refractory Wound Infections.

Wound infection is one of the most important factors affecting wound healing, so its effective control is critical to promote the process of wound healing. However, with the increasing prevalence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains, the prevention and treatment of wound infections are now more challenging, imposing heavy medical and financial burdens on patients. Furthermore, the diminishing effectiveness of conventional antimicrobials and the declining research on new antibiotics necessitate the urgent exploration of alternative treatments for wound infections. Recently, phage therapy has been revitalized as a promising strategy to address the challenges posed by bacterial infections in the era of antibiotic resistance. The use of phage therapy in treating infectious diseases has demonstrated positive results. This review provides an overview of the mechanisms, characteristics, and delivery methods of phage therapy for combating pathogenic bacteria. Then, we focus on the clinical application of various phage therapies in managing refractory wound infections, such as diabetic foot infections, as well as traumatic, surgical, and burn wound infections. Additionally, an analysis of the potential obstacles and challenges of phage therapy in clinical practice is presented, along with corresponding strategies for addressing these issues. This review serves to enhance our understanding of phage therapy and provides innovative avenues for addressing refractory infections in wound healing.

Combination of H1 and H2 Histamine Receptor Antagonists: Current Knowledge and Perspectives of a Classic Treatment Strategy.

Histamine receptor antagonists, which can bind to specific histamine receptors on target cells, exhibit substantial therapeutic efficacy in managing a variety of histamine-mediated disorders. Notably, histamine H1 and H2 receptor antagonists have been extensively investigated and universally acknowledged as recommended treatment agents for numerous allergic diseases and acid-related disorders, respectively. Historically, the combination of H1 and H2 receptor antagonists has been considered a classic treatment strategy, demonstrating relatively superior efficacy compared with single-drug therapies in the treatment of diverse histamine-mediated diseases. The latest emerging studies have additionally suggested the underlying roles of histamine and H1R and H2R in the development of anxiety disorders, arthritic diseases, and postexercise hypotension. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of systematic reviews on the clinical efficacy of combination therapy, greatly limiting our understanding of its clinical application. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge and perspectives regarding the combination of H1 and H2 histamine receptor antagonists in various histamine-mediated disorders. Furthermore, we critically analyze the adverse effects and limitations associated with combination therapy while suggesting potential solutions. Our review can offer a systematic summary and promising insights into the in-depth and effective application of the combination of H1 and H2 receptor antagonists.

Clinical significance of bromodomain-containing protein 7 and its association with tumor progression in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignancy in males. The current study assessed the clinical significance of bromodomain-containing protein 7 (BRD7) and its association with PCa tumor progression. Serum and tissue expression levels of BRD7 were analyzed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of BRD7. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the prognostic performance of BRD7. The association of BRD7 with cell behavior was investigated by transfection with a pcDNA3.1-BRD7 vector. The results revealed that serum and tissue BRD7 expression levels were significantly decreased in PCa samples compared with normal controls (P<0.001). BRD7 expression was significantly associated with the pathological stage (P=0.037), lymph node metastasis (P=0.009) and TNM stage (P=0.010). An area under the ROC curve of 0.864 was obtained, with a sensitivity and specificity of 77.0 and 83.3%, respectively. Low BRD7 expression was significantly associated with a shorter survival time in both overall survival analysis (P=0.003) and cancer-specific survival analysis (P=0.029). Furthermore, BRD7 appeared to serve as an independent prognostic factor for PCa. The proliferation, migration and invasion of PCa cells were suppressed by BRD7 overexpression. In summary, downregulation of BRD7 in PCa may be involved in tumor progression and serve as an effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Effects of Ginkgo leaf tablets on the pharmacokinetics of losartan and its metabolite EXP3174 in rats and its mechanism.

CONTEXT: Ginkgo leaf tablets (GLTs) and losartan are often simultaneously used for the treatment of hypertension in Chinese clinics. However, the herb-drug interaction between GLT and losartan is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the effects of GLT on the pharmacokinetics of losartan and its metabolite EXP3174 in rats and its potential mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pharmacokinetic profiles of losartan and EXP3174 of orally administered losartan (10 mg/kg) with or without GLT pretreatment (80 mg/kg/day for 10 days) in Sprague-Dawley rats were determined. In vitro, the effects of GLT on the metabolic stability of losartan were investigated with rat liver microsomes. RESULTS: The Cmax (1.22 ± 0.25 vs 1.85 ± 0.37 µg/mL) and the AUC(0-t) (6.99 ± 1.05 vs 11.94 ± 1.79 mg·h/L) of losartan increased significantly (p < 0.05) with GLT pretreatment, while the Cmax (1.05 ± 0.19 vs 0.72 ± 0.12 µg/mL) of EXP3174 decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the control. The t1/2 of losartan was prolonged significantly from 3.94 ± 0.62 to 4.75 ± 0.52 h (p < 0.05). The metabolic stability of losartan was increased from 37.4 min to 59.6 min with GLT pretreatment. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that GLT might increase the plasma concentration of losartan and decrease the concentration of EXP3174 through inhibiting the metabolism of losartan.