The Effects of Vitamin C on the Multiple Pathophysiological Stages of COVID-19.

Currently available anti-viral drugs may be useful in reducing the viral load but are not providing the necessary physiological effects to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 complications efficiently. Treatments that provide better clinical outcomes are urgently needed. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, AA) is an essential nutrient with many biological roles that have been proven to play an important part in immune function; it serves as an antioxidant, an anti-viral, and exerts anti-thrombotic effects among many other physiological benefits. Research has proven that AA at pharmacological doses can be beneficial to patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other respiratory illnesses, including sepsis. In addition, High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C (HDIVC) has proven to be effective in patients with different viral diseases, such as influenza, chikungunya, Zika, and dengue. Moreover, HDIVC has been demonstrated to be very safe. Regarding COVID-19, vitamin C can suppress the cytokine storm, reduce thrombotic complications, and diminish alveolar and vascular damage, among other benefits. Due to these reasons, the use of HDIVC should be seriously considered in complicated COVID-19 patients. In this article, we will emphasize vitamin C's multiple roles in the most prominent pathophysiological processes presented by the COVID-19 disease.

Evaluation of exosome derivatives as bio-informational reprogramming therapy for cancer.

Exosomes are nanoparticle sized (100 ± 50 nm) extracellular vesicles (ECVs) that play important roles in cell-to-cell communication. They do this by utilizing their natural ability to shuttle signaling molecules across the cellular microenvironment and promote paracrine signaling. Currently, exosomes are being explored for their potential as therapeutic agents for various degenerative diseases including cancer. The rationale behind their therapeutic ability is that they can transfer signaling biomolecules, and subsequently induce metabolic and physiological changes in diseased cells and tissues. In addition, exosomes can be used as a drug delivery system and may be very effective at reducing toxicity and increasing bioavailability of therapeutic molecules and drugs. Although exosomes were first believed to be a waste product of the cell, current research has demonstrated that these particles can serve as modulators of the immune system, act as cancer biomarkers, cause re-differentiation of cancer cells, and induce apoptosis in diseased cells. Extensive research has been performed specifically using amniotic fluid-derived extracellular vesicles, named "cytosomes". While the use of cytosomes in clinical application is still in the early stages, researchers have shown great potential for these EVs in regenerative medicine as immune modulators, in controlling microbial infection and by inducing tissue repair through the activation of endogenous, tissue-specific stem cells. This review emphasizes the capabilities of specific subsets of extracellular vesicles that can potentially be used for cancer therapy, principally as a source of bi-informational reprogramming for malignant cells.

Impact of Intravenous Vitamin C and Endolaser Therapies on a Pediatric Brainstem Glioma Case.

Pediatric cases of a brainstem glioma are one of the most difficult tumors to treat. In children, this type of cancer is perhaps the most dreaded of cancers due to its poor prognosis, yet it remains an area of intense research. In the case presented herein, conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments were not showing any improvement. The patient was then treated with high-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) and endolaser therapy. A significant reduction in glioma's size was achieved in 2 months with this adjunct therapy. These results present a possibility of decreasing brainstem glioma progression with adjuvant IVC and endolaser therapy.

Epidemiologia descriptiva de hendiduras labiopalatinas en la Clínica de Labio y Paladar Hendidos de Morelia, Michoacán, México (1989-2012) y su comparación con algunas poblaciones internacionales / Descriptive epidemiology of lip-palate fissures at the Lip and Palate Cleft Clinic in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico (1989-2012) and a comparison with some international populations

Introducción y Objetivo. Las hendiduras labiopalatinas son malformaciones congénitas que afectan a la región maxilofacial. Su etiología es multifactorial, con factores genéticos y ambientales. Para la raza caucásica se estima una incidencia de 1:700 nacimientos, cifra que disminuye en otras poblaciones. El sexo masculino está afectado con mayor frecuencia, y solo las hendiduras palatinas aisladas presentan predominio femenino. Debido al desarrollo embriológico, el lado de mayor afectación es el izquierdo. Nuestro estudio tiene como objetivo conocer la distribución y frecuencia de las malformaciones atendidas en una institución de salud pública mexicana y su comparación con otras poblaciones internacionales. Material y Método. Llevamos a cabo un estudio observacional, descriptivo, transversal y retrospectivo, evaluando el total de expedientes clínicos de pacientes atendidos en el Servicio de Cirugía Reconstructiva Pediátrica de Morelia, Michoacan, México, durante el periodo 1989-2012. Realizamos la investigación bibliográfica en las bases de datos MEDLINE, LILACS y SciELO. Resultados. Obtuvimos un total de 800 expedientes clínicos, 460 (57.5%) de pacientes masculinos y 340 (42.5%) femeninos. La afectación de mayor frecuencia fue la hendidura labiopalatina, presente en 448 casos (56%). Esta situación se asemeja a estudios previos sobre el tema hechos en Bolivia, Sudan y México (54%). No fue posible determinar una incidencia poblacional total, ya que la institución donde realizamos el estudio atiende solo a población pediátrica. Conclusiones. La recolección de datos en nuestra institución mostro un predominio de presencia de hendidura labiopalatina en el sexo masculino, con presentación labiopalatina unilateral y del lado izquierdo. En base a ello podemos afirmar que la distribución epidemiológica de las hendiduras labiopalatinas encontrada en la Clínica de Labio y Paladar Hendidos de Morelia, Michoacan, México, se coloca en una posición intermedia al compararla con otras poblaciones internacionales (AU)

Background and Objective. The lip and palate clefts are congenital malformation that affects the maxillofacial region. Their etiology is multifactorial with such as genetics as environmental factors. For the caucuses race it´s estimated a incidence of 1:700 per births, number that decreases in other populations. The masculine sex is affected more frequently, only in the case of isolated palate cleft there’s a predominance of the feminine sex. Because of the embryologic development, the side that is more affected is the left side. The present study has as objective the knowledge of distribution and frequency of malformations treated in a Mexican public hospital and to compare with other international populations. Methods. We conduct an observational, descriptive, transverse and retrospective study, where we evaluated the total of clinic records of patients attended in the Pediatric Reconstructive Surgery Service in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, between 1989-2012. The bibliographic investigation was made at MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO. Results. We got a total recruit of 800 clinical records, 460 (57.5%) male patients and 340 (42.5%) female. The most frequent affection was the combination of lip and palate with 448 (56%) cases. Situation that was similar to previous studies of Bolivia, Sudan and Mexico. It was not possible to determine the incidence because our hospital is only a pediatric institute. Conclusions. The data recollection at our center showed predominance in male patients, the most frequent malformation was unilateral lip and palate cleft and left side. We conclude that the epidemiologic distribution of the lip and palate clefts found at the Lip and Palate Cleft Clinic at Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico, is at a medium position compared with other international populations (AU)

Influence of the plant extract complex "AdMax" on global gene expression levels in cultured human fibroblasts.

Ethanol/water extracts from roots of Leuzea carthamoides Iljin, Rhodiola rosea L., Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim, and from dry berries of Schizandra chinensis Baill. are known as adaptogenic remedies, which enhance physical endurance, counteract fatigue and restore suppressed immunity. Molecular mechanisms underlying effects of the extracts are poorly understood. In this study, a combination of these four extracts called AdMax™ (Nulab, Inc., Florida) was examined for its ability to influence gene expression levels in cultured human fibroblasts in vitro with the help of whole-genome Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays. We showed that AdMax treatment results in significant changes (at least 2 fold, p <. 05) in expression of 67 genes that are involved in metabolism of protein, nucleic acids, lipid and carbohydrates, in regulation of transcription, protein and ion transport, response to stimulus and stress. Enhancing expression of the PANK2 gene is of special interest in connection with AdMax ability to enhance physical endurance and counteract fatigue. PANK2 encodes a mitochondrial enzyme pantothenate kinase 2, which provides coenzyme A biosynthesis and thereby plays crucial role in energy metabolism. Partial deficiency of PANK2 gene activity leads to pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration. In this connection potential therapeutic use of AdMax in patients with neurodegenerative diseases is discussed.