Experimental Insights on the Use of Secukinumab and Magnolol in Acute Respiratory Diseases in Mice.

This study investigates the combined treatment of secukinumab (SECU) and magnolol (MAGN) in a mouse model of LPS-induced ALI overlapped with allergic pulmonary inflammation, aiming to better understand the mechanism behind this pathology and to assess the therapeutic potential of this novel approach in addressing the severity of ALI. The combined treatment reveals intricate immunomodulatory effects. Both treatments inhibit IL-17 and promote M2 macrophage polarization, which enhances anti-inflammatory cytokine production such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, crucial for lung repair and inflammation resolution. However, the combination treatment exacerbates allergic responses and increases OVA-specific IgE, potentially worsening ALI outcomes. MAGN pretreatment alone demonstrates higher potency in reducing neutrophils and enhancing IFN-γ, suggesting its potential in mitigating severe asthma symptoms and modulating immune responses. The study highlights the need for careful consideration in therapeutic applications due to the combination treatment's inability to reduce IL-6 and its potential to exacerbate allergic inflammation. Elevated IL-6 levels correlate with worsened oxygenation and increased mortality in ALI patients, underscoring its critical role in disease severity. These findings offer valuable insights for the advancement of precision medicine within the realm of respiratory illnesses, emphasizing the importance of tailored therapeutic strategies.

360-Degree Perspectives on Obesity.

Alarming statistics show that the number of people affected by excessive weight has surpassed 2 billion, representing approximately 30% of the world's population. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of one of the most serious public health problems, considering that obesity requires an integrative approach that takes into account its complex etiology, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Only an understanding of the connections between the many contributors to obesity and the synergy between treatment interventions can ensure satisfactory outcomes in reducing obesity. Mechanisms such as oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and dysbiosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of obesity and its associated complications. Compounding factors such as the deleterious effects of stress, the novel challenge posed by the obesogenic digital (food) environment, and the stigma associated with obesity should not be overlooked. Preclinical research in animal models has been instrumental in elucidating these mechanisms, and translation into clinical practice has provided promising therapeutic options, including epigenetic approaches, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. However, more studies are necessary to discover new compounds that target key metabolic pathways, innovative ways to deliver the drugs, the optimal combinations of lifestyle interventions with allopathic treatments, and, last but not least, emerging biological markers for effective monitoring. With each passing day, the obesity crisis tightens its grip, threatening not only individual lives but also burdening healthcare systems and societies at large. It is high time we took action as we confront the urgent imperative to address this escalating global health challenge head-on.

[Effects of a Cetraria islandica extract in monotherapy and in association with magnesium in an experimental-induced hepatopathy model]. / Efectele unui extract din Cetraria islandica în monoterapie si în asociere cu magneziul pe un model de hepatopatie indusa experimental.

AIM: To investigate the effects of a Cetraria islandica extract in an animal model of hepatopathy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The experiments were carried out on Wistar rats, treated intraperitoneally (excepting carbon tetrachloride which was administered orally by esogastric tube), at single daily dose, for 28 days and divided in eight groups of 6 rats each: Group 1: Saline solution (0.5ml/100g bw/day); Group 2: MgSO4 (5mg/kbw/day); Group 3: C. islandica (Ci) extract (21.56mg/kbw/day); Group 4: Ci+MgSO4; Group 5: carbon tetrachloride (CT).(0.1 ml/100g bw/day); Group 6: CT+MgSO4; Group 7: CT+Ci; Group 8: CT+Ci+MgSO4. At the end of the experiment blood samples were taken to assess the effects on the blood parameters,TGO, TGP, GGT, LDH, serum total billirubin, neutrophil phagocytic function (Nitroblue tetrazolium test) and serum complement activity. This parameters were determined with VITROS 750 XRC device, using Johnson&Johnson kits. The results were statistically processed with the help of "t-Student" test. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In this carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatopathy animal model, C. islandica extract demonstrated hepatoprotective and immuno-stimulating effects (proved by normalization of glutamic-pyruvic transminase, glutamic-oxalocetic transminase, serum total billirubin, stimulation of neutrophils percentage and phagocytic functions, decreasing the carbon tetrachloride-induced basophilia and monocytosis, especially in association with magnesium). CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are required to confirm the benefits of this association in hepatoprotective and immunomodulating therapies.