Globally, thrombosis-associated disorders are one of the main contributors to fatalities. Besides genetic influences, there are some acquired and environmental risk factors dominating thrombotic diseases. Although standard regimens have been used for a long time, many side effects still occur which can be life threatening. Therefore, natural products are good alternatives. Although the quest for antithrombotic natural products came to light only since the end of last century, in the last two decades, a considerable number of natural products showing antithrombotic activities (antiplatelet, anticoagulant and fibrinolytic) with no or minimal side effects have been reported. In this review, several natural products used as antithrombotic agents including medicinal plants, vegetables, fruits, spices and edible mushrooms which have been discovered in the last 15 years and their target sites (thrombogenic components, factors and thrombotic pathways) are described. In addition, the side effects, limitations and interactions of standard regimens with natural products are also discussed. The active compounds could serve as potential sources for future research on antithrombotic drug development. As a future direction, more advanced researches (in quest of the target cofactor or component involved in antithrombotic pathways) are warranted for the development of potential natural antithrombotic medications (alone or combined with standard regimens) to ensure maximum safety and efficacy.
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the main organelle for the synthesis, folding, and processing of secretory and transmembrane proteins. Pathological stimuli including hypoxia, ischaemia, inflammation and oxidative stress interrupt the homeostatic function of ER, leading to accumulation of unfolded proteins, a condition referred to as ER stress. ER stress triggers a complex signalling network referred as the unfolded protein response (UPR). Extensive studies have demonstrated that ER stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, ischemic heart disease and atherosclerosis. The importance of natural products in modern medicine are well recognized and continues to be of interests as a source of novel lead compounds. Natural products targeting components of UPR and reducing ER stress offers an innovative strategic approach to treat cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we discussed several therapeutic interventions using natural products with potential cardiovascular protective properties targeting ER stress signalling pathways.
Osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disorder, progressively increases with age. It is characterized by progressive loss of hyaline cartilage followed by subchondral bone remodeling and inflammaging. To counteract the inflammation, synovium releases various inflammatory and immune mediators along with metabolic intermediates, which further worsens the condition. However, even after recognizing the key molecular and cellular factors involved in the progression of OA, only disease-modifying therapies are available such as oral and topical NSAIDs, opioids, SNRIs, etc., providing symptomatic treatment and functional improvement instead of suppressing OA progression. Long-term use of these therapies leads to various life-threatening complications. Interestingly, mother nature has numerous medicinal plants containing active phytochemicals that can act on various targets involved in the development and progression of OA. Phytochemicals have been used for millennia in traditional medicine and are promising alternatives to conventional drugs with a lower rate of adverse events and efficiency frequently comparable to synthetic molecules. Nevertheless, their mechanism of action in many cases is elusive and uncertain. Even though many in vitro and in vivo studies show promising results, clinical evidence is scarce. Studies suggest that the presence of carbonyl group in the 2nd position, chloro in the 6th and an electron- withdrawing group at the 7th position exhibit enhanced COX-2 inhibition activity in OA. On the other hand, the presence of a double bond at the C2-C3 position of C ring in flavonoids plays an important role in Nrf2 activation. Moreover, with the advancements in the understanding of OA progression, SARs (structure-activity relationships) of phytochemicals and integration with nanotechnology have provided great opportunities for developing phytopharmaceuticals. Therefore, in the present review, we have discussed various promising phytomolecules, SAR as well as their nano-based delivery systems for the treatment of OA to motivate the future investigation of phytochemical-based drug therapy.
Matched MeSH terms: Biological Products/therapeutic use
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, composed of the epidermis and the dermis. It provides protection and acts as a barrier against external menaces like allergens, chemicals, systemic toxicity, and infectious organisms. Skin disorders like cancer, dermatitis, psoriasis, wounds, skin aging, acne, and skin infection occur frequently and can impact human life. According to a growing body of evidence, several studies have reported that natural products have the potential for treating skin disorders. Building on this information, this review provides brief information about the action of the most important in vitro and in vivo research on the use of ten selected natural products in inflammatory, neoplastic, and infectious skin disorders and their mechanisms that have been reported to date. The related studies and articles were searched from several databases, including PubMed, Google, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. Ten natural products that have been reported widely on skin disorders were reviewed in this study, with most showing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer effects as the main therapeutic actions. Overall, most of the natural products reported in this review can reduce and suppress inflammatory markers, like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), induce cancer cell death through apoptosis, and prevent bacteria, fungal, and virus infections indicating their potentials. This review also highlighted the challenges and opportunities of natural products in transdermal/topical delivery systems and their safety considerations for skin disorders. Our findings indicated that natural products might be a low-cost, well-tolerated, and safe treatment for skin diseases. However, a larger number of clinical trials are required to validate these findings. Natural products in combination with modern drugs, as well as the development of novel delivery mechanisms, represent a very promising area for future drug discovery of these natural leads against skin disorders.
Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) refers to a sore and frequently recurring inflammation of the oral tissues, distinguished by the presence of small ulcers that cause significant discomfort and cannot be attributed to any underlying disease. Different treatments have been used for RAS. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the treatment options over the past decade for recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), encompassing both natural and synthetic treatments. It will utilize clinical efficacy studies conducted in vivo and in vitro, along with a focus on the pharmaceutical approach through advancements in drug delivery development. We conducted a thorough literature search from 2013 to 2023 in prominent databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane, utilizing appropriate keywords of recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and treatment. A total of 53 clinical trials with 3022 patients were included, with 35 using natural materials in their research and a total of 16 articles discussing RAS treatment using synthetic materials. All the clinical trials showed that natural and synthetic medicines seemed to benefit RAS patients by reducing pain score, ulcer size, and number of ulcers and shortening the healing duration.
Matched MeSH terms: Biological Products/therapeutic use