Effects of nanocapsules containing lumefantrine and artemether in an experimental model of cerebral malaria.

Background: Malaria, a tropical neglected disease, imposes a significant burden on global health, leading to the loss of thousands of lives annually. Its gold standard treatment is a combination therapy of lumefantrine (LUM) and artemether (ART). Nanotechnology holds significant potential for improving drug bioavailability and potency while reducing adverse effects.

Onset of bipolar disorder by COVID-19: The roles of endogenous ouabain and the Na,K-ATPase.

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a psychiatric disorder marked by mood swings between manic and depressive episodes. The reduction in the Na,K-ATPase (NKA) enzyme activity and the inability of individuals with BD to produce endogenous ouabain (EO) at sufficient levels to stimulate this enzyme during stressful events are factors proposed for BD etiology. According to these hypotheses, reduction in NKA activity would result in altered neuronal resting potential, leading to BD symptoms.

Synthetic Naphthoquinone Inhibits Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 Replication Targeting Na, K ATPase.

Since 1970 acyclovir (ACV) has been the reference drug in treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. However, resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) strains have emerged, narrowing the treatment efficacy. The antiviral activity of classical Na, K ATPase enzyme (NKA) inhibitors linked the viral replication to the NKA's activity.

Tiny Green Army: Fighting Malaria with Plants and Nanotechnology.

Malaria poses a global threat to human health, with millions of cases and thousands of deaths each year, mainly affecting developing countries in tropical and subtropical regions. Malaria's causative agent is species, generally transmitted in the hematophagous act of female sp. mosquitoes.

The Na/K-ATPase role as a signal transducer in lung inflammation.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is marked by damage to the capillary endothelium and alveolar epithelium following edema formation and cell infiltration. Currently, there are no effective treatments for severe ARDS. Pathologies such as sepsis, pneumonia, fat embolism, and severe trauma may cause ARDS with respiratory failure.

Prevention of lipid droplet accumulation by DGAT1 inhibition ameliorates sepsis-induced liver injury and inflammation.

Background & Aims: Lipid droplet (LD) accumulation in cells and tissues is understood to be an evolutionarily conserved tissue tolerance mechanism to prevent lipotoxicity caused by excess lipids; however, the presence of excess LDs has been associated with numerous diseases. Sepsis triggers the reprogramming of lipid metabolism and LD accumulation in cells and tissues, including the liver. The functions and consequences of sepsis-triggered liver LD accumulation are not well known.

Lipid oxidation dysregulation: an emerging player in the pathophysiology of sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by abnormal host response to infection. Millions of people are affected annually worldwide. Derangement of the inflammatory response is crucial in sepsis pathogenesis.

Cellular Pathophysiology of Leptospirosis: Role of Na/K-ATPase.

Inada and Ido identified sp. as the pathogen responsible for Weil's Disease in 1915. Later, it was confirmed that Leptospira causes leptospirosis.

Murici ( (L.) and (L.)) and Tapereba () Improve Hepatic and Inflammatory Biomarkers in High-Fat-Diet Rats.

The present study investigated the effects of murici and tapereba on improving hepatic and inflammatory biomarkers in high-fat-diet rats. Female Wistar rats were divided into five groups ( = 10/group): control (CON), high-fat diet (HF), murici drink + high-fat diet (Mu-HF), tapereba drink + high-fat diet (Tap-HF), and murici and tapereba blend drink + high-fat diet (MT-HF). Drinks were offered daily for 60 days, following which body and liver weights, hepatosomatic indexes, serum parameters, inflammatory profile, and antioxidant activity (DPPH and ORAC) were analyzed.

Could the Lung Be a Gateway for Amphotericin B to Attack the Army of Fungi?

Fungal diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, primarily affecting immunocompromised patients. , , and are opportunistic fungi and may cause severe lung disease. They can develop mechanisms to evade the host immune system and colonize or cause lung disease.

Potential of nanoformulations in malaria treatment.

Malaria is caused by the protozoan and affects millions of people worldwide. Its clinical form ranges from asymptomatic to potentially fatal and severe. Current treatments include single drugs such as chloroquine, lumefantrine, primaquine, or in combination with artemisinin or its derivatives.

Flavonols and Flavones as Potential anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antibacterial Compounds.

Plant preparations have been used to treat various diseases and discussed for centuries. Research has advanced to discover and identify the plant components with beneficial effects and reveal their underlying mechanisms. Flavonoids are phytoconstituents with anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial properties.

Irisin, Exercise, and COVID-19.

Muscle and adipose tissue produce irisin during exercise. Irisin is thermogenic adipomyokine, improves glucose and lipid metabolism, and ameliorates the effects of obesity-driven inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. In addition, exercise-induced irisin activates anti-inflammatory pathways and may play an essential role in improving the outcomes of inflammatory conditions, such as coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Polarization of Microglia and Its Therapeutic Potential in Sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, leaving the inflammation process without a proper resolution, leading to tissue damage and possibly sequelae. The central nervous system (CNS) is one of the first regions affected by the peripheral inflammation caused by sepsis, exposing the neurons to an environment of oxidative stress, triggering neuronal dysfunction and apoptosis. Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is the most frequent sepsis-associated organ dysfunction, with symptoms such as deliriums, seizures, and coma, linked to increased mortality, morbidity, and cognitive disability.

Mechanisms, Pathophysiology and Currently Proposed Treatments of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading global causes of morbidity and mortality. A hallmark of COPD is progressive airflow obstruction primarily caused by cigarette smoke (CS). CS exposure causes an imbalance favoring pro- over antioxidants (oxidative stress), leading to transcription factor activation and increased expression of inflammatory mediators and proteases.

PMA treatment fosters rat retinal ganglion cell survival via TNF signaling.

An insult can trigger a protective response or even cell death depending on different factors that include the duration and magnitude of the event and the ability of the cell to activate protective intracellular signals, including inflammatory cytokines. Our previous work showed that the treatment of Lister Hooded rat retinal cell cultures with 50 ng/mL phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C activator, increases the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) kept in culture for 48 h after axotomy. Here we aim to analyze how PMA modulates the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β (both key inflammatory mediators) and the impact of this modulation on RGCs survival.

Glucagon Reduces Neutrophil Migration and Increases Susceptibility to Sepsis in Diabetic Mice.

Sepsis is one of the most common comorbidities observed in diabetic patients, associated with a deficient innate immune response. Recently, we have shown that glucagon possesses anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated if hyperglucagonemia triggered by diabetes might reduce the migration of neutrophils, increasing sepsis susceptibility.

Na/K-ATPase as a Target of Cardiac Glycosides for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), identified for the first time in Wuhan, China, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which moved from epidemic status to becoming a pandemic. Since its discovery in December 2019, there have been countless cases of mortality and morbidity due to this virus. Several compounds such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir-ritonavir, and remdesivir have been tested as potential therapies; however, no effective treatment is currently recommended by regulatory agencies.

The relationship of oleic acid/albumin molar ratio and clinical outcomes in leptospirosis.

Human leptospirosis is an acute infectious zoonosis presenting specific lipid disorders. Previous studies showed both leptospira glycolipoprotein endotoxin, and high oleic acid levels were associated with Na/K-ATPase inhibition that is amplified by the reduction of circulating albumin levels. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of oleic acid/albumin (OA/A) molar ratio and clinical outcomes in Leptospirosis.

Na/K-ATPase: Their role in cell adhesion and migration in cancer.

Na/K-ATPase (NKA) is a p-type transmembrane enzyme formed by three different subunits (α, β, and γ gamma). Primarily responsible for transporting sodium and potassium through the cell membrane, it also plays a critical role in intracellular signaling. The activation of diverse intracellular pathways may trigger cell death, survival, or even cell proliferation.

Impact of positive biphasic pressure during low and high inspiratory efforts in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced pneumonia.

Background: During pneumonia, normal alveolar areas coexist adjacently with consolidated areas, and high inspiratory efforts may predispose to lung damage. To date, no study has evaluated different degrees of effort during Biphasic positive airway pressure (BIVENT) on lung and diaphragm damage in experimental pneumonia, though largely used in clinical setting. We aimed to evaluate lung damage, genes associated with ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) and diaphragmatic injury, and blood bacteria in pressure-support ventilation (PSV), BIVENT with low and high inspiratory efforts in experimental pneumonia.

PPAR Gamma: From Definition to Molecular Targets and Therapy of Lung Diseases.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily that regulate the expression of genes related to lipid and glucose metabolism and inflammation. There are three members: PPARα, PPARβ or PPARγ. PPARγ have several ligands.

Simvastatin Posttreatment Controls Inflammation and Improves Bacterial Clearance in Experimental Sepsis.

Sepsis is characterized by a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an unbalanced host response to microbe infection that can lead to death. Besides being currently the leading cause of death in intensive care units worldwide, sepsis can also induce long-term consequences among survivors, such as cognitive impairment. Statins (lipid-lowering drugs widely used to treat dyslipidemia) have been shown to possess pleiotropic anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.

Mediterranean Diet: Lipids, Inflammation, and Malaria Infection.

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) consists of consumption of vegetables and healthy oils and have beneficial effects on metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our goal here is to discuss the role of fatty acid content in MedDiet, mostly omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 on malaria. Malaria affects millions of people around the globe.