Effects of Rosmarinic Acid on Methotrexate-induced Nephrotoxicity and Hepatotoxicity in Wistar Rats.

Introduction: Methotrexate (MTX), used in the treatment of cancerous patients, causes toxicity in the different organs of the body. This study of rosmarinic acid (RA) is as an antioxidant on nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity induced by MTX.

Methods: Rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups: sham; MTX; 100 mg\kg RA + MTX; 200 mg/kg RA + MTX.

Thymoquinone loading into hydroxyapatite/alginate scaffolds accelerated the osteogenic differentiation of the mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Phytochemical agents such as thymoquinone (TQ) have osteogenic property. This study aimed to investigate the synergic impact of TQ and hydroxyapatite on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. Alginate was also used as drug vehicle.

Toward Regulatory Effects of Curcumin on Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Across Different Diseases: A Review.

Immune response, proliferation, migration and angiogenesis are juts a few of cellular events that are regulated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in cells. A number of studies have documented that TGF-β undergoes abnormal expression in different diseases, e.g.

Lung cancer cells and their sensitivity/resistance to cisplatin chemotherapy: Role of microRNAs and upstream mediators.

Cisplatin (CP) is a well-known chemotherapeutic agent with excellent clinical effects. The anti-tumor activity of CP has been demonstrated in different cancers such as breast, cervical, reproductive, lung, brain, and prostate cancers. However, resistance of cancer cells to CP chemotherapy has led to its failure in eradication of cancer cells, and subsequent death of patients with cancer.

Progress in Natural Compounds/siRNA Co-delivery Employing Nanovehicles for Cancer Therapy.

Chemotherapy using natural compounds, such as resveratrol, curcumin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, etoposide, doxorubicin, and camptothecin, is of importance in cancer therapy because of the outstanding therapeutic activity and multitargeting capability of these compounds. However, poor solubility and bioavailability of natural compounds have limited their efficacy in cancer therapy. To circumvent this hurdle, nanocarriers have been designed to improve the antitumor activity of the aforementioned compounds.

C-Myc Signaling Pathway in Treatment and Prevention of Brain Tumors.

Brain tumors are responsible for high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several factors such as the presence of blood-brain barrier (BBB), sensitive location in the brain, and unique biological features challenge the treatment of brain tumors. The conventional drugs are no longer effective in the treatment of brain tumors, and scientists are trying to find novel therapeutics for brain tumors.

Broad-Spectrum Preclinical Antitumor Activity of Chrysin: Current Trends and Future Perspectives.

Pharmacological profile of phytochemicals has attracted much attention to their use in disease therapy. Since cancer is a major problem for public health with high mortality and morbidity worldwide, experiments have focused on revealing the anti-tumor activity of natural products. Flavonoids comprise a large family of natural products with different categories.

A review of medications used to control and improve the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 patients.

In December 2019, an unprecedented outbreak of pneumonia associated with a novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China. The virus that caused the disease was officially named by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). According to the high transmission rate of SARS-CoV-2, it became a global pandemic and public health emergency within few months.

Cancer and SOX proteins: New insight into their role in ovarian cancer progression/inhibition.

Transcription factors are potential targets in disease therapy, particularly in cancer. This is due to the fact that transcription factors regulate a variety of cellular events, and their modulation has opened a new window in cancer therapy. Sex-determining region Y (SRY)-related high-mobility group (HMG) box (SOX) proteins are potential transcription factors that are involved in developmental processes such as embryogenesis.

Progress in Delivery of siRNA-Based Therapeutics Employing Nano-Vehicles for Treatment of Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) accounts for a high number of deaths in males with no available curative treatments. Patients with PCa are commonly diagnosed in advanced stages due to the lack of symptoms in the early stages. Recently, the research focus was directed toward gene editing in cancer therapy.

PTEN, a Barrier for Proliferation and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells: From Molecular Pathways to Targeting and Regulation.

Cancer is one of the life-threatening disorders that, in spite of excellent advances in medicine and technology, there is no effective cure for. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are extensively applied in cancer therapy, but their efficacy in eradication of cancer cells, suppressing metastasis, and improving overall survival of patients is low. This is due to uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells and their high migratory ability.

MicroRNAs and Their Influence on the ZEB Family: Mechanistic Aspects and Therapeutic Applications in Cancer Therapy.

Molecular signaling pathways involved in cancer have been intensively studied due to their crucial role in cancer cell growth and dissemination. Among them, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox-1 (ZEB1) and -2 (ZEB2) are molecules that play vital roles in signaling pathways to ensure the survival of tumor cells, particularly through enhancing cell proliferation, promoting cell migration and invasion, and triggering drug resistance. Importantly, ZEB proteins are regulated by microRNAs (miRs).

Curcumin in cancer therapy: A novel adjunct for combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and alleviation of its adverse effects.

Dealing with cancer is of importance due to enhanced incidence rate of this life-threatening disorder. Chemotherapy is an ideal candidate in overcoming and eradication of cancer. To date, various chemotherapeutic agents have been applied in cancer therapy and paclitaxel (PTX) is one of them.

STAT3 Pathway in Gastric Cancer: Signaling, Therapeutic Targeting and Future Prospects.

Molecular signaling pathways play a significant role in the regulation of biological mechanisms, and their abnormal expression can provide the conditions for cancer development. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a key member of the STAT proteins and its oncogene role in cancer has been shown. STAT3 is able to promote the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells and induces chemoresistance.

PD-1/PD-L1 axis regulation in cancer therapy: The role of long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs.

Cancer immunotherapy is a growing field nowadays. Among different molecular pathways, PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway plays a significant role in the regulation of immune responses. It has been reported that stimulation of PD-1/PD-L1 axis is correlated with T cell exhaustion, T cell apoptosis, and their reduced capability in proliferation.

Nobiletin in Cancer Therapy: How This Plant Derived-Natural Compound Targets Various Oncogene and Onco-Suppressor Pathways.

Cancer therapy is a growing field, and annually, a high number of research is performed to develop novel antitumor drugs. Attempts to find new antitumor drugs continue, since cancer cells are able to acquire resistance to conventional drugs. Natural chemicals can be considered as promising candidates in the field of cancer therapy due to their multiple-targeting capability.