Publications by authors named "Ghelardini C"

Background: Oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy (OIN) is a severe painful condition that strongly affects the patient's quality of life and cannot be counteracted by the available drugs or adjuvants. Thus, several efforts are devoted to discovering substances that can revert or reduce OIN, including natural compounds. The carob tree, L.

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The imidazo[1,5-a]quinoline scaffold of central benzodiazepine receptor (CBR) ligands was used as the pharmacophore in the design of bivalent ligands bearing spacers showing variable length and different physicochemical features. The newly designed compounds were synthesized along with the corresponding reference monovalent compounds bearing the corresponding spacers terminated with a tert-butoxycarbonyl group. The novel compounds were tested in binding assays with different CBR preparations such as the cerebral cortex from male CD-1 albino mice or the human recombinant α1β3γ2 and α2β3γ2 γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABARs) stably expressed in mouse L(tk-) cells.

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Peripheral nervous system (PNS) toxicity assessment in non-clinical safety studies is challenging and relies mostly on histopathological assessment. The present work aims to identify blood-based biomarkers that could detect peripheral neuropathy in rats upon exposure to neurotoxic compounds. Three anticancer agents (oxaliplatin, cisplatin, paclitaxel) and a developmental compound (NVS-1) were assessed in male rats (Wistar Han).

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Article Synopsis
  • Growing evidence shows that opioid analgesics, like morphine, can affect blood vessel formation (angiogenesis), which is linked to pain.
  • The study tested the effects of N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and the anti-VEGF-A drug bevacizumab on morphine tolerance and pain relief, finding that PEA delays tolerance and enhances pain relief by reducing VEGF-A levels in the nervous system.
  • Both PEA and bevacizumab, when used with morphine, not only improved pain management but also decreased the expression of pain-related genes, suggesting a potential new approach to pain treatment that targets angiogenesis.
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Article Synopsis
  • Visceral pain is a common digestive issue linked to conditions like inflammatory bowel diseases, and current treatments are inadequate, prompting research into new therapeutic compounds like GABA and Mo.
  • In a rat study, GABA-Mo (a mixture of GABA and Mo) was administered either preventively or curatively after inducing colitis to assess its effects on inflammation and pain response.
  • Results showed that GABA-Mo reduced visceral pain responses, decreased oxidative stress and inflammation markers in the colon, and improved intestinal barrier function, demonstrating both preventive and curative benefits in managing visceral pain and inflammation.
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Carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitors represent intriguing tools for treating pain. This study aims at studying the pharmacological profile of chalcogen bioisosteres of aspirin, as inhibitors of CA isoforms (hCA I, II, IV, VII, IX, and XII). Our results show that selenoaspirin () displayed markedly superior inhibitory potency across all tested isoforms compared to thioaspirin () and aspirin, with a strong selectivity against the isoform CA IX.

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Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory cutaneous disease characterized by elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines and adipokine Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2). Recently, natural plant-based products have been studied as new antipsoriatic compounds. We investigate the ability of a leaf extract of the marine plant (POE) to inhibit psoriatic dermatitis in C57BL/6 mice treated with Imiquimod (IMQ).

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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a morbid condition characterized by relapsing-remitting inflammation of the colon, accompanied by persistent gut dysmotility and abdominal pain. Different reports demonstrated biological activities of aged black garlic (ABG), including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. We aimed to investigate beneficial effects exerted by ABGE on colon inflammation by using ex vivo and in vivo experimental models.

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The aim of this study was to determine the anti-hypersensitivity activity of novel non-hallucinogenic compounds derived from iboga alkaloids (i.e., ibogalogs), including tabernanthalog (TBG), ibogainalog (IBG), and ibogaminalog (DM506), using mouse models of neuropathic (Chronic Constriction Injury; CCI) and visceral pain (dextrane sulfate sodium; DSS).

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Nowadays, the pharmacological management of visceral hypersensitivity associated with colitis is ineffective. In this context, targeting purinergic P2X4 receptor (P2X4R), which can modulate visceral pain transmission, could represent a promising therapeutic strategy. Herein, we tested the pain-relieving effect of two novel and selective P2X4R antagonists (NC-2600 and NP-1815-PX) in a murine model of DNBS-induced colitis and investigated the mechanisms underlying their effect.

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Current epidemiological data estimate that one in five people suffers from chronic pain with considerable impairment of health-related quality of life. The pharmacological treatment is based on first- and second-line analgesic drugs, including COX-2 selective and nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol, antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs and opioids, that are characterized by important side effects. N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) is a body's own fatty-acid ethanolamide belonging to the family of autacoid local injury antagonist amides.

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(1) : Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular surface disease characterized by an imbalance in ocular surface homeostasis, and tear substitutes constitute the first line of treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the changes in the signs and symptoms of patients with DED treated with a novel tear substitute containing the GlicoPro complex. (2) : Patients with DED not successfully responding to other tear substitutes were enrolled and treated with a novel ophthalmic solution (two drops four times daily).

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Modulation of mitochondrial K channels represents a pharmacological strategy to promote cardioprotective effects. Isothiocyanates emerge as molecules capable of releasing hydrogen sulfide (HS), an endogenous pleiotropic gasotransmitter responsible for anti-ischemic cardioprotective effects also through the involvement of mitoK channels. Erucin (ERU) is a natural isothiocyanate resulting from the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates (GSLs) present in Mill.

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Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is a signaling molecule endogenously produced within mammals' cells that plays an important role in inflammation, exerting anti-inflammatory effects. In this view, the research has shown a growing interest in identifying natural HS donors. Herein, for the first time, the potential of marine extract as a source of HS-releasing agents has been explored.

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The management of abdominal pain in patients affected by inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) still represents a problem because of the lack of effective treatments. Acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) has proved useful in the treatment of different types of chronic pain with excellent tolerability. The present work aimed at evaluating the anti-hyperalgesic efficacy of ALCAR in a model of persistent visceral pain associated with colitis induced by 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) injection.

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Identifying compounds that are neurotoxic either toward the central or the peripheral nervous systems (CNS or PNS) would greatly benefit early stages of drug development by derisking liabilities and selecting safe compounds. Unfortunately, so far assays mostly rely on histopathology findings often identified after repeated-dose toxicity studies in animals. The European NeuroDeRisk project aimed to provide comprehensive tools to identify compounds likely inducing neurotoxicity.

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Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked metabolic disease caused by a deficiency in α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) activity. This causes accumulation of glycosphingolipids, especially globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), in different cells and organs. Neuropathic pain and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and early satiety, are the most frequent symptoms reported by FD patients and severely affect their quality of life.

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