: For the development of new treatments, the acute phase of Chagas disease (CD) in experimental models acts as a filter to screen out potentially effective interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate ZnO nanocrystals and Ag-ZnO/AgO nanocomposites containing different proportions of silver (ZnO:5Ag, ZnO:9Ag and ZnO:11Ag) in an experimental model of the acute phase of CD. : C57Bl/6 mice were infected with 1000 forms of the Colombian strain of .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNanotechnology has been established as a promising alternative for treating a myriad of disease-causing microorganisms that pose threats to human health. The utilization of nanoparticles (NPs) emerges as a strategy to enhance the therapeutic arsenal against these diseases, especially given the tendency of many pathogens to develop resistance to conventional medications. Notably, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) have garnered attention for their multifaceted biomedical applications, encompassing antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant, and drug delivery properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are metal oxide nanomaterials, which are important for several applications: antibacterial, anthelmintic, antiprotozoal and antitumoral, among others. These applications are mainly related to the ability to spontaneously produce and induce the production of reactive oxygen species that are important components for the destruction of pathogens and tumor cells. While trying to potentiate ZnO NPs, studies have associated these NPs with silver oxide (AgO) or silver (Ag) NPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFibrosis is one of the main factors that impair the function of many organs. In the heart, fibrosis leads to contractile dysfunction and arrhythmias, which are important in the development of heart failure. Interleukin (IL)-11 is regulated in various heart diseases and has recently been reported to be an important cytokine in fibrosis in this organ.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (LC) is an infectious vector-borne disease caused by parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been investigated as alternatives for the treatment of LC owing to their small size and high surface area. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effect of MNPs in the treatment of LC through experimental, in vitro and in vivo investigations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfectious diseases are a major health concern worldwide, especially as they are one of the main causes of mortality in underdeveloped and developing countries. Those that are considered emerging and re-emerging are characterized by unpredictability, high morbidity and mortality, exponential spread, and substantial social impact. These characteristics highlight the need to create an "on demand" control method, with rapid development, large-scale production, and wide distribution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMelatonin is a pleiotropic neurohormone found in different animal, plant, and microorganism species. It is a product resulting from tryptophan metabolism in the pineal gland and is widely known for its ability to synchronize the circadian rhythm to antitumor functions in different types of cancers. The molecular mechanisms responsible for its immunomodulatory, antioxidant and cytoprotective effects involve binding to high-affinity G protein-coupled receptors and interactions with intracellular targets that modulate signal transduction pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActive principles extracted from plants, such as essential oils, have been commonly described in the literature as therapeutic targets for numerous pathological conditions. Cannabis sativa, which has an ancient and peculiar history, has been used for various purposes, from recreational to compounds of pharmacotherapeutic and industrial importance, such as pesticides based on this plant. It is a plant that contains approximately 500 described cannabinoid compounds and is the target of in vitro and in vivo studies at different locations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women worldwide. The increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying its heterogeneity favors a better understanding of tumor biology and consequently the development of better diagnostic and treatment techniques. The advent of tumor genome sequencing techniques has highlighted more participants in the process, in addition to protein-coding genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNowadays, aesthetic concerns have gained attention, especially by patients looking for a less invasive alternative to minor facial corrections. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is widely used as a soft tissue filler; the demand for this polymer has increased, and along with it, there are some reports of adverse reactions. Such adverse reactions stem from consequences of immune and inflammatory reactions to PMMA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBreast cancer is the most frequent malignant neoplasm in females. While conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are available, they are highly invasive and toxic to oncological patients. Melatonin is a promising molecule for the treatment of breast cancer with antitumor effects on tumorigenesis and tumor progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease, a neglected disease that can be divided, overall, into acute and chronic phases. Understanding the mechanisms underlying its progression is based on the parasite-host interactions occurring during the infection. Although the pathophysiology of the main symptomatic forms of Chagas disease has been the subject of several studies, little is known about their relationship with the development of different types of cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDrug delivery systems based on nanotechnology exhibit a number of advantages over traditional pharmacological formulations. Polymeric nanoparticles are commonly used as delivery systems and consist of synthetic or natural polymers that protect drugs from degradation in physiological environments. In this context, indolamine melatonin has been associated with several biological functions, including antioxidant, antitumor, immunoregulatory, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer is a disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide and has a great impact on public health. Therefore, the study of tumor biology and an understanding of how the components of the tumor microenvironment behave and interact is extremely important for cancer research. Factors expressed by the components of the tumor microenvironment and induce angiogenesis have important roles in the onset and progression of the tumor.
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