Extract, a Natural Approach for Cholesterol and Lipid Metabolism Management: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Strategies for controlling cholesterol and lipid metabolism, including the use of food supplements, are part of the non-pharmacological intervention to ameliorate cardiovascular health. To demonstrate the efficacy of a standardized flavonoids (150 mg/day) extract from on cholesterol and lipid management, a placebo-controlled clinical trial on 64 subjects with high cholesterol was carried out. The total study duration was 4 months, with intermediate checkpoints at 1-month intervals.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant inhibition: An alternative approach to address the challenge of emerging zoonoses.

Emerging zoonoses pose significant public health risks and necessitate rapid and effective treatment responses. This study enhances the technology for preparing Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs), which function as synthetic nanoparticles targeting SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), specifically the Omicron variant, thereby inhibiting its function. This study builds on previous findings by introducing precise adjustments in the formulation and process conditions to enhance particle stability and ensure better control over size and distribution, thereby overcoming the issues identified in earlier research.

Exploring Protein-Based Carriers in Drug Delivery: A Review.

Drug delivery systems (DDSs) represent an emerging focus for many researchers and they are becoming progressively crucial in the development of new treatments. Great attention is given to all the challenges that a drug has to overcome during its journey across barriers and tissues and all the pharmacokinetics modulations that are needed in order to reach the targeting sites. The goal of these pathways is the delivery of drugs in a controlled way, optimizing their bioavailability and minimizing side effects.

Standardized Grape ( L.) Extract Improves Short- and Long-Term Cognitive Performances in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Cognitive decline, a common consequence of aging, detrimentally affects independence, physical activity, and social interactions. This decline encompasses various cognitive functions, including processing speed, memory, language, and executive functioning. This trial aimed to investigate, with a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on 96 healthy older adults, the efficacy of once-daily 250 mg of a standardized grape ( L.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial: Efficacy of - Prebiotic Supplementation in Subjects with Gut Dysbiosis.

Gut dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in gut microbiota composition and function. extract has been shown to modulate gut microbiota by improving SCFA production in vivo and gastrointestinal discomfort (GD) in humans. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of Odilia on gastrointestinal health by changing the microbial diversity of species involved in inflammation, immunity, oxidation, and the brain-gut-muscle axis.

3D-Printed Alginate/Pectin-Based Patches Loaded with Olive Leaf Extracts for Wound Healing Applications: Development, Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation of Biological Properties.

Traditional wound dressings may lack suitability for diverse wound types and individual patient requirements. In this context, this study aimed to innovate wound care by developing a 3D-printed patch using alginate and pectin and incorporating Olive Leaf Extract (OLE) as an active ingredient. Different polymer-to-plasticizer ratios were systematically examined to formulate a printable ink with optimal viscosity.

Natural and Synthetic Polymeric Biomaterials for Application in Wound Management.

Biomaterials are at the forefront of the future, finding a variety of applications in the biomedical field, especially in wound healing, thanks to their biocompatible and biodegradable properties. Wounds spontaneously try to heal through a series of interconnected processes involving several initiators and mediators such as cytokines, macrophages, and fibroblasts. The combination of biopolymers with wound healing properties may provide opportunities to synthesize matrices that stimulate and trigger target cell responses crucial to the healing process.

Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels and Their Application as Drug Delivery Systems in Cancer Treatment: A Review.

Hydrogels are three-dimensional crosslinked structures with physicochemical properties similar to the extracellular matrix (ECM). By changing the hydrogel's material type, crosslinking, molecular weight, chemical surface, and functionalization, it is possible to mimic the mechanical properties of native tissues. Hydrogels are currently used in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields for drug delivery systems, wound dressings, tissue engineering, and contact lenses.

Effect of a Multi-Strain Probiotic Supplementation to Manage Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Clinical Trial.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic strongly affected every aspect of the modern society, from health to socioeconomics, leading people to experience high levels of stress.

Methods: A double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled clinical study was performed to investigate the ability of a food supplement containing two probiotic strains, Limosilactobacillus reuteri PBS072 and Bifidobacterium breve BB077, in supporting 33 healthy adults, working at a university, in stress management. The efficacy of the tested strains in influencing the stress response, in terms of mood and sleep behavior, was assessed using the following validated questionnaires: Profile of Mood State (POMS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Caffeic Acid-Grafted PLGA as a Novel Material for the Design of Fluvastatin-Eluting Nanoparticles for the Prevention of Neointimal Hyperplasia.

Drug-eluting nanoparticles (NPs) administered by an eluting balloon represent a novel tool to prevent restenosis after angioplasty, even if the selection of the suitable drug and biodegradable material is still a matter of debate. Herein, we provide the proof of concept of the use of a novel material obtained by combining the grafting of caffeic acid or resveratrol on a poly(lactide--glycolide) backbone (-CA-PLGA or -RV-PLGA) and the pleiotropic effects of fluvastatin chosen because of its low lipophilic profile which is challenging for the encapsulation in NPs and delivery to the artery wall cells. NPs made of such materials are biocompatible with macrophages, human smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and endothelial cells (ECs).

Barrier effect and wound healing activity of the medical device REF-FTP78 in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

REF-FTP78 is a class IIb medical device present on the market with different trade names and developed for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This medical device is based on polysaccharides from Aloe Barbadensis and fucoidans from brown seaweeds, such as Undaria pinnatifida and Fucus vesiculosus, and aims to exert a protective effect on the esophageal mucosa against the noxious components of refluxate. The present study reports on the efficacy of REF-FTP78 devoting a particular attention to the barrier effect and wound healing properties, combined with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Synthesis and evaluation of wound healing properties of hydro-diab hydrogel loaded with green-synthetized AGNPS: in vitro and in ex vivo studies.

In diabetic patients, the presence of neuropathy, peripheral vascular diseases and ischemia, leads to the formation of foot ulcerations with a higher risk of infection because the normal response to bacterial infection is missing. In the aim to control and treat diabetic foot ulcerations (DFUs), wound dressings that are able to absorb exudate, to prevent infections, and to promote wound healing are needed. For this reason, the aim of the present research was to synthetize a biocompatible hydrogel (called HyDrO-DiAb) composed of carboxymethylcellulose loaded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

The Evolution of Molecular Recognition: From Antibodies to Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) as Artificial Counterpart.

Molecular recognition is a useful property shared by various molecules, such as antibodies, aptamers and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). It allows these molecules to be potentially involved in many applications including biological and pharmaceutical research, diagnostics, theranostics, therapy and drug delivery. Antibodies, naturally produced by plasma cells, have been exploited for this purpose, but they present noticeable drawbacks, above all production cost and time.

Antitumoral Activities of Curcumin and Recent Advances to ImProve Its Oral Bioavailability.

Curcumin, a main bioactive component of the L. rhizome, is a phenolic compound that exerts a wide range of beneficial effects, acting as an antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer agent. This review summarizes recent data on curcumin's ability to interfere with the multiple cell signaling pathways involved in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis and the migration of several cancer cell types.

Design and development of plastic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD based on molecularly imprinted polymers that inhibit virus infection.

The present research study reports the development of plastic antibodies based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) capable of selectively binding a portion of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Indeed, molecular imprinting represents a very promising and attractive technology for the synthesis of MIPs characterized by specific recognition abilities for a target molecule. Given these characteristics, MIPs can be considered tailor-made synthetic antibodies obtained by a templating process.

The Effect of a Probiotic Complex on the Gut-Brain Axis: A Translational Study.

Background: The gut-brain axis refers to the network of connections that involve multiple biologic systems, allowing bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. This communication is mainly mediated by gut microbiota, thanks to its ability to modulate several processes like the production of neurotransmitters. As such, keeping a balanced gut microbiota through probiotic intake could be a valid solution in supporting the right gut-brain communications.

Newly Synthesized Imino-Derivatives Analogues of Resveratrol Exert Inhibitory Effects in Breast Tumor Cells.

Breast cancer represents the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women worldwide. Various therapeutics are currently used in order to halt the progression of breast tumor, even though certain side effects may limit the beneficial effects. In recent years, many efforts have been addressed to the usefulness of natural compounds as anticancer agents due to their low toxicity.

Controlled Release of 5-FU from Chi-DHA Nanoparticles Synthetized with Ionic Gelation Technique: Evaluation of Release Profile Kinetics and Cytotoxicity Effect.

The ionic gelation technique allows us to obtain nanoparticles able to function as carriers for hydrophobic anticancer drugs, such as 5-fluoruracil (5-FU). In this study, reticulated chitosan- docosahexaenoic acid (Chi-DHAr) nanoparticles were synthesized by using a chemical reaction between amine groups of chitosan (Chi) and carboxylic acids of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the presence of a link between Chi and DHA was confirmed by FT-IR, while the size and morphology of the obtained Chi-DHAr nanoparticles was evaluated with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Drug-loading content (DLC) and drug-loading efficiency (DLE) of 5-FU in Chi-DHAr nanoparticles were 33.

"Monoclonal-Type" Plastic Antibodies for COVID-19 Treatment: What Is the Idea?

In late December 2019, an outbreak due to a novel coronavirus, initially called 2019-nCoV, was reported in Wuhan, China [...

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) as Theranostic Systems for Sunitinib Controlled Release and Self-Monitoring in Cancer Therapy.

Cytotoxic agents that are used conventionally in cancer therapy present limitations that affect their efficacy and safety profile, leading to serious adverse effects. In the aim to overcome these drawbacks, different approaches have been investigated and, among them, theranostics is attracting interest. This new field of medicine combines diagnosis with targeted therapy; therefore, the aim of this study was the preparation and characterization of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) selective for the anticancer drug Sunitinib (SUT) for the development of a novel theranostic system that is able to integrate the drug controlled release ability of MIPs with Rhodamine 6G as a fluorescent marker.

Quercetin and its derivative Q2 modulate chromatin dynamics in adipogenesis and Q2 prevents obesity and metabolic disorders in rats.

Recently the attention of the scientific community has focused on the ability of polyphenols to counteract adverse epigenetic regulation involved in the development of complex conditions such as obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the anti-adiposity effect of Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) and of one of its derivatives, Q2 in which the OH groups have been replaced by acetyl groups. In 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes, Quercetin and Q2 treatment induce chromatin remodeling and histone modifications at the 5' regulatory region of the two main adipogenic genes, c/EBPα and PPARγ.

Progress to Improve Oral Bioavailability and Beneficial Effects of Resveratrol.

Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene; RSV) is a natural nonflavonoid polyphenol present in many species of plants, particularly in grapes, blueberries, and peanuts. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that in addition to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective and neuroprotective actions, it exhibits antitumor properties. In mammalian models, RSV is extensively metabolized and rapidly eliminated and therefore it shows a poor bioavailability, in spite it of its lipophilic nature.

Biogenic amines profile and concentration in commercial milks for infants and young children.

Commercial milks for infants and young children (CMIYC) received much attention during last years for their impact on the nutritional status, health and development of the new-born and babies. Among possible contaminants contained in these foods, biogenic amines (BAs) have rarely been determined although they can exert toxic effects in humans if ingested at high concentrations. Spermine, spermidine, putrescine, histamine, tyramine, β-phenylethylamine and cadaverine have been quantified in CMIYC samples by LC-UV after derivatisation with dansyl-chloride.

An Olive Leaf Extract Rich in Polyphenols Promotes Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer Cells by Upregulating p21 Gene Expression.

Most of the common drugs used to treat the cervical cancer, which main etiological factor is the HPV infection, cause side effects and intrinsic/acquired resistance to chemotherapy. In this study we investigated whether an olive leaf extract (OLE), rich in polyphenols, was able to exert anti-tumor effects in human cervical cancer cells (HeLa). MTT assay results showed a reduction of HeLa cells viability OLE-induced, concomitantly with a gene and protein down-regulation of Cyclin-D1 and an up-regulation of p21, triggering intrinsic apoptosis.