Publications by authors named "Rosa Direito"

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and the ability of tumors to invade surrounding tissues and spread to distant organs. Despite significant advancements in early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, many cancers still present substantial challenges due to their heterogeneity, resistance to conventional therapies, and severe side effects of existing treatments. Consequently, there is an ongoing need for novel therapeutic agents to selectively target cancer cells, enhance the efficacy of current treatments, and minimize adverse effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Irisin-based interventions have gained attention for their potential to modulate the adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway in various diseases. Physiologically, irisin is a myokine released during physical exercise that exerts anti-inflammatory effects and is a metabolic and cardiometabolic enhancer. On the other hand, AMPK is crucial for maintaining energy balance and metabolic homeostasis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is a clinical-pathological scenario that occurs due to the accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes which is considered a significant cause of liver conditions and contributes to an increased risk of death worldwide. Even though the possible causes of MAFLD can involve the interaction of genetics, hormones, and nutrition, lifestyle (diet and sedentary lifestyle) is the most influential factor in developing this condition. Polyphenols comprise many natural chemical compounds that can be helpful in managing metabolic diseases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Degenerative musculoskeletal diseases represent a global health problem due to the progressive deterioration of affected individuals. As a bioactive compound, catechins have shown osteoprotective properties by stimulating osteoblastic cells and inhibiting bone resorption. Thus, this review aimed to address the mechanism of action of catechins on bone tissue.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The consumption of kiwifruit ( var. Hayward) is recognized for its health benefits due to its high vitamin C content and bioactive secondary metabolites, such as phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties. These compounds may help prevent chronic noncommunicable diseases, currently the leading cause of death.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The therapeutic potential of bee venom-derived peptides, particularly apamin and melittin, in cancer treatment has garnered significant attention as a promising avenue for advancing oncology. This systematic review examines preclinical studies highlighting the emerging role of these peptides in enhancing cancer therapies. Melittin and apamin, when conjugated with other therapeutic agents or formulated into novel delivery systems, have demonstrated improved efficacy in targeting tumor cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Alzheimer's disease is a leading cause of dementia in the elderly, currently treated with symptom-relief medications that often have side effects and inconsistent results.
  • Extracts from the Ginkgo biloba (GB) herb, containing bioactive compounds, may offer neuroprotective benefits and potentially improve cognitive function in dementia patients.
  • Although many studies show GB as a promising treatment, more research is necessary to determine its optimal use and evaluate safety and drug interactions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

There is a growing trend among consumers to seek out natural foods and products with natural ingredients. This shift in consumer preferences had a direct impact on both food and pharmaceutical industries, leading to a focus of scientific research and commercial efforts to meet these new demands. The aim of this work is to review recent available scientific data on foods of interest, such as the artichoke, gooseberry, and polygonoideae plants, as well as olive oil and red raspberries.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The aging of the global population has increased the prevalence of neurodegenerative conditions. (BM), an herb with active compounds, such as bacosides A and B, betulinic acid, loliolide, asiatic acid, and quercetin, demonstrates the potential for brain health. Limited research has been conducted on the therapeutic applications of BM in neurodegenerative conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

extract (RSE) is mostly known for its adaptogen properties, but not for its antiarthritic activities, therefore monotherapy and combination with low-dose methotrexate (MTX) was studied. The collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model was used to measure the functional score, and the change in hind paw volume (HPV). Both parameters had significant antiarthritic effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ongoing research explores the underlying causes of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Many experts suggest that dysbiosis in the gut microbiota and genetic, immunological, and environmental factors play significant roles. The term "microbiota" pertains to the collective community of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that reside within the gastrointestinal tract, with a particular emphasis on the colon.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Curcumin (CUR) is a polyphenol extracted from the rhizome of that possesses potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. Despite CUR's numerous beneficial effects on human health, it has limitations, such as poor absorption. Nano-based drug delivery systems have recently been applied to improve CUR's solubility and bioavailability and potentialize its health effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dragon fruit ( genus) has the potential for the prevention of diseases associated with inflammatory and oxidative processes. We aimed to comprehensively review dragon fruit health effects, economic importance, and possible use in delivery systems. Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched, and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines were followed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this work, various concepts and features of anthocyanins have been comprehensively reviewed, taking the benefits of the scientific publications released mainly within the last five years. Within the paper, common topics such as anthocyanin chemistry and occurrence, including the biosynthesis of anthocyanins emphasizing the anthocyanin formation pathway, anthocyanin chemistry, and factors influencing the anthocyanins' stability, are covered in detail. By evaluating the recent in vitro and human experimental studies on the absorption and bioavailability of anthocyanins present in typical food and beverages, this review elucidates the significant variations in biokinetic parameters based on the model, anthocyanin source, and dose, allowing us to make basic assumptions about their bioavailability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension, insulin resistance, cancer, and other degenerative processes commonly appear with aging. (GB) is associated with several health benefits, including memory and cognitive improvement, in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and cancer. Its antiapoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory actions have effects on cognition and other conditions associated with aging-related processes, such as insulin resistance, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) are regarded as important clinical targets due to their nodal-point role in inflammatory and oncological diseases. Here, we aimed at isolating and characterizing am MMP-2 and-9 inhibitor (MMPI) from and at assessing its efficacy in vitro and in vivo. The protein was isolated using chromatographic and 2-D electrophoretic procedures and sequenced by using MALDI-TOF TOF and MS/MS analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Persimmon ( L.) fruit's phytochemical profile includes carotenoids, proanthocyanidins, and gallic acid among other phenolic compounds and vitamins. A huge antioxidant potential is present given this richness in antioxidant compounds.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) are nowadays the principal cause of death, especially in most industrialized nations. These illnesses have increased exponentially with the consumption of diets very high in fat and sugar, not to mention stress and physical inactivity among other factors. The potential impact of suboptimal diets on NCDs' morbidity and mortality rates brings to the forefront the necessity for a new way of improving dietary habits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Little is known about the pharmacological effects of the phenolic compounds of Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium). This Mediterranean aromatic plant, used as a gastronomic spice and as food preservative by the food industry has been studied mainly due to its essential oil antibacterial properties, composed primarily by monoterpenes. With this work, we aimed to evaluate the effects of a phenolic extract of pennyroyal in the impairment of inflammatory processes in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and in the potential inhibition of progression to colorectal cancer (CRC).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Persimmon ( L.) fruits are used in traditional medicine largely due to their claimed beneficial effects on human health. The aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of a persimmon extract in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Persimmon ( L.), a fruit rich in phenolic compounds (PCs), has been considered effective in mitigating oxidative damage induced by an excess of reactive oxygen species. Due to large molecular weight and intrinsic instability in some physiological fluids, PCs' passage through biological membranes is very limited.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) encompasses both Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, known to be connected to an enlarged risk for developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Spearmint ( L.) is a Mediterranean plant used as an aromatic agent, and studies have mainly focused on the essential oil suggesting an anti-inflammatory activity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is commonly used through intra-articular administration for viscosupplementation in osteoarthritis and other disorders. HA is generally supplied as an injection commonly reported as painful, with strong limitations after treatment. In this study, an alternative delivery system was constructed based on HA hydrogel and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles with oleic acid.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Polyphenols from persimmon (Diospyros kaki) have demonstrated radical-scavenging and antiinflammatory activities; however, little is known about the effects of persimmon phenolics on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, we aimed in this work to characterize the antiinflammatory and antiproliferative effects of a persimmon phenolic extract (80% acetone in water), using an in vivo model of experimental colitis and a model of cancer cell invasion. Our results show, for the first time, a beneficial effect of a persimmon phenolic extract in the attenuation of experimental colitis and a potential antiproliferative effect on cultured colon cancer cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Here we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of a blueberry extract in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model and collagen-induced arthritis model, both in rats. Along with the chemical characterization of the phenolic content of the fruits and extract, the antioxidant potential of the extract, the cellular antioxidant activity and the effects over neutrophils' oxidative burst, were studied in order to provide a mechanistic insight for the anti-inflammatory effects observed. The extract significantly inhibited paw edema formation in an acute model the rat.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF