Basic Properties of Anthocyanin for Pain Management

Inflammation and oxidative stress is both two important key players in the development, enhancement, and maintenance of both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. They are almost invariably involved in pain-related diseases, such as all-cause low back pain, diabetic neuropathy, neurodegenerative diseases, myocardial ischemia, cancer, and various autoimmune disorders, among others. They act synergistically and their presence can be beneficial, yet detrimental to neurons and nerves if they are in overdrive state. Meanwhile, anthocyanin, a group of flavonoid polyphenols, is very common in nature and can be easily derived from fruits and vegetables. Accumulating evidence has shown that anthocyanin possesses potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects through numerous mechanisms and that its proof-of-concept in ameliorating various pathology of disease states have been extensively documented. Unfortunately, however, the empirical evidence of anthocyanin for alleviating pain has been very minimal to date, despite its potentials. Herein, we discuss the basic properties of anthocyanin and its relevant pain mechanisms which could become potential targets for pain management using this natural compound

RNA interference approaches for treatment of HIV-1 infection

HIV/AIDS is a chronic and debilitating disease that cannot be cured with current antiretroviral drugs. While combinatorial antiretroviral therapy (cART) can potently suppress HIV-1 replication and delay the onset of AIDS, viral mutagenesis often leads to viral escape from multiple drugs. In addition to the pharmacological agents that comprise cART drug cocktails, new biological therapeutics are reaching the clinic. These include gene-based therapies that utilize RNA interference (RNAi) to silence the expression of viral or host mRNA targets that are required for HIV-1 infection and/or replication. RNAi allows sequence-specific design to compensate for viral mutants and natural variants, thereby drastically expanding the number of therapeutic targets beyond the capabilities of cART. Recent advances in clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated the promise of RNAi therapeutics, reinforcing the concept that RNAi-based agents might offer a safe, effective, and more durable approach for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Nevertheless, there are challenges that must be overcome in order for RNAi therapeutics to reach their clinical potential. These include the refinement of strategies for delivery and to reduce the risk of mutational escape. In this review, we provide an overview of RNAi-based therapies for HIV-1, examine a variety of combinatorial RNAi strategies, and discuss approaches for ex vivo delivery and in vivo delivery

marrow-derived stem cells as an adjunctive treatment for acute myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Acta Med. Indones

ABSTRACT Aim: to confirm the beneficial effect of BMCs therapy over placebo in AMI patients with inclusion only to the randomized double blind placebo-controlled trials. Methods: we searched multiple database (MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL) (OR 1.01; 95% CI, 0.35 to 2.94; [I2=0%; p=0.98]), but exerts protective effects toward recurrent MI (OR 0.45; 95% CI, 0.09 to 2.16; [I2=8%; p=0.32]) and rehospitalization for HF (OR 0.39; 95% CI, 0.08 to 1.85; [I2=0%; p=0.24]). All outcomes were sustained for a long period of time (up to 5 years). Conclusion: the resulting meta-analysis concluded that BMCs therapy consistently improves cardiac performance parameters (LVEF, LVESV, and LVEDV) when compared to placebo, even after the establishment of primary intervention. It is also safe to use and prevents the development of recurrent MI and HF