Gold nanoparticles: A promising therapeutic approach

Nanotechnology is rapidly advancing and will leave no field untouched by its ground breaking innovations. Nanoparticles are molecules with a diameter ranging from 10-100 nm. Nanotechnology has promising biomedical applications and most noteworthy amongst them are noble metal particles. For instance, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provide a unique blend of physical and optical properties, chemical inertness, and high surface to volume ratio. They can be synthesized as well as functionalised to support various ligands on their surface. Their surface functionalization and diverse properties render the gold nanoparticles highly useful for drug delivery and gene carrier for therapeutic purposes and as molecular probes for disease diagnosis. The foundation for the usage of AuNPs in therapeutics and diagnosis was laid by the ancient studies done with ruby gold for curing diseases in middle ages. Presently, AuNPs have become available in different types such as spheres, rods, shells, cages and SERS particles which vary in shape, size and physical properties. The biomedical applications of these particles include drug and gene delivery, cancer diagnosis and therapy, determination of biological molecules and microorganisms, detection of disease etiology, immunoassay, enzyme immobilization, etc. Overall, the focus of this review is to highlight that AuNPs provide an excellent platform for the discovery of new therapies, cure for certain cancers, molecular probe for diagnostic purposes, as well as gene carriers and drug delivery vehicles. Biomed Rev 2015; 26: 23-36.Key words: gold nanoparticles, cancer treatment, drug delivery system, gold nanocarrier therap

Therapy through Social Medicine: Cultivating Connections and Inspiring Solutions for Healthy Living

Objective: This paper is to identify key areas where healthy living may be improved in India, and the converse, through cultivating connections at government, community, and at individual levels. Methods and Materials: Key healthy living issues for India were selected and relevant evidence obtained from internet sources together with personal experience over decades of multi- and inter-disciplinary international research activities. Approach: Key activities of connectivity in the development of Indian healthcare arising from “Methods and Materials” were evaluated. These included, the UN Millennium Development Goals, government-private interaction for healthcare benefit, family planning, Modicare 2015, women in society, business and clinical strategies, infrastructure, building “families”, fish stocks preservation, ecological epidemiology, NCDs, and transgenesis. Results: In a nutritional context, “education for all” leading to connectivity and a pragmatic inspirational approach to understanding complex issues of population dynamics is essential. Of importance are scientific endeavours in agriculture and aquaculture, water utilization, food manufacture, complex issues of supply and demand at an economic eco-friendly and sustainable level, chemoprevention and treatment of diseases (where nutritionally applicable) such as with functional foods: all of which are so vital if one is to raise standards for healthy living in this century and beyond. Developing-India could be a test-bed for other countries to follow, having both the problems and professional understanding of issues raised. By 2025, the UK’s Department for International Development programme in India aims to promote secondary school education for young girls, i.e., extending the age of marriage, and interventions that will lead to better health and nutrition, family planning, and developing skills for employment; and supporting India’s “Right to Education Act”. The outcome may result in smaller better-nourished higher-income families. Computer school networks at Nosegay Public School in Moradabad and the municipal authorities, there, aim to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foodstuff dictated by personal convenience, media influence, and urban retail outlets and promotions. The Tsim Tsoum Institute has advocated the adoption of the Mediterranean/Palaeolithic diet with its high omega-3: omega-6 fatty acid ratio aimed at an improvement in global health due to an expected reduction in the epidemic of pre-metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease [1,2]. Tomorrow, low-cost computer apps are advocated as a driving force in the selection of healthy foods, grown/produced under environmentally safe conditions, within retail outlets for use by mothers with limited budgets that may lead to a revolution in retail management and policy. Chemo-preventive prospective strategies such as those involving polyphenols, lignans, (found in fruits, vegetables, and soya) and other natural phytochemical products, and functional foods, which balance benefit and risk of disease, need to be continually developed, especially to reduce breast and prostate cancer. Conclusion: There is an opportunity to make nutrition a central part of the post-2015 sustainable human and agricultural development agenda for the The Expert Panel for the UN 2030 programme to consider. Solutions for cultivating connections and inspiring solutions for healthy living in India have included all the above issues and this swathe of actions, some within the Nagoya protocol, has been presented for the purpose of contributing towards the health of India

Insights into the Research Trends on Bovine Colostrum: Beneficial Health Perspectives with Special Reference to Manufacturing of Functional Foods and Feed Supplements

Bovine colostrum (BC) is the initial mammary secretion after parturition, which is nature’s bountiful source consisting of nutritional and bioactive components present in a highly concentrated low-volume format. All mammalian newborns require colostrum to enhance physiological processes such as lifelong immunity, gastrointestinal development, and resistance to microbial infections. The genetic, environmental, and processing methods can all have an impact on the biochemical contents of BC and its supplements. BC and its derivatives have been intensively researched for their potential use in functional foods, medicines, and animal feed. Evidence from clinical studies suggests that BC products are well-tolerated, nontoxic, and safe for human ingestion. Functional foods, feed, and pharmaceutical formulations based on bovine colostrum are playing noteworthy roles in the development of innovative products for promoting health and the prevention of chronic illnesses. This systematic review sheds light on recent research on (a) the effects of processing techniques on BC components, (b) emerging techniques used in the isolation and identification of novel components, (c) BC-based functional foods for human consumption and animal feed supplements, and (d) the role of BC in current drug delivery, as well as future recommendations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Food Antioxidants and Their Anti-Inflammatory Properties: A Potential Role in Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer Prevention

Mediterranean-style diets caused a significant decline in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in early landmark studies. The effect of a traditional Mediterranean diet on lipoprotein oxidation showed that there was a significant reduction in oxidative stress in the intervention group (Mediterranean diet + Virgin Olive Oil) compared to the low-fat diet group. Conversely, the increase in oxidative stress causing inflammation is a unifying hypothesis for predisposing people to atherosclerosis, carcinogenesis, and osteoporosis. The impact of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents on cancer and cardiovascular disease, and the interventive mechanisms for the inhibition of proliferation, inflammation, invasion, metastasis, and activation of apoptosis were explored. Following the Great Oxygen Event some 2.3 billion years ago, organisms have needed antioxidants to survive. Natural products in food preservatives are preferable to synthetic compounds due to their lower volatility and stability and generally higher antioxidant potential. Free radicals, reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, pro-oxidants and inflammation are described with examples of free radical damage based on the hydroxyl, nitric oxide and superoxide radicals. Flavonoid antioxidants with 2- or 3-phenylchroman structures such as quercetin, kaempferol, myricetin, apigenin, and luteolin, constituents of fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine, which may reduce coronary disease and cancer, are described. The protective effect of flavonoids on the DNA damage caused by hydroxyl radicals through chelation is an important mechanism, though the converse may be possible, e.g., quercetin. The antioxidant properties of carotenoids, which are dietary natural pigments, have been studied in relation to breast cancer risk and an inverse association was found with plasma concentrations: higher levels mean lower risk. The manipulation of primary and secondary human metabolomes derived especially from existing or transformed gut microbiota was explored as a possible alternative to single-agent dietary interventions for cancer and cardiovascular disease. Sustained oxidative stress leading to inflammation and thence to possibly to cancer and cardiovascular disease is described for spices and herbs, using curcumin as an example of an intervention, based on activation of transcription factors which suggest that oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and cancer are closely linked

The Role of Food Antioxidants, Benefits of Functional Foods, and Influence of Feeding Habits on the Health of the Older Person: An Overview

This overview was directed towards understanding the relationship of brain functions with dietary choices mainly by older humans. This included food color, flavor, and aroma, as they relate to dietary sufficiency or the association of antioxidants with neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Impairment of olfactory and gustatory function in relation to these diseases was also explored. The role of functional foods was considered as a potential treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase as well as similar treatments based on herbs, spices and antioxidants therein. The importance of antioxidants for maintaining the physiological functions of liver, kidney, digestive system, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cancer has also been highlighted. Detailed discussion was focused on health promotion of the older person through the frequency and patterns of dietary intake, and a human ecology framework to estimate adverse risk factors for health. Finally, the role of the food industry, mass media, and apps were explored for today’s new older person generation

Sofia declaration for prevention of cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a scientific statement of the International College of Cardiology and International College of Nutrition

Background: There has been persistent emphasis from various health agencies including United Nations on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and other chronic diseases. This review focusses on the emergence of CVDs and other chronic diseases as well as on modern strategies for their prevention. Methods: A systematic and narrative review was conducted using such reference databases as MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and EBSCO, with additional secondary sources and grey literature searching. Opinions of experts were also sought and discussions followed. Results: The prevalence of primary risk factors for most chronic diseases is rapidly increasing in low and middle income populations due to the on-going economic development and progress. There is a decrease in such risk factors in the developed countries as due to education and adoption of preventive strategies result in a reduction in CVD mortality. Hypertension (5-10%), type 2 diabetes (3- 5%) and CAD (3-4%) are very low in the adult rural populations of India, China, and in the African subcontinent which has less economic development. It seems that it is not poverty, but the lack of health education, possibly due to ineffective policies of national and local governments. In urban and immigrant populations of India and China, which are economically better off, NCDs are significantly higher than they are in some of the highincome populations. Health education and promotion of healthier lifestyle and behaviour appear to be important for prevention in such countries. Conclusion: These findings may require modification of the existing American and European guidelines, proposed for the prevention of CVDs and other chronic diseases, in highincome populations