3 research outputs found
Role of Sulfur Compounds in Garlic as Potential Therapeutic Option for Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Asthma
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease in the airways with a multifactorial origin but with inflammation and oxidative stress as related pathogenic mechanisms. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a nutraceutical with different biological properties due to sulfur-containing natural compounds. Studies have shown that several compounds in garlic may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular diseases, including those related to the lungs. Therefore, it is possible to take advantage of the compounds from garlic as nutraceuticals for treating lung diseases. The objective of this article is to review the biological properties of the sulfur compounds present in garlic for the treatment of asthma, as well as the cellular mechanisms involved. Here, we discuss the potential therapeutic effects of garlic compounds in the modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as its antibiotic and antiviral activities for identifying and testing potential treatment options for asthma management
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Allicin Associated with Fibrosis in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling. Recent evidence supports that inflammation plays a key role in triggering and maintaining pulmonary vascular remodeling. Recent studies have shown that garlic extract has protective effects in PAH, but the precise role of allicin, a compound derived from garlic, is unknown. Thus, we used allicin to evaluate its effects on inflammation and fibrosis in PAH. Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (CON), monocrotaline (60 mg/kg) (MCT), and MCT plus allicin (16 mg/kg/oral gavage) (MCT + A). Right ventricle (RV) hypertrophy and pulmonary arterial medial wall thickness were determined. IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, NFκB p65, Iκβ, TGF-β, and α-SMA were determined by Western blot analysis. In addition, TNF-α and TGF-β were determined by immunohistochemistry, and miR-21-5p and mRNA expressions of Cd68, Bmpr2, and Smad5 were determined by RT-qPCR. Results: Allicin prevented increases in vessel wall thickness due to TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and Cd68 in the lung. In addition, TGF-β, α-SMA, and fibrosis were lower in the MCT + A group compared with the MCT group. In the RV, allicin prevented increases in TNF-α, IL-6, and TGF-β. These observations suggest that, through the modulation of proinflammatory and profibrotic markers in the lung and heart, allicin delays the progression of PAH
When to replicate systematic reviews of interventions:Consensus checklist
For systematic reviews of interventions, replication is defined as the
reproduction of findings of previous systematic reviews looking at the same
effectiveness question either by: purposefully repeating the same methods to
verify one or more empirical findings; or purposefully extending or narrowing
the systematic review to a broader or more focused question (eg, across broader
or more focused populations, intervention types, settings, outcomes, or study
designs)
Although systematic reviews are often used as the basis for informing policy
and practice decisions, little evidence has been published so far on whether
replication of systematic reviews is worthwhile
Replication of existing systematic reviews cannot be done for all topics; any
unnecessary or poorly conducted replication contributes to research waste
The decision to replicate a systematic review should be based on the priority of
the research question; the likelihood that a replication will resolve uncertainties,
controversies, or the need for additional evidence; the magnitude of the benefit
or harm of implementing findings of a replication; and the opportunity cost of
the replication
Systematic review authors, commissioners, funders, and other users (including
clinicians, patients, and representatives from policy making organisations) can
use the guidance and checklist proposed here to assess the need for a replicatio