The Role of Probiotics in Parkinson\'s Disease: A Review Study

An upward trend in the incidence of Parkinson’s disease (PD), known as one of the most prominent neurodegenerative maladies, has evoked great concerns among medical community over the past decades. Recently, studies have suggested the initiation of PD in the gastrointestinal tract decades before the advent of manifestations. Accumulating evidence suggests that intracellular deposition of α-synuclein (α-syn) in patients with PD is associated with systemic inflammation leading to the neuroinflammation and neuropsychiatric disorders. The α-syn protein accumulation can be initiated from GI cells and distribute into CNS cells through trans-synaptic cell to cell transmission. Without doubt, gut microbiota affects the enteric nervous system (ENS) known as the “second brain”. Patients with PD have a different balance of bacteria in their intestines, as compared to healthy population. Metabolites from gut microbiota affect the enteric wall such as neurodegeneration. Probiotics have a substantial role in the neutralization or inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals and thus improve the PD symptoms. The anti-inflammatory role of probiotics also inhibits the neurodegeneration and PD development. Hence, probiotics contribute to the improvement of PD through several mechanisms which need more in-depth verification

Nickel Nanoparticles: Applications and Antimicrobial Role against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has evolved vast antibiotic resistance. These strains contain numerous virulence factors facilitating the development of severe infections. Considering the costs, side effects, and time duration needed for the synthesis of novel drugs, seeking efficient alternative approaches for the eradication of drug-resistant bacterial agents seems to be an unmet requirement. Nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) have been applied as prognostic and therapeutic cheap agents to various aspects of biomedical sciences. Their antibacterial effects are exerted via the disruption of the cell membrane, the deformation of proteins, and the inhibition of DNA replication. NiNPs proper traits include high-level chemical stability and binding affinity, ferromagnetic properties, ecofriendliness, and cost-effectiveness. They have outlined pleomorphic and cubic structures. The combined application of NiNPs with CuO, ZnO, and CdO has enhanced their anti-MRSA effects. The NiNPs at an approximate size of around 50 nm have exerted efficient anti-MRSA effects, particularly at higher concentrations. NiNPs have conferred higher antibacterial effects against MRSA than other nosocomial bacterial pathogens. The application of green synthesis and low-cost materials such as albumin and chitosan enhance the efficacy of NPs for therapeutic purposes