Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson) essential oil reduced neuropathic-pain and associated anxiety symptoms in mice

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Ylang-ylang essential oil (YEO), obtained from the flowers of the tropical tree Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook. f. & Thomson (family Annonaceae), has been largely used in the traditional medicine with many uses, including anxiety and altered neuronal states. Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition with a high incidence of comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders, that drastically affect the patient''s quality of life. The currently available drugs used for the management of neuropathic pain are inadequate due to poor efficacy and tolerability, highlighting the medicinal need of a better pharmacotherapy. Several clinical studies have reported that massage or inhalation with selected essentials oils reduces symptoms associated to pain and anxiety. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic properties of YEO and its efficacy in reducing neuropathy-associated mood alterations. Materials and methods: The analgesic properties were tested in the spared nerve injury (SNI) model using male mice. Anxiolytic, antidepressant, and locomotor properties were also evaluated using behavioural tests. Finally, the YEO mechanism of action was investigated in the spinal cord and hippocampus of neuropathic mice. Results: Oral administration of YEO (30 mg/kg) reduced SNI-induced neuropathic pain and ameliorates pain-related anxiety symptoms that appeared 28 days after surgery. YEO reduced the expression of MAPKs, NOS2, p-p65, markers of neuroinflammation, and promoted normalizing effect on neurotrophin levels (BDNF). Conclusions: YEO induced neuropathic pain relief and ameliorated pain-associated anxiety, representing an interesting candidate for the management of neuropathic pain conditions and pain-related comorbidities. © 2022 The Author

Targeting the rna-binding protein hur as potential thera-peutic approach for neurological disorders: Focus on amyo-trophic lateral sclerosis (als), spinal muscle atrophy (sma) and multiple sclerosis

The importance of precise co- and post-transcriptional processing of RNA in the regulation of gene expression has become increasingly clear. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are a class of proteins that bind single- or double-chain RNA, with different affinities and selectivity, thus regulating the various functions of RNA and the fate of the cells themselves. ELAV (embryonic lethal/abnormal visual system)/Hu proteins represent an important family of RBPs and play a key role in the fate of newly transcribed mRNA. ELAV proteins bind AU-rich element (ARE)-containing transcripts, which are usually present on the mRNA of proteins such as cytokines, growth factors, and other proteins involved in neuronal differentiation and maintenance. In this review, we focused on a member of ELAV/Hu proteins, HuR, and its role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders, with a particular focus on demyelinating diseases

Recent advances in analytical approaches for the standardization and quality of polyphenols of propolis

Analytical approaches utilized for the characterization of polyphenols from propolis useful for the determination of its quality is investigated in this study. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of propolis bioactive molecules is of interest in medicine and nutraceuticals. Recent powerful analytical techniques are of great utility to separate and quantify polyphenols in extracts and finished products due to their capacity to produce typical fingerprints and a reliable identification of many components. According to this, an HPLC-UV-MS procedure was validated and applied for the characterization and quantification of bioactive substances in propolis and for an accurate assessment of their content in extract samples. By using this analytical approach, we obtained specific compositions related to brown propolis acquired from different geographic areas (and preparations and treatment). This is more important by considering the scientific opinion of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which provided a negative response related to health claims of propolis and its polyphenols. These results prove that HPLC-MS is an attractive tool for the standardization and quality control of propolis and may be realistically applied to screen raw material and to evaluate finished commercial preparations and nutraceutical benefits

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) Essential Oil Alleviates Neuropathic Pain in Mice With Spared Nerve Injury

Low treatment efficacy represents an important unmet need in neuropathic pain patients and there is an urgent need to develop a more effective pharmacotherapy. An increasing number of patients choose complementary medicine to relieve pain. Lavender essential oil (LEO) is approved by the European Medicines Agency as herbal medicine to relieve anxiety and stress. However, the capability of LEO to relieve other nervous system disorders such as neuropathic pain has never been established. Our work aimed to evaluate the antineuropathic properties of lavender on a spared nerve injury (SNI) model of neuropathic pain in mice. An acute oral administration of LEO (100 mg/kg) alleviated SNI-induced mechanical allodynia, evaluated in the von Frey test, with an intensity comparable to the reference drug pregabalin. Investigations into the mechanism of action showed that LEO markedly decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1, ERK2, and JNK1, and decreased the levels of iNOS in the spinal cord; involvement of the endocannabinoid system was also detected using in vitro inhibition of the FAAH and MALG enzymes as well as in vivo experiments with the CB1 antagonist. Conversely, no effect on P38 phosphorylation and NF-kB activation was detected. These antihyperalgesic effects appeared at the same dose able to induce antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and anorexic effects. In addition, gavage with LEO did not significantly alter animals'' gross behavior, motor coordination, or locomotor activity, nor impaired memory functions. Oral administration of LEO could represent a therapeutic approach in the management of neuropathic pain states

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Propolis Prepared in Different Forms and in Different Solvents Useful for Finished Products

Different products from a unique propolis extract obtained by using various solvents such as hydroalcoholic, glycolic (98% propylene glycol), and glyceric solutions, and oil, as well as in powder form, named ESIT12, were prepared. The molecular composition of the different preparations was evaluated and their antioxidant activity determined. All the preparations showed a quite similar polyphenol composition and comparable percentage even if ESIT12 was found to be richer in phenolic acids (caffeic, coumaric, ferulic, and isoferulic). Overall, flavones and flavonols ranged from ~20% up to ~36% in the glyceric extract, while flavanones and diidroflavonols were between ~28% and ~41%. Besides their quite similar composition, glycolic and hydroalcoholic extracts were found to be richer in the total polyphenols content. When the antioxidant properties were determined for the four preparations, the activity was similar among them, thus revealing that it is strictly related to the polyphenols content for propolis products whose composition is quite comparable. To date, very few data are available on propolis composition in glyceric and glycolic extracts and information has never been published on propolis in oil. This study could be of interest to the food and nutraceutical industries to choose suitable solvents and conditions to produce propolis preparations useful for active finished products

Attenuation of anxiety-like behavior by helichrysum stoechas (L.) moench methanolic extract through up-regulation of erk signaling pathways in noradrenergic neurons

The long-term use of anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs can cause a plethora of side effects and the use of complementary and alternative medicine, which is generally considered safer than conventional medicine, is consistently increasing. Helichrysum stoechas (L.) Moench methanolic extract (HSE) has shown MAO-A inhibitory properties in previous studies. With the aim of obtaining innovative and safer therapies for mood disorders, this study investigated the potential activity of HSE in the management of anxiety-and depression-related symptoms. HSE showed dose-dependent (30–100 mg/kg p.o.) anxiolytic-like activity in the light dark box and marble burying tests, without any antidepressant-like activity, as shown by the results of the tail suspension test. Additionally, HSE did not have any effect on the modulation of pain, which highlights its selectivity in the control of anxiety-related behavior. At active doses, HSE did not produce any sedative effect or result in impaired motor coordination and memory functions. Western blotting experiments showed the ability of HSE to counteract the reduction in the phosphorylation of ERK44/42, to restore brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and to return cyclic AMP response element binding (CREB) levels to basal levels in noradrenergic hippocampal neurons of mice exposed to an anxiety-related environment, which indicates a protective role against anxiety behavior. These results suggest that oral administration of HSE might represent an interesting opportunity for the management of anxiety disorders

PURIFICATION OF PROPOLIS FROM POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND PRESERVATION OF ACTIVE POLYPHENOL COMPONENT.

Organic pollutants have become an increasing concern due to their potential of mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity and high bioaccumulation. The adverse effects on health and environment caused by specific organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been considered as critical problems. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has defined 16 priority PAH that are both genotoxic and carcinogenic and identified eight (PAH8) or four (PAH4) priority PAH as good indicators of the toxicity and occurrence of PAH in food. Several available techniques (photocatalytic degradation, combined photo-fenton and ultrasound, advanced oxidation, aerobic degradation, filtration, ozonation, coagulation, flocculation, distillation, extraction, precipitation, and adsorption, etc.) have been developed for PAH removal. Food supplements containing propolis were also found to show relatively high PAHs. As a consequence, a main goal is to adopt purification procedures to remove PAH from propolis and preserve its polyphenol components before its use in finished products. Here we report an extractive procedure (M.E.D., Multi Dynamic Extraction) able to purify propolis from a great content of PAH by using a balanced mixture of organic and water solvents. Obtained propolis extracts are still rich in polyphenols and glycosylated derivatives showing PAH8 and specific benzo[a]pyrene content below limits recommended by EFSA

The Role of Osteopathic Care in Gynaecology and Obstetrics: An Updated Systematic Review

Background: Many efforts are made to find safer and more feasible therapeutic strategies to improve gynaecological care. Non-pharmacological treatments, such as osteopathic interventions, could be used as complementary strategies to better manage different gynaecological conditions. This review aims to report the effectiveness of osteopathic treatment in the gynaecology and obstetrics field, updating the previous review published in 2016. The secondary aim was to elucidate the role of somatic dysfunction (SD) in osteopathic assessment and treatment procedures, as well as their health and economic implications. Methods: An electronic search was conducted in the following databases: Embase, MEDLINE (PubMed), and Science direct. All types of clinical studies published between May 2014 and December 2021 have been included: randomised controlled trial (RCT), controlled before/after, interrupted time series quasi RCT, case controls, case reports, case series, observational, clinical studies involving any type of osteopathic treatment, (standardised, semi-standardised or patients’ need-based treatment) performed alone or in combination with other treatments, were included). Results: A total of 76,750 were identified through database searching and other sources. After the removal of duplicates, 47,655 papers were screened based on title and abstract. A total of 131 full-text articles were consequently assessed for eligibility. Twenty-one new articles were included in the synthesis. A total of 2632 participants with a mean age of 28.9 ± 10.5 years were included in the review. Conclusions: Results showed an effectiveness of osteopathic care in gynaecology and obstetrics, but the studies were too heterogeneous to perform quantitative analysis and make clinical recommendations. Nevertheless, osteopathic care could be considered a safe complementary approach to traditional gynaecological care