Traditionally, Andrographis paniculata has been used as an herbal remedy for lung infection treatments. Its leaves contain a diterpenoid labdane called andrographolide responsible for a wide range of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. This manuscript is a brief review of the antioxidant mechanisms and the regulation of the Nrf2 (nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) signaling pathway by andrographolide.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are an antacid drug often used in acid-related disorders. They decrease acid secretion in the stomach by blocking an enzyme called H+/K+ ATPase which controls acid production. Introduced to the market in 1989, their use has increased rapidly worldwide and they are now among the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States. As of 2015, the FDA has already approved six drugs of this class (omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, dexlansoprazole, pantoprazole and rabeprazole). Recently, the risks and benefits of long-term PPI use were questioned and many studies indicated that their use should be carefully considered, especially in young patients, whose treatment with these drugs could last many years. Even greater concerns have been raised about a potential positive association between PPIs and osteoporotic fracture risk including the hip, spine and wrist. Although based on observational studies, there is substantial evidence associating the long-term use of PPIs and fracture. This relationship is only partially admitted due to the lack of consistent effects of PPIs on bone mineral density loss. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to discuss the recent findings pertaining to the risk of osteoporotic fracture associated with PPIs, in particular prolonged use, and to call for further research to elucidate the mechanisms associated with this bone fragility.
Laminarin, a β-(1,3)-glucan from the seaweed Laminaria digitata, is a polysaccharide which provides anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Its influence on both human dermal fibroblasts adult (HDFa) and normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) has not been established yet. Herein, laminarin effects were examined on skin cells’ mitochondrial and antioxidant activities. Cytokines, hyaluronic acid, and procollagen type I secretions and interaction mechanisms were explored after a maximum of 72 h treatment with laminarin. Our results demonstrated a decrease in mitochondrial activities with 72 h treatment with laminarin from 500 µg.mL−1 for NHEK cells and from 100 µg.mL−1 for HDFa cells without cytotoxicity. No variation of hyaluronic acid or type I procollagen was observed for all laminarin concentrations, while an antioxidant effect was found against reactive oxygen species (ROS) from 1 µg.mL−1 for HDFa cells in both H2O2 and UVA radiation conditions, and from 10 µg.mL−1 and 1 µg.mL−1 for NHEK cells in both H2O2 and UVA radiation conditions, respectively. Laminarin treatment modulated both cells surface glycosylation and cytokine secretions of skin cells. Overall, our data suggest a positive effect of β-(1,3)-glucan on skin cells on oxidative stress and inflammation induced by environmental factors. Of note, these effects are through the modulation of glycan and receptors interactions at the skin cells surface.
1 December 2017 in Computers in Biology and Medicine