The Hypericum genus contains one of the few genera of flowering plants that contains a species with authorization for marketing as a traditional medicine, H. perforatum. Due to the fact that this is a large genus, comprising numerous species, a large amount of interest has been shown over the years in the study of its various pharmacological activities. The chemical composition of these species is quite similar, containing compounds belonging to the class of phloroglucinol derivatives, naphthodianthrones, phenols, flavonoids and essential oils. Taking all of this into consideration, the present study aims to offer an overview of the species of the genus from the point of view of their extraction techniques and analysis methods. An extensive study on the scientific literature was performed, and it revealed a wide range of solvents and extraction methods, among which ethanol and methanol, together with maceration and ultrasonication, are the most frequent. Regarding analysis methods, separation and spectral techniques are the most employed. Therefore, the present study provides necessary data for future studies on the species of the genus, offering a complete overview and a possible basis for their development.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons. Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between metabolic dysregulation and ALS pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between metabolic hormones and disease progression in ALS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 44 ALS patients recruited from a tertiary care center. Serum levels of insulin, total amylin, C-peptide, active ghrelin, GIP (gastric inhibitory peptide), GLP-1 active (glucagon-like peptide-1), glucagon, PYY (peptide YY), PP (pancreatic polypeptide), leptin, interleukin-6, MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), and TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) were measured, and correlations with ALSFRS-R, evolution scores, and biomarkers were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficients. Subgroup analyses based on ALS subtypes, progression pattern of disease, and disease progression rate patterns were performed. Significant correlations were observed between metabolic hormones and ALS evolution scores. Insulin and amylin exhibited strong correlations with disease progression and clinical functional outcomes, with insulin showing particularly robust associations. Other hormones such as C-peptide, leptin, and GLP-1 also showed correlations with ALS progression and functional status. Subgroup analyses revealed differences in hormone levels based on sex and disease evolution patterns, with male patients showing higher amylin and glucagon levels. ALS patients with slower disease progression exhibited elevated levels of amylin and insulin. Our findings suggest a potential role for metabolic hormones in modulating ALS progression and functional outcomes. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore the therapeutic implications of targeting metabolic pathways in ALS management.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) evolution is influenced by many dietary factors, biochemical and hormonal inter-relations and gut microbiota. This study focuses on dynamics by conducting a plasmatic quantitative analysis of six of the main short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) for ALS patients and the shifts in circulating SCFA profiles during ALS progression as well as their potential responsiveness or change due to dietary modulation. Methods: A 12-month prospective study in parallel with control group determinations was conducted. The patients diagnosed with ALS were evaluated at the start of the study (T0) followed by a six-month observation time frame (T1) and after another six months of a Mediterranean diet intervention (T2). Plasma SCFAs were determined using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to showcase the plasmatic profiles. Correlation between plasma levels of SCFAs and patients’ clinical characteristics next to correlations between plasma SCFA levels at T1 and T2 were performed. Results: A significant increase between control group and patients at T0 was observed for acetic, propionic, butyric and hydroxy-butyric acid. Hexanoic acid levels stagnated and 4-methyl-valeric acid concentrations decreased. Evolutions from T1 and T2 impacted acetate, propionate and 4-methyl-valerate. Conclusions: The study offers a better understanding regarding the differences in SCFA levels in ALS patients. The Mediterranean diet may impact the levels of acetic and propionic acid, indicating the modulation of SCFA production by gut microbiota.

The aim of the study was to propose an improved HPLC/UV method for captopril impurity profiling based on forced degradation studies. Material and methods: the HPLC-UV analyses were performed on a Luna C18 column at 50 0C by using a mobile phase consisting of phosphoric acid 15 mM and acetonitrile at 210 nm. Results and discussions: an HPLC method with superior characteristics to one described in the European Pharmacopoeia for captopril impurities profiling was proposed. The main degradation product of captopril was captopril disulfide (Impurity A), the concentration of which increases in all the conditions of forced degradation, except thermal degradation. UV light has led to the highest number of unknown impurities, but the oxidative degradation presented the highest rate of degradation (>88%). A total of 15 unknown impurities have been observed with significant area (>0.50%), who were not initially present in the captopril sample. Conclusions: The proposed HPLC method can be successfully applied in pharmaceutical analysis laboratories as a stability indicating method of captopril, allowing the separation of official impurities A, B, C, D and E and those formed under forced degradation conditions.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease but lacks effective treatments. Dietary interventions, notably the Mediterranean diet, promise to modulate disease pathways. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Mediterranean diet on gut hormones and cytokines in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: We conducted a 12-month, single-center prospective study on a total of 44 ALS patients. After a 6-month observation period, the patients were placed on a dairy-free Mediterranean diet for the next 6 months. We evaluated the patients at baseline (T0), 6 months (T1), and 12 months (T2). We measured the ALS Functional Rating Scale—Revised (ALSFRS-R) scores and a panel of metabolic hormones and cytokines. Results: The ALSFRS-R scores declined over 12 months (37.59 ± 6.32 at T0 vs. 30.23 ± 8.91 at T2, p < 0.001), indicating expected disease progression with no significant difference in the rate of decline before and after the dietary intervention. The leptin levels significantly decreased from T0 to T1 (T0: 4956 ± 3994 pg/mL vs. T1: 3196 ± 2807 pg/mL, p = 0.038). The insulin and GLP-1 levels showed significant drops at T2 (insulin T0: 480 ± 369 vs. T2: 214 ± 213 pmol/L, p < 0.01; GLP-1 T0: 118 ± 76 vs. T2: 60 ± 57 pg/mL, p < 0.01). C-peptide increased at T2 (T0: 3814 ± 1967 vs. T2: 9532 ± 4000 pg/mL, p < 0.001). Among the cytokines, the levels of IL-12P70, IL-13, IL-9, and IL-2 significantly decreased from T0 to T2 (all p < 0.05), while IL-17A and TNFα significantly increased between T1 and T2 (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The Mediterranean diet intervention in ALS patients modulated several metabolic hormones and cytokines but with no evidence of impacting the disease’s evolution or of a slowed clinical progression. These findings suggest a potential role for dietary intervention, particularly the Mediterranean diet, in modulating gut hormones and cytokines in ALS patients, but its impact on disease course is unclear. Future randomized studies are needed to confirm these changes and to determine whether dietary intervention can have any benefit in ALS.