The effects of two lyophilized extracts obtained from the aerial parts of Thymus marschallianus Willd. and harvested from wild flora (TMW) and obtained from culture (TMC) were evaluated in Wistar rats with experimentally induced hyperglycemia. The hyperglycemia was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) administration and the obtained results were evaluated in comparison for TMW and TMC. The polyphenolic composition of extracts was evaluated by spectrophotometrical and LC-MS methods. In vitro antioxidant capacity assays (DPPH, FRAP, EPR) were performed in order to preliminary establish the ability of tested samples to protect against free radical induced damage. Afterwards, the effects of these extracts were assessed in vivo on rats with experimental-induced hyperglycemia. Oxidative stress biomarkers (e.g. malondialdehyde—MDA), phosphorylated transcription factor subunit of nuclear kappaB (NF-kB) p65, methyl CpG binding protein (MECP) 2 and histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) expressions in hippocampus and frontal lobe were assessed. Open Field Test (OFT) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) were conducted on tested animals. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and HDAC1and MeCP2 expressions increased significantly in hippocampus (p<0.05) and frontal lobe (p<0.001) of diabetes group compared to the control group in parallel with decreasing of GSH/GSSG ratio. TMW and TMC administration reduced blood glucose levels and diminished lipid peroxidation, HDAC1 expression and enhanced antioxidant capacity in frontal lobe. TMW improved central locomotion of rats, increased phospho-NFkB p65 and diminished MECP2 expressions in hippocampus. Both tested samples exerted a beneficial effect by increasing the antioxidant defense. Our findings indicate that the administration of these extracts might represent a good option in the treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe medical condition characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), right ventricular (RV) failure, and death in the absence of appropriate treatment. The progression and prognosis are strictly related to the etiology, biochemical parameters, and treatment response. The gold-standard test remains right-sided heart catheterization, but dynamic monitoring of systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery is performed using echocardiography. However, simple and easily accessible non-invasive assays are also required in order to monitor this pathology. In addition, research in this area is in continuous development. In recent years, more and more biomarkers have been studied and included in clinical guidelines. These biomarkers can be categorized based on their associations with inflammation, endothelial cell dysfunction, cardiac fibrosis, oxidative stress, and metabolic disorders. Moreover, biomarkers can be easily detected in blood and urine and correlated with disease severity, playing an important role in diagnosis, prognosis, and disease progression.

Cornus mas L. extract (CM) presents hypolipidemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are considered potent delivery systems and may be used to release pharmaceutical compounds at the level of injury. In our study, we used gold nanoparticles functionalized with bioactive compounds from Cornus mas L. (AuNPsCM) in an experimental model of a high-fat diet (HFD), and we assessed their effects on aorta wall but also in the serum, as compared to Cornus mas (CM) administration. Sprague Dawley female rats were fed for 9 months with an HFD. During the last month of the experiment, we randomly allocated the animals into three groups that received, by oral gavage: saline solution, CM solution (0.158 mg/mL polyphenols) or AuNPsCM solution (260 μg Au/kg/day), while a Control group received a standard diet and saline solution. At the end of the experiment, we performed an ultrasonography of the aorta and left ventricle and a histology and transmission electron microscopy of the aorta walls; we investigated the oxidative stress and inflammation in aorta homogenates and in serum and, in addition, the lipid profile. AuNPsCM presented better effects in comparison with the natural extract (CM) on lipid peroxidation (p < 0.01) and TNF-alpha (p < 0.001) in aorta homogenates. In serum, both CM and AuNPsCM decreased the triglycerides (p < 0.001) and C-reactive protein (CM, p < 0.01; AuNPsCM, p < 0.001) and increased the antioxidant protection (p < 0.001), in comparison with the HFD group. In intima, AuNPsCM produced ultrastructural lesions, with the disorganization of intima and subendothelial connective layer, whereas CM administration preserved the intima normal aspect, but with a thinned subendothelial connective layer. AuNPsCM oral administration presented certain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic effects in an experimental model of HFD, but with a negative impact on the ultrastructure of aorta walls, highlighted by the intima disorganization.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is related to the vascular oxidative and nitrosative stress, the trigger for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications. The effects of moderate swimming training associated with quercetin oral administration were evaluated in aorta of rats with experimentally induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), by analysing the nitric oxide-endothelial dependent relaxation (NO-EDR). T1DM rats received daily quercetin 30 mg/kg and followed the protocol of 5-weeks swimming exercise (30 min/day; 5 days/week). Aorta relaxation to acetylcholine (Ach) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were measured at the end of the experiment. Ach-induced endothelial dependent relaxation was significantly decreased in phenylephrine (PE) pre-contracted aorta of diabetic rats. Swimming exercise with quercetin administration preserved Ach-induced EDR but did not have any impact on SNP-induced endothelium-independent relaxation in the diabetic aorta. These findings suggest that quercetin administration associated with moderate swimming exercise could improve the endothelial NO-dependent relaxation in the aorta of rats with experimentally induced type 1 diabetes mellitus, showing that this therapeutical combination may improve and even prevent the vascular complications that occur in diabetic patients.

Research undertaken over the past few years has brought attention to the role of oxidative stress in the development of neoplasms by damaging nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins, thereby altering their normal function. In general, the levels of antioxidant enzymes are low in patients with neoplasms, and the biomarkers used to quantify oxidative stress have increased levels. Elevated levels of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes, have been observed in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) at various stages of evolution, but further research is needed on the correlation between these biomarkers and disease progression. Inflammation enhances the production of reactive oxygen species and plays an important role in CRC development. Studies in the field of metabolomics have suggested that changes in serum metabolites might be indicators of the progression from adenoma to colorectal carcinoma, particularly those resulting from lipid metabolism. The role of lipidomics in the pathogenesis of CRC warrants further investigation, as these combinations of metabolites (metabolic fingerprints) may have the potential to become clinically useful markers. In this article, we review our current understanding of the interplay between oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and lipidomic products in the pathogenesis of CRC.

This comprehensive review highlights the growing significance of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) as a multifunctional material with applications spanning diverse scientific and technological domains. Based on an extensive literature from electronic databases such as Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar, we provide an in-depth discussion of the fundamental structural configurations of g-C₃N₄, namely the triazine- and heptazine-based frameworks, which form the basis of its unique physicochemical and electronic properties. The two predominant synthesis strategies—thermal polymerization and solvothermal/hydrothermal routes—are examined in detail and illustrated through representative schematic models to elucidate their underlying mechanisms and resulting structural variations. Advanced surface characterization techniques, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), are also discussed in the context of their application to materials, including Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG), graphene oxide, and carbon nitride. These analyses provide insights into nanoscale surface topography and structural attributes, with HOPG serving as a well-established reference material for comparison. The review also addresses the biological activities and potential applications of g-C₃N₄, particularly in the context of its photocatalytic, antimicrobial, and biocompatible properties. Despite substantial progress in other research fields, a notable gap remains in the exploration of g-C₃N₄ for oral and dental applications. This limitation is largely attributed to the scarcity of systematic studies and limited published data in this emerging area. Accordingly, this review identifies promising opportunities for future research aimed at harnessing the distinctive properties of g-C₃N₄ for innovative developments in oral healthcare and dental material science.