With the advancement of in vivo studies and clinical trials, the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases has been better understood. However, gaps still need to be better elucidated, which justifies the publication of reviews that explore the mechanisms related to the development of these diseases. Studies show that vitamin E supplementation can protect neurons from the damage caused by oxidative stress, with a positive impact on the prevention and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, this review aims to summarize the scientific evidence of the effects of vitamin E supplementation on neuroprotection and on neurodegeneration markers in experimental models. A search for studies published between 2000 and 2023 was carried out in the PubMed, Web of Science, Virtual Health Library (BVS), and Embase databases, in which the effects of vitamin E in experimental models of neurodegeneration were investigated. A total of 5669 potentially eligible studies were identified. After excluding the duplicates, 5373 remained, of which 5253 were excluded after checking the titles, 90 articles after reading the abstracts, and 11 after fully reviewing the manuscripts, leaving 19 publications to be included in this review. Experiments with in vivo models of neurodegenerative diseases demonstrated that vitamin E supplementation significantly improved memory, cognition, learning, motor function, and brain markers associated with neuroregeneration and neuroprotection. Vitamin E supplementation reduced beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and toxicity in experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, it decreased tau-protein hyperphosphorylation and increased superoxide dismutase and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in rodents, which seems to indicate the potential use of vitamin E in preventing and delaying the progress of degenerative lesions in the central nervous system.

SARS-CoV-2 infects host cells mainly through the interaction between the virus's Spike protein and the viral receptors namely Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2). Both are highly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, in the nasal and bronchial epithelium, as well as in the type II alveolar epithelial cells. The aim of this review is to report the evidences from the scientific literature on the pathophysiology and the available treatments for olfactory-gustatory disorders in patients with COVID-19. The mechanisms involved in these disorders are still unclear and studies on specific therapies are scarce. However, it has been hypothesized that a decrease in the sensitivity of the sensory neurons as well as the co-expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in the alveolar epithelial cells are the main causes of olfactory-gustatory disorders. The possible mechanisms described in the literature for changes in taste perception in patients with COVID-19 include olfactory disorders and a competitive activity of COVID-19 on ACE2 receptors in the taste buds. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 can bind to sialic acid receptors in the taste buds. In general, evidences show that there is no specific treatment for olfactory-taste disorders induced by SARS-CoV-2, even though some treatments have been used and have shown some promising results, such as olfactory training, intranasal application of sodium citrate and vitamin A, as well as systemic use of omega-3 and zinc. Corticosteroids have also been used as a pharmacological approach to treat patients with olfactory dysfunction with some contradictory results. The knowledge of the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 influences the sensory systems and how effective therapies can treat the loss of smell and taste will have important implications on the understanding and clinical management of olfactory-taste disorders.

Purpose: Failure of severed adult central nervous system (CNS) axons to regenerate could be attributed with a reduced intrinsic growing capacity. Severe spinal cord injury is frequently associated with a permanent loss of function because the surviving neurons are impaired to regrow their fibers and to reestablish functional contacts. Peripheral nerves are known as good substrate for bridging CNS trauma with neurotrophic factor addition. We evaluated whether fibroblastic growth factor 2 (FGF-2) placed in a gap promoted by complete transection of the spinal cord may increase the ability of sciatic nerve graft to enhance motor recovery and fibers regrow. Methods: We used a complete spinal cord transection model. Rats received a 4 mm-long gap at low thoracic level and were repaired with saline (control) or fragment of the sciatic nerve (Nerve) or FGF-2 was added to nerve fragment (Nerve+FGF-2) to the grafts immediately after complete transection. The hind limbs performance was evaluated weekly for 8 weeks by using motor behavior score (BBB) and sensorimotor tests-linked to the combined behavior score (CBS), which indicate the degree of the motor improvement and the percentage of functional deficit, respectively. Neuronal plasticity were evaluated at the epicenter of the injury using MAP-2 and GAP-43 expression. Results: Spinal cord treatment with sciatic nerve and sciatic nerve plus FGF-2 allowed recovery of hind limb movements compared to control, manifested by significantly higher behavioral scores. Higher amounts of MAP-2 and GAP-43 immunoreactive fibers were found in the epicenter of the graft when FGF-2 was added. Conclusions: FGF-2 added to the nerve graft favored the motor recovery and fiber regrowth. Thus, these results encourage us to explore autologous transplantation as a novel and promising cell therapy for treatment of spinal cord lesion.

Introduction: Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by neuronal dysfunction and death. Studies suggest that some seed extracts have a neuroprotective effect. Considering the increased incidence of these diseases and the need for new effective therapies with fewer side effects, this review aimed to assess the evidence of the efficacy and safety of seed extracts in experimental models of neurodegeneration. Material and Method: The search was carried out through studies published between 2000 and 2021 in Science Direct, PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and Latin American Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) databases, in which the effects of seed extracts in in vitro and in vivo experimental models of neurodegeneration were investigated. Based on the eligibility criteria, 47 studies were selected for this review. Results: In the in vitro models, the neuroprotection of the seed extracts was a result of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. In the in vivo models, neuroprotection resulted from the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, a decrease in motor deficits, an improvement in learning and memory, as well as the increased release of neurotransmitters. The results show promise for the future of clinical research on new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. However, the studies are still limited, which does not allow us to extrapolate the results to human beings with ND. Conclusions: Therefore, clinical trials are needed in order to prove the results of the in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as to assess the ideal, safe, and effective dose of these seed extracts in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Introduction: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic compound widely used in plastics and epoxy resins, and human exposure is virtually unavoidable. Numerous studies indicate that even doses below current regulatory limits may elicit neurotoxic effects, impairing learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. Methodology: This mini-review. Searches were conducted in PubMed, the Virtual Health Library (VHL/BVS), and ScienceDirect, using MeSH descriptors related to “Bisphenol A,” “Neurotoxicity Syndromes,” “Central Nervous System,” and “Prefrontal Cortex,” combined with Boolean operators. We included studies published between 2007 and 2025, available in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, and focused on the neurotoxic effects of BPA. After screening and application of the eligibility criteria, twelve articles were selected. Results: The analyzed studies show that BPA exposure, even at low concentrations, compromises neuronal survival, dendritic density, and synaptic plasticity. In animal models, cognitive deficits were observed in memory and learning tasks, associated with increased oxidative stress and alterations in molecular pathways such as AMPK, HO-1, and nNOS/Keap1/Nrf2. In cell cultures, BPA induced apoptosis, autophagy dysfunction, cytoskeletal reorganization, and loss of synaptic proteins. The effects were dose-dependent and, in some cases, sex-dependent. Conclusions: BPA exhibits significant neurotoxic potential, affecting both the development and function of the central nervous system. These findings underscore the need to revise current safety limits and reinforce the importance of public policies regulating BPA use, as well as encouraging the search for safer alternatives.

O bioma Caatinga possui uma ampla diversidade e proporciona a população a utilização de plantas para fins medicinais. A indústria farmacêutica tem um grande interesse em pesquisar os metabólitos presentes nas espécies desse bioma, além de comprovar cientificamente qual patologia pode ser tratada utilizando a espécie em estudo. Muitas espécies que são utilizadas pela população ainda não foram estudadas. Esse estudo teve como objetivo buscar informações acerca das plantas medicinais da Caatinga, reunir as informações históricas sobre as espécies utilizadas pela população, abordar os principais métodos de extração e as classes de metabólitos secundários com suas respectivas propriedades medicinais. Para elaboração desta revisão integrativa foram feitas pesquisas a partir de bancos de dados como SCIELO, LILACS, PUBMED e Science direct. Os artigos foram pesquisados em língua portuguesa e inglesa, tendo sido a maioria publicada nos últimos 20 anos. Diversas famílias de plantas foram descritas nos estudos, porém a família com maior quantidade de espécie que possui potencial medicinal foi a família Fabaceae. A forma de preparação da planta para o uso varia de acordo com a tradição cultural local, mas a que predomina é a infusão e a maceração.