By attaching to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein on lung and intestinal cells, Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) can cause respiratory and homeostatic difficulties leading to sepsis. The progression from acute respiratory failure to sepsis has been correlated with the release of high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1). Lack of effective conventional treatment of this septic state has spiked an interest in alternative medicine. This review of herbal extracts has identified multiple candidates which can target the release of HMGB1 and potentially reduce mortality by preventing progression from respiratory distress to sepsis. Some of the identified mixtures have also been shown to interfere with viral attachment. Due to the wide variability in chemical superstructure of the components of assorted herbal extracts, common motifs have been identified. Looking at the most active compounds in each extract it becomes evident that as a group, phenolic compounds have a broad enzyme inhibiting function. They have been shown to act against the priming of SARS-CoV-2 attachment proteins by host and viral enzymes, and the release of HMGB1 by host immune cells. An argument for the value in a nonspecific inhibitory action has been drawn. Hopefully these findings can drive future drug development and clinical procedures.

The mortality rates of cancer patients decreased by ~1.5% per year between 2001 and 2015, although the decrease depends on patient sex, ethnic group and type of malignancy. Cancer remains a significant global health problem, requiring a search for novel treatments. The most common property of malignant tumors is their capacity to invade adjacent tissue and to metastasize, and this cancer aggressiveness is contingent on overexpression of proteolytic enzymes. The components of the plasminogen activation system (PAS) and the metalloproteinase family [mainly matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)] are overexpressed in malignant tumors, driving the local invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. This is the case for numerous types of cancer, such as breast, colon, prostate and oral carcinoma, among others. Present chemotherapeutics agents typically attack all dividing cells; however, for future therapeutic agents to be clinically successful, they need to be highly selective for a specific protein(s) and act on the cancerous tissues without adverse systemic effects. Inhibition of proteolysis in cancerous tissue has the ability to attenuate tumor invasion, angiogenesis and migration. For that purpose, inhibiting both PAS and MMPs may be another approach, since the two groups of enzymes are overexpressed in cancer. In the present review, the roles and new findings on PAS and MMP families in cancer formation, growth and possible treatments are discussed.

Down syndrome (DS), also known as “trisomy 21”, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. Silencing these extra genes is beyond existing technology and seems to be impractical. A number of pharmacologic options have been proposed to change the quality of life and lifespan of individuals with DS. It was reported that treatment with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) improves cognitive performance in animal models and in humans, suggesting that EGCG may alleviate symptoms of DS. Traditionally, EGCG has been associated with the ability to reduce dual specificity tyrosine phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A activity, which is overexpressed in trisomy 21. Based on the data available in the literature, we propose an additional way in which EGCG might affect trisomy 21—namely by modifying the proteolytic activity of the enzymes involved. It is known that, in Down syndrome, the nerve growth factor (NGF) metabolic pathway is altered: first by downregulating tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) that activates plasminogen to plasmin, an enzyme converting proNGF to mature NGF; secondly, overexpression of metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) further degrades NGF, lowering the amount of mature NGF. EGCG inhibits MMP-9, thus protecting NGF. Urokinase (uPA) and tPA are activators of plasminogen, and uPA is inhibited by EGCG, but regardless of their structural similarity tPA is not inhibited. In this review, we describe mechanisms of proteolytic enzymes (MMP-9 and plasminogen activation system), their role in Down syndrome, their inhibition by EGCG, possible degradation of this polyphenol and the ability of EGCG and its degradation products to cross the blood–brain barrier. We conclude that known data accumulated so far provide promising evidence of MMP-9 inhibition by EGCG in the brain, which could slow down the abnormal degradation of NGF.

Antiseptic rinses have been successfully used in inflammatory states of the gums and oral cavity mucosa. Antibacterial effects of chlorhexidine, essential oils and some herbs are well documented. Reaction of host tissue to these substances has much poorer documentation. The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of chlorhexidine (CHX), essential oil (EO: thymol, 0.064%; eucalyptol, 0.092%; methyl salicylate, 0.060%; menthol, 0.042%) mouth rinses and salvia, chamomile and calendula brews on fibroblast biology in vitro. The human fibroblast CCD16 line cells were cultured in incubation media which contained the examined substances. After 24 and 48 hours, the cell morphology, relative growth and apoptosis were evaluated. Exposure of fibroblasts to CHX, EO or salvia caused various changes in cell morphology. Cells cultured for 48 hours with CHX revealed a noticeably elongated shape of while cells cultured in high EO concentration or with salvia were considerably smaller and contracted with fewer projections. Chlorhexidine, EO and salvia reduced the fibroblast proliferation rate and stimulated cell death. Both reactions to EO were dose dependent. Cells exposure to chamomile or calendula brews did not change morphology or proliferation of fibroblasts. The results of this in vitro study showed that in contrast to chamomile and calendula, the brews of EO, CHX or salvia had a negative influence on fibroblast biology.

Background/Objectives: Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic, recurrent mucocutaneous inflammatory disease that develops due to a disturbed immunological response triggered by endogenous and exogenous factors. To evaluate clinical presentation, demographic characteristics, and risk factors in a cohort of Polish patients with oral lichen planus (OLP). Methods: Medical records of 186 patients with OLP referred to the student outpatient clinic in Poznań University of Medical Sciences from 2013 to 2023 were analyzed in order to establish clinical presentation, patient’s demographic characteristics, and risk factors for OLP. We considered data regarding age, sex, medical history, habits, subjective complaints, clinical type, localization, histology, and treatment. Results: Patients with OLP constituted 20.1% of 887 admitted patients. Of the 186 patients with OLP, 130 (69.9%) were females and 56 (30.1%) were males. The average age at the diagnosis was 60.7 years (range 15–95 years). Only 24.2% of patients reported smoking. The most common intraoral presentation of OLP was reticular form (61.8%), followed by mixed erosive-bullous type (15%), and atrophic (6.4%). Pathologic lesions were most commonly located on buccal mucosa (89.2%) and tongue (58.6%). Subjective complaints included pain (48.4%), burning sensation (46.2%), xerostomia (25.3%), bleeding (10.2%), taste disturbance (4.8%), and excessive saliva production (3.8%), while 22.6% of OLP patients were asymptomatic. Conclusions: The most common type of OLP in Polish patients was reticular, developing mostly on the buccal mucosa and tongue. It was found most often in non-smoking middle-aged women. Subjective complaints were reported by over 77% of patients.