Curcumin possesses a plethora of interesting pharmacological effects. Unfortunately, it is also characterized by problematic drug delivery and scarce bioavailability, representing the main problem related to the use of this compound. Poor absorption, fast metabolism, and rapid systemic clearance are the most important factors contributing to low curcumin levels in plasma and tissues. Accordingly, to overcome these issues, numerous strategies have been proposed and are investigated in this article. Due to advances in the drug delivery field, we describe here the most promising strategies for increasing curcumin bioavailability, including the use of adjuvant, complexed/encapsulated curcumin, specific curcumin formulations, and curcumin nanoparticles. We analyze current strategies, already available in the market, and the most advanced technologies that can offer a future perspective for effective curcumin formulations. We focus the attention on the effectiveness of curcumin-based formulations in clinical trials, providing a comprehensive summary. Clinical trial results, employing various delivery methods for curcumin, showed that improved bioavailability corresponds to increased therapeutic efficacy. Furthermore, advances in the field of nanoparticles hold great promise for developing curcumin-based complexes as effective therapeutic agents. Summarizing, suitable delivery methods for this polyphenol will ensure the possibility of using curcumin-derived formulations in clinical practice as preventive and disease-modifying therapeutics.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has been indicated as a valuable alternative to the classical caloric restriction dietary regimen for lowering body weight and preventing obesity-related complications, such as metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes. However, is it effective? In this review article, we analyzed over 50 clinical studies in which IF, conducted by alternate day fasting (ADF) or time-restricted feeding (TRF), was compared with the caloric restriction approach. We evaluated the different roles of IF in treating and preventing human disorders such as metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer, as well as the usefulness of IF in reducing body weight and cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension. Furthermore, we explored the cellular pathways targeted by IF to exert their beneficial effects by activating effector proteins that modulate cell functions and resistance to oxidative stress. In contrast, we investigated concerns regarding human health related to the adoption of IF dietary regimens, highlighting the profound debate surrounding weight loss regimens. We examined and compared several clinical trials to formulate an updated concept regarding IF and its therapeutic potential.

This review article offers an outlook on the use of opioids as therapeutics for treating several diseases, including cancer and non-cancer pain, and focuses the analysis on the opportunity to target opioid receptors for treating opioid use disorder (OUD), drug withdrawal, and addiction. Unfortunately, as has been well established, the use of opioids presents a plethora of side effects, such as tolerance and physical and physiological dependence. Accordingly, considering the great pharmacological potential in targeting opioid receptors, the identification of opioid receptor ligands devoid of most of the adverse effects exhibited by current therapeutic agents is highly necessary. To this end, herein, we analyze some interesting molecules that could potentially be useful for treating OUD, with an in-depth analysis regarding in vivo studies and clinical trials.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has been indicated as a valuable alternative to the classical caloric restriction dietary regimen for lowering body weight and preventing obesity-related complications such as metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes. However, is it effective? In this review article, we analyzed over 50 clinical studies in which IF, conducted by alternate day fasting (ADF) or time-restricted feeding (TRF), was compared with the caloric restriction approach. We evaluated the different roles of IF in treating and preventing human disorders such as metabolic syndrome, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer, as well as the usefulness of IF in reducing body weight and cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension. Furthermore, we explored the cellular pathway targeted by IF to exert their beneficial effects by activating effector proteins that modulate cell functions and resistance to oxidative stress. In contrast, we investigated the concerns for human health related to the adoption of IF dietary regimen, highlighting the profound debate on weight loss regimens. We have examined and compared several clinical trials to formulate an updated conception regarding IF and its therapeutic potential.