Cancer persists as a significant global health challenge, claiming millions of lives annually despite remarkable strides in therapeutic innovation. Challenges such as drug resistance, toxicity, and suboptimal efficacy underscore the need for novel treatment paradigms. In this context, the repurposing of antibiotics as anti-cancer agents has emerged as an attractive prospect for investigation. Diverse classes of antibiotics have exhibited promising anti-cancer properties in both in vitro and in vivo studies. These mechanisms include the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, generation of reactive oxygen species, and inhibition of key regulators of cell proliferation and migration. Additional effects involve the disruption of angiogenesis and modulation of pivotal processes such as inflammation, immune response, mitochondrial dynamics, ferroptosis, and autophagy. Furthermore, antibiotics have demonstrated the potential to enhance the efficacy of conventional modalities like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, while alleviating treatment-induced toxicities. Nevertheless, the integration of antibiotics into oncological applications remains contentious, with concerns centered on their disruption of gut microbiota, interference with immunotherapeutic strategies, contribution to microbial resistance, and potential association with tumorigenesis. This narrative review explores the mechanisms of antibiotics’ anti-cancer activity, addresses controversies about their dual role in cancer biology, and envisions future perspectives that include the development of novel derivatives and innovative frameworks for their incorporation into cancer treatment paradigms.

Paraneoplastic hypoglycemia, also known as non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia (NICTH), is a rare but critical condition occurring in patients with different types of malignancy. This condition is commonly linked to tumors producing insulin-like growth (IGF) factors, particularly IGF-2 and its precursors, which disrupt glucose homeostasis and lead to excessive glucose consumption. The diagnosis typically involves documenting symptomatic hypoglycemia and ruling out other potential causes. Essential diagnostic tools include imaging studies and laboratory tests, specifically measuring IGF-2 levels and the IGF-2:IGF-1 ratio. Treatment strategies for NICTH are multifaceted and may include surgical resection of the tumor if feasible, pharmacological interventions such as corticosteroids to suppress IGF-2 production, or supportive measures to manage acute hypoglycemic episodes. Novel therapeutic approaches targeting IGF-2, such as monoclonal antibodies or siRNA, are also being explored and hold promise for future treatment options. This review aims to enhance understanding of paraneoplastic hypoglycemia, focusing on its pathogenesis and diagnosis, to guide optimal medical treatment.

Metabolomics has emerged as a vital tool for understanding the body’s responses to therapeutic interventions. Metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is widely recognized as the most effective treatment modality for severe obesity and its associated comorbidities. This review seeks to analyze the current evidence on the metabolomic profiles of patients with obesity and the impact of various bariatric surgical procedures, with the objective of predicting clinical outcomes, including weight loss and remission of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The data gathered from original studies examining metabolomic changes following MBS have been meticulously compiled and summarized. The findings revealed significant alterations in metabolites across various classes, including amino acids, lipids, energy-related compounds, and substances derived from the gut microbiota. Notably, elevated preoperative levels of specific lipids, such as phospholipids, long-chain fatty acids, and bile acids, were correlated with postoperative remission of T2D. In conclusion, metabolite profiling holds great promise for predicting long-term responses to different bariatric surgery procedures. This innovative approach has the potential to facilitate personalized treatment strategies and optimize the allocation of healthcare resources.

Nanotechnology refers to the science that modulates molecules to the nanoscale dimension. Nanomedicine, i.e., the utilization of nanotechnology for diagnosing and treating several disorders, is a subject of ongoing research. The concept behind nanomedicine in diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment stems from the need to ameliorate absorption and distribution of antidiabetic therapies in order to overcome barriers, namely the pH throughout the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiota, the temperature/heat and the difficulties in the incorporation of drugs into the cells. Thus, the scope of nanomedicine is particularly challenging and demanding, considering the fact that the human body is a perpetually changing entity in order to achieve homeostasis. In this review, we will delve into various nanoparticles that are being studied in terms of antidiabetic treatment, their pros and cons and the expanding knowledge in this field. Despite the fact that nanomedicine seems to be very promising, there are still many gaps in our understanding of how the human body addresses its utilization. Moreover, its high costs, along with an as-yet unclear safety profile, remain a significant barrier to widespread adoption. In this review, we will describe both phytochemicals and chemical compounds that nanomedicine seeks to exploit in order to pave the way for a more efficacious and comprehensive management of diabetes mellitus.

Background: Statins are established therapies for reducing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk. Beyond their lipid-lowering effects, they exert pleiotropic actions, including anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and vascular effects. Methods: This narrative review explores the effects of statins in a range of characteristic neurological disorders beyond stroke prevention, encompassing migraine, neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, myasthenia gravis (MG), traumatic brain injury (TBI), brain tumors, epilepsy, and peripheral neuropathy (PN). A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, focusing on proposed mechanisms of action, clinical outcomes, and potential neurological adverse effects. Results: Research suggests potential benefits of statins in migraine, TBI and its complications, brain tumors, and epilepsy. Favorable findings have also been reported in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Despite earlier concerns regarding a possible association between statin use and an increased risk of dementia, subsequent studies have challenged this association, with some suggesting even a protective effect. Potential neurological adverse effects also warrant attention, particularly the reported association between statin exposure and new-onset or worsening MG. In contrast, data linking statin use to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and PN are controversial and do not support causality. Interpretation of the available findings is complicated by heterogeneity in statin type and lipophilicity, dosage, treatment duration, disease stage, and study design. Clinical evidence is derived predominantly from observational studies, which are susceptible to confounding and other methodological limitations. Randomized controlled trials remain relatively few, with some further limited by small sample sizes. Conclusions: The pleiotropic properties of statins provide a rationale for investigating their potential therapeutic role across a broad spectrum of neurological disorders. Nevertheless, the available evidence remains heterogeneous and, in several conditions, conflicting. Further adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed to establish whether statins translate their proposed pleiotropic effects into clinically meaningful benefits in specific neurological disorders and to better characterize their potential neurological risks.