Lead (Pb) has been used by humans since prehistoric times to make tools due to its malleability and durability. The Roman Empire, the Industrial Revolution, and the introduction of Pb in gasoline during the 1920s contributed to increased environmental concentrations. Pb toxicity led to its removal from gasoline after several decades. However, Pb continues to be emitted from various anthropogenic sources, including but not limited to batteries, mining, foundries, smelting, e-waste recycling, and painting. Pb remains an environmental concern, as no established safe concentration for human health has been identified. Children are more susceptible to the absorption and poisoning of Pb. Occupational exposure to Pb poses a significant risk to workers and individuals living near lead industries. The primary routes of exposure are inhalation and ingestion, and bioaccumulation and biomagnification through the food chain are major sources of human exposure. This review aims to provide an overview of Pb and its systemic toxicity of Pb, including its effects on the lungs, blood, liver, kidneys, and nervous, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. Since Pb is classified as a probable carcinogen for humans, the article also addresses genotoxicity and cancer risk. Furthermore, it reviews the most researched mechanisms of toxicity, including calcium mimicry, oxidative stress, and inflammation, along with other less-studied mechanisms. Nevertheless, the authors emphasize the importance of exploring less examined cells, tissues, and mechanisms to deepen the understanding of Pb toxicity at various concentrations, particularly in cases of chronic low-level Pb exposure, to develop better prevention and treatment strategies for lead poisoning.

Besnoitia besnoiti is the causative agent of bovine besnoitiosis. B. besnoiti infections lead to reduced fertility and productivity in cattle causing high economic losses, not only in Europe, but also in Asia and Africa. Mild to severe clinical signs, such as anasarca, oedema, orchitis, hyperkeratosis, and characteristic skin and mucosal cysts, are due to B. besnoiti tachyzoite and bradyzoite replication in intermediate host tissues. So far, there are no commercially available effective drugs against this parasite. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound from Curcuma longa rhizome is well-known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and also anti-protozoan effects. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of curcumin on viability, motility, invasive capacity, and proliferation of B. besnoiti tachyzoites replicating in primary bovine umbilical vein endothelial cells (BUVEC) in vitro. Functional inhibition assays revealed that curcumin treatments reduce tachyzoite viability and induce lethal effects in up to 57% of tachyzoites (IC₅₀ in 5.93 μM). Referring to general motility, significant dose-dependent effects of curcumin treatments were observed. Interestingly, curcumin treatments only dampened helical gliding and twirling activities whilst longitudinal gliding motility was not significantly affected. In addition, curcumin pretreatments of tachyzoites resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of host cell invasion as detected by infections rates at 1 day p. i. These findings demonstrate feeding cattle with Curcuma longa rhizomes may represent a new strategy for besnoitiosis treatment.

Particulate atmospheric pollution poses a global threat to human health. Metals enter the body through inhalation attached to these particles. Certain vulnerable groups are more susceptible to toxicity because of age, physiological changes, and chronic and metabolic diseases and also workers because of high and cumulative exposure to metals. A narrative review was conducted to examine the effects of key metals—arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, manganese, nickel, vanadium, and zinc—on vulnerable populations, analyzing articles published over the past decade. Some of these metals are essential for humans; however, excessive levels are toxic. Other non-essential metals are highly toxic. Shared mechanisms of toxicity include competing with other minerals, oxidative stress and inflammation, and interacting with proteins and enzymes. Prenatal and childhood exposures are particularly concerning because they can interfere with neurodevelopment and have been associated with epigenetic changes that have long-term effects. Occupational exposure has been studied, but current exposure limits for specific metals appear dangerous, emphasizing the need to revise these standards. Older adults, pregnant women, and individuals with metabolic diseases are among the least studied groups in this review, underscoring the need for more research to understand these populations better and create effective public health policies.

In this century, cancer is one of the most important causes of death worldwide, and the need for the development of new treatment options is imperative. The use of metal-based compounds in cancer treatment has increased significantly due to certain properties of these elements, and vanadium has been one of the most studied transition metals in recent decades. Vanadium compounds are being explored as an option for cancer treatment because of their wide range of action mechanisms such as the induction of oxidative stress, DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and regulation of the autophagy process, among the most important mechanisms. Their compounds have been demonstrated to be effective against the cancer types with the highest incidence and mortality rates worldwide, such as lung and breast cancer, with promising results. This review discusses a variety of new vanadium compounds, indicating their mechanisms of action and the neoplasms in which they have shown effectiveness.

Revista de la Facultad de Medicina de la UNAM