Elevated levels of oxidative stress could cause and aggravate Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Selenium (Se) is a trace element with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity with neuroprotective effects. To evaluate the effects of Se supplementation in patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) through a systematic review and meta-analysis, data were searched and collected from four electronic databases, including clinical trial studies published until December 2020, following the PRISMA guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed by RevMan, and the risk of bias was assessed using the Rob 2 tool. A total of 1350 scientific papers were collected, and following evaluation 11 papers were included in the systematic review and 6 of these were used in the meta-analysis. Studies that evaluated only Se supplementation observed an improvement in Se levels, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, and in some cognitive tests in MCI patients; similarly, improvement in Se levels and mini-mental score was also observed in AD patients. Regarding supplementation of Se plus other nutrients, improvement in cognitive tests was observed in both AD and MCI patients. Therefore, Se supplementation is a good alternative for patients with AD and MCI for improving Se levels and GPX activity. More detailed studies are required to further evaluate the effects of Se on the cognitive deficit and oxidative stress associated with AD and MCI.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can directly interfere with osteoclastic function, induce hypergastrinemia, and inhibit calcium absorption, leading to reduced bone mineral density (BMD), a measure of bone metabolism that may be associated with the risk of fractures. The current study involves a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at assessing the relationship between prolonged use of PPI drugs and fractures in menopausal women. A systematic search and meta-analysis were performed on PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct databases according to PRISMA guidelines. Two independent reviewers analyzed the articles. The five articles found in the databases, which met the eligibility criteria, covered participants who were menopausal women aged between 56 and 78.5 years, using or not using a PPI for a minimum of 12 months. All studies showed an increase in the rate of fractures related to using PPIs, as an outcome. Prolonged use of PPIs in menopausal women can affect bone metabolism and cause fractures. However, other factors, such as the use of other classes of drugs, obesity, low weight, poor diet, replacement hormones, and comorbidities, should also be considered for assessing the risk of fractures.

The selenium element is essential to some life forms and its biological-chemistry function is mainly performed by the selenol/selenolate moiety (–SeH/–Se^–) in a few selenoproteins. Many synthetic organoselenium compounds (OSeCs) have demonstrated important therapeutic applications, with the Ebselen and diphenyl diselenide being the most studied OSeCs. They could act as “hidden selenol” molecules, where the –SeH/–Se^– are responsible for the reduction of dangerous peroxides and the protection against the neurotoxic methylmercury. However, their actual mechanisms of action at atomic/molecular level are still elusive. The main conundrum about OSeCs is how they can have quite different structures and similar in vivo action and at the same time modulate quite distinct physiological functions? The question is a hard one because we know little about the metabolism of OSeCs, the in vivo studies are always typically phenomenological, OSeCs have low selectivity and non-specific interactions with thiol-containing proteins. The use of in silico and in vitro models, followed by new analytical methodologies, will give important answers about the metabolism, reactivity, and specificity of OSeCs with specific biological targets, and a real advancement in the subfield of “pharmacological applications” of OSeCs.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that targets epithelial tissues. Virtually all cases of cervical cancer are related to HPV, emphasizing the importance of vaccines in prevention. Although >200 million doses have been administered worldwide, concerns persist about adverse reactions. This study evaluated the safety of the HPV vaccine and the main adverse effects. The study was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023365692). The systematic searches were conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases using the search strategy "HPV" AND "vaccine" AND "safety" NOT "COVID" from 01/01/2007 to 31/12/2022. Inclusion criteria were based on the PICOT strategy, focusing on studies with humans, vaccinated populations comprising children, adolescents, and adults, and Phase II/III randomized clinical trials. The PEDro scale was used to assess the quality of the studies. Eleven articles were qualified for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. The results indicated that HPV vaccination was associated with increased local reactions, fatigue, and myalgia compared to the placebo. However, there were no significant differences in serious adverse events, gastrointestinal reactions, cutaneous effects, headache, or fever between the vaccine and placebo groups. Local reactions, fatigue, and myalgia were more prevalent in the HPV vaccine group; the overall safety profile of the vaccine was favorable. The HPV vaccine was deemed safe, mirroring the profile of adverse reactions seen with other vaccines. With its potential to prevent cancer, the benefits of HPV vaccination far outweigh the minimal risks.

Background: Oxidative stress can trigger and even aggravate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) can regulate oxidative stress by controlling the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the GPX activity in patients with AD through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, data were retrieved from four electronic databases, including those containing cohort and case-control studies, published up to December 2024. Statistical analyses were conducted using RevMan, and risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: A total of 1999 scientific papers were collected, and 30 papers were included in this systematic review; 20 were included in the meta-analysis. GPX activity was measured in different tissues, such as erythrocytes, plasma, and postmortem brain. The analyses showed that erythrocytes and plasma GPX activity in most studies were inhibited in AD patients compared to healthy controls. Conclusions: The analyses showed that GPX activity was decreased in AD patients compared to healthy controls in most of the included studies. More detailed research is needed to better assess the effects of GPX activity on AD-associated cognitive impairment and oxidative stress.

Opioid drugs have analgesic properties used to treat chronic and post-surgical pain due to descending pain modulation. The use of opioids is often associated with adverse effects or clinical issues. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of opioids by exposing the neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) to 0, 1, 10, and 100 µM oxycodone and naloxone for 24 h. Analyses were carried out to evaluate cell cytotoxicity, identification of cell death, DNA damage, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, in addition to molecular docking. Oxycodone and naloxone exposure did not alter the SH-SY5Y cell viability. The exposure to 100 µM oxycodone and naloxone significantly increased the cells’ DNA damage score compared to the control group. Naloxone exposure significantly inhibited AChE, GST, and SOD activities, while oxycodone did not alter these enzymes’ activities. Molecular docking showed that naloxone and oxycodone interact with different amino acids in the studied enzymes, which may explain the differences in enzymatic inhibition. Naloxone altered the antioxidant defenses of SH-SY5Y cells, which may have caused DNA damage 24 h after the exposure. On the other hand, more studies are necessary to explain how oxycodone causes DNA damage.