In the current work, the synergy between natural compounds and conventional chemotherapeutic drugs is comprehensively reviewed in light of current preclinical research findings. The prognosis for lung cancer patients is poor, with a 5-year survival rate of 18.1%. The use of natural compounds in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs has gained significant attention as a potential novel approach in the treatment of lung cancer. The present work highlights the importance of finding more effective therapies to increase survival rates. Chemotherapy is a primary treatment option for lung cancer but it has limitations such as reduced effectiveness because cancer cells become resistant. Natural compounds isolated from medicinal plants have shown promising anticancer or chemopreventive properties and their synergistic effect has been observed when combined with conventional therapies. The combined use of an anti-cancer drug and a natural compound exhibits synergistic effects, enhancing overall therapeutic actions against cancer cells. In conclusion, this work provides an overview of the latest preclinical research on medicinal plants and plant-derived compounds as alternative or complementary treatment options for lung cancer chemotherapy and discusses the potential of natural compounds in treating lung cancer with minimal side effects.

Background/Objectives: Menopausal symptoms can impair quality of life and influence healthcare use. This study examined symptom burden, menopause-specific quality of life, healthcare seeking, consultation delay, treatment satisfaction, and associated demographic and clinical factors among Romanian women. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 204 peri- and postmenopausal women. We assessed symptoms and quality of life using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). We compared groups, ran Spearman correlations, and used multivariable linear regression to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with MENQOL. We excluded MRS from the regression because of construct overlap, and restricted delay analyses to care seekers. Results: Care seekers had higher MRS (18.0 vs. 14.5; p = 0.041) and MENQOL scores (3.95 vs. 3.26; p = 0.009). MRS and MENQOL were strongly correlated (ρ = 0.858; p < 0.001), but consultation delay was not associated with either outcome among care seekers. In the adjusted model, higher BMI, postmenopausal stage, greater comorbidity burden, and menopause-medication use were associated with poorer quality of life (adjusted R² = 0.138). Treatment-satisfaction correlations were inverse but exploratory. Conclusions: Menopause-specific quality of life varied according to body composition, reproductive stage, general health burden, and treatment context. Clinical assessment should integrate these factors and review persistent symptoms among treated women. The cross-sectional findings do not establish causality or treatment effectiveness.

Background/Objectives: Anesthesia is an important achievement of modern medicine, which ensures the quality of life of patients and also provides additional comfort, safety, and accuracy to specialists. Cardiac disorders are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Anesthesia in cardiac patients is intricate and needs careful analysis. This study aims to analyze the anesthetics used in cardiac patients, with a focus on the induced side effects. 2.Methods: The present review analyzed papers retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar from 2020 to 2025, following the keywords: “general anesthetic”, “local anesthetic”, “analgesic”, “sedative”, “side effect” and “cardiac effect”. 3.Results: The term opioid-free anesthesia has been introduced around for a while. Lidocaine, ketamine, and dexamethasone are the three popular non-opioid analgesics used in cardiac surgery. The effects of midazolam, etomidate, and dexmedetomidine on the cardiovascular system during the phacoemulsification process using local topical anesthesia are also confirmed. Other studies have shown the cardioprotective benefits of propofol, in addition to anti-inflammatory properties. 4.Conclusion: Cardiac pathology is a constantly evolving problem that requires the involvement of anesthesia, therefore it is essential to know the particularities of anesthetic drugs in the case of these subjects.

Background: Psychological distress during menopause may reflect the combined influence of symptom burden and psychological resources. This study examined the concurrent conditional associations of nonpsychological menopausal symptom burden and general self-efficacy with anxiety and depressive symptom severity. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 247 peri- and postmenopausal women recruited from hospital and community settings in Timișoara, Romania. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Menopause Rating Scale, Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale, and COPE Inventory. Associations were examined using Spearman correlations and multivariable linear regression with HC3 robust inference. Results: At least borderline anxiety and depressive symptoms were identified in 54.7% and 42.5% of participants, respectively. In the fully adjusted psychological-resource models, greater nonpsychological menopausal symptom burden was associated with higher anxiety (β = 0.311, p < 0.001) and depression scores (β = 0.239, p < 0.001). Higher general self-efficacy was associated with lower anxiety (β = −0.169, p = 0.009) and depression scores (β = −0.319, p < 0.001). Although self-reported surgical menopause was associated with lower anxiety and depression scores relative to early perimenopause in the primary models, these associations were attenuated and no longer statistically significant in the restricted sensitivity analysis. Conclusions: Nonpsychological menopausal symptom burden and general self-efficacy were concurrent conditional correlates of anxiety and depressive symptom severity. The cross-sectional design does not establish temporal direction or causal effects, and the surgical-menopause finding should not be interpreted as protective.