Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the number one neurovegetative disease, but its treatment options are relatively few and ineffective. In efforts to discover new strategies for AD therapy, natural products have aroused interest in the research community and in the pharmaceutical industry for their neuroprotective activity, targeting different pathological mechanisms associated with AD. A wide variety of natural products from different origins have been evaluated preclinically and clinically for their neuroprotective mechanisms in preventing and attenuating the multifactorial pathologies of AD. This review mainly focuses on the possible neuroprotective mechanisms from natural products that may be beneficial in AD treatment and the natural product mixtures or extracts from different sources that have demonstrated neuroprotective activity in preclinical and/or clinical studies. It is believed that natural product mixtures or extracts containing multiple bioactive compounds that can work additively or synergistically to exhibit multiple neuroprotective mechanisms might be an effective approach in AD drug discovery.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major long-lasting side effect of some chemotherapy drugs, which threatens cancer survival rate. CIPN mostly affects sensory neurons and occasionally motor neurons, causing numbness, tingling, discomfort, and burning pain in the upper and lower extremities. The pathophysiology of CIPN is not completely understood; however, it is believed that chemotherapies induce peripheral neuropathy via directly damaging mitochondria, impairing the function of ion channels, triggering immunological mechanisms, and disrupting microtubules. The treatment of CIPN is a medical challenge, and there are no approved pharmacological options. Currently, duloxetine and other antidepressants, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and ion-channel targeted therapies are commonly used in clinics to relieve the symptoms of CIPN. Several other types of drugs, such as cannabinoids, sigma−1 receptor antagonists, and nicotinamides ribose, are being evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. This paper summarizes the information related to the physiology of CIPN and medicines that could be used for treating this condition.

Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) shows carcinogenic potential in multiple cancers, yet its role in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains elusive. Leveraging transcriptomic data sourced from an NPC cohort at Fujian Cancer Hospital, alongside datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus cohort and a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset, this investigation explored the role of SPP1 in tumor progression and the tumor microenvironment of NPC. A co-culture system involving tumor cells and macrophages was established to elucidate the relationship between SPP1 and tumor-associated macrophages in NPC. Subsequently, we established an SPP1-driven M2 macrophage signature using a machine-learning-based framework to predict patient prognosis. The results of our analysis indicated that SPP1 is associated with an elevated risk of disease progression and poor prognosis in NPC. Single-cell analysis demonstrated that SPP1 is a pivotal gene in the polarization of M2 macrophages within the tumor microenvironment. In vitro experiments demonstrated that NPC-derived SPP1 has the potential to activate the CD44/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, promoting macrophage recruitment and polarization of the M2 subtype. Furthermore, we established a comprehensive SPP1-related M2 macrophage signature that can predict the prognosis and immune characteristics of patients with NPC. Our findings offer new insights into the role of SPP1 in the tumor microenvironment of NPC, and provide a novel SPP1-driven M2 macrophage signature with the potential to serve as a valuable tool for prognosis prediction and personalized therapy in NPC.

Arnica has traditionally been used in treating numerous medical conditions, including inflammation and pain. This review aims to summarize the results of studies testing Arnica products for pain management under different conditions, including post-operation, arthritis, low back pain, and other types of musculoskeletal pain. Based on data from clinical trials, Arnica extract or gel/cream containing Arnica extract shows promising effects for pain relief. These medical benefits of Arnica may be attributed to its chemical components, with demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-microbial, and other biological activities. In conclusion, Arnica could be an adjunct therapeutical approach for acute and chronic pain management.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the genetic polymorphism associations with obesity of the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene rs11196218 (A/G) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1-R) gene rs761386 (C/T) in the Chinese population. Patients and Methods: This was a case–control pilot study involving 60 patients with obesity and 69 non-obesity Chinese adults, and the two groups were sex and age matched. Anthropometric indices of obesity, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids were assessed. Both polymorphisms were genotyped using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). Results: There were significant differences in the allelic frequencies of the TCF7L2 rs11196218 and GLP1-R rs761386 between obesity and non-obesity groups (P = 0.003, OR = 2.32, 95% CI [1.31∼ 4.09]; P = 0.034, OR = 1.94, 95% CI [1.05∼ 3.60], respectively). In allele model, the genotypic frequencies of TCF7L2 rs11196218 and GLP1-R rs761386 also differed between obesity and non-obesity groups (P = 0.014 and 0.033, respectively). In dominant model, the TCF7L2 rs11196218 A-carrier (AA/AG) had a higher risk of obesity than GG genotype (P = 0.014, OR = 2.54, 95% CI [1.21∼ 5.35]). Comparison of clinical and biochemical parameters between genotypes showed no significant difference. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the rs11196218 (A/G) polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene and the rs761386 (C/T) polymorphism of the GLP1-R gene were associated with obesity in the Chinese population.