N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is an acetylated cysteine compound, has aroused scientific interest for decades due to its important medical applications. It also represents a nutritional supplement in the human diet. NAC is a glutathione precursor and shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition to the uses quoted in the literature, NAC may be considered helpful in therapies to counteract neurodegenerative and mental health diseases. Furthermore, this compound has been evaluated for its neuroprotective potential in the prevention of cognitive aging dementia. NAC is inexpensive, commercially available and no relevant side effects were observed after its administration. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview on the effects and applications of NAC in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disorders and in neuropathic pain and stroke.

The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota are widely recognized as fundamental factors influencing the well-being and productivity of domestic animals. Advancements in sequencing technologies have revolutionized studies in this research field, allowing for deeper insights into the composition and functionality of microbiota in livestock. Ruminants and monogastric animals exhibit distinct digestive systems and microbiota characteristics: ruminants rely on fermentation, while monogastrics use enzymatic digestion, and monogastric animals have simpler stomach structures, except for horses and rabbits, where both processes coexist. Understanding the gut microbiota’s impact and composition in both animal types is essential for optimizing production efficiency and promoting animal health. Following this perspective, the present manuscript review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the gut microbiota in ruminants (such as cattle, sheep, and goats) and monogastric animals (including horses, pigs, rabbits, and chickens).

Migraine is a disorder affecting an increasing number of subjects. Currently, this disorder is not entirely understood, and limited therapeutic solutions are available. Migraine manifests as a debilitating headache associated with an altered sensory perception that may compromise the quality of life. Animal models have been developed using chemical, physical or genetic modifications, to evoke migraine-like hallmarks for the identification of novel molecules for the treatment of migraine. In this context, experimental models based on the use of chemicals as nitroglycerin or inflammatory soup were extensively used to mimic the acute state and the chronicity of the disorder. This manuscript is aimed to provide an overview of murine models used to investigate migraine pathophysiology. Pharmacological targets as 5-HT and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptors were evaluated for their relevance in the development of migraine therapeutics. Drug delivery systems using nanoparticles may be helpful for the enhancement of the brain targeting and bioavailability of anti-migraine drugs as triptans. In conclusion, the progresses in migraine management have been reached with the development of emerging agonists of 5-HT receptors and novel antagonists of CGRP receptors. The nanoformulations may represent a future perspective in which already known anti-migraine drugs showed to better exert their therapeutic effects.

Moringin [4-(α-L-rhamnosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate] is an isothiocyanate extracted from Moringa oleifera seeds. It is an antioxidant known for several biological properties useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Several neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases are linked to dysfunctional mitochondria due to the resulting increase of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Stem cell-based therapeutic treatments in neurodegenerative diseases provide an alternative strategy aimed to replace the impaired tissue. In this study were investigated the deregulated genes involved in mitophagy in the human periodontal ligament stem cells pretreated with moringin. The RNA-seq study reveals the downregulation of PINK1, with a fold change (FC) of −0.56, such as the genes involved in the phagophore formation (MAP1LC3B FC: −0.73, GABARAP FC: −0.52, GABARAPL1 FC: −0.70, GABARAPL2 FC: −0.39). The moringin pretreatment downregulates the pro−apoptotic gene BAX (−0.66) and upregulates the anti-apoptotic genes BCL2L12 (FC: 1.35) and MCL1 (FC: 0.36). The downregulation of the most of the caspases (CASP1 FC: −1.43, CASP4 FC: −0.18, CASP6 FC: −1.34, CASP7 FC: −0.46, CASP8 FC: −0.65) implies the inactivation of the apoptotic process. Our results suggest that mitochondrial dysfunctions induced by oxidative stress can be inhibited by moringin pretreatment in human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs).

This study assessed the potential effect of a co-feed liquid whey-integrated diet on the fecal microbiota of 14 crossbred pigs. The experimental design was as follows: seven pigs were in the control group, fed with a control feed, and seven were in the experimental group, fed with the same control feed supplemented daily with liquid whey. The collection of fecal samples was conducted on each animal before the dietary treatment (T0) and one (T1), and two (T2) months after the beginning of the co-feed integration. In addition, blood samples were collected from each pig at the same time points in order to evaluate the physiological parameters. Taxonomic analysis showed a bacterial community dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Proteobacteria phyla that populated the crossbred pig feces. The diversity metrics suggested that the co-feed supplementation affected some alpha diversity indexes of the fecal microbiota. In addition, the differential abundance analysis at the genus level revealed significant differences for various genera, suggesting that the liquid whey supplementation potentially influenced a part of the bacterial community over time. Spearman’s correlations revealed that the differential abundant genera identified are positively or negatively correlated with the physiological parameters.