Tryptanthrin ameliorates imiquimod-induced psoriasis in mice by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress via NF-κB/MAPK/Nrf2 pathways

Recent advances of tryptanthrin and its derivatives as potential anticancer agents

Tryptanthrin is one of the well-known natural alkaloids with a broad spectrum of biological activities and can act as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antitubercular, and other agents. Owing to its potent anticancer activity, tryptanthrin has been widely explored for the therapy of various cancers besides being effective against other diseases. Tryptanthrin with a pharmacological indoloquinazoline moiety can not only be modified by different functional groups to achieve various tryptanthrin derivatives, which may realize the improvement of anticancer activity, but also bind with different metal ions to obtain varied tryptanthrin metal complexes as potential anticancer agents, due to their higher anticancer activities in comparison with tryptanthrin (or its derivatives) and cisplatin. This review outlines the recent advances in the syntheses, structures, and anticancer activities of tryptanthrin derivatives and their metal complexes, trying to reveal their structure-activity relationships and to provide a helpful way for medicinal chemists in the development of new and effective tryptanthrin-based anticancer agents.

Design and Evaluation of Tretinoin Fatty Acid Vesicles for the Topical Treatment of Psoriasis

The goal of the current study was to explore the potential benefits of Tretinoin (Tre) fatty acid vesicles (Tre-FAV) as a prospective antipsoriatic topical delivery system. This promising system can counteract the drug challenges in terms of its extremely low aqueous solubility, instability, skin irritation, and serious systemic adverse effects. Tre-loaded fatty acid vesicles were successfully developed and entirely characterised. The selected formulation was investigated for in vitro release, ex vivo skin retention and psoriasis efficacy studies. The characterisation results of Tre-FAV showed it has a globular shape with a particle size of 126.37 ± 1.290 nm (0.188 ± 0.019 PDI). The entrapment efficiency and zeta potential were discovered to be 84.26 ± 0.816% and -28.9 ± 1.92 mV, respectively. Encapsulation of the drug in the fatty acid vesicles was also strengthened by differential scanning calorimetric and powder FTIR diffraction studies. In vitro release results showed that Tre-FAV significantly increased skin absorption and retention in comparison to the Tre solution. The topical application of Tre-FAV to a mouse model confirmed that it has superior in vivo antipsoriatic properties in terms of well-demarcated papules, erythema and reduced epidermal thickness in comparison to other treatments. The weight of the spleen and the levels of the cytokines IL-17 and IL-6 decreased after treatment. In conclusion, FAV dramatically increased the water solubility and skin permeability of Tre and its anti-psoriasis activity.

Mycoplasma synoviae induce spleen tissue damage and inflammatory response of chicken through oxidative stress and apoptosis

Mycoplasma synovium (MS) is a prominent avian pathogen known to elicit robust inflammatory responses in birds while evading immune detection, often leading to chronic infection and immune compromise. The mechanisms underpinning MS-mediated splenic tissue damage in chickens, however, remain undefined. In our investigation with 7-day-old SPF chickens, we administered an MS-Y bacterial solution (200 µl, 1 × 109 CCU/ml) through eye and nose droplets, collecting spleen samples on days 3, 6, and 12 post-infection. Comprehensive analyses utilizing histopathology, electron microscopy, TUNEL assay, qRT-PCR, and western blot were employed. Results demonstrated that MS-infection downregulated T-SOD, GSH-PX, and CAT, while concurrently elevating iNOS, NO, and MDA levels. Evidently, MS-induced oxidative stress compromised the spleen's antioxidant defences. Histological examinations pinpointed splenic damage characterized by lymphocyte reduction and increased inflammatory cell infiltration. Ultrastructural observations revealed clear apoptotic markers, including mitochondrial perturbations and nuclear anomalies. Importantly, MS induced significant spleen tissue apoptosis, as supported by TUNEL assay outputs and gene expression profiles associated with apoptosis. Concurrently, we observed upregulated expressions of mRNAs and proteins affiliated with the NF-κB/MAPK signalling cascade (p < 0.05). Collectively, our data elucidate that MS infection induces splenic apoptosis and oxidative disturbances, perturbs tissue integrity, and potentiates the NF-κB/MAPK-mediated inflammatory cascade.