Possible Benefits of Considering Glutamate with Melatonin or Orexin or Oxytocin as a Combination Approach in the Treatment of Anxiety

Antibacterial Mechanism of Patrinia scabiosaefolia Against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis

Purpose

Staphylococcus epidermidis has become one of the most common causes of septicemia. Meanwhile, S. epidermidis has acquired resistance to many antibiotics. Among these, methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis (MRSE) were frequently isolated. Similar to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), they also exhibited multi-resistance, which presented a danger to human health. Patrinia scabiosaefolia as traditional Chinese medicine had strong antibacterial activity against MRSE. However, the mechanism of P. scabiosaefolia against MRSE is not clear.

Methods

Here, the morphology of cell wall and cell membrane, production of β-lactamase and PBP2, energy metabolism, antioxidant system were systematically studied.

Results

The data showed that P. scabiosaefolia damaged the cell wall and membrane. In addition, β-lactamase, energy metabolism and antioxidant system were involved in mechanisms of P. scabiosaefolia against MRSE.

Conclusion

These observations provided new understanding of P. scabiosaefolia against MRSE to control MRSE infections.

Combination therapy with neuropeptides for the treatment of anxiety disorder

Anxiety is a neurological disorder that is characterized by excessive, persistent, and unreasonable worry about everyday things like family, work, money, and relationships. The current therapy used for the treatment has many disadvantages like higher cost, severe adverse reactions, and has suboptimal efficiency. There is a need to look for more innovative approaches for the treatment of anxiety disorder which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional treatment. Recent findings suggest a strong correlation of glutamate with anxiety. Some promising drugs which have a novel mechanism for anxiolytic action are currently under clinical development for generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Similarly, an interrelation of oxytocin with neuropeptide S or glutamate or vasopressin can also be considered for further evaluation for the development of new drugs for anxiety treatment. Anxiolytic drug development is a multi-target approach, with the idea of more efficiently equilibrating perturbed circuits. This review focuses on targeting unconventional targets like the glutamate system, voltage-gated ion channels, and neuropeptides system either alone or in combination for the treatment of anxiety disorder.

Role of Melatonin on Virus-Induced Neuropathogenesis-A Concomitant Therapeutic Strategy to Understand SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Viral infections may cause neurological disorders by directly inducing oxidative stress and interrupting immune system function, both of which contribute to neuronal death. Several reports have described the neurological manifestations in Covid-19 patients where, in severe cases of the infection, brain inflammation and encephalitis are common. Recently, extensive research-based studies have revealed and acknowledged the clinical and preventive roles of melatonin in some viral diseases. Melatonin has been shown to have antiviral properties against several viral infections which are accompanied by neurological symptoms. The beneficial properties of melatonin relate to its properties as a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory molecule and its neuroprotective effects. In this review, what is known about the therapeutic role of melatonin in virus-induced neuropathogenesis is summarized and discussed.