Effect of cinnamamides on atopic dermatitis through regulation of IL-4 in CD4+ cells

A Frontier Review of Nutraceutical Chinese Yam

Yams are the edible subterranean rhizomes, or tubers, of plants from the genus Dioscorea. There are approximately 600 species of yam plants in the world, with more than 90 of these growing in East Asia. One particular species, Dioscorea opposita Thunb., is highly praised as "the Chinese yam". This distinction arises from millennia of storied history, both as a nutritional food source and as a principal ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Among the many cultivars of Dioscorea opposita Thunb., Huai Shanyao has been widely regarded as the best. This review surveyed the historical background, physiochemical composition, applications as food and medicine, and research prospects for the Chinese yam. Modern science is finally beginning to confirm the remarkable health benefits of this yam plant, long-known to the Chinese people. Chinese yam promises anti-diabetic, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hypertensive, anti-cancer, and combination treatment applications, both as a functional food and as medicine.

Treatment of allergy: Overview of synthetic anti-allergy small molecules in medicinal chemistry

The prevalence of allergic diseases has been continuously increasing over the past few decades, affecting approximately 20-30% of the global population. Allergic reactions to infection of respiratory tract, digestive tract, and skin system involve multiple different targets. The main difficulty of anti-allergy research is how to develop drugs with good curative effect and less side effects by adopting new multi-targets and mechanisms according to the clinical characteristics of different allergic populations and different allergens. This review focuses on information concerning potential therapeutic targets as well as the synthetic anti-allergy small molecules with respect to their medicinal chemistry. The structure-activity relationship and the mechanism of compound-target interaction were highlighted with perspective to histamine-1/4 receptor antagonists, leukotriene biosynthesis, Th2 cytokines inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers. We hope that the study of chemical scaffold modification and optimization for different lead compounds summarized in this review not only lays the foundation for improvement of success rate and efficiency of virtual screening of antiallergic drugs, but also can provide valuable reference for the drug design of related promising research such as allergy, inflammation, and cancer.

Hydroxycinnamic Acids and Derivatives Formulations for Skin Damages and Disorders: A Review

Alterations of skin homeostasis are widely diffused in our everyday life both due to accidental injuries, such as wounds and burns, and physiological conditions, such as late-stage diabetes, dermatitis, or psoriasis. These events are locally characterized by an intense inflammatory response, a high generation of harmful free radicals, or an impairment in the immune response regulation, which can profoundly change the skin tissue' repair process, vulnerability, and functionality. Moreover, diabetes diffusion, antibiotic resistance, and abuse of aggressive soaps and disinfectants following the COVID-19 emergency could be causes for the future spreading of skin disorders. In the last years, hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives have been investigated and applied in several research fields for their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial activities. First, in this study, we give an overview of these natural molecules' current source and applications. Afterwards, we review their potential role as valid alternatives to the current therapies, supporting the management and rebalancing of skin disorders and diseases at different levels. Also, we will introduce the recent advances in the design of biomaterials loaded with these phenolic compounds, specifically suitable for skin disorders treatments. Lastly, we will suggest future perspectives for introducing hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives in treating skin disorders.

Fe2+: Fe3+ Molar Ratio Influences the Immunomodulatory Properties of Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) Nanoparticles in an Atopic Dermatitis Model

Here, we report the different antioxidant and physiological effects of maghemite nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3 NPs) obtained using various Fe2+: Fe3+ molar ratios (FM1 = 1: 1, FM2 = 1: 2, and FM3 = 2: 3) via coprecipitation from ferrous/ferric salts. We investigated the physical, optical, and antioxidant properties of FM1, FM2, and FM3 nanoparticles by conducting UV, Raman, FTIR, and EDX spectroscopic analyses along with DPPH radical scavenging activity. Results showed the highest DPPH scavenging activity in the FM2 group (50.76%), while the activity in the FM1 and FM3 groups was 23.60% and 34.63%, respectively. In addition, topical application of nanoparticles induced significant but different anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in Dermatophagoides farinae extract/2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DFE/DNCB)-sensitized BALB/c mice. The FM2 treatment alleviates more effectively the DFE/DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like (AD-like) symptoms in mouse ears (edema, excoriation, scaling, and hemorrhage). In comparison with the DFE/DNCB-sensitized mice, FM2 treatment greatly reduced the size and weight of the spleen and the lymph nodes. It also suppressed mast cell infiltration (2-fold) and reduced dermal and epidermal thickness in mice. In addition, FM2 treatment exhibited better inhibition of the mRNA levels of Th1 (IFN-γ and TNF-α) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, and IL-31), as well as the levels of various inflammation-related proteins (COX-2, iNOS, and TNF-α). Moreover, we demonstrated that an increasing proportion of Fe3+ in Fe2+: Fe3+ enhances the antioxidant activity and increases the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of γ-Fe2O3 NPs in an AD mouse model. Thus, γ-Fe2O3 NPs could be used in the formulation of nonsteroidal drugs for AD treatment.

Tyramine-derived hydroxycinnamic acid amides in plant foods: sources, synthesis, health effects and potential applications in food industry

Tyramine-derived hydroxycinnamic acid amines (HCAAT) are naturally occurring group of secondary metabolites present in various plant genera, such as Allium, Cannabis, Lycium, Polyganotum and Solanum. It belongs to the neutral, water-insoluble compounds and plays a role in plant growth, development and defence mechanism. The past two decades have seen a shift in the study of HCAAT from its role in plants to its potent biological activities. This review highlights the sources, roles in plants, biosynthetic pathways, metabolic engineering and chemical synthesis of HCAAT. The biological properties of HCAAT remain the focus in this paper, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-melanogenesis and neuroprotective properties. The effects of food processing and technology on HCAAT are also discussed. Given the current research gap, this review proposes future directions on the study of HCAAT, as well as its potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industry.