Roles of Therapeutic Bioactive Compounds in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Hepatic Diseases and Its Significance for the WHO's Elimination Plan of Viral Hepatitis

Liver damage can progress through different stages, resulting in cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), conditions that are often associated with viral infections. Globally, 42% and 21% of cirrhosis cases correlate with HBV and HCV, respectively. In the Americas, the prevalence ranges from 1% to 44%. The WHO has the goal to eliminate viral hepatitis, but it is important to consider occult HBV infection (OBI), a clinical condition characterized by the presence of HBV genomes despite negative surface antigen tests. This review aims to provide an overview of recent data on OBI, focusing on its role in the development of hepatic diseases and its significance in the WHO Viral Hepatitis Elimination Plan. Specific HBV gene mutations have been linked to HCC and other liver diseases. Factors related to the interactions between OBI and mutated viral proteins, which induce endoplasmic reticulum stress and oxidative DNA damage, and the potential role of HBV integration sites (such as the TERT promoter) have been identified in HCC/OBI patients. Health initiatives for OBI research in Latin American countries are crucial to achieving the WHO's goal of eradicating viral hepatitis by 2030, given the difficulty in diagnosing OBI and its unclear association with hepatic diseases.

Review on Nutritional Potential of Underutilized Millets as a Miracle Grain

The current situation, which includes changes in eating habits, an increasing population, and the unrestricted use of natural resources, has resulted in a lack of resources that could be used to provide nourishing food to everyone. Natural plant resources are quickly being depleted, so it is necessary to consider new alternatives. In addition to the staple grains of rice and wheat, many other crops are being consumed that need to be utilized to their full potential and have the potential to replace the staple crops. Millets are one of the most important underutilized crops that have the potential to be used as a nutricereal. Millets have a high nutritional value, do not produce acids, do not contain gluten, and can contribute to a healthy diet. Due to a lack of awareness regarding the nutritional value of millets, their consumption is still restricted to the population that adheres to conventional diets and is economically disadvantaged even though millets contain a significant amount of nutrients. Millets are becoming increasingly unpopular due to a lack of processing technologies, food subsidies, and the inconvenience of preparing food with millets. Millets are a Nutricereal rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibers, energy, essential fatty acids, proteins, vitamin B, and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. These nutrients help to protect against post-translational diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and celiac disease, among others. Millets are beneficial for controlling blood pressure, blood sugar level, and thyroid function; however, despite these functional properties, millets consumption has declined. Utilizing millets and other staple food crops to develop alternative food sources has become a new area of focus for businesses in the food industry. In addition, millet consumption can help foster immunity and health, which is essential in strengthening our fight against malnutrition in children and adolescents. In this article, the authors examine the potential of millets in terms of their nutricereal qualities.

Multifunctional roles of inflammation and its causative factors in primary liver cancer: A literature review

Primary liver cancer is a severe and complex disease, leading to 800000 global deaths annually. Emerging evidence suggests that inflammation is one of the critical factors in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, and steatohepatitis symptoms are at higher risk of developing HCC. However, not all inflammatory factors have a pathogenic function in HCC development. The current study describes the process and mechanism of hepatitis development and its progression to HCC, particularly focusing on viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, and steatohepatitis. Furthermore, the roles of some essential inflammatory cytokines in HCC progression are described in addition to a summary of future research directions.

Synthesis, Pharmacological Properties, and Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Antitumor Activity of Betulin and Its Derivatives in Gastrointestinal Cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are an increasingly common type of malignancy, caused by the unhealthy lifestyles of people worldwide. Limited methods of treatment have prompted the search for new compounds with antitumor activity, in which betulin (BE) is leading the way. BE as a compound is classified as a pentacyclic triterpene of the lupane type, having three highly reactive moieties in its structure. Its mechanism of action is based on the inhibition of key components of signaling pathways associated with proliferation, migration, interleukins, and others. BE also has a number of biological properties, i.e., anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, as well as antitumor. Due to its poor bioavailability, betulin is subjected to chemical modifications, obtaining derivatives with proven enhanced pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties as a result. The method of synthesis and substituents significantly influence the effect on cells and GI cancers. Moreover, the cytotoxic effect is highly dependent on the derivative as well as the individual cell line. The aim of this study is to review the methods of synthesis of BE and its derivatives, as well as its pharmacological properties and molecular mechanisms of action in colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, and esophageal cancer neoplasms.

Prognostic significance of natural products against multidrug tumor resistance

Cancer is a pervasive, constantly evolving, and significant public health concern. The number of new cancer cases has risen dramatically in the last decades, making it one of the top causes of poor health and mortality worldwide. Although various treatment strategies, including surgery, radiation, and pharmaceutical therapies, have evolved into more sophisticated, precise methods, there is not much improvement in the cancer-related death toll. Consequently, natural product-based therapeutic discoveries have recently been considered an alternative approach. According to an estimate, one-third of the top twenty medications in today's market have a natural plant-product-based origin. Accordingly, primary prevention is an essential component of worldwide cancer control. This review provides an overview of the mechanisms of action of bioactive ingredients in natural dietary products that may contribute to the prevention and management of multiple malignancies.

Plants-based medicine implication in the evolution of chronic liver diseases

Hepatic disorders are considered major health problems, due to their high incidence, increased risk of chronicling or death and the costs involved in therapies. A large number of patients with chronic liver diseases use herbal medicines and dietary supplements in parallel with allopathic treatment. The current review provides a thorough analysis of the studies conducted on the most important species of medicinal plants used in this disease, bioactive compounds and on the activity of herbal medicines in the evolution of chronic liver diseases. However, a negative aspect is that there is frequently a lack of comprehensive data on the progression of the illness and the living standards of patients who are affected when evaluating the effects of these phytocomponents on the evolution of chronic liver disease, the patients' health, and their quality of life. It is essential to take this impairment into account when evaluating the long-term effects of herbal treatments on the health of individuals who suffer from liver illness. Bioactive phytocomponents may be a suitable source for the development of novel medications due to the correlation between traditional uses and medical advances. Additional high-quality preclinical examinations utilizing cutting-edge approaches are needed to assess safety and effectiveness and to detect, categorize, and standardize the active substances and their formulations for the most suitable therapeutic management of liver illnesses.

Targeting Ras-ERK cascade by bioactive natural products for potential treatment of cancer: an updated overview

MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) or ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) pathway is an important link in the transition from extracellular signals to intracellular responses. Because of genetic and epigenetic changes, signaling cascades are altered in a variety of diseases, including cancer. Extant studies on the homeostatic and pathologic behavior of MAPK signaling have been conducted; however, much remains to be explored in preclinical and clinical research in terms of regulation and action models. MAPK has implications for cancer therapy response, more specifically in response to experimental MAPK suppression, compensatory mechanisms are activated. The current study investigates MAPK as a very complex cell signaling pathway that plays roles in cancer treatment response, cellular normal conduit maintenance, and compensatory pathway activation. Most MAPK inhibitors, unfortunately, cause resistance by activating compensatory feedback loops in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment components. As a result, innovative combinatorial treatments for cancer management must be applied to limit the likelihood of alternate pathway initiation as a possibility for generating novel therapeutics based on incorporation in translational research. We summarize current knowledge about the implications of ERK (MAPK) in cancer, as well as bioactive products from plants, microbial organisms or marine organisms, as well as the correlation with their chemical structures, which modulate this pathway for the treatment of different types of cancer.