Involvement of Resveratrol against Brain Cancer: A Combination Strategy with a Pharmaceutical Approach

Dissecting the antidepressant effect of troxerutin: modulation of neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice

The role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of depression has prompted the search for new antidepressants. Troxerutin, a bioflavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has shown promise, but its impact on neurobehavioral functions remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the antidepressant potential of troxerutin and its effect on the neuroinflammatory response. Here, we exposed male Swiss mice (n = 5/group) to various treatments, including naive and negative controls receiving distilled water, troxerutin-treated groups administered at different doses (10, 20, 40 mg/kg, i.p.), and an imipramine-treated group (25 mg/kg, i.p.). After seven days of treatment, with the exception of the naive group, mice were administered a single dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.83 mg/kg). Behavioral evaluations, consisting of the novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test, forced swim test (FST), and open field test (OFT), were conducted. Additionally, brain samples were collected for biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses. Troxerutin significantly reduced immobility time in the FST and mitigated behavioral deficits in the NSF test. Additionally, troxerutin increased glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels while reducing nitrite, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels compared to the negative control. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed decreased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in troxerutin-treated mice. Overall, these findings suggest that troxerutin exerts significant antidepressive-like effects, likely mediated by its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms. The reduction in neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, along with the improvement in behavioral outcomes, underscores troxerutin's potential as a therapeutic agent for depression.

Resveratrol evokes neuroprotective effects and improves foot stance following kainate-induced excitotoxic damage to the mouse spinal cord

Excitotoxicity, characterized by over-activation of glutamate receptors, is a major contributor to spinal cord injury (SCI) pathophysiology, resulting in neuronal death and loss of locomotor function. In our previous in vitro studies, we showed that excitotoxicity induced by the glutamate analogue kainate (KA) leads to a significant reduction in the number of neurons, providing a model for SCI. Our current objective was to assess the neuroprotective role of resveratrol (RESV), a natural polyphenol, following KA-induced SCI. In vivo excitotoxicity was induced by intraspinal injection of KA immediately followed by RESV administration to Balb/C adult male mice. In neonatal mouse spinal cord preparations, excitotoxicity was transiently induced by bath-applied KA, either with or without RESV. KA administration resulted in a significant deterioration in hindlimb motor coordination and balance during locomotion, which was partially reverted by RESV. Additionally, RESV preserved neurons in both dorsal and ventral regions. Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) immunoreactive signal was increased by RESV, while the selective SIRT1 inhibitor 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxamide (EX-527) attenuated RESV neuroprotective effects. These findings suggest that RESV attenuation of excitotoxic-induced neuronal loss and locomotor deficits is mediated, at least in part, through the activation of SIRT1, potentially involving SIRT2 as well. Indeed, our results highlight the potential use of RESV to enhance neuroprotective strategies for SCI.

A review of natural products and small-molecule therapeutics acting on central nervous system malignancies: Approaches for drug development, targeting pathways, clinical trials, and challenges

In 2021, the World Health Organization released the fifth edition of the central nervous system (CNS) tumor classification. This classification uses histopathology and molecular pathogenesis to group tumors into more biologically and molecularly defined entities. The prognosis of brain cancer, particularly malignant tumors, has remained poor worldwide, approximately 308,102 new cases of brain and other CNS tumors were diagnosed in the year 2020, with an estimated 251,329 deaths. The cost and time-consuming nature of studies to find new anticancer agents makes it necessary to have well-designed studies. In the present study, the pathways that can be targeted for drug development are discussed in detail. Some of the important cellular origins, signaling, and pathways involved in the efficacy of bioactive molecules against CNS tumorigenesis or progression, as well as prognosis and common approaches for treatment of different types of brain tumors, are reviewed. Moreover, different study tools, including cell lines, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trial challenges, are discussed. In addition, in this article, natural products as one of the most important sources for finding new chemotherapeutics were reviewed and over 700 reported molecules with efficacy against CNS cancer cells are gathered and classified according to their structure. Based on the clinical trials that have been registered, very few of these natural or semi-synthetic derivatives have been studied in humans. The review can help researchers understand the involved mechanisms and design new goal-oriented studies for drug development against CNS malignancies.

Harnessing role of sesamol and its nanoformulations against neurodegenerative diseases

Sesamol is a lignan of sesame seeds and a natural phenolic molecule that has emerged as a useful medical agent. Sesamol is a non-toxic phytoconstituent, which exerts certain valuable effects in the management of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), etc. Sesamol is known to depict its neuroprotective role by various mechanisms, such as metabolic regulators, action on oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, etc. However, its poor oral bioavailability, rapid excretion (as conjugates), and susceptibility to gastric irritation/toxicity (particularly in rats' forestomach) may restrict its effectiveness. To overcome the associated limitations, novel drug delivery system-based formulations of sesamol are emerging and being researched extensively. These can conjugate with sesamol and enhance the bioavailability and solubility of free sesamol, along with delivery at the target site. In this review, we have summarized various research works highlighting the role of sesamol on various NDs, including Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Moreover, the formulation strategies and neuroprotective role of sesamol-based nano-formulations have also been discussed.