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Dinu M, Tatu AL, Cocoș DI, Nwabudike LC, Chirilov AM, Stefan CS, Earar K, Dumitriu Buzia O. Natural Sources of Therapeutic Agents Used in Skin Conditions. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:492. [PMID: 38672762 PMCID: PMC11051086 DOI: 10.3390/life14040492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Skin conditions are numerous and often have a major impact on patients' quality of life, and effective and safe treatment is very important. The conventional drugs used for skin diseases are usually corticosteroids and antimicrobial products that can induce various side effects, especially with long-term use, which is why researchers are studying alternatives, especially biologically active natural products. Three products caught our attention: bee venom (BV), due to reported experimental results showing anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antimycotic, and anticancer effects, Ficus carica (FC) due to its demonstrated antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory action, and finally Geranium essential oil (GEO), with proven antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Following a review of the literature, we produced this paper, which presents a review of the potential therapeutic applications of the three products in combating various skin conditions and for skin care, because BV, FC, and GEO have common pharmacological actions (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant). We also focused on studying the safety of the topical use of BV, FC, and GEO, and new approaches to this. This paper presents the use of these natural therapeutic agents to treat patients with conditions such as vitiligo, melasma, and melanoma, as well as their use in treating dermatological conditions in patients with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Dinu
- Centre in the Medical-Pharmaceutical Field, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania; (M.D.); (C.S.S.); (K.E.); (O.D.B.)
| | - Alin Laurențiu Tatu
- Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania;
- Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, 800179 Galati, Romania
- Multidisciplinary Integrative Center for Dermatologic Interface Research MIC-DIR, 800010 Galati, Romania
| | - Dorin Ioan Cocoș
- Centre in the Medical-Pharmaceutical Field, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania; (M.D.); (C.S.S.); (K.E.); (O.D.B.)
| | | | - Ana Maria Chirilov
- Centre in the Medical-Pharmaceutical Field, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania; (M.D.); (C.S.S.); (K.E.); (O.D.B.)
| | - Claudia Simona Stefan
- Centre in the Medical-Pharmaceutical Field, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania; (M.D.); (C.S.S.); (K.E.); (O.D.B.)
| | - Kamel Earar
- Centre in the Medical-Pharmaceutical Field, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania; (M.D.); (C.S.S.); (K.E.); (O.D.B.)
| | - Olimpia Dumitriu Buzia
- Centre in the Medical-Pharmaceutical Field, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 800008 Galati, Romania; (M.D.); (C.S.S.); (K.E.); (O.D.B.)
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Kim JH, Kim TY, Goo B, Park Y. Bee Venom Stimulates Growth Factor Release from Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Promote Hair Growth. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:84. [PMID: 38393162 PMCID: PMC10892121 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16020084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Limited evidence suggests that stimulating adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) indirectly promotes hair growth. We examined whether bee venom (BV) activated ASCs and whether BV-induced hair growth was facilitated by enhanced growth factor release by ASCs. The induction of the telogen-to-anagen phase was studied in mice. The underlying mechanism was investigated using organ cultures of mouse vibrissa hair follicles. When BV-treated ASCs were injected subcutaneously into mice, the telogen-to-anagen transition was accelerated and, by day 14, the hair weight increased. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed that BV influenced the expression of several molecules, including growth factors, chemokines, channels, transcription factors, and enzymes. Western blot analysis was employed to verify the protein expression levels of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phospho-ERK. Both the Boyden chamber experiment and scratch assay confirmed the upregulation of cell migration by BV. Additionally, ASCs secreted higher levels of growth factors after exposure to BV. Following BV therapy, the gene expression levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 and 6, endothelial cell growth factor, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-C were upregulated. The findings of this study suggest that bee venom can potentially be utilized as an ASC-preconditioning agent for hair regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Hyun Kim
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, 892, Dongnam-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Yoon Kim
- Department of Traditional Korean Medicine Practice, Jaseng Medical Foundation, 538, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06110, Republic of Korea
| | - Bonhyuk Goo
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, 892, Dongnam-ro, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 05278, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeoncheol Park
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, 26, Kyungheedae-ro 4-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02453, Republic of Korea
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Isidorov V, Zalewski A, Zambrowski G, Swiecicka I. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Properties of Honey Bee Venom. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28104135. [PMID: 37241876 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28104135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to its great medical and pharmaceutical importance, honey bee venom is considered to be well characterized both chemically and in terms of biomedical activity. However, this study shows that our knowledge of the composition and antimicrobial properties of Apis mellifera venom is incomplete. In this work, the composition of volatile and extractive components of dry and fresh bee venom (BV) was determined by GC-MS, as well as antimicrobial activity against seven types of pathogenic microorganisms. One-hundred and forty-nine organic C1-C19 compounds of different classes were found in the volatile secretions of the studied BV samples. One-hundred and fifty-two organic C2-C36 compounds were registered in ether extracts, and 201 compounds were identified in methanol extracts. More than half of these compounds are new to BV. In microbiological tests involving four species of pathogenic Gram-positive and two species of Gram-negative bacteria, as well as one species of pathogenic fungi, the values of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) were determined for samples of dry BV, as well as ether and methanol extracts from it. Gram-positive bacteria show the greatest sensitivity to the action of all tested drugs. The minimum MIC values for Gram-positive bacteria in the range of 0.12-7.63 ng mL-1 were recorded for whole BV, while for the methanol extract they were 0.49-125 ng mL-1. The ether extracts had a weaker effect on the tested bacteria (MIC values 31.25-500 ng mL-1). Interestingly, Escherichia coli was more sensitive (MIC 7.63-500 ng mL-1) to the action of bee venom compared to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC ≥ 500 ng mL-1). The results of the tests carried out indicate that the antimicrobial effect of BV is associated with the presence of not only peptides, such as melittin, but also low molecular weight metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valery Isidorov
- Institute of Forest Sciences, Bialystok Technical University, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Adam Zalewski
- Department of Experimental Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-222 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Zambrowski
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, 15-328 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Izabela Swiecicka
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, 15-328 Bialystok, Poland
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, 15-328 Bialystok, Poland
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Mackieh R, Al-Bakkar N, Kfoury M, Roufayel R, Sabatier JM, Fajloun Z. Inhibitors of ATP Synthase as New Antibacterial Candidates. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12040650. [PMID: 37107012 PMCID: PMC10135114 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
ATP, the power of all cellular functions, is constantly used and produced by cells. The enzyme called ATP synthase is the energy factory in all cells, which produces ATP by adding inorganic phosphate (Pi) to ADP. It is found in the inner, thylakoid and plasma membranes of mitochondria, chloroplasts and bacteria, respectively. Bacterial ATP synthases have been the subject of multiple studies for decades, since they can be genetically manipulated. With the emergence of antibiotic resistance, many combinations of antibiotics with other compounds that enhance the effect of these antibiotics have been proposed as approaches to limit the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. ATP synthase inhibitors, such as resveratrol, venturicidin A, bedaquiline, tomatidine, piceatannol, oligomycin A and N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide were the starting point of these combinations. However, each of these inhibitors target ATP synthase differently, and their co-administration with antibiotics increases the susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria. After a brief description of the structure and function of ATP synthase, we aim in this review to highlight therapeutic applications of the major bacterial ATP synthase inhibitors, including animal’s venoms, and to emphasize their importance in decreasing the activity of this enzyme and subsequently eradicating resistant bacteria as ATP synthase is their source of energy.
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Sung SH, Lee HJ, Han JE, Sung ADM, Park M, Shin S, Jeong HI, Jang S, Lee G. Bee Venom Acupuncture for Neck Pain: A Review of the Korean Literature. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:toxins15020129. [PMID: 36828443 PMCID: PMC9967438 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15020129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bee venom is a natural toxin that is effective in treating various types of pain. The purpose of this paper was to review all the features of clinical studies conducted on bee venom acupuncture (BVA) for the treatment of neck pain in Korean publications. Six Korean databases and 16 Korean journals were searched in August 2022 for clinical studies on BVA for neck pain. We identified 24 trials that met our inclusion criteria, of which 316 patients with neck pain were treated with BVA. The most common diagnosis in the patients with neck pain was herniated intervertebral discs (HIVDs) of the cervical spine (C-spine) (29.2%), and the concentration and dosage per session were 0.05-0.5 mg/mL and 0.1-1.5 mL, respectively. The visual analog scale was most often measured for neck pain severity (62.5%), and all clinical research reported improvements in 16 outcome measures. This study shows that BVA could be recommended for the treatment of neck pain, especially HIVD of the C-spine; however, the adverse effects of BVA must be examined in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Hyun Sung
- Department of Policy Development, National Institute of Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04554, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jung Lee
- Department of Policy Development, National Institute of Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04554, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Eun Han
- Department of Policy Development, National Institute of Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04554, Republic of Korea
| | - Angela Dong-Min Sung
- Department of Policy Development, National Institute of Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04554, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjung Park
- Center for Development of Innovative Technologies in Korean Medicine, National Institute of Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04554, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungwon Shin
- Department of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye In Jeong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Soobin Jang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan 38609, Republic of Korea
| | - Gihyun Lee
- College of Korean Medicine, Dongshin University, Naju 58245, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence:
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Bibliometric Analysis of Literature in Snake Venom-Related Research Worldwide (1933–2022). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162058. [PMID: 36009648 PMCID: PMC9405337 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Around the world, snake envenomation poses a serious health risk. Proteins with pharmacological effects are present in snake venom. Recent studies elaborate snake venom and its potential application, including as a cancer drug and antibacterial substances. Our study aimed to analyze the global profile of the literature in snake venom research from documents indexed in the Scopus database between 1933 and 2022. In total, 2999 documents were published with Brazil showing the highest productivity. Antivenom, proteomics, and transcriptomics are emerging as hot topics on a global scale. The present study offers a distinctive overview of snake venom research conducted worldwide. Abstract Snake envenomation is a severe economic and health concern affecting countries worldwide. Snake venom carries a wide variety of small peptides and proteins with various immunological and pharmacological properties. A few key research areas related to snake venom, including its applications in treating cancer and eradicating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, have been gaining significant attention in recent years. The goal of the current study was to analyze the global profile of literature in snake venom research. This study presents a bibliometric review of snake venom-related research documents indexed in the Scopus database between 1933 and 2022. The overall number of documents published on a global scale was 2999, with an average annual production of 34 documents. Brazil produced the highest number of documents (n = 729), followed by the United States (n = 548), Australia (n = 240), and Costa Rica (n = 235). Since 1963, the number of publications has been steadily increasing globally. At a worldwide level, antivenom, proteomics, and transcriptomics are growing hot issues for research in this field. The current research provides a unique overview of snake venom research at global level from 1933 through 2022, and it may be beneficial in guiding future research.
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Li D, Park S, Lee K, Jang DS, Kim SK. 5-HT 1A receptors mediate the analgesic effect of rosavin in a mouse model of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathic pain. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 25:489-494. [PMID: 34448466 PMCID: PMC8405433 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2021.25.5.489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Oxaliplatin, a third-generation platinum derivative, is the mainstay of current antineoplastic medications for advanced colorectal cancer therapy. However, peripheral neuropathic complications, especially cold allodynia, undermine the life-prolonging outcome of this anti-cancer agent. Rosavin, a phenylpropanoid derived originally from Rhodiola rosea, exhibits a wide range of therapeutic properties. The present study explored whether and how rosavin alleviates oxaliplatin-induced cold hypersensitivity in mice. In the acetone drop test, cold allodynia behavior was observed from days 3 to 5 after a single injection of oxaliplatin (6 mg/kg, i.p.). Cold allodynia was significantly attenuated following rosavin treatment (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Specific endogenous 5-HT depletion by three consecutive pretreatments with para-chlorophenylalanine (150 mg/kg/day, i.p.) abolished the analgesic action of rosavin; this effect was not observed following pretreatment with naloxone (opioid receptor antagonist, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). Furthermore, 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 (0.16 mg/kg, i.p.), but not 5-HT3 receptor antagonist MDL-72222 (1 mg/kg, i.p.), blocked rosavin-induced analgesia. These results suggest that rosavin may provide a novel approach to alleviate oxaliplatin-induced cold allodynia by recruiting the activity of 5-HT1A receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daxian Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.,Department of Anesthesiology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China
| | - Sangwon Park
- Department of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Kyungjoon Lee
- Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Dae Sik Jang
- Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.,Department of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.,Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
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Effect of Combined Bee Venom Acupuncture and NSAID Treatment for Non-Specific Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized, Assessor-Blinded, Pilot Clinical Trial. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13070436. [PMID: 34201686 PMCID: PMC8309931 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13070436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a combined treatment of bee venom acupuncture (BVA) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the treatment of non-specific chronic neck pain (NCNP). Patients with NCNP for ≥3 months were randomly allocated to a BVA, NSAIDs, or combined group (1:1:1), receiving 6 sessions of BVA, loxoprofen (180 mg daily), or a combination, respectively, for 3 weeks. Recruitment, adherence, and completion rates were calculated to assess feasibility. Bothersomeness, pain, disability, quality of life, depressive status, treatment credibility, and adverse events were assessed. In total, 60 participants were enrolled, and 54 completed the trial. Recruitment, adherence, and completion rates were 100%, 95%, and 90%, respectively. Bothersomeness, pain, disability, and depressive symptoms significantly improved in all groups after treatment (p < 0.05). The combined group showed continuous improvement during the follow-up period (p < 0.05). Quality of life was significantly improved (p < 0.05), and treatment credibility was maintained in the BVA and combined groups. No serious adverse events were reported. Combined treatment of BVA and NSAIDs are feasible for the treatment of NCNP, showing high persistence of the effect, credibility, and safety. Additional trials with longer follow-up are needed to confirm this effect.
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Drug Development Using Natural Toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13060414. [PMID: 34207953 PMCID: PMC8230678 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13060414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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