Applications of Capillary Electrophoresis for the Determination of Cannabinoids in Different Matrices

Cannabinoids, terpenophenolic chemicals found only in cannabis, are primarily responsible for cannabis pharmacologic effects; nearly 150 distinct cannabinoids have been identified thus far. Among these, the main psychoactive molecule, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and the non-psychoactive counterpart, cannabidiol (CBD) are distinguishable. In the past decade, a CBD-containing pharmaceutical preparation was approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of drug-resistant epileptic seizures in children, and research trials for a variety of additional medical conditions for which CBD has been suggested as a therapy are being conducted. Additionally, the number of "CBD-containing" dietary supplements, largely available online, is increasing rapidly. Consequently, the necessity for the development of qualitative and quantitative methodologies for the analysis of the bioactive components of Cannabis is rising because of the increase in the production of therapeutic cannabis products. One of the analytical methods with good potential in cannabinoids analysis is capillary electrophoresis (CE). It has advantages related to high separation efficiency, relatively short analysis time, and the small consumption of analytes and reagents which generates relatively lower operational costs than other methods. This review focuses on the use of CE techniques to examine biological matrices and plant materials for the presence of cannabinoids and other bioactive compounds found in cannabis. The advantages, drawbacks, and applicability of the various electromigration approaches are also assessed. The article provides an overview of the "state of the art" and the latest trends in CE-based methods for the determination of cannabinoids.

Liquid biopsy challenge and hope in colorectal cancer

INTRODUCTION

Colorectal cancer is an important global health burden marked by a high mortality rate. Medical attention is drawn more often by the new targeted therapies, but also by the concept of liquid biopsy. Tumor's genetic profile is the major indicator of the response to targeted therapies and the risk for metastatic relapse. Therefore, analysis of tumor-linked genetic alterations holds a great importance, both for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Areas covered: The present paper highlights the molecular basis of the liquid biopsy concept and its major clinical applications in colorectal cancer. This consists in circulating tumor cells (CTC) and cell-free tumor DNA (cfDNA) and is described in manuscripts as an alternative to tissue samples, providing more information about tumor heterogeneity and tumor evolution in dynamic. Expert opinion: Liquid biopsy is an innovative, minimally invasive method which enables real-time monitoring of tumor's genetic heterogeneity, being an important step towards personalized medicine. However, despite the large number of detection methods available, it is necessary to standardize them regarding the blood collection processing and sample storage, analysis in order to be implemented in clinical guidelines.

A Novel Series of Acylhydrazones as Potential Anti-Candida Agents: Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and In Silico Studies

In the context of an increased incidence of invasive fungal diseases, there is an imperative need of new antifungal drugs with improved activity and safety profiles. A novel series of acylhydrazones bearing a 1,4-phenylene-bisthiazole scaffold was designed based on an analysis of structures known to possess anti-Candida activity obtained from a literature review. Nine final compounds were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory activity against various strains of Candida spp. The anti-Candida activity assay revealed that some of the new compounds are as active as fluconazole against most of the tested strains. A molecular docking study was conducted in order to evaluate the binding poses towards lanosterol 14α-demethylase. An in silico ADMET analysis showed that the compounds possess drug-like properties and represent a biologically active framework that should be further optimized as potential hits.