Scientifica最新文献

{"title":"<i>Portulaca oleracea</i> L. Methanolic Extract Protects the Brain of Male Rats Against Alzheimer's Disease.","authors":"Haddad A El Rabey, Samar M Rezk, Seham A Mahmoud, Zienab Abdallah, Mennatallah Loutfy, Adel I Alalawy, Yasmene F Alenazi, Heba Sheta, Nadia Bakry","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7701263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/sci5/7701263","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alzheimer's disease (AD) occurs as a result of a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that is most frequently linked to a decline in cognitive function and memory. Twenty-four male rats were divided into four groups (<i>n</i> = 6); Group I was the negative control, Group II was the AlCl₃-positive control, and Group III and Group IV were treated with 100 mg and 200 mg/kg of <i>Portulaca oleracea</i> methanolic extract, respectively. Aluminum chloride intoxication in Group II increased lipid peroxidation and decreased antioxidant parameters and affected interleukin-6 (IL-6), the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and amyloid beta (Aβ), which lead to the induction of AD through injuring brain cells of AD rats. Treating the AD rats in Group III (GIII) and Group IV (GIV) with <i>P. oleracea</i> ameliorated the altered parameters in the AD rats. It also increased folic acid and vitamin B12 levels. <i>P. oleracea</i> modulated the physiological, biochemical, and histological changes brought on by AlCl₃ intoxication in rats via oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. The dose of <i>P. oleracea</i> in GIV successfully modified the behavioral changes brought on by AlCl₃ in the AD rats more than that of GIII.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7701263"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11871972/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143543366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Drying Methods on Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Properties of <i>Kalanchoe ceratophylla</i>.","authors":"Lamhot Parulian Manalu, Himawan Adinegoro, Nenie Yustiningsih, Astuti, Rohmah Luthfiyanti, Maisaroh, Wahyu Purwanto, Subandrio, Olivia Bunga Pongtuluran, Priyo Atmaji, Taufik Hidayat, Henky Henanto, Ali Asgar, Achmad Sofian Nasori, Agus Triyono, Berna Elya, Abdullah Bin Arif","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7146758","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/7146758","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Kalanchoe</i> species have been used as herbal medicines in traditional Asian medicine. One of the <i>Kalanchoe</i> species that has the potential as a medicinal plant and is still limited in its studies is <i>Kalanchoe ceratophylla</i>. This study investigated the effects of drying methods, namely, freeze drying (FD) and hot air drying (HAD), on bioactive compounds, phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants in <i>Kalanchoe ceratophylla</i> leaves and stems. The content of bioactive compounds in <i>K</i>. <i>ceratophylla</i> leaves and stems was identified with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. In addition, the antioxidant activity of <i>K. ceratophylla</i> was also measured. The results of GC-MS on <i>K. ceratophylla</i> contain major bioactive compounds including gamma.-Sitosterol, Glutinol, Friedelan-3-one, Squalene, Ergost-5-en-3-ol, (3.β.)-, Erythritol, and Neophytadiene. The main component identified in the leaf and stem extracts of <i>K. ceratophylla</i> is gamma-sitosterol (± 15%), which shows anticancer and antidiabetic effects. The antioxidant activity in <i>K. ceratophylla</i> with the FD method was higher than that with the HAD method. This study suggests that FD was considered appropriate and should be used to maintain the content of important bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in <i>K. ceratophylla</i>. These findings suggest that further research and development of bioactive compounds essential for their pharmacological properties in <i>K. ceratophylla</i> may be warranted, with the potential for developing new drugs.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7146758"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11867725/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143524433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical Profiling and Toxicity Assessment of Aqueous Extract From Bitter Apricot Kernels Cultivated in Morocco.","authors":"Mohamed Amine El-Hajjaji, Ghizlane Nouioura, Kawtar Fikri-Benbrahim, Najoua Soulo, Mohammed El Ouassete, Badiaa Lyoussi, Zineb Benziane Ouaritini","doi":"10.1155/sci5/5757744","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/5757744","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Apricot kernels contain amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside that degrades to cyanide upon chewing or crushing, posing a potential toxicity risk to humans. The present study aimed to determine the phenolic compounds and to evaluate the subacute and acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of bitter apricot kernels (BAKs) in Swiss albino mice. The chemical characterization was carried out with HPLC-DAD analyses, and acute toxicity was done by extract's oral administration once for 72-h period at doses of 500-6000 mg/kg body weight (bw). For the subacute toxicity, mice were administrated orally by repeated doses of 100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg bw for 28 days. The hematological, biochemical parameters and the histological examinations of vital organs (kidney, liver, and spleen) were done by sacrificing the animals after the subacute toxicity period. The results revealed 11 phenolic compounds with a total of 61 mg/g of extract. In the acute toxicity study, no signs of toxicity or mortality were observed during the experiment period, and the LD₅₀ value was higher than 6000 mg/kg bw. In the subacute toxicity, only the group treated with the greatest dose (1000 mg/kg bw) exhibited a significant decrease in the hematocrit and slight increase in urea, and creatinine. The results of this study indicate that the aqueous extract of BAK was not toxic to mice at the tested concentrations. This provides valuable information regarding its toxicity profile.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"5757744"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11858709/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143504173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic Variability and Association of Morpho-Agronomic Traits Among Ethiopian Barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L) Accessions.","authors":"Alemayehu Zewodu, Wassu Mohammed, Eleni Shiferaw","doi":"10.1155/sci5/3957883","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/3957883","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Barley is considered to have Ethiopia as its center of diversity, and it is among the most prominent cereal crops cultivated across different agroecology in the country. However, the available germplasm in the country has not been studied much compared to the number of accessions under conservation and the expected diversity of crops in the country. This study was therefore conducted to estimate the phenotypic variability and association of morphoagronomic traits among 49 barley accessions. The experiment was conducted in 2021 using a 7 × 7 simple lattice design. The results of the analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the accessions for all traits. Moreover, with a mean of 4.02 t·ha^-1, the variation in accessions for grain yield ranged from 2.18 to 6.89 t·ha^-1. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation varied in the range between 7.25% (days to maturity) and 35.18% (weight of kernels per spike) and 6.61% (peduncle length) and 32.25% (weight of kernels per spike), respectively. Broad-sense heritability and genetic advance as a percentage of mean varied from 43.18 (number of fertile tillers) to 92.5% (days to heading) and 11.87% (peduncle length) to 60.99% (weight of kernel per spike), respectively. Grain yield had positive phenotypic and genotypic correlations with the majority of traits. Moreover, the number of spikelets per spike followed by the number of fertile tillers, thousand kernel weight, and number of kernels per spike had strong positive associations with grain yield and they had a direct, positive genotypic effect on grain yield. Consequently, while selecting accessions for high grain yields, these traits should be considered as well. The Euclidian distances of accessions estimated from quantitative traits ranged from 1.07 to 9.24, and the accessions were clustered into six distinct clusters. Clusters V (32.65%), II (26.5%), VI (24.49%), and IV (12.25%) consisted of the largest proportion of accessions, whereas Clusters I and III consisted of one accession each. From principal components' analysis, 79.65% of the variance was explained by three main components with eigenvalues greater than one. Thus, the current findings suggest that there is wide genetic variation among accessions which may be used for crop improvement and the information generated could also be utilized for genetic conservation.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"3957883"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11828655/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143433704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Short-Term Alteration of Soil Physicochemical Characteristics Induced by Biochar Application on a <i>Ferric Acrisol</i>.","authors":"Jochebed Kaki Torgbenu, Godfred Boateng, Felix Osei Kwarteng, Stephen Ardey Mensah, Edward Benjamin Sabi, Peace Korshiwor Amoatey, Peter Amoako Ofori, Stella Owusu-Nketia, Anthony Raphael Simpson, Selorm Yaotse Dorvlo, Emmanuel Essien, Evans Asenso","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7743251","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/7743251","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biochar (incinerated organic waste by-product) has shown promise in enhancing soil fertility and agricultural productivity. Soil quality plays an essential role in the success of agricultural activities, with soil enhancement being crucial for optimizing crop yields and fostering soil fertility. An experiment with different biochar types was arranged in a randomized complete block design. The biochar [coconut husk (CH) biochar and sugarcane bagasse (SB) biochar] was evenly hand mixed with the soil after plowing to 30 cm depth. A one-time application of biochar was done. There was a total of six treatments: SB biochar, SB biochar plus nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) (SB + NPK), CH biochar, CH biochar plus NPK (CB + NPK), NPK, and control (CT), with three replicates for each treatment. The area of each plot was 3 m² (3 m × 1 m) to assess the effects of biochar application on the soil physical and chemical characteristics of <i>Ferric Acrisol</i> with cabbage <i>(Fortune F1 variety)</i> as a test crop in Ghana. Soil bulk density, porosity, pH, organic carbon (OC), available N, total P, available K, available calcium (Ca), electrical conductivity (EC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were determined. CH and SB addition improved soil bulk density (1.21 g·cm^-3 and 1.29 g·cm^-3), leading to a significant (<i>p</i> < 0.05) improvement in the total porosity (54.29% and 51.10%), respectively, at 0-30 cm soil depth compared to the presoil condition (1.5 g·cm^-3). Additionally, CH and SB significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) impacted the soil chemical characteristics and fertility of the tested soil. The results showed that biochar application is crucial for C sequestration, reduction in pH (SB-7.36 and CH-7.44 compared to the presoil condition (4.93) at 0-30 cm soil depth), and soil fertility enhancement. Applying biochar to soils can therefore be considered a potential solution to improve soil fertility for sustainable crop production.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7743251"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11825198/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Amebicidal and Antiadhesion Activities of <i>Knema retusa</i> Extract Against <i>Acanthamoeba triangularis</i> T4 Genotype on Contact Lenses and Modeling Simulation of Its Main Compound, E2N, Against <i>Acanthamoeba</i> Beta-Tubulin.","authors":"Watcharapong Mitsuwan, Imran Sama-Ae, Suthinee Sangkanu, Dhrubo Ahmed Khan, Partha Biswas, Md Nazmul Hasan, Julalak Chuprom, Tajudeen O Jimoh, Christophe Wiart, Masyitah Binti Zulkipli, Nor Hayati Abdullah, Maria de Lourdes Pereira, Sonia M Rodrigues Oliveira, Shanmuga Sundar Saravanabhavan, Polrat Wilairatana, Tooba Mahboob, Veeranoot Nissapatorn","doi":"10.1155/sci5/4311313","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/4311313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Medicinal plants have been used as alternative agents for the treatment of infections. This study aimed to investigate bioactivities of medicinal plant extracts including <i>Knema retusa</i> extract (Kre) against <i>Acanthamoeba triangularis</i> T4 <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in silico</i>. Anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> activities of 44 extracts from 5 plant species were determined. From 44 tested extracts, a chloroform extract of Kre bark showed the strongest anti-<i>Acanthamoeba</i> activities against both trophozoites and cysts, with MIC values of 32.25 and 62.50 μg/mL, respectively. Then, amebicidal and antiadhesion activities of Kre against <i>A. triangularis</i> were investigated. Kre reduced the growth by 3 logs within 8 h at 4 × MIC. Disruption of the cells with abnormal shapes was observed when trophozoites were treated with Kre. Trophozoites had lost their robust acanthopodia and began to shrink after treatment with Kre. Treated cysts exhibited wall disruption and dramatically showed forms of marked retraction. Treatment of Kre at 1/2 × MIC showed about 87% reduction in the trophozoite adhesion, while treatment at 2 × MIC exhibited a 59% reduction in the trophozoite adhesion to the plastic surface, compared with the control. Furthermore, 1 log cells/mL (90%) of the contact lens adhesive trophozoites were reduced and removed after treatment with Kre. Molecular docking indicated that E2N, the main compound in Kre, exhibited strong binding to the ligand binding sites at β-tubulin, with a binding energy of -7.01 kcal/mol and an inhibitory constant of 2.43-7.32 μM. E2N generated multiple connections via hydrogen, hydrophobic, ionic, and water bridge bonding and maintained these connections until the simulation finished, facilitating the creation of stable bindings with the β-tubulin protein as measured by molecular dynamics simulation. These findings suggest that Kre exhibits amebicidal and antiadhesion activities which could be used for the prevention of <i>A. triangularis</i> adhesion to contact lenses.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"4311313"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11824310/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antidiabetic Potential of <i>Senna siamea</i>: <i>α</i>-Glucosidase Inhibition, Postprandial Blood Glucose Reduction, Toxicity Evaluation, and Molecular Docking.","authors":"Suthinee Sangkanu, Armad Heemman, Sathianpong Phoopha, Thanet Pitakbut, Wandee Udomuksorn, Sukanya Dej-Adisai","doi":"10.1155/sci5/6650349","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/6650349","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Senna siamea</i> (Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby is used in Thai cuisine. This plant is also used in traditional treatments, including diabetes. Therefore, this study aims to examine the antihyperglycemic effects of <i>S. siamea</i> heartwood extract. The ethanolic extract of <i>S. siamea</i> heartwood exhibited activity against <i>α</i>-glucosidase enzyme with IC₅₀ values of 54.4 μg/mL. Moreover, <i>S. siamea</i> extract (250-1000 mg/kg BW) was tested using normal rats with and without sucrose of 3 g/kg BW administration. The results showed that all extract concentrations significantly reduced fasting blood glucose compared with the control. In addition, results also agreed with the amount of sucrose in the small intestine of rats. In the acute toxicity study, a single dose of the <i>S. siamea</i> extract at 2000 mg/kg BW caused no mortality, and hematological and biochemical parameters also revealed no toxic effects of the extract on rats. The subchronic toxicity study, administration of the extract for 90 days, at 250 mg/kg BW, caused no significant changes in the hematological and biochemical parameters of rats in the treated groups compared with the control group. However, histopathology of the liver and kidney indicated an inflammatory response at 500 and 1000 mg/kg BW of the extract, correlating to hematological and biochemical findings. Finally, molecular docking was conducted to evaluate theoretical interactions between three main stilbenes previously found in <i>S. siamea</i> extract and mammalian <i>α</i>-glucosidases (Wistar rat and human). The simulation supported the in vivo study and suggested the potential for human glucosidase inhibition. Therefore, <i>S. siamea</i> could be a promising candidate against <i>α</i>-glucosidase. This study offers encouraging information on the potential of natural compounds from <i>S. siamea</i> to act as <i>α</i>-glucosidase inhibitors for diabetes treatment through drug development or dietary supplement for hyperglycemia individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"6650349"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11824848/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143415237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors Febuxostat and Allopurinol on Kidney Dysfunction and Histological Damage in Two-Kidney, One-Clip (2K1C) Rats.","authors":"Asif Ul Haque Shuvo, Mirza Alimullah, Ishrat Jahan, Kaniz Fatima Mitu, Md Junaeid Rahman, Kazi Akramuddaula, Ferdous Khan, Pritesh Ranjan Dash, Nusrat Subhan, Md Ashraful Alam","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7932075","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/7932075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In chronic kidney disease (CKD), hyperuricemia is a common phenomenon, presumably due to reduced renal clearance of uric acid. This study investigated the effect of xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors allopurinol and febuxostat to prevent oxidative stress in the kidney of two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) rats. In this investigation, 2K1C rats were used as an experimental animal model for kidney dysfunction. 2K1C rats were provided with food and drinking water and received febuxostat at a dose of 10 mg/kg or allopurinol at 100 mg/kg, respectively. After the treatment completion, all rats were sacrificed, and tissue samples were collected. 2K1C rats exhibited increased plasma creatinine, uric acid level, and glomerular injury assessed based on microscopic findings. Both allopurinol and febuxostat significantly normalized creatinine and uric acid levels. Furthermore, 2K1C rats showed increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), nitric oxide (NO), and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) alongside decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity. Again, both drug treatments ameliorated these elevated oxidative stress parameters in 2K1C rats. The antioxidant genes such as Nrf-2, HO-1, and SOD were also restored in the kidneys of 2K1C rats by allopurinol and febuxostat treatment. 2K1C rats also showed increased IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-кB mRNA expression in the kidneys which were normalized by allopurinol and febuxostat treatment. Thus, the data suggest that XO inhibition protects kidney function potentially by restoring antioxidant enzyme function and suppressing inflammation.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7932075"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11779995/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143067799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hormonal Implications of SARS-CoV-2: A Review of Endocrine Disruptions.","authors":"Aliya Yskak, Yevgeniy Sokharev, Kuanysh Zhumalynov, Elizaveta Koneva, Natalia Afanasyeva, Dmitri Borodulin, Dmitrii Babaskin, Almabek Nugmanov, Murat Nurushev, Vadim Chashkov","doi":"10.1155/sci5/7305185","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/7305185","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To improve medical care and rehabilitation algorithms for patients affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is important to evaluate and summarize the available data on the effect of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) on the endocrine system. The purpose of this review was to study the effect of COVID-19 on the endocrine system. The scientific novelty of this study is the evaluation of the effect of coronavirus infection on the endocrine system and the potential effect of hormones on susceptibility to COVID-19. The results of this review show that the endocrine system is vulnerable to disorders caused by COVID-19, mainly thyroid dysfunction and hyperglycemia. The information in the published literature mentioned here contains some unclear aspects and contradictory data, but much remains to be studied and clarified regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the endocrine system. In particular, this concerns the study of the hyperglycemic status of patients who have had coronavirus infection, which is extremely important for the future metabolic health of COVID-19 survivors. This review contributes to the scientific discourse by systematically synthesizing disparate studies to identify patterns, gaps, and emerging trends in the literature concerning the effects of COVID-19 on the endocrine system. By integrating these findings, this study offers a novel perspective on potential hormonal interactions influencing COVID-19 susceptibility and outcomes, proposing new hypotheses and frameworks for future research.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"7305185"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11742418/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143011095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glucosamine Inhibits the Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Eliciting Apoptosis, Autophagy, and the Anti-Warburg Effect.","authors":"Misako Samizu, Kaoruko Iida","doi":"10.1155/sci5/5685884","DOIUrl":"10.1155/sci5/5685884","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although glucosamine (GlcN) exhibits antitumor effects, its mechanism of action remains controversial. Additionally, its impact on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of GlcN and its underlying mechanism in a mouse HCC cell line, Hepa1-6. GlcN treatment significantly inhibited Hepa1-6 cell proliferation. Gene expression analysis revealed that GlcN upregulated <i>Chop</i> and <i>Bax</i> while downregulating <i>Bcl2</i>, indicating the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis in the antiproliferative effects of GlcN. GlcN also increased the expression of <i>FoxO1</i> and <i>FoxO3</i>, known tumor suppressors in various cancers. Furthermore, GlcN treatment elevated the levels of LC3II (an autophagy marker) and AMP-activated protein kinase activity, suggesting intracellular energy shortage. Indeed, GlcN treatment significantly suppressed glycolytic flux, lactate, and ATP production. Supplementing GlcN treatment with a high glucose concentration (20 mM) significantly attenuated its effect. We postulate that GlcN inhibits Hepa1-6 cell growth by inducing ER stress-induced apoptosis and autophagy and by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect), a key hallmark of cancer metabolism. Given that glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2), which is abundantly expressed in hepatocytes, has a high affinity for GlcN, these effects may result from GlcN competing with glucose for hepatocyte uptake by GLUT2. Our novel findings have potential implications for HCC treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":21726,"journal":{"name":"Scientifica","volume":"2025 ","pages":"5685884"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11735062/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143011078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}