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Medicines, Volume 5, Issue 3

2018 September - 48 articles

Cover Story: The genus Juniperus has attracted great interest in the scientific community since these plants have many uses in folk medicine. A wide range of published results about the medicinal applications of Juniperus species and the biological activities of their metabolites provide more evidence that these species are applicable to the development of new natural medicines. They are also a source of unique natural chemical structures. For example, from Juniperus brevifolia (Seub.) Antoine, an endemic tree of the Azores locally known as ‘‘cedro-do-mato’’, several secondary metabolites with a unique chemical structure were isolated and identified. View this paper.
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Articles (48)

  • Article
  • Open Access
19 Citations
5,451 Views
12 Pages

Effects of Shugan-Jianpi Recipe on the Expression of the p38 MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway in the Hepatocytes of NAFLD Rats

  • Yuanjun Deng,
  • Kairui Tang,
  • Runsen Chen,
  • Yajie Liu,
  • Huan Nie,
  • Hong Wang,
  • Yupei Zhang and
  • Qinhe Yang

19 September 2018

Background: In traditional Chinese medicine, the Shugan-Jianpi recipe is often used in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to explore the mechanism of the Shugan-Jianpi recipe in relation to rats with NAFLD ind...

  • Feature Paper
  • Article
  • Open Access
17 Citations
6,126 Views
18 Pages

18 September 2018

Background: Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng) seeds have long been used in traditional medicine as a remedy for numerous conditions due to a range of bioactive compounds. This study investigated the solvent extraction of compounds that could be...

  • Article
  • Open Access
54 Citations
7,196 Views
16 Pages

Oleic Acid Nanovesicles of Minoxidil for Enhanced Follicular Delivery

  • Pawan Kumar,
  • Shailendra Kumar Singh,
  • Vandana Handa and
  • Himanshu Kathuria

14 September 2018

Current topical minoxidil (MXD) formulations involve an unpleasant organic solvent which causes patient incompliance in addition to side effects in some cases. Therefore, the objective of this work was to develop an MXD formulation providing enhanced...

  • Communication
  • Open Access
15 Citations
5,433 Views
12 Pages

10 September 2018

Three recent studies revealed synergy between immune-checkpoint inhibitors and the microbiome as a new approach in the treatment of cancer. Incidentally, there has been significant progress in understanding the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PU...

  • Review
  • Open Access
60 Citations
10,011 Views
14 Pages

7 September 2018

The human microbiome plays many roles in inflammation, drug metabolism, and even the development of cancer that we are only beginning to understand. Colorectal cancer has been a focus for study in this field as its pathogenesis and its response to tr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
17 Citations
6,426 Views
16 Pages

Clinical Safety of Combined Targeted and Viscum album L. Therapy in Oncological Patients

  • Anja Thronicke,
  • Shiao Li Oei,
  • Antje Merkle,
  • Harald Matthes and
  • Friedemann Schad

6 September 2018

Background: Despite improvement of tumor response rates, targeted therapy may induce toxicities in cancer patients. Recent studies indicate amelioration of adverse events (AEs) by add-on mistletoe (Viscum album L., VA) in standard oncological treatme...

  • Review
  • Open Access
345 Citations
45,678 Views
13 Pages

4 September 2018

Nowadays, there is an interest in the consumption of food without synthetic additives and rather with the use of natural preservatives. In this regard, natural extracts of the Lamiaceae family, such as rosemary, have been studied because of its bioac...

  • Editorial
  • Open Access
1 Citations
4,367 Views
4 Pages

4 September 2018

This Medicines special issue focuses on the further investigation, development, and modernization of acupuncture in basic research settings, as well as in clinical applications. The special issue contains 12 articles reporting latest evidence-based r...

  • Editorial
  • Open Access
8 Citations
4,936 Views
3 Pages

3 September 2018

This editorial adopts a future-oriented technology. It describes a new modern helmet for transcranial laser stimulation and a way to quantify effects of this possible therapeutical method using near-infrared spectroscopy.

  • Article
  • Open Access
12 Citations
10,255 Views
8 Pages

Acupuncture and Lifestyle Myopia in Primary School Children—Results from a Transcontinental Pilot Study Performed in Comparison to Moxibustion

  • Xiaojuan Shang,
  • Luquan Chen,
  • Gerhard Litscher,
  • Yanxia Sun,
  • Chuxiong Pan,
  • Cun-Zhi Liu,
  • Daniela Litscher and
  • Lu Wang

Background: Lifestyle risks for myopia are well known and the disease has become a major global public health issue worldwide. There is a relation between reading, writing, and computer work and the development of myopia. Methods: Within this prospec...

  • Article
  • Open Access
15 Citations
10,474 Views
35 Pages

Background: Frankincense, the oleo-gum resin of Boswellia trees, has been used in traditional medicine since ancient times. Frankincense has been used to treat wounds and skin infections, inflammatory diseases, dementia, and various other conditions....

  • Feature Paper
  • Review
  • Open Access
1,215 Citations
38,674 Views
16 Pages

Flavonoids and Other Phenolic Compounds from Medicinal Plants for Pharmaceutical and Medical Aspects: An Overview

  • Duangjai Tungmunnithum,
  • Areeya Thongboonyou,
  • Apinan Pholboon and
  • Aujana Yangsabai

Phenolic compounds as well as flavonoids are well-known as antioxidant and many other important bioactive agents that have long been interested due to their benefits for human health, curing and preventing many diseases. This review attempts to demon...

  • Review
  • Open Access
16 Citations
6,161 Views
21 Pages

Traditional Uses of Cannabinoids and New Perspectives in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

  • Francesca Gado,
  • Maria Digiacomo,
  • Marco Macchia,
  • Simone Bertini and
  • Clementina Manera

Recent findings highlight the emerging role of the endocannabinoid system in the control of symptoms and disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic, immune-mediated, demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system with no cu...

  • Feature Paper
  • Review
  • Open Access
23 Citations
6,570 Views
17 Pages

The Expanding Role of Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases

  • Mark O’Beirn,
  • Helen Benghiat,
  • Sara Meade,
  • Geoff Heyes,
  • Vijay Sawlani,
  • Anthony Kong,
  • Andrew Hartley and
  • Paul Sanghera

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become increasingly important in the management of brain metastases due to improving systemic disease control and rising incidence. Initial trials demonstrated SRS with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) improved loca...

  • Feature Paper
  • Review
  • Open Access
16 Citations
11,646 Views
11 Pages

Pharmacologic Treatment Options for Insomnia in Patients with Schizophrenia

  • Lauren Stummer,
  • Marija Markovic and
  • Megan E. Maroney

Background: Symptoms of sleep disorders, such as disturbances in sleep initiation and continuity, are commonly reported in patients with schizophrenia, especially in the acute phase of illness. Studies have shown that up to 80% of patients diagnosed...

  • Review
  • Open Access
56 Citations
8,697 Views
68 Pages

Myrtus communis L. (myrtle) and Myrtus nivellei Batt. & Trab. (Saharan myrtle) have been used in folk medicine for alleviating some ailments. M. communis is largely distributed in the Mediterranean Basin, whereas M. nivellei is confined in specif...

  • Review
  • Open Access
45 Citations
7,178 Views
18 Pages

Anticancer Effects of Green Tea and the Underlying Molecular Mechanisms in Bladder Cancer

  • Yasuyoshi Miyata,
  • Tomohiro Matsuo,
  • Kyohei Araki,
  • Yuichiro Nakamura,
  • Yuji Sagara,
  • Kojiro Ohba and
  • Hideki Sakai

Green tea and green tea polyphenols (GTPs) are reported to inhibit carcinogenesis and malignant behavior in several diseases. Various in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that GTPs suppress the incidence and development of bladder cancer. However,...

  • Perspective
  • Open Access
3 Citations
17,644 Views
11 Pages

The Role of Cannabis within an Emerging Perspective on Schizophrenia

  • Jegason P. Diviant,
  • Jacob M. Vigil and
  • Sarah S. Stith

Background: Approximately 0.5% of the population is diagnosed with some form of schizophrenia, under the prevailing view that the pathology is best treated using pharmaceutical medications that act on monoamine receptors. Methods: We briefly review e...

  • Article
  • Open Access
5 Citations
6,212 Views
31 Pages

Background: Previous research has considered the impact of personal and situational factors on treatment responses. This article documents the first phase of a four-stage project on patient characteristics that may influence responsiveness to acupunc...

  • Article
  • Open Access
94 Citations
11,410 Views
10 Pages

Total Polyphenol Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Rosehips of Some Rosa Species

  • Noémi Koczka,
  • Éva Stefanovits-Bányai and
  • Attila Ombódi

Background: Rosehips, the fruits of Rosa species, are well known for their various health benefits like strengthening the immune system and treating digestive disorders. Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell regenerative effects are also among the...

  • Review
  • Open Access
17 Citations
7,150 Views
12 Pages

Behavioral, Psychiatric, and Cognitive Adverse Events in Older Persons Treated with Glucocorticoids

  • Ciro Manzo,
  • Jordi Serra-Mestres,
  • Alberto Castagna and
  • Marco Isetta

Background: Since the introduction of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the physician’s pharmacological arsenal, it has been known that they are a cause of behavioral or psychiatric adverse events (BPAE), as well as of cognitive problems. To the best of our k...

  • Article
  • Open Access
7 Citations
5,300 Views
11 Pages

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are largely preceded by colonization with MRSA. Hochuekkito is the formula composing 10 herbal medicines in traditional Kampo medicine to treat infirmity and to stimulate immun...

  • Review
  • Open Access
27 Citations
7,170 Views
24 Pages

Background: Plants and their derived natural compounds possess various biological and therapeutic properties, which turns them into an increasing topic of interest and research. Juniperus genus is diverse in species, with several traditional medicine...

  • Article
  • Open Access
5 Citations
4,260 Views
15 Pages

Inhibition of Homophilic Interactions and Ligand Binding of the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products by Heparin and Heparin-Related Carbohydrate Structures

  • Ari Rouhiainen,
  • Niko-Petteri Nykänen,
  • Juha Kuja-Panula,
  • Päivi Vanttola,
  • Henri J. Huttunen and
  • Heikki Rauvala

Background: Heparin and heparin-related sulphated carbohydrates inhibit ligand binding of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE). Here, we have studied the ability of heparin to inhibit homophilic interactions of RAGE in living cells...

  • Case Report
  • Open Access
5 Citations
3,776 Views
5 Pages

Takotsubo as Initial Manifestation of Non-Myopathic Cardiomyopathy Due to the Titin Variant c.1489G > T

  • Hans Keller,
  • Ulrike Neuhold,
  • Franz Weidinger,
  • Edmund Gatterer,
  • Claudia Stöllberger,
  • Klaus Huber and
  • Josef Finsterer

Background: Whether patients with subclinical cardiomyopathy (CMP) are more prone to experience Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) than patients without CMP, is unknown. We present a patient with TTS as the initial manifestation of a hitherto unrecognized gene...

  • Article
  • Open Access
19 Citations
6,216 Views
9 Pages

Hypoglicemic and Hypolipedimic Effects of Ganoderma lucidum in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

  • Erna Elisabeth Bach,
  • Edgar Matias Bach Hi,
  • Ana Maria Cristina Martins,
  • Paloma A. M. Nascimento and
  • Nilsa Sumie Yamashita Wadt

Background:Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. Ex. Fr) Karst is a basidiomycete mushroom that has been used for many years as a food supplement and medicine. In Brazil, National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) classified Ganoderma lucidum as a nutraceutica...

  • Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
4,523 Views
9 Pages

Evolution of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy in Lung Cancer and Birmingham’s (UK) Experience

  • Sundus Yahya,
  • Qamar Ghafoor,
  • Robert Stevenson,
  • Steven Watkins and
  • Beshar Allos

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has taken a pivotal role in early lung cancer management particularly in the medically inoperable patients. Retrospective studies have shown this to be well tolerated with comparable results to surgery and no...

  • Review
  • Open Access
39 Citations
9,453 Views
9 Pages

The inflammatory processes associated with several chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease and cancer have been the focus of mechanistic studies of the pathogenicity of these diseases and of the use of different pharmacological and natural meth...

  • Article
  • Open Access
21 Citations
35,595 Views
10 Pages

Effectiveness of Raw, Natural Medical Cannabis Flower for Treating Insomnia under Naturalistic Conditions

  • Jacob M. Vigil,
  • Sarah S. Stith,
  • Jegason P. Diviant,
  • Franco Brockelman,
  • Keenan Keeling and
  • Branden Hall

Background: We use a mobile software application (app) to measure for the first time, which fundamental characteristics of raw, natural medical Cannabis flower are associated with changes in perceived insomnia under naturalistic conditions. Methods:...

  • Review
  • Open Access
16 Citations
4,632 Views
13 Pages

MiR-663, a MicroRNA Linked with Inflammation and Cancer That Is under the Influence of Resveratrol

  • Jean-Jacques Michaille,
  • Victoria Piurowski,
  • Brooke Rigot,
  • Hesham Kelani,
  • Emily C. Fortman and
  • Esmerina Tili

Resveratrol (trans-3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene, RSV) is a non-flavonoid dietary polyphenol with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties that is primarily found in red berries. While RSV displays many beneficial effects in vitro,...

  • Article
  • Open Access
10 Citations
4,545 Views
14 Pages

Myrianthus arboreus P. Beauv (Cecropiaceae) Extracts Accelerates Sexual Maturation, and Increases Fertility Index and Gestational Rate in Female Wistar Rats

  • Charline Florence Awounfack,
  • Marie Alfrede Mvondo,
  • Stéphane Zingue,
  • Sylvin Benjamin Ateba,
  • Sefirin Djiogue,
  • Rosette Megnekou,
  • Derek Tantoh Ndinteh and
  • Dieudonné Njamen

Background: Despite the wide use of leaves of Myrianthus arboreus (Cecropiaceae) in several African countries including Cameroon as food and against amenorrhea and female infertility, it has never been tested for this purpose. Methods: Using immature...

  • Article
  • Open Access
13 Citations
4,102 Views
6 Pages

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is growing every year. The extent of its use is still not clear, and it is difficult to undertake comparative studies due to the variety of data collection tools used. Therefore, a s...

  • Article
  • Open Access
33 Citations
6,746 Views
17 Pages

In Vitro Anti-Cholinesterase and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts of Moringa oleifera Plants from Rivers State, Niger Delta, Nigeria

  • Lucky Legbosi Nwidu,
  • Ekramy Elmorsy,
  • Jonah Sydney Aprioku,
  • Iyeopu Siminialayi and
  • Wayne Grant Carter

This study evaluated Moringa oleifera extracts from two locations in Niger Delta for in vitro anti-cholinesterase and antioxidant activities. Methanolic, aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Moringa oleifera were evaluated for inhibition of acetylcholin...

  • Article
  • Open Access
17 Citations
6,197 Views
13 Pages

Background: Gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) seeds contain saponins that are reportedly medicinal. It was hypothesised that the extraction of saponins from powdered Gac seed kernels could be optimised using microwave-assisted extraction (MAE)...

  • Review
  • Open Access
14 Citations
5,366 Views
17 Pages

The Role of Notch Signaling and Leptin-Notch Crosstalk in Pancreatic Cancer

  • Adriana Harbuzariu,
  • Gabriela M. Oprea-Ilies and
  • Ruben R. Gonzalez-Perez

There is accumulating evidence that deregulated Notch signaling affects cancer development, and specifically pancreatic cancer (PC) progression. Notch canonical and non-canonical signaling has diverse impact on PC. Moreover, the actions of RBP-Jk (nu...

  • Review
  • Open Access
22 Citations
7,183 Views
14 Pages

C-C chemoattractant cytokine (chemokine) receptor 6 (CCR6) and its exclusive binding molecule CCL20 is an extremely important chemokine receptor-ligand pair which controls cell migration and immune induction during inflammatory disease. Not many scie...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
5,071 Views
12 Pages

Use of References in Responses from Scandinavian Drug Information Centres

  • Jan Schjøtt,
  • Ylva Böttiger,
  • Per Damkier,
  • Linda Amundstuen Reppe,
  • Jens Peter Kampmann,
  • Hanne Rolighed Christensen and
  • Olav Spigset

Background: The aim of this study was to compare use of references in responses from Scandinavian drug information centres (DICs). Methods: Six different fictitious drug-related queries were sent to each of seven Scandinavian DICs. The six queries co...

  • Review
  • Open Access
11 Citations
10,485 Views
7 Pages

Chronic neuropathic pain is a prevalent condition that places a heavy burden on individuals and the healthcare system. Current medications have limitations and new approaches are needed, particularly given the current opioid crisis. There is some cli...

  • Review
  • Open Access
8 Citations
6,976 Views
10 Pages

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) misuse is highly prevalent among young adults and creates myriad long-term problematic social, economic, and health consequences. Current treatments aimed at preventing or alleviating AOD misuse have demonstrated fairly i...

  • Feature Paper
  • Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
3,080 Views
13 Pages

Assessing Novel Drugs and Radiation Technology in the Chemoradiation of Oropharyngeal Cancer

  • Agostino Cristaudo,
  • Mitchell Hickman,
  • Charles Fong,
  • Paul Sanghera and
  • Andrew Hartley

Integrating immunotherapy, proton therapy and biological dose escalation into the definitive chemoradiation of oropharyngeal cancer poses several challenges. Reliable and reproducible data must be obtained in a timely fashion. However, despite recent...

  • Feature Paper
  • Article
  • Open Access
8 Citations
4,160 Views
12 Pages

The Association between Age, Comorbidities and Use of Radiotherapy in Women with Breast Cancer: Implications for Survival

  • Jimmy T. Efird,
  • Sharyn Hunter,
  • Sally Chan,
  • Sarah Jeong,
  • Susan L. Thomas,
  • Charulata Jindal and
  • Tithi Biswas

Background: Radiotherapy (RT) plays an important role in the management and survival of patients with breast cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the association between age, comorbidities and use of RT in this population. Methods: Patients d...

  • Feature Paper
  • Review
  • Open Access
43 Citations
28,133 Views
34 Pages

Acupuncture and Neural Mechanism in the Management of Low Back Pain—An Update

  • Tiaw-Kee Lim,
  • Yan Ma,
  • Frederic Berger and
  • Gerhard Litscher

Within the last 10 years, the percentage of low back pain (LBP) prevalence increased by 18%. The management and high cost of LBP put a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Many risk factors have been identified, such as lifestyle, trauma, dege...

  • Case Report
  • Open Access
7 Citations
3,805 Views
8 Pages

Qigong and a Tale of Two Back Complaints

  • Joseph Baumgarden,
  • Penelope Klein and
  • George Picard

Background: Chronic back pain is one of the leading causes of disability and decreased quality of life for people in both their personal and professional lives. In addition to modern medical intervention, many individuals seek relief through compleme...

  • Article
  • Open Access
31 Citations
10,081 Views
12 Pages

Pain Modulation after Oromucosal Cannabinoid Spray (SATIVEX®) in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Study with Quantitative Sensory Testing and Laser-Evoked Potentials

  • Mara Turri,
  • Francesco Teatini,
  • Francesco Donato,
  • Giampietro Zanette,
  • Valeria Tugnoli,
  • Luciano Deotto,
  • Bruno Bonetti and
  • Giovanna Squintani

Background. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/cannabidiol (CBD) (nabiximols or Sativex®) is an oromucosal spray formulation containing THC and CBD at an approximately 1:1 fixed ratio. Its administration for the treatment of pain in patients with...

  • Article
  • Open Access
33 Citations
6,782 Views
12 Pages

Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Antiproliferative Activities of Corymbia citriodora and the Essential Oils of Eight Eucalyptus Species

  • Maria Graça Miguel,
  • Custódia Gago,
  • Maria Dulce Antunes,
  • Soraia Lagoas,
  • Maria Leonor Faleiro,
  • Cristina Megías,
  • Isabel Cortés-Giraldo,
  • Javier Vioque and
  • Ana Cristina Figueiredo

Background: Essential oils (EOs) have shown antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antiproliferative activity, which may, alone or in combination with other substances, potentially be used for the development of new drugs. However, their chemical variabilit...

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Medicines - ISSN 2305-6320