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(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major polyphenol of green tea that possesses a wide variety of actions. EGCG acts as a strong antioxidant which effectively scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibits pro-oxidant enzymes including NADPH oxidase, activates antioxidant systems including superoxide dismutase, catalase, or glutathione, and reduces abundant production of nitric oxide metabolites by inducible nitric oxide synthase. ECGC also exerts potent anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, pro-apoptotic, anti-tumorous, and metabolic effects via modulation of a variety of intracellular signaling cascades. Based on this knowledge, the use of EGCG could be of benefit in respiratory diseases with acute or chronic inflammatory, oxidative, and fibrotizing processes in their pathogenesis. This article reviews current information on the biological effects of EGCG in those respiratory diseases or animal models in which EGCG has been administered, i.e., acute respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory infections, COVID-19, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung fibrosis, silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, and lung embolism, and critically discusses effectiveness of EGCG administration in these respiratory disorders. For this review, articles in English language from the PubMed database were used.
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A positive association between anemia and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality independent of age, gender, and history of cardiovascular diseases has been confirmed. Disturbed iron metabolism might also play a role in the prognosis of patients with COVID-19. Moreover, alterations of iron homeostasis can persist long after COVID-19 onset and could be associated with impaired physical performance. We aimed to evaluate the levels of parameters associated with iron metabolism in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 during a 1-week period. In our study, 53 patients were included and they were further divided into two groups according to the outcome: positive (recovery and discharge from hospital) or negative (aggravation, exitus, or both). Their blood samples were collected on Days 1, 3, and 7 during hospitalization and basic laboratory analyses were performed, including measurement of iron metabolism parameters. All patients had pathologically increased plasmatic levels of ferritin and decreased levels of transferrin during the whole observation period. We have not found any correlation between levels of these markers and patients' prognosis. However, levels of ferritin significantly decreased and levels of transferrin significantly increased on the seventh day only in patients with a positive outcome. Further studies with a longer observation period are warranted to evaluate the period needed for reestablishment of iron homeostasis. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Acta Facultatis Pharmaceuticae Universitatis Comenianae is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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Until the global SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak in 2020, tuberculosis (TB) was the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Nevertheless, TB remains a major global health threat. The national health TB situation in Slovakia is as yet unchanged, with successful treatment outcomes reaching over 90% of cases. Low housing quality, unfavourable social background, and abandonment of anti-TB vaccination efforts could contribute to newly detected cases. Furthermore, the increasing migration rate due to the ongoing war in Eastern Europe could potentially affect the incidence of the disease. First-line antituberculotics represented by parenteral streptomycin and oral forms of isoniazid, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, rifampicin, and derivatives rifabutine and rifapentine hold an exclusive position in the drug-susceptible TB treatment regime. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a measurement of plasma drug concentrations. It is directly linked with the individualisation of pharmacotherapy by maintaining plasma levels of the drugs within the therapeutic range. Because TDM is improving the clinical potential of therapeutics and simultaneously lowering toxicity risk, it passes the assessment of efficacy and safety. Despite many advantages of TDM, TB treatment requires further investigation on outcomes improvement. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) offers high-quality measured data, as it has adopted enhanced analytical specificity and high sensitivity over conventional immunoassay methods. A new LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous detection and quantification of isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol was developed and fully validated according to the European Medicine Agency guidelines. Determining drug plasma levels enables clinicians to achieve the targeted serum concentrations required for successful clinical and bacteriological outcomes. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Acta Facultatis Pharmaceuticae Universitatis Comenianae is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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Despite progress in understanding the pathophysiology of acute lung damage, currently approved treatment possibilities are limited to lung-protective ventilation, prone positioning, and supportive interventions. Various pharmacological approaches have also been tested, with neuromuscular blockers and corticosteroids considered as the most promising. However, inhibitors of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) also exert a broad spectrum of favorable effects potentially beneficial in acute lung damage. This article reviews pharmacological action and therapeutical potential of nonselective and selective PDE inhibitors and summarizes the results from available studies focused on the use of PDE inhibitors in animal models and clinical studies, including their adverse effects. The data suggest that xanthines as representatives of nonselective PDE inhibitors may reduce acute lung damage, and decrease mortality and length of hospital stay. Various (selective) PDE3, PDE4, and PDE5 inhibitors have also demonstrated stabilization of the pulmonary epithelial-endothelial barrier and reduction the sepsis- and inflammation-increased microvascular permeability, and suppression of the production of inflammatory mediators, which finally resulted in improved oxygenation and ventilatory parameters. However, the current lack of sufficient clinical evidence limits their recommendation for a broader use. A separate chapter focuses on involvement of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and PDE-related changes in its metabolism in association with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The chapter illuminates perspectives of the use of PDE inhibitors as an add-on treatment based on actual experimental and clinical trials with preliminary data suggesting their potential benefit.