Monkeypox outbreak 2022: What we know so far and its potential drug targets and management strategies.

Monkeypox is a rare zoonotic disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The disease can result in flu-like symptoms, fever, and a persistent rash. The disease is currently spreading throughout the world and prevention and treatment efforts are being intensified. Although there is no treatment that has been specifically approved for monkeypox virus infection, infected patients may benefit from using certain antiviral medications that are typically prescribed for the treatment of smallpox. The drugs are tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and cidofovir, all of which are currently in short supply due to the spread of the monkeypox virus. Resistance is also a concern, as widespread replication of the monkeypox virus can lead to mutations that produce monkeypox viruses that are resistant to the currently available treatments. This article discusses monkeypox disease, potential drug targets, and management strategies to overcome monkeypox disease. With the discovery of new drugs, it is hoped that the problem of insufficient drugs will be resolved, and it is not anticipated that drug resistance will become a major issue in the near future.

hUMSC vs. hUMSC-Exosome: Which One Is Better for Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by abnormal brain cell activity that results in seizures. It causes progressive damage to neurons. Epilepsy treatment currently focuses mostly on symptoms, which also have risks of unwanted side effects. There is currently no effective treatment to prevent epileptogenesis and the resulting neural damage. Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell (hUMSC) and exosome therapy are examples of cellular therapies that may be used to treat degenerative diseases, such as epilepsy, or cell damage. However, there is still little research on the use of hUMSCs or hUMSC-exosomes for treating epilepsy. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to compare the potential and risk of hUMSCs and hUMSC-exosomes as therapies for epilepsy. This article provides a brief summary of hUMSCs and hUMSC-exosomes in multiple aspects, such as the isolation and purification method, the mechanism of action, immunological compatibility, tumorigenicity, the risk of transmitting disease, stability upon storage, the potential of new composition with other substances, and also ethical and political issues. We conclude that hUMSCs and hUMSC-exosomes have therapeutic potential for epilepsy, with hUMSC-exosomes being safer due to their reduced immunogenicity.

Natural Antioxidant Activities of Plants in Preventing Cataractogenesis.

A cataract is a condition that causes 17 million people to experience blindness and is the most significant cause of vision loss, around 47.9%. The formation of cataracts is linked to both the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the reduction of endogenous antioxidants. ROS are highly reactive molecules produced by oxygen. Examples of ROS include peroxides, super-oxides, and hydroxyl radicals. ROS are produced in cellular responses to xenobiotics and bacterial invasion and during mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. Excessive ROS can trigger oxidative stress that initiates the progression of eye lens opacities. ROS and other free radicals are highly reactive molecules because their outer orbitals have one or more unpaired electrons and can be neutralized by electron-donating compounds, such as antioxidants. Examples of natural antioxidant compounds are vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. Numerous studies have demonstrated that plants contain numerous antioxidant compounds that can be used as cataract preventatives or inhibitors. Natural antioxidant extracts for cataract therapy may be investigated further in light of these findings, which show that consuming a sufficient amount of antioxidant-rich plants is an excellent approach to cataract prevention. Several other natural compounds also prevent cataracts by inhibiting aldose reductase and preventing apoptosis of the eye lens.

Can the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Confer Natural Immunity against COVID-19?

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still ongoing, with no signs of abatement in sight. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the causative agent of this pandemic and has claimed over 5 million lives, is still mutating, resulting in numerous variants. One of the newest variants is Omicron, which shows an increase in its transmissibility, but also reportedly reduces hospitalization rates and shows milder symptoms, such as in those who have been vaccinated. As a result, many believe that Omicron provides a natural vaccination, which is the first step toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on published research and scientific evidence, we review and discuss how the end of this pandemic is predicted to occur as a result of Omicron variants being surpassed in the community. In light of the findings of our research, we believe that it is most likely true that the Omicron variant is a natural way of vaccinating the masses and slowing the spread of this deadly pandemic. While the mutation that causes the Omicron variant is encouraging, subsequent mutations do not guarantee that the disease it causes will be less severe. As the virus continues to evolve, humans must constantly adapt by increasing their immunity through vaccination.