ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is caused by a deficit in the ABCD1 gene, which leads to demyelination of neurons and dysfunction of the adrenal cortices and testicles. Of the three known phenotypes, 30%-50% of male ALD patients present with the adrenomyeloneuropathy phenotype, characterized by gait disturbance as the initial symptom. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old man with a prior diagnosis of ALD was admitted to a Korean medicine hospital for the treatment of gait disturbance. His ability to walk was severely impaired at admission, significantly affecting the patient's quality of life. He was treated with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electroacupuncture, and herbal medicine for 23 d. The 25-Foot Walk test (25FW), timed up and go (TUG), comfortable gait speed (CGS), numeric rating scale (NRS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Tinetti test, manual muscle test (MMT), and 3-level version of EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D-3L) were used to evaluate the patient. The outcomes of the 25FW, TUG, and CGS improved during hospitalization. From the time of admission to discharge we observed: A decrease in NRS scores in the lower extremities and the lower back; an increase of 3 points in the BBS; a 1-point increase in the balancing part of the Tinetti Test; MMT and EQ-5D-3L performances remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: Traditional Chinese medicine treatments could be a therapeutic option to alleviate issues related to gait disturbance in ALD.
ABSTRACT
Common care for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and temozolomide- (TMZ-) based chemotherapy. Unfortunately, these therapies remain inadequate involving severe mortality and recurrence. Recently, new approaches discovering combinations of multiple inhibitors have been proposed along with the identification of key driver mutations that are specific to each patient. To date, this approach is still limited by the lack of effective therapy. Hopefully, novel compounds derived from natural products are suggested as potential solutions. Inhibitory effects of natural products on angiogenesis and metastasis and cancer suppressive effect of altering miRNA expression are provident discoveries. Angelica sinensis accelerates apoptosis by their key substances influencing factors of apoptosis pathways. Brazilin displays antitumor features by making influence on reactive oxygen species (ROS) intensity. Sargassum serratifolium, flavonoids, and so on have antimetastasis effect. Ficus carica controls miRNA that inhibits translation of certain secretory pathway proteins during the UPR. Serratia marcescens and patupilone (EPO 906) are physically assessed materials through clinical trials related to GBM progression. Consequently, our review puts emphasis on the potential of natural products in GBM treatment by regulating multiple malignant cancer-related pathway solving pending problem such as reducing toxicity and side effect.
