Effects of Herbs and Derived Natural Products on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Toxicity: A Literature Review.

Introduction: Oxidative stress (OS) during inflammation can increase inflammatory responses and damage tissue. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce oxidative stress and inflammation in several organs. Natural products have several biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunoregulatory properties. The aims of the study are to study the possible therapeutic effects of natural products on LPS inducing toxicity on the nervous system, lung, liver, and immune system. Methods: The in vitro and in vivo research articles that were published in the last 5 years were included in the current study. The keywords included "lipopolysaccharide," "toxicity," "natural products," and "plant extract" were searched in different databases such as Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar until October 2021. Results: The results of most studies indicated that some medicinal herbs and their potent natural products can help to prevent, treat, and manage LPS-induced toxicity. Medicinal herbs and plant-derived natural products showed promising effects on managing and treating oxidative stress, inflammation, and immunomodulation by several mechanisms. Conclusion: However, these findings provide information about natural products for the prevention and treatment of LPS-induced toxicity, but the scientific validation of natural products requires more evidence on animal models to replace modern commercial medicine.

Curcumin Combats against Gastrointestinal Cancer: A Review of Current Knowledge Regarding Epigenetics Mechanisms with a Focus on DNA Methylation.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are one of the most common human malignancies and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. One of the most prominent hallmarks of cancer and a basic trait of almost all GI malignancies is genomic/epigenomics alterations. DNA methylation is highlighted as a fundamental mechanism underlying the inactivation of several tumor-suppressor gene signaling pathways. Thus, sites of DNA methylation can be triggered for cancer therapy. Available therapeutic procedures for GI cancer show unsatisfactory efficacy, and some treatments are associated with severe side effects, including ulceration or bleeding. Therefore, it is essential to find alternative treatments. There is growing evidence indicating that some chemopreventive phytochemicals can combat cancer. One of the most systematically investigated nutraceuticals for its advantages in managing different diseases is curcumin (CUR). CUR is well known for its potent anticancer characteristics by targeting epigenetic mechanisms, with DNA methylation at the forefront. Prior investigations have indicated that CUR treatment can benefit GI cancers by controlling several signaling pathways related to oxidative stress and epigenomics pathways. The present literature displays recent evidence regarding DNA methylation alterations by CUR and its potential role in GI cancer prevention and treatment.