Treatment Of Cardiovascular Diseases Research Articles

Metal-Based Nanoparticles for Cardiovascular Diseases.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death and disability. While there are many therapeutic alternatives available for the management of CVDs, the majority of classic therapeutic strategies were found to be ineffective at stopping or significantly/additionally slowing the progression of these diseases, or they had unfavorable side effects. Numerous metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) have been created to overcome these limitations, demonstrating encouraging possibilities in the treatment of CVDs due to advancements in nanotechnology. Metallic nanomaterials, including gold, silver, and iron, come in various shapes, sizes, and geometries. Metallic NPs are generally smaller and have more specialized physical, chemical, and biological properties. Metal-based NPs may come in various forms, such as nanoshells, nanorods, and nanospheres, and they have been studied the most. Massive potential applications for these metal nanomaterial structures include supporting molecular imaging, serving as drug delivery systems, enhancing radiation-based anticancer therapy, supplying photothermal transforming effects for thermal therapy, and being compounds with bactericidal, fungicidal, and antiviral qualities that may be helpful for cardiovascular diseases. In this context, the present paper aims to review the applications of relevant metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in CVDs, creating an up-to-date framework that aids researchers in developing more efficient treatment strategies.

The Role of Branched-chain Amino Acids and Their Metabolism in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential amino acids for protein synthesis. Recent studies have yielded new insights into their diverse physiological and pathological roles in health and disease. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. An increasing number of clinical studies have demonstrated that high levels of circulating BCAAs are associated with an increased risk of CVDs. Animal studies have provided preliminary evidence linking BCAA intake and metabolism with cardiovascular diseases. Despite these insights, the causal relationship between BCAA metabolism and CVD remains poorly established, and the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, we aim to provide an update on the current understanding of the roles of BCAAs and their metabolism in the development and progression of various CVDs. We also discuss the potential strategies targeting BCAA nutrition and metabolism for the prevention and treatment of CVDs.

3D-bioprinted cell-laden blood vessel with dual drug delivery nanoparticles for advancing vascular regeneration

Vascular regeneration plays a critical role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and in tissue engineering applications. In this study, we fabricated and characterized statin/curcumin-loaded nanoparticles for potential applications in vascular regeneration. The nanoparticles exhibited consistent spherical shape and sizes, indicating reproducibility and stability of the fabrication process. The sustained release of the loaded drugs from the nanoparticles indicated their suitability for controlled and prolonged drug delivery. Biocompatibility assessments revealed that the nanoparticles were nontoxic even at high concentrations and over extended periods. Moreover, the incorporation of statin within the nanoparticles enhanced the proliferative capacity and functional abilities of endothelial progenitor cells, thereby promoting angiogenesis and vascular repair. Co-administration of curcumin with statin further augmented the therapeutic effects by reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and providing antioxidant protection against oxidative stress. Furthermore, we successfully integrated these nanoparticles into artificial blood vessels (ABVs) using three-dimensional printing technology, creating customizable constructs capable of supporting vascular regeneration. The viability and proliferative capacity of cells within the ABVs were preserved, which has potential for targeted drug delivery and localized therapy. In in vivo models of hindlimb ischemia, transplantation of nanoparticle-loaded ABVs resulted in significant improvements in terms of recovery speed and blood flow. Histological analysis confirmed the enhanced expression of vascular-related markers, indicating improved angiogenesis. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the potential of statin/curcumin-loaded nanoparticles as a promising approach for vascular tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. These nanoparticles offer controlled drug delivery, biocompatibility, and enhanced regenerative properties, suggesting that they are valuable tools for promoting vascular regeneration and advancing therapeutic interventions for cardiovascular diseases. Further research is required to fully elucidate the mechanisms of action and optimize their clinical applications.

Knowledge domain and emerging trends of autophagy in cardiovascular research: A bibliometric analysis.

Autophagy is essential for the homeostasis and function of the cardiovascular system. Citespace is a visual analysis software developed in the context of scientometrics and data visualization. The purpose of this study is to use Citespace software to conduct bibliometric and visual analysis of the research on autophagy in cardiovascular diseases, identify the current status, hot spots and trends in this field, help researchers clarify the future research focus and direction of autophagy in cardiovascular diseases, and provide more positive and broader ideas for the treatment and drug development of cardiovascular diseases. In the Web of Science Core Collection database to download the data from 2004 to 2022 regarding autophagy in cardiovascular research. CitespaceV was used to collect the research status, hotspots and development trends for visual analysis. The 3568 articles were published by 547 authors from 397 institutions in 75 countries. From 2004 to 2021, the annual publications increased over time. The top 3 productive nations were China, the United States, and Germany. The leading institution was China's Fudan University. The most cited paper is Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition). The research hotpots include monitoring methods for autophagy activity, changes in autophagy levels in different types of cardiovascular diseases, autophagy signal transduction mechanism in cardiovascular diseases, etc. Bibliometric analysis provided valuable information for autophagy research in cardiovascular disease, which is full of opportunities and challenges. The research of autophagy in the field of cardiovascular diseases is still worthy of in-depth exploration. A challenge with autophagy-targeted therapies is their dichotomy in which the goal is to target maladaptive autophagy while maintaining a baseline level of cell survival to optimize a beneficial outcome. It is necessary for scientists to develop new methods to evaluate the level of autophagy from basic application to human body and reveal the signaling mechanism of autophagy in different types of cardiovascular diseases.

Tracing the pathways and mechanisms involved in medicinal uses of flaxseed with computational methods and bioinformatics tools.

Pharmacological drugs targeting specific pathways involved in various diseases have seen recent advancement with newer and more efficient emerging drug targets, but these drugs are limited in terms of their side effects and patient adherence. The potential of plant-based diets in the form of functional foods is increasingly being realized as an option to treat and/or prevent several diseases. In this work, we have selected flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), also known as linseed, to study its pharmacological efficacy and proposed mechanisms of action for medicinal purposes. The target genes of linseed with Disease Specificity Index (DSI >0.6) are compared to the associated genes of diabetes mellitus, decrease in appetite, addictive behavior, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and the selected genes are further evaluated using in silico methods. The binding affinity of flaxseed to three common target proteins (CCDC28b, PDCD6IP, and USP34) is assessed by docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results show that linseed is safe to use for mutagenic toxicity and other cardiotoxicity measures, but linseed is unsafe for embryotoxicity, hERG toxicity, and cardiac failure. The analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways indicates that flaxseed can be used as a medicinal herb for treatment of diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, IBDs, and PCOS.

Specialized pro-resolving mediators in vascular inflammation and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Timely resolution of the acute inflammatory response (or inflammation resolution) is an active, highly coordinated process that is essential to optimal health. Inflammation resolution is regulated by specific endogenous signalling molecules that function as 'stop signals' to terminate the inflammatory response when it is no longer needed; to actively promote healing, regeneration and tissue repair; and to limit pain. Specialized pro-resolving mediators are a superfamily of signalling molecules that initiate anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving actions. Without an effective and timely resolution response, inflammation can become chronic, a pathological state that is associated with many widely occurring human diseases, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Uncovering the mechanisms of inflammation resolution failure in cardiovascular diseases and identifying useful biomarkers for non-resolving inflammation are unmet needs. In this Review, we discuss the accumulating evidence that supports the role of non-resolving inflammation in atherosclerosis and the use of specialized pro-resolving mediators as therapeutic tools for the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We highlight open questions about therapeutic strategies and mechanisms of disease to provide a framework for future studies on the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

Nanoparticle-based therapeutic strategies for mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiovascular disease.

Although cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of global mortality, there is a lack of therapies that target and revert underlying pathological processes. Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathophysiology of CVD, and thus is a potential target for therapeutic development. To target the mitochondria and improve therapeutic efficacy, nanoparticle-based delivery systems have been proposed as promising strategies for the delivery of therapeutic agents to the mitochondria. This review will first discuss how mitochondrial dysfunction is related to the progression of several CVD and then delineate recent progress in mitochondrial targeting using nanoparticle-based delivery systems including peptide-based nanosystems, polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, and lipid nanoparticles. In addition, we summarize the advantages of these nanocarriers and remaining challenges in targeting the mitochondria as a therapeutic strategy for CVD treatment.

Cardiovascular Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease: Beyond Lumen Assessment.

Cardiovascular CT is being widely used in the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease due to the rapid technological advancements in CT scanning techniques. These advancements include the development of multi-slice CT, from early generation to the latest models, which has the capability of acquiring images with high spatial and temporal resolution. The recent emergence of photon-counting CT has further enhanced CT performance in clinical applications, providing improved spatial and contrast resolution. CT-derived fractional flow reserve is superior to standard CT-based anatomical assessment for the detection of lesion-specific myocardial ischemia. CT-derived 3D-printed patient-specific models are also superior to standard CT, offering advantages in terms of educational value, surgical planning, and the simulation of cardiovascular disease treatment, as well as enhancing doctor-patient communication. Three-dimensional visualization tools including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality are further advancing the clinical value of cardiovascular CT in cardiovascular disease. With the widespread use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning in cardiovascular disease, the diagnostic performance of cardiovascular CT has significantly improved, with promising results being presented in terms of both disease diagnosis and prediction. This review article provides an overview of the applications of cardiovascular CT, covering its performance from the perspective of its diagnostic value based on traditional lumen assessment to the identification of vulnerable lesions for the prediction of disease outcomes with the use of these advanced technologies. The limitations and future prospects of these technologies are also discussed.

Retracted: A Pharmacological Review of Tanshinones, Naturally Occurring Monomers from Salvia miltiorrhiza for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2023/3801908.].

Effects of scutellarin on the mechanism of cardiovascular diseases: a review.

Cardiovascular diseases represent a significant worldwide problem, jeopardizing individuals' physical and mental wellbeing as well as their quality of life as a result of their widespread incidence and fatality. With the aging society, the occurrence of Cardiovascular diseases is progressively rising each year. However, although drugs developed for treating Cardiovascular diseases have clear targets and proven efficacy, they still carry certain toxic and side effect risks. Therefore, finding safe, effective, and practical treatment options is crucial. Scutellarin is the primary constituent of Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz. This article aims to establish a theoretical foundation for the creation and use of secure, productive, and logical medications for Scutellarin in curing heart-related illnesses. Additionally, the examination and analysis of the signal pathway and its associated mechanisms with regard to the employment of SCU in treating heart diseases will impart innovative resolving concepts for the treatment and prevention of Cardiovascular diseases.

Pharmacological functions of salidroside in renal diseases: facts and perspectives.

Rhodiola rosea is a valuable functional medicinal plant widely utilized in China and other Asian countries for its anti-fatigue, anti-aging, and altitude sickness prevention properties. Salidroside, a most active constituent derived from Rhodiola rosea, exhibits potent antioxidative, hypoxia-resistant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and anti-aging effects that have garnered significant attention. The appreciation of the pharmacological role of salidroside has burgeoned over the last decade, making it a beneficial option for the prevention and treatment of multiple diseases, including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease, and more. With its anti-aging and renoprotective effects, in parallel with the inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation, salidroside holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for kidney damage. This article provides an overview of the microinflammatory state in kidney disease and discuss the current therapeutic strategies, with a particular focus on highlighting the recent advancements in utilizing salidroside for renal disease. The potential mechanisms of action of salidroside are primarily associated with the regulation of gene and protein expression in glomerular endothelial cells, podocytes, renal tubule cells, renal mesangial cells and renal cell carcinoma cell, including TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1β, IL-17A, IL-6, MCP-1, Bcl-2, VEGF, ECM protein, caspase-3, HIF-1α, BIM, as well as the modulation of AMPK/SIRT1, Nrf2/HO-1, Sirt1/PGC-1α, ROS/Src/Cav-1, Akt/GSK-3β, TXNIP-NLRP3, ERK1/2, TGF-β1/Smad2/3, PI3K/Akt, Wnt1/Wnt3a β-catenin, TLR4/NF-κB, MAPK, JAK2/STAT3, SIRT1/Nrf2 pathways. To the best of our knowledge, this review is the first to comprehensively cover the protective effects of salidroside on diverse renal diseases, and suggests that salidroside has great potential to be developed as a drug for the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and renal complications.

Association between the cumulative average triglyceride glucose-body mass index and cardiovascular disease incidence among the middle-aged and older population: a prospective nationwide cohort study in China

BackgroundFindings from earlier research have established that insulin resistance (IR) is implicated in atherosclerosis progression, representing a noteworthy risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recently, the triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI) has been introduced as a straightforward and robust alternative indicator for early detection of IR. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of studies that have examined the capability of TyG-BMI for predicting incident CVD. Consequently, the core objective of this study was to determine whether the cumulative average TyG-BMI correlated with CVD incidence.MethodsAll data was sourced from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The exposure was the cumulative average TyG-BMI, determined by the average of TyG-BMI values for the baseline and follow-up investigations (Wave 1 in 2011, Wave 3 in 2015, respectively). The calculation of TyG-BMI involved a combination of triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, and body mass index. The primary outcome was incident CVD. Logistic regression analyses as well as restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression analyses were performed for examining the association between the cumulative average TyG-BMI and CVD incidence.ResultsIn all, 5,418 participants were enrolled in our analysis, with 2,904 (53.6%) being female, and a mean (standard deviation, SD) age of 59.6 (8.8) years. The mean (SD) cumulative average TyG-BMI among all participants was 204.9 (35.7). Totally, during a 4-year follow-up, 543 (10.0%) participants developed CVD. The fully adjusted logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between the cumulative average TyG-BMI and incident CVD [odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.168, 1.040–1.310, per 1 SD increase]. The RCS regression analysis displayed a positive, linear association of the cumulative average TyG-BMI with CVD incidence (P for overall = 0.038, P for nonlinear = 0.436).ConclusionsOur study revealed a noteworthy correlation between the cumulative average TyG-BMI and incident CVD among the middle-aged and older population. The cumulative average TyG-BMI emerges as a valuable tool that may enhance the primary prevention and treatment of CVD.

A Literature Review of the Pharmacological Effects of Jujube.

Jujube is a plant native to China that could be used in medicine and food. Its dried fruit is a superior herb commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine formulations for its calming effect and for nourishing the blood and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Jujube contains numerous active components including polysaccharides, phenols, and triterpene acids, which show a diverse array of pharmacological activities such as neuroprotection and the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this paper, the research status of jujube over the past two decades has been statistically evaluated. Meanwhile, by tracking the latest research advances, the pharmacological efficacy and molecular mechanisms of jujube are exhaustively expounded to provide specific and systematic references for further research on the pharmacological effects of jujube and its application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in patients with heritable connective tissue disorders or heritable thoracic aortic diseases.

Patients with heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTDs), represented by Marfan syndrome, can develop fatal aortic and/or arterial complications before age 50. Therefore, accurate diagnosis, appropriate medical treatment, and early prophylactic surgical treatment of aortic and arterial lesions are essential to improve prognosis. Patients with HCTDs generally present with specific physical features due to connective tissue abnormalities, while some patients with heritable thoracic aortic diseases (HTADs) have few distinctive physical characteristics. The development of genetic testing has made it possible to provide accurate diagnoses for patients with HCTDs/HTADs. This review provides an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of HCTDs/HTADs, including current evidence on cardiovascular interventions for this population.

The role of ferroptosis in cardio-oncology.

With the rapid development of new generations of antitumor therapies, the average survival time of cancer patients is expected to be continuously prolonged. However, these therapies often lead to cardiotoxicity, resulting in a growing number of tumor survivors with cardiovascular disease. Therefore, a new interdisciplinary subspecialty called "cardio-oncology"has emerged, aiming to detect and treat cardiovascular diseases associated with tumors and antitumor therapies. Recent studies have highlighted the role of ferroptosis in both cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases. The balance between intracellular oxidative stress and antioxidant defense is crucial in regulating ferroptosis. Tumor cells can evade ferroptosis by upregulating multiple antioxidant defense pathways, while many antitumor therapies rely on downregulating antioxidant defense and promoting ferroptosis in cancer cells. Unfortunately, these ferroptosis-inducing antitumor therapies often lack tissue specificity and can also cause injury to the heart, resulting in ferroptosis-induced cardiotoxicity. A range of cardioprotective agents exert cardioprotective effects by inhibiting ferroptosis. However, these cardioprotective agents might diminish the efficacy of antitumor treatment due to their antiferroptotic effects. Most current research on ferroptosis only focuses on either tumor treatment or heart protection but rarely considers both in concert. Therefore, further research is needed to study how to protect the heart during antitumor therapies by regulating ferroptosis. In this review, we summarized the role of ferroptosis in the treatment of neoplastic diseases and cardiovascular diseases and also attempted to propose further research directions for ferroptosis in the field of cardio-oncology.

Biomaterials-Based Antioxidant Strategies for the Treatment of Oxidative Stress Diseases.

Oxidative stress is characterized by an increase in reactive oxygen species or a decrease in antioxidants in the body. This imbalance leads to detrimental effects, including inflammation and multiple chronic diseases, ranging from impaired wound healing to highly impacting pathologies in the neural and cardiovascular systems, or the bone, amongst others. However, supplying compounds with antioxidant activity is hampered by their low bioavailability. The development of biomaterials with antioxidant capacity is poised to overcome this roadblock. Moreover, in the treatment of chronic inflammation, material-based strategies would allow the controlled and targeted release of antioxidants into the affected tissue. In this review, we revise the main causes and effects of oxidative stress, and survey antioxidant biomaterials used for the treatment of chronic wounds, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases (focusing on cardiac infarction, myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and atherosclerosis) and osteoporosis. We anticipate that these developments will lead to the emergence of new technologies for tissue engineering, control of oxidative stress and prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress.

A comprehensive approach to prediction of fractional flow reserve from deep-learning-augmented model

The underuse of invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) in clinical practice has motivated research towards non-invasive prediction of FFR. Although the non-invasive derivation of FFR (FFRCT) using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) principles has become a common practice, its clinical application has been limited due to the considerable time required for computation of resulting changes in haemodynamic conditions. An alternative to CFD technology is incorporating a neural network into the computational process to reduce the time necessary for running an effective model.In this study we propose a cascade of data-driven and physic-based neural networks (DP-NN) for predicting FFR (DL-FFRCT). The first network of cascade network DP-NN includes geometric features, and the second network includes physical features. We compare the differences between data-driven neural network (D-NN) and DP-NN for predicting FFR. The training and testing datasets were obtained by solving the three-dimensional incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. Coronary flow and geometric features were used as inputs to train D-NN. In DP-NN the training process involves first training a D-NN to output resting ΔP as one input feature to the DP-NN. Secondly, the physics-based microcirculatory resistance as another input feature to the DP-NN.Using clinically measured FFR as the “gold standard", we validated the computational accuracy of DL-FFRCT in 77 patients. Compared to D-NN, DP-NN improved the prediction of ΔP (R2 = 0.87 vs. R2 = 0.92). Statistical analysis demonstrated that the diagnostic accuracy of DL-FFRCT was not inferior to FFRCT (85.71 % vs. 88.3 %) and the computational time was reduced by a factor of approximately 3000 (4.26 s vs. 3.5 h).DP-NN represents a near real-time, interpretable, and highly accurate deep-learning network, which contributes to the development of high-performance computational methods for haemodynamics. We anticipate that DP-NN will enable near real-time prediction of DL-FFRCT in personalized narrow blood vessels and provide guidance for cardiovascular disease treatments.

A network pharmacology approach to decipher the mechanism of total flavonoids from Dracocephalum Moldavica L. in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Aim of the studyCardiovascular disease (CVD) seriously endangers human health and is characterized by high mortality and disability. The effectiveness of Dracocephalum moldavica L. in the treatment of CVD has been proven by clinical practice. However, the mechanism by which DML can treat CVD has not been systematically determined.Materials and methodsThe active compounds in DML were screened by literature mining and pharmacokinetic analysis. Cytoscape software was used to construct the target-disease interaction network of DML in the treatment of CVD. Gene ontology and signalling pathway enrichment analyses were performed. The key target pathway network of DML compounds was constructed and verified by pharmacological experiments in vitro. A hydrogen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation model was established in H9c2 cells using hypoxia and glucose deprivation for 9 h combined with reoxygenation for 2 h. The model simulated myocardial ischaemic reperfusion injury to investigate the effects of total flavonoids of Cymbidium on cell viability, myocardial injury markers, oxidative stress levels, and reactive oxygen radical levels. Western blot analysis was used to examine NOX-4, Bcl-2/Bax, and PGC-1α protein expression.ResultsTwenty-seven active components were screened, and 59 potential drug targets for the treatment of CVD were obtained. Through the compound-target interaction network and the target-disease interaction network, the key targets and key signalling pathways, such as NOX-4, Bcl-2/Bax and PGC-1α, were obtained. TFDM significantly decreased LDH and MDA levels and the production of ROS and increased SOD activity levels in the context of OGD/R injury. Further studies indicated that NOX-4 and Bax protein levels and the p-P38 MAPK/P38 MAPK andp-Erk1/2/Erk1/2 ratios were suppressed by TFDM. The protein expression of Bcl-2 and PGC-1α was increased by TFDM.ConclusionsOur results showed that DML had multicomponent, multitarget and multichannel characteristics in the treatment of CVD. The mechanism may be associated with the following signalling pathways: 1) the NOX-4/ROS/p38 MAPK signalling pathway, which inhibits inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and 2) the Bcl-2/Bax and AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signalling pathways, which inhibit apoptosis.

Hydroxychloroquine as an important immunomodulator: a novel insight into an old drug.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an increasingly popular drug owing to its efficacy, long‑term safety, and a wide range of therapeutic effects. Currently, due to the numerous benefits it provides, the use of the drug goes beyond the treatment of rheumatic and dermatologic diseases. As HCQ shows anti‑inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiproliferative, and photoprotective action, it has a great potential to be applied also in the treatment of oncologic diseases, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or recurrent miscarriages. Nevertheless, antimalarial drugs are still most widely used in the long‑term treatment of systemic rheumatic disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, and primary Sjögren syndrome, as they continue to offer satisfactory outcomes. They reduce the need for glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants and increase their effectiveness. In addition, they reduce the risk of possible side effects and complications. This paper presents the latest data on HCQ, its mechanisms of action, its therapeutic potential in current clinical practice as well as future perspectives. It also discusses the correct dosing regimen and long‑term monitoring, with consideration of possible rare complications. Finally, it focuses on the enormous benefits for patients with rheumatic diseases in terms of reducing the disease activity and organ damage, preventing flares and pregnancy‑related complications, and, most importantly, lowering mortality rates in SLE patients.

Gastrodin: a comprehensive pharmacological review.

Tianma is the dried tuber of Gastrodia elata Blume (G. elata), which is frequently utilized in clinical practice as a traditional Chinese medicine. Gastrodin (GAS) is the main active ingredient of Tianma, which has good pharmacological activity. Therefore, for the first time, this review focused on the extraction, synthesis, pharmacological effects, and derivatives of GAS and to investigate additional development options for GAS. The use of microorganisms to create GAS is a promising method. GAS has good efficacy in the treatment of neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, endocrine diseases, and liver diseases. GAS has significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, vascular protective, blood sugar lowering, lipid-regulating, analgesic, anticancer, and antiviral effects. The mechanism involves various signaling pathways such as Nrf2, NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and AMPK. In addition, the derivatives of GAS and biomaterials synthesized by GAS and PU suggested a broader application of GAS. The research on GAS is thoroughly summarized in this paper, which has useful applications for tackling a variety of disorders and exhibits good development value.