Pharmacological research : the official journal of the Italian Pharmacological Society
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Review Meta Analysis
The effect of Nigella sativa on the measures of liver and kidney parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.
The aim of this systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis was to determine the effect of Nigella sativa (N. S) supplementation on liver and kidney parameters. We searched PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane central register for controlled trials and Google Scholar from database inception to April 2019 for relevant controlled trials. ⋯ S supplements on liver and kidney parameters, due to the herbal nature of N. S, more studies with high-quality, large-scale, long-term intervention and precise baseline characteristics are needed to assess the exact effective dose, duration and efficacy of N. S supplementation on kidney and liver parameters.
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Acute lung injury (ALI), a severe and life-threatening inflammation of the lung, with high morbidity and mortality, underscoring the urgent need for novel treatments. Ge-Gen-Qin-Lian decoction (GQD), a classic Chinese herbal formula, has been widely used to treat intestine-related diseases in the clinic for centuries. In recent years, a growing number of studies have found that GQD has a favorable anti-inflammatory effect. ⋯ Our study showed that, GQD did have a better therapeutic effect on ALI, and initially elucidated its molecular mechanism. Thus, GQD could be exploited to develop novel therapeutics for ALI. Moreover, our study also provides a novel strategy to explore active components and effective mechanism of TCM formula combined with TCM theory to treat ALI.
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The effect of roxadustat (FG-4592) on individuals with chronic kidney diseases (CKD) patients receiving or not receiving the dialysis was unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in patients who are dialysis dependent (DD) or dialysis independent (NDD) CKD. We performed a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing treatment with roxadustat versus placebo or epoetin alfa up to November 2019. ⋯ The percentage change in the transferrin saturation levels was -2.07 % (-6%, NDD patients versus placebo, and +3.7 % in DD patients versus epoetin alfa) in anemia associated CKD patients. This review found roxadustast increases the levels of hemoglobin, serum transferrin, intestinal iron absorption, and reduces hepcidin in both NDD and DD-CKD patients. Safety data is still emerging.
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Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) is a pleiotropic mediator, significantly involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 (T2) asthma because of its biologic actions exerted on both immune/inflammatory and airway structural cells. In particular, the pro-inflammatory and pro-remodelling effects of PGD2 are mainly mediated by stimulation of chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule expressed on Th2 cells (CRTH2). ⋯ Indeed, fevipiprant appears to be safe and effective, especially in consideration of its ability to inhibit eosinophilic bronchial inflammation and improve forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). Further ongoing phase III trials will definitely clarify if fevipiprant can prospectively become a valid option for an efficacious add-on treatment of moderate-to-severe T2-high asthma.