Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 14, Issue 7, 2007

Molecular therapies target key functional molecules in order to halter viable operation of cancer cells. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) constitute attractive targets, as quite often their abnormal signaling has been associated with tumor development and growth. Overexpression of growth factor receptors, including IGF, EGF, TGF-α, SCF and PDGF receptors, has been associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. Therefo Read More

Ageing is an aggravating factor leading to alterations in the biotransformation of drugs, and therefore their therapeutic efficacy and safety. In this review we discuss the influence of ageing on drug metabolizing enzymes in male Wistar rats. We report that drug metabolizing enzymes can be affected by ageing either by post-translational modifications or by transcriptional modifications. The post-translational modifications coul Read More

Malaria is one of the most severe tropical parasitic disease causing 1-3 million deaths annually. In the last 25 years very few new antimalarial molecules have been developed and only a limited number of them are currently in various stages of clinical development. The presently available antimalarial drugs include artemisinin analogs, quinoline derivatives and antifolates. This review summarizes recent advances in antimal Read More

There is an urgent clinical need to research novel methods of fertility control that are also protective against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or Chlamydia. The most obvious way to generate such a dual-purpose contraceptive method would be to develop safe, effective spermicides that were also active against a wide range of pathogenic organisms. The currently avail Read More

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a treatable and preventable disease but current predictions are that it will continue to rise as an important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. COPD is a complex inflammatory disease with both airway and parenchymal lung injury. Currently there is growing recognition that the inflammatory response extends beyond the lung, with evidence of systemic inflammation Read More

To maintain immune homeostasis, the immune system has evolved two “opposite” mechanisms to regulate the activation or expansion of effectors including potential auto-reactive lymphocytes following an immune response. One is to support the survival of activated effectors and thereby benefit the generation of memory response. However, an inappropriate survival of auto-reactive lymphocytes may lead to autoimmune Read More

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies, detected in the sera of patients with both autoimmune and various non-autoimmune diseases. They are also detected in subjects with no overt underlying disease - the primary antiphosphilipid syndrome (PAPS). High titers of APL are associated with arterial and venous thrombosis, recurrent fetal loss and thrombocytopenia. There have been man Read More

Flavonoids are a group of naturally occurring phytochemicals abundantly present in fruits, vegetables, and beverages such as wine and tea. In the past two decades, flavonoids have gained enormous interest because of their beneficial health effects such as anti-inflammatory, cardio-protective and anticancer activities. These findings have contributed to the dramatic increase in the consumption and use of dietary supplements c Read More