Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 20, Issue 18, 2014

Improvements in health care have increased human life expectancy in recent decades, and the elderly population is thus increasing in most developed countries. Unfortunately this still means increased years of poor health or disability. Since it is not yet possible to modify our genetic background, the best anti-aging strategy is currently to intervene on environmental factors, aiming to reduce the incidence of risk facto Read More

The present review points out the role of oxidative stress in aging and the potential therapeutic targets of modern antioxidant therapies. Mitochondria are essential for several biological processes including energy production by generating ATP through the electron transport chain (ETC) located on the inner mitochondrial membrane. Due to their relevance in cellular physiology, defects in mitochondria are associate Read More

Degradation of the extracellular matrix is an important feature of embryonic development, morphogenesis, angiogenesis, tissue repair and remodeling. It is precisely regulated under physiological conditions, but when dysregulated it becomes a cause of many diseases, including atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, diabetic vascular complications, and neurodegeneration. Various types of proteinases are implicated in e Read More

Scientific evidence links physical activity to several benefits. Recently, we proposed the idea that exercise can be regarded as a drug. As with many drugs, dosage is of great importance. However, to issue a public recommendation of physical activity in aging is not an easy task. Exercise in the elderly needs to be carefully tailored and individualized with the specific objectives of the person or group in mind. The beneficial effects Read More

Tocopherols, with a phytyl side chain in its chroman ring, belong to vitamin E family and have several effects on organisms. They are also classified as therapeutics against different types of human diseases. Especially important roles in cell signaling and gene regulatory mechanisms make tocopherols crucial as therapeutic agents. Aging is accompanied with several degenerative disorders including cardiovascular, neuronal Read More

The science and study of the biological basis of aging, biogerontology, is now a well-established field with solid scientific base. A paradigm-shift in gerontology has occurred by realising the fact that biological aging occurs in spite of the presence of complex homeodynamic pathways of maintenance, repair and defence, and there is no “enemy within”. This viewpoint separates the modulation of aging from the treatment Read More

A number of studies reported a relation between longevity, oxidative stress and age-related diseases. Every aerobic organism is inevitably exposed to a permanent flux of free radicals and oxidants. Due to the limited activity of antioxidant and repair mechanisms, levels of reactive oxygen species can increase during aging. Protein damage caused by elevated levels of free radicals or oxidants has an important influence on Read More

Aging is a stage of life of all living organisms. According to the free-radical theory, aging cells gradually become unable to maintain cellular homeostasis due to the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS can cause irreversible DNA mutations, protein and lipid damage which are increasingly accumulated in the course of time if cells could not overcome these effects by the antioxidant defence system. A Read More

Frailty has emerged as one of the most relevant clinical syndromes in older patients. This term relates to the loss of functional reserve that can occur in some older people following exposure to one or more low-intensity stressors placing them at high risk for developing a number of adverse outcomes such as disability, falls, hospitalization and death. Frailty is the outcome of two combined effects: the ageing process and othe Read More

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder representing the most common form of dementia and the most feared highly disabling age-related condition of our time. Hallmarks of AD include a dramatically increasing number of cases due to prospected demographics and the absence of a cure. AD is incurable as it escapes the formula “one disease, one mechanism, one drug”. AD has a Read More