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Background/Objectives: In recent years the global incidence of cancer during pregnancy is rising, occurring in 1 out of every 1000 pregnancies. In this regard, the most used chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer are alkylating agents such as cyclophosphamide (Cp). Despite its great efficacy, has been associated with the production of oxidative stress and DNA damage, leading to embryotoxicity, genotoxicity, and teratogenicity in the developing conceptus. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the protective role of phycobiliproteins (PBP) derived from Arthrospira maxima (spirulina) in reducing Cp-induced embryotoxicity and genotoxicity in pregnant CD1 mice. Methods: Pregnant CD1 mice were divided into five groups: control, Cp 20 mg/kg, and three doses of PBP (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) + Cp co-treatment. PBP were administered orally from day 6 to 10.5 dpc, followed by a single intraperitoneal dose of Cp on 10.5 dpc. Embryos were collected at 12.5 dpc to assess morphological development and vascular alterations, while maternal DNA damage was evaluated using micronucleus assays and antioxidant enzyme activity in maternal plasma. Results: PBP exhibited a dose-dependent protective effect against Cp-induced damage. The 200 mg/kg PBP dose significantly reduced developmental abnormalities, micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, and oxidative stress, (as evidenced by increased SOD and GPx activity). Conclusions: Phycobiliproteins from Arthrospira maxima (spirulina) effectively reduced Cp-induced morphological and vascular alterations in embryos and genotoxicity in pregnant mice. These findings highlight their potential as a complementary therapy to mitigate teratogenic risks during chemotherapy. Further research is needed to optimize dosing and explore clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The constant increase in the elderly population presents significant challenges in addressing new social, economic, and health problems concerning this population. With respect to health, aging is a primary risk factor for age-related diseases, which are driven by interconnected molecular hallmarks that influence the development of these diseases. One of the main mechanisms that has attracted more attention to aging is autophagy, a catabolic process that removes and recycles damaged or dysfunctional cell components to preserve cell viability. The autophagy process can be induced or deregulated in response to a wide range of internal or external stimuli, such as starvation, oxidative stress, hypoxia, damaged organelles, infectious pathogens, and aging. Natural compounds that promote the stimulation of autophagy regulatory pathways, such as mTOR, FoxO1/3, AMPK, and Sirt1, lead to increased levels of essential proteins such as Beclin-1 and LC3, as well as a decrease in p62. These changes indicate the activation of autophagic flux, which is known to be decreased in cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, and cataracts. The regulated administration of natural compounds offers an adjuvant therapeutic alternative in age-related diseases; however, more experimental evidence is needed to support and confirm these health benefits. Hence, this review aims to highlight the potential benefits of natural compounds in regulating autophagy pathways as an alternative approach to combating age-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), affects approximately 6–7 million people worldwide. However, its pharmacological treatment causes several uncomfortable side effects, causing patients' treatment abandonment. Therefore, there is a need for new and better treatments. In this work, the molecular docking of nine hundred twenty-four FDA-approved drugs on three different sites of trypanothione reductase of T. cruzi (TcTR) was carried out to find potential trypanocidal agents. Finally, biological evaluations in vitro and in vivo were conducted with the selected FDA-approved drugs. Digoxin, alendronate, flucytosine, and dihydroergotamine showed better trypanocidal activity than the reference drugs benznidazole and nifurtimox in the in vitro evaluation against the trypomastigotes form. Further, these FDA-approved drugs were able to reduce 20–50% parasitemia in a short time in an in vivo model, although with less efficiency than benznidazole. Therefore, the results suggest a combined therapy of repurposed and canonical drugs against T. cruzi infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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