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By adjusting the synthesis process, silver nanoparticles (AgNp) of various shapes, sizes, and structures can be obtained, all of which have a substantial impact on the biological effect, notably, the regulation of antibacterial activity in the present circumstances of growing bacterial resistance. Due to their relatively small size, nanoparticles may be disseminated evenly throughout the body of the experimental animal, even at low doses, and exert more potent antibacterial activities. Our research was centered on the synthesis, production, and biological evaluation of antibacterial silver nanoparticles. Using the Turkevich method, we were able to effectively synthesize and characterize nanoscale silver particles, with an average crystallite size of 9.49 nm. We examined their acute toxicity and pharmacokinetic characteristics in rats after administering a single dosage. In addition, we evaluated the biological effect of topical AgNp suspension on the progression of burn-type lesions in the experimental animals. The pharmacokinetic profile demonstrated that the plasma concentration of silver nanoparticles, as well as their clearance rate, and dispersion throughout the body, are significantly enhanced in large rodent species. The restorative effect of synthesized silver nanoparticles in the form of a suspension in distilled water was corroborated by the values of the hematological parameters. These results demonstrated an intense stimulation of the cellular and molecular processes of the local immune defense, which has resulted in significantly faster regeneration in the AgNp-treated group.

Cellulose derivatives serve as a feasible alternative to the insoluble natural cellulose considering their high solubility in the most frequent organic solvents and particularly in water. Alongside this advantageous physical property, cellulose derivatives exhibit proper biocompatibility, biodegradability, thermo-gelling nature, and mechanical characteristics. Due to their high hydrophilicity, these biopolymers possess a great capacity to absorb large amounts of water into their structural chains, forming hydrogels with multiple biomedical applications, such as wound healing. Therefore, the main objective of this present work was to assess the rheological properties of some cellulose derivatives-based hydrogels. For this purpose, different commercial varieties of methylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose, two of the most used cellulose derivatives, were dispersed in water and stirred continuously until a clear and transparent hydrogel was formed. Depending on the quantities used of each biopolymer, hydrogels of different concentrations were obtained, from 3 to 20%. The topical semisolid systems were rheologically investigated at 23°C using a rotational viscometer and the rheograms of the experimental data were drawn. The hydrogels showed a non-newtonian pseudoplastic behaviour, which represents a requested requirement for topical semisolid systems, both in terms of conditioning, but also of spreading on the skin surface, improving the topical administration.

Three zoonotic coronaviruses emerged at the beginning of the XXI century: SARS-CoV (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus), Middle-East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV2 (previously known as 2019-nCoV), the etiologic agent of COVID 19 (Coronavirus disease) pandemic. The outbreak of the COVID-19 started in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019 and has spread extremely fast worldwide. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The present study is reviewing the background of human coronaviruses, the potential viral reservoirs, the main genomic and pathogenic aspects of SARS-CoV-2 and the actual data on the immunopathological mechanisms of COVID 19, looking towards therapeutic approaches for SARS-CoV2 infection.

Cellulose is the most widely used biopolymer, accounting for about 1.5 trillion tons of annual production on Earth. Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a form produced by different species of bacteria, representing a purified form of cellulose. The structure of bacterial cellulose consists of glucose monomers that give it excellent properties for different medical applications (unique nanostructure, high water holding capacity, high degree of polymerization, high mechanical strength, and high crystallinity). These properties differ depending on the cellulose-producing bacteria. The most discussed topic is related to the use of bacterial cellulose as a versatile biopolymer for wound dressing applications. The aim of this review is to present the microbial aspects of BC production and potential applications in development of value-added products, especially for biomedical applications.

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) stimulated an unprecedented international collaborative effort for rapid diagnosis, epidemiologic surveillance, clinical management, prevention, and treatment. This review focuses on the current and new therapeutical approaches, summarizing the viral structure and life cycle, with an emphasis on the specific steps that can be interfered by antivirals: (a) inhibition of viral entry with anti-spike monoclonal antibodies; (b) inhibition of the RNA genome replication with nucleosidic analogs blocking the viral RNA polymerase; (c) inhibition of the main viral protease (Mpro), which directs the formation of the nonstructural proteins. An overview of the immunomodulatory drugs currently used for severe COVID-19 treatment and future therapeutical options are also discussed.

The coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic is a major challenge for the health systems worldwide. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is one of the most common complications of the COVID-19 infection. The activation of the coagulation system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ARDS. The development of lung coagulopathy involves thrombin generation and fibrinolysis inhibition. Unfractionated heparin and its recently introduced counterpart low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), are widely used anticoagulants with a variety of clinical indications allowing for limited and manageable physio-toxicologic side effects while the use of protamine sulfate, heparin's effective antidote, has made their use even safer. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is approved as intravenous thrombolytic treatment. The present narrative review discusses the use of heparin and tPA in the treatment of COVID-19-induced ARDS and their related potential physio-toxicologic side effects. The article is a quick review of articles on anticoagulation in COVID infection and the potential toxicologic reactions associated with these drugs., Highlights • Anticoagulant therapy is essential in decreasing fibrin deposition and microthrombus formation in the ARDS and in the treatment of pro-thrombotic complications. • Administration of tPA in ARDS patients could provide anti-inflammatory effects. • Heparin and tPA may be useful in these patients minimizing the risk for ARDS complications and/or reducing the pressure on the ventilator support in the Intensive Care Unit

The topical administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is described as an alternative route for inflammatory disease treatment and is frequently used because it determines local effects therapeutically, similar to oral administration, but with fewer side effects. [...]