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Cancer is one of the most serious human health issues. Drug therapy is the major common way to treat cancer. There is a growing interest in using natural compounds to overcome drug resistance, adverse reactions, and target specificity of certain types of drugs that may affect several targets with fewer side effects and be beneficial against various types of cancer. In this regard, the use of herbal medicines alone or in combination with the main anticancer drugs is commonly available. Berberine (BBR), a nature‐driven phytochemical component, is a well‐known nutraceutical due to its wide variety of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and hypolipidemic. In addition, BBR exerts anticancer activities. In present article, we summarized the information available on the therapeutic effects of BBR and its mechanisms on five types of the most prevalent gastrointestinal cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, hepatocarcinoma, and pancreatic cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. It is believed that Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is responsible for 100% of cervical cancers. 200 HPV genotypes have been identified to date, of which 13--15 are high-risk HPV genotypes infecting the genital area. 218 females suffering from high-risk HPV infection and showing a negative cytology test were selected in a retrospective cross-sectional study and divided into two groups: 1. HPV 16/18 (121 women) and 2. Other highrisk HPV (OHrHPV) (97 women). The demographic and clinical data were collected from Motahari clinic, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, between September 2020 and January 2023. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 26. Data analysis was carried out using chi-square, t-test, and Mann-Whitney, and p < 0.05 was defined as being statistically significant for all the aforementioned tests. The mean age for the HPV 16/18 and OHrHPV groups were 35.27 ± 7.698 and 36.58 ± 8.756, respectively. The most prevalent HPV genotype was HPV type 16 (n = 96) in the population, followed by HPV type 18 (n = 25) and HPV type 31 (n = 17). The HPV 16/18 group had 15 high-grade colposcopy results, while only four similar results were observed in the OHrHPV group (p value = 0.031). The most prevalent HPV genotype in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 and CIN3 was HPV16. The cytology test failed to identify over 4% of the lesions in the OHrHPV group. Direct referral for colposcopy in the OHrHPV group results in the identification of missed diagnosed lesions and lost to follow-up patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is one of the most serious human health issues. Drug therapy is the major common way to treat cancer. There is a growing interest in using natural compounds to overcome drug resistance, adverse reactions, and target specificity of certain types of drugs that may affect several targets with fewer side effects and be beneficial against various types of cancer. In this regard, the use of herbal medicines alone or in combination with the main anticancer drugs is commonly available. Berberine (BBR), a nature-driven phytochemical component, is a well-known nutraceutical due to its wide variety of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and hypolipidemic. In addition, BBR exerts anticancer activities. In present article, we summarized the information available on the therapeutic effects of BBR and its mechanisms on five types of the most prevalent gastrointestinal cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, hepatocarcinoma, and pancreatic cancers., (© 2023 The Authors. Asia‐Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Cardiac fibrosis is a pivotal cardiovascular disease (CVD) process and represents a notable health concern worldwide. While the complex mechanisms underlying CVD have been widely investigated, recent research has highlighted microRNA-21's (miR-21) role in cardiac fibrosis pathogenesis. In this narrative review, we explore the molecular interactions, focusing on the role of miR-21 in contributing to cardiac fibrosis. Various signaling pathways, such as the RAAS, TGF-β, IL-6, IL-1, ERK, PI3K-Akt, and PTEN pathways, besides dysregulation in fibroblast activity, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and tissue inhibitors of MMPs cause cardiac fibrosis. Besides, miR-21 in growth factor secretion, apoptosis, and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition play crucial roles. miR-21 capacity regulatory function presents promising insights for cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, this review discusses numerous approaches to control miR-21 expression, including antisense oligonucleotides, anti-miR-21 compounds, and Notch signaling modulation, all novel methods of cardiac fibrosis inhibition. In summary, this narrative review aims to assess the molecular mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis and its essential miR-21 function.