Combination Activity of Standard Antituberculosis Drugs and Extracts of Medicinal Plants Commonly Used in Traditional Treatment of Tuberculosis in Uganda

Introduction: Resistance to antituberculosis drugs and adverse drug reactions remain the leading causes of tuberculosis therapeutic failure globally. Despite the increasing acceptance of medicinal plant use in combination with conventional antituberculosis drugs in treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in Uganda, there is paucity of knowledge on their combination effect. Aim: This research aimed to determine combination activity of standard antituberculosis drugs with extracts of Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. & Perr. and Rubia cordifolia L., the two common antituberculosis medicinal plants in Uganda, against pansensitive (H37Rv) and multi-drug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. Materials and Methods: Two reference MTB strains (H37Rv and MDR strain) were inoculated on Middlebrook 7H11 medium containing a combination of standard antituberculosis drugs and methanol extracts of Z. leprieurii and R. cordifolia at varying concentrations. The number of colonies on the plates was observed and counted weekly for up to 8 weeks. In vitro combination activity was determined using proportion method. Mean percentage inhibition was calculated for the reduction of number of colonies on drug-extract combination medium in relation to drug-extract-free control medium. Results: Drug-extract combinations showed good combination activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains when compared with individual standard anti-TB drugs. This was more exhibited against MDR strain. There was however a reduction in percentage inhibition when extracts were combined with ethambutol and streptomycin against H37Rv strain. Conclusions: Zanthoxylum leprieurii and Rubia cordifolia in combination with standard anti-TB drugs exhibited increased in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, especially MDR-TB strain. This justifies the local use of these plants in traditional treatment of tuberculosis especially in resistant cases in Uganda.

Advances in extracellular vesicle-based combination therapies for spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is a severe insult to the central nervous system that causes persisting neurological deficits.The currently available treatments involve surgical,medical,and rehabilitative strategies.However,none of these techniques can markedly reverse neurological deficits.Recently,extracellular vesicles from various cell sources have been applied to different models of spinal cord injury,thereby generating new cell-free therapies for the treatment of spinal cord injury.However,the use of extracellular vesicles alone is still associated with some notable shortcomings,such as their uncertainty in targeting damaged spinal cord tissues and inability to provide structural support to damaged axons.Therefore,this paper reviews the latest combined strategies for the use of extracellular vesicle-based technology for spinal cord injury,including the combination of extracellular vesicles with nanoparticles,exogenous drugs and/or biological scaffold materials,which facilitate the targeting ability of extracellular vesicles and the combinatorial effects with extracellular vesicles.We also highlight issues relating to the clinical transformation of these extracellular vesicle-based combination strategies for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Observation on the Clinical Effect of Applying Venetoclax Combined with Demethylation Drug Therapy in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of applying venetoclax combined with demethylating drugs in treating patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: Eighty cases of AML patients treated with venetoclax combined with demethylating drugs in our hospital were selected from March 2021 to March 2024, including 40 cases of primary treatment patients and 40 cases of relapsed and refractory patients. The efficacy and safety of the combined drug therapy was analyzed. Results: The primary treatment group was presented with a complete remission (CR) rate of 40.5%, partial remission (PR) rate of 47.50%, no response (NR) rate of 12.50%, and a remission rate of 87.50%. The relapsed- refractory group was presented with a CR rate of 37.50%, PR rate of 42.50%, NR rate of 17.50%, and a remission rate of 87.50%. There was no statistical significance between the groups (P > 0.05). The hematological adverse reactions of the combined treatment for AML were leukopenia and the non-hematological adverse reactions were mainly infections, with an incidence rate of 87.50%. Conclusion: The efficacy of venetoclax combined with demethylating drugs in AML was remarkable and the treatment regimen can be adjusted according to the treatment-resistant response.

Nanomedicine-based combination therapies for overcoming temozolomide resistance in glioblastomas

Glioblastoma(GBM)is the most common malignant brain tumor.Although current treatment strategies,including surgery,chemotherapy,and radiotherapy,have achieved clinical effects and prolonged the survival of patients,the gradual development of resistance against current therapies has led to a high recurrence rate and treatment failure.Mechanisms underlying the development of resistance involve multiple factors,including drug efflux,DNA damage repair,glioma stem cells,and a hypoxic tumor environment,which are usually correlative and promote each other.As many potential therapeutic targets have been discovered,combination therapy that regulates multiple resistance-related molecule pathways is considered an attractive strategy.In recent years,nanomedicine has revolutionized cancer therapies with optimized accumulation,penetration,internalization,and controlled release.Blood-brain barrier(BBB)penetration efficiency is also significantly improved through modifying ligands on nanomedicine and interacting with the receptors or transporters on the BBB.Moreover,different drugs for combination therapy usually process different pharmacokinetics and biodistribution,which can be further optimized with drug delivery systems to maximize the therapeutic efficiency of combination therapies.Herein the current achievements in nanomedicine-based combination therapy for GBM are discussed.This review aimed to provide a broader understanding of resistance mechanisms and nanomedicine-based combination therapies for future research on GBM treatment.

Nanotechnology-based combination therapy for overcoming multidrug-resistant cancer

Multidrug resistance(MDR) is a major obstacle to successful cancer treatment and is crucial to cancer metastasis and relapse.Combination therapy is an effective strategy for overcoming MDR. However, the different pharmacokinetic(PK) profiles of combined drugs often undermine the combination effect in vivo, especially when greatly different physicochemical properties(e.g.,those of macromolecules and small drugs) combine. To address this issue, nanotechnology-based codelivery techniques have been actively explored. They possess great advantages for tumor targeting, controlled drug release, and identical drug PK profiles. Thus,a powerful tool for combination therapy is provided, and the translation from in vitro to in vivo is facilitated. In this review, we present a summary of various combination strategies for overcoming MDR and the nanotechnology-based combination therapy.

The appliances and prospects of aurum nanomaterials in biodiagnostics, imaging, drug delivery and combination therapy

Aurum nanomaterials(ANM), combining the features of nanotechnology and metal elements, have demonstrated enormous potential and aroused great attention on biomedical applications over the past few decades. Particularly, their advantages, such as controllable particle size, flexible surface modification, higher drug loading, good stability and biocompatibility, especially unique optical properties, promote the development of ANM in biomedical field. In this review, we will discuss the advanced preparation process of ANM and summarize their recent applications as well as their prospects in diagnosis and therapy. Besides, multi-functional ANM-based theranostic nanosystems will be introduced in details, including radiotherapy(RT), photothermal therapy(PTT), photodynamic therapy(PDT), immunotherapy(IT), and so on.

Discussion on gemcitabine combined with targeted drugs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor with poor prognosis.The treatment of pancreatic cancer depends on the tumor stage and type,and includes local treatment(surgery,radiotherapy and ablation intervention)and systemic therapy(chemotherapy,targeted therapy and immunotherapy).We read with great interest the review“Effective combinations of anti-cancer and targeted drugs for pancreatic cancer treatment”published on World J Gastroenterol and intended to share some of our perspectives in pancreatic cancer treatment.This review presents the therapeutic effects of the combination of gemcitabine and targeted drugs,which gives us a deeper insight into the combination treatments for pancreatic cancer.

Key factors and potential drug combinations of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis:Bioinformatic analysis and experimental validation-based study

Background:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its advanced stage,nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH),are the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and other end-stage liver disease.However,the potential mechanism and therapeutic strategies have not been clarified.This study aimed to identify potential roles of mi RNA/m RNA axis in the pathogenesis and drug combinations in the treatment of NASH.Methods:Microarray GSE59045 and GSE48452 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus and analyzed using R.Then we obtained differentially expressed genes(DE-genes).DAVID database was used for Gene Ontology(GO)analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment pathway analysis.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks were used for the identification of hub genes.We found upstream regulators of hub genes using mi RTar Base.The expression and correlation of key mi RNA and its targets were detected by q PCR.Drug Pair Seeker was employed to predict drug combinations against NASH.The expression of mi RNA and hub genes in HCC was identified in the Cancer Genome Atlas database and Human Protein Atlas database.Results:Ninety-four DE-genes were accessed.GO and KEGG analysis showed that these predicted genes were linked to lipid metabolism.Eleven genes were identified as hub genes in PPI networks,and they were highly expressed in cells with vigorous lipid metabolism.hsa-mi R-335-5 p was the upstream regulator of 9 genes in the 11 hub genes,and it was identified as a key mi RNA.The hub genes were highly expressed in NASH models,while hsa-mi R-335-5 p was lowly expressed.The correlation of mi RNA-m RNA was established by q PCR.Functional verification indicated that hsa-mi R-335-5 p had inhibitory effect on the development of NASH.Finally,drug combinations were predicted and the expression of mi RNA and hub genes in HCC was identified.Conclusions:In the study,potential mi RNA-m RNA pathways related to NASH were identified.Targeting these pathways may be novel strategies against NASH.

Combination therapy in cancer:effects of angiogenesis inhibitors on drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

Validated preclinical studies have provided evidence that anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) compounds enhance the activity of subsequent antitumor therapy, but the mechanism of this potentiation is far from clear. The most widespread explanation is enhanced delivery of therapeutics due to vascular remodeling, lower interstitial pressure, and increased blood flow. While the antiangiogenic efects on vascular morphology have been fairly consistent in both preclinical and clinical settings, the improvement of tumor vessel function is debated. This review focuses on the efect of anti-VEGF therapy on tumor microenvironment morphology and functions, and its therapeutic beneits when combined with other therapies. The uptake and spatial distribution of chemotherapeutic agents into the tumor after anti-VEGF are examined.

Coptis,Pinellia,and Scutellaria as a promising new drug combination for treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is the most important infectious agent and plays an important role in the progression of chronic gastritis and the development of gastric cancer.AIM To identify efficient therapeutic agents or strategies that can treat H.pylori infection.METHODS We performed literature analysis,experimental validation,and network pharmacology.First,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)prescriptions for the treatment of H.pylori infection were obtained from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure,China Biology Medicine,China Science and Technology Journal Database,and WanFang databases.In addition,we conducted a relevant search by Reference Citation Analysis(RCA)(https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com).Next,we used TCM Inheritance Support System V2.5 to identify core drug combinations in the TCM prescriptions.Then,an H.pylori-associated chronic mouse model of gastritis was established.The antibacterial properties and antiinflammatory potential of the core drug combination were evaluated by the rapid urease test,modified Warthin-Starry silver staining,histopathological analysis,and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Finally,the active compounds,hub targets,and potential signaling pathways associated with the core drug combination were analyzed by network pharmacology.RESULTS The TCM treatment of H.pylori was mainly based on reinforcing the healthy Qi and eliminating pathogenic factors by simultaneously applying pungent dispersing,bitter descending,cold and warm drugs.The combination of Coptis,Pinellia,and Scutellaria(CPS)was identified as the core drug combination from 207 prescriptions and 168 herbs.This drug combination eradicated H.pylori,alleviated the gastric pathology induced by H.pylori infection,and reduced the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(P=0.024)and interleukin-1β(P=0.001).Moreover,a total of 35 compounds and 2807 targets of CPS were identified using online databases.Nine key compounds(tenaxin I,neobaicalein,norwogonin,skullcapflavone II,baicalein,5,8,2'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone,acacetin,panicolin,and wogonin)and nine hub target proteins(EGFR,PTGS2,STAT3,MAPK3,MAPK8,HSP90AA1,MAPK1,MMP9,and MTOR)were further explored.Seventy-seven signaling pathways were correlated with H.pylori-induced inflammation and carcinogenesis.CONCLUSION In summary,we showed that CPS is the core drug combination for treating H.pylori infection.Animal experiments demonstrated that CPS has bacteriostatic properties and can reduce the release of inflammatory cytokines in the gastric mucosa.Network pharmacology predictions further revealed that CPS showed complex chemical compositions with multi-target and multipathway regulatory mechanisms.Although the results derived from network pharmacology are not necessarily comprehensive,they still expand our understanding of CPS for treating H.pylori infection.

Advances in drug delivery system for platinum agents based combination therapy

Platinum-based anticancer agents are widely used as first-line drugs in cancer chemotherapy for various solid tumors. However, great side effects and occurrence of resistance remain as the major drawbacks for almost all the platinum drugs developed. To conquer these problems, new strategies should be adopted for platinum drug based chemotherapy. Modern nanotechnology has been widely employed in the delivery of various therapeutics and diagnostic. It provides the possibility of targeted delivery of a certain anticancer drug to the tumor site, which could minimize toxicity and optimize the drug efficacy. Here, in this review, we focused on the recent progress in polymer based drug delivery systems for platinum-based combination therapy.

Determination of Polynomial Degree in the Regression of Drug Combinations

Studies on drug combinations are becoming more and more popular in the past few decades, with the development of computer and algorithms. One of the most common methods in optimizing drug combinations is regression of a polynomial model based on certain number of experimental observations. In this paper, we study how to determine the degree of polynomials in different circumstances of drug combination optimization. Using cross-validation, we have found that in most cases, a high degree results in failures of accurate prediction, named overfitting. An anti-noise test has also revealed that polynomial model with high degree tends to be less resistant to random errors in the observations. © 2014 Chinese Association of Automation.

Effective combinations of anti-cancer and targeted drugs for pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive and lethal.Due to the lack of effective methods for detecting the disease at an early stage,pancreatic cancer is frequently diagnosed late.Gemcitabine has been the standard chemotherapy drug for patients with pancreatic cancer for over 20 years,but its anti-tumor effect is limited.Therefore,FOLFIRINOX(leucovorin,fluorouracil,irinotecan,oxaliplatin)as well as combination therapies using gemcitabine and conventional agents,such as cisplatin and capecitabine,has also been administered;however,these have not resulted in complete remission.Therefore,there is a need to develop novel and effective therapies for pancreatic cancer.Recently,some studies have reported that combinations of gemcitabine and targeted drugs have had significant antitumor effects on pancreatic cancer cells.As gemcitabine induced DNA damage response,the proteins related to DNA damage response can be suitable additional targets for novel gemcitabine-based combination therapy.Furthermore,KRAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling triggered by oncogenic mutated KRAS and autophagy are frequently activated in pancreatic cancer.Therefore,these characteristics of pancreatic cancer are potential targets for developing effective novel therapies.In this minireview,combinations of gemcitabine and targeted drugs to these characteristics,combinations of targeted drugs,combinations of natural products and anti-cancer agents,including gemcitabine,and combinations among natural products are discussed.

Hollow mesoporous polyaniline nanoparticles with high drug payload and robust photothermal capability for cancer combination therapy

In recent years,synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy has revealed promising potential in treatments against various kinds of cancer.However,the development of superb photothermal agents with high drug loading capacity is still highly required.In this work,a hollow mesoporous polyaniline nanoparticle(HPANI NP)has been developed for encapsulating chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin(DOX)with an remarkable drug loading content as high as 37.5%.Additional PEG modification endowed the drugloaded HPANI NPs with improved water-dispersibility and bioavailability.Such PEG-HPANI-DOX NPs exhibited strong NIR absorbance and robust photothermal conversion capacity,exhibiting highly efficient synergistic cancer treatment.More interestingly,the responsively released DOX molecules could emit strong red fluorescence,which could be employed to monitor the cellular endocytosis and drug release profile of PEG-HPANI-DOX NPs.Finally,the as-fabricated NPs showed good biocompatibility and low toxicity,serving as a promising nanoagent for highly efficient drug delivery and cancer combination therapy.

Drug combination therapy:providing evidence of significant superiority of a combination of drugs compared to the single agents

Based on Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi,traditional Chinese medicine has used mixtures of naturally occurring herbs for more than 2000 years.Since the last century,advances in omics and cell biology have greatly impacted on the increasing use of drug combination in modern medicine.The enhanced understanding of the biology of a disease as a disturbed system of interconnected molecular pathways which are more susceptible to the simultaneous action of several drugs,provides new opportunities for the rational development of combination therapies.Combination therapies exploit the chances for better efficacy,decreased toxicity,and reduced development of drug resistance and owing to these advantages,have become a standard for the treatment of several diseases and continue to represent a promising approach in indications of unmet medical need.

Complex diseases demand novel treatment strategies: understanding drug combination

For many multigene or multifactorial diseases,the one-drug therapy for inhibiting a defined molecular target is often less effective than combined treatments.Typically,drug combination therapies are multitargeted,so the mechanisms or even interactions are often complementary.These drug-drug interactions may promote alteration of pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic activities of one drug by another drug.Other interactions may change the expected effect of medications through polymorphisms that alter the expression or activity of the drug-mediated enzyme and the cell signaling cascade,such as drug-gene interactions and drug-drug-gene interactions.The number of possible existing interactions requires appropriate methods of study.In this review,we summarized combination therapies for cancer,as well as for viral,cardiovascular,and neurological diseases.Here,we also highlight known methodologies,such as in vitro methods based on Loewe’s and Bliss’s pioneer models and in silico methods based on online available data.With more elaborate methods and reliable results,multitarget therapies through drug combinations may increasingly benefit patients suffering from complex diseases.

COMBINATION THERAPY OF DRUG-RESISTANT CHORIOCARCINOMA

From Jan. 1983 to June 1990, 35 drug-resistant choriocarcinoma treated in other hospitals were referred to our hospital. Among them, 88.6% of patients had already undergone more than 5 courses of chemotherapy, and the tumour showed resistance to at least 3 anti-choriocarcinoma drugs. PBA or PVBA regimen of chemotherapy as the main treatment was combined with irradiation or surgery. The 1, 2, and 3-year survival rates of PBA group were 60%, while 1 and 2-year survival rates of PVBA group were 73.3% and 75% respectively.The more the varieties of resistant drugs and the more the courses of previous chemotherapy had undergone,the worse the prognosis would be. The authors believe that the PVBA chemotherapy is very effective for drugresistant choriocarcinoma.

Immuno-oncology combinations： raising the tail of the survival curve

There have been exponential gains in immuno-oncology in recent times through the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for advanced melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer,immune checkpoint inhibitors also appears to have significant antitumor activity in multiple other tumor types. An exciting component of immunotherapy is the durability of antitumor responses observed, with some patients achieving disease control for many years. Nevertheless, not all patients benefit, and efforts should thus now focus on improving the efficacy of immunotherapy through the use of combination approaches and predictive biomarkers of response and resistance. There are multiple potential rational combinations using an immunotherapy backbone, including existing treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or molecularly targeted agents, as well as other immunotherapeutics. The aim of such antitumor strategies will be to raise the tail on the survival curve by increasing the number of long term survivors, while managing any additive or synergistic toxicities that may arise with immunotherapy combinations. Rational trial designs based on a clear understanding of tumor biology and drug pharmacology remain paramount. This article reviews the biology underpinning immuno-oncology, discusses existing and novel immunotherapeutic combinations currently in development, the challenges of predictive biomarkers of response and resistance and the impact of immuno-oncology on early phase clinical trial design.

Long-term alpha interferon and lamivudine combination therapy in non-responder patients with anti-HBe-positive chronic hepatitis B:Results of an open,controlled trial

AIM: To investigate the safety and efficacy of long-term combination therapy with alpha interferon and lamivudine in non-responsive patients with anti-HBe-positive chronic hepatitis B.METHODS: 34 patients received combination treatment (1 month lamivudine, 12 month lamivudine+interferon, 6month lamivudine), 24 received lamivudine (12 months),24 received interferon (12 months). Interferon was administered at 6 MU tiw and lamivudine at 100 mg orally once daily. Patients were followed up for 6 months after treatment.RESULTS: At the end of treatment, HBV DNA negativity rates were 88 % with lamivudine+interferon, 99 % with lamivudine and 55 % with interferon, (P=0.004, combination therapy vs. interferon, and P=0.001 lamivudine vs.interferon), and serum transaminase normalization rates were 84 %, 91% and 53 % (P=0.01 combination therapy vs. interferon, and P=0.012 lamivudine vs. interferon). Six months later, HBV DNA negativity rates were 44 % with lamivudine+interferon, 33 % with lamivudine and 25 % with interferon, and serum transaminase normalization rates were 61%, 42 % and 45 %, respectively, without statistical significance. No YMDD variants were observed with lamivudine+interferon (vs. 12 % with lamivudine). The combination therapy appeared to be safe. CONCLUSION: Although viral clearance and transaminase normalization are slower with long-term lamivudine+interferon than that with lamivudine alone, the combination regimen seems to provide more lasting benefits and to protect against the appearance of YMDD variants. Studies with other regimens regarding sequence and duration are needed.

Medical therapy for clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia:α1 Antagonists,5α reductase inhibitors and their combination

Medical therapy for clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)has advanced significantly in the last 2 decades.Many new a1 antagonists and 5a reductase inhibitors(5ARi)are now commercially available.The practicing urologist must decide on the most appropriate medication for his patients,taking into consideration various factors like efficacy,dosing regime,adverse effects,cost,patient’s socioeconomic background,expectations,drug availability and his own clinical experience.The use of combination therapy added further to the complexity in clinical judgment when prescribing.We highlight some of the key points in prescribing a1 antagonists,5ARi and their combination,based on our viewpoints and experience as urologists in an Asian clinical setting.