Honey, a natural substance, has long been valued for its dual role in both food and medicine in diverse cultural traditions, particularly in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is rich in sugars, amino acids, enzymes, polyphenols, and flavonoids that contribute to its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. Additionally, honey is effective in managing some conditions, such as antibiotic-resistant infections, inflammation, and oxidative stress-related diseases. This review explores the extensive health benefits of honey, emphasizing the homology between food and medicine, as proposed by TCM philosophy. Further, this review explores the traditional applications of honey in respiratory health, wound healing, and gastrointestinal support, along with modern scientific validation of these uses. Moreover, the role of honey as a dietary supplement, functional food, and preservative in culinary practices is examined. Overall, this review highlights the synergy between ancient wisdom and contemporary science, advocating for the continued exploration of the role of honey in health, nutrition, and medicine.

Worldwide, cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death, which accordingly increased by hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia therapy can include lifestyle changes and medications to control cholesterol levels. Statins are the medications of the first choice for dealing with lipid abnormalities. Rosuvastatin founds to control high lipid levels by hindering liver production of cholesterol and to achieve the targeted levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, another lipid lowering agents named ezetimibe may be used as an added therapy. Both rosuvastatin and ezetimibe have low bioavailability which will stand as barrier to decrease cholesterol levels, because of such depictions, formulations of this combined therapy in nanotechnology will be of a great assistance. Our study demonstrated preparations of nanoparticles of this combined therapy, showing their physical characterizations, and examined their behavior in laboratory conditions and vivo habitation. The mean particle size was uniform, polydispersity index and zeta potential of formulations were found to be in the ranges of (0.181–0.72) and (–13.4 to –6.24), respectively. Acceptable limits of entrapment efficiency were affirmed with appearance of spherical and uniform nanoparticles. In vitro testing showed a sustained release of drug exceeded 90% over 24 h. In vivo study revealed an enhanced dissolution and bioavailability from loaded nanoparticles, which was evidenced by calculated pharmacokinetic parameters using triton for hyperlipidemia induction. Stability studies were performed and assured that the formulations are kept the same up to one month. Therefore, nano formulations is a suitable transporter for combined therapy of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe with improvement in their dissolution and bioavailability.

BACKGROUND: Skin alterations are among the most prominent signs of aging, and they arise from both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that interact and mutually influence one another. The use of D-galactose as an aging model in animals has been widely employed in anti-aging research. Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs) are particularly promising for skin anti-aging therapy due to their capacity for effective re-epithelization and secretion of various growth factors essential for skin regeneration. Accordingly, we aimed to examine the potential utility of Ad-MSCs as a therapy for skin anti-aging. METHODS: In this study, we isolated and characterized adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Ad-MSCs) from the epididymal fat of male Sprague Dawley rats. We assessed the in vitro differentiation of Ad-MSCs into epidermal progenitor cells (EPCs) using ascorbic acid and hydrocoritsone. Additionally, we induced skin aging in female Sprague Dawley rats via daily intradermal injection of D-galactose over a period of 8 weeks. Then we evaluated the therapeutic potential of intradermal transplantation of Ad-MSCs and conditioned media (CM) derived from differentiated EPCs in the D-galactose-induced aging rats. Morphological assessments, antioxidant assays, and histopathological examinations were performed to investigate the effects of the treatments. RESULTS: Our findings revealed the significant capability of Ad-MSCs to differentiate into EPCs. Notably, compared to the group that received CM treatment, the Ad-MSCs-treated group exhibited a marked improvement in morphological appearance, antioxidant levels and histological features. CONCLUSIONS These results underscore the effectiveness of Ad-MSCs in restoring skin aging as a potential therapy for skin aging.

Objective: To isolate and identify the polyphenolic constituents of Dypsis lutescens, and evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of the ethanolic extract of Dypsis lutescens leaves. Methods: Hepatoprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of two doses of Dypsis lutescens ethanolic leaf extract were investigated in five groups of six rats each administered with the ethanolic extract of Dypsis lutescens leaves. Liver function parameters were assessed, histopathological study was carried out, the anti-inflammatory mediators and the antioxidant potential in the liver tissues were evaluated. In addition, the total ethanolic extract of Dypsis lutescens leaves was subjected to different chromatographic separation techniques to yield ten phenolic compounds. The isolated compounds structures were spectroscopically elucidated. Results: Hepatoprotective activity of Dypsis lutescens ethanolic extract was estimated for the first time and showed significant activity against histopathological changes induced by D-galactosamine in liver. The extract improved the liver functions. Compared to the D-galactosamine group, the architecture of the liver in the treated groups was improved in the histopathological examination. These results proved the hepatoprotective activity of Dypsis lutescens and its ability in attenuating liver oxidative damage and inflammation. Phytochemical investigations of the total extract afforded ten compounds from the genus Dypsis. Conclusions: The alcoholic extract of Dypsis lutescens exerted potential hepatoprotective action, maintaining liver health and functions.