The pathophysiologies of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are far from being fully explained. Oxidative stress (OS) has been proposed as one factor that plays a potential role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Clinical and preclinical studies indicate that neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by higher levels of OS biomarkers and by lower levels of antioxidant defense biomarkers in the brain and peripheral tissues. In this article, we review the current knowledge regarding the involvement of OS in neurodegenerative diseases, based on clinical trials and animal studies. In addition, we analyze the effects of the drug-induced modulation of oxidative balance, and we explore pharmacotherapeutic strategies for OS reduction.

The pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and autism, is far from being fully elucidated. In recent years, a potential role of the oxidative stress has been highlighted in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders. A body of clinical and preclinical evidence indicates that psychiatric diseases are characterized by higher levels of oxidative biomarkers and with lower levels of antioxidant defense biomarkers in the brain and peripheral tissues. In this article, we review current knowledge on the role of the oxidative stress in psychiatric diseases, based on clinical trials and animal studies, in addition, we analyze the effects of drug-induced modulation of oxidative balance and explore pharmacotherapeutic strategies for oxidative stress reduction.

Monoterpenes, the major components of essential oils, belong to the group of isoprenoids containing ten carbon atoms. Being widely distributed in the plant kingdom they are extensively used in cuisine and human health care products. Studies have shown that both natural monoterpenes and their synthetic derivatives are endowed with various pharmacological properties including antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, antiarrhythmic, anti-aggregating, local anesthetic, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic and anti-spasmodic activities. Monoterpenes act also as regulators of growth, heat, transpiration, tumor inhibitors, inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, insect repellants, feline and canine attractants and antidiabetics. These interesting activities which might be potentially used not only in pharmaceutical, but also food and cosmetic industries are discussed below.

Gastric bleeding and the formation of gastrointestinal ulcers and erosions are the most adverse reactions in patients subjected to therapy with non-steroidal antiin¯ammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin (ASA). 1 As shown in numerous studies, ASA damages the gastric mucosa due to the inhibition of protective prostaglandins and direct action on this mucosa. This results in enhancement in acid back-diffusion and microvascular injury accompanied by the activation of neutrophils that lead to excessive release of oxygen radicals. 2 Recent work in animal models revealed that administration of NSAIDs such as indometacin or ASA caused the release of reactive oxygen metabolites and enhanced the lipid peroxidation, but the importance of these intermediates in ASA-induced injury of human gastric mucosa has been little studied. 3 It is known that under physiological conditions in biological systems, approximately 95% of molecular oxygen undergoes controlled reduction through the addition of four electrons in the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase system to form water. The remaining molecular SUMMARY Background: The roles of active oxygen metabolites and anti-oxidative defenses in aspirin (ASA)-induced gastric damage have been little studied. Aim: We determined the effects of aspirin (400 mg b.d.) with or without vitamin C (480 mg b.d.) for 3 days on gastric mucosa in human volunteers. Methods: Gastric injury was assessed endoscopically; gastric blood¯ow, reactive oxygen release (quanti®ed by chemiluminescence), lipid peroxidation, myeloperoxidase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and intragastric vitamin C content were measured. Expression of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase mRNAs was assayed semi-quantitatively. Results: ASA produced erosions, a marked increase in chemiluminescence, lipid peroxidation, and myeloper-

In mammals several members of the Transient Receptor Potential channel family (TRPs), expressed mainly in the sensory neurons and skin keratinocytes, are implicated in relevant physiological functions, including thermosensation,nociception and vision. Since the TRPV1-4, TRPA1 and TRPM8 channels from this family play a pivotal role in both the detection and possibly modulation of painful stimuli, they are regarded as a very promising target of novel analgesic drugs. A few agents acting at TRPs, such as capsaicin or menthol, have a long history of their application as analgesics,whereas others (e.g. SB705498, JTS653, JNJ17203212, AP18, A967079, Chembridge-5861528 or PBMC) are currently being evaluated both in animals and in humans. In this review we discuss pain physiology, as well as the pharmacological properties of the TRPs involved in pain detection as potential critical peripheral analgesic targets. We present one of the most relevant strategies in the search for novel analgesic drugs, namely the TRP channels and their ligands, both agonists and antagonists as potential novel therapeutics for inflammatory and neuropathic pain syndromes. The safety profile of these agents, in particular their impact on thermosensation, is also discussed below.