Over the last years, hyaluronic acid (HA) injectable dermal fillers (DFs) have become the most popular agents for soft tissue contouring and volumizing. HA fillers are characterized by most of the properties that an ideal DF should have, due to HA unique chemical-physical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and versatility. Therefore, HA DFs have revolutionized the filler market with a high number of products, which differ in terms of HA source, cross-linkage (agent and degree), HA concentration, hardness, cohesivity, consistency, inclusion or lack of anesthetic, indication, and longevity of correction. The article first provides a general introduction to DF world, and an overview of the different materials is available for fillers. Second, it describes the characteristics and the peculiarities of HA fillers, their differences from the other available materials, and therefore the reasons at the base of their success. Moreover, an update regarding the main Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved fillers is presented.

An ever-increasing incidence of skin neoplastic diseases is registered. Therefore, it is important to protect the skin from the UV radiation that reaches the epidermis and dermis but also to block ROS generated by them. Our attention was attracted in developing new compounds provided with both UV filtering and antioxidant capacities. To this end, 2-phenyl-1H-benzimidazole-5-sulfonic acid (PBSA), a known UV filter, was selected as lead compound for its lack of antioxidant activity, high water solubility and good safety profile. PBSA was sequentially modified introducing hydroxyls on the phenyl ring and also substituting the functional group in position 5 of the benzimidazole ring. At the end of the synthetic study, a new, very potent class of antioxidants has been obtained. Surprisingly some of the developed molecules, while devoid of significant UV-filtering activity was endowed with potent UV-filtering booster capability if associated with known commercial UVB and UVA filters.

In our investigation, we demonstrated that it is possible for a single laboratory to optimize internal methods and protocols to achieve repeatable and predictive in vitro results, but it is extremely difficult to develop methods reproducible and equally reliable in different laboratories, probably due to "external variables" (e.g. environmental, operator), which are difficult to control.

Friedreich Ataxia (FRDA), the most frequent inherited ataxia, is not only characterized by progressive gait and limb ataxia, but in most cases is also accompanied by a severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This life threatening symptom can be ameliorated by the administration of idebenone, a short chain quinone antioxidant, supporting additional evidence that oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of this disease. In this study we analyze the combinatorial effect of different antioxidants on cell viability of FRDA fibroblasts and of RAT-1 immortalized fibroblasts exposed to oxidative stress. We find that an equimolar mixture of idebenone and vitamin E is more potent than each of the compound alone. Increased potency was also obtained with a novel synthetic antioxidant (Fe-Aox29) combining the active groups from both idebenone and vitamin E. These results indicate, that idebenone and vitamin E might act synergistically to counteract oxidative stress in fibroblasts from FRDA patients.

The Flaviviridae virus family presents linear, plus sense, single-stranded RNA genome of 9.6 to 12.3-kilobases in length and is responsible for about seventy diseases, of which thirteen in humans. The viruses belonging to this family, are divided in three different genera, showing a great similarity in virion morphology, genome organization and replication strategy:1) Hepacivirus [Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)], Flavivirus [e.g. Yellow Fever Virus (YFV), Dengue Fever Virus (DFV), West Nile Virus (WNV)], and Pestivirus [Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), Border Disease Virus (BDV)]. [2][3][4][5] Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), the prototype representative of the Pestivirus genus, is ubiquitous and causes a range of clinical manifestations, including abortion, teratogenesis, respiratory problems, chronic wasting syndrome, immune system dysfunction, and predisposition to secondary viral and bacterial infections. 5)Regardless of the availability of vaccines 6) against BVDV and the increasingly elaborate eradication or control of programs, BVDV continues to be a financial burden to the farming industry. An alternative approach against BVDV infections could be the use of antiviral agents that specifically inhibit the replication of the virus. Although not suited to treat large herds, it could be important to have selective anti-Pestivirus compounds on hand.Recently, a number of selective anti-BVDV compounds have been reported. These include the following: polymerase inhibitors i.e. N-propyl-N-[2-(2H-1,2,4-triazino[5,6-b]indol-3-ylthio)ethyl]-1-propanamine (VP32947), 7) a thiazole urea derivative, 8) a cyclic urea derivative 9) and inhibitors of the NS3/NS4A protease, for example, a boron-modified peptidyl mimetic.10) Aromatic cationic molecules have also been reported to inhibit BVDV replication, although the mechanism of action remains to be elucidated.11) Other BVDV inhibitors target cellular enzymes such as the a-glucosidase 12-14) and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH).15) Recently, a new highly selective BVDV polymerase inhibitor of pestivirus replication, 5-[(4-bromophenyl)methyl]-2-phenyl-5H-imidazo[4,5-c]pyridine (BPIP), was reported. 16)Like BVDV, HCV also belongs to the Flaviviridae family. It is an important cause of chronic hepatitis throughout the world and is the most common factor involved in the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. 17,18) The licensed therapy based on the combination of pegylated interferon-a with the broad spectrum antiviral agent ribavirin, has a limited efficacy (about 60%) and there are important side effects associated with the therapy. Therefore, highly effective and selective inhibitors of HCV replication are urgently required. 19) BVDV is considered to be a valuable surrogate virus model for identifying and characterizing antiviral agents for use against HCV. 20) In some aspects of viral replication, BVDV is more advantageous than the currently used HCV replicon systems 21,22) because this latter does not present a complete replication cycle thus...