Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are extensively prescribed in daily clinical practice. NSAIDs are the main cause of drug hypersensitivity reactions all over the world. The inhibition of cyclooxygenase enzymes by NSAIDs can perpetuate arachidonic acid metabolism, shunting to the 5-lipoxygenase pathway and its downstream inflammatory process. Clinical phenotypes of NSAID hypersensitivity are diverse and can be classified into cross-reactive or selective responses. Efforts have been made to understand pathogenic mechanisms, in which, genetic and epigenetic backgrounds are implicated in various processes of NSAID-induced hypersensitivity reactions. Although there were some similarities among patients, several genetic polymorphisms are distinct in those exhibiting respiratory or cutaneous symptoms. Moreover, the expression levels, as well as the methylation status of genes related to immune responses were demonstrated to be involved in NSAID-induced hypersensitivity reactions. There is still a lack of data on delayed type reactions. Further studies with a larger sample size, which integrate different genetic pathways, can help overcome current limitations of gen etic/epigenetic studies, and provide valuable information on NSAID hypersensitivity reactions.

Purpose of reviewTo highlight the characteristics of allergic rhinitis, local allergic rhinitis (LAR), and importance of allergens in Southeast Asian countries. Recent findingsThe Asia-Pacific region is very diverse with disparities in the epidemiological data between countries as well as in the unmet needs. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis has markedly increased in the past decades, with a high variation between countries, ranging from 4.5-80.3%. In terms of LAR, the reported prevalence in Southeast Asia is similar to that of other Asian countries (3.7-24.9%) but lower than that in western countries. House dust mites, cockroach, pollens, and molds are major allergens that are known triggers for of allergic rhinitis in this region, whereas the association with helminth infection requires further investigation.

Curcuma aromatica, the herbal medicine belongs to Zingiberaceae family, is well known for anti-tumor activity through multiple pathways and a potential candidate for complementary medicine in cancer treatment. The aims of this study were to distinguish between Curcuma species based on polymorphisms of the nucleotide sequence of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and preliminarily analyze their potential-anticancer compounds. Totally six samples supposed C. aromatica growing in An Giang province, Vietnam were collected. The contents of curcumin, curdione, and germacrone in the six samples were analyzed and compared by using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. All specimens were identified according to their trnSfMintergenic spacer sequences by Sanger sequencing. Among the six samples, three were determined as C. aromatica, two were C. longa, and one was C. zedoaria. Curcumin, curdione, and germacrone, known as anticancer compounds, were simultaneously found in sample NT3 that identified as C. aromatica by Sanger sequencing. The obtained results revealed a potential herbal candidate for complementary and alternative medicine.

No abstract

No abstract