Systemic homeostasis is maintained by the robust bidirectional regulation of the neuroendocrine-immune network by the active involvement of neural, endocrine and immune mediators. Throughout female reproductive life, gonadal hormones undergo cyclic variations and mediate concomitant modulations of the neuroendocrine-immune network. Dysregulation of the neuroendocrine-immune network occurs during aging as a cumulative effect of declining neural, endocrine and immune functions and loss of compensatory mechanisms including antioxidant enzymes, growth factors and co-factors. This leads to disruption of homeostasis and sets the stage for the development of female-specific age-associated diseases such as autoimmunity, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and hormone-dependent cancers. Ovarian hormones especially estrogen, play a key role in the maintenance of health and homeostasis by modulating the nervous, endocrine and immune functions and thereby altering neuroendocrine-immune homeostasis. Immunologically estrogen's role in the modulation of Th1/Th2 immune functions and contributing to pro-inflammatory conditions and autoimmunity has been widely studied. Centrally, hypothalamic and pituitary hormones influence gonadal hormone secretion in murine models during onset of estrous cycles and are implicated in reproductive aging-associated acyclicity. Loss of estrogen affects neuronal plasticity and the ensuing decline in cognitive functions during reproductive aging in females implicates estrogen in the incidence and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Peripherally, sympathetic noradrenergic (NA) innervations of lymphoid organs and the presence of both adrenergic (AR) and estrogen receptors (ER) on lymphocytes poise estrogen as a potent neuroimmunomodulator during health and disease. Cyclic variations in estrogen levels throughout reproductive life, perimenopausal surge in estrogen levels followed by its precipitous decline, concomitant with decline in central hypothalamic catecholaminergic activity, peripheral sympathetic NA innervation and associated immunosuppression present an interesting study to explore female-specific age-associated diseases in a new light.

Cancer is one of the fatal diseases, and it continues to pose a significant health problem worldwide. Although great efforts are being done to discover a cure, cancer still remains a very prominent cause of mortality in humans, and its effective treatment is a formidable challenge. Although cancer therapies have been performed throughout the history, the efficacy of the treatment still remains a challenge. In recent years, natural product compounds have become the first choice of treatment in many cases. Gene therapy, in addition, is offering selective new methods for treatment. This review emphasizes the advancements cancer treatment using naturally derived products with significantly less toxicity and more efficacies; thereby enhancing the understanding of different cancers and potential of the plant based extract in the anti-cancer field.

The neuroendocrine immune network functions in a delicate balance during health and the ability to maintain this balance through disease affects the outcome of the disease. During aging, there is a general decline in each of these systems that reflects on their synergistic functions and affect homeostasis leading to age-associated diseases including cancer, autoimmunity and degenerative diseases. Immunomodulation by estrogen through cyclic menstrual variations and precipitous decline during reproductive aging, facilitates the development of several female-specific age-associated diseases such as autoimmunity, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and hormone-dependent cancers. Centrally and peripherally, norepinephrine released from sympathetic innervation of lymphoid organs plays a key role in naïve T-cell regulation. Hypothalamic catecholaminergic networks play a crucial role in endocrine regulation and indirectly affect immune functions during health and disease. Immune mediators such as cytokines can cross the blood brain barrier and bind to central neurons eliciting sickness behaviour and facilitate reprogramming of energy reserves to be used to fight the disease. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors like deprenyl and synthetic drugs like donepezil have been shown to exert positive effects on the age-associated decline in the neuroendocrine-immune network by delaying peripheral degeneration and increasing immune functions. Similar beneficial effects have been observed in vitro and in vivo in rats treated with Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) and Noni (Morinda citrifolia). Comparative analysis of the strategies for reversing age-associated immunosenescence using synthetic drugs and natural remedies have shown significant immunomodulatory effects in middle-aged and old rats through modulation of MAPK and NF-kB signaling cascades. ÖzNöroendokrin bağışıklık ağı vücud sağlığının korunmasında bulunduğu hassas denge ile bu sağlığın korunmasında önemli bir rol oynar. Yaşlanma sırasında, bu sistemlerin ve aralarındaki sinerjik işlevlerin etkinliğinin azalması ile, kanser, otoimmünite, osteoporoz, kalp-damar hastalıkları ve hormona bağlı kanserler ile dejeneratif hastalıklar gibi sağlık problemleri ortaya çıkabilmektedir. Ostrojenin menstrüasyon sırasındaki döngüsel farklılıkları ve üreme sistemindeki yaşlanmaya bağlı olarak otoimmünite, osteoporoz kalp-damar hastalıkları ve hormona bağlı kanserler gibi hastalıklar meydana gelmektedir. Norepinefrinin lenfoid organların innervasyonu ile salınımı ile gerek periferik olarak gerek ise santral olarak etki göstermekte, aktive olmamış T lenfositlerinin düzenlenmesinde çok önemli roller oynamaktadır. Hipotalamus kökenli katekolaminerjik ağ, endokrin sistemin düzenlenmesinde ve bu sistemin sağlık ve hastalıklarda söz konusu olan ve bağışıklık sistemi ile ilgili işlevlerinde vazgeçilmiş bir rol oynar. Bağışıklık sisteminde etkin sitokinler gibi maddeler, kan-beyin engelini geçip beyindeki sinirleri etkileyerek hastalıkların hastalarda meydana getirdiği değişiklikleri oluşturmakta ve enerji kay...

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Introduction: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disorder leading to dysregulations in the homeostatic functions of the body, affecting reproductive, neural, and metabolic health. This study investigates the prevalence of PCOS-associated comorbidities and the effects of cognitive and metabolic alterations in Indian women.Methods: Female volunteers (aged 18-40) were grouped into control and PCOS groups as per the Rotterdam criteria. The volunteers were administered with a standard PCOS questionnaire, Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ), Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ), EDC exposure questionnaire, and neuropsychological tests including Corsi block-tapping test, Stroop color test, mental rotation test. Peripheral blood samples were collected from both groups (n=15 each). Serotonin and testosterone levels along with cholinesterase activity were estimated in plasma samples. Activity of rate-limiting metabolic enzymes of the glycolytic pathway (hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase), citric acid cycle (citrate synthase), and mitochondrial electron transport chain (cytochrome-c-oxidase) were estimated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results:PCOS patients reported a significant increase in PCOS-related comorbidities. The CFQ and MFQ scores were significantly higher while the recall memory, Corsi, Stroop, mental rotation scores were significantly lower in PCOS patients, compared to control group. There was a significant increase in cholinesterase activity, and a significant decrease in the serotonin levels in women with PCOS compared to the control group. The activities of the rate limiting metabolic enzymes showed significant changes in the PCOS, compared to the control groups. Conclusion:Correlative effects of the altered cognitive functions and associated-physiological mechanisms are evident in Indian women with PCOS.