Alejandra Manjarrez

Oct 27, 2024 | drugdiscoverynews.com | Alejandra Manjarrez

When a pathogen invades the body, it can cause significant harm on its own. But just as often, the real destruction may come from the body’s own defenses. This is the case for periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, since it refers to the inflammation of the gums that surround teeth. Periodontal disease often starts with the growth of sticky films of bacteria that later lead to chronic gum inflammation, bone loss, and sometimes tooth loss.

Oct 3, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Alejandra Manjarrez

Fruit flies with gut tumors showed an increased preference for a bitter antitumor compound compared to healthy flies, suggesting a self-medication strategy. For thousands of years, humans likely learned about herbal remedies by observing other animals’ behavior.

Sep 29, 2024 | drugdiscoverynews.com | Alejandra Manjarrez

Devoid of nutrients and with limited oxygen, the leptomeninges — the cerebrospinal fluid-filled membranes covering the brain and spinal cord — is a wasteland, making it challenging for foreign cells, such as cancer cells, to survive there. Despite this harsh environment, cancer cells manage to reach and establish themselves there in five to ten percent of patients with solid tumors. Patients with leptomeningeal metastasis currently have a life expectancy of less than six months.

Sep 23, 2024 | drugdiscoverynews.com | Alejandra Manjarrez

Every now and then, Mohab Ibrahim’s brother gets headaches. For years, Ibrahim, an anesthesiologist and pharmacologist at the University of Arizona, advised him to take medication like ibuprofen, but his brother would respond that he preferred sitting in his garden for relief. Ibrahim never gave much thought to his brother’s peculiar remedy, until one day he himself had a headache and no medication at home.

Sep 22, 2024 | the-scientist.com | Alejandra Manjarrez

Purine nucleotides are essential for cell growth and function as they serve as nucleic acid building blocks, signaling molecules, and energy carriers. Treatments that inhibit their synthesis offer a powerful strategy to hinder cancer cell growth, but patients may sometimes develop resistance to these drugs. Researchers hope that a better understanding of the purine production pipeline will lead to the development of novel treatments.