Multiple sclerosis treatment: First oral drug, new antibody therapies

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition for which new therapeutic avenues, including anti-inflammatory drugs like mast cell stabilizers and anti-IgE treatments, continue to be developed.
Mast cell stabilizers, such as cromolyn (also known as sodium cromoglycate) and nedocromil (Tilade), are effective drugs in asthma management. These stabilizers hinder histamine release by skillfully obstructing the activation of mast cells and other cellular entities. Notably, they navigate this task without...

Upon diagnosis, managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) involves addressing several crucial aspects. The primary goals include resting the bowel, correcting malnutrition, and providing symptomatic relief. Resting the bowel may consist of medications to reduce inflammation and promote healing. Correcting malnutrition is essential, often requiring dietary adjustments and nutritional supplements. Symptomatic relief aims to ease pain, diarrhea, and other discomforts in IBD.
Pharmacologic...

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder marked by chronic inflammation of the GI tract. Various treatment strategies for Crohn's disease are employed, such as immunomodulatory agents, glucocorticoids, and biologics or anti-TNF therapy. Azathioprine (Imuran), a commonly used immunomodulatory drug for Crohn's disease, is converted in the body to mercaptopurine, which inhibits purine biosynthesis and cell proliferation. Both are utilized in severe cases of Inflammatory Bowel Disease...

Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine, contributes significantly to the inflammation seen in Crohn's disease. It exists as soluble TNF and membrane-bound TNF, with actions mediated through TNF receptors (TNFR). TNFR activation leads to the release of proinflammatory cytokines, T-cell activation, collagen production, and leukocyte migration, all contributing to inflammation in Crohn's disease. Anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies, namely infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira),...