Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) is still a serious and significant health concern, more so with the emergence of multidrug-resistant-TB. The inability of mankind to control this infection stems from the fact that the vaccines and drugs that were once effective against TB are no longer efficacious. This has led to a search for new antituberculous agents and adjuvant therapy. Vitamins are being revisited for their role in pathogenicity as well as for their antimycobacterial properties. Vitamins such as biotin and thiamin are essential for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and are required for establishment of infection. On the other hand, vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin D have been shown to possess antimycobacterial properties. To combat M. tuberculosis, innovative strategies need to be devised, keeping in mind the efficacy of the agent to be used. Vitamins can prove to be useful agents capable of modifying the life cycle and biology of M. tuberculosis. We present here a brief overview of the available knowledge on thiamin, biotin, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D, keeping TB treatment and control in perspective.

Background:Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a multifactorial pathology involving a variety of pathogenic mechanisms, including oxidative/nitrosative stress. This latter is the consequence of the imbalance between excessive formation and insufficient protection against reactive oxygen/nitrogen species.

Objective:Our main goal is to gather molecular information to better managing pathologic variants that may determine the individual susceptibility to oxidative/nitrosative stress (OS/NS) and POAG.

Method:An extensive search of the scientific literature was conducted using PUBMED, the Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and other references on the topic of POAG and OS/NS from human and animal model studies published between 2010 and 2017. Finally, 152 works containing relevant information that may help understanding the role of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, natural compounds and other similar strategies for counteracting OS/NS in POAG were considered.

Results:A wide variety of studies have proven that antioxidants, among them vitamins B3, C and E, Coenzyme Q10 or melatonin,-3/-6 fatty acids and other natural compounds (such as coffee, green tea, bear bile, gingko biloba, coleus, tropical fruits, etc.,) may help regulating the intraocular pressure as well as protecting the retinal neurons against OS/NS in POAG.

Conclusion:Based on the impact of antioxidants and-3/-6 fatty acids at the molecular level in the glaucomatous anterior and posterior eye segments, further studies are needed by integrating all issues involved in glaucoma pathogenesis, endogenous and exogenous risk factors and their interactions that will allow us to reach newer effective biotherapies for preventing glaucomatous irreversible blindness.

To correct disbolism of vitamins C, B3, B6 and B12 due to viral hepatitis A (VHA), the patients received daily doses of the vitamins: 300 and 400 mg of ascorbic acid, 300 and 600 mg of calcium pantothenate or 90 and 180 mg of pantetin per os. 100 and 200 micrograms of cyanocobalamin alternating with 50 and 100 mg of pyridoxin was given intramuscularly every other day. The course lasted 3-4 weeks. The vitamin treatment promoted a positive trend in clinico-biochemical parameters, normalization of immunocompetent cell and serum immunoglobulins levels, of phagocytic reaction of peripheral blood neutrophils.