Volume 81, Issue 1-2

Globally, cancer is the top cause of mortality, placing a heavy load on the medical system. One of the first known secondary metabolites is curcumin, a bioactive substance. This study aims to emphasize the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties of curcumin and its derivatives, therefore, offering important insights for the possible creation of certain supplemental medications for the treatment of different cancers. Electronic Google databases, including Google scholar, ResearchGate, PubMed/Medline, and ScienceDirect, were searched to gather pertinent data about the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects of curcumin and its derivatives. Various studies have revealed a diverse array of significant biological effects. The majority of investigations pertaining to the potential anticancer effects and associated processes are currently in the experimental preclinical stage and lack sufficient clinical trial data to validate their findings. Clinical research is further needed to clarify the molecular processes and specific targeted action of curcumin and its derivatives, as well as their potential for toxicity and side effects in humans, in order to open up new therapeutic avenues for treating cancer.

Edible mushrooms are well-known for their nutritional value, serving as rich sources of bioactive nutrients, mainly proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, and minerals that are vital for human health. Lipids, integral to biological functions such as cellular structure and energy storage, play crucial roles in mushrooms’ bioactivity. Sphingolipids, an important class of lipids, serve not only as structural elements in cell membranes but also act as bioactive molecules, playing key roles in cancer prevention, skin health, and infection control. Recent studies highlight their unique presence in mushrooms. Despite their relatively low abundance, sphingolipids in mushrooms are pivotal in cellular processes and offer therapeutic potential. Advances in analytical techniques have facilitated the characterization of these compounds. This review explores the structural profiles, biological activities, and therapeutic applications of sphingolipids in medicinal mushrooms, highlighting their potential in the development of functional foods and novel therapeutic agents.

Ocular nanogels have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach, and nanotechnology has speed up the growth of the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors. The physiological and anatomical barriers of the eye limit the use of traditional ocular preparations, which leads to low drug bioavailability and a brief retention period. This presents a serious problem for patients, doctors, and chemists. Nevertheless, nanogels can encapsulate medications within three-dimensional crosslinked polymeric networks and provide controlled and prolonged drug delivery by using particular structural layouts and unique preparation techniques, improving therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance. Dextran and its variants, a naturally occurring polysaccharide, have drawn a lot of interest in developing delivery systems for use in pharmaceutical and medical applications. Many dextran-based delivery systems with customized geometries and features have been fabricated recently, such as hydrogels, nanogels, magnetic nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, self-assembled micelles and nanoparticles, and microparticles. The review presents advancement and therapeutic potential of dextran-based nanogels for the treatment of various eye conditions, such as cataract, conjunctivitis, glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, age-related macular degeneration, and corneal ulcers. Moreover, the process for development and assessing these nanomedicines, emphasizing their safety and effectiveness as established by preclinical, toxicological, clinical assessments, and patent updates, has been elaborated.

Stem cell therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking approach in regenerative medicine, offering immense potential for tissue regeneration and wound healing. Stem cells, with their ability to self-renew and differentiate into specialized cell types, provide innovative therapeutic strategies for variety of medical conditions. Key stem cell types, including embryonic, induced pluripotent, and adult stem cells such as mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells, play pivotal roles in regenerative processes and wound repair. In tissue regeneration, stem cells replenish damaged or necrotic cells by differentiating into specialized cell types like bone, muscle, or nerve cells, thus restoring the structural and functional integrity of tissues. In wound healing, stem cells stimulate angiogenesis, generate new skin cells, and modulate immune responses to enhance repair. This multifaceted therapeutic potential has paved the way for clinical applications in cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal, and autoimmune disorders, as well as skin and burn injuries. This review highlights recent advancements in stem cell therapy, exploring its clinical applications and addressing challenges such as immune rejection, ethical concerns, scalability, and the need for long-term clinical trials. The article underscores the importance of continued research to fully realize the transformative potential of stem cell therapy in modern medicine.

The present investigation explained various heterocyclic moieties particularly the thiazolidinone scaffold ( 1–16 ) which were synthesized from benzothiazole as promising anti-Alzheimer agent. In this, we have unveiled the synthetic path for generation of thiazolidinone scaffolds which was initiated benzothiazole having 2-amine moiety. These synthesized scaffolds were then inveterate through several analytical techniques including high-resolution electron impact mass spectrometry (HREI-MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR), and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13 C NMR). The anti-Alzheimer potential of these compounds was evaluated through molecular docking studies to examine their interactions with target proteins. Additionally, ADMET analysis was performed to assess drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties. Among the synthesized analogs, scaffold- 3 emerged as the most promising inhibitor compared to other derivatives in the series. This study highlights the potential of thiazolidinone derivatives in the development of novel anti-Alzheimer drugs and underscores the need for further optimization to enhance their therapeutic efficacy.

The present study aims to analyze the chemometric variation of the chemical composition of the aerial part’s essential oils of Pituranthos tortuosus , collected from different regions from Tunisia (Majoura and Sened (Gafsa), Sbeitla (Kasserine), and Eljem (Mahdia)) during the period from February to June and to assess their antimicrobial activity. The different samples of the aerial parts of P. tortuosus were hydrodistillated during 4 h. The obtained essential oils were analyzed by GC/FID and GC/MS techniques. The antimicrobial activity of these essential oils samples was evaluated in vitro using Petri dishes against Staphylococcus aureus subsp . aureus , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Escherichia coli , and Candida albicans . The obtained results showed that the yields of all essential oils were ranging from 0.42 to 0.77 %. They differ significantly ( p  ≤ 0.01) with the regions of collection. The chromatographic analysis of these essential oils displayed different chemical compositions leading to the identification of eight chemotypes. The majority of their chemical compounds differ significantly with the collection regions ( p  ≤ 0.05). The studied antimicrobial effects of the essential oils revealed significant differences ( p  ≤ 0.02) with the collection region. All the essential oils displayed an important antimicrobial effect against S. aureus and C. albicans .

Rubus apetalus Poir. is a medicinal plant used in Ethiopia to treat different diseases. This study aimed to isolate phytochemicals from the leave s and evaluate their antibacterial and DPPH scavenging activities using in vitro and in silico studies. The GC-MS study resulted in the identification of 16 compounds. Palmitic acid ( 9 ), palmityl alcohol ( 17 ), β -sitosterol ( 18 ), tiliroside ( 19 ), and astragalin ( 20 ) were isolated using chromatographic techniques and characterized using NMR data. The inhibition zones (IZs) of 100 mg/mL extracts and 5 mg/mL isolated compounds ranged from 9.33 ± 0.47 to 15.07 ± 0.74 mm against all bacteria. Compound 18 showed better activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes . Compound 19 exhibited better activity against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The activity of compound 19 was supported by molecular docking studies against E . coli DNA gyrase B (−8.0 kcal/mol) and Pseudomonas quinolone signal A (PqsA, −9.5 kcal/mol) for E . coli and P . aeruginosa , respectively. At 62.5 mg/mL, combined fractions 16–21 and compound 19 showed the lowest (54.5 %) and the highest (89.8 %) DPPH scavenging activity, respectively. The in silico studies indicated that none of the isolated compounds is fatal if swallowed. Therefore, these findings support the traditional use of the plant to treat various bacterial diseases.

In this research, a series of new hydrazone-Schiff bases of benzimidazole were synthesized in good yields through three step reactions, and the structures were confirmed by means of modern spectroscopic techniques (HR-ESI-MS, 1 H-, and 13 C NMR). These compounds have been assessed for their in vitro carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitory activity, 12 derivatives showed potent inhibition (IC 50  = 13.29 ± 0.46 to 30.74 ± 1.28 µM) comparing to the acetazolamide as a standard (IC 50  = 18.20 ± 0.43 µM). Molecular docking studies exposed vital binding interactions and robust affinities with the CA active site. Electronic properties and structural stability were examined through DFT (B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p)), and intramolecular interactions were evaluated by means of DFT-D3 and reduced density gradient analysis. Furthermore, TD-DFT (CAM-B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p)) calculations provided insights into the electronic transitions and reactivity parameters like electron affinity, electronegativity, ionization energy, and chemical hardness, offering a deeper understanding of the compounds’ inhibitory mechanisms.

Luvunga scandens (Roxb.) Wight is identified as one of the vital folk medicinal plants in Malaysia. Despite its traditional use, the essential oil composition and bioactivities of L. scandens remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the essential oil composition, anticholinesterase activity, and cytotoxicity of L. scandens leaves. After the essential oil was extracted using hydrodistillation, GC-FID and GC-MS were used for analysis, identifying 35 components, representing 93.8 % of the total oil. The major components included germacrene D (17.8 %), γ -elemene (15.6 %), β -gurjunene (10.8 %), α -cadinol (5.3 %), α -humulene (4.9 %), and alloaromadendrene (4.5 %). With IC 50 values of 78.5 and 95.2 μg/mL, the essential oil showed moderate inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The cytotoxicity was evaluated using an MTT assay. The essential oil exhibited cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines; HepG2, MCF7, and A549 with IC 50 values of 70.2, 52.8, and 65.5 μg/mL, respectively. These findings provide new insights into the potential therapeutic applications of L. scandens essential oil, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer therapy.