Folate-Mediated Targeting and Controlled Release: PLGA-Encapsulated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Delivering Capecitabine to Pancreatic Tumor.

The discovery of specifically tailored therapeutic delivery systems has sparked the interest of pharmaceutical researchers considering improved therapeutic effectiveness and fewer adverse effects. The current study concentrates on the design and characterization of PLGA (polylactic-co-glycolic acid) capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN)-based systems for drug delivery for pH-sensitive controlled drug release in order to achieve a targeted drug release inside the acidic tumor microenvironment. The physicochemical properties of the nanoformulations were analyzed using TEM, zeta potential, AFM, TGA, FTIR, and BET analyses in addition to DLS size. The final formed PLGA-FoA-MSN-CAP and pure MSN had sizes within the therapeutic ranges of 164.5 ± 1.8 and 110.7 ± 2.2, respectively. Morphological characterization (TEM and AFM) and elemental analysis (FTIR and XPS) confirmed the proper capping and tagging of PLGA and folic acid (FoA). The PLGA-coated FoA-MSN exhibited a pH-dependent controlled release of the CAP (capecitabine) drug, showing efficient release at pH 6.8. Furthermore, the in vitro MTT test on PANC1 and MIAPaCa-2 resulted in an IC50 value of 146.37 µg/ml and 105.90 µg/ml, respectively. Mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis was confirmed from the caspase-3 and annexin V/PI flow cytometry assay, which displayed a cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. Overall, the results predicted that the designed nanoformulation is a potential therapeutic agent in treating pancreatic cancer.

Computational Approaches to Designing Antiviral Drugs against COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review.

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 necessitates innovative strategies for the rapid development of effective treatments. Computational methodologies, such as molecular modelling, molecular dynamics simulations, and artificial intelligence, have emerged as indispensable tools in the drug discovery process. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of these computational approaches and their application in the design of antiviral agents for COVID-19. Starting with an examination of ligand-based and structure-based drug discovery, the review has delved into the intricate ways through which molecular modelling can accelerate the identification of potential therapies. Additionally, the investigation extends to phytochemicals sourced from nature, which have shown promise as potential antiviral agents. Noteworthy compounds, including gallic acid, naringin, hesperidin, Tinospora cordifolia, curcumin, nimbin, azadironic acid, nimbionone, nimbionol, and nimocinol, have exhibited high affinity for COVID-19 Mpro and favourable binding energy profiles compared to current drugs. Although these compounds hold potential, their further validation through in vitro and in vivo experimentation is imperative. Throughout this exploration, the review has emphasized the pivotal role of computational biologists, bioinformaticians, and biotechnologists in driving rapid advancements in clinical research and therapeutic development. By combining state-of-the-art computational techniques with insights from structural and molecular biology, the search for potent antiviral agents has been accelerated. The collaboration between these disciplines holds immense promise in addressing the transmissibility and virulence of SARS-CoV-2.

Biosynthesized nanoparticles: a novel approach for cancer therapeutics.

Nanotechnology has become one of the most rapid, innovative, and adaptable sciences in modern science and cancer therapy. Traditional chemotherapy has limits owing to its non-specific nature and adverse side effects on healthy cells, and it remains a serious worldwide health issue. Because of their capacity to specifically target cancer cells and deliver therapeutic chemicals directly to them, nanoparticles have emerged as a viable strategy for cancer therapies. Nanomaterials disclose novel properties based on size, distribution, and shape. Biosynthesized or biogenic nanoparticles are a novel technique with anti-cancer capabilities, such as triggering apoptosis in cancer cells and slowing tumour growth. They may be configured to deliver medications or other therapies to specific cancer cells or tumour markers. Despite their potential, biosynthesized nanoparticles confront development obstacles such as a lack of standardisation in their synthesis and characterization, the possibility of toxicity, and their efficiency against various forms of cancer. The effectiveness and safety of biosynthesized nanoparticles must be further investigated, as well as the types of cancer they are most successful against. This review discusses the promise of biosynthesized nanoparticles as a novel approach for cancer therapeutics, as well as their mode of action and present barriers to their development.

A Facile Synthesis of Flower-like Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Its Efficacy Measurements for Antibacterial, Cytotoxicity and Antioxidant Activity.

The objective of this study was to investigate the rhombohedral-structured, flower-like iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles that were produced using a cost-effective and environmentally friendly coprecipitation process. The structural and morphological characteristics of the synthesized Fe2O3 nanoparticles were analyzed using XRD, UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM, EDX, TEM, and HR-TEM techniques. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effects of Fe2O3 nanoparticles on MCF-7 and HEK-293 cells were evaluated using in vitro cell viability assays, while the antibacterial activity of the nanoparticles against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) was also tested. The results of our study demonstrated the potential cytotoxic activity of Fe2O3 nanoparticles toward MCF-7 and HEK-293 cell lines. The antioxidant potential of Fe2O3 nanoparticles was evidenced by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO) free radical scavenging assays. In addition, we suggested that Fe2O3 nanoparticles could be used in various antibacterial applications to prevent the spread of different bacterial strains. Based on these findings, we concluded that Fe2O3 nanoparticles have great potential for use in pharmaceutical and biological applications. The effective biocatalytic activity of Fe2O3 nanoparticles recommends its use as one of the best drug treatments for future views against cancer cells, and it is, therefore, recommended for both in vitro and in vivo in the biomedical field.

Biomolecules of mushroom: a recipe of human wellness.

The Indian system of medicine - Ayurveda says "When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no use". In this context, mushroom constitutes one of the major resources for nutraceuticals. Biomolecules of mushrooms have attracted the attention of researchers around the globe due to their proven healthy attributes. They have a plenitude of health-giving properties and these range from immunomodulatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, anticancer, anti-HIV, antidiabetic, anticholesterolic to antiarthritic activities.Mushrooms contain both primary and secondary metabolites. The primary metabolites provide energy while the secondary metabolite exhibits medicinal properties. Hence, the mushroom can be a recipe for human wellness and will play a significant role in fighting COVID-19 pandemics and other infectious diseases.The key findings suggested in this paper refer to the exploration of health and the healing traits of biomolecules of mushrooms. This article reviews the current status of the medicinal attributes of mushrooms and their biomolecules in different diseases such as cardiovascular, diabetes, reproductive diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. The global malnutrition-related morbidity and mortality among children under five and lactating women presents a frightening picture and also a black spot on the human face. Malnutrition is responsible for more ill-health than any other cause. Mushrooms as a rich source of bioactive compounds can be claimed as "Best from the Waste" since they grow on the most abundant organic wastes of the Earth, the lignocellulosic substrate, and 'Best of the Rest' because they are excellent nutraceutical resources.

Promising drug targets and associated therapeutic interventions in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most debilitating brain diseases. Despite the availability of symptomatic treatments, response towards the health of PD patients remains scarce. To fulfil the medical needs of the PD patients, an efficacious and etiological treatment is required. In this review, we have compiled the information covering limitations of current therapeutic options in PD, novel drug targets for PD, and finally, the role of some critical beneficial natural products to control the progression of PD.

Two birds with one stone: oyster mushroom mediated bimetallic Au-Pt nanoparticles for agro-waste management and anticancer activity.

Agriculture has the most significant contribution in fulfilling the basic human need, sustaining life, and strengthening the economy of any country. To feed the exploding population of the world, there has been a quantum jump in the production of agricultural commodities, which has led to the production of a substantial considerable quantity of agricultural and agro-industrial wastes. The bulks of these wastes are lignocellulosic in nature and consist of three main polymeric constituents, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which are recalcitrant. The primary significant portions of these remain unutilized and are burnt in the field, leading to severe environmental aggression and wastage of resource. Farmers across the globe, including India, burn these agricultural wastes in their thousands of acre land, which contribute to spoiling the air quality index (AQI). This is very harmful, especially to children, pregnant women, old adults, and for patients suffering from respiratory diseases. The current manuscript sets up an agro-waste management platform by using paddy straw as a substrate for the production of nutritionally and medically rich oyster mushroom, Pleurotus florida (Pf) and which is further used in the green synthesis of bimetallic (gold-platinum) Au-Pt nanoparticle. Yield performance and biological efficiency of Pf were calculated from the degraded paddy straw. The green synthesized Au-Pt NPs were structurally characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and zeta potential analysis. The prepared NPs showed a face-centered cubic crystal structure, icosahedral shape with a mean particle size of 16 nm. Furthermore, we examined the cytotoxic activity of Au-Pt NPs using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptosis by propidium iodide assay. We found that Au-Pt NPs exerted apoptotic activity on the human colon cancer cell line (HCT 116) in a dose-dependent manner from 12.5 to 200 µg/mL. Overall, our findings create a prototype and open a new door to synthesizing functional nanoparticle by using oyster mushroom as the substrate for paddy straw agro-waste management and the applicability of Pf in the synthesis of eco-friendly Au-Pt NPs. This is the first kind of approach that kills two birds with one stone.

Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson's and in some other diseases: recent advancement and future prospective.

Mucuna pruriens (Mp) is an annual and perennial legume which belongs to the family Fabaceae having different types of therapeutic activity. Anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-epileptic, anti-microbial, etc. are the example of some most common activities of Mp. It is widely utilized as a potent aphrodisiac. The anti-Parkinsonian activity of Mp was explored since the nineteenth century. The neuroprotective activity of Mp was shown by several researchers. Levodopa (L-DOPA) is the important constituents responsible for the anti-Parkinsonian activity of Mp. Apart from L-DOPA, several other important bioactive components like Ursolic acid (UA) and Betulinic acid (BA) also exhibit a similar neuroprotective activity. Parkinson's disease (PD) is mainly sporadic. A very small proportion shows the genetic nature of PD. The anti-Parkinsonian activity of Mp was explored in different toxin-induced PD models as like MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine), Rotenone, Paraquat, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) as suggested by several pieces of literature. Various parts of Mp's like seed, leaf, and stem exhibit potent neuroprotective attributes. Among different parts, seeds are widely utilized as anti-PD agents because of the higher percentage of L-DOPA. Besides anti-PD activity, Mp's neuroprotective potential was also explored in the ischemic model of stroke that also shows positive results. Recently, several clinical trials have been performed on the anti-PD activity of Mp on PD patients that show convincing results. Although, a small population-based study needs to be further validated in the broader population. Apart from anti-PD activity, Mp also shows its therapeutic activity in some other diseases like cancer, diabetes, skin infection, anemia, antihypertensive, etc. that are summarized in Table 1. In this review, we have discussed the anti-PD potential of Mp in the sporadic and genetic model along with some clinical trials that have performed on PD patients. Some other activity of Mp is also summarized in this review. There is a strong need to test the efficacy of Mp in some other neurodegenerative diseases along with PD. Following this, this review emphasizes the role of Mp in PD systematically through literature analysis available to date. [Table: see text].

Rapid eco-friendly synthesis, characterization, and cytotoxic study of trimetallic stable nanomedicine: A potential material for biomedical applications.

In the current scenario of the fight against cancer Integration of potential elements seems to be the best alternative since it overcomes the weaknesses of individuals and the combination of elements makes them formidable in the fight against the cancer war. Inspired by this objective and trusting our knowledge of paddy straw grown oyster mushroom, Pleurotus florida (Pf) mediated synthesis; a first-of-kind approach has been developed for the rapid synthesis of Au-Pt-Ag trimetallic nanoparticles (TMNPs). The developed method was successful, which was confirmed by Ultraviolet-Visible, X-ray diffraction, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy. Specifically, prepared TMNPs have been studied for their stability and size as a primary prerequisite for nanomedicine. Finally, the stable nanomedicine developed has been assessed for its performance against the highly metastatic breast cancer cell line (mda-mb-231). The performance was assessed using MTT assay and morphological readings, which were integrated with the cell viability data. We also determined the IC50 value, which was far superior to individual components and motivated us to postulate the possible breast cancer cell killing mechanism of TMNPs. The present study unlocks the new paths for the mushroom-mediated environmentally friendly, economic synthesis of trimetallic nanoparticles, which can be effectively used in cancer nanomedicine.

An overview of COVID-19 with an emphasis on computational approach for its preventive intervention.

SARS-CoV-2, a novel Betacoronavirus, has attracted global attention because of its extremely high infection rate and large number of human deaths. It possesses a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA of ~ 30 kb nucleotides as its genetic material. It is responsible for COVID-19 which has been declared a pandemic by WHO. Having reported for the first time in Wuhan, China, the virus infected over 21.48 million people and caused over 0.77 million deaths till mid-august 2020. SARS-CoV-2 contains the spike protein site that gets activated by an enzyme furin which is found in the lung, liver, and small intestine of humans. It shows the potentiality of virus for attacking multiple organs and their failures. Due to the absence of vaccines, the cure is restricted to supportive care including repurposed drugs. In silico approaches may offer an alternative screening to optimize hits to lead stages. It can provide important related to drug resistance, their lineages and evolution. This approach may also help to find an effective vaccine against COVID-19. This review focuses on the in silico aspects of genomics, proteomics, pathogenesis, phylogenetic analysis and viral receptor binding analysis in Betacoronavirus.

Pleurotus sajor-caju-Mediated Synthesis of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles Active against Colon Cancer Cell Lines: A New Era of Herbonanoceutics.

Herbal medicines are widely used worldwide and much appreciated because of their fewer side effects and the ability to fight diseases at the root cause. Active 'phyto' ingredients require a scientific approach and a mechanism to distribute components at the target site for better therapeutic results. Nanotechnology, on the other hand, has created new hope for cancer treatment but is still far from being proven in clinical settings. This article combines a unique approach to synthesis with the use of Pleurotus sajor-caju, followed by microwave irritation of silver and gold nanoparticles that ensures the capping of the active phyto ingredient and further enhances the effects of nanomedicine to fight colon cancer, thus opening a new era of what we call herbonanoceutics. The article also compares the characteristics and properties of silver (Au) and gold (Ag) nanoparticles synthesized by an in house developed novel microwave-assisted rapid green synthesis method. The as-prepared Ag NPs and Au NPs were compared using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Our comparative study revealed that both assemblies display face-centred cubic structures (FCCs) and are nanocrystalline in nature. The advantage of the approach was that the sizes of gold and silver were identical in range with a similar distribution pattern. This has helped us to study the activity against colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) without incoherence since size plays a key role in the application. More specifically, morphological changes, cell viability, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the fragmentation of DNA have been further reported to assess better the results obtained with the two metals. Our results suggest that the newly adopted synthesis method may ensure the dual benefits from phyto ingredients which further enhances the effectiveness of advanced nanomedicine.

Role of edible mushroom as a potent therapeutics for the diabetes and obesity.

Diabetes and obesity are the most frequently found disease worldwide. Several factors are responsible for obesity, i.e., imbalance in energy expenditure, environmental factors, feeding habit, lifestyle, etc., which can also be responsible for type 2 diabetes mellitus. There are several synthetic drugs available to combat these diseases which have some side effects on sufferers. Therefore, people are shifting towards inexpensive, effective, widely available natural and herbal medicines. Edible mushrooms, which have been used from ancient time to cure these diseases, contain anti-oxidant, fibers, triterpenoids, alkaloid, and other phytochemicals. Comatin, ß-glucan, Tremellastin, and Lentinan KS-2 are active chemicals of mushrooms which show great effect on diabetes mellitus and obesity by modulating either cellular function or biochemical pathways. Here, in this review, we have discussed the potential role of edible mushrooms and its biochemicals in control of diabetes and obesity. Using Bioinformatics, we can find the specific targets of theses biochemicals, so that these can be more effective.

Molecular mechanistic insight of hepatitis B virus mediated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a cancer which occurs in liver and severity of this cancer makes it the sixth most prevalent cancer and second leading cause of death among all cancers. The load of hepatitis-B virus (HBV) in serum is one of the important risk factors for the HCC. Several other factors also contribute to the HBV associated malignant hepatoma (HCC) i.e. HBV mutation, integration and condition of the host. Transformation of the liver to HBV-associated HCC usually accompanies long-run symptoms i.e. inflammation and cirrhosis of the liver and infective agent load could be a vigorous prognosticator for each incidence and progression of this carcinoma. One of the prominent factors i.e. HBV X supermolecule (HBx) interferes with many signal pathways that are related to the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic cells. Besides, HBx C-terminal truncation is also responsible for HCC. Longtime HBV infection causes risk of HCC; thus most of the study related to HBV (85%) is limited to HBV endemic regions. In this review, we have outlined the molecular mechanisms that come from other than HBV endemic places which can be innovative approaches to treat HCC.

Cancer Nanotechnology: A New Revolution for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology is gaining significant attention worldwide for cancer treatment. Nanobiotechnology encourages the combination of diagnostics with therapeutics, which is a vital component of a customized way to deal with the malignancy. Nanoparticles are being used as Nanomedicine which participates in diagnosis and treatment of various diseases including cancer. The unique characteristic of Nanomedicine i.e. their high surface to volume ratio enables them to tie, absorb, and convey small biomolecule like DNA, RNA, drugs, proteins, and other molecules to targeted site and thus enhances the efficacy of therapeutic agents. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present article is to provide an insight of several aspect of nanotechnology in cancer therapeutics such as various nanomaterials as drug vehicle, drug release strategies and role of nanotechnology in cancer therapy. METHODS: We performed an extensive search on bibliographic database for research article on nanotechnology and cancer therapeutics and further compiled the necessary information from various articles into the present article. RESULTS: Cancer nanotechnology confers a unique technology against cancer through early diagnosis, prevention, personalized therapy by utilizing nanoparticles and quantum dots.Nano-biotechnology plays an important role in the discovery of cancer biomarkers. Quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, gold nanowires etc. have been developed as a carrier of biomolecules that can detect cancer biomarkers. Nanoparticle assisted cancer detection and monitoring involves biomolecules like proteins, antibody fragments, DNA fragments, and RNA fragments as the base of cancer biomarkers. CONCLUSION: This review highlights various approaches of cancer nanotechnology in the advancement of cancer therapy.