Uncovering the Anticancer Potential of Polydatin: A Mechanistic Insight.

Polydatin or 3-O-ß-d-resveratrol-glucopyranoside (PD), a stilbenoid component of Polygonum cuspicadum (Polygonaceae), has a variety of biological roles. In traditional Chinese medicine, P. cuspicadum extracts are used for the treatment of infections, inflammation, and cardiovascular disorders. Polydatin possesses a broad range of biological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and immunostimulatory effects. Currently, a major proportion of the population is victimized with cervical lung cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. PD has been recognized as a potent anticancer agent. PD could effectively inhibit the migration and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells, as well as the expression of the PI3K protein. The malignancy of lung cancer cells was reduced after PD treatments via targeting caspase 3, arresting cancer cells at the S phase and inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome by downregulation of the NF-κB pathway. This ceases cell cycle, inhibits VEGF, and counteracts ROS in breast cancer. It also prevents cervical cancer by regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, and the C-Myc gene. The objective of this review is thus to unveil the polydatin anticancer potential for the treatment of various tumors, as well as to examine the mechanisms of action of this compound.

Cross-Talk between Obesity and Diabetes: Introducing Polyphenols as an Effective Phytomedicine to Combat the Dual Sword Diabesity.

Obesity-associated diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic affliction accounting for 90% of all diabetic patients, has been affecting humanity extremely badly and escalating the risk of developing other serious disorders. It is observed that 0.4 billion people globally have diabetes, whose major cause is obesity. Currently, innumerable synthetic drugs like alogliptin and rosiglitazone are being used to get through diabetes, but they have certain complications, restrictions with severe side effects, and toxicity issues. Recently, the frequency of plant-derived phytochemicals as advantageous substitutes against diabesity is increasing progressively due to their unparalleled benefit of producing less side effects and toxicity. Of these phytochemicals, dietary polyphenols have been accepted as potent agents against the dual sword "diabesity". These polyphenols target certain genes and molecular pathways through dual mechanisms such as adiponectin upregulation, cannabinoid receptor antagonism, free fatty acid oxidation, ghrelin antagonism, glucocorticoid inhibition, sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibition, oxidative stress and inflammation inhibition etc. which sequentially help to combat both diabetes and obesity. In this review, we have summarized the most beneficial natural polyphenols along with their complex molecular pathways during diabesity.

Combination of natural antivirals and potent immune invigorators: A natural remedy to combat COVID-19.

The flare-up in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and spread expeditiously worldwide has become a health challenge globally. The rapid transmission, absence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs, and inexistence of vaccine are further exacerbating the situation. Several drugs, including chloroquine, remdesivir, and favipiravir, are presently undergoing clinical investigation to further scrutinize their effectiveness and validity in the management of COVID-19. Natural products (NPs) in general, and plants constituents specifically, are unique sources for various effective and novel drugs. Immunostimulants, including vitamins, iron, zinc, chrysin, caffeic acid, and gallic acid, act as potent weapons against COVID-19 by reinvigorating the defensive mechanisms of the immune system. Immunity boosters prevent COVID-19 by stimulating the proliferation of T-cells, B-cells, and neutrophils, neutralizing the free radicals, inhibiting the immunosuppressive agents, and promoting cytokine production. Presently, antiviral therapy includes several lead compounds, such as baicalin, glycyrrhizin, theaflavin, and herbacetin, all of which seem to act against SARS-CoV-2 via particular targets, such as blocking virus entry, attachment to host cell receptor, inhibiting viral replication, and assembly and release.