Curcumin in the treatment of liver cancer: From mechanisms of action to nanoformulations.

Liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer and ranks third in cancer-related death, after lung and colorectal cancer. Various natural products have been discovered as alternatives to conventional cancer therapy strategies, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Curcumin (CUR) with antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor activities has been associated with therapeutic benefits against various cancers. It can regulate multiple signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, Wnt/ß-catenin, JAK/STAT, p53, MAPKs, and NF-ĸB, which are involved in cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and autophagy. Due to its rapid metabolism, poor oral bioavailability, and low solubility in water, CUR application in clinical practices is restricted. To overcome these limitations, nanotechnology-based delivery systems have been applied to use CUR nanoformulations with added benefits, such as reducing toxicity, improving cellular uptake, and targeting tumor sites. Besides the anticancer activities of CUR in combating various cancers, especially liver cancer, here we focused on the CUR nanoformulations, such as micelles, liposomes, polymeric, metal, and solid lipid nanoparticles, and others, in the treatment of liver cancer.

COVID 19 pandemic challenges and their management: A review of medicines, vaccines, patents and clinical trials with emphasis on psychological health issues.

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID 19) paroxysm is a dominant health exigency that caused significant distress, affecting physical and mental health. Increased mortality, a stressed healthcare system, financial crisis, isolation, and new living and working styles enhanced societal commiseration leading to poor health outcomes. Though people try to maintain good physical health but unfortunately the mental affliction is still ignored. Poor psychological health has emerged as a burgeoning social issue and demands attention. Henceforth, the fundamental objective of this review article is to collate information about COVID-linked physical and psychological agony in diverse population groups with related symptoms and accessible diagnosis techniques. Recent studies have unraveled the fragile mental states of people who have either contracted COVID 19 or had near and dear ones falling prey to it. The impact of the epidemic on the human mind both in short and long-term, with possible risk and preventive factors together with suggested solutions for maintaining good health have also been discussed here. It also enlists the available medications, vaccines and investigational research in the form of patents and clinical trials. This article can be taken as an updated information sheet for COVID 19, accompanied by its management techniques with special emphasis on coping strategies for mental health. Further, it may also assist the policymakers to devise approaches that could enable the public to overcome the pandemic-driven adversity not only in the given situation but also futuristically.

Deciphering waste bound nitrogen by employing psychrophillic Aporrectodea caliginosa and priming of coprolites by associated heterotrophic nitrifiers under high altitude Himalayas.

Himalayan ecosystem is characterized by its fragile climate with rich repositories of biodiversity. Waste collection and disposal are becoming increasingly difficult due to topographical variations. Aporrectodea caligenosa, a versatile psychrophillic soil dweller, is a useful biocatalyst with potent bio-augmented capability for waste treatment at low temperatures. Microcosm experiments were conducted to elucidate the comprehensive nature of biogenic nitrogen transformation to NH4+ and NO3- produced by coupling of earthworm-microbes. Higher biogenic recovery of NH4+-N from coprolites of garden soil (47.73 ± 1.16%) and Himalayan goat manure (86.32 ± 0.92%) with an increment of 14.12 and 47.21% respectively over their respective control (without earthworms) with a linear decline beyond 4th week of incubation was reported. NO3--N recovery progressively sustained in garden soil and goat manure coprolites during entire incubation with highest 81.81 ± 0.45 and 87.20 ± 1.08 µg-N g-1dry weight recorded in 6th and 5th week of incubation respectively and peak increments as 38.58 and 53.71% relative to respective control (without earthworms). Declined NH4+-N in coprolites at low temperature (15.0 ± 2.0 °C) evidenced increased nitrification rates by taking over the process by abundant nitrifying microbes. Steady de-nitrification with progressive incubation on an average was 16.95 ± 0.46 ng-N g-1 per week and 21.08 ± 0.87 ng-N g-1 per week compared to 14.03 ± 0.58 ng-N g-1 per week and 4.50 ± 0.31 ng-N g-1 per week in respective control treatments. Simultaneous heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification (SHNAD) was found to be a prominent bioprocess at low temperature that resulted in high and stable total nitrogen and nitrate accumulation from garden soil and goat manure with relative recovery efficiency of 11.12%, 14.97% and 14.20%; 19.34%. A. caligenosa shows promising prospects for mass applicability in biogenic N removal from manure of Himalayan goat.

Study of impacts of brickkiln emanations on soil quality of agriculture lands in selected areas of District Bhimber, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

The pollution is hot issue of current era in world and the current study was carried to explore impacts of brickkilns' emanations on physiochemical properties of agricultural lands from District Bhimber of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Pakistan. In this research, various edaphic characteristics: pH, soil organic matter, organic carbon, water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity and heavy metal contamination in soils nearby of brickkilns were determined. The pH of soil ranged from 5.55 to 7.50, soil organic matter was 0.35-0.90% and organic carbon content was 0.65-1.40%. The water holding capacity ranged from 2.10 to 3.20 mgL-1 and carbon exchange capacity was 1250 to 4202 meq/100g. The contamination profile of heavy metal depicted that Pb showed highest conc. 0.065 mg/g followed by Co (0.053 mg/g) and Ni with 0.52 mg/g in the soil. Pb and Cr had high conc. in soil samples around brickkilns due to burning of coal and rubber tyres as fuel. The conc. of sulphate and nitrate ranged from 0.90±0.50 mol L-1 to 4.25±0.65 mol L-1 and 2.30±0.50 mol L-1 to 6.55±0.25 mol L-1, respectively. The fertility of agriculture lands was depicted that edaphic properties were directly related while nutritive features were inversely commensurate to distance from brickkilns. The research proved that emanations of brickkilns causes severe impact on quality of agriculture land, plant growth and its yield. Hence, reclamation measures should be taken to mitigate and/or eradicate nuisance of brickkilns emanations by using environmental friendly strategies.

Response surface approach to optimize temperature, pH and time on antioxidant properties of wild bush (Plectranthus rugosus) honey from high altitude region (Kashmir Valley) of India.

In this study, the combined effect of temperature (60 to 80 °C) time (10 to 15 min.) and pH (3 to 6) was employed on the anti-oxidant potential (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl-radical scavenging activity-DPPH-RSA, total phenolic content-TPC, and total flavonoid content-TFC) of wild bush Indian honey from high altitudes of Kashmir Valley by using response surface methodology (RSM). The statistical analysis showed that all the process variables had a substantial effect on the responses related to DPPH-RSA, TFC, and TPC, all of which increased as temperature and time increased. With an increase in pH, the antioxidant activity of wild bush honey was significantly decreased. The heat treatment of honey at high temperature (80 °C) was found to be more efficacious than at 70 and 60 °C, respectively. The findings showed that at higher temperature, browning pigments were formed which enhanced considerably the antioxidant activity of honey.

Growth attributes, biochemical modulations, antioxidant enzymatic metabolism and yield in Brassica napus varieties for salinity tolerance.

Improvement in salinity tolerance of plants is of immense significance as salt stress particularly threatens the productivity of agricultural crops. This study was designed to assess the tolerance level of six Brassica napus varieties (Super, Sandal, Faisal, CON-111, AC Excel and Punjab) under different levels of salinity (0, 50, 100, 150 & 200 mM) with three replications under CRD. Salt induced osmotic stress curtailed the plant growth attributes, photosynthetic pigments and disturbed ionic homeostasis (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl-) but least disturbance as compared to control was found in Super and Sandal cultivars. Punjab canola and AC Excel canola cultivars were least tolerant to salinity because these displayed greater decline in all growth and biochemical attributes. Plants subjected to NaCl induced stress exhibited considerable decline in all attributes under study with proline as exception. Antioxidants (CAT, SOD & POD) showed an obvious change in Canola plants under stress, but greatest decline was displayed at 200 mM NaCl level in all six cultivars. Over all these attributes presented a comparatively stable trend in super and sandal cultivars. This shows presence of physiological resilience and metabolic capacity in these two cultivars to tackle salinity. Similarly, all yield attributes displayed adverse behavior under 150 mM & 200 mM salinity stress. Our results demonstrated that Super and Sandal cultivars of Brassica napus exhibit good performance in salinity tolerance and can be good option for cultivation in salt affected areas.

Growth performance of Ganoderma lucidum using billet method in Garhwal Himalaya, India.

Medicinal mushrooms have been used in various treatments from a very long time, among which, Ganoderma lucidum is one of the most important medicinal mushroom. It is cultivated worldwide to meet its ever-increasing demand in the market. It is generally cultivated by bed log (Sawdust) and wood log (billet) method. This study was an attempt to observe the growth performance of G. lucidum on poplar billets (Populus deltoides) in the Sherpur Village (Dehradun) and Manjgaun village (Tehri Garhwal) of Garhwal Himalaya, India. The farmers' field with empty house/ rooms having proper growing conditions especially humidity and light were used for the cultivation of G. lucidum. The G. lucidum spawn was inoculated in poplar wood billets and these billets were installed in well prepared soil. The results demonstrated that cropping cycle of G. lucidum was shorter (132-136 days) in Sherpur Village (Dehradun) as compared to Manjgaun village (141-145 days) in Tehri Garhwal. Further the results also revealed that yield was decreased in the subsequent flushes. In Village Sherpur, the fruiting bodies of G. lucidum were harvested between 64-66 days, 100-101  days and 135-136  days during first, second and third flush after the installation of billets, respectively. However; in village Manjgaun, the fruiting bodies of G. lucidum were harvested between 69 and 71 days, 107-108  days and 144-145 days in first, second and third after the installation of billets respectively. Warmer temperature in Village Sherpur resulted in the early emergence and development of the fruiting bodies as compared to village Manjgaun where pinhead and fruiting body development was delayed due to the lower temperature during cropping cycle.

Fighting against the second wave of COVID-19: Can honeybee products help protect against the pandemic?

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has infected people in 210 nations and has been declared a pandemic on March 12, 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the absence of effective treatment and/or vaccines for COVID-19, natural products of known therapeutic and antiviral activity could offer an inexpensive, effective option for managing the disease. Benefits of products of honey bees such as honey, propolis, and bee venom, against various types of diseases have been observed. Honey bees products are well known for their nutritional and medicinal values, they have been employed for ages for various therapeutic purposes. In this review, promising effects of various bee products against the emerging pandemic COVID-19 are discussed. Products of honey bees that contain mixtures of potentially active chemicals, possess unique properties that might help to protect, fight, and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

Effect of gut bacterial isolates from Apis mellifera jemenitica on Paenibacillus larvae infected bee larvae.

The probiotic effects of seven newly isolated gut bacteria, from the indegenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia were investigated. In vivo bioassays were used to investigate the effects of each gut bacterium namely, Fructobacillus fructosus (T1), Proteus mirabilis (T2), Bacillus licheniformis (T3), Lactobacillus kunkeei (T4), Bacillus subtilis (T5), Enterobacter kobei (T6), and Morganella morganii (T7) on mortality percentage of honey bee larvae infected with P. larvae spores along with negative control (normal diet) and positive control (normal diet spiked with P. larvae spores). Addition of gut bacteria to the normal diet significantly reduced the mortality percentage of the treated groups. Mortality percentage in all treated groups ranged from 56.67% up to 86.67%. T6 treated group exhibited the highest mortality (86.67%), whereas T4 group showed the lowest mortality (56.67%). Among the seven gut bacterial treatments, T4 and T3 decreased the mortality 56.67% and 66.67%, respectively, whereas, for T2, T6, and T7 the mortality percentage was equal to that of the positive control (86.67%). Mortality percentages in infected larval groups treated with T1, and T5 were 78.33% and 73.33% respectively. Most of the mortality occurred in the treated larvae during days 2 and 3. Treatments T3 and T4 treatments showed positive effects and reduced mortality.