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Apoptosis is the elimination of functionally non-essential, neoplastic, and infected cells via the mitochondrial pathway or death receptor pathway. The process of apoptosis is highly regulated through membrane channels and apoptogenic proteins. Apoptosis maintains cellular balance within the human body through cell cycle progression. Loss of apoptosis control prolongs cancer cell survival and allows the accumulation of mutations that can promote angiogenesis, promote cell proliferation, disrupt differentiation, and increase invasiveness during tumor progression. The apoptotic pathway has been extensively studied as a potential drug target in cancer treatment. However, the off-target activities of drugs and negative implications have been a matter of concern over the years. Phytochemicals (PCs) have been studied for their efficacy in various cancer cell lines individually and synergistically. The development of nanoparticles (NPs) through green synthesis has added a new dimension to the advancement of plant-based nanomaterials for effective cancer treatment. This review provides a detailed insight into the fundamental molecular pathways of programmed cell death and highlights the role of PCs along with the existing drugs and plant-based NPs in treating cancer by targeting its programmed cell death (PCD) network.

Amplified concentrations of lead (Pb) in cultivable soils, being a major environmental concern, bring about malicious consequences for plant and human health. Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) is a multipurpose herb used as a spice, tonic, leafy vegetable, and therapeutic agent. Earlier works have revealed the inhibitory effects of Pb toxicity in Trigonella, affecting its growth and productivity. Therefore, the current experimental work was planned with the purpose of evaluating the effects of exogenously supplemented silicon (Si; 2 mM) and 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL; 10−7 M) (in both individual and combined form) on growth attributes, osmolytes, metabolite measures, and antioxidant defense mechanisms of Trigonella foenum-graecum plants in response to three discrete concentrations of Pb stress (0.5, 0.7, and 0.9 mM). The results revealed that Pb stress affected morphological parameters of fenugreek plants via the genesis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as indicated by higher measures of oxidative damage indicators like malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Spraying foliage with Si together with a pretreatment of 24-EBL alone as well as in a combined form yielded better outcomes in terms of growth parameters in the Pb-stressed plants. Pb toxicity decreased osmolytes, proteins, and metabolites. Components of the antioxidative defense system, i.e., enzymes [ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), together with non-enzymes [ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), were downregulated when subjected to Pb toxicity. Out of all, Pb III (0.9 mM) had a more adverse impact on various parameters in fenugreek compared to Pb I (0.5 mM) and Pb II (0.7 mM). However, external supplementation with Si and 24-EBL (individually and in combination) ameliorated the Pb-mediated oxidative stress in fenugreek plants by improving the content of different osmolytes and metabolites while upregulating the functioning of the antioxidative defense system. Downregulation in the expression of SOD and CAT genes was found in Pb-stressed plants, while their expression was upregulated by Si and 24-EBL both individually and in combination. The experimental study revealed that the combined application of Si and 24-EBL was significantly better at abating the Pb metal stress in fenugreek plants when compared with their individual applications.

Phytoremediation is a technique for reducing or stabilizing hazardous chemicals in polluted soil or ground water. There is a loss of agricultural products and a degradation in food quality as a result of abiotic stresses, such as those generated by heavy metals and pesticides that have an effect on plants. These toxic compounds are extensively employed in agriculture, and they have a significant influence on both human health and agricultural output. The accumulation of these toxic, persistent, and poorly biodegradable compounds causes soil and ecological disparities. PGRs, or plant growth regulators, are an appealing possibility for increasing the efficacy of phytoremediation. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), a ubiquitous root microbiome, is widely used as a biocontrol agent. They have the ability to improve plant growth by colonizing plant roots, which can benefit the plant. Several PGPRs, including P. aeruginosa, B.gladioli, and P.pseudoalcali, have been shown to be resistant to biotic and abiotic stressors. Because of their ability to digest xenobiotic chemicals, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a promising candidate for use in the phytoremediation process. Microorganisms inhabiting the rhizosphere participate in plant resistance mechanisms by secreting and generating a variety of important compounds such as siderophores, phytohormones, and metal-binding proteins. Rhizobacteria play an important role in phytoremediation of pesticide- and heavy metal-polluted soil by decomposing toxicants and promoting plant development via mechanisms such as chelation, acidification, and phosphate solubilization. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) increase plant biomass while reducing the negative impacts of contaminants and boosting growth in harsh settings. The use of certain PGRs as exogenous treatments have also been investigated as a potential way to improving crop stress tolerance; however the efficiency varies depending on the specific stress and plant type. Several plant growth regulators, such as brassinosteroids, melatonin, strigolactones, and others, have been proven to be useful in overcoming abiotic stress. The current review focuses on the utilization of PGRs and PGPRs in phytoremediation of heavy metal and pesticide-polluted soils.

Melatonin ( N -acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine), derivative of tryptophan, manifested as a conserved domain, which is ubiquitously apportioned from bacteria to higher organisms extending to fungi and algae as well. Melatonin is entailed in umpteen developmental processes of plants, including stress responses. The pleiotropic impact of melatonin in regulating transcripts of manifold genes validate its imperative contribution as multi-regulatory substance. Albeit, the progressive research regarding plants is yet prelusive in contrast to orthodox melatonin physiology in animals. This reinforces the exigency for comprehensive reassessment pertaining to its potential in biochemical and physiological processes, anti-stress response against abiotic stimulators (temperatures, salinity, drought, toxins, etc.), detoxification mechanism, and its other salubrious effect. Stressors are known to create RNS and ROS, which induces oxidative damage in plants. Cellular deterioration and mortality are a result of negligence toward oxidative damage. Tremendous quantum leap has been made in comprehending, how melatonin safeguards plants against abiotic stress. Here, focus will be on mechanistic basis of melatonin-mediated protection to abate abiotic stress. Abiotic stress induces melatonin synthesis and this redeeming upsurge in melatonin succors plant to thrive under stress conditions. Melatonin is considered an excellent antioxidant because it effectively scavenges a wide range of RNS and ROS. Melatonin maintains ROS levels in peculiar ways: (a) chemical interaction between melatonin and ROS, causing their inactivation and (b) melatonin-induced activation of SOD, POD, APX, CAT, and GPX leads to ROS detoxification. The contemporary study gives a comprehensive review on abiotic stress response of melatonin, particularly, its mitigating impact when applied exogenously in plants under environmental stress conditions. The commentary will allow the researchers to comprehend the prevailing plant stress conditions and further contemplate the tendency of phytomelatonin in crop research.

Cosmetics and personal care items are used worldwide and administered straight to the skin. The hazardous nature of the chemical surfactant utilized in the production of cosmetics has caused alarm on a global scale. Therefore, bacterial biosurfactants (BS) are becoming increasingly popular in industrial product production as a biocompatible, low-toxic alternative surfactant. Chemical surfactants can induce allergic responses and skin irritations; thus, they should be replaced with less harmful substances for skin health. The cosmetic industry seeks novel biological alternatives to replace chemical compounds and improve product qualities. Most of these chemicals have a biological origin and can be obtained from plant, bacterial, fungal, and algal sources. Various biological molecules have intriguing capabilities, such as biosurfactants, vitamins, antioxidants, pigments, enzymes, and peptides. These are safe, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly than chemical options. Plant-based biosurfactants, such as saponins, offer numerous advantages over synthetic surfactants, i.e., biodegradable, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly nature. Saponins are a promising source of natural biosurfactants for various industrial and academic applications. However, microbial glycolipids and lipopeptides have been used in biotechnology and cosmetics due to their multifunctional character, including detergency, emulsifying, foaming, and skin moisturizing capabilities. In addition, some of them have the potential to be used as antibacterial agents. In this review, we like to enlighten the application of microbial biosurfactants for replacing chemical surfactants in existing cosmetic and personal skincare pharmaceutical formulations due to their antibacterial, skin surface moisturizing, and low toxicity characteristics.

Lipid-based vectors are becoming promising alternatives to traditional therapies over the last 2 decades specially for managing life-threatening diseases like cancer. Cationic lipids are the most prevalent non-viral vectors utilized in gene delivery. The increasing number of clinical trials about lipoplex-based gene therapy demonstrates their potential as well-established technology that can provide robust gene transfection. In this regard, this review will summarize this important point. These vectors however have a modest transfection efficiency. This limitation can be partly addressed by using functional lipids that provide a plethora of options for investigating nucleic acid-lipid interactions as well as in vitro and in vivo nucleic acid delivery for biomedical applications. Despite their lower gene transfer efficiency, lipid-based vectors such as lipoplexes have several advantages over viral ones: they are less toxic and immunogenic, can be targeted, and are simple to produce on a large scale. Researchers are actively investigating the parameters that are essential for an effective lipoplex delivery method. These include factors that influence the structure, stability, internalization, and transfection of the lipoplex. Thorough understanding of the design principles will enable synthesis of customized lipoplex formulations for life-saving therapy. Graphical Abstract

The apparition of new morbific viral strain is an incessant threat to mankind, with the novel coronavirus strain (COVID-19) as the contemporary example. COVID-19, emerged from SARS-Cov-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) virus, proliferates at an alarming rate, leading to an unprecedented medical condition across the globe. Aforesaid pandemic demands an expeditious formulation of drugs and vaccines to neutralize the virus and safeguard global population with immunity. Quest for vaccines paved the way for screening nutraceutical and phytochemicals with evident potentiality against the COVID-19. Bioactive compounds and herbal formulations were examined for their antiviral property, inhibitory role and immunity boosting efficiency. Compilation of literature related to plant based bioactive compounds showing inhibitory effect against COVID-19, were retrieved from distinct sources: Google Scholar and Pubmed. An inclusive literature survey from more than 50 papers was carried out to aware the readers about the range of bioactive therapeutics to combat COVID-19. The advent of high throughput screening and computational studies was strategically deployed to hunt for the plant based bioactive compounds as potential drug-like molecule to neutralise COVID-19. Several peer-reviewed studies have proved a strong activity of bioactive compounds against the COVID-19 target protein by virtue of its binding to the active site of target protein. The review summarizes inciting advanced research carried out against bioactive compounds based COVID-19 drug-discovery in order to anticipate the COVID-19 treatment paradigm.