Abstract: The requirements for drug formulations have increased significantly in recent decades, while the market situation has become increasingly challenging. New chemical entities are facing many issues related to solubility, mucoadhesion, enzymatic breakdown, poor nose-to-brain delivery, poor absorption (especially cellular and lymphatic absorption), and many physical and chemical stability-related issues. Addressing these issues is crucial to achieve maximum therapeutic outcomes. Developments in science and research have brought the spotlight to biopolymer-based composite materials with multiple capabilities. Chitosan (CS), a naturally occurring macromolecular compound or polymer derived from the deacetylated form of chitin, has several properties that address physical and chemical stability issues and enhance cellular and lymphatic absorption. It occurs naturally in the cell walls of filamentous fungi, particularly in the zygomycetes. As a cationic polymer, it offers several benefits, including improved interactions with mucous membranes. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of research gaps and potential strategies for addressing issues in surface coating, tissue engineering, and vaccine delivery using CS. This review also highlights the effects of CS in oral, ocular, transdermal, pulmonary, nose-to-brain, and cardiovascular stent delivery, as well as the mechanisms involved in vaccine delivery. Furthermore, the effects of CS on obesity, neurodegenerative disease, oxidative stress, inflammation, and antimicrobial therapy, as well as the mechanisms underlying these effects, were discussed. The prospects and future scope are also discussed in this review. Our findings could provide a fresh perspective on drug delivery research and development.
Abstract: Depression is a mental health condition that affects emotions, behaviour, and thinking, characterised by persistent low mood, anhedonia, and cognitive dysfunction, affecting millions worldwide. Because of their adverse effects and interactions, conventional medicines have limited therapeutic value. Several hypotheses have been proposed to better understand the pathophysiology of depression, and numerous synthetic antidepressants have been created to treat people with depression. However, these medications are effective in only a small fraction of patients and do not achieve complete remission. Because of their versatility and therapeutic effectiveness, herbal drugs are being utilized more and more. When it comes to treating depression, many natural drugs are safer than synthetic ones. Herbal medications with antidepressant properties are regarded as innovative treatment prospects; however, they are limited by their lower systemic concentrations, poor solubility, permeability, photodegradation, and reduced bioavailability. The necessity of creating innovative drug delivery systems (NDDS) for herbal antidepressants is covered in this review article, along with research conducted globally, product approval laws, and the prospects for these herbal antidepressants. The core of this review article advocates for a synergistic model, investigating how the co-administration of phytochemicals and synthetic molecules can enhance therapeutic indices and mitigate adverse effects by bridging the gap between conventional pharmacology and botanical medicine. This review explores the interconnected biological pathways underlying depression. It critically examines the therapeutic synergy between herbal and synthetic agents, advocating for a holistic, multi-targeted strategy to improve depression management and patient outcomes.
Introduction: Medicinal plants are vital sources of high-value secondary metabolites, alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolics for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical use, but conventional field extraction suffers from low yields, seasonal variation, and unsustainable wild harvesting. This review compares four biotechnological strategies, tissue culture, elicitation, metabolic engineering, and CRISPR-based genome editing, for their efficacy, scalability, cost, regulatory burden, and commercial applicability in enhancing secondary metabolite production. Methods: This work is a narrative review. A structured literature search of Scopus (Elsevier), conducted on 6 May 2026, combined terms for secondary metabolites with tissue culture, hairy root, elicitation, metabolic engineering, CRISPR/genome editing, and biosynthesis pathways; 183 records were retrieved, and 72 peer-reviewed articles (2003–2026) met inclusion criteria after deduplication and screening. Results: Tissue culture offers the highest scalability and bioreactor readiness; elicitation gives rapid, low-cost yield gains (3–10-fold); metabolic engineering enables stable, heritable pathway redirection (2–12-fold); and CRISPR-based tools achieve the greatest precision and fold-change (5–40- fold). Case studies across seven model species illustrate 2–40-fold compound improvements. Discussion: These platforms differ chiefly in scalability versus precision and in regulatory burden, and no single approach is universally optimal; rather, platform choice should be matched to the target metabolite, plant species, and commercial context. Combining approaches, particularly elicitation with engineered or edited lines, mitigates the individual limitations of transience, cost, and yield instability. Conclusion: Integrative strategies combining CRISPR-mediated pathway activation with elicitation in optimized tissue culture systems represent the most promising frontier for scalable, sustainable production of plant bioactive compounds.
Introduction: Ovarian cancer is a very fatal gynecologic tumor that is often diagnosed at late stages, hence reducing the availability of other treatment methods. Naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds, isolated in botanical sources and named Flavonoids, have already shown significant promise as anticancer agents because of their ability to prevent tumor growth, cause apoptosis, and alter critical signaling pathways with minimal toxicity and wide availability. Methods: The review is an in-depth analysis of recent studies that aim at synthesizing and assessing flavonoid derivatives in the context of ovarian cancer. A scientific search and survey were conducted in key scientific databases to locate the literature on the topic used the following search words: ovarian cancer and flavonoid derivatives. The discussion primarily focused on chemical synthesis, biological efficacy, and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of these compounds. Results: Many synthetic flavonoid derivatives, in particular triazole-linked, chalcone-based, and halogenated analogs, have exhibited high cytotoxic activity against ovarian cancer cell lines (IC 50 <10μM). The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Topoisomerase II alpha inhibition, and the regulation of the PI3K/Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways were identified as the possible mechanistic pathways. Apigenin-7-methyl ether analogues and chrysin hybrids are among the more active and selective derivatives. Discussion: Flavonoid analogues exhibit anticancer effects by a variety of mechanisms, such as induction of apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, and oxidative stress regulation. The SAR studies showed that certain replacements, like trifluoromethyl and halogen, and piperazine groups, improve bioactivity and drug-like properties. Synthetic methodologies usually comply with green chemistry guidelines, but additional optimization is necessary to support the development of environmental sustainability and scalability. Conclusion: Flavonoid derivatives are a promising, low-toxicity alternative/complement to traditional ovarian-cancer treatments. Although there have been preclinical successes, issues like poor bioavailability and lack of in vivo validation still remain. Interdisciplinary studies are urgently required so that these compounds can be translated into therapeutic interventions that can be used in clinical practice.
Several molecules were synthesized to achieve a potent hypoglycemic effect. Thiazolylbenzenesulfonamide derivatives 10a–h were prepared from aromatic ketones and thiourea. Thiazolidin- 3-yl acetic acid (1-phenylethylidene)hydrazide derivatives 6a–e were synthesized starting from thiazolidine-2,4-dione and various aromatic aldehydes. The hypoglycemic effects of the prepared molecules were evaluated, and several promising compounds were identified.
