Lichens have long been recognized for their therapeutic potential in traditional medicine; however, their secondary metabolites remain far less explored pharmacologically compared to plant-derived bioactive compounds. This review aims to highlight the chemistry and pharmacological applications of the lichen metabolite vulpinic acid (VA). Relevant literature was retrieved from scientific databases including Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar using the keyword “vulpinic acid,” and additional information was gathered through cross-referencing. Historically, VA was first noted for its toxic effects on wolves and foxes, but subsequent studies have revealed its diverse biological activities. It has demonstrated cytotoxic effects against several cancer cell lines, particularly breast and lung cancers, and has shown efficacy against a range of microbial pathogens as well as potential benefits in metabolic disorders. Beyond its direct pharmacological activities, VA is also of interest in medicinal chemistry as a precursor for the synthesis of various bioactive molecules, and methods for its chemical synthesis have been developed to enable commercial production. To date, most studies on VA have been conducted in vitro. Further research in advanced preclinical models is essential to evaluate its therapeutic potential and support its development as a viable drug candidate.

The present study aimed to isolate and evaluate the antidiabetic potential of shatavarin IV, a major steroidal saponin from the ethanolic root extract of Asparagus curillus Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb. Shatavarin IV was isolated and characterised using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Its antidiabetic activity was assessed in STZ-induced diabetic rats by monitoring blood glucose, insulin, glycated haemoglobin, and lipid profile parameters. Treatment with shatavarin IV, particularly at 400 μg/kg (p.o., b.w.), significantly reduced fasting blood glucose from 265.80 to 119.58 mg/dL, improved insulin levels from 13.99 to 21.69 mIU/mL, and decreased HbA1c from 11.52 to 5.91%. Additionally, it ameliorated diabetes-induced dyslipidemia by lowering total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, VLDL, and atherogenic index while increasing HDL. These effects are likely mediated by the steroidal saponin nature of shatavarin IV, which modulates glucose and lipid metabolism. These findings identify shatavarin IV as a key bioactive constituent of A. curillus with antidiabetic and hypolipidemic potential.

Natural dyes have been used since ancient times for dyeing fabric, hair, and skin, as well as in cultural practices and festivals worldwide. Despite challenges in achieving consistent color quality, durability, and availability, natural dyes continue to play a significant role in the fashion industry, contributing to eco-friendly and sustainable products. This study aims to conduct an interview-based survey among the residents of the Jaunpur region in Uttarakhand, India, to gather information about traditional dye-yielding plants and methods. A questionnaire was used to collect data from inhabitants of various villages, which was then analyzed using the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Percentage of Respondents’ Knowledge (PRK), and Fidelity Level (FL) to identify the most significant dye-yielding plants in the region. The study identified a total of 19 dye-yielding plants across 14 families, with Curcuma longa, Berberis aristata, Indigofera tinctoria, and Hordeum vulgare emerging as the most popular, each with an ICF value of 0.9. Moreover, the PRK values calculated for these plants ranged between 88

Background/Objectives: Natural products, especially plant metabolites, play a crucial role in drug development and are widely used in medicine, cosmetics, and nutrition. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological profile of Glycyrrhizin (GL), with a specific focus on its molecular targets. Methods: Scientific literature was thoroughly retrieved from reputable databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, up to 30 July 2025. The keywords “glycyrrhizin” and “glycyrrhizic acid” were used to identify relevant references, with a focus on pharmacological applications. Studies on synthetic analogs, non-English publications, non-pharmacological applications, and GL containing crude extracts were largely excluded. Results: Glycyrrhizin, the major bioactive constituent of Glycyrrhiza glabra, exhibits diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, hepatoprotective, antitumor, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory effects. These actions are primarily mediated through the inhibition of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and the modulation of key signaling pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), and various cytokine networks. As a result of its therapeutic potential, GL-based formulations, including Stronger Neo-Minophagen C, and GL-rich extracts of G. glabra are commercially available as pharmaceutical preparations and food additives. Conclusions: Despite its therapeutic potential, the clinical application of GL is limited by poor oral bioavailability, metabolic variability, and adverse effects such as pseudoaldosteronism. Hence, careful consideration of pharmacokinetics and safety is essential for translating its therapeutic potential into clinical practice.

Anethole, a naturally-occurring aromatic phenylpropene compound, is commonly present in the essential oils derived from botanically diverse plants, including anise, star anise, fennel and basil. It is highly regarded for its therapeutic properties, imparting various health benefits spanning many different conditions. This comprehensive and critical review unites the knowledge on anethole up to the year 2024, available from the scientific platforms Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science, retrieved using the search term "Anethole". A bibliometrics overview is also provided which outlines the trend in the publication output over time, the major contributing authors, collaborative networks and popular research topics on this molecule. The collected data suggests that, in addition to its significance in the flavour and fragrance sectors, anethole exhibits a host of diverse medicinal activities. In-depth research highlights its contributing potential in addressing cancer, infections, wounds, and conditions related to the liver, lungs and skin. However, the research on anethole lacks comprehensive investigations into its mechanisms of action and synergistic effects with other compounds, hindering the understanding of its full therapeutic potential. While it holds promise beyond culinary uses, further research is needed to address this knowledge void and develop targeted therapeutic interventions.

Abstract Plants have been used in traditional medicine systems worldwide, including Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese medicine, and Unani medicine. In India, plants have been utilized for medicinal purposes for centuries and form an integral part of Ayurvedic practices. The Himalayan region is recognized for its traditional knowledge of medicinal plants, with local communities such as the Jaunsari, Tharu, Raji, Buksa, and Bhotia tribes relying on these plants for their healthcare needs. The present review aims to provide an updated and comprehensive account of the phytochemical composition, traditional uses, and pharmacological applications of Asparagus curillus . Relevant information was gathered from various sources, including online scientific databases such as Scopus and PubMed, as well as several books, resulting in a total of 42 references. A. curillus is an indigenous medicinal plant of the Uttarakhand Himalaya, traditionally used, mainly its roots, for the treatment of various ailments. The literature review revealed that the plant contains a diverse range of bioactive compounds, including glycosides, steroids, and saponins. Furthermore, it has been widely used by local communities for treating respiratory, digestive, reproductive, urinary, and skin disorders. This review highlights the important medicinal uses of A. curillus in ethnomedicinal practices and suggests its potential as a source of novel drugs and natural remedies. Further research is needed to explore its pharmacological activities and clinical efficacy in treating various diseases.

Rutin, often referred to as vitamin P, possesses numerous pharmaceutical applications, yet its market availability is restricted due to poor bioavailability. Recent interest has focused on exploiting rutin's therapeutic potential, prompting efforts to enhance its bioavailability. This study aimed to enhance the bioavailability of rutin by formulating tablet dosage forms using cow milk casein as a matrix-forming agent. Tablet formulations containing rutin and milk casein were prepared, and their physicochemical properties were evaluated through in vitro tests, including hardness, friability, and dissolution. Pharmacokinetic studies were conducted using Wistar rat models, analyzing plasma drug concentrations and urine excretion. Stability studies were also performed to assess the tablets' shelf life under various conditions. The results of the study revealed that the incorporation of milk casein significantly improved the bioavailability of rutin, both in vitro and in vivo. Physicochemical evaluations demonstrated satisfactory tablet properties, while pharmacokinetic studies indicated enhanced plasma drug concentrations and urine excretion of rutin with milk casein formulations. Stability studies further supported the suitability of the formulated tablets for long-term storage. In conclusion, milk casein proved effective as a matrix-forming agent for improving the bioavailability of rutin. The formulated tablets exhibited favorable physicochemical properties and enhanced drug absorption characteristics, suggesting the potential utility of milk casein in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of rutin formulations.

Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurrent electrical activity in the brain's temporal lobe. It is a chronic disorder marked by an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, resulting in uncontrolled excitability. Current antiepileptic drugs often have limited effectiveness and pose challenges in patient management. Literature surveys indicate that various species of Elaeocarpus have demonstrated antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiasthmatic, antihypertensive, and antidepressant properties. Since Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus angustifolius Blume) is traditionally used to treat epilepsy and other brain-related disorders, the present study aimed to validate this claim by evaluating the anti-epileptic activity of the ethanolic bark extract of E. angustifolius on picrotoxin-induced convulsive rats. The extract at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg BW was administered to rats for 14 days, followed by a single dose of picrotoxin (7.5 mg/kg i.p.) on the 14th day, with diazepam (12 mg/kg i.p.) used as a reference drug. Various oxidative parameters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), lactoperoxidase (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and nitrate were estimated at the end of the treatment period. In the picrotoxin-induced convulsion model, treatment with ethanolic bark extract at 400 mg/kg caused a significant (p <0.01) decrease in LPO levels and a significant (p <0.001) increase in GABA levels in epileptic rats. The results concluded that the extract at a 400 mg/kg dose showed the most significant effect on picrotoxin-induced convulsions in rats.

Today, every medical system in India is working unconnectedly without associating with one another. Moreover, many lifesaving procedures and medications are not affordable and easily accessible. Hence, the concept of One Nation One Health is a wonderful idea to improve the healthcare sector in India. The present article highlights selective ideas to make the One Nation One Health policy more effective, with a particular focus on cancer treatment. The relevant articles and books based on this theme were reviewed, and their crucial information was included in the present article. In the current scenario, when healthcare facilities are not easily accessible, mainly in rural areas, the One Nation One Health policy should be implemented strongly. The integration of modern and traditional systems of medicine can be more effective in treating diseases, including cancer, because of own strengths of each medical system.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L. Dunal) roots have been used in Ayurveda for fever, asthma, arthritis,rheumatism, inflammation, tuberculosis, mental diseases, and male sexual disorders. Phytochemical studiesrevealed that the plant mainly contains alkaloids (withanine, sominiferine, tropine, isopelletierine andanaferine), and steroidal lactones (withanolides A-Y, withaferine A, withasominiferols A-C, withanone and sitoindosides) as bioactive metabolites. These constituents and extracts have several pharmacologicalactivities, including antioxidant, antitumour, antimicrobial, antivenom, and anti-parkinsonian activities.The present review presents updated information on ashwagandha based on its phytochemistry andpharmacology. The plant and many of its secondary metabolites have been found to be effective in thetreatment of many human ailments. However, further investigations are still needed to understand the exactmechanism of their actions.

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has increased substantially in the past few decades throughout the world. In India, the epidemic of diabetes continues to increase irrespective of area, status, and age. Despite various scientific societies involved in the treatment of diabetes, still, the burden of diabetes keeps growing. Aims: The aim of this work is to explore the Ayurvedic concept of a personalized diet to modulate the gut microbiota for the treatment of T2D. Material and methods: A thorough study of literature from online scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar as well as from classical texts of Ayurveda was done. A careful compilation was done to extract the valuable output of the personalized diet to modulate the gut microbiota. Results: There are various diets used to control blood glucose levels, and their effects are also being studied on the transcriptome or epigenome despite 99.9% genomic similarity among human beings. However, microbiomes have only 10% similarity. Ayurvedic diet is given on the basis of Prakriti (body constitution), therefore, it is also called personalized diet. Conclusion: The diets prescribed for T2D in Ayurveda are high in fibers, polyphenols, and complex carbohydrates which enrich butyrate-producing bacteria and decrease lipopolysaccharide-producing bacteria. Hence, there is a need to have a personalized diet to manage the glucose level by enriching beneficial gut microbiota. The approach of a personalized diet associated with gut microbiota can be helpful in maintaining blood sugar in T2D patients.

Cancer is the world's second leading cause of mortality and one of the major public health problems. Cancer incidence and mortality rates remain high despite the great advancements in existing therapeutic, diagnostic, and preventive approaches. Therefore, a quest for less toxic and more efficient anti-cancer strategies is still at the forefront of the current research. Traditionally important, curcumin commonly known as a wonder molecule has received considerable attention as an anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant candidate. However, limited water solubility and low bioavailability restrict its extensive utility in different pathological states. The investigators are making consistent efforts to develop newer strategies to overcome its limitations by designing different analogues with better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. The present review highlights the recent updates on curcumin and its analogues with special emphasis on various mechanistic pathways involved in anti-cancer activity. In addition, the structure-activity relationship of curcumin analogues has also been precisely discussed. This article will also provide key information for the design and development of newer curcumin analogues with desired pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles and will provide in depth understanding of molecular pathways involved in the anti-cancer activities.

Casein was found to be an effective natural drug carrier in various delivery systems due to its unique applications in improving the bioavailability and efficacy of a drug.

This Research Communication aims to compare the effect of A1A2 and A2A2 cow milk diets on the biochemical and histological parameters of rats. The rats were divided into four groups and fed with a normal diet, A2 milk powder, A1A2 or A2A2 cow milk diets for 90 d. Blood glucose, kidney function, liver function and lipid profile were examined during the experimental period. The study showed an increase in the body weight of the A1A2 group whereas a slight decrease in the A2A2 group, and blood glucose levels increased from d 0 to day 90 in all experimental groups. However, none of these changes were found to be statistically insignificant ( P > 0.05). Moreover, no significant changes were recorded in other parameters (serum glutamic pyruvic transferase and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase for liver function, bilirubin direct, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and uric acid). The histology of the liver, kidney and pancreas also showed no changes in all groups. Overall, this study revealed no significant difference in the nutritional values of A1A2 and A2A2 milk types and hence equally beneficial for health. Although the present study showed no significant difference in the effect of both milk types in 90 d, further studies might be conducted to evaluate their longer term effects.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), a metabolic disorder mainly characterized by hyperglycemia, causes the damage of various organs, including the eyes, liver, kidney and heart. It is evident that diet plays a key role in the management of DM. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zn and Mg supplemented diets as an adjuvant therapy with glibenclamide on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: The rats which showed a blood glucose level of 200 mg/dL or higher after 48 h of STZ injection were considered as diabetic. The rats were divided into eight groups in which the normal control group comprised non-diabetic rats, whereas the rest of the groups had diabetic rats in which glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) with an ordinary diet was given to the positive control group while the test groups were treated with glibenclamide along with specific diets. Blood glucose, body weight and lipid profile, as well as the liver and kidney functions were evaluated using standard kits after a certain interval up to 21 days. Results: Glibenclamide at different doses with or without Zn and Mg significantly decreased blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine, total bilirubin and LDL levels, whereas it increased the HDL level. The study revealed glibenclamide together with Zn and Mg-rich diet to provide the most significant (p <0.0001) results. Conclusion: The treatment of diabetes mellitus with glibenclamide can provide better results if it is used with Zn and Mg-rich diet, which can prove to be a potential adjuvant therapy for type-2 diabetes and its associated complications.

Background and objectives:The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has killed millions of people globally and has severely affected quality of life and global economy.The present randomized survey aimed to collect information based on vaccination, symptoms, treatments, and post-COVID-19 complications from participants that recovered from COVID-19 to find out the disease pattern, trends, and effective treatment protocols. Methods:The information from participants was collected by an online questionnaire that was circulated among the population of India through emails and social media.Results: A total of 706 responses were recorded from participants that recovered from COVID-19 from 20 Indian states.Males and females from all age groups took part in the online survey.Among them, 77% of the participants were not vaccinated and 17% were vaccinated with a single dose and 6% with a booster dose.An average of 27% of the total vaccinated participants had a comorbidity that included diabetes, hypertension, and pulmonary disease.Most of the patients with moderate to severe symptoms preferred allopathic treatment.The adoption level of allopathic treatment was significantly higher (p = 0.001) than other treatment options.The results showed that 12% of the patients adopted the Ayurvedic treatment and 14% preferred a mixed treatment.Approximately one-third of the participants had various post-COVID-19 complications that were related to breathing and anxiety. Conclusions:The survey concluded that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected almost the whole population irrespective of gender, age, and region.The study further concluded that vaccination is the main protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

This article aims to review the effects of cow milk containing A1 or A2 or mixed variants of β-casein on human health. The information based on the health effects of cow milk was collected from the most authentic scientific database including Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar by searching specific keywords like “cow milk”, “A1A2 beta-casein”, “beta-casomorphins”, “A2 cow milk”, and “A2 milk”. The search hits a total of 197 articles including patents in which about 70 most relevant articles were critically reviewed. The literature revealed that the most abundant category of cow milk found worldwide is mixed A1/A2 in which both A1 and A2 variants of β-casein are found in equal ratio. Among the major three categories, A2 cow milk received much attention both from the scientific community and the wider public due to its possible health benefits over A1 milk mainly in diabetes and heart-related problems. On the other hand, milk containing the A1 variant of β-casein is supposed to be harmful due to the formation of β-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) peptide, although the scientific community is not unanimous for this claim. The claim for the harmful effects of the A1 variant should be further validated with more scientific studies.

Background and objectivesMyrica nagi Thunb., belonging to the family Myricaceae, is used in Indian traditional medicine to treat diarrhea. This study aimed to assess the anti-diarrheal activity of the aqueous extract of stem bark of Myrica nagi (AEMN) using castor oil-induced diarrhea and charcoal meal tests in albino rats.