Euphorbia hirta is a common medicinal plant in folk and traditional medicine systems. This plant has shown promising effects against several human ailments and infectious diseases. Therefore, it is important to summarize the medicinal activities and value of Euphorbia hirta. The main intent of this literature review was to summarize the phytochemical content and pharmacological applications of Euphorbia hirta. The literature review about the pharmacology and phytochemistry of Euphorbia hirta was collected from different global platforms, such as Scopus, ERIC, PubMed, and Web of Science. E. hirta has a rich phytochemistry and exhibits remarkable activity against respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and venereal diseases. Different extracts of this plant have shown significant preclinical anticancer propensity against an array of different cancer cell lines. It acts as a highly active antiviral agent and has shown pronounced activity against coxsackievirus, human immunodeficiency virus, dengue virus, poliovirus and simian immunodeficiency virus. A clinical study showed its inhibitory responses against flu and fever in dengue patients. Most importantly, the plant possesses remarkable inhibitory action on ACE, which aids SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. The multidimensional role of Euphorbia hirta as a potential antiviral agent suggests its possible application to control COVID-19 along with modern and Western medicinal strategies. In conclusion, the literature review regarding Euphorbia hirta showed its strong pharmacological applications, such as antimicrobial, antimalarial, anti-asthmatic, antioxidant, antiviral and anticancer activities. Further in-depth research is necessary to monitor its role in the management of viral diseases, especially COVID-19.

Coumarins, a natural class of compounds, firstly isolated from Tonka beans, are found in various medicinal herbs. This class of compounds has been reported of remarkable biological and pharmacological applications, including antimicrobial, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory as well as cancer. Additionally, coumarins have revealed significant inhibition of different human cancers viz bladder cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, etc. Therefore, the compilation of medicinal research progress of natural coumarin and its derivatives will be beneficial for scientists and researchers worldwide. The literature review of medicinal research progress of natural coumarin and its derivatives was collected from various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science and Science Direct from the year 1942 to date. The presented data on medicinal research progress of natural coumarin and its derivatives provides a detailed review which could serve as a platform for future research. The data presented the medicinal and biological activities of coumarin and its derivatives like antimicrobial, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer in particular. This could be utilized for future formulation and development of drugs and references based on coumarin and its derivatives.

There is a notable deficiency in the availability of small‐molecule‐based therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy, notwithstanding the limited number of compounds advancing through various phases of clinical trials. The current study investigates the inhibitory effectiveness of the dietary flavonoid apigenin on the PD‐1/PD‐L1 checkpoint in breast cancer, utilizing network pharmacology alongside validation through a comprehensive array of computational chemistry/biology and bioinformatics techniques. The physicochemical properties of apigenin were evaluated using the SwissADME program, while the Superpred and Swiss Target Prediction databases enabled the identification of potential targets for apigenin. Biological targets relevant to breast cancer were sourced from GeneCards, followed by an intersection with apigenin targets facilitated by the Venny 2.0 online tool. The STRING server, in conjunction with Cytoscape software, was utilized for the visualization and analysis of the networks interconnecting these targets. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis elucidated the putative targets associated with apigenin. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation experiments employing AutoDock Vina, CB‐Dock2, GROMACS, and iMODS platforms were conducted to investigate binding affinities and the stability of the resulting ligand‐protein complexes. A total of 69 potential target genes were identified, representing approximately 5% of all targets from the Gene Cards database (1245 disease‐associated targets). Enrichment analysis via the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways revealed various signaling pathways, including critical pathways such as PD‐L1 expression and the PD‐1 checkpoint pathway, central carbon metabolism in cancer, and the HIF‐1 signaling pathway. Molecular docking and 100‐ns molecular dynamics simulations showed that apigenin establishes stable, compact, and rigid complexes with PIK3R1, MTOR, and notably with STAT1, which demonstrated the lowest root‐mean‐square deviation (RMSD) and the highest rigidity, thereby indicating a stable bonding interaction. The findings from GEPIA2 highlighted the prognostic importance of the top five hub genes in breast cancer. The conclusions derived from this computational investigation suggest that apigenin targets essential proteins such as PIK3R1, MTOR, and STAT1, which are in turn associated with PD‐L1 expression and the PD‐1 checkpoint pathway, indicating its therapeutic potential in cancer immunotherapy.