As a result of the global industrial revolution, contamination of the ecosystem by heavy metals has given rise to one of the most important ecological and organismic problems, particularly human, early developmental stages of fish and animal life. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues can be influenced by several factors, including metal concentration, exposure time, method of metal ingestion and environmental conditions, such as water temperature. Upon recognizing the danger of contamination from heavy metals and the effects on the ecosystem that support life on earth, new ways of monitoring and controlling this pollution, besides the practical ones, had to be found. Diverse living organisms, such as insects, fish, planktons, livestock and bacteria can be used as bioindicators for monitoring the health of the natural ecosystem of the environment. Parasites have attracted intense interest from parasitic ecologists, because of the variety of different ways in which they respond to human activity contamination as prospective indices of environmental quality. Previous studies showed that fish intestinal helminths might consider potential bioindicators for heavy metal contamination in aquatic creatures. In particular, cestodes and acanthocephalans have an increased capacity to accumulate heavy metals, where, for example, metal concentrations in acanthocephalans were several thousand times higher than in host tissues. On the other hand, parasitic infestation in fish could induce significant damage to the physiologic and biochemical processes inside the fish body. It may encourage serious impairment to the physiologic and general health status of fish. Thus, this review aimed to highlight the role of heavy metal accumulation, fish histopathological signs and parasitic infestation in monitoring the ecosystem pollutions and their relationship with each other.

Background: The variation in the reported vaccine safety and effectiveness could contribute to the high rates of vaccine hesitancy among the general population and healthcare workers in areas where monkeypox (mpox) is circulating. In this review, our objective was to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, effectiveness, and efficacy of the mpox vaccines. Methods: An extensive search for articles across multiple databases was performed, including searching six databases (PubMed Central, PubMed Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, ProQuest), two pre-print databases (European PMC Preprint and MedRxiv), and Google Scholar. Results: A total of 4290 citations were retrieved from the included databases. Following the removal of duplicates and the initial screening of records, a total of 36 studies were included into the analysis. Additionally, we identified five more studies through manual searches, resulting in a total of 41 eligible articles for qualitative synthesis. The study findings revealed that mpox vaccines demonstrate the ability to generate adequate antibodies; however, their effectiveness may decrease over time, exhibiting varying safety profiles. Most of the included studies consistently reported substantial levels of effectiveness and efficacy against mpox. Interestingly, the number of vaccine doses administered was found to influence the degree of immunogenicity, subsequently impacting the overall effectiveness and efficacy of the vaccines. Furthermore, we found that smallpox vaccines exhibited a form of cross-protection against mpox. Conclusions: Vaccines can be used to prevent mpox and effectively control its spread.

Diabetes is a global health concern with significant implications for individuals and healthcare systems. Finding effective and safe antidiabetic agents is crucial for the management of this chronic disease. Natural products have emerged as potential alternatives to allopathic drugs, offering a vast source of bioactive compounds. In this study, we conducted an assessment of the antidiabetic potential of Origanum compactum essential oil, employing a two-pronged approach, i.e., experimental investigation and computational docking analysis. The results of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that thymol (54.6%), carvacrol (23.18%), and p-cymene (7.12%) were the major compounds. Experimental assessments revealed higher IC₅₀ values (150 µg/mL for α-amylase; 120 µg/mL for α-glucosidase) of O. compactum oil, compared to the control drug acarbose. In silico analysis revealed the best binding affinity of the oil components (carvacrol and thymol) with human NADPH oxidase, while the lysosomal acid-α-glucosidase and salivary amylase also demonstrated good binding affinity towards carvacrol and thymol. Our findings highlight the translational potential of O. compactum oil-based treatment for diabetes mellitus and provide a basis for further studies on the modulation of NADPH oxidase, amylase inhibition, and α-glucosidase by antidiabetic natural products. However, further in vivo investigations are strongly required to confirm the results of in vitro antidiabetic effect of O. compactum EO.

Background/Objectives: Inflammation is a crucial and complex mechanism that protects the body against infections. In our study, we propose to provide scientific evidence for the anti-inflammatory properties of 1,3,5-triazine derivatives. Methods: Initially, we ensured the safety of the three synthesized derivatives by administering graded doses of up to 2000 mg/kg intraperitoneally in Wistar rats. Thus, the three derivatives were considered generally safe. We also evaluated their ability to reduce carrageenan-induced rat paw edema. Results: Compounds 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated stronger anti-inflammatory activity than indomethacin (10 mg/kg), achieving maximum inhibition at the fourth hour with percentages of 96.31%, 72.08%, and 99.69%, respectively, at a dose of 200 mg/kg, compared to 57.66% for the standard drug. To explore the mechanism, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, CRP) and oxidative stress markers were measured in paw tissue. All three compounds significantly reduced these markers more effectively than indomethacin and enhanced antioxidant levels (SOD and GSH) beyond those achieved by the standard treatment. Additionally, the compounds reduced COX-1 and COX-2 levels to values comparable to those in the normal (non-inflamed) control group. Conclusions: Compounds 1, 2, and 3 at doses of 200 mg/kg significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the heat-induced hemolysis of red blood cell (RBC) membranes by 94.6%, 93.9%, and 95.2%, respectively, compared to 94.5% produced by indomethacin. Consequently, we concluded that 1,3,5-triazine derivatives are a safe antioxidant agent with significant anti-inflammatory activity.

Background/Objectives: Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are widely used agrochemicals implicated in nephrotoxicity through mechanisms involving oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue remodeling. Natural peptides such as melittin possess potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties; however, their therapeutic use is limited by instability and toxicity. Nanotechnology-based encapsulation presents a promising approach to overcoming these challenges. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of melittin-loaded chitosan–TPP nanoparticles (MEL-NPs) against glyphosate-induced nephrotoxicity in rats, with emphasis on oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic pathways. Methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: control, glyphosate (5 mg/kg/day, 25 days), glyphosate + free melittin, and glyphosate + MEL-NPs (40 µg/kg, orally, 3 times/week). Renal function biomarkers, oxidative stress parameters (MDA, GSH, SOD, CAT, NO), cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), and serum protein/iron indices were assessed. Western blotting (Nrf2, NGAL), histopathology (H&E), and immunohistochemistry (Bax) were performed. Nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, FTIR, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Results: Glyphosate exposure caused renal dysfunction, including elevated plasma urea and creatinine levels, and reduced creatinine clearance, indicating impaired glomerular filtration efficiency, oxidative stress (↑increased MDA, NO; ↓decreased GSH, SOD), and upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Histology revealed tubular degeneration and inflammatory infiltration, while NGAL and Bax were strongly induced. Nrf2 expression was elevated as a compensatory response. Free melittin partially ameliorated these alterations, whereas MEL-NPs provided superior protection, restoring renal function, normalizing oxidative balance, reducing NGAL and Bax expression, and preserving renal histoarchitecture. Conclusions: Melittin nanoparticles confer robust renoprotection against glyphosate-induced nephrotoxicity in rats by modulating oxidative stress, suppressing inflammation, and regulating Nrf2/Bax signaling. These findings highlight nano-melittin as a promising therapeutic platform for managing herbicide-related renal disorders.

A 45-day feeding study was carried out to assess the immune-stimulatory effects of capsicum oleoresin when added to rainbow trout diets. A total of 450 fish (mean weight: 155.20 ± 1.96 g) were distributed into 400 L tanks (30 fish/tank) across five experimental groups: control (CT, 0%), C7 (0.7%), C14 (1.4%), C21 (2.1%), and C28 (2.8%). Each group consisted of three replicate tanks. At the end of this period, hemato-biochemical parameters, innate immune responses, and immune-related gene expression levels were evaluated, and a histological examination of head kidney and liver sections was conducted. Finally, fish in all groups were challenged with Lactococcus garvieae and observed for an additional 20 days. The results revealed that oleoresin supplementation enhanced the immune responses of the treated fish, which was evidenced by the increased globulin, total protein, respiratory burst activity, and total immunoglobulin levels. The highest expression levels of the il-8, il-1β, TGF-β, and SAA genes was noticed in the C7 group, as compared with the results for the other groups. The IgT gene expression levels were higher in all experimental groups than in the CT group, and this increase was at the highest level in the C28 group. Following the bacterial challenge, all experimental groups displayed higher survival rates compared to that of the CT group. These values were 75.93, 72.22, 46.30, 33.33, and 29.63% in the C7, C14, C21, C28, and CT groups, respectively, with the C7 group displaying the highest survival rate among the groups. The histological examination of liver and head kidney tissues revealed that higher doses (in the C21 and C28 groups) showed an increase in cytoplasmic vacuolization, which causes adverse effects on fish health. However, the C7 group displayed normal histological structure in both tissues. Taken together, the most favorable immune responses were achieved in the C7 group, suggesting that 0.7% oleoresin could be applied to rainbow trout to boost immunity and protect the fish from diseases.