Recently, iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted much consideration due to their unique properties, such as superparamagnetism, surface-to-volume ratio, greater surface area, and easy separation methodology. Various physical, chemical, and biological methods have been adopted to synthesize magnetic NPs with suitable surface chemistry. This review summarizes the methods for the preparation of iron oxide NPs, size and morphology control, and magnetic properties with recent bioengineering, commercial, and industrial applications. Iron oxides exhibit great potential in the fields of life sciences such as biomedicine, agriculture, and environment. Nontoxic conduct and biocompatible applications of magnetic NPs can be enriched further by special surface coating with organic or inorganic molecules, including surfactants, drugs, proteins, starches, enzymes, antibodies, nucleotides, nonionic detergents, and polyelectrolytes. Magnetic NPs can also be directed to an organ, tissue, or tumor using an external magnetic field for hyperthermic treatment of patients. Keeping in mind the current interest in iron NPs, this review is designed to report recent information from synthesis to characterization, and applications of iron NPs.

Background: The methods like bio-green are advantageous over chemical and physical methods due to ecofriendly and cost-effective synthesis of nanoparticles. Current study was designed for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their biological evaluation. Methods: Methanolic extract of Bergenia ciliata (BC) rhizomes prepared by maceration was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and confirmed by UV–visible and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Further field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for the shape and size determination. In vitro Antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential was determined by using standard protocols. Results: The nanoparticles were spherical in shape having average particle size of 35 nm. FTIR analysis revealed the possible involvement of phyto-constituents in silver nanoparticles of crude extract. Green synthesized nanoparticles (BCAgNPs) showed the enhanced antioxidant properties compared to the crude extract. These nanoparticles showed the cytotoxic effects against brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii with a value of 33.92 μg/ml LD50. BCAgNPs were found effective against the pathogenic fungal and bacterial strains in comparison to the Bergenia ciliata extract. Conclusion: Green synthesized BCAgNPs showed enhanced biological activities. Present results also support the advantages of using bio-green method for the production of nanoparticles having the potential of antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities

The semi-conducting material zinc is one of the essential trace elements for humans, is a co-factor of more than 300 enzymes, and plays an important role in maintaining vital cellular functions. Deficiency of zinc may lead to cancer initiation; however, a high concentration also has toxic effects that might be life threatening. The toxicity can be addressed by the disequilibrium of zinc-mediated proteins and oxidative stress that produce nascent oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and other reactive oxygen species. Zinc-based nanoparticles (NPs) are among the most important and multifunctional compounds. Zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs exhibit attractive antimicrobial and photocatalytic properties due to the smaller particle size and increased particle surface reactivity. Further, these are more biocompatible compared to other metallic NPs, easily synthesizable, and have high selectivity, enhanced cytotoxicity, and are a promising anticancer agent. However, some of the pertinent concerns regarding nano-zinc still needs to be clarified. Current research also demonstrates their usage in wastewater treatment, textile, medicine, etc. This review covers the importance of zinc for living systems and its NPs, with more emphasis on ZnO NPs. A comprehensive overview of ZnO NPs, their synthesis, characterization techniques, crystal structure, properties, and brief industrial applications are presented.

Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a medicinal mushroom possessing a variety of biofunctionalities. It has several biologically important components such as polysaccharides and others. The diverse pharmacological potential of C. militaris has generated interest in reviewing the current scientific literature, with a particular focus on prevention and associated molecular mechanisms in inflammatory diseases. Due to rising global demand, research on C. militaris has continued to increase in recent years. C. militaris has shown the potential for inhibiting inflammation-related events, both in in vivo and in vitro experiments. Inflammation is a multifaceted biological process that contributes to the development and severity of diseases, including cancer, colitis, and allergies. These functions make C. militaris a suitable functional food for inhibiting inflammatory responses such as the regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, on the basis of existing information, the current study provides insights towards the understanding of anti-inflammatory activity-related mechanisms. This article presents a foundation for clinical use, and analyzes the roadmap for future studies concerning the medical use of C. militaris and its constituents in the next generation of anti-inflammatory drugs.