Plants have been extensively studied since ancient times and numerous important chemical constituents with tremendous therapeutic potential are identified. Attacks of microorganisms including viruses and bacteria can be counteracted with an efficient immune system and therefore, stimulation of body’s defense mechanism against infections has been proven to be an effective approach. Polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, and lactones are the important phytochemicals, reported to be primarily responsible for immunomodulation activity of the plants. These phytochemicals may act as lead molecules for the development of safe and effective immunomodulators as potential remedies for the prevention and cure of viral diseases. Natural products are known to primarily modulate the immune system in nonspecific ways. A number of plant-based principles have been identified and isolated with potential immunomodulation activity which justify their use in traditional folklore medicine and can form the basis of further specified research. The aim of the current review is to describe and highlight the immunomodulation potential of certain plants along with their bioactive chemical constituents. Relevant literatures of recent years were searched from commonly employed scientific databases on the basis of their ethnopharmacological use. Most of the plants displaying considerable immunomodulation activity are summarized along with their possible mechanisms. These discussions shall hopefully elicit the attention of researchers and encourage further studies on these plant-based immunomodulation products as potential therapy for the management of infectious diseases, including viral ones such as COVID-19.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is a multi-domain macromolecule with diverse ligand binding capability because of its ability to allow allosteric modulation despite being a monomeric protein. Physiologically, HSA act as the primary carrier for various exogenous and endogenous compounds and fatty acids, and alter the pharmacokinetic properties of several drugs. It has antioxidant properties and is utilized therapeutically to improve the drug delivery of pharmacological agents for the treatment of several disorders. The flexibility of albumin in holding various types of drugs coupled with a variety of modifications makes this protein a versatile drug carrier with incalculable potential in therapeutics. This review provides a brief outline of the different structural properties of HSA, and its various binding sites, moreover, an overview of the genetic, biomedical, and allosteric modulation of drugs and drug delivery aspects of HSA is also included, which may be helpful in guiding advanced clinical applications and further research on the therapeutic potential of this extraordinary protein.

Cyanobacteria and microalgae contain various phytochemicals, including bioactive components in the form of secondary metabolites, namely flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, and tannins, with remarkable anticancer effects. This review highlights the recent advances in bioactive compounds, with potential anticancer activity, produced by cyanobacteria and microalgae. Previous in vitro investigations showed that many of these bioactive compounds exhibit potent effects against different human cancer types, such as leukemia and breast cancers. Multiple mechanisms implicated in the antitumor effect of these compounds were elucidated, including their ability to target cellular, subcellular, and molecular checkpoints linked to cancer development and promotion. Recent findings have highlighted various mechanisms of action of bioactive compounds produced by cyanobacteria and microalgae, including induction of autophagy and apoptosis, inhibition of telomerase and protein kinases, as well as modulation of epigenetic modifications. In vivo investigations have demonstrated a potent anti-angiogenesis effect on solid tumors, as well as a reduction in tumor volume. Some of these compounds were examined in clinical investigations for certain types of cancers, making them potent candidates/scaffolds for antitumor drug development.

Salvadora persica L. (Salvadoraceae) is an evergreen shrub growing in the Middle East, Africa, and Southern Asia. It is traditionally known as “miswak” and used as toothbrushes and for the treatment of toothache, gum diseases, boils, chest infection, gonorrhea, headache, spleen troubles, stomachache, and ulcers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study aimed at conducting phytochemical, cytotoxic, and antimicrobial investigations of the fruits (berries) of S. persica collected from the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Analysis of the ethanol extract of S. persica fruits using GC-MS showed the presence of six esters (20.71%), seven alkanes (15.47%), tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane (9.91%), eicosamethyl-cyclodecasiloxane (7.27%), and 1-monolinoleoylglycerol (5.17%). The predominant constituents were acetyl dasycarpidan-1-methanol (10.47%), tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane (9.91%), eicosamethyl-cyclodecasiloxane (7.27%), and 1-monolinoleoylglycerol (5.17%). The petroleum ether extract of the fruits contained mainly eicosamethyl-cyclodecasiloxane (23.81%), 1-monolinoleoylglycerol (11.78%), (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid ethyl ester derivative (10.56%), and tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane (9.91%). The cytotoxic properties of the ethanol extract were investigated by MTT assay against the breast MCF7, ovary A2780, and colon HT29 cells. The fruit extract of S. persica was selective against the ovarian and colon cancer cells compared to normal fibroblast cells (MRC5) as it showed IC₅₀ values 17.50, 8.35, and 5.12, against MCF7, A2780, and HT29 cells, respectively. Interestingly, the fruit extract was also found to possess selective antimicrobial activity for Streptococcus mutans isolates with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 3.12 and 6.25 mg/mL, respectively. Interestingly, it was found to be ineffective against other Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative microorganisms. This study provides insight into the bioactive components present in the fruits of the plant that can be utilized for its cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties.

This review aims to provide a thorough examination of the benefits, challenges, and advancements in utilizing lipids for more effective drug delivery, ultimately contributing to the development of innovative approaches in pharmaceutical science. Lipophilic drugs, characterized by low aqueous solubility, present a formidable challenge in achieving effective delivery and absorption within the human body. To address this issue, one promising approach involves harnessing the potential of lipids. Lipids, in their diverse forms, serve as carriers, leveraging their unique capacity to enhance solubility, stability, and absorption of these challenging drugs. By facilitating improved intestinal solubility and selective lymphatic absorption of porously permeable drugs, lipids offer an array of possibilities for drug delivery. This versatile characteristic not only bolsters the pharmacological efficacy of drugs with low bioavailability but also contributes to enhanced therapeutic performance, ultimately reducing the required dose size and associated costs. This comprehensive review delves into the strategic formulation approaches that employ lipids as carriers to ameliorate drug solubility and bioavailability. Emphasis is placed on the critical considerations of lipid type, composition, and processing techniques when designing lipid-based formulations. This review meticulously examines the multifaceted challenges that come hand in hand with lipid-based formulations for lipophilic drugs, offering an insightful perspective on future trends. Regulatory considerations and the broad spectrum of potential applications are also thoughtfully discussed. In summary, this review presents a valuable repository of insights into the effective utilization of lipids as carriers, all aimed at elevating the bioavailability of lipophilic drugs.