In recent years, the supercritical CO₂ extraction method has gained attention due to its use of environmentally friendly, non-toxic solvents, ability to operate at lower temperatures that do not cause the degradation of bioactive compounds, and capacity for rapid extraction. This method is particularly notable for isolating bioactive compounds from plants. The extracts obtained have shown superior properties due to their activity against diseases such as cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The aim of this study is to provide an in-depth understanding of the supercritical CO₂ extraction method, as well as to discuss its advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, the study includes specific data on various plant materials, detailing the following parameters: plant name and region, bioactive compounds or compound classes, extraction temperature (°C), pressure (bar), time (minutes), co-solvent used, and flow rate. Additionally, this study covers extensive research on the isolation of bioactive compounds and the efficacy of the obtained extracts against cancer.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in the world today. In addition to the side effects of the chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat cancer, the development of resistance to the drugs renders the existing drugs ineffective. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel anticancer agents. Medicinally important phytochemicals such as curcumin, naringenin, quercetin, epigallocatechin gallate, thymoquinone, kaempferol, resveratrol, genistein, and apigenin have some drawbacks, including low solubility in water, stability and bioavailability issues, despite having significant anticancer effects. Encapsulation of these natural compounds into polymer nanoparticles (NPs) is a novel technology that could overcome these constraints. In comparison to the free compounds, phytochemicals loaded into nanoparticles have greater activity and bioavailability against many cancer types. In this review, we describe the preparation and characterization of natural phytochemical-loaded polymer NP formulations with significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, their in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities, as well as their possible cellular targets.

The synthesis and biological assessment of novel multi-functionalized pyrrolidine-containing benzenesulfonamides were reported along with their antimicrobial, antifungal, CAs inhibition, and AChE inhibition as well as DNA-binding effects. The chemical structure of the compounds was elucidated by using FTIR, NMR, and HRMS. Compound 3b, which had Ki values of 17.61 ± 3.58 nM (hCA I) and 5.14 ± 0.61 nM (hCA II), was found the be the most potent CAs inhibitor. Compounds 6a and 6b showed remarkable AChE inhibition effects with Ki values 22.34 ± 4.53 nM and 27.21 ± 3.96 nM in comparison to tacrine. Compounds 6a-6c had moderate antituberculosis effect on M. tuberculosis with a MIC value of 15.62 μg/ml. Compounds had weaker antifungal and antibacterial activity in the range of MIC 500-62.5 μg/ml against standard bacterial and fungal strains. Besides these above, molecular docking studies were performed to examine and evaluate the interaction of the remarkable compounds (3b, 6a and 6b) against the current enzymes (CAs and AChE). Novel compounds gained interest in terms of enzyme inhibitory potencies. Therefore, the most potent enzyme inhibitors may be considered lead compounds to be modified for further research.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.