Background: Screening new natural molecules with pharmacological and/or cosmetic properties remains a highly sought-after area of research. Moreover, essential oils and volatile compounds have recently garnered significant interest as natural substance candidates. In this study, the volatile components of Pistacia lentiscus L. essential oils (PLEOs) isolated from the fruit and its main compounds, alpha-pinene, and limonene, are investigated for antioxidant, antidiabetic, and dermatoprotective activities. Methods: In vitro antioxidant activity was investigated using 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) methods. The antidiabetic and dermatoprotective effects were studied using enzyme inhibitory activities. Results: Antioxidant tests showed that PLEO has the best activity (ranging from 29.64 ± 3.04 to 73.80 ± 3.96 µg/mL) compared to its main selected molecules (ranging from 74 ± 3.72 to 107.23 ± 5.03 µg/mL). The α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays demonstrated that the elements tested have a promising antidiabetic potential with IC50values ranging from 78.03 ± 2.31 to 116.03 ± 7.42 µg/mL and 74.39 ± 3.08 to 112.35 ± 4.92 µg/mL for the α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays, respectively, compared to the standard drug. For the tyrosinase test, we found that the EOs (IC50 = 57.72 ± 2.86 µg/mL) followed by limonene (IC50 = 74.24 ± 2.06 µg/mL) and α-pinene (IC50 = 97.45 ± 5.22 µg/mL) all exhibited greater inhibitory effects than quercetin (IC50 = 246.90 ± 2.54 µg/mL). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the biological activities of PLEO, as well as its main compounds, make them promising candidates for the development of new strategies aimed at improving dermatoprotection and treating diseases associated with diabetes mellitus and oxidative stress.

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have garnered enormous attention seemingly due to their unusual architecture and properties. Graphene and graphene oxide based 2D nanomaterials remained the most sought after for several years but the quest to design superior 2D nanomaterials which can find wider application gave rise to development of non-graphene 2D materials as well. Consequently, in addition to graphene based 2D nanomaterials, 2D nanostructures designed using macromolecules (such as DNAs, proteins, peptides and peptoids), transition metal dichalcogenides, transition-metal carbides and/or nitrides (MXene), black phosphorous, chitosan, hexagonal boron nitrides, and graphitic carbon nitride, and covalent organic frameworks have been developed. Interestingly, these 2D nanomaterials have found applications in diagnosis and treatment of various diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although AD is one of the most debilitating neurodegenerative conditions across the globe; unfortunately, there remains a paucity of effective diagnostic and/or therapeutic intervention for it till date. In this scenario, nanomaterial-based biosensors, or therapeutics especially 2D nanostructures are emerging to be promising in this regard. This review summarizes the diagnostic and therapeutic platforms developed for AD using 2D nanostructures. Collectively, it is worth mentioning that these 2D nanomaterials would seemingly provide an alternative and intriguing platform for biomedical interventions.

It is becoming more widely acknowledged that obesity is a chronic low-grade inflammatory disease that has a significant influence on brain health in addition to metabolic problems. Adipose tissue growth, macrophage polarization, and cytokine release all contribute to systemic inflammation, which weakens the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and promotes immune-to-brain communication. Saturated fatty acids and gut-derived lipopolysaccharides activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the central nervous system, which triggers downstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades and increases neuroinflammation. At the same time, mitochondrial malfunction and oxidative stress hasten the buildup of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which further primes the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and maintains glial hyperactivation. These processes work together to cause synaptic dysfunction, insulin resistance in neurons, and heightened susceptibility to neurodegenerative illnesses, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Pharmacological inhibitors, natural substances, and lifestyle changes that target TLR4, MAPK signaling, and ROS-mediated pathways have the potential to disrupt this metabolic-inflammatory-neuronal axis. Developing comprehensive solutions to reduce obesity-driven neuroinflammation requires an understanding of the molecular interactions between peripheral metabolic stress and central immune activation.

As the number of infections and deaths attributable to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection continues to rise, it is now becoming apparent that the health impacts of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) may not be limited to infection and the subsequent resolution of symptoms. Reports have shown that patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may experience multiple symptoms across different organ systems that are associated with adverse health outcomes and develop new cardiac, renal, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and nervous conditions, a condition known as Long COVID or the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). This review provides insights into distinct subphenotypes of Long COVID and identifies microbiota dysbiosis as a common theme and crucial target for future therapies. Another important finding is that Long COVID is associated with prolonged and increased inflammation, potentially attributable to immune system dysfunction. A promising solution lies in the potential of probiotics to mitigate Long COVID symptoms by restoring gut microbiota balance and modulating the immune response. By evaluating the current clinical development landscape of the use of probiotics to treat Long COVID symptoms, this paper provides recommendations for future research by stressing the need to understand the modulation of bacterium strains followed by probiotic therapy to understand the association of microbiota dysbiosis with Long COVID symptoms. This will facilitate the development of effective probiotic formulations that could serve as reliable therapies against Long COVID.

The Modulator of Apoptosis 1 (MOAP-1) protein, a crucial regulator of apoptosis, has recently attracted considerable interest in oncology research. Its potential as a therapeutic target in bladder, breast, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) offers intriguing new therapeutic approaches. This comprehensive review consolidated work on MOAP-1's role in cancer biology, notably as a therapeutic target. A systematic review was conducted by searching digital databases for studies. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, ten articles were thoroughly assessed. Emerging evidence links MOAP-1 to bladder cancer chemosensitivity and MOAP-1-dependent chemosensitization of breast cancer mediated by phenylquinazoline derivatives. In addition, apoptosis in breast cancer cells was induced by α-mangostin, a potential therapeutic drug targeting MOAP-1 and BCL-XL interaction. Studies showed MOAP-1's importance in NSCLC, with its upregulation in the cancer cells as a potential treatment. This review also highlights the role of miR-25 as a cellular regulator of MOAP-1 and its implication for MOAP-1-mediated therapeutics. The intricate control of MOAP-1 in cancer highlights the need for more research to understand its function and regulation across cancer types completely. MOAP-1's tumor suppressor activity suggests it could be a therapeutic target, as evidenced by current research findings, which is likely to spur further research into MOAP-1-targeted cancer treatments. This systematic review fills a gap in the literature by bringing together a variety of study findings to promote a deeper understanding of MOAP-1 and its therapeutic potential.

Natural polyphenols have gained greater attention for their potent medicinal properties and potential benefits in addressing various health concerns. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound known for its therapeutic properties, has shown limitations in bioavailability, which the novel derivative resveratrol surrogate molecule (RSM5) aims to improve. The present study evaluates the oral toxicity and safety profile of a novel resveratrol derivative through acute and subacute assessments. Acute toxicity was assessed following a single oral administration, while subacute toxicity was evaluated after repeated doses over 28 days in BALB/c mice. Various physiological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters were monitored to determine potential adverse effects. The findings indicate that the RSM5 exhibits no significant toxic effects at the tested doses (15, 30, 60 mg/kg), with both acute and subacute studies showing a favourable safety profile. These results suggest that the novel resveratrol derivative may be safe for further pharmacological development, supporting its potential for therapeutic applications.