Among the large number of plants that are part of the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India and Bangladesh, Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae), or ginger in English, holds a special place and is often referred to as “Mahaushadha” (great medicine) and “Vishvabhesaja” (worldwide or universal herb) to signify its special status. The plant and particularly its rhizomes are used both in the raw and dry form for the relief of a multitude of disorders. Since a number of these disorders occur in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it was of interest to perform in silico studies (molecular docking) to evaluate the binding affinities of a number of constituents of Zingiber officinale with the 3C-like protease or main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, which plays an essential role in the cleavage of viral polyproteins and subsequent viral replication. Our studies indicated that 2 of the compounds present in ginger, namely, chlorogenic acid and hesperidin, had high binding affinities for Mpro with predicted binding energies of −7.5 and −8.3 kcal/mol. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional interactions also showed that, while chlorogenic acid interacts with one of the His41 amino acids of the catalytic dyad of Mpro, hesperidin interacts with the other amino acid Cys145, which can account for their predicted high binding energies and, therefore, possibly can inhibit Mpro activity. Taken together, our findings indicate that ginger, besides alleviating the symptoms induced by SARS-CoV-2, may also play a role in inhibiting the virus.

Background and Objectives: Ochradenus baccatus belongs to the family Resedaceae. It is widely spread in Saudi Arabia and other countries in Southwest Asia. O. baccatus is extensively used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent, in addition to being a vital source of food for certain desert animal species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the chemical composition and antibacterial/anticancer activities of O. baccatus methanolic extracts collected from Hail, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: The O. baccatus extracts were obtained by macerating the crude powder in methanol, followed by filtration and evaporation. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to analyze the methanolic extracts’ chemical constituents. Broth microdilution assay for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination was used to assess antimicrobial activity, while the extracts’ anticancer potential was assessed by sulforhodamine B Assay (SRB) assay. Results: The results of the antibacterial assay showed that the methanolic extracts from the roots and branches possessed varying degrees of activity against particular bacterial strains, with the highest activity being exerted by the branches’ extract against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium (St), demonstrating MIC values of 15.6 µg/mL and 20 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the SRB cell viability assay revealed that only the branches’ extract inhibited the growth of A549 cancer cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 86.19 µg/mL. The LC-MS analysis of the methanolic extracts from the plant’s roots and branches was then conducted, resulting in the identification of 8 and 13 major chemical constituents, respectively. Azelaic acid, β-amyrin, and phytanic acid are some of the bioactive compounds that were detected in the extracts via LC-MS, and they are thought to be responsible for the observed antibacterial/anticancer activity of O. baccatus methanolic extracts. Conclusions: This study confirmed the antibacterial/anticancer potential of O. baccatus methanolic extracts and analyzed their phytochemical constituents. Further isolation and biological screening are warranted to understand the therapeutic potential of O. baccatus.

Background and Aim: Malaria continues to pose a global health challenge, exacerbated by the emergence of drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-Plasmodium potential of Propolis extracts collected from various Iranian regions and to characterize the molecular interactions of their bioactive phytochemicals with P. falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH), a key enzyme in parasite glycolysis. Materials and Methods: The anti-Plasmodium activity of ethanol-extracted Propolis was assessed against P. falciparum NF54 using the SYBR Green I fluorescence assay. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified major phytochemicals in the most active extract. Molecular docking and 100-ns molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed to evaluate the binding affinity and stability of selected compounds (tectochrysin and galangin) against PfLDH in both holo (Protein Data Bank [PDB] ID: 1LDG) and apo (PDB ID: 2X8L) forms. Results: Propolis collected from Kermanshah city exhibited the highest anti-Plasmodium activity (IC50 = 6.69 ± 1.44 μg/mL). GC-MS analysis identified tectochrysin and galangin as major constituents. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities of tectochrysin (−7.8 kcal/mol) and galangin (−7.5 kcal/mol) to PfLDH, surpassing the binding energies of standard antimalarial drugs (chloroquine and quinine). MD simulations confirmed the stability of tectochrysin and galangin within the PfLDH active sites, with favorable root mean square deviation, root mean square fluctuation, gyration, solvent-accessible surface area, molecular surface area, and polar surface area profiles, indicating persistent and stable protein-ligand interactions throughout the simulation. Conclusion: The findings support the promising anti-Plasmodium potential of Propolis-derived compounds, particularly tectochrysin and galangin, as novel PfLDH inhibitors. Their potential applicability in transdisciplinary anti-parasitic therapy across human and veterinary medicine warrants further in vivo validation and clinical investigations. Keywords: anti-malarial candidates, galangin, lactate dehydrogenase, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, Plasmodium falciparum, Propolis extract, tectochrysin

The WHO declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic in March 2020, which was caused by novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 made its first entry into the world in November 2019, and the first case was detected in Wuhan, China. Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome distressed life in almost every discipline by the extended production of novel viral variants. In this article, authorized SARS-CoV-2 vaccines including mRNA vaccines, DNA vaccines, subunit vaccines, inactivated virus vaccines, viral vector vaccine, live attenuated virus vaccines and mix and match vaccines will be discussed based on their mechanism, administration, storage, stability, safety and efficacy. The information was collected from various journals via electronic searches including PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar and the WHO platform. This review article includes a brief summary on the pathophysiology, epidemiology, mutant variants and management strategies related to COVID-19. Due to the continuous production and unsatisfactory understanding of novel variants of SARS-CoV-2, it is important to design an effective vaccine along with long-lasting protection against variant strains by eliminating the gaps through practical and theoretical knowledge. Consequently, it is mandatory to update the literature through previous and ongoing trials of vaccines tested among various ethnicities and age groups to gain a better insight into management strategies and combat complications associated with upcoming novel variants of SARS-CoV-2.