Oxidative stress is a phenomenon wherein there is an imbalance between the rate of oxidant formation and its elimination from the body. It has been known to be a promoting factor of various acute and chronic diseases, some of which are lethal. Oxidative stress usually occurs when the generation of oxidants, as a byproduct of the metabolic processes is much higher than usual. However, several exogenous sources such as pollution and alcohol have been known to be major factors in oxidative stress. The following review briefly highlights the generation of free radicals in the body, their effect on biomolecules and the role of oxidative stress in human body.

Bee products, including honey, have been utilized since ancient times for nutritional and therapeutic purposes. Recently, other bee products such as bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis have caught a lot of attention. Being high in antioxidants and bioactive compounds, these products have established their applications in the pharmaceutical field as supplementary or alternative medicines. This review focuses on their use against polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-related infertility. A systematic search of electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted from their inceptions up to November 2022. Studies with a small sample size, studies with inconclusive data, and pre-prints have been excluded. A narrative synthesis was performed during draft preparation after the authors independently performed a literature search. A total of 47 studies were finalized for the review. It can be observed that in vivo data on the use of bee products in treating PCOS mostly deals with their use in synergism with the PCOS medicines to enhance their effect and/or curb their side effects; however, clinical trials for the same are limited. With the amount of data being limited, it is difficult to map out the mechanism by which these products act in managing PCOS inside the human body. The review gives detailed insights into the reversal and restorative properties of bee products against the aberrations in reproductive health caused by PCOS.

Excessive generation of wastewater is one of the major reasons for pollution in natural reservoirs. Given the normal circumstances, natural water bodies revive and rejuvenate themselves; but upon increased waste load, the self-revival system of the ecosystem slows down, causing water pollution. Hazardous waste, especially heavy metals and organic pollutants, have affected the ecology to the detriment of humans. Thus, the need arises for wastewater treatment, before its discharge. Current methods undertaken include the use of physical settling of solid waste, filtration, aerobic and anaerobic microbes, and chemical treatments. Low removal of pathogens, dependence on the uninterrupted power supply, high maintenance cost, generation of explosive biogas and bioaccumulation of chemicals are some disadvantages of activated sludge technology, one of the modern technologies used. Hence, the focus has been shifted on organisms capable of metabolizing, immobilizing or absorbing toxic compounds from their environment, making it both environment-friendly and cost-effective. This review provides perspicacity about the generation of sewage and the various methods available for its treatment. Emphasis is made on bioremediation using Spirulina platensis. Since the organism assimilates the bioavailable contaminants of sewage water photosynthetically; it can overcome the demerits of conventional methods. It also discusses possibilities of using Spirulina grown on the sewage as a food supplement, animal fodder or source of bioactive compounds.

Microorganism-based bioremediation is a well-sought after method for industrial wastewater treatment and forms the primary stage. The current research suggests using Spirulina platensis as an organism of choice for bioremediation. This study provides an insight into the potential use of primary-treated wastewater as the growth media for Spirulina platensis. The tolerance of S. platensis was confirmed for metals such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) by using media enriched with these metals. S. platensis was most tolerant to Hg followed by Cd and Cu. Further, it is suggested that the biomass and bioactive compounds extracted from S. platensis be tested for their application in animal and aquaculture feed, supplements, and pharmaceuticals.

Obesity is one of the common metabolic diseases which is tremendously on the rise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of patients has increased three times since 1975. A person with Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or higher than 30.0 is considered obese. Previously considered only as a cosmetic concern, obesity has now been shown to be an aggravating element for various diseases and disorders including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The most common drugs subscribed by physicians include orlistat, rimonabant, liraglutide and sibutramine which have been proven to be effective to reduce body fat in patients. However, in the long run, patients have complained about symptoms which are mild like nausea, insomnia and dizziness to severe complications such as increase in risk of heart attack or stroke. The following review provides insights about synthetic drugs, their classification and their side-effects on human health. Furthermore, a gist of natural products i.e. phytochemicals that can be used as an alternative to these synthetic drugs has also been discussed in the review.