Mangrove plants are specialized woody plants growing in the swamps of tidal-coastal areas and river deltas of tropical and subtropical parts of the world. They have been utilized for medicinal and other purposes by the coastal people over the years. Heritiera fomes Buch. Ham. (family: Sterculiaceae) commonly known as Sundari (Bengali) is a preeminent mangrove plant occurring in the Sundarbans forest located in the southern part of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal province of India. The plant has applications in traditional folk medicine as evidenced by its extensive use for treating diabetes, hepatic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, goiter, and skin diseases by the local people and traditional health practitioners. A number of investigations indicated that the plant possesses significant antioxidant, antinociceptive, antihyperglycemic, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Phytochemical analyses have revealed the presence of important chemical constituents like saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, steroids, flavonoids, gums, phytosterols, and reducing sugars. The present study is aimed at compiling information on phytochemical, biological, pharmacological, and ethnobotanical properties of this important medicinal plant, with a view to critically assess the legitimacy of the use of this plant in the aforementioned disorders as well as providing directions for further research.

Ceriops decandra is a mangrove tree species, reputed for its folkloric uses in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, infection, snakebites, inflammation, and cancer. Different parts of the plant are rich with various phytoconstituents which include diterpenoids (ceriopsin A-G), triterpenoids (lupeol, α-amyrin, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid), and phenolics (catechin, procyanidins).These phytoconstituents and their derivatives could form a new basis for developing new drugs against various diseases. The objective of the present study is to compile the phytochemical, ethnobotanical, biological, and pharmacological significance of the plant to provide directions for future research to find out therapeutically active lead compounds for developing new drugs against diseases of current interest including diabetes, inflammation, and cancer.

To elucidate potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of the ethanol extract of Alocasia indica Schott tuber in different experimental models established in vitro and in vivo. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Phenolic content was estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent while reducing ability was measured by ferric reducing power assay. In vivo antidiarrheal studies were carried out in mice, and the activity was evaluated in castor oil and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. Disk diffusion assay was utilized to determine antibacterial activity against a number of pathogenic bacterial strains. Acute toxicity test was carried out to measure the safe doses for the extract. In DPPH radical-scavenging assay, the extract exhibited strong radical-scavenging activity with the 50% inhibitory concentration value of 42.66 μg/mL. Total phenolic content was found to be 542.26 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dried tuber extract, whereas flavonoid content was found to be 4.30 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dried tuber extract. In reducing power assay, the extract showed strong reducing power in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the latent period and decreased defecation in both castor oil- and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. The extract also lessened gastrointestinal motility in mice. Potential antibacterial activity was exhibited by the extract against all the tested bacterial strains in disk diffusion assay. The 50% lethal concentration against brine shrimp nauplii was 81.09 μg/mL. The results demonstrated that the ethanol extract of A. indica has potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activity.

Background : Conventional plant-based therapies act as an important therapeutic tool for the treatment of worm infections all over the world and continuous evaluation of medicinal plants to find new potential lead compounds should be carried out. Methods : In-vitro analysis was conducted to evaluate the probable anthelmintic effect of crude aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Ananas sativus leaves , Erythrina variegata barks and Alocasia indica rootstocks, against adult Paramphistomum cervi (Trematoda) and Haemonchus contortus (Nematode). Results : Among all three concentrations (25, 50, and 100 mg/mL), the hydroalcoholic leaf extract of A. sativus exhibited paralysis and death time ranged between 7.26 to 26.76 min and 15.40 to 35.55 min respectively for P. cervi while that for H. contortus was 14.70 to 42.43 min and 23.43 to 56.34 min, respectively. Moreover, aqueous extract exhibited paralysis and death time ranged between 7.66 to 28.72 min and 18.30 to 33.00 min, respectively, for P. cervi whereas paralysis and death time ranged between 23.34 to 37.88 min and 31.08 to 58.30 min respectively for H. contortus . Both extracts of E. variegata bark and A. indica tuber showed comparatively less significant anthelmintic activity. All results were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusions : A. sativus leaf displayed favorable anthelmintic activity on both P. cervi and H. contortus , whereas E. variegata barks and A. indica rootstocks showed insignificant result.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial for the onset, development, and resistance to treatment of lung cancer. The tumor microenvironment consisting of a complex array of immune cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, extracellular matrix elements, and signaling molecules, facilitates tumor growth and spread while inhibiting the body’s antitumor immune response. In lung cancer, tumor-associated macrophages, cancer-associated fibroblasts, mast cells, and dendritic cells interact through cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and matrix metalloproteinases to create an immunosuppressive and proangiogenic milieu. Hypoxic conditions within the TME further enhance cancer cell adaptability through hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), promoting epithelial–mesenchymal transition, immune evasion, and metastasis. Moreover, miRNAs have emerged as key regulators of gene expression within the TME, offering novel insights into tumor behavior and potential therapeutic targets. Targeting dynamic interactions within the TME, particularly through the modulation of immune responses, angiogenesis, and stromal remodeling, offers promising avenues for precision pharmacological approaches. This review covers the current understanding of the lung TME, highlighting its impact on cancer pathophysiology and treatment strategies. Understanding and therapeutically reprogramming the TME may pave the way for personalized and more effective interventions for lung cancer treatment.