Oxygen‐free radicals, reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS), are known by their “double‐sided” nature in biological systems. The beneficial effects of ROS involve physiological roles as weapons in the arsenal of the immune system (destroying bacteria within phagocytic cells) and role in programmed cell death (apoptosis). On the other hand, the redox imbalance in favor of the prooxidants results in an overproduction of the ROS/RNS leading to oxidative stress. This imbalance can, therefore, be related to oncogenic stimulation. High levels of ROS disrupt cellular processes by nonspecifically attacking proteins, lipids, and DNA. It appears that DNA damage is the key player in cancer initiation and the formation of 8‐OH‐G, a potential biomarker for carcinogenesis. The harmful effect of ROS is neutralized by an antioxidant protection treatment as they convert ROS into less reactive species. However, contradictory epidemiological results show that supplementation above physiological doses recommended for antioxidants and taken over a long period can lead to harmful effects and even increase the risk of cancer. Thus, we are describing here some of the latest updates on the involvement of oxidative stress in cancer pathology and a double view on the role of the antioxidants in this context and how this could be relevant in the management and pathology of cancer.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an important medicinal crop grown for its aromatic rhizome which is used as a spice, food, flavouring agent and medicine. It has been characterised for its hypoglycemic, hypotensive, antioxidant and antibiotic properties. This study was conducted to determine the impact of plant growth-promoting potential of bacterial strain Bacillus subtilis L2 on plant growth and physiological properties of ginger. The experiment was carried out in randomised block design with three replications in pot experiments. The plants were grown in greenhouse conditions for three months. The results showed that at 8 and 12 weeks after planting (WAP) bacterial inoculation increased plant height, leaf length, number of leaves per plant and leaf width. Inoculation with B. subtilis L2 significantly increased plant height by 16, 20 and 18% compared to control at 4, 8 and 12 WAP. At 8 and 12 WAP, leaf length significantly raised by B. subtilis L2 as compared to uninoculated control. B. subtilis L2 significantly increased the number of leaves per plant and leaf width by 30 and 21% respectively when comparing with non-inoculated plants at 8 WAP. The percentage increase in chlorophyll content resulted from the inoculation with B. subtilis L2 over the control was 10.5%, 15.5% and 18.4% at 4, 8 and 12 WAP respectively. It is concluded that there is a significant positive effect of inoculation with B. subtilis L2 on the growth of ginger. B. subtilis L2 strain can be used as a potential agent or bio-fertiliser for stimulation of ginger growth.

The process of nitrate assimilation is a very crucial pathway for the sustainable growth and productivity of higher plants. This process is catalysed by two enzymes, nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. Both the enzymes differ from each other with respect to their structural organisation, subcellular location, catalytic efficiencies and regulatory mechanisms. Nitrate reductase catalyses the rate limiting step of nitrate assimilation process. The genes and proteins of this enzyme have been isolated and characterised from many higher plants. The additional role of NR in the production of nitric oxide has been also reported in last several years. The reduced ammonium is assimilated into carbon skeleton, ?-ketoglutarate, by the concerted action of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase. Glutamine and glutamate are the transportable forms of nitrogen among various tissues and metabolic processes. The rate of nitrate assimilation is regulated by the rate of uptake of nitrate by nitrate transporters, availability of carbon skeleton, accumulation of nitrogenous end products, light and the rate of photosynthesis. The partitioning of metabolites and resources between carbon and nitrogen metabolism is an important factor for the growth and yield of plants. During the last several decades excess use of nitrogen fertiliser has caused environmental pollution. Efforts have been made to increase the nitrogen use efficiency of plants to reduce the cost on fertiliser and nitrate pollution, increase the productivity and protein content of several commonly used crops. This review discusses the process of nitrate assimilation and its interaction with the carbon metabolism.

Water is one of the essential resources needed on Earth for the survival of humans. The Indian people consider rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, and Sabarmati sacred, while the Mithi river had bio-diversified importance. Drinking and taking bath in the sacred rivers is a common practice.These rivers cover a total distance of 4272 kilometres. But the water quality of these rivers is compromised by the presence of various contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, organic waste, chemical waste, and direct discharge of sewage.The pollution levels have risen as a result of the chemical industry's output of 30984 metric tonnes in 2019-2020. Over the years, the agriculture sector has used 3,50,000 Mt of DDT.The water has become unfit for any human consumption, thus posing a possible threat of diseases outbreak. These rivers pass through the major urban cities of India like Delhi, major economic cities of Uttar Pradesh state, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai. There is a risk of certain lethal diseases due to the direct exposure of humans and other life forms to toxic chemicals and heavy metals through polluted river water. The objective of this study is to examine the causes of water contamination in major Indian rivers and their potential risk on human health.

Background: Sugar is an inevitable part of our diet. Since ages, sweeteners have been used to enhance the flavour and appearance of food products. Sweeteners may be natural or synthetically produced. Those that are synthetic, as a whole, are referred to as artificial sweeteners. This review aims at highlighting the characteristics and health implications of artificial sweeteners. Methodology: In this review, the physical and chemical characteristics of artificial sweeteners are highlighted. Also, the impact of artificial sweeteners on human health is discussed in detail. The data has been collected using standard search engines like PubMed, Google scholar and websites of publishing houses like Elsevier and springer. Results and Discussion: Today, due to high calorie content, natural sweeteners are getting replaced by artificial ones. The US Food and Drug Administration(USFDA) has approved utilization of five artificial sweeteners namely, saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, neotame and cyclamate. However, artificial sweeteners should be consumed carefully and in limited quantities. This is because the consumption of artificial sweeteners is controversial owing to their effects on health ranging from mild headache to dreadful cancer risks. Conclusion: Hence, long term study of these sweeteners for further safety evaluation on health risks is essential.