Diplazium esculentum belongs to the family Athyriaceae, an edible fern rich in micronutrients, beta-carotene, folic acid, and minerals like calcium, iron, and phosphorus. The present study aims to determine secondary metabolites and minerals content and evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of young fronds of Diplazium esculentum. The plant extract was prepared by the Soxhlet apparatus method. Total alkaloids and total tannin content were determined by the titrimetric method. Folin and Ciocalteu's colorimetric method used gallic acid as a standard drug to determine total phenols. The antioxidant activity of plant extract was evaluated by DPPH free radical scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. α-amylase inhibition assay was performed for evaluation of the antidiabetic activity of plant extract. Fronds of Diplazium esculentum contain a significant number of total alkaloids (145.54±1.49), phenols (174.2±0.95), and tannins (263.96±1.32) mg/g of dry extract. Fronds of Diplazium esculentum also contain a significant amount of minerals. Diplazium esculentum shows significant antioxidant activity compared to the standard drug ascorbic acid and antidiabetic activity compared to the standard drug metformin. Based on these findings, young fronds of Diplazium esculentum can be recommended as a good source of phytochemicals and minerals. It also shows significant antioxidant and antidiabetic activities.

Rapid growth in nanotechnology, also known as 21st-century technology, is occurring in response to the increasing diversity of diseases. The development of safe and effective drug delivery methods to enhance bioavailability is of paramount importance. Researchers have focused on creating safe, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly nanoparticle construction processes. Natural polysaccharides, a type of multifaceted polymer with a wide range of applications and advantages, are particularly well suited for nanoparticle formulations, as they can mitigate the adverse consequences of synthetic nanoparticle formulations and promote sustainability. This review summarizes various sources of natural-based polysaccharides and polyacrylamide-based nanomaterials in nanoparticle preparation. Additionally, it discusses the use of natural polysaccharides in formulations beyond nanotechnology, highlighting their importance in green synthesis and different preparation methods.

Alkaloids are waste products of plant metabolic processes, containing at least one nitrogen atom in the heterocyclic ring. They serve a wide variety of physiological functions in humans and animals. Metabolism plays a central role in regulating the toxicity of various phytochemicals. Available literature of biological sources and metabolism study of pyrrolidine, pyrrolizidine, pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, phenanthrene, phenethylamine, indole, terpenoid, and aporphine groups of experimental plantsderived alkaloids were collected from the Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science search engines. The literature reveals that hepatic microsomal enzymes such as monooxygenase and putative NADPH-FMN-reductase, carboxyl esterase, CYP2B6, CYP3A4, and CYP2D6 are primarily involved in the metabolism of alkaloids. This review may encourage natural product researchers to further research and develop new plant-derived alkaloidal drugs.

: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in Wuhan, China, and soon the infection turned into a pandemic. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the spread of COVID-19 infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed 4.20% of total deaths globally (March 21, 2020). Within four months (July 21, 2020), the rate of confirmed total deaths was recorded up to 4.17% globally. In India, 909 confirmed cases and 19 deaths were reported by Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, on March 28, 2020. Over a period of 123 days in India, 1638870 confirmed cases and 35684 deaths were reported. COVID-19 can potentially spread from person to person through direct contact or respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, difficulty in breathing, and fatigue. A pregnant mother with COVID-19 has fewer chances of transferring this infection to her newborn baby. Children are less affected than adults from this virus. A specific antiviral drug or vaccine has not been developed to cure the disease to date. Drugs including chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, ritonavir, nafamostat, nitazoxanide, and remdesivir, have been observed to be effective for treating COVID-19. Many vaccine candidates are under investigation in pre-clinical and clinical studies. In this review, we highlight the epidemiology, signs and symptoms, pathogenesis, and mode of transmission of the infection caused by COVID-19, and its effects on a pregnant mother and newborn, and children. We also highlight the preventive measures and drugs that are effective for treating COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The ancient medicinal herb known as croton joufra, which originated in northeastern India, is still used today in folk medicine to treat a wide range of illnesses. Phytochemicals are naturally occurring active compounds found in plants that provide various biological activities in humans and animals. METHODS: Soxhlet extraction was used to prepare extracts of three different solvents (chloroform, methanol, and 50% ethanol). Total alkaloid and total tannin were calculated using the simple titrimetric method. Folin and Ciocalteu’s colorimetric method was used to estimate the total phenol content. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using three different methods: DPPH free radical scavenging assay, hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay, and ABTS radical scavenging assay. Heat-induced bovine serum albumin (BSA) denaturation assay was used for evaluating in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. In vitro antidiabetic activity was determined by alpha-amylase inhibition assay. RESULTS: Among these three solvent extracts, a high amount of yield was found in the hydroalcoholic extract. Based on the qualitative and quantitative tests of plant extracts, it was shown that hydroalcoholic extracts contained a higher amount of alkaloids (162.33 ± 0.96 mg/g of dry extract), phenols (205.30 ± 0.95 mg/g of dry extract of gallic acid equivalent), and tannins (214.50 ± 0.95mg/g of dry extract) compared to chloroform and methanolic extract. Among these three extracts, the hydroalcoholic extract and methanolic extract have better antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities than standard drugs such as ascorbic acid, aspirin, and metformin. CONCLUSION: From the results of the experiment, it was concluded that among these three solvent extracts, the hydroalcoholic (50% ethanol) extract contains substantial amounts of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, phenols, and tannins. The hydroalcoholic extract also has promising pharmacological properties. So the hydroalcoholic extract of Croton joufra leaves may be used as a raw material for drug development.