Surgical site infections persist as a substantial concern within the realm of hospital-acquired infections. This enduring issue is further compounded by the mounting challenge of antibiotic resistance, a surge in surgical interventions, and the presence of comorbidities among patients. Thus, a comprehensive exploration of all discernible risk factors, as well as proactive preventive and prophylactic strategies, becomes imperative. Moreover, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms has reached alarming proportions. Consequently, there is an acute need to investigate and scrutinize all potential therapeutic interventions to counter this burgeoning threat. Consequently, the primary objective of this review is to meticulously assess the origins and risk elements intertwined with surgical site infections across a diverse spectrum of surgical procedures. As the medical landscape continues to evolve, this critical analysis seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of the multi-faceted factors contributing to surgical site infections, with the overarching aim of facilitating more effective management and mitigation strategies. By exploring these dimensions comprehensively, we endeavor to enhance patient safety and the quality of surgical care in this era of evolving healthcare challenges.

The use of phytochemicals is gaining interest for the treatment of metabolic syndromes over the synthetic formulation of drugs. Senna is evolving as one of the important plants which have been vastly studied for its beneficial effects. Various parts of Senna species including the root, stem, leaves, and flower are found rich in numerous phytochemicals. In vitro, in vivo, and clinical experiments established that extracts from Senna plants have diverse beneficial effects by acting as a strong antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. In this review, Senna genus is comprehensively discussed in terms of its botanical characteristics, traditional use, geographic presence, and phytochemical profile. The bioactive compound richness contributes to the biological activity of Senna plant extracts. The review emphasizes on the in vivo and in vitro antioxidant and anti‐infectious properties of the Senna plant. Preclinical studies confirmed the beneficial effects of the Senna plant extracts and its bioactive components in regard to the health‐promoting activities. The safety, side effects, and therapeutic limitations of the Senna plant are also discussed in this review. Additional research is necessary to utilize the phenolic compounds towards its use as an alternative to pharmacological treatments and even as an ingredient in functional foods.

Incidence rate of cancer is estimated to increase by 40% in 2030. Furthermore, the development of resistance against currently available treatment strategies has contributed to the cancer-associated mortality. Scientists are now looking for the solutions that could help prevent the disease occurrence and could provide a pain-free treatment alternative for cancers. Therefore, efforts are now put to find a potent natural compound that could sever this purpose. Ursolic acid (UA), a triterpene acid, has potential to inhibit the tumor progression and induce sensitization to conventional treatment drugs has been documented. Though, UA is a hydrophobic compound therefore it is usually chemically modified to increase its bioavailability prior to administration. However, a thorough literature indicating its mechanism of action and limitations for its use at clinical level was not reviewed. Therefore, the current study was designed to highlight the potential mechanism of UA, its anti-cancer properties, and potential applications as therapeutic compound. This endeavour is a valuable contribution in understanding the hurdles preventing the translation of its potential at clinical level and provides foundations to design new studies that could help enhance its bioavailability and anti-cancer potential for various cancers.

Bergapten (BP) or 5‐methoxypsoralen (5‐MOP) is a furocoumarin compound mainly found in bergamot essential oil but also in other citrus essential oils and grapefruit juice. This compound presents antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, hypolipemic, and anticancer effects and is successfully used as a photosensitizing agent. The present review focuses on the research evidence related to the therapeutic properties of bergapten collected in recent years. Many preclinical and in vitro studies have been evidenced the therapeutic action of BP; however, few clinical trials have been carried out to evaluate its efficacy. These clinical trials with BP are mainly focused on patients suffering from skin disorders such as psoriasis or vitiligo. In these trials, the administration of BP (oral or topical) combined with UV irradiation induces relevant lesion clearance rates. In addition, beneficial effects of bergamot extract were also observed in patients with altered serum lipid profiles and in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver. On the contrary, there are no clinical trials that investigate the possible effects on cancer. Although the bioavailability of BP is lower than that of its 8‐methoxypsoralen (8‐MOP) isomer, it has fewer side effects allowing higher concentrations to be administered. In conclusion, although the use of BP has therapeutic applications on skin disorders as a sensitizing agent and as components of bergamot extract as hypolipemic therapy, more trials are necessary to define the doses and treatment guidelines and its usefulness against other pathologies such as cancer or bacterial infections.

Cancers are complex diseases orchestrated by a plethora of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Research spanning over several decades has provided better understanding of complex molecular interactions responsible for the multifaceted nature of cancer. Recent advances in the field of next generation sequencing and functional genomics have brought us closer towards unravelling the complexities of tumor microenvironment (tumor heterogeneity) and deregulated signaling cascades responsible for proliferation and survival of tumor cells. Phytochemicals have begun to emerge as potent beneficial substances aimed to target deregulated signaling pathways. Isoflavonoid genistein is an essential phytochemical involved in regulation of key biological processes including those in different types of cancer. Emerging preclinical evidence have shown its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Testing of this substance is in various phases of clinical trials. Comprehensive preclinical and clinical trials data is providing insight on genistein as a modulator of various signaling pathways both at transcription and translation levels. In this review we have explained the mechanistic regulation of several key cellular pathways by genistein. We have also addressed in detail various microRNAs regulated by genistein in different types of cancer. Moreover, application of nano-formulations to increase the efficiency of genistein is also discussed. Understanding the pleiotropic potential of genistein to regulate key cellular pathways and development of efficient drug delivery system will bring us a step towards designing better chemotherapeutics.

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition arising from a dysregulated immune response to infection, is a significant health burden globally. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), an inflammatory cytokine produced by immune cells as a response to infection and tissue damage, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association of the baseline plasma levels of IL-6, and the dynamic change in these levels over a timespan of 96 h, with short-term mortality. A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases. Studies were included if they assessed the independent prognostic value of IL-6 in adult sepsis patients, used well-defined sepsis criteria, and reported at least one IL-6 measurement. Pooled effect estimates for the association between IL-6 and 28–30-day mortality were determined using logistic regression and AUROC analysis. Thirty-one studies, encompassing 4566 patients, were included. While baseline IL-6 levels and 96 h IL-6 clearance were not significantly associated with mortality risk (pooled OR 1.001, 95% CI 0.999–1.003 and 1.019, 95% CI 0.925–1.112, respectively), AUROC analysis indicated moderate-to-good discriminatory power for both baseline (0.701, 95% CI 0.660–0.742) and 96 h IL-6 clearance (0.828, 95% CI 0.736–0.919) in predicting 28-day mortality. While not a strong independent predictor, IL-6 demonstrates some discriminatory ability, suggesting its potential value in conjunction with other biomarkers.