Propolis, a resinous substance produced by honeybees from various plant sources, has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine for several purposes all over the world. The precise composition of propolis varies according to plant source, seasons harvesting, geography, type of bee flora, climate changes, and honeybee species at the site of collection. This apiary product has broad clinical applications such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, analgesic, antidepressant, and anxiolytic as well asimmunomodulatory effects. It is also well known from traditional uses in treating purulent disorders, improving the wound healing, and alleviating many of the related discomforts. Even if its use was already widespread since ancient times, after the First and Second World War, it has grown even more as well as the studies to identify its chemical and pharmacological features, allowing to discriminate the qualities of propolis in terms of the chemical profile and relative biological activity based on the geographic place of origin. Recently, several in vitro and in vivo studies have been carried out and new insights into the pharmaceutical prospects of this bee product in the management of different disorders, have been highlighted. Specifically, the available literature confirms the efficacy of propolis and its bioactive compounds in the reduction of cancer progression, inhibition of bacterial and viral infections as well as mitigation of parasitic-related symptoms, paving the way to the use of propolis as an alternative approach to improve the human health. However, a more conscious use of propolis in terms of standardized extracts as well as new clinical studies are needed to substantiate these health claims.

Dengue fever is a dangerous infectious endemic disease that affects over 100 nations worldwide, from Africa to the Western Pacific, and is caused by the dengue virus, which is transmitted to humans by an insect bite of Aedes aegypti. Millions of citizens have died as a result of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever across the globe. Envelope (E), serine protease (NS3), RNA-directed RNA polymerase (NS5), and non-structural protein 1 (NS1) are mostly required for cell proliferation and survival. Some of the diterpenoids and their derivatives produced by nature possess anti-dengue viral properties. The goal of the computational study was to scrutinize the effectiveness of diterpenoids and their derivatives against dengue viral proteins through in silico study. Methods: molecular docking was performed to analyze the binding affinity of compounds against four viral proteins: the envelope (E) protein, the NS1 protein, the NS3 protein, and the NS5 protein. Results: among the selected drug candidates, triptolide, stevioside, alepterolic acid, sphaeropsidin A, methyl dodovisate A, andrographolide, caesalacetal, and pyrimethamine have demonstrated moderate to good binding affinities (−8.0 to −9.4 kcal/mol) toward the selected proteins: E protein, NS3, NS5, and NS1 whereas pyrimethamine exerts −7.5, −6.3, −7.8, and −6.6 kcal/mol with viral proteins, respectively. Interestingly, the binding affinities of these lead compounds were better than those of an FDA-approved anti-viral medication (pyrimethamine), which is underused in dengue fever. Conclusion: we can conclude that diterpenoids can be considered as a possible anti-dengue medication option. However, in vivo investigation is recommended to back up the conclusions of this study.

Scientific evidence suggests that quercetin (QUR) has anxiolytic-like effects in experimental animals. However, the mechanism of action responsible for its anxiolytic-like effects is yet to be discovered. The goal of this research is to assess QUR’s anxiolytic effects in mouse models to explicate the possible mechanism of action. After acute intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment with QUR at a dose of 50 mg/kg (i.p.), behavioral models of open-field, hole board, swing box, and light–dark tests were performed. QUR was combined with a GABAergic agonist (diazepam) and/or antagonist (flumazenil) group. Furthermore, in silico analysis was also conducted to observe the interaction of QUR and GABA (α5), GABA (β1), and GABA (β2) receptors. In the experimental animal model, QUR had an anxiolytic-like effect. QUR, when combined with diazepam (2 mg/kg, i.p.), drastically potentiated an anxiolytic effect of diazepam. QUR is a more highly competitive ligand for the benzodiazepine recognition site that can displace flumazenil (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.). In all the test models, QUR acted similar to diazepam, with enhanced effects of the standard anxiolytic drug, which were reversed by pre-treatment with flumazenil. QUR showed the best interaction with the GABA (α5) receptor compared to the GABA (β1) and GABA (β2) receptors. In conclusion, QUR may exert an anxiolytic-like effect on mice, probably through the GABA-receptor-interacting pathway.

Depressive disorder is a recurrent illness that affects large numbers of the general population worldwide. In recent years, the goal of depression treatment has moved from symptomatic response to that of full remission. However, treatment-resistant depression is a major challenge in the treatment of depression or depression-related disorders. Consensus opinion, therefore, suggests that effective combined aggressive initial treatment is the most appropriate strategy. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of quercetin (QUR) and/or ascorbic acid (AA) on Phenobarbital-induced sleeping mice. QUR (50 mg/kg) and/or AA (25 mg/kg) with or without intraperitoneally pre-treated with GABA receptor agonist (diazepam: 2 mg/kg, i.p.) or antagonist (Flumazenil: 2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) to underscore the effects, as well as the possible involvement of the GABA receptor in the modulatory action of QUR and AA in sleeping mice. Additionally, an in silico study was undertaken to predict the involvement of GABA receptors in the sleep mechanism. Findings suggest that the pretreatment of QUR and AA modulated the onset and duration of action of the standard drugs in experimental animals. The acute administration of QUR and/or AA significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the DZP-mediated onset of action and slightly reversed the duration of sleep time in comparison to the vehicle (control) group. A further combination of QUR or AA with the FLU resulted in an enhancement of the onset of action while reducing the duration of action, suggesting a FLU-like effect on the test animals. In in silico studies, AA and QUR showed good to moderate binding affinities with GABA_A and GABA_B receptors. Both QUR and AA produced a stimulatory-like effect on mice, possibly through the GABA_A and GABA_B receptor interaction pathways. Further studies are necessary to verify this activity and clarify the exact mechanism of action(s) involved.

Nanoparticles (1-100 nanometres in size), products of nanotechnology, offer a modern way to transport anti-cancer drugs by acting as transporters of drugs into tumor cells, hence quenching tumor cell proliferation. Such nanoparticles may be formulated to bind to the tumor cell membrane or inhibit specific reactions of tumor biosynthetic pathway by gene repression, or directly bind to the active sites of essential enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway. Consequently, drugs are completely delivered to the desired cancerous cells without system interference. Liposomal doxorubicin and albumin-bound paclitaxel are two examples of nanotechnologically developed drugs for treating cancer. Modern knowledge of nanotechnology opens up new opportunities for innovative research on cancer therapies and administration and helps minimize harm to healthy cells. This review focuses on the doses and routes of administration of these chemotherapeutic agents used in treating cancers.