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Polymers are a fundamental part of numerous industries and can be conjugated with many other materials and components to have a vast array of products. Biomaterials have been extensively studied for their application in pharmaceutical formulation development, tissue engineering, and biomedical areas. However, the native form of many polymers has limitations concerning microbial contamination, susceptibility, solubility, and stability. Chemical or physical modifications can overcome these limitations by tailoring the properties of polymers to meet several requirements. The polymer modifications are interdisciplinary, cutting across conventional materials, physics, biology, chemistry, medicine, and engineering limitations. Microwave irradiation has become a well-established technique for a few decades to drive and promote chemical modification reactions. This technique allows ease of temperature and power control to perform the synthesis protocols efficiently. Additionally, microwave irradiation contributes to green and sustainable chemistry. In this contribution, microwave-assisted polymer modifications were described with a special focus on their application in developing several novel dosage forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a crippling and pervasive illness that can affect a person in many different ways. It can be identified by certain symptoms, such as modifications in behaviour, psychological functioning, and brain physiology. Materials and Methods: One of the animal models for depression has been the Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) paradigm. In this study, spirulina algae, which contains tryptophan, was chosen and tested for its anti-depressant effectiveness in the CUS model using Fluoxetine as the gold standard. Wistar rats were chosen to undergo the CUS process for 28 days, and throughout that time, the test drug was given at doses of 400 mg/kg. Results: Behavioural and biochemical parameters were analysed, and has shown significant changes. Conclusion: When compared to the CUS group, spirulina algae at the tested doses had a substantial impact on behavioural and metabolic testing. These findings demonstrated that Spirulina algae specifically exhibited an in vivo anti-depressant-like effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ethanolic extract of Laurus nobilis possesses an anti-inflammatory effect, which will protect against acetic acid-induced Ulcerative colitis by inhibiting endogenous free radicals. Objectives: The work has been undertaken to explore the efficacy and safety of ethanolic leaf extract of Laurus nobilis in treating acetic acid-induced Ulcerative colitis by estimating the biochemical, physical parameters, and histopathological studies. Materials and Methods: The plant powder of L. nobilis was extracted using 70% ethanol, and a phytochemical investigation was performed. Male and Female Wistar albino rats were divided into six groups and pretreated with saline, saline followed by ulcer induction, two doses of extracts (100mg/kg and 200mg/kg b.w), and sulfasalazine (one day) followed by ulcer induction and one low dose extract treatment without inducing ulcer. Results: The phytochemical investigation of the extract confirms the presence of flavonoids. The biochemical estimations showed increased SOD, CAT, and GSH and decreased levels of TBARS in extract-treated groups compared to the acetic acid-induced group. The physical parameters like Crypt abscesses, gross mucosal inflammation, wet weight of the colon, diarrhea, and activity score have also shown better results in extract-treated groups showing a protective effect. Histopathological results further confirmed the therapeutic effect of the extract. Conclusion: The protective effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Laurus nobilis has been proved. The therapeutic effect was mainly due to flavonoids, and the low-dose extract was more potent than the high-dose extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic represents a significant challenge across scientific, medical, and societal dimensions. The unpredictability of the disease progression, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), underscores the urgent need for identifying compounds that target multiple aspects of the virus to ensure swift and effective treatment. Nyctanthes arbortristis L., a delicate, perennial, deciduous shrub found across various Asian regions, has been recognized for its wide range of pharmacological benefits, including hepatoprotective, antimalarial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral properties., Methods: Various in vitro studies revealed the therapeutic significance of Nyctanthes arbortristis against COVID-19. However, the exact molecular mechanism remains unclarified. In the present study, a network pharmacology approach was employed to uncover the active ingredients, their potential targets, and signaling pathways in Nyctanthes arbortristis for the treatment of COVID-19. In the framework of this study, we explored the active ingredient-target-pathway network and figured out that naringetol, ursolic acid, betasitosterol, and daucosterol decisively contributed to the development of COVID-19 by affecting IL6, MAPK3, and MDM2 genes., Results: The results of molecular docking analysis indicated that Nyctanthes arbortristis exerted effective binding capacity in COVID-19. Further, we disclosed the targets, biological functions, and signaling pathways of Nyctanthes arbortristis in COVID-19. The analysis indicated that Nyctanthes arbortristis could help treat COVID-19 through the enhancement of immunologic functions, inhibition of inflammatory reactions and regulation of the cellular microenvironment. In short, the current study used a series of network pharmacologybased and computational analyses to understand and characterize the binding capacity, biological functions, pharmacological targets and therapeutic mechanisms of Nyctanthes arbortristis in COVID-19., Conclusion: However, the findings were not validated in actual COVID-19 patients, so further investigation is needed to confirm the potential use of Nyctanthes arbortristis for treating COVID-19., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)