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In vitro culture of a plant cell, tissue and organ is a marvellous, eco-friendly biotechnological strategy for the production of phytochemicals. With the emergence of recent biotechnological tools, genetic engineering is now widely practiced enhancing the quality and quantity of plant metabolites. Triterpenoid saponins especially asiaticoside and madecassoside of Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. are popularly known for their neuroprotective activity. It has become necessary to increase the production of asiaticoside and madecassoside because of their high pharmaceutical and industrial demand. Thus, the review aims to provide efficient biotechnological tools along with proper strategies. This review also included a comparative analysis of various carbon sources and biotic and abiotic elicitors. The vital roles of a variety of plant growth regulators and their combinations have also been evaluated at different in vitro growth stages of Centella asiatica. Selection of explants, direct and callus-mediated organogenesis, root organogenesis, somatic embryogenesis, synthetic seed production etc. are also highlighted in this study. In a nutshell, this review will present the research outcomes of different biotechnological interventions used to increase the yield of triterpenoid saponins in C. asiatica. KEY POINTS: • Critical and updated assessment on in vitro biotechnology in C. asiatica. • In vitro propagation of C. asiatica and elicitation of triterpenoid saponins production. • Methods for mass producing C. asiatica.

Cryptolepine (1,5-methyl-10H-indolo[3,2-b]quinoline), an indoloquinoline alkaloid, found in the roots of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr (family: Periplocaceae), is associated with the suppression of cancer and protozoal infections. Cryptolepine also exhibits anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-hyperglycemic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypotensive, antipyretic, and antimuscarinic properties. This review of the latest research data can be exploited to create a basis for the discovery of new cryptolepine-based drugs and their analogues in the near future. PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched to select and collect data from the existing literature on cryptolepine and their pharmacological properties. Several in vitro studies have demonstrated the potential of cryptolepine A as an anticancer and antimalarial molecule, which is achieved through inhibiting DNA synthesis and topoisomerase II. This review summarizes the recent developments of cryptolepine pharmacological properties and functional mechanisms, providing information for future research on this natural product.

Polyamines (PAs) are ubiquitous low-molecular-weight, aliphatic compounds with wide as well as complex application in fundamental areas of plant growth and development. PAs are mediator of basic metabolism of organisms which include cell division and differentiation, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, reversal of oxidative damage, stabilization of nucleic acids, and protein and phospholipid binding. In plants, it attributes in direct and indirect organogenesis, endogenous phytohormone regulation, cellular compartmentalization, fruit and flower development, senescence, and secondary metabolite production which are highly tuned as first line of defense response. There are several aspects of polyamine-directed mechanism that regulate overall plant growth in vitro and in vivo. In the present review, we have critically discussed the role played by polyamine on the enhanced production of bioactive natural products and how the same polyamines are functioning against different environmental stress conditions, i.e., salinity, drought, high CO

Cannabis sativa, widely known as ‘Marijuana’ poses a dilemma for being a blend of both good and bad medicinal effects. The historical use of Cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes suggests it to be a friendly plant. However, whether the misuse of Cannabis and the cannabinoids derived from it can hamper normal body physiology is a focus of ongoing research. On the one hand, there is enough evidence to suggest that misuse of marijuana can cause deleterious effects on various organs like the lungs, immune system, cardiovascular system, etc. and also influence fertility and cause teratogenic effects. However, on the other hand, marijuana has been found to offer a magical cure for anorexia, chronic pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and disturbed sleep. Indeed, most recently, the United Nations has given its verdict in favour of Cannabis declaring it as a non-dangerous narcotic. This review provides insights into the various health effects of Cannabis and its specialized metabolites and indicates how wise steps can be taken to promote good use and prevent misuse of the metabolites derived from this plant.

Variations in topogeographical features causes immense miscellany of widely used medicinal plants (MPs) in Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), thus an ethnobotanical approach was adopted to file the undocumented indigenous wealth of the communities against different corporeal ailments. 370 households of 31 villages were surveyed during the summer seasons of 2015 and 2016 to explore the traditional folkloric practices of the inhabitants using a semi structured questionnaire. The data set was documented in Microsoft Office Excel and statistically analyzed for Use Value (UV), Informants' Consensus Factor (ICF), Fidelity Level (FL), Relative Importance (RI), Cultural Importance Index (CI), Index of Agreement on Remedies (IAR) and Cultural Agreement Index (CAI). The MPs were classified and analyzed for altitudinal distribution, nativity, endemism and threat categories. Total 292 MPs belonging to 95 families were reported to be used against major 15 types of substantial corporeal disorders. The richness of MPs decreased with an increasing altitude. Asteraceae (27 species) was found to be dominant family, followed by Rosaceae (17 species), Lamiaceae (16 species) and Ranunculaceae (15 species) used to cure such ailments. Five MPs were endemic to the IHR and 8 MPs were found to be critically endangered (CR) in the study region. Traditional healers had a detailed and wide range of folkloric therapeutic wisdom to treat different types of human diseases. Folkloric practice provides an alternative preference from conventional healthcare centers for the needy rural ethnic people of this distant area. But unfortunately rapid loss in biodiversity elements, urbanization and considerable anthropogenic stress causes significant decrease in the ethnic knowledge as well as the MPs. Thus, awareness among the people and proper conservation measures is readily needed.

The well-known medicinal plant Centella asiatica (L.) Urban is an Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine used in the treatment of different health problems and as an edible vegetable in a regular diet. Ease of availability in the wide range of environmental conditions plus low-cost cultivation process has made the plant popular in ethno-medicinal healthcare systems. In the present review, phytochemical analysis of plant-extract and pharmacological activities of bioactive-compounds are discussed based upon the available reports to understand their therapeutic potentialities along with the mechanisms behind. The results exhibited that C. asiatica and its triterpenoids demonstrated an array of pharmacological effects and health benefits, some of which were confirmed in many preclinical and clinical studies. Those reports also provided considerable evidences in support of the principles of folk treatment in different countries. Increase and maintenance of the prospective plant secondary metabolites would provide an enriched resource of drug molecules. Development of suitable derivatives of the therapeutic compounds can give an assurance for getting more effective drug candidates with reduced side effects. The review also enumerates the application of advanced nanotechnology, toxicology, and clinical-trial reports on the plant with notes on the shortcomings in the present research and future perspectives of using this medicinal plant.

The present investigation was conducted to find out the influence of different polyamines (PAs) viz. spermine (spm), spermidine (spd) and putrescine (put) and plant growth regulators (PGRs) on multiplication, rooting, callusing and regeneration in Aristolochia indica L. in vitro. Firstly, the A. indica plants were collected, surface sterilized and cultured in Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) media fortified with various PGRs and PAs in different concentrations and combinations. SH media fortified with benzylaminopurine (BAP) (2.0 mg/l)+put (0.5 mM) and in another experiment, BAP (2.0 mg/l)+spd (1 mM) produced best results with 41.00 and 39.2 axillary shoots/ nodal explant respectively. Following 4-6 weeks of incubation, explants propagated in SH media augmented with various combinations and concentrations of BAP and kinetin (kin) (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mg/l), spm, spd and put (0.5 and 1 mM) generated white friable callus. SH media supplemented with BAP (2.0 mg/l)+spd (0.5 mM) displayed best response with an average number of 47.5 base callus derived shoots . Following 6 weeks of incubation, SH+ indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) (1.0 mg/l)+spd (0.5 mM) resulted maximum average number (7) of roots per shoot. The genetic homogeneity of the mother plant (MP), hardened plant (HP) and in vitro regenerated plants was ascertained employing random-amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. In this present study, in randomly selected A. indica plants, by using 6 ISSR and 5 RAPD primers, 63 scorable bands were derived, 59 of which were recorded as monomorphic with a degree of monomorphism of 90%. High-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) revealed aristolochic acid (AA) content in in vitro grown A. indica roots and the roots from the mother plant (MP) as 6074.54 µg/g and 5891.14 µg/g respectively.

Memory, one of the most vital aspects of the human brain, is necessary for the effective survival of an individual. ‘Memory’ can be defined in various ways but in an overall view, memory is the retention of the information that the brain grasps. Different factors are responsible for the disbalance in the brain’s hippocampus region and the acetylcholine level, which masters the memory and cognitive functions. Plants are a source of pharmacologically potent drug molecules of high efficacy. Recently herbal medicine has evolved rapidly, gaining great acceptance worldwide due to their natural origin and fewer side effects. In this review, the authors have discussed the mechanisms and pharmacological action of herbal bioactive compounds to boost memory. Moreover, this review presents an update of different herbs and natural products that could act as memory enhancers and how they can be potentially utilized in the near future for the treatment of severe brain disorders. In addition, the authors also discuss the differences in biological activity of the same herb and emphasize the requirement for a higher standardization in cultivation methods and plant processing. The demand for further studies evaluating the interactions of herbal drugs is mentioned.

Kolkata, due to its rich cultural heritage, displays a mixture of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Unani and Chinese medicines in its pharmacopoeia. An ethnopharmacological survey was conducted throughout the 144 wards in Kolkata from October 2019 to February 2020 to record the Ethnomedicinal practices and plants used for therapeutic purposes by local herbal medicinal shops and practitioners, the majority of which were situated in North and Central Kolkata. A total of 53 medicinal plant species belonging to 36 different families were reported, with Azadirachta indica, Withania somnifera, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Aloe vera being the most popular species and Ocimum sanctum as the most prevalent home garden species. The most important or useful family was Ranunculaceae. The majority of plants were used against urban lifestyle diseases like hypertension, hypoglycaemia, constipation and urinary diseases. The home gardens served as tools for ex situ conservation for these species. Most of the species’ conservation status was least concern, depicting that the local practitioners know sustainable use of the plants and posed zero threats to the natural populations and urban ecological systems. The study was performed to analyse the persistence and flow of traditional herbal knowledge in an advanced city and a comparison of the species used was done via several indices so that the impact of this practice on both local habitats and conservation of the medicinal plant species can be inferred.

In the present report, the effect of methyl jasmonate (MJ) and salicyclic acid (SA) elicitation, on the indole alkaloid production from micropropagated culture of the endangered Ayurvedic medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina Benth. ex Kurz, was investigated. The highest shoot multiplication was found in Murashige and Skoog (MS) media augmented with BAP (2.0 mg/l) following 4 weeks of culture. MS media fortified with cytokinins produced nodal explant-derived nodular base callus (NBC)/ nodular meristemoids (NMs) following 6 weeks. Maximum root length was found in half strength MS basal (½ MSO) media and maximum number of roots per shoot was noted in ½ MS media augmented with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (1.5 mg/l). Clonal fidelity of the in vitro plants was assessed by 10 inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers of which only 3 primers (UBC-810, UBC-820, and UBC-827) produced clear and reproducible bands. The content wise variation of indole alkaloids (reserpine and ajmalicine), post elicitor (MJ and SA) treatment (0.5-2 mg/l) was quantified via high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). In vitro raised R. serpentina root accumulated highest amount of reserpine (0.456% and 0.440%) followed by 1.5 mg/l MJ and SA mediated elicitation respectively. Ajmalicine content of in vitro root, grown on culture elicitated with MJ (1.5 mg/l and 2 mg/l), was 0.261%. The ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity was the highest in MJ (1.5 mg/l) treated micropropagated plantlets (0.86 EU/min/mg protein) and comparatively lesser in root samples (0.77 EU/min/mg protein) following 9 days of treatment. In all tested concentrations, SA treated plant sample exhibited strong superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity but the MJ and SA mediated elicitation caused sharp decrease in catalase (CAT) activity in all plant samples. In elicitor treated plant samples, the 1,1-diphenyl2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (%) as well as total phenolics and flavonoids contents were marginally higher than the untreated ones. In vivo and in vitro grown R. serpentina root extracts showed best response against the four evaluated ATCC strains of bacteria.

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. is nicknamed the ‘Miracle plant’ or sometimes as the ‘Wonder plant’. It is a plant that has been used since ancient times for the innumerable health benefits associated with it. It is one of the important plants that has its use in conventional medicinal treatments. It is a perennial succulent, drought-tolerant member of the family Asphodelaceae. There are scores of properties associated with the plant that help in curing various forms of human ailments. Extracts and gels obtained from plants have been shown to be wonderful healers of different conditions, mainly various skin problems. Also, this plant is popular in the cosmetics industry. The underlying properties of the plant are now mainly associated with the natural phytochemicals present in the plant. Diverse groups of phytoingredients are found in the plant, including various phenolics, amino acids, sugars, vitamins, and different other organic compounds, too. One of the primary ingredients found in the plant is the aloin molecule. It is an anthraquinone derivative and exists as an isomer of Aloin A and Aloin B. Barbaloin belonging to the first group is a glucoside of the aloe-emodin anthrone molecule. Various types of pharmacological properties exhibited by the plant can be attributed to this chemical. Few significant ones are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-viral, along with their different immunity-boosting actions. Recently, molecular coupling studies have also found the role of these molecules as a potential cure against the ongoing COVID-19 disease. This study comprehensively focuses on the numerous pharmacological actions of the primary compound barbaloin obtained from the Aloe vera plant along with the mechanism of action and the potent application of these natural molecules under various conditions.

Medicinally important steroid-based compound diosgenin is usually obtained from the secondary metabolic products of several plant species. Diosgenin has been proven as a prospective bioactive drug lead to the pharmaceutical industries as having anti-cancer activity, anti-microbial activity, anti-thrombic activity, anti-diabetic activity, cardioprotective activity, anti-inflammatory activity, osteoarthritis protective activity etc. Observing the multiple therapeutic values of this compound, scientists and chemists have become interested to discover alternative sources. Endophytic microorganisms possess the potentials producing prospective secondary metabolites. Some diosgenin producing endophytic fungi and bacteria are detected and reported by authors. Extraction and quantification of the respective secondary metabolite in a proper way is required initially for its large scale production. Regular involvement of advance biotechnological approaches plus industrial fermentation technology along with proper funding following government policy is necessary for further progress in this field. Exploration of a higher number of diosgenin producing endophytic strains will definitely increase the supply for social requisition in a cost-effective and environment-friendly manner as limiting the excessive exploitation of plant sources.

Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. ex Schult., commonly known as Indian sarsaparilla or Anantamul, is an ethnopharmacologically important medicinal plant from the family Apocynaceae. Biosynthesis of an array of bioactive compounds such as methoxybenzaldehydes and their derivatives has been accountable for its intensive medicinal attributes. Low seed setting, over-exploitation from natural habitat and a need for selection and preservation of elite germplasms yielding higher levels of bioactive compounds have led researchers to enquire the standardization of micropropagation techniques and quantitative estimation of phytochemicals from H. indicus. The present work aims to have a comprehensive account on micropropagation in H. indicus, a comparative estimation of biotic and abiotic factors, viz. elicitors and precursors playing a crucial role in H. indicus tissue culture, a critical appraisal of applied protocols to nullify embellished claims and a discussion on future perspectives. The review also highlights the comparative effect of different plant growth regulators as well as their combined role in rhizogenesis, callogenesis, base callus formation, callusing and somatic embryo-mediated indirect organogenesis, outcome of explant selection, contribution of abiotic (temperature, photoperiod, moisture, inorganic molecules) factors, role of carbon source, application of sterilization techniques and associated success rates, role of factors essential for acclimatization and secondary metabolite production, synthetic seed production and genetic transformation techniques. The compiled information along with individual study details, respective outcome and variability of reports will aid in proper assessment of cited standardized tissue culture protocols in H. indicus especially in relation to secondary metabolite production. Moreover, the assessment of applicability of different methodologies in this aspect will aid in the selection of high-yielding germplasms or chemotypes which is not only profitable for industrial application but also important for basic and applied preclinical and clinical research studies. KEY POINTS: • Critical and updated assessment on in vitro biotechnology in Hemidesmus indicus. • Biotechnological advancement via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. • Key shortcomings and future research directions Graphical abstract Effect of biotic and abiotic factors on Micropropagation and secondary metabolite synthesis in Hemidesmus indicus.

Background The amphibian, non-vascular, gametophyte-dominant, bio-indicator class, bryophytes; with their wide ranges of habitat have attained importance due to their promising medicinal attributions and therapeutic role; mostly aided by presence of aromatic bibenzyl and bisbybenzyl class of compounds. Bibenzyls are steroidal ethane derivatives, resembling the structural moiety of bioactive dihydro-stilbenoids or iso-quinoline alkaloids. These stress triggered secondary metabolites are the by-products of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Different classes of bryophytes (Bryophyta, Marchantiophyta and Anthocerotophyta) possess different subtypes of bibenzyls and dimeric bisbibenzyls. Among the liverwort, hornwort and mosses, former one is mostly enriched with bibenzyl type constituents as per the extensive study conducted for phytochemical deposit. Considering macrocyclic and acyclic group of bibenzyls and bisbybenzyls, generally marchantin type compounds are reported vividly for significant biological activity that includes neuro-nephro-cardio-protection besides anti-allergic, anti-microbial, anti-apoptotic and cytotoxic activities studied on in-vitro and in-vivo models or on cell lines. Result The critical analysis of reported chemical and pharmaceutical attributions of bibenzyls and bis-bibenzyls yielded detailed report on this compound class along with their application, mode of action, natural source, techniques of synthesis, extraction procedure, isolation and characterization. Further, the structure activity relationship studies and bioactivity of bibenzyls derived from non-bryophytic origin were also summarized. Conclusion This review encompasses prospective biological application of botanical reservoir of this primarily ignored, primeval land plant group where recent technical advances has paved the way for qualitative and quantitative isolation and estimation of novel compounds as well as marker components to study their impact on environment, as bio-control agents and as key leads in future drug designing. Graphical abstract

Purulia, the land of distinctive geological and archaeological features, abundant natural resources and a home to a number of aboriginals, has been studied widely to apprehend the role of ethnic remedies against myriad of diseases. Availability of natural remedies and practice of traditional knowledge have popularized the use of medicinal plants among local communities. The objective of the study is to elucidate the use of folk medicine against common otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic medical conditions, by various ethnic groups of Purulia district, West Bengal, India. A completely randomized ethnobotanical approach was carried out during a number of field visits conducted to interview 55 traditional healers (THs) residing across the 20 blocks of district Purulia via semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. The similarity of usage of plants for different diseases was calculated by the informant consensus factor (Fic), whereas fidelity level indicated the plants mostly cited by the informants. The correlative importance of the usage of the plants was measured by the use value (UV). A total number of 28 plant species belonging to 27 genera and 20 families are reported in this present study in the treatment of a number of otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic ailments such as cough and cold, eye diseases (sore eye, red eye, eye inflammation and conjunctivitis), ear diseases (earache and pus in ears), nosebleed and throat infection. The highest value for informant’s consensus factor (Fic) was observed in cough and cold (0.87) that indicates most of the plants possess analgesic and antipyretic potential, whereas the lowest value (0.33) was shown by sore eye that denotes least number of plants have been applied for eye cure. Mostly, leaf part (41.4%) is utilized to cure selected otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders where most of the herbal formulations were applied as leaf juices (60.7%). Most significant plant species were Piper nigrum L., Ocimum sanctum L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe according to their highest UV (1.80), followed by Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees (1.79) and Justicia adhatoda L. (1.66). The present work represents first quantitative ethnobotanical study against some tropical otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders in remote areas of Purulia district where acute poverty, underprivileged livelihood, illiteracy, unavailability of conventional health care as well as age-old trust on THs have popularized the use of natural resources (i.e. medicinal plants). Many of the reported ethnomedicinal properties of some plants have been backed up by clinical data also. Aboriginal people also showed keen interest and knowledge regarding conservation of endangered medicinal plants and on sustainable utilization of botanical resources. Proper documentation of traditional knowledge and potential preclinical and clinical studies based on the ethnobotanical data procured may be suggested for safe and efficacious use of herbal medicine against otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders.

Several plant-derived neuroprotective nutraceuticals have shown their neuroprotective efficacy in various in vitro, in vivo, and clinical investigations. These molecules represent diverse types of chemical structures such as organosulfur, flavone, flavonol, alkaloid, polyphenol, and isothiocyanate. Neuroprotection offered by these molecules is mediated by antioxidation, anti-apoptosis, and anti-inflammation and by maintaining mitochondrial functionality. These nutraceuticals also prevent neurodegeneration by modulating several signaling pathways and gene expression. These include regulation of NOS via Akt and ERK, enhancement of mitochondrial function, downregulation of MAPK pathways, reducing convulsions, upregulating amyloidogenic route of brain APP processing, upregulating Keap1/Nrf2 pathway, and modulating NF-κB activation via the p38MAPK/PKC pathway and so on. Due to their ability to target multiple factors responsible for neuronal loss, they can serve as an excellent therapeutic agent to combat the complex nature of most of these neurodegenerative diseases. The present review focuses on the role of such botanical-derived nutraceuticals in the protection and prevention of several neurodegenerative diseases in vitro and in vivo mediated by their ability to modulate several signaling pathways, molecules, and gene expression to control various pathophysiological features of such diseases.

One of the most effective antitumor drugs is the Taxol (paclitaxel), a diterpenoid compound initially sequestered from the Pacific yew tree bark extract in the middle of 1960s. With a distinctive mode of action, paclitaxel is effective against several types of cancers, and hence there is an increasing demand for its worldwide supply. It is difficult to meet the present market requisite using existing industrial production approaches for the drug, i.e., total chemical synthesis and semi-synthesis by extracting paclitaxel precursors from the Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) tree species. Therefore, other methods have been meticulously explored, and one such encouraging strategy is the use of endophytic fungi. In this chapter, sources of endophytic fungi, their association with host plants, and their influence in producing the anticancer compound, paclitaxel, from their host plants are discussed. Also, paclitaxel-producing endophytic fungi and their possible scientific exploration are explained in detail.

Herbal medicines, or phytochemicals can treat various neurological disorders, and is actually preferred over synthetic drugs due to their lower cost, negligible side effects, easy availability and therapeutic efficiency. This article lists a total of 13 plant extracts, 27 plant derived natural compounds and 3 herbal formulations that were found to therapeutically cure Huntington's Disease, mainly by eliminating the toxic mHtt proteins(the product of the mutant gene responsible for HD). The various plant compounds, fractions, extracts and herbal formulations were summarized from popular scientific search engines and then analyzed on the basis of their source and bioactivity. To understand the behavioral, biochemical and morphological changes caused by HD, experimental models like 3-NP and transgenic animal models like rats, mice, Drosophila and Caenorhaditis elegans were used. Plants such as Bacopa monnieri, Celastrus paniculatus, Centella asiatica, Gastrodia elata, Panax ginseng, and Withania somnifera are some examples that possess anti-HD properties. Some examples of promising plant compounds possessing similar properties are fisetin, curcumin, hesperidin, trehalose, onjisaponin B, sesamol, resveratrol, kaempferol and melatonin. Herbal formulations discussed here are B307, CLMT and YGS. These are proved to be more beneficial than single herbs because they can regulate more targets. However, detailed study and further research should be conducted to determine the therapeutic efficacy of herbal extracts and compounds in HD models. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The rate of breast cancer has been rapidly increasing over the last few years. Extensive development of breast cancer treatment directed to the discovery of new anticancer drugs. These chemotherapeutic drugs are involved in the suppression of breast cancer, however, toxicity related to these drugs could not be ignored. Paclitaxel is considered as an important drug for breast cancer treatment. Paclitaxel has been utilized for breast cancer treatment as a single agent in first-line therapy, or in combination therapy with other drugs or agents or anti-HER2 antibody. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant clinical trials also displayed paclitaxel efficiency in different types of breast cancer. Apart from paclitaxel efficacy, as demonstrated in this chapter, paclitaxel treatment is also associated with toxicity and chemoresistance. Also, this chapter reviews the role of paclitaxel in the treatment of different types of breast cancer based on clinical trial studies and paclitaxel related toxicities and chemoresistance.

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Solanaceae) has been used as a traditional Rasayana herb for a long time. Traditional uses of this plant indicate its ameliorative properties against a plethora of human medical conditions, viz. hypertension, stress, diabetes, asthma, cancer etc. This review presents a comprehensive summary of the geographical distribution, traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of W. somnifera and its active constituents. In addition, it presents a detailed account of its presence as an active constituent in many commercial preparations with curative properties and health benefits. Clinical studies and toxicological considerations of its extracts and constituents are also elucidated. Comparative analysis of relevant in-vitro, in-vivo, and clinical investigations indicated potent bioactivity of W. somnifera extracts and phytochemicals as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, cardio-protective and spermatogenic agents. W. somnifera was found to be especially active against many neurological and psychological conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, ischemic stroke, sleep deprivation, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The probable mechanism of action that imparts the pharmacological potential has also been explored. However, in-depth studies are needed on the clinical use of W. somnifera against human diseases. Besides, detailed toxicological analysis is also to be performed for its safe and efficacious use in preclinical and clinical studies and as a health-promoting herb.

From ancient history, complementary and alternative medicines have played a significant role as holistic therapeutic treatments of various human diseases including cancer, diabetes, neurological diseases, and skin problems. One Indian medicinal plant (herb), Bacopa monnieri has been used in many parts of the world as such medicine, particularly for the treatment of various neurological disorders. It is well known as a potent "tonic for the human brain," which serves as a memory enhancer. Multiple studies proved that this herb contains a plethora of potential bioactive, phytochemical compounds with synergistic properties. The main purpose of the present review is to shed light on the use of Bacopa monnieri and its active principles (bacosides) in the management of neurological disorders. Furthermore, the signaling pathways modulated by bacosides have been critically discussed in this review. Moreover, we have critically summarized the present knowledge of this perennial creeping herb based upon the literature mining from different scientific engines.

The study was designed to evaluate the role of various plant polyamines (PAs) on in-vitro multiplication and regeneration in the Ayurvedic memory enhancer Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. Natural populations of B. monnieri were collected, sterilized and micropropagated in Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with different concentration and combination of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and PAs. MS media supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (2.0 mg/l) + spermidine (spd) (1 mM) and in another set, kinetin (kin) (2.0 mg/l) + spd (1 mM) were found to be the best multiplication media whereas MS + indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (1.0 mg/l) + spermine (spm) (1.0 mM) produced highest average number of roots per shoot. After 4–6 weeks of incubation, nodal explants cultured in MS media supplemented with various PGRs and PAs produced green compact or white friable nodular base calli (NBC). The NBC showed organogenic potential when subjected to MS media supplemented with cytokinins and PAs. Clonal fidelity of the regenerated plants was assessed using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and random-amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Out of the 60 clear and reproducible bands recorded, 54 were found to be monomorphic displaying high degree of monomorphism (90%) and lower polymorphic level (10%) between the mother plant and in-vitro regenerants. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed total bacoside content in B. monnieri grown in-vitro (PA-treated) and the mother plant (MP) grown in nature to be 27.89 and 25.46 mg/g respectively. The phytochemical analysis of the PA-treated micropropagated plants also revealed significantly higher levels of phenolics and flavonoids with comprehensively higher antioxidant potentials in PA-treated in-vitro grown plants (PATP) and the subsequently acclimatized plants (PATP-A) over the PA-untreated in-vitro grown plants (with/no PGR) (PAUP) and the mother plant (MP).

Sex hormones have been found to play an intimate role with some of the cancers such as the breast-cancer, prostate-cancer, uterine-cancer, etc. The relation between the estrogen and breast-cancer h...

Recent scientific investigations focused on drug discovery have accelerated the demand for novel pharmaceutical and agricultural products which are closely correlated with industrial applications. So, the present scenario of natural product-oriented research has expanded the combinatorial application of analytical chemistry, bioinformatics, and molecular biology to identify and isolate lead bioactive compounds from unexplored biological resources. The key features of natural selection attribute cumulatively in the functionality of any natural product, so secondary metabolites derived from specific organisms that exhibit exquisite niche specificity are favored over the common organism in ongoing pharmaceutical research. Endophytic fungi are ubiquitous, but their host infestation mechanism is quite interesting and evolutionarily very active, so the metabolic pathway regulating the mutualistic host-endophyte relationship possesses exclusive features and often biological applications. The research includes isolation, identification, and characterization of endophytic fungi as well as qualitative and quantitative estimation, structure elucidation, and screening of the structure-activity relationship of the biologically active compounds. However, biotope specificity and competitive vigor for nutrition, host, and survival of endophytic fungi are largely correlated with their biological activity, and are found to be superior to other microbes such as epiphytes. The precise balance between pathogenicity and mutualism is greatly monitored by the agonistic and antagonistic activity of fungal metabolites. Moreover, the influence of these metabolites boosts the immunological strength of the host and triggers a preventive reaction against herbivory or allelopathy in exchange for nutrients supplied to the microbial population. Interestingly, endophytes serve as a novel resource producing an array of bioactive compounds with great significance in basic research and medicine. Different biosynthetic pathways produce the secondary constituents, and they belong to diverse chemical classes including alkaloids, phenols, terpenes, quinones, isocoumarins, chromones, cytosporones, chalcone, steroids, xanthones, polyketides, and esters screened for a plethora of biological activities, that is, antibacterial, antifungal, insecticidal, and anticancer. Structure-activity relationship studies, key lead-based in vitro and in vivo investigations, and drug-metabolite synergism have largely elucidated the promising characteristics of endophytic fungi-derived metabolites to be the template of safe, economic, and bioactive therapeutics. However, authentication, screening, differentiation, clinical, and preclinical investigations are largely required before ensuring the medicinal efficacy of any metabolite derived from endophytic fungi.