Biswakanth Kar

Prebiotics are nondigestible food components that selectively stimulate beneficial gut microbiota and have garnered significant attention in food science and biotechnology because of their health-promoting properties. Among them, fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides are especially important for their positive effects on human health. Functional foods with enhanced nutritional and medicinal value have been made possible by the recent use of prebiotics in food fermentation and bioprocessing. This review summarizes recent developments in prebiotic production and application, with emphasis on biotechnological approaches such as microbial fermentation, enzymatic synthesis, and strain improvement techniques, based on literature retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to July 2025. Advances in fermentation technologies, including solid-state fermentation and co-culture systems, are also discussed for optimizing production processes. In addition, the review highlights the health-promoting effects of prebiotics, including modulation of gut microbiota, immunological regulation, and involvement in the gut-brain axis. Lastly, we highlighted current challenges and prospects, emphasizing their application to transform fermented foods and bioprocessing techniques.

Introduction and Aim: The study aimed to explore the hepatoprotective potential of the methanolic extract of Caesalpinia pulcherrima L. (MECP) using the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity model in HepGⁿ cells. Methods: The MECP was analysed by GC-MS to identify its major components. In silico studies were performed using pro-inflammatory markers, including IL-6 and TNF-α. Pre-treated HepG2 cells (6.25-100 μg/mL) were exposed to paracetamol (40 mM, 12 h) after 24 hours. LDH, oxidative markers (SOD, GPx, GSH, MDA) were quantified, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) were measured after MECP treatment. Cellular morphology was analysed by fluorescence microscopy to assess the effect of MECP on cell growth. Results: GC-MS spectra showed the presence of 167 compounds in the MECP extract. An insilico study identified thymol and catechol as potent molecules with promising binding to IL-6 and TNF-α, supporting the traditional claim that C. pulcherrima is an anti-inflammatory compound effective in liver disorders. Paracetamol exposure significantly elevated LDH release, MDA levels, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, while markedly reducing antioxidant defences, SOD, GPx, and GSH. Discussion: Pre-treatment with MECP showed restoration of the levels of these parameters toward normal in a dose-dependent manner. The 100 μg/mL MECP showed significant reductions in LDH, MDA, TNF-α, and IL-6. Microscopic characteristics confirmed cellular regeneration comparable to the control group. Thymol and catechol exhibited strong binding with IL-6 and TNF-α, suggesting their involvement in MECP’s hepatoprotective effect. Conclusion: These results support its traditional use in liver disorders and highlight its potential as a natural hepatoprotective agent.

Introduction: The purpose of this review is to evaluate the gender disparity in COVID-19 prevalence and the potential protective impact of female sex hormones against the virus. Methods: A literature review was conducted to correlate previously reported molecular mechanisms of estrogen and their possible implications for minimizing risks associated with new coronaviruses. Discussion: Estrogen may contribute to improved immune regulation and reduced viral pathogenesis, helping explain sex-based differences in COVID-19 outcomes. Conclusion: Both natural and synthesised oestrogen have immune-modulatory properties that may help prevent viral pathogenesis and provide a solid basis for future COVID-19 antiviral treatments.

Cancer remains a major global health burden, with rising incidence and mortality rates largely attributed to the limitations of current therapies in effectively targeting cancer cell proliferation, genetic mutations, and drug resistance. The successful clinical use of phytochemical-based anticancer agents such as paclitaxel, vincristine, camptothecin, etoposide, and teniposide has highlighted the therapeutic value of phytochemicals in cancer therapy. Among all classes, flavonoids or phyto-flavonoids such as apigenin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, luteolin, naringenin, and quercetin have gained considerable attention as complementary and alternative agents for cancer prevention and treatment due to their multimodal activity and non-toxic profiles. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that phyto-flavonoids can modulate key hallmarks of cancer, such as apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cell cycle progression, and their anticancer effects are mediated through the regulation of crucial molecular signalling pathways, including NF-κB, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK, and p53, with minimal toxicity to normal cells compared to conventional chemotherapeutics. Despite encouraging preclinical evidence, the clinical translation of phyto-flavonoids remains limited due to challenges related to pharmacokinetics, bioavailability, standardization, and regulatory approval. Nonetheless, recent advances in nanotechnology and drug delivery systems are improving their therapeutic efficacy and mitigating their drug-ability limitations. A more profound understanding of their molecular mechanisms and pharmacological profiles could pave the way for developing novel, safe, and effective anticancer agents from natural sources. Overall, this review uniquely integrates recent molecular, pharmacological, and nanotechnology platform uses enhance clinical and translational success as anticancer therapeutics, thereby providing invaluable suggestions or expert opinions for future drug development and precision oncology research.

The rising incidence of microbial resistance and disorders associated with oxidative stress has propelled the quest for natural substances with therapeutic efficacy. The plant Diospyros melanoxylon (Roxb) known as tendu in Hindi & kendu in Odia, is indigenous to India (Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and is a member of the Ebenaceae family. The current study is a chemometric analysis and antimicrobial study of D. melanoxylon leaf extract against some microorganisms responsible for hospital-acquired infections. Gas chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis was done to identify the phytocompounds present in the plant. The content of tannin, flavonoids and phenolics in D. melanoxylon was established using a colorimetric assay. Antioxidant activity was studied by assessing free radical scavenging assays. The in vitro antimicrobial assay was conducted using viable cell count and the turbidimetric method. The GC-MS analysis confirms the presence of various phytoconstituents like Epoxylanistan-11-ol, Phenol,2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-,Ur-12-2n-24-oic acid, α-amyrin & trimethylsilyl with α-amyrin being found to major constituent responsible for the pharmacological properties. The result indicated that ethyl acetate extract of D. melanoxylon leaves exhibited remarkable phenolic, flavonoid and tannin content. The plant extract has been effective against Gram-negative bacteria that cause hospital-acquired infections following liver transplantation, such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These findings may be crucial in the development of new plant antibiotics against bacterial infections that predominantly happen following hospitalisation after liver transplantation. Further research should explore its mechanism of action, isolation and possible application in combination therapy.

In spite of the fact that many medicinal plants have been truly utilized for the management of diabetes all through the world, very few of them have been reported scientifically. Recently, a diverse variety of animal models have been established to better understand the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus, and new medications to treat the condition have been introduced in the market. Flavonoids are naturally occurring substances that can be found in plants and various foods and may have health benefits in the treatment of neuropathic pain. Flavonoids have also been shown to have an anti-inflammatory impact that is significant to neuropathic pain, as indicated by a decrease in several pro-inflammatory mediators such TNF-, NF-B IL-6, and IL-1. Flavonoids appear to be a viable novel therapy option for macrovasular complications in preclinical models; however, human clinical data is still inadequate. Recently, several in silico, in-vitro and in-vivo aproaches were made to evaluate mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of diabetes in a better way. Screening of natural antidiabetic agents from plant sources can be analysed by utilizing advanced in-vitro techniques and animal models. Natural compounds, mostly derived from plants, have been studied in diabetes models generated by chemical agents in the majority of research. The aim of this work was to review the available in silico, in-vitro and animal models of diabetes for screening of natural antidiabetic agents. This review contributes to the scientist's design of new methodologies for the development of novel therapeutic agents having potential antihyperglycemic activity.