Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Volume 26, Issue 11, 2025

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a multifactorial neurological condition characterized by progressive loss of memory and learning, uncontrollable movement, difficulty processing visual images, and impairment of reasoning and/or judgment skills. Although the exact cause of AD is still unknown, recent evidence suggests that environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors are common contributors to the disease's progression. Pathophysiological features of AD include amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation, abnormal deposition of neuritic plaques and neurofibrile tangles, cholinergic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress burden along with mitochondrial dysfunction. There are currently no pharmaceutical methods or medications that can stop the progression of a disease. More attention is now being paid to natural products, herbal medicines, and different bioactive phytoconstituents, particularly flavonoids, as alternative therapies and useful resources for finding new drug candidates for the treatment of AD-like symptoms. A dietary isoflavone, biochanin-A, which is isolated from the leaves and stems of Trifolium pretense L. (family: Leguminosae), possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties along with cognitive-enhancing effects. Biochanin-A exhibits notable neuroprotective effects by reducing Aβ deposition, decreasing apoptosis, and preventing the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and NO. Various preclinical reports explore the pharmacological role of biochanin-A against experimentally-induced AD and highlight that it can alter numerous signaling pathways, including Nrf2, NF-κB, JNK, MAPK, and Bcl-2/Bax. The present review article summarizes the numerous research studies that have evaluated the role of biochanin-A for dementia associated with AD. As part of a comprehensive program, biochanin-A has very exceptional potential to prevent and treat AD-related cognitive impairment. It is envisaged that these potential chemical moieties can be employed in the drug discovery process to identify efficacious and safe therapy for the treatments for AD-like manifestation.

This review aims to examine the hydrogel structure concisely, approaches to hydrogel synthesis, and the most recent progressions in hydrogel technology along with its multifaceted applications within the domain of biomedicine, emphasizing its capacity to transform the delivery of drugs, tissue engineering, and diagnostics.

This review employs an organized search of the literature to gather and evaluate state-of-the-art examines on hydrogel uses for biomedicine, synthesizing significant developments and breakthroughs to provide a holistic comprehension of their developing role and possible impact.

The review's findings emphasize the revolutionary potential of recent advances in hydrogel uses within biomedicine, which include improved drug delivery, cutting-edge tissue engineering, and recognized diagnostics.

In summary, this scholarly article explores the intricacies of hydrogel structure, methodologies for hydrogel synthesis, and notable breakthroughs in the biomedical utilization of hydrogels. Given the extraordinary potential of hydrogels to transform diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies, this article emphasizes the growing significance of hydrogels in biomedicine and the critical need for further investigation into this subject matter. Consequently, hydrogels can pave the way for enhanced healthcare standards.

Traumatic and inherited cataract spiking blindness is caused by accumulated deposition of mutant eye lens protein or lens microarchitecture alteration. A traumatic cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens that occurs as a result of physical trauma to the eye. This trauma can be caused by various incidents such as blunt force injury, penetration by a foreign object, or a significant impact on the eye area. Inheritance cataracts or hereditary cataracts are cataracts that are genetically inherited from one or both parents. Complications following cataract surgery encompass various adverse outcomes such as inflammation, infection, bleeding, swelling, drooping eyelid, glaucoma, secondary cataracts, and complete loss of vision. The main purpose of the review is to highlight common pathophysiology associated with traumatic and inherited cataracts. Also, the review discusses diagnosis and treatment strategies for such cataract types by targeting their key pathological hallmarks. γD-crystallin plays a crucial role in maintaining the optical properties of the lens during the life span of an individual. Carbamazepine, Resveratrol, and Myricetin (CRM) are effectively bound at the γD-crystallin binding site and thereby could minimize misfolding and aggregation of γD-crystallin. miR-202, miR-193b, miR-135a, miR-365, and miR-376a had the highest levels of abundance in the aqueous humor of individuals diagnosed with cataracts. The validation of these miRs will provide more insights into their functional roles and may be used for diagnostic purposes. The effective CRM combination as a multidrug formulation may postpone both traumatic and inherited cataracts and protect the eye from blindness.

Food safety is a global concern with significant public health implications. Improper food handling can harbor a wide range of pathogenic organisms. Antimicrobial agents are crucial for controlling microbes and ensuring food safety and human health. The growing demand for natural, safe, and sustainable food preservation methods has driven research into using plant antimicrobials as alternatives to synthetic preservatives. The food industry is now exploring innovative approaches that combine various physical methods with multiple natural antimicrobials. This review aims to outline the evolving applications of plant antimicrobials in the food industry. It discusses strategies for managing bacteria and categorizes different plant antimicrobials, providing insights into their mechanisms of action and structures. This review offers a comprehensive overview of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), detailing their structural characteristics, mechanisms of action, various types, and applications in food packaging fabrication and explaining how they contribute to food preservation. It highlights the synergistic and additive benefits of plant antimicrobials and their successful integration with food technologies like nanotechnology, which enhances the hurdle effect, improving food safety and extending shelf life. The review also emphasizes the importance of antimicrobial peptides and the need for further research in this area. Safety assessment and regulatory considerations are discussed as well. By addressing these gaps, plant antimicrobials have the potential to pave the way for more effective, safe, and sustainable food preservation strategies in the future.

Nanotechnology exhibits a wide range of applications in the domain of disease therapy, diagnosis, biological detection, and environmental safeguards. The cross-linked polymeric nanosponges (NSs) are a nanoscale drug carrier system with a 3D porous structure and high entrapment efficacy. NSs up to the fourth generation are currently accessible and can serve as a delivery system for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. The delivery system exhibits superiority over alternative methods due to its ability to achieve controlled and targeted drug delivery. The colloidal structure of NSs facilitates the encapsulation of a wide range of agents such as proteins and peptides, enzymes, antineoplastic drugs, volatile oil, vaccines, DNA, etc. NSs efficiently overcome the challenges associated with drug toxicity and poor aqueous solubility. NS formulations have been explored for various applications like gaseous encapsulation, enzyme immobilization, antifungal therapy, poison absorbent, water purification, etc. This review provides a comprehensive analysis regarding methods of synthesis, distinct polymeric NSs, mechanism of drug release, factors affecting NS development, applications, and patents filed in the field of NSs. Herein, the recently developed NS formulations, their potential in cancer therapy, and current progressions of NS for SARS-CoV-2 management are also deliberated with special attention, focusing on the significant challenges and future directions.

Glucose monitoring is essential for managing diabetes, and continuous glucose monitoring biosensors can offer real-time monitoring with little invasiveness. However, challenges remain in improving sensor accuracy, selectivity, and overall performance. This article aims to review current trends and recent advancements in glucose-monitoring biosensors while evaluating their benefits and limitations for diabetes monitoring. An analysis of current literature on transdermal glucose sensors was conducted, focusing on detection techniques, novel nanomaterials, and integrated sensor systems. Recent research has led to advancements in electrochemical, optical, electromagnetic, and sonochemical sensors for transdermal glucose detection. The use of novel nanomaterials and integrated sensor designs has improved sensitivity, selectivity, and accuracy. However, issues like calibration requirements, motion artifacts, and skin irritation persist. Transdermal glucose sensors show promise for non-invasive, convenient diabetes monitoring but require further enhancements to address limitations in accuracy, reliability, and biocompatibility. Continued research and innovation focusing on sensor materials, designs, and surface chemistry is needed to optimize biosensor performance and utility. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of the present status of technological advancement and highlights areas that need more research.

This study investigates whether edible insects may be used as a sustainable protein source. This study covers insect proteins, their defatting process and extraction, health advantages, economic and environmental impacts, safety considerations, and regulatory aspects. This review also investigates the ecological benefits of insect farming and consumer acceptance of this dietary trend. A systematic search of the pertinent literature was conductedto collect data for this review. Current research examines the effects of using edible insects as functional, sustainable reservoirs of proteins, including protein screening, extraction methods, health benefits, and social recognition. The varied isolation techniques considerably affect protein amount and quality. This review clarifies the broad spectrum of proteins in edible insects, particularly their nutritional importance and effective extraction methods. The viability of insects as a sustainable source of protein is highlighted by the safety considerations and the interaction of economic and ecological considerations with complex consumer characteristics.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) refers to the co-occurrence of a constellation of metabolic diseases in the same individual, such as abdominal/visceral obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes, alterations in the lipid profile (dyslipidemias), and/or hypertension, which promotes the development of other cardiometabolic and hepatic diseases. Dyslipidemia and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously termed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are common MetS pathologies closely related to lipid metabolism. Alterations in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, caused by an excessive intake of nutrients and abnormal accumulation of body fat, which promotes chronic low-grade inflammation, are pivotal aspects of MetS development. To avoid damage caused by lipid overaccumulation, the transcription factors responsible for regulating lipid homeostasis and inflammation (named in this work master regulators) must modify their regular activity; however, the high adiposity established for long periods causes the appearance of insulin resistance (the MetS triggering factor most widely accepted in the literature). Fortunately, scientific evidence suggests that the abnormal activity of these regulators can be conveniently modulated by distinct species of bioactive lipids, among which unsaturated fatty acids stand out, offering new alternatives for treating MetS. Therefore, this work aims to provide a general overview of scientific evidence that supports the mechanisms of action and the effective modulation by bioactive lipids of some master lipid-metabolism-and-inflammation regulators in diverse aspects of MetS.

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease, represent a significant global health challenge with limited therapeutic options. Protein misfolding and aggregation, a common pathological hallmark in these disorders, have emerged as promising targets for therapeutic intervention. Molecular docking techniques have played a pivotal role in the identification and design of small molecules that can modulate protein misfolding, offering new hope for effective treatments. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in molecular docking techniques for targeting protein misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss the principles and methodologies behind molecular docking, including various scoring functions and algorithms employed for accurate ligand-protein interactions. Additionally, we explore the use of molecular dynamics simulations and machine learning approaches to enhance the precision of docking studies. Furthermore, we highlight case studies and success stories where molecular docking has contributed to the discovery of potential drug candidates for neurodegenerative diseases. These include compounds that inhibit amyloid-β aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease, α-synuclein oligomerisation in Parkinson’s disease, and mutant huntingtin aggregation in Huntington’s disease. We also discuss the problems and restrictions of molecular docking related to neurodegenerative diseases, such as how to accurately show the flexibility of proteins and why docking results need to be confirmed by experiments. We also discuss the structural biology methods, such as cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, and how these techniques might help in improving molecular docking studies.