Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology - Volume 26, Issue 15, 2025

This study is the first report on the sequence of the transcriptome of Drimia indica, a non-model plant with medicinal properties found in a forest tribal belt, using the Illumina NovaSeq platform. The primary objectives of this study were to elucidate the gene expression profiles in different tissues, identify key regulatory genes and pathways involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and explore the plant's potential pharmacological properties.

The study generated 670087 unigenes from both leaves and roots and identified putative homologs of annotated sequences against UniProt/Swiss-Prot and KEGG databases. The functional annotation of the identified unigenes revealed the secondary metabolite biosynthetic process as the most prominent pathway, with gene enrichment analysis predominantly accounting for secondary metabolite pathways, such as terpenoid, steroid, flavonoid, alkaloid, selenocompound, and cortisol synthesis. The study also identified regulatory genes NAC, Bhlh, WRKY, and C2H2 on the transcriptome dataset.

The functionally annotated unigenes suggested phytocompounds in Drimia indica to have multi-potent properties, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities, which has been further validated by GC-MS-based metabolite profiling. Notably, we have identified two novel molecules, di-azo progesterone and 4H-pyran-4-one 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl, with potential BCL2 inhibitory anticancer properties, supported by stable binding interactions observed in molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Additionally, an abundance of mono-nucleotide SSR markers has been identified, useful for genetic diversity studies.

This study provides a foundational understanding of the molecular mechanisms in Drimia indica, highlighting its potential as a source for novel therapeutic agents and contributing valuable insights for future pharmacological and agricultural applications. However, further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm these findings and validate their pharmacological efficacy and therapeutic potential. The SSR markers identified also offer valuable tools for molecular genetics, plant breeding, and sustainable drug development.

Bacterial infection and oxidative stress generation are significant obstacles to dermal wound healing. The present study undertakes the isolation of a sulfated polysaccharide from the Tunisian green algal “Chaetomorpha aerea” named PCA.

The polysaccharide PCA was structurally characterized using Fourier Transformed Infrared (FT-IR), and monosaccharide analysis was carried out by HPLC-FID X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The antioxidant potential of polysaccharides extracted from the Chaetomorpha aerea was evaluated in vitro using various antioxidant assays, and the antibacterial activity of PCA against four Gram-negative bacteria was estimated. The wound healing capacity of PCA was evaluated in vivo using an excision wound model in rats.

FT-IR spectra revealed the characteristic bands of polysaccharides. HPLC–FID revealed a heteropolysaccharide composed of arabinose, glucose, glucuronic acid, and galactose units. Indeed, the X-ray diffraction revealed a semi-crystalline structure of PCA. The obtained data showed a strong antioxidant capacity and an interesting antibacterial activity against four-gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These biological data strongly support the beneficial effects of PCA in accelerating wound healing in rats. The in vivo study on rats demonstrated that PCA significantly accelerated the wound healing process over an 11-day treatment period. The application of PCA on wounds led to enhanced collagen fiber synthesis, as evidenced by histological staining, which showed increased collagen deposition at the wound site. Additionally, PCA treatment resulted in faster wound closure, with measurements showing a marked reduction in wound size compared to control groups.

The present study highlights the promising pharmacological effects of PCA, suggesting its potential application in wound dressings due to its robust antioxidant, antibacterial, and wound-healing properties.

Curcuma longa Linn. (Zingiberaceae) is a medicinal plant with significant biological activities owing to curcuminoids (CURs). Nevertheless, its low oral bioavailability because of low water solubility, inadequate absorption, short half-life, and rapid clearance hampered its clinical applications.

The study aimed to extract, isolate, characterize, and formulate the Phospholipon^®90H complex and evaluate for improved solubility, antiasthmatic and pharmacokinetic potential of CURs.

Phospholipon^®90H-based complex of curcuminoids (CPLC) was synthesized via solvent evaporation technique and reported an improvement of solubility, antiasthmatic, and pharmacokinetic potential of CURs. CPLC was physico-chemically and functionally evaluated by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, powder x-ray diffractometry, oral bioavailability, and antiasthmatic activity.

Ethyl acetate rhizome extracts (EARE) displayed ~17.42% w/w extraction yield of CURs. CPLC revealed high entrapment of CURs (~92.55% w/w) within the polar head of phospholipids. Small particle size ~ 194 nm with zeta potential value ~ -20.4 mV suggests the physical stability of CPLC. Physical analysis evidenced the formation of stable and amorphous CPLC by establishing hydrophobic and weak intermolecular forces between CURs and Phospholipon^®90H. Undoubtedly, the amorphous CPLC raised the aqueous solubility of CURs (~2-fold) compared to pure CURs. CPLC formulations (~ 20 mg/kg of CURs, p.o.) significantly lowered the leucocyte and eosinophil count compared to pure CURs. CPLC improved the oral bioavailability of CURs compared to pure CURs.

Results highlight that CPLC could be established as a breakthrough respiratory nanocarrier for CURs and other phytocompounds with respiratory potential.

Scientists around the world are focusing on ‘green,’ environment-friendly, and cost-effective green synthesis of nanometals using various plant extracts to combat various ailments. Among nanometals, Silver (Ag) is one of the most commercialised nano-materials due to its wide applications in biotechnology and biomedical fields. The present study reports the first facile synthesis, characterization, and process optimisation of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) using aqueous Grewia tiliaefolia leaf extract (Gt) as a reducing and surface functionalising agent.

Characterisation of Gt-mediated Ag-NPs was performed using FTIR. The morphology and microstructures of Gt-derived Ag-NPs were analysed using TEM and FE-SEM. In vitro, antioxidant activity was evaluated against DPPH radicals, hydrogen peroxide radicals, and ferric ions. In vitro, anticancer activity was assessed on MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines. In vivo, hepatoprotective activity was tested against paracetamol-induced liver toxicity in rats.

FTIR analysis confirmed the interaction between Ag-NPs and Gt. The optimal conditions for Gt-derived Ag-NPs were found to be 4 mM AgNO3, 5% Gt, at 90°C for 60 minutes, at pH 9. UV-Visible spectroscopy, XRD, FE-SEM, and TEM revealed the phase formation, spherical morphology, and surface functionalisation of Gt-derived Ag-NPs, which were stable (-28.3 mV) with an average particle size of 14.5±0.05 nm. The Gt-derived Ag-NPs were found to be highly effective in significantly inhibiting DPPH radical, ferric ions, and hydroxyl radicals. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of Gt-derived Ag-NPs was more effective against MCF-7 cells compared to HepG2 cells. They also exhibited dose-dependent protection against hepatoprotective activity in albino rats.

The hepatoprotective effects of Gt-mediated Ag-NPs likely result from the combined action of bioactive phytochemicals (such as α/β-amyrin, γ-lactones, betulin, and lupeol), and their ability to scavenge ROS, reduce oxidative stress, and modulate inflammatory pathways. These mechanisms, supported by reduced lipid peroxidation and increased antioxidant activity in paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity, suggest their therapeutic potential in liver protection and regeneration.

Overall, Gt proves to be an eco-friendly and non-toxic source for synthesizing bioactive Ag-NPs at optimal conditions.