Current Topics in Chemistry - Volume 5, Issue 1, 2025

Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) are a promising class of nanomaterials with unique optical properties, making them highly suitable for applications in bioimaging, drug delivery, and sensors. However, traditional synthesis methods often rely on toxic precursors and harsh conditions, raising concerns about environmental sustainability and safety. To address these issues, green synthesis methods have garnered attention as eco-friendly alternatives, utilizing renewable resources such as plant extracts, biomass, and waste materials. These sustainable approaches not only minimize environmental impact but also enhance the functional properties of CQDs, making them more suitable for biomedical and technological applications. The green synthesis of CQDs typically involves hydrothermal or solvothermal processes, where renewable precursors are converted into CQDs under mild conditions. This results in CQDs with excellent photoluminescence, stability, and biocompatibility, which are essential for their integration into practical applications. Moreover, the use of natural compounds during synthesis can impart bioactive properties to CQDs, expanding their potential for cancer therapy, environmental monitoring, and photocatalysis. Despite the progress in green synthesis, challenges remain in optimizing the synthesis parameters and scaling up production for industrial use. Future research should focus on refining these methods to improve yield, enhance the functional properties of CQDs, and reduce the environmental impact associated with their production. This review underscores the significance of green synthesis approaches in the development of CQDs, highlighting key techniques such as hydrothermal and solvothermal methods and exploring their potential applications in various fields. The promising advances in green synthesis position CQDs as a sustainable solution for numerous technological and biomedical applications.

The most prevalent infectious disease that affects the respiratory system is tuberculosis. The treatment for tuberculosis includes a combination of multiple antibiotics, including ethambutol, pyrazinamide, and rifampicin, which must be administered over an extended duration to effectively eliminate the mycobacteria. The main aim of the present work was to review the mechanisms and structural features of small molecules that affect mycobacterial ATP synthesis and ATP homeostasis. The mycobacteria can produce ATP in both aerobic and hypoxic environments. The enzyme ATP synthase is necessary for ATP production in both latent and developing mycobacteria. Research indicates that ATP synthase targeting small chemical compounds exhibits efficacy against latent and resistant forms of tuberculosis. The significance of mycobacterial energy metabolism as a potential target for anti-TB medications was highlighted by the FDA-approved ATP synthase inhibitor bedaquiline and a clinical candidate Q203, which interfered with the cytochrome bc1 complex of ATP synthase.

As of mid-2024, researchers had identified approximately 85,000 instances of the monkeypox virus (MPXV), posing a serious hazard to public health. This letter offers a thorough analysis of the available antiviral treatments, emphasizing tecovirimat as the main course of action. Disparities in access continue despite its shown efficacy, which raises death rates in endemic areas, such as sub-Saharan Africa. The use of two further potential therapies, brincidofovir and cidofovir, has been limited due to toxicity concerns. The letter also calls for increased clinical research, equitable antiviral medication distribution, and combination therapy studies to address rising drug resistance.