Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 23, Issue 15, 2023

Prevalent as a major phenolic ingredient of soy and soy products, genistein is recognized as an eminent phytoestrogen owing to its interacting ability with estrogen receptors (ERs). The metabolic conversion of plant-derived genistin to genistein by gut microbes and intestinal enzymes enhances its absorption at intestinal pH of ~7.5-7.8. Genistein interferes in breast cancer (BC) development via pleiotropic actions on cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. Though multiple investigations have demonstrated genistein intake-driven reduced BC risk, similar efficacy has not been replicated in clinical trials. Furthermore, multiple studies have structurally and functionally equated genistein extents with 17-β-estradiol (E2), the most available physiological estrogen in females, culminating in aggravated BC growth. Of note, both genistein and E2 function via interacting with ERs (ERα and ERβ). However, although E2 shows almost equal affinity towards both ERα and ERβ, genistein shows more affinity towards ERβ than ERα. Our cautious literature survey revealed typical intake mode, ER expression pattern and the ratio of ERα and ERβ, transactivators/ regulators of ERα and ERβ expression and activities, patient age, and menopausal status as decisive factors affecting genistein BC activities. Of further interest are the mechanisms by which genistein inhibits triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), which lack ERs, progesterone receptors (PRs), and human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER2). Herein, we attempt to understand the dosage-specific genistein actions in BC cells and patients with an insight into its better response via derivative development, nanocarrier-assisted, and combinatorial delivery with chemotherapeutic drugs.

Ionizing radiation has been used for decades and expanded to several applications in multivariate sectors, becoming an important tool to promote controlled chemical reactions in polymeric structures, according to their chemical properties for developing new materials. In addition, the use of radiation can also be applied in order to reduce or eliminate compounds from solutions that may be harmful or of low interest. In this review, we overviewed the chemistry behind material irradiation and the attractive use of ionizing radiation in scientific and industrial development. In this regard, the review was divided into three main sections titled (1) chemical kinetics intermediated by radiation, (2) chemical bonds intermediated by radiation, and (3) radiation chemistry on polymers. We concluded that graft polymerization, crosslinking and chain scission reactions induced by ionizing radiation are very efficient and green strategies for developing new materials with improved properties. Furthermore, water radiolysis plays a key role in the degradation of several contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and microplastics, in aqueous solutions. However, more studies must be conducted to complement the existing theory about the proposed mechanisms responsible for modifying the chemical, mechanical, thermal, optical, and so forth properties of irradiated materials.

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials (NMs) have diverse mechanical, chemical and optical properties due to which they have received a lot of attention in various fields such as biosensors, imaging, tissue engineering, drug delivery, etc. A thorough understanding of the synthetic procedure, physical properties and electrochemical properties of 2D materials will be quite useful in the development of novel and high-efficient electrocatalysts for the electroanalytical application of our interest. This review article summarises the synthesis and application of graphene, graphitic carbon nitride, transition metal dichalcogenides and phosphorene for electrochemical biosensing, drug delivery application and environmental monitoring. Numerous synthetic approaches which have been adopted to synthesize the 2D materials have been covered and discussed. Also, the reasons behind the catalytic activity of various types of 2D materials and their application as electrode modifier for the development of an efficient biosensor for the point-of-care analysis of biomolecule and drug delivery and environmental monitoring have been discussed in detail. This review article will give valuable information and future insights to the researchers working in the field of biosensor, drug delivery and environmental monitoring. We anticipate that this review may be of significance for the field to understand the properties as well as the electroanalytical applications of 2D materials, especially in biosensing, drug and environmental monitoring.

Proteins are vital components of living cells and the loss of their native functions has been associated with a wide variety of medical conditions. From this point of view, investigation of the protein microenvironment is crucial to support the development of therapeutic approaches capable of ensuring cellular functions. Therefore, analytical assays for the detection, quantification, and characterization of proteins, drugs, and protein-drug complexes play an essential role in fundamental research and clinical applications. Electrochemistry arises as an alternative methodology for fast assessment of proteins and drugs and is attractive due to the adaptability to miniaturization and scalability of electroanalytical devices, which then can be further employed as strategies towards personalized medical care. Thus, this review summarizes electrochemical investigations in the past 10 years on protein-based analytical devices and biosensors. A general overview of electrochemical assays that integrate proteins with nanostructured materials and conductive polymers is presented. Applications of electrochemical assays and biosensors were divided into four categories. First, those designed for drug screening strategies that focus on targeting specific intracellular, extracellular, or membrane protein subdomains to modulate their functions, aggregation/misfolding of proteins, and protein degradation pathways. Then, drug metabolism assays that involve mimicking natural metabolic pathways to identify potential safety and efficacy issues related to a drug or its metabolites. The third was dedicated to electrochemical drug delivery systems with anchored drugs in the form of bioconjugates, while the fourth was dedicated to electroanalytical methodologies for quantitative drug assays, where the electroactivity of the target species is often used to correlate the electrochemical signal to their concentration.

The consumption of medicines (usually pharmaceuticals and chemical health products) has increased in recent decades due to the demand for medicines for various diseases (headache, relapsing fever, dental absence, streptococcal infection, bronchitis, ear and eye infections). Instead, their overuse can lead to serious environmental damage. Sulfadiazine is one of the most often used antimicrobial medications for both human and veterinary therapy, yet its presence in the environment, even in low quantities, offers a potential concern as an emergency pollutant. It is vital to have a monitoring that's quick, selective, sensitive, stable, reversible, reproducible, and easy to use. Electrochemical techniques realizing cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and square wave voltammetry (SWV), using a modified electrode based on carbon as a surface modifier are an excellent option that makes control simple and quick owing to their cheap cost and convenience of use, while also safeguarding human health from drug residue buildup. This study discusses different chemically modified carbon-based electrodes such as graphene paste, screen printed electrode, glassy carbon, and boron diamond doped electrodes for SDZ (sulfadiazine) detection in various formulation feeds, pharmaceuticals, milk, and urine samples, the results obtained also show high sensitivity and selectivity with lower detection limits compared to matrix studies, which may explain its use in trace detection. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the sensors is assessed by other parameters including buffer solution, scan rate, and pH. Also, a method for real sample preparation was also discussed in addition to the different methods mentioned.