GD Goenka University

Depression is a prevalent and debilitating mental illness with a persistent sense of hopelessness and a lack of enthusiasm for day-to-day activities. Curcumin has garnered attention due to its putative antidepressant properties as well as its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Pro-inflammatory cytokines have been found to increase the intensity of depressed symptoms, and recent investigations have demonstrated the important role that neuroinflammation plays in the development and maintenance of depression. This review explored the neuroinflammatory mechanisms associated with depression. It elucidated the multifaceted actions of curcumin, including inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome, modulation of the kynurenine pathway, and reduction of inflammatory markers in the brain. Evidence from clinical trials and meta-analyses suggests that curcumin can significantly alleviate depressive symptoms, making it a promising adjunctive treatment for major depressive disorder. By addressing the underlying neuroinflammatory processes, curcumin offers a novel approach that could improve patient outcomes in managing depression.

Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) biosensors have emerged as a promising technology in the field of healthcare due to their high sensitivity, specificity, and versatile application potential. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in PCF biosensors with a focus on their applications in chemical and bacterial sensing. We discuss the fundamental principles of PCF biosensors, highlight their design and functionalization strategies, and evaluate their performance in detecting various chemical compounds and bacterial pathogens. The paper also addresses current challenges and future perspectives in the development of PCF biosensors for healthcare applications.

ABSTRACT In this study, novel pyridine–pyrrole conjugates were computationally designed to explore their synergistic antimicrobial potential against bacterial and fungal targets. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed using gyrase B and OleP to evaluate binding affinity and structural stability. Compounds RY1 and RY2 demonstrated significant binding energies, as confirmed by Molecular Mechanics (MM) Generalized Born Surface Area (GBSA) calculations, and stable protein–ligand interactions during 100 ns simulations. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analyses revealed favorable pharmacokinetic parameters and toxicity profiles compared to ciprofloxacin, with RY2 showing enhanced antifungal activity and safety. These findings highlight the promising role of pyridine–pyrrole conjugates, especially RY2, as lead candidates for the development of new antimicrobial agents to counteract drug resistance.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common disease that affects the lungs, and it is associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Many synthetic medications, such as pyrazinamide, isoniazid, and ethambutol, are available to treat TB; however, their adverse effects are severe. Medicinal herbs have lately become popular, safe, and effective alternative treatments for TB. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the possible use of natural plants in the development of herbal treatments and remedies for TB by studying the medicinal plants and phytochemicals that have been used for the disease. Information was gathered from a variety of sources, including Bentham, Elsevier, Springer, Nature, Google Scholar, PubMed, Sci- Finder, and the Web of Science. For the investigation, common and scientific names of plants, as well as terms like "mycobacterium tuberculosis," "herbal plants," "flavonoids," and "alkaloids" were employed. In the end, 376 plants belonging to 83 families were discovered, and details about each plant family, as well as the section of the plant utilized, chemical components, extract, and strain, were extracted. The findings showed that although flavonoids and alkaloids were the most prevalent naturally occurring substances found in plants, the Fabiaceae family had a greater potential to eradicate TB. The leaf portion was shown to be more active, and the S-37 RV strain of Mycobacterium TB was employed more frequently.