Maharshi Dayanand University

Benzimidazole derivatives represent a versatile class of compounds in anticancer drug development due to their unique fused bicyclic structure comprising benzene and imidazole rings. The derivatives are engineered to include various chemical modifications, where in most cases, they include other heterocyclic rings or pharmacophores which augment their biological activities and specificity to cancer cells. These anticancer effects are complex and encompass Tubulin polymerization inhibition, DNA intercalation, topoisomerases I and II suppression, apoptotic pathway modulation, and inhibition of major tumor suppressor kinases that include the MAPK and PI3K/AKT. Such activities interfere with the growth of cancer cells, cause cell cycle arrest, induce apoptosis, and prevent angiogenesis and metastasis. Their in vitro antitumor and in vivo efficacies that include the ability to be used to treat a variety of tumor cell lines in preclinical studies are affirmed by their cytotoxicity and have potential pharmacokinetic and safety profiles. This group of compounds have great clinical potential in the form of targeted therapeutics because of structural flexibility making them useful in precision medicine. Their progression into a clinically useful anticancer drug remains investigating of their structure-activity relationship and molecular docking studies, with benzimidazole derivatives being some of the possible real-life solutions against cancer.

Carbon-based nanomaterials are becoming increasingly prevalent due to their high degradation rates for various aquatic contaminants. However, their expensive and complex synthesis poses a major challenge. One of the most efficient and easy methods to degrade dyes is by the use of carbon quantum dots (CQDs). This research focuses on the degradation of an aquatic pollutant by deriving CQDs from green sources, as plant part-based CQDs possess the potential to degrade aquatic contaminants. In this study, we first examine the use of Dalbergia sissoo as a method for producing bare or unmodified carbon quantum dots (UCQDs) and S and N co-enriched carbon quantum dots (S, N-CQDs) through a straightforward, rapid, and single-step microwave process. EDX, FTIR, FESEM, XRD, and UV-Visible spectra were utilized to characterize CQDs. The zeta potential of as-synthesized CQDs was also measured. The photocatalytic activity of CQDs was studied by degrading a cationic dye known as Malachite Green (MG) dye, along with optimization of various factors, notably pH, dye concentration, and CQD volume, which were also tuned. S, N-CQDs reported outstanding photocatalytic capacity (95.12%) toward 15 ppm MG dye in bright sunlight at a pH of 9, employing 1 ml of photocatalyst. These CQDs emerged as a promising photocatalyst due to their easy synthesis and remarkable photocatalytic efficiency.

The development of a novel drug delivery system containing bioactive compounds for wound healing sounds intriguing offers and exciting opportunities to improve patient outcomes and overcome the limitations of conventional treatments.The present study aimed to develop a novel microsponge (MS) based drug delivery system that is capable of releasing the entrapped Piper betle leaf hydroalcoholic (PBHA) extract and enhances the deposition of active constituents onto the injured area.Microsponges of lyophilized PBHA were prepared by solvent evaporation method by optimizing the concentration of independent variables; Et cellulose, polyvinyl alc. and dichloromethane and their effect on entrapment efficiency and particle size have been reported.The drug excipient incompatibility was assessed using FTIR, DSC, and XRD studies.The optimized batch formulation of microsponges was found to be smooth, multiporous and spherical particles with particle size 750.68 nm and 87.74% entrapment efficiency.They were further incorporated in emulgel prepared using hen egg oil for easy application on to incised wound surface of Wistar rats.The prepared emulgel was found to be homogenous, smooth textured (viscosity; 0.3897 ± 0.65 cps), with good spreadability (39.6 ± 1.07 g cm/s and stable in nature having zeta potential; -22.6 mv. The in-vitro drug release (24 h) from emulgel showed a maximum regression value of 0.991 for the Higuchi model, signifying the diffusion controlled and time dependent release.Various parameters studied in the incision wound model such as hydroxyproline content and wound breaking strength showed remarkable wound healing potential of the prepared emulgel.