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In recent years, the population explosion and environmental pollution have increased the interest of researchers in the discovery of new health and hygiene-related products for the well being of mankind. Among the possible approaches initiated by the textile industry, the use of low-environmental impact technologies-based on sustainable biopolymers-presents a novel possible avenue for large scale development of bioactive textiles. The purpose of this article is to review the information on the role of different biopolymers in the development of antimicrobial textiles. Increased sustainability, environment friendliness, reduced pollution, green chemistry, renewability and intrinsic biological activity are some of the attributes which make chitosan, cyclodextrin, sericin protein, and alginate suitable alternative agents for the functional finishing of textile materials. The application of biopolymers, along with the recent impact of various "green chemistry" strategies, on the antimicrobial properties of textile fibers is reviewed. It also includes a brief review on different green pretreatment technologies used for the surface modification of textiles with a special reference to their influence on antimicrobial properties. Finally, the advantages and future studies regarding the use of nanotechnology in the antimicrobial finishing of textiles is also outlined.

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Bixa orellana commonly known as annatto is one of the oldest known natural dye yielding plants native to Central and South America. Various parts of annatto have been widely used in the traditional medical system for prevention and treatment of a wide number of health disorders. The plethora of traditional uses has encouraged researchers to identify and isolate phytochemicals from all parts of this plant. Carotenoids, apocarotenoids, terpenes, terpenoids, sterols, and aliphatic compounds are main compounds found in all parts of this plant and are reported to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities. In recent years annatto has received tremendous scientific interest mainly due to the isolation of yellow-orange natural dye from its seeds which exhibits high biodegradability, low toxicity, and compatibility with the environment. Considerable research work has already been done and is currently underway for its applications in food, textile, leather, cosmetic, solar cells, and other industries. The present review provides up-to-date systematic and organized information on the traditional usage, phytochemistry and pharmacology of annatto. It also highlights its non-food industrial applications in order to bring more interest on this dye plant, identifies the existing gaps and provides potential for future studies. Studies reported in this review have demonstrated that annatto holds a great potential for being exploited as source of drugs and a potential natural dye. However, further efforts are required to identify extract biomolecules and their action mechanisms in exhibiting certain biological activities in order to understand the full phytochemical profile and the complex pharmacological effects of this plant.

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