Fullerenes, the third carbon allotrope, have emerged as agents which could revolutionize the treatment of many diseases. Fullerenes possess different biological applications like neuroprotective agents, antioxidants, anti-HIV activity, enzyme inhibition, antiapoptotic activity and the list is ever increasing. Moreover, they are being utilized as drug carrier systems and also for many non-biological applications like superconductors, catalysis and so on. Their size has made them promising agents for nanotechnology. This article aims at outlining the chemistry, properties and non-biological applications of fullerenes and their evolution to biological applications, thereby traversing their evolution from simple carbon allotropes to present day nano-medicinal agents.

No abstract

Coronaviruses have led to severe emergencies in the world since the outbreak of SARS CoV in 2002, followed by MERS CoV in 2012. SARS CoV-2, the novel pandemic caused by coronaviruses that began in December 2019 in China has led to a total of 24066076 confirmed cases and a death toll of 823572 as reported by World Health Organisation on 26 August, 2020, spreading to 213 countries and territories. However, there are still no vaccines or medications available till date against SARS coronaviruses which is an urgent requirement to control the current pandemic like situations. Since many decades, heterocyclic scaffolds have been explored exhaustively for their anticancer, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, antitubercular, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiviral and many more treatment capabilities. Therefore, through this review, we have tried to emphasize on the anticipated role of heterocyclic scaffolds in the design and discovery of the much-awaited anti-SARS CoV-2 therapy, by exploring the research articles depicting different heterocyclic moieties as targeting SARS, MERS and SARS CoV-2 coronaviruses. The heterocyclic motifs mentioned in the review can serve as crucial resources for the development of SARS coronaviruses treatment strategies.

Background: During past decades, liposomes have emerged as efficient carriers for drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, nutrients and other bioactive agents. Liposomes, the spherical vesicles consisting of phospholipids bilayer have the ability to encapsulate both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs. Extensive studies have been done in the past for investigating a number of drugs and genes for controlled release with liposomal formulation. Liposomes have also been investigated for their use in cancer treatment. Liposomes offer various advantages because of their biocompatible, biodegradable, nontoxic and non-immunogenic nature. Methods: Liposomes have cell-specific targeting with important applications in the fields of nanotechnology like cancer therapy, diagnosis, gene delivery, cosmetics, agriculture and in food technology. They are prepared by various methods like sonication method, ethanol injection method, lipid film hydration method, micro-emulsion method. Conclusion: This review will provide an overview of classification, the various formulation methods, characterization, patented formulations and applications of liposomes with future prospects.

Background: Due to various limitations in conventional drug delivery system, it is important to focus on the target-specific drug delivery system where we can deliver the drug without any degradation. Among various challenges faced by a formulation scientist, delivering the drug to its right site, in its right dose, is also an important aim. A focused drug transport aims to extend, localize, target and have a safe drug interaction with the diseased tissue. Objective: The aim of targeted drug delivery is to make the required amount of the drug available at its desired site of action. Drug targeting can be accomplished in a number ways that include enzyme mediation, pH-dependent release, use of special vehicles, receptor targeting among other mechanisms. Intelligently designed targeted drug delivery systems also offer the advantages of a low dose of the drug along with reduced side effects which ultimately improves patient compliance. Incidences of dose dumping and dosage form failure are negligible. A focused drug transport aims to have a safe drug interaction with the diseased tissue. Conclusion: This review focuses on the available targeting techniques for delivery to the colon, brain and other sites of interest. Overall, the article should make an excellent read for the researchers in this area. Newer drug targets may be identified and exploited for successful drug targeting.

Hydrogels are the biomaterials comprising network of natural or synthetic polymers capable of absorbing large amount of water. Hydrogels are "Smart Gels" or "Intelligent Gels" which can be made to respond to the various environmental conditions like temperature, pH, magnetic/electric field, ionic strength, inflammation, external stress etc. There are numerous potential applications of hydrogels in modern day life ranging from a diaper to gene delivery. This review succinctly describes the classification, properties and preparation methods along with numerous diverse applications of hydrogels like agricultural hydrogels, hydrogel for drug delivery, sensing, dental adhesives, wound healing and tissue regeneration, diet aid and gastric retention and in tissue engineering etc. Hydrogels can be regarded as highly valuable biomaterials for human-beings.

The current investigation was carried out to determine the possible phytocomponents present in the different extracts of Shorea robusta using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The dried powdered resin of Shorea robusta was extracted exhaustively by Soxhlet apparatus with different solvents such as methanol, ethanol and chloroform. The prepared extracts were analyzed by GC-MS to identify and characterize the phytocomponents present in the crude extracts. Qualitative determination of different phytocomponents from crude extracts of Shorea robusta using GC-MS revealed different types of high and low molecular weight phytoconstituents with varying quantities present in each of the extracts. The GC-MS analysis provided a variety of peaks determining the presence of different compounds in various extracts of Shorea robusta namely Caryophyllene (1.50%), Caryophylline oxide (6.65%), Ledene oxide (11.17%), Calarene epoxide (5.15%), Alloaromadendrene oxide-(1) (8.72%), Beta-amyrin (7.99%), Alpha-amyrin (1.40%), Cycloisolongifolene (2.54%), Isolongifolene (4.73%), Silane (2.64%). The three extracts possess major phytoconstituents that were identified and characterized spectroscopically. The abundance of phytoconstituents was found to decrease in the order: methanol extract>ethanol extract>chloroform extract.

A sizeable proportion of currently marketed drugs come from heterocycles. The heterocyclic moiety 5-pyrazolone is well known five membered ring containing nitrogen. Derivatives of this wonder nucleus have exhibited activities as diverse as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antiviral, antitubercular, antioxidant, anticancer and antiviral including action against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or 3C protease inhibitor. A number of drugs based on this motif have already made it to the market. Standard texts and literature on medicinal chemistry cite different approaches for the synthesis of 5-pyrazolones. The present review provides an insight view to 5-pyrazolone synthesis, their biological profile and structure activity relationship studies.