Increased problems associated with side effects and microbial resistance of chemical drugs have promoted the research focus of herbs and herbs-based medicines as renewed interest. The present study studied the antifungal potential of Hypericum scabrum (H. scabrum), Salvia multicaulis (S. multicaulis) plants and their derived sustainable NCs against dermayophyton species. These plants were used as free-toxic solvent media and phytogradiant reductants to fabricate nanoformulations as alternative antimycotic drugs. Analysis of antifungal activity showed a noticeable inhibition of the trychophyton mycelial growth when cultured on SDA mixed with different doses of the plant extract, particularly 50% H. scabrum that stopped mycelial growth of  T. mentagrophytes  and T. verrcuosum thoroughly after 10-day incubation by of 100 % MGI, followed by Ag@Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ with particle size around 20 to 60 nm,  that record ( 67.64 and 63,.33 % of MGI) by 50 µg ml⁻¹ application respectively. The lowest effect of  H. scabrum and Ag@Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ at high concentrations was against T. simii (44.44 % and 16 % MGI). The maximum antifungal activity of 50 % Salvia multicaulis and 50 µg ml⁻¹ CuO@SiO₂ NC with an average diameter of 60 nm was found against T. mentagrophytes and T. verrcuosum with (66.66 and 51.47 % MGI), respectively, while the minimum activity was found against T. quinckeanum and T. simii (33.33 and 13.33 % MGI), respectively. Thus, these plant extracts and NCs could be used to develop a new medication for dermatophytosis. 

The need for photodynamic therapy is increasing with the rise of skin cancer melanoma detection. However, low penetration depth of light in the UV range and higher scattering of skin tissues cause harsh clinical practices and reduced irradiance for the activation of chemicals such as photosensitizers to facilitate cell necrosis of malignant tumors. In this paper, a tunable microlens integrated on a microneedle array is designed for variable focusing to reduce melanomas at multiple sites with an improved intensity for reactive oxygen species production. A light distribution of 36% percent of the input intensity is achieved at the targeted distance of 4.35 mm for blue light. Red light attained a light distribution of 13% of the input intensity at a targeted distance of 6.5 mm. Designing such a light, delivery-based in-vivo biomedical device is of extreme importance for photodynamic therapy of skin cancer on and beyond the epidermal tissue layer.

The cell-free culture filtrate (CF) of Aspergillus flavus GGRK1 could mediate the synthesis of silver nanoparticles using silver nitrate. Extracellular extract of Aspergillus flavus GGRK1 was a significant reductant for the reduction of silver nanoparticles due to presence of metabolites or other bioactive compounds. After the reduction of Ag (I) ions to Ag by the fungal CF, a dark brown color was obtained which indicated the biosynthesis of AgNPs. The maximum AgNPs were synthesized at the CCD-optimized condition of AgNO₃ conc. of 4.189 mM, CFC 0.905 mL, and reaction time 8.17 h. The biosynthesized AgNPs had a zeta size of 119.4 nm diameter. The FTIR study revealed the significant efficacy of functional groups associated with the biosynthesized AgNPs. Additionally, the XRD study revealed a crystalline nature of biosynthesized AgNPs along very good correlation with FCC lattice. The biosynthesized nanoparticles showed significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. As a result, the maximum ZOI was obtained at 150 µl/ml against all the tested organisms such as B. subtilis MTCC 121, S. aureus MTCC 96, E coli MTCC 443 and P. aeruginosa MTCC 424 with 18 mm, 20 mm, 14 mm, and 18 mm, respectively.

This review article is concerned with the environmentally benign manufacturing of nanoparticles using microorganisms, particularly fungi. To create nanoparticles, scientists and researchers have Used a variety of physical and chemical processes and procedures. However, these types of nanoparticles are not environmentally friendly and frequently allow for the release of hazardous substances, which could have a negative impact on both humans and the environment. As a result, it is crucial to develop affordable and eco-friendly nanoparticle synthesis techniques and adopt green syntheses by utilizing natural microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, algae, etc.  Fungi are the main focus for shaping these materials into nanoparticles since they can help cut processing time and manufacture nanoparticles in the proper size and form. They are the favored biological materials as the synthesized nanoparticles are non-toxic, thus energy efficiency is improved along with reduced environmental pollution. This is also the main justification for using fungal microorganisms in the synthesis of nanoparticles to produce ideal and non-toxic materials, which can assist in lessening the effects on the environment, improving energy efficiency, and reducing environmental pollution. The biological mechanism by which fungi synthesize iron nanoparticles, the development of diverse forms of iron nanoparticles by fungi, and the use of novel nanoparticles in the currently emerging industry are the main focus of this review.

 In this study, the detailed phytochemical composition of two medicinal plants was investigated and their importance in silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesis was highlighted. Aqueous extracts from the leaves of both plants were used for various analytical techniques, including UV-vis spectroscopy, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thin layer chromatography (TLC). Quantification of total phenolics and flavonoids in different fractions of plant extracts revealed significant concentrations. TLC profiling showed a higher abundance of free phenolic and flavonoid compounds compared to bound forms in both plants, suggesting that they contribute significantly to total phenolic and flavonoid content. UV-vis spectra from 200 to 600 nm revealed the presence of aromatic rings and chromophores in leaf extracts. Furthermore, the GC-MS analysis identified several bioactive compounds, some of which were found to be common between these two species. The results demonstrate that various bioactive compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, carotenoids and terpenoids were present in these plant species. These compounds efficiently serve as both reducing and stabilizing agents during phytofabrication of AgNPs, consequently eliminating the need for the use of hazardous chemicals.

Colon cancer ranked second in terms of incidence in the world, yearly it shows an increase in the tendency of mortality. It is estimated that by the year 2035 total number of deaths will increase by 75 %. The treatment of cancer includes surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, however, they are limited due to their targeted therapeutic potential and side effects. In the case of a conventional drug delivery system, it is desired that the drug delivery system should be able to protect the therapeutic from degradation and safety target to the desired site. Cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (NS) are a versatile platform for colon cancer treatment, surpassing the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. Nanosponge offers several advantages such as improved drug solubility, enhanced stability, targeted delivery, and potential for combination therapy due to its highly cross-linked structure. The fabrication of NS includes the use of biopolymers for the controlled release of drugs from pores through diffusion. These pores can efficiently encapsulate a wide range of therapeutic agents, enabling regulated release, and addressing challenges associated with poor solubility and limited stability of drugs used in the management of colon cancer. Additionally, their functionalization enables targeted drug delivery to colon cancer cells, minimizing off-target effects. Though several benefits are associated with NS, further research is needed to address regulatory considerations and scale up NS for translation into clinical practice. Overall, cyclodextrin-based NS holds promise in revolutionizing colon cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes.

Ketoconazole (KTZ) is a commonly prescribed antifungal drug used to treat several tropical and systemic fungus infections. The topical bioavailability of KTZ is limited due to extremely low water solubility and high molecular weight. The present investigation aimed to develop a ketoconazole nanocrystals formulation to improve the biomimetic attributes. The ketoconazole nanocrystals were prepared using a top-down media milling technique with a size of less than 800 nm and a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.434. The simplex lattice design was used to further investigate the effect of change in the proportion of different stabilizers on critical product attributes such as particle size and PDI. The result of the in vitro drug release and anti-fungal study proved the superiority of the optimized KTZ nanocrystal in inhibiting fungal infection and suspension of pure drug. The optimized nanocrystals entrapped within Carbopol-934P gel had higher permeability through cellulose membrane compared, to the marketed product (2 % ketoconazole % w/w Ketodoc Cream®) with sustained release for 24 h. Moreover, the release profile indicated diffusion-controlled release from gel following Korsmeyer-Peppas. The present investigation successfully demonstrated the application of simplex lattice design and desirability function in optimizing ketoconazole nanocrystals to improve its transdermal application.