Cancer is a very risky life-threatening disease having most formidable afflictions in the world. Several anticancer agents are commercially accessible, however, the emergence of acquired drug resistance along with extreme adverse effects of these clinically used anticancer medications are major barriers to the effective chemotherapy. Thus, it is recommended to rationally design the newer drugs with few side effects. Fluoroquinolone derivatives are of pivotal interest for researchers due to their admirable pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles. They exhibit several favourable characteristics including, higher bioavailability, excellent tissue penetration and relatively low prevalence of adverse and toxic effects. Due to their potential interventions in carcinogenesis and mutagenesis, the focus of the area of research is nowadays shifting towards anticancer aspects of these compounds. This review shows the recent advancements in the development of novel fluoroquinolones as potential anticancer and cytotoxic agents and structure-activity relationships along with the possible modes of action for further development and recent patents filed/granted related to anticancer activity from the last few years have also been tabulated. Also, this review is an attempt to focus on the various upcoming aspects of fluo-roquinolones and provides a newer outlook on the possible roles of fluoroquinolones in the treatment of cancer. Scientific information identified in this paper is expected to be useful for aspiring researchers working on the anticancer activity of fluoroquinolones.

Phytochemicals from Elaeis guineensis shell waste can be a source of starting materials in pharmaceutical and food processing industries. Since time immemorial, truckload of Elaeis guineensis shell are being treated as solid waste and the wasted shells are sometimes used by traditional herbalist who believe in the superstition working power of the shell in the treatment of some illness which is attributed to god of Satan (esu) in Southwest geopolitical zone in Nigeria. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition of the methanolic extract of Elaeis guineensis shell waste for the presence of active phytochemicals and to scientifically validate its medicinal actions which was misunderstood by traditional herbalist based on superstition. The result of the phytochemical analysis in this present study revealed the presence of phenolics (11.4 ± 0.2g/100g), flavonoids (5.67 ± 0.23 g/100g), tannins (6.67 ± 0.12 g/100g), terpenoids (4.53 ± 0.12 g/100g), saponins (1.99 ± 0.01 g/100g) and alkaloids (1.81 ± 0.03 g/100g). Quantitatively, the phenolics content was found to be the highest (11.4 ± 0.2g/100g) in the sample while the alkaloids content was the least (1.81 ± 0.03 g/100g). Thus, our finding nullifies the traditional herbalist superstitious believe about Elaeis guineensis shell waste and suggests a baseline information that ethanolic shell extract of Elaeis guineensis contain phytochemicals that possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties and the extract could possibly be used in the management of wound in traditional medicine because of the key functions of those phytochemicals reported in the past and present documented literatures. The ultimate utilization of this shell waste should be encouraged in order to enhance solid waste management as well as pollution control and thus converting waste to estimable material.

Spilanthes acmella, a well known antitoothache plant with high medicinal usages, has been recognized as an important medicinal plant and has an increasingly high demand worldwide. From its traditional uses in health care and food, extensive phytochemical studies have been reported. This review provides an overview and general description of the plant species, bio-active metabolites and important pharmacological activities including the preparation, purification and in vitro large-scale production. Structure-activity relationships of the bioactive compounds have been discussed. Considering data from the literature, it could be demonstrated that S. acmella possesses diverse bioactive properties and immense utilization in medicine, health care, cosmetics and as health supplements. As a health food, it is enriched with high therapeutic value with high potential for further development.

Agave species has been used from an ancient era for the production of fiber and alcohol, however apart from the fibre, Agave species especially A. sisalana is rich in the phytoconstituents responsible for the potent medicinal activities. An attempt is made to emphasize the reported phytochemicals and therapeutic utilization of Agave sisalana plant with some of its other beneficial uses globally.

History shows that metal-based drugs and remedies have been known and used since very ancient times.For example, silver was employed in the treatment of wounds and ulcers according to the Greek physicianHippocrates, but its antimicrobial properties had probably been recognized long before because it wasused to make vessels for storing liquids in pure form. The ancient Egyptians also knew how to sterilizewater with copper. The medical use of gold can be dated back to 2500 B.C. in China. However, the new eraof metal-based medicine started almost 50 years ago when cisplatin was shown to inhibit cellular divisionin Escherichia coli, thereby leading to the first studies of its antitumor activity in rats and its assessmentas one of the most powerful drugs for use against different types of cancer, although many other novelmetal-based drugs are promising and they are attracting growing attention in modern clinical medicine.Gold salts and arsenic compounds have been in use for decades in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritisand syphilis, respectively, but studies of cisplatin have definitely shifted the attention of researchers to thepool of transition “heavy” metals as potential therapeutic agents. Rhodium, iridium, palladium, osmium,and the other so-called noble elements have been the subjects of intensive investigations, thereby leadingto the production of a series of complex compounds with remarkable anticancer activities, as well asantirheumatic, antimalarial, and antimicrobial drugs. The number of published studies in this field ishuge and they have already been the subjects of careful review. In this review, we provide a detailedaccount of the latest results (2010–2013) and their potential uses in the cure of severe diseases.

Recent evidence highlights that energy requirements of cancer cells vary greatly from normal cells and they exhibit different metabolic phenotypes with variable participation of both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Interestingly, mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) has been identified as an essential component in bioenerget-ics, biosynthesis and redox control during proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. This dependence converts ETC of cancer cells in a promising target to design small molecules with anti-cancer actions. Several small molecules have been described as ETC inhibitors with different consequences on mitochondrial bioenergetics, viability and proliferation of cancer cells, when the substrate availability is controlled to favor either the glycolytic or OXPHOS pathway. These ETC inhibitors can be grouped as 1) inhibitors of a respiratory complex (e.g. rotenoids, vanilloids, alkaloids, biguanides and polyphenols), 2) inhibitors of several respiratory complexes (e.g. capsaicin, ME-344 and epigallocatechin-3 gallate) and 3) inhibitors of ETC activity (e.g. elesclomol and VLX600). Although pharmacological ETC inhibition may produce cell death and a decrease of proliferation of cancer cells, factors such as degree of inhibition of ETC activity by small molecules, bioenergetic profile and metabolic flexibility of different cancer types or subpopulations of cells in a particular cancer type, can affect the impact of the anti-cancer actions. Particularly interesting are the adap-tive mechanisms induced by ETC inhibition, such as induction of glutamine-dependent reductive carboxylation, which may offer a strategy to sensitize cancer cells to inhibitors of glutamine metabolism.

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Family: Solanaceae, commonly known as Ashwagandha, English name: Winter cherry) is an important perennial plant species with immense therapeutic uses in traditional as well as modern system of medicine (Datta et.al., 2010). Due to restorative property of roots, the species is also known as ‘Winter cherry’(Tripathi, et.al., 1996; Andallu & Radhika, 2000, Winters, 2006). The Indian Himalayan region (BHR), one of the richest reservoirs of biological diversity in the world, is undergoing irrational extraction of wild, medicinal herbs, thus endangering many of its high value gene stock. Withonia somnifera L. (Dunal) is a member of solanaceae, also known for thousands of years by Ayurvedic practitioners. Withania somnifera root contains flavonoids, alkaloids, steroid and many active functional ingredients (Kumar, et.al., 2015). Withania sominifera having small white flowers mainly in rainy and winter seasons that can be develop into fruit during the winter seasons. Plants products can be obtained from the roots, leaves, and branches, by using many different biological techniques. Withania which is also known as Ashwagandha having effective property can also used in blends and supplements which are designed to show many multiple effects. It is described as an herbal tonic and health food in Vedas and considered as ‘Indian Ginseng’ in traditional Indian system of medicine (Singh, et.al., 2001).
Key words: Winter cherry, perennial plant, Winter cherry, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroid, herbal tonic, biological diversity etc.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is frequently associated with hippocampal sclerosis, possibly caused by a primary brain injury that occurred a long time before the appearance of neurological symptoms. This type of epilepsy is characterized by refractoriness to drug treatment, so to require surgical resection of mesial temporal regions involved in seizure onset. Even this last therapeutic approach may fail in giving relief to patients. Although prevention of hippocampal damage and epileptogenesis after a primary event could be a key innovative approach to TLE, the lack of clear data on the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to TLE does not allow any rational therapy. Here we address the current knowledge on mechanisms supposed to be involved in epileptogenesis, as well as on the possible innovative treatments that may lead to a preventive approach. Besides loss of principal neurons and of specific interneurons, network rearrangement caused by axonal sprouting and neurogenesis are well known phenomena that are integrated by changes in receptor and channel functioning and modifications in other cellular components. In particular, a growing body of evidence from the study of animal models suggests that disruption of vascular and astrocytic components of the blood-brain barrier takes place in injured brain regions such as the hippocampus and piriform cortex. These events may be counteracted by drugs able to prevent damage to the vascular component, as in the case of the growth hormone secretagogue ghrelin and its analogues. A thoroughly investigation on these new pharmacological tools may lead to design effective preventive therapies. followed by pharmacoresistant subjects ( 2190/patient). Using another standardized assessment index, the international dollar purchasing power parities, candidates to neurosurgery are 25% of all cases and account for $5401, whereas patients affected by pharmacoresistance are 20% of all cases and account for $3010. In Italy, it has been estimated that 16% of the total direct costs for antiepileptic drugs is on newly diagnosed epilepsy, 41% on patients with seizure remission, 58% on patients with occasional seizures, and 77% on patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy [1]. For these reasons, pharmacoresistant TLE represents large part of costs required to the health system in order to assist patients affected by epilepsy.