Browsing by Author "N. K. Dubey"

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Antifungal resistance in dermatophytes: Essential oil-based nanoformulations as new generation therapeutics against dermatophytes
(Academic Press, 2025) Arati Yadav; Kishor Kumar Paul; Monisha Soni; N. K. Dubey; Rajendra Prasad; Ragini Tilak; A. K. Dwivedy
Dermatophytosis is the most prevalent infection globally, affecting the stratum corneum of the skin, nails, and hair with a high recurrence rate. It transmits between humans and from humans to animals. Despite progress in medicine, its prevalence continues to increase. Therefore, current treatments, such as terbinafine, fluconazole, and other antifungal drugs, face challenges related to the emergence of fungal resistance, side effects, and toxicity associated with prolonged use, thereby highlighting the need for new therapeutic options. Medicinal plants are a never-ending source of bioactive chemicals, and their volatile and non-volatile extracts are widely acknowledged for therapeutic healthcare. Natural plant-derived products, especially essential oils (EOs) exhibit multiple modes of action that reduce the chances of resistance development in fungi. EOs have been reported as highly efficacious plant-based antifungals against different dermatophytes. Nanoencapsulation of EOs has emerged as an innovative strategy for maintaining and managing the volatile and reactive properties of EOs. The review presents current information on the emergence of resistance development in dermatophytes and investigates the potential of EOs and their nanoformulations as next-generation nano-therapeutics against dermatophytic infections. It also highlights advancements in nanosystems, along with findings from animal and clinical studies to improve treatment efficacy and address the limits of traditional therapy by combining diverse antifungal medicines with novel delivery methods. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd
Aromatherapy in combating human pathogens and diseases: Impact and prospects
(Har Krishan Bhalla and Sons, 2025) Monisha Soni; Manish Kumar Jha; Umakant Banjare; Arati Yadav; Prem Shankar Upadhyay; Deepak Kumar Gautam; N. K. Dubey; A. K. Dwivedy
The article deals with a comprehensive understanding of the origin, application, status quo, and therapeutic significance of aromatherapy and provides a better and more systematic understanding of the potential therapeutic effects of essential oils (EOs) as aromatherapeutants against human pathogens. EOs used in aromatherapy have significant therapeutic effects over physical, psychological, and behavioural problems in addition to having antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties. Looking into a large number of cases of antimicrobial resistance caused due to overuse and misuse of antibiotics, aromatherapy holds a promising future and vapours of different EOs can be used to treat human diseases. However, the lack of standardized formulations is the major obstacle in broad-scale application of aromatherapy. Hence, future research should focus on optimizing the best concentrations and delivery systems for EOs to ensure its efficacy and safety before using it as an aromatherapeutant. Through nanotechnology, more efficacious and cost effective nanoformulations of traditional aromatherapeutants may be prepared. The integration of aromatherapy with modern medicine will contribute greatly towards reshaping the existing health care system by increasing the collaboration between modern allopathy and certified aromatherapists. This may result in increased public interest and accessibility of aromatherapy around the globe. © 2025 Har Krishan Bhalla & Sons.
Chitosan-based Illicium verum Hook. f. essential oil nanoemulsion as an edible coating for shelf-life enhancement of custard apple
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Monisha Soni; Stanzin Deachen; Somenath K. Das; Arati Yadav; N. K. Dubey; A. K. Dwivedy
The present study aims to encapsulate Illicium verum essential oil (IVEO) into chitosan nanoemulsion (IVNPs) using different ratios of chitosan: IVEO (1:0, 1:0.2, 1:0.4, 1:0.6, 1:0.8, 1:1) through the ionic gelation approach and evaluate its efficacy as a novel coating agent with a unique delivery system to protect custard apples from fungi-mediated post-harvest biodeterioration and to enhance their shelf-life. The chitosan nanoemulsion and IVNPs were characterized using SEM, AFM, and DLS to observe their morphology, mean particle size, and polydispersity index. The results showed spherical nanocapsules with a uniform distribution. FTIR and XRD analysis showed effective loading of IVEO into IVNPs. The antifungal efficacy of IVEO against Aspergillus flavus (AFLHP-C3), A. luchuensis, A. niger, Fusarium chlamydosporum, Penicillium expansum, Colletotrichum acutatum, Curvularia lunata, and mycelia sterilia was enhanced after its encapsulation into the chitosan biomatrix (MIC values recorded as 0.1, 0.7, 0.8, 0.2, 0.8, 0.4, 0.25, 0.2 μL/mL, respectively). The fungal plasma membrane was detected as a potential target site of IVNPs. Furthermore, IVNPs coating (1:1) was able to preserve the rate of weight loss, pH, titrable acidity, total soluble solids, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05), and sensorial attributes of custard apples during post-harvest storage, thereby acting as a novel coating agent. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.
Nanoformulated essential oils against fungal and mycotoxin contamination of post-harvest commodities: A sustainable and consumer-friendly approach for food safety
(National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research, 2025) Shikha Tiwari; N. K. Dubey
Fungal and mycotoxin contaminations are one of the major threats to food security. Looking into the harmful effects of synthetic preservatives, consumers currently prefer to use safer alternatives for food preservation in order to enhance the shelf life of food commodities such as green preservatives. In this context, plant essential oils (EOs) and their bioactive components are gaining prime attention in food preservation to be used as green preservatives due to their broad bioactivity as well as biodegradable nature, favourable safety profile, diverse mode of action and recognition under Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) Category. The nanoencapsulation technique would effectively boost the large-scale application of essential oils as food preservatives through the controlled release of bioactive components. The present review presents the recommendations for essential oils and their nanoformulations as sustainable and consumer-friendly approach to ensuring food safety by reducing mould and mycotoxin contamination. © 2025, National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research. All rights reserved.
Rediscovery of presumed extinct Isoetes divyadarshanii (Isoetaceae—Lycopodiopsida) in India: New insight on its morphology, taxonomy and conservation status
(Magnolia Press, 2025) Sarvesh Kumar Singh; Daniel Francis Brunton; Pradeep Kumar Shukla; Paul Clayton Sokoloff; Santosh Kumar Shukla; Anant Prakash Patil; N. K. Dubey
A population of Isoetes divyadarshanii, a species previously known only from its type location in Maharashtra State, India and considered extinct since at least 2013, was discovered on the Sada Plateau in the Belagavi District of Karnataka state, India in October 2023. This represents a significant disjunction (over 465 km) from its type location into a different phytogeographic division of the Indian subcontinent. The new information provided by this discovery permits verification of critical elements of the original description. It also allows for an updated and more precise description of the morphology, ecology and taxonomy of this poorly understood taxon. A detailed morphological comparison with closely related taxa, especially I. udupiensis, is presented. The cytology of the new population is reported (2n = 2× = 22) and the IUCN conservation status criteria designation of the species is revised from Critically Endangered (Extinct) to Endangered. Finally, the phytogeographic implications of this new discovery are discussed. © © 2025 Magnolia Press.