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Every year, a huge amount of lethal compounds, such as synthetic dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, etc. are mass produced worldwide, which negatively affect soil, air, and water quality. At present, pesticides are used very frequently to meet the requirements of modernized agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that food production will increase by 80% by 2050 to keep up with the growing population, consequently pesticides will continue to play a role in agriculture. However, improper handling of these highly persistent chemicals leads to pollution of the environment and accumulation in food chain. These effects necessitate the development of technologies to eliminate or degrade these pollutants. Degradation of these compounds by physical and chemical processes is expensive and usually results in secondary compounds with higher toxicity. The biological strategies proposed for the degradation of these compounds are both cost-effective and eco-friendly. Microbes play an imperative role in the degradation of xenobiotic compounds that have toxic effects on the environment. This review on the fate of xenobiotic compounds in the environment presents cutting-edge insights and novel contributions in different fields. Microbial community dynamics in water bodies, genetic modification for enhanced pesticide degradation and the use of fungi for pharmaceutical removal, white-rot fungi's versatile ligninolytic enzymes and biodegradation potential are highlighted. Here we emphasize the factors influencing bioremediation, such as microbial interactions and carbon catabolism repression, along with a nuanced view of challenges and limitations. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive perspective on the bioremediation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are a major source of numerous therapeutic agents, and the emergence of pathogenic bacteria has rekindled interest in traditional medicine systems as an alternative approach to overcoming resistance. The dried plant material of four medicinal plants, namely Terminalia arjuna (bark), Terminalia bellirica (fruit), Aegle marmelos (leaves), and Bacopa monnieri (leaves), was powdered, and aqueous extracts were prepared. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against three clinically important strains: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli 385. As E. coli 385 was resistant to the broadest spectrum of antibiotics tested, it was classified as (MDR multi-drug resistant). E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, Mycobacterium smegmatis (MTTC), and Vibrio alginolyticus (ATCC) were also assessed using the agar well diffusion method for zones of inhibition and minimum inhibitory/bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC). Clinically important strains were found to be sensitive to the aqueous extract of T. bellerica (19.51 ± 0.61 mm) with MICs ranging from 0.31 to 0.62 mg/ml. The MDR strain was also sensitive to Bellirica monnieri (16.10 ± 0.31 mm) aqueous extract. To determine the potential for a wide range of applications, the antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. The T. arjuna plant extract exhibited the highest radical scavenging activity with the lowest EC50 values for DPPH (1.15 ± 0.061 mg/ml) and ABTS (1.02 ± 0.07 mg/ml). The plant extracts were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and LC-MS/MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination is the most suitable and persuasive healthcare program for the prohibition of various deadly diseases. However, the higher production cost and purification strategies are out of reach for the developing nations. In this scenario, development of edible vaccine turns out to be the most promising alternative for remodeling the pharmaceutical industry with reduced production and purification costs. Generally, oral route of vaccination is mostly preferred due to its safety, compliance, low manufacturing cost and most importantly the ability to induce immunity in both systemic and mucosal sites. Genetically modified microorganisms and plants could efficiently be used as vehicles for edible vaccines. Edible vaccines are supposed to reduce the risk associated with traditional vaccines. Currently, oral vaccines are available in the market for several viral and bacterial diseases like cholera, hepatitis B, malaria, rabies etc. Herein, the review focuses on the breakthrough events in the area of edible vaccines associated with dietary microbes and plants for better control over diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]