The Interplay of Genital Herpes with Cellular Processes: A Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Perspective

Genital herpes, primarily caused by herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), remains a pressing global health concern. Its remarkable ability to intertwine with cellular processes, from harnessing host machinery for replication to subverting antiviral defenses like autophagy and programmed cell death, exemplifies the intricate interplay at the heart of its pathogenesis. While the biomedical community has extensively researched antiviral interventions, the efficiency of these strategies in managing HSV-2 remains suboptimal. Recognizing this, attention has shifted toward leveraging host cellular components to regulate HSV-2 replication and influence the cell cycle. Furthermore, innovative interventional strategies—including drug repurposing, microbivacs, connecting the host microbiome, and exploiting natural secondary metabolites—are emerging as potential game changers. This review summarizes the key steps in HSV-2 pathogenesis and newly discovered cellular interactions, presenting the latest developments in the field, highlighting existing challenges, and offering a fresh perspective on HSV-2’s pathogenesis and the potential avenues for its treatment by targeting cellular proteins and pathways

Evaluation of Different Culture Media for Improvement in Bioinsecticides Production by Indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis and Their Application against Larvae of Aedes aegypti

Production of indigenous isolate Bacillus thuringiensis sv2 (Bt sv2) was checked on conventional and nonconventional carbon and nitrogen sources in shake flasks. The effects on the production of biomass, toxin production, and spore formation capability of mosquito toxic strain were determined. Toxicity differs within the same strain depending on the growth medium. Bt sv2 produced with pigeon pea and soya bean flour were found highly effective with LC50<4 ppm against larvae of Aedes aegypti. These results were comparable with bacteria produced from Luria broth as a reference medium. Cost-effective analyses have revealed that production of biopesticide from test media is highly economical. The cost of production of Bt sv2 with soya bean flour was significantly reduced by 23-fold. The use of nonconventional sources has yielded a new knowledge in this area as the process development aspects of biomass production have been neglected as an area of research. These studies are very important from the point of media optimization for economic production of Bacillus thuringiensis based insecticides in mosquito control programmes

Screening of Rubiaceae and Apocynaceae extracts for mosquito larvicidal potential

<div><p>Rubiaceae and Apocynaceae families are well known for the expression of cyclotides having insecticidal properties. Leaves and flowers extracts of plants from the families Rubiaceae (<i>Ixora coccinea</i>) and Apocynaceae (<i>Allamanda violacea</i>) were evaluated for mosquito larvicidal effect against early IVth instars of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Anopheles stephensi</i>. Two forms of plant extracts, one untreated and the other treated with heat and proteolytic enzyme were used for assay. After primary assay, the extract showing more than 50% inhibition was further used for quantification purpose. LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of all the extracts were found to be reduced with the treated form. Phytochemical analysis of plant extracts was performed. Primary confirmation for the presence of cyclotides was done by Lowry test, thin layer chromatography and haemolytic assay. This novel approach merits use of plant extracts in mosquito control programmes.</p></div

Maintenance of residual activity of Bt toxin by using natural and synthetic dyes: a novel approach for sustainable mosquito vector control

<div><p>Mosquito control protein from <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> gets inactivated with exposure to sunlight. To address this issue, the potential of synthetic and natural dye was investigated as sunlight protectants. Bt SV2 in absence of dyes when exposed to sunlight showed reduced effectiveness against the fourth instars of mosquito larvae. Whereas acriflavin, congo red and violacein were able to maintain 86.4%, 91.6% and 82.2% mosquito larvicidal efficacy of Bt SV2 against IVth instars larvae of <i>Anopheles stephensi</i> Meigen after exposure to sunlight. Similarly, beetroot dye, acriflavin, congo red and violacein maintained 98.4%, 97.1%, 90.8% and 70.7% larvicidal activities against <i>Aedes aegypti</i> Linnaeus after sunlight exposure. Prodigiosin was found to be the best photo-protectant by simultaneously protecting and enhancing Bt activity by 6.16% and 22.16% against <i>A. stephensi</i> and <i>A. aegypti</i>, respectively. Combination of dyes with Bt formulations can be a good strategy for mosquito control programmes in tropical and sub-tropical regions.</p></div

Potentiation of <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> by using some natural products: Novel preparations against dengue vector <i>Aedes aegypti</i> larvae

229-233Dengue fever is the fastest emerging arboviral infection causing millions of deaths all over the world. The eradication of vector Aedes aegypti, is an effective method of dengue control. Although various vector control agents like chemical pesticides are available, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is of major choice as a biocontrol agent due to its ecofriendly nature. In the present investigation, curcumin, plumbagin, camphor, rutin, quercetin, karanjin, and pongamal were used as Bt SV2 potentiating agents. It was observed that curcumin and rutin had very high LC50 values for fourth instar larvae of Ae. aegypti that indicates lower activity. Karanjincaused significantly high mortality at comparatively low dose (LC50 - 44.59 ppm). At the same timepongamal, plumbagin, and camphorcaused significant mortalityat low doses of LC50 61.18, 59.23, and 71.59 ppm,respectively

Potentiation of Bacillus thuringiensis by using some natural products: Novel preparations against dengue vector Aedes aegypti larvae

Dengue fever is the fastest emerging arboviral infection causing millions of deaths all over the world. The eradication of vector Aedes aegypti, is an effective method of dengue control. Although various vector control agents like chemical pesticides are available, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is of major choice as a biocontrol agent due to its ecofriendly nature. In the present investigation, curcumin, plumbagin, camphor, rutin, quercetin, karanjin, and pongamal were used as Bt SV2 potentiating agents. It was observed that curcumin and rutin had very high LC50 values for fourth instar larvae of Ae. aegypti that indicates lower activity. Karanjincaused significantly high mortality at comparatively low dose (LC50 - 44.59 ppm). At the same timepongamal, plumbagin, and camphorcaused significant mortalityat low doses of LC50 61.18, 59.23, and 71.59 ppm, respectively

Nematicidal activity of microbial pigment from <i>Serratia marcescens</i>

<div><p>Ineffectiveness of available nematicides and the high damage caused by plant-parasitic nematodes result in the urgent need to find some natural remedy for their control. Bioactivity of the pigment extracted from <i>Serratia marcescens</i> was screened for controlling nematodes at their juvenile stage. Test pigment was found effective against juvenile stages of <i>Radopholus similis</i> and <i>Meloidogyne javanica</i> at low concentrations (LC₅₀ values, 83 and 79 μg/mL, respectively) as compared with positive control of copper sulphate (LC₅₀ values, 380 and 280 μg/mL, respectively). The pigment also exhibited inhibition on nematode egg-hatching ability. Characterisation of extracted pigment with TLC, FTIR, HPLC, HPTLC and spectroscopic analysis confirmed the presence of prodigiosin as a bioactive metabolite. Considering the sensory mechanism of pathogen recognition by nematodes, the use of microbial secondary metabolites can be effective for nematode control rather than using whole organism.</p></div

Mosquito Larvicidal Potential of Gossypium hirsutum (Bt cotton) Leaves Extracts against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi larvae.

Background: We aimed to extract the ingredients from leaves of Gossypium hirsutum (Bt cotton) using different solvents and evaluate for potential use to control different larval stages of mosquito species, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative estimation of ingredients from Go. hirsutum (Bt) plant extract was carried out and their inhibitory action against mosquito larvae was determined using mosquito larvicidal assay. Results: LC50  values of water, ethanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extracts for Ae. aegypti were 211.73±21.49,241.64±19.92, 358.07±32.43, 401.03±36.19 and 232.56±26.00, 298.54±21.78, 366.50±30.59, 387.19±31.82 for 4th instar of An. stephensi, respectively. The water extract displayed lowest LC50 value followed by ethanol, ethyl acetate and hexane. Owing to the comparatively better activity of water extract, its efficacy was further evaluated for mos- quito larvicidal activity, which exhibited LC50  values of 133.95±12.79, 167.65±11.34 against 2nd  and 3rd  instars of Ae. aegypti and 145.48±11.76, 188.10±12.92 against 2nd and 3rd instars of An. stephensi, respectively. Crude protein from the water extract was precipitated using acetone and tested against 2nd, 3rd and 4th instars of Ae. aegypti and An. stephensi. It revealed further decrease in LC50 values as 105.72±25.84, 138.23±23.18, 126.19±25.65, 134.04±04 and 137.88±17.59, 154.25±16.98 for 2nd, 3rd and 4th instars of Ae. aegypti and An. stephensi, respectively. Conclusion: Leaves extracts of Go. hirsutum (Bt) is potential mosquito larvicide and can be used as a potent alter- native to chemical insecticides in integrated pest management