Biological nanocomposites are a valuable addition to the existing nanocomposite materials and eventually can substitute petroleum based composite materials in numerous applications due to their inherent advantages such as biodegradability, eco-friendliness, low cost and easy availability to name a few. Recently polymer-clay nanocomposites have achieved much more attention due to their enhanced properties such as size dispersion and significant enhancement in physico-chemical and mechanical properties in comparison to the pure polymer systems. Among various biopolymers, starch is one of the most abundant natural polymer on earth and is highly valuable due to its chemical and physical properties. Starch polymer has highly increased potential as an alternative to petroleum based materials. However, starch cannot be used alone and starch-clay nanocomposite have emerged as a new potential green sustainable materials. This article focuses on recent progress in starch based nanocomposites with particular emphasis on starch-clay nanocomposite preparation, properties and applications.

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Plants are the main source of medicine which is used in traditional as well as modern medicine in recent years for curing many diseases. Carissa edulis Vahl is one of the traditional plants which have healing property on diarrhea, toothache and chest pain. The present work aims on phytochemical, antioxidant and in vitro cytotoxicity test of C. edulis dried fruits. The different solvent extracts obtained from petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, chloroform, ethanol and water have been evaluated the presence of phytochemicals. Several assays were carried out like total antioxidant, DPPH, reducing power and thiobarbituric acid to investigate the free radical scavenging property. In addition, the cytotoxicity study also carried out on human lung cancer cells (A549). Among different solvent extract, ethanol exhibited strong antioxidant activity. Additionally, the in vitro cytotoxicity test of C. edulis on human lung cancer cell (A549) showed IC50 value 405.704 ± 2.42 μg/mL. Therefore, C. edulis could be useful as a potential preventive intervention for free radicals mediated diseases as well as an antioxidant drug in the pharmaceutical industry.