Pesticides are either natural or chemically synthesized compounds that are used to control a variety of pests. These chemical compounds are used in a variety of sectors like food, forestry, agriculture and aquaculture. Pesticides shows their toxicity into the living systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes them based on their detrimental effects, emphasizing the relevance of public health. The usage can be minimized to a least level by using them sparingly with a complete grasp of their categorization, which is beneficial to both human health and the environment. In this review, we have discussed pesticides with respect to their global scenarios, such as worldwide distribution and environmental impacts. Major literature focused on potential uses of pesticides, classification according to their properties and toxicity and their adverse effect on natural system (soil and aquatic), water, plants (growth, metabolism, genotypic and phenotypic changes and impact on plants defense system), human health (genetic alteration, cancer, allergies, and asthma), and preserve food products. We have also described eco-friendly management strategies for pesticides as a green solution, including bacterial degradation, myco-remediation, phytoremediation, and microalgae-based bioremediation. The microbes, using catabolic enzymes for degradation of pesticides and clean-up from the environment. This review shows the importance of finding potent microbes, novel genes, and biotechnological applications for pesticide waste management to create a sustainable environment.

Background: Carcinogens and co-carcinogens act in an additive, synergistic and antagonistic manner. Tobacco is the most common carcinogen related to oral cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of tobacco on the oral epithelium by evaluating genotoxic damage to cells as quantitated by micronuclei and also the alterations to the cell membrane were correlated by the measurement of free sialic acid and protein-bound sialic acid in saliva and in serum. Materials and Methods:Blood samples collected from 15 untreated oral squamous cell carcinoma patients, 15 patients with oral precancerous conditions, 15 tobacco chewers without clinically evident lesion and 15 non-tobacco chewers. Serum and salivary sialic acid levels both in free and bound form were measured spectrophotometrically. Smear was taken from the same patient from the suspicious site and assessment of micronuclei was done by acridine orange method. Conclusion:Micronuclei, serum and salivary sialic acid levels may be a good marker for prediction of premalignancy and oral squamous cell carcinoma transformation.

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In the present study we investigated the radioprotective activity of hydroalcoholic leaf extracts of Psidium guajava (P.G) against rats exposed to X rays. Exposure to ionizing radiation like X rays induces oxidative damage in normal tissues leading to their death or transforming them into cancerous tissues. To study the optimum dose of radioprotection, rats were administered with different doses (50,100,200,400 mg/kg body weight) of Psidium guajava leaf extracts daily for five consecutive days. One hour after last administration of leaf extracts the rats were treated with 6.6 Gy of x rays.200 mg/kg body weight was selected as an optimum dose for radioprotection based on survival analysis. Pretreatment of 200 mg/kg body weight of P.G leaf extract increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione and lowered the levels of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls and nitric oxide when compared to irradiated group in liver tissue homogenates. DNA damage indicators analyzed through comet assay showed a reduction in Olive tail movement and percentage DNA in tail significantly in P.G pretreated group when compared to irradiated group alone. Pretreatment of P.G leaf extract at a dose of 200mg/kg body weight protected cells from apoptosis which was analyzed microscopically by Ethidium bromide /Acridine orange staining. Our findings demonstrate the role of P.G leaf extract as a radio modulator in vivo, consequent to its powerful antioxidant activity in vitro and could be beneficial in combating radiation induced damage in living systems.

Flavonoids extracted from the leaves of Indian holy basil, Ocimum sanctum showed promising results as radioprotector in rodents. Hence it was thought pertinent to analyze the antioxidants of erythrocytes in oral cancer patients who were concurrently treated with radiation and ocimum flavonoids. Oral cancer patients consisted of 2 groups. Group A(n=17) received radiation alone while Group B(n=17) received radiation and ocimum flavonoids(OF). Samples of heparinised blood were collected prior to treatment, 15 and 30 days respectively after treatment. Blood from normal healthy volunteers were taken as controls (n=25). Erythrocytes were analyzed for the antioxidants viz. glutathione, glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase by the standard methods. Results of analysis indicated that erythrocytes from cancer patients (Group A and B) had significantly high glutathione levels before as well as after treatment compared to controls. It was observed that Group B which received OF showed a significant reduction in glutathione levels in comparison with Group A. All the other parameters showed no statistical significant changes.Results of the study suggest that enjthrocytes from cancer patients responded to oxidative stress by elevating glutathione levels, while a decrease in glutathione levels observed in Group B, could be due to the free radical scavenging effect of OF, sparing the glutathione. However OF did not seem to exert its effect on other antioxidants of erythrocytes.