Purpose: Although chemotherapy and radiotherapy are effective in cancer treatment, different adverse effects induced by these therapeutic modalities (such as ototoxicity) restrict their clinical use. Co-treatment of melatonin may alleviate the chemotherapy/radiotherapy-induced ototoxicity. In the present study, the otoprotective potentials of melatonin against the ototoxicity induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy were reviewed. Methods: According to the PRISMA guideline, a systematic search was carried out to identify all relevant studies on “the role of melatonin against ototoxic damage associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy” in the different electronic databases up to September 2022. Sixty-seven articles were screened based on a predefined set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Seven eligible studies were finally included in this review. Results: The in vitro findings showed that cisplatin chemotherapy significantly decreased the auditory cell viability compared to the control group; in contrast, the melatonin co-administration increased the cell viability of cisplatin-treated cells. The results obtained from the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests demonstrated a decreased amplitude of DPOAE and increased values of ABR I-IV interval and ABR threshold in mice/rats receiving radiotherapy and cisplatin; nevertheless, melatonin co-treatment indicated an opposite pattern on these evaluated parameters. It was also found that cisplatin and radiotherapy could significantly induce the histological and biochemical changes in the auditory cells/tissue. However, melatonin co-treatment resulted in alleviating the cisplatin/radiotherapy-induced biochemical and histological changes. Conclusion: According to the findings, it was shown that melatonin co-treatment alleviates the ototoxic damage induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Mechanically, melatonin may exert its otoprotective effects via its anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities and other mechanisms.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a clinically important pathogenic microbe in hospitalized patients. It is a major cause of mortality and morbidity having a number of mechanisms that make it antibiotic resistant. Considering the dearth of antimicrobial drugs to treat infection with this pathogen, it has become a necessity to open up new arena for treatment with this organism. Recently, there has been an up rise in the number of multidrug resistant pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Objective: Isolation and identification of multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa from wound specimens and to evaluate the antibiotic resistant strains of this microbe. Methodology: One hundred and fifty clinical samples of wound were taken from hospitalized patients at Jinnah hospital Lahore during the period of October 2019 to April 2020. In total, twenty (20) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were identified using the cultural features, morphological characteristics and various biochemical tests plus the Vitek 2 system. Blue/green, brown /blue and yellow/green pigment production showed the presence and growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results: Percentage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in females came out to be 15% as compared to 11.42% in males. This was followed by testing susceptibility of isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to various antimicrobial drugs. Piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem showed the highest efficacy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Highest resistance was exhibited against trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole which was 75%. Conclusion: Most isolates showed multidrug resistance to four or more drugs. Development of multidrug resistance has emerged as a global problem with pathogens commonly causing infections becoming increasingly resistant to antimicrobial agents.

Fungi are eukaryotes with many functions. Earlier, fungi were classified in the plant kingdom but were later classified as a separate kingdom due to their unique cell walls. Fungi are heterotrophs like animals and are more closely related to animals. The perception of fungi is inconspicuous due to their small sizes and their ability to grow symbiotically in plants, animals, other fungi, and parasites. Fungi are used for their nutrition, fermentation potential, and bactericidal potential. However, fungi are also toxic due to certain bioactive compounds known as mycotoxins. Candida and Aspergillus are invasive species that contribute to a high percentage of mycoses in oncological and haematological patients. The mortality rate due to invasive aspergillosis and candidiasis is high, at 4% and 2%, respectively. In the agriculture sector, a significant contributor to damage to crops globally is the invasion of filamentous fungi. Fungi invasion destroys over 125 million tons of wheat, rice, soybeans, potatoes, and maize annually. If prevented, 600 million people may be fed. Therefore, it is vital to consider the dual role of fungi, therapeutic, and pathogenic.

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