Curcumin is a bioactive compound that is extracted from Curcuma longa and that is known for its antimicrobial properties. Curcuminoids are the main constituents of curcumin that exhibit antioxidant properties. It has a broad spectrum of antibacterial actions against a wide range of bacteria, even those resistant to antibiotics. Curcumin has been shown to be effective against the microorganisms that are responsible for surgical infections and implant-related bone infections, primarily Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The efficacy of curcumin against Helicobacter pylori and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, alone or in combination with other classic antibiotics, is one of its most promising antibacterial effects. Curcumin is known to have antifungal action against numerous fungi that are responsible for a variety of infections, including dermatophytosis. Candidemia and candidiasis caused by Candida species have also been reported to be treated using curcumin. Life-threatening diseases and infections caused by viruses can be counteracted by curcumin, recognizing its antiviral potential. In combination therapy with other phytochemicals, curcumin shows synergistic effects, and this approach appears to be suitable for the eradication of antibiotic-resistant microbes and promising for achieving co-loaded antimicrobial pro-regenerative coatings for orthopedic implant biomaterials. Poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and rapid degradation are the main disadvantages of curcumin. The use of nanotechnologies for the delivery of curcumin could increase the prospects for its clinical application, mainly in orthopedics and other surgical scenarios. Curcumin-loaded nanoparticles revealed antimicrobial properties against S. aureus in periprosthetic joint infections.

Amidst to current Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the international pharmaceutical federation stated that pharmacists being a part of the healthcare system had a crucial role in the management cycle of COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of community pharmacists, to snapshot their current preparedness and awareness regarding COVID-19. An online survey was conducted among a sample of 393 community pharmacists from two provinces; Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during a period of strict lockdown (10th to 30th April 2020). A validated (Cronbach alpha= 0.077) self-administered questionnaire comprised of five sections (Demographics, source of information, knowledge, attitude, and practice) was used for data collection. Logistic regression was applied to find potential factors associated with good knowledge, attitude, and practice by using SPSS version 21. Of total 393 participants, 71.5% (n=281) had good knowledge, 44% (n=175) had positive attitude and 57.3% (n=225) had good practice regarding COVID-19. Social media (45.29%, n=178) was reported as the main source to seek information regarding COVID-19. Results revealed that the age of ≥26 years, Ph.D. degree level, and good knowledge were the substantial determinants (P<0.05) of a good attitude. Similarly, community pharmacist who had an experience of >5 years, hold a Ph.D. degree, good knowledge and good attitude had higher odds of good practice compared to reference categories (P<0.05). The findings demonstrated that the majority of community pharmacists had good knowledge, but had a poor attitude and practice towards the COVID-19. This study also highlighted the disparity in some aspects of knowledge, attitude, and practice that must be addressed in future educational, awareness, and counselling programs.

The efficacy of chemotherapy in cancer therapy is limited due to resistance, treatment selectivity, and severe adverse effects. Immunotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, and surgery are the most common therapeutic strategies for treatment, with chemotherapy being the most successful. Nonetheless, these treatments exhibit poor effectiveness due to toxicity and resistance. Therefore, combination therapies of natural products may be used as an effective and novel strategy to overcome such barriers. Cisplatin is a platinum‐based chemotherapy agent, and when administered alone, it can lead to severe adverse effects and resistance mechanism resulting in therapeutic failure. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound extracted from turmeric (Curcuma longa) exhibiting anticancer potential with minimal adverse effects. The combination therapy of curcumin and cisplatin is a novel strategy to mitigate/attenuate cisplatin‐related adverse effects and improve the barrier of resistance reducing unwanted effects. However, there are uncertainties on the efficacy of curcumin, and more in depth and high‐quality studies are needed. This review aims to explain the adverse effects related to individual cisplatin delivery, the positive outcome of individual curcumin delivery, and the combination therapy of curcumin and cisplatin from nano platform as a novel strategy for cancer therapy.