Food additivesare substances that have long been applied in processed foods, either natural or synthetic. Several purposes have been fulfilled by the application of food additives, the two most notable of which are known to be preventing food spoilage and providing specific colors and flavors. Some food additives are added to food products through direct contact, whereas the rest are added indirectly e.g., through their packaging bags. In addition to the economic and commercial benefits provided by food additives, over the past two decades, studies have demonstrated a significant correlation between excessive consumption of the foods containing such additives (e.g., BHA and BHT) and several adverse health effects, e.g., the incidence of cancer and skin conditions, among others. Through different age groups, children have been found to be the population at the highest risk for such adverse effects induced by food additives. Indeed, it has been reported that food additives may give rise to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among the child population. Emerging evidence has shown that emulsifiers (e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose and polysorbate), employed as food additives, might alter gut microbiota composition, leading to ulcerative colitis, affecting immune and inflammatory responses, and mental health problems. Therefore, in this review, alongside the beneficial impact of food additives, their adverse health effects as well as their acceptable daily intake have been investigated. Manuscript profile

Multi-target drugs are a class of hybrid compounds that can act on multiple targets and diseases simultaneously. These drugs have the potential to treat a range of disorders including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cancer. This review aims to assess the efficacy of acridine- and tacrine-based multi-target hybrid drugs for the treatment of various diseases. In December 2022, a systematic literature search was conducted using "acridine," "tacrine," "multi-target agent, "and "multi-factorial diseases" along with their synonyms. According to the findings, acridine-based conjugates exhibited anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties by directly inhibiting α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase, and by binding to DNA, topoisomerases, histone deacetylase, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. The results suggest that acridine- and tacrine-based hybrid complexes have the potential to serve as promising multi-target agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, neurological disorders, diabetes, and cancer. Overall, these compounds offer a new approach to drug development by targeting multiple disease pathways with a single agent. In conclusion, the use of multi-target drugs could potentially lead to improved therapeutic outcomes with fewer side effects, making them a promising area of research for the treatment of complex diseases. Keywords for this review include acridine, tacrine, multi-factorial diseases, and multi-target drugs. Manuscript profile