scholarly journals Can yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) be useful in protection against foodborne mutagens and food contaminants?

2021 ◽  
Vol 854 (1) ◽  
pp. 012067
Author(s):  
B Nikolic ◽  
D Mitic-Culafic ◽  
S Cvetkovic

Abstract Gentiana lutea is a wellknown and respected medicinal plant that is used in many pharmacopoeias, mainly against different gastrointestinal disorders. The plant is under protection regimes in its natural habitats and for that reason is grown on plantations. In addition, it could be cultivated in vitro. The plants grown on plantation and in in vitro conditions were used to prepare methanolic and 50% ethanolic extracts of root and leaf/shoot, which were tested for antigenotoxic and antibacterial properties, against foodborne mutagens (heterocyclic aromatic amines PhIP and IQ) and food contaminants, respectively. The results obtained pointed out the excellent genoprotective effect (up to 78% inhibition of PhIP/IQ genotoxicity) based mostly on the antioxidative potential. The antibacterial effect was mainly weak; only the extracts of in vitro grown plant induced moderate activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus (MICs ranged 0.15-5 mg/ml). In addition, the extracts’ potential to prevent biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes was very high (up to 90% inhibition). Taken together, the results obtained encourage further research that would be directed to the formulation of potent antigenotoxic and antibiofilm agents based on G. lutea.

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 219-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halyna Tkachenko ◽  
Lyudmyla Buyun ◽  
Elżbieta Terech-Majewska ◽  
Zbigniew Osadowski

Abstract The main goal of this study was to determine in vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts obtained from the leaves of various Ficus species against Aeromonas hydrophila isolated locally from infected rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) with the aim of providing scientific rationale for the use of the plant in the treatment of bacterial infections induced by Aeromonas spp. in fish. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done on Muller-Hinton agar with the disc diffusion method. In the present study, most ethanolic extracts proved effective against the A. hydrophila tested, with 10-12 mm inhibition zones observed. A. hydrophila demonstrated the highest susceptibility to F. pumila. Among various species of Ficus with moderate activity against A. hydrophila, the highest antibacterial activities were noted for F. benghalensis, F. benjamina, F. deltoidea, F. hispida, and F. lyrata. Thus, Ficus can be used as a natural antiseptic and antimicrobial agent in veterinary practice. Further investigations need to be conducted to isolate and identify the bioactive compounds that can then be subjected to detailed pharmacological studies and the development of clinical applications. The alarming rate of increasing resistance in bacterial pathogens in aquaculture environments means that medicinal plants with antibacterial properties are very important as natural resources of new active compounds.


1981 ◽  
Vol 45 (01) ◽  
pp. 038-042 ◽  
Author(s):  
M E Pogliani ◽  
R Fantasia ◽  
G Lambertenghi-Deliliers ◽  
E Cofrancesco

SummaryThe influence of Daunorubicin on some platelet functions in vitro was investigated, using different concentrations of the drug (0.01-0.02-0.04 μg/ml). Daunorubicin was shown to inhibit Collagen and Thrombin induced platelet aggregation and the intensity of inhibition depended on both drug concentration and the time of preincubation.Daunorubicin was also shown to inhibit the release reaction, the platelet prostaglandin pathway and the availability platelet factor 3; the drug at concentrations for clinical use does not damage the platelet membrane, as is the case with the freezing and thawing test, in platelet uptake of 14C-serotonin and as confirmed by the electron microscope. When very high doses (0.16 mg) of Daunorubicin are used, lysis of the platelets can be observed and this is confirmed under the electron microscope by the presence of empty platelets with fractures at the level of the cytoplasmic membrane.Finally, Daunorubicin causes irreversible inhibition of reptilase clot-retraction, even if this is less severe than with Vincristine. Working with gel-filtered platelets, it would appear that the inhibition exercised by the drug on platelet reactions is not caused through modifications in Ca++ metabolism.The authors suggest that Daunorubicin, at the dosages used clinically, induces in vitro thrombocytopathy without damaging the cellular membrane as confirmed by the electron microscope.This impairment of platelet functions could play a part in hemorrhagic diathesis observed during Daunorubicin therapy.


1982 ◽  
Vol 47 (03) ◽  
pp. 244-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
D P Thomas ◽  
Rosemary E Merton ◽  
T W Barrowcliffe ◽  
L Thunberg ◽  
U Lindahl

SummaryThe in vitro and in vivo characteristics of two oligosaccharide heparin fragments have been compared to those of unfractionated mucosal heparin. A decasaccharide fragment had essentially no activity by APTT or calcium thrombin time assays in vitro, but possessed very high specific activity by anti-Factor Xa assays. When injected into rabbits at doses of up to 80 ¼g/kg, this fragment was relatively ineffective in impairing stasis thrombosis despite producing high blood levels by anti-Xa assays. A 16-18 monosaccharide fragment had even higher specific activity (almost 2000 iu/mg) by chromogenic substrate anti-Xa assay, with minimal activity by APTT. When injected in vivo, this fragment gave low blood levels by APTT, very high anti-Xa levels, and was more effective in preventing thrombosis than the decasaccharide fragment. However, in comparison with unfractionated heparin, the 16-18 monosaccharide fragment was only partially effective in preventing thrombosis, despite producing much higher blood levels by anti-Xa assays.It is concluded that the high-affinity binding of a heparin fragment to antithrombin III does not by itself impair venous thrombogenesis, and that the anti-Factor Xa activity of heparin is only a partial expression of its therapeutic potential.


Author(s):  
Mashkura Ashrafi ◽  
Jakir Ahmed Chowdhury ◽  
Md Selim Reza

Capsules of different formulations were prepared by using a hydrophilic polymer, xanthan gum and a filler Ludipress. Metformin hydrochloride, which is an anti-diabetic agent, was used as a model drug here with the aim to formulate sustained release capsules. In the first 6 formulations, metformin hydrochloride and xanthan gum were used in different ratio. Later, Ludipress was added to the formulations in a percentage of 8% to 41%. The total procedure was carried out by physical mixing of the ingredients and filling in capsule shells of size ‘1’. As metformin hydrochloride is a highly water soluble drug, the dissolution test was done in 250 ml distilled water in a thermal shaker (Memmert) with a shaking speed of 50 rpm at 370C &plusmn 0.50C for 6 hours. After the dissolution, the data were treated with different kinetic models. The results found from the graphs and data show that the formulations follow the Higuchian release pattern as they showed correlation coefficients greater than 0.99 and the sustaining effect of the formulations was very high when the xanthan gum was used in a very high ratio with the drug. It was also investigated that the Ludipress extended the sustaining effect of the formulation to some extent. But after a certain period, Ludipress did not show any significant effect as the pores made by the xanthan gum network were already blocked. It is found here that when the metformin hydrochloride and the xanthan gum ratio was 1:1, showed a high percentage of drug release, i.e. 91.80% of drug was released after 6 hours. But With a xanthan gum and metformin hydrochloride ratio of 6:1, a very slow release of the drug was obtained. Only 66.68% of the drug was released after 6 hours. The percent loading in this case was 14%. Again, when Ludipress was used in high ratio, it was found to retard the release rate more prominently. Key words: Metformin Hydrochloride, Xanthan Gum, Controlled release capsule Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. Vol.4(1) 2005 The full text is of this article is available at the Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. website


Author(s):  
Devidas G. Anuse ◽  
Suraj N. Mali ◽  
Bapu R. Thorat ◽  
Ramesh S. Yamgar ◽  
Hemchandra K. Chaudhari

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is major global health problem, which is being rapidly deteriorating the quality of human health. Series of substituted N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-(4-(6-fluorobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-yl)piperidin-1-yl)acetamide (3a-j) were synthesized from substituted N-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-2-chloroacetamide/bromopropanamide (2a-j) and 6-fluoro-3-(piperidin-4-yl)benzo[d]isoxazole (2) and further evaluated for their docking properties and antimicrobial activity. Methods: All synthesized compounds were characterized by FT-IR, NMR and Mass spectral analysis. All compounds were allowed to dock against different antimicrobial targets having PDB ID: 1D7U and against common antifungal target having PDB ID: 1EA1. Results: The compounds 3d and 3h were showed good activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, resistance Gram-positive bacteria). All synthesized compounds showed good to moderate activity against selected bacterial and fungal microbial strains. If we compared the actual in-vitro antimicrobial activity and in-silico molecular docking study, we found that molecules 3i and 3h were more potent than the others. Conclusion: Our current study would definitely pave the new way towards designing and synthesis of more potent 2-aminobenzothiazoles derivatives.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1476-1489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy F. Cruz ◽  
Gerald A. Dienel

The concentration of glycogen, the major brain energy reserve localized mainly in astrocytes, is generally reported as about 2 or 3 μmol/g, but sometimes as high as 3.9 to 8 μmol/g, in normal rat brain. The authors found high but very different glycogen levels in two recent studies in which glycogen was determined by the routine amyloglucosidase procedure in 0.03N HCl digests either of frozen powders (4.8 to 6 μmol/g) or of ethanol-insoluble fractions (8 to 12 μmol/g). To evaluate the basis for these discrepant results, glycogen was assayed in parallel extracts of the same samples. Glycogen levels in ethanol extracts were twice those in 0.03N HCl digests, suggesting incomplete enzyme inactivation even with very careful thawing. The very high glycogen levels were biologically active and responsive to physiologic and pharmacological challenge. Glycogen levels fell after brief sensory stimulation, and metabolic labeling indicated its turnover under resting conditions. About 95% of the glycogen was degraded under in vitro ischemic conditions, and its “carbon equivalents” recovered mainly as glc, glc-P, and lactate. Resting glycogen stores were reduced by about 50% by chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase. Because neurotransmitters are known to stimulate glycogenolysis, stress or sensory activation due to animal handling and tissue-sampling procedures may stimulate glycogenolysis during an experiment, and glycogen lability during tissue sampling and extraction can further reduce glycogen levels. The very high glycogen levels in normal rat brain suggest an unrecognized role for astrocytic energy metabolism during brain activation.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3368
Author(s):  
Héloïse Côté ◽  
André Pichette ◽  
Alexis St-Gelais ◽  
Jean Legault

The use of growth-promoting antibiotics in livestock faces increasing scrutiny and opposition due to concerns about the increased occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Alternative solutions are being sought, and plants of Lamiaceae may provide an alternative to synthetic antibiotics in animal nutrition. In this study, we extracted essential oil from Monarda didyma, a member of the Lamiaceae family. We examined the chemical composition of the essential oil and then evaluated the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of M. didyma essential oil and its main compounds in vitro. We then evaluated the effectiveness of M. didyma essential oil in regard to growth performance, feed efficiency, and mortality in both mice and broilers. Carvacrol (49.03%) was the dominant compound in the essential oil extracts. M. didyma essential oil demonstrated antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli (MIC = 87 µg·mL−1), Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 47 µg·mL−1), and Clostridium perfringens (MIC = 35 µg·mL−1). Supplementing the diet of mice with essential oil at a concentration of 0.1% significantly increased body weight (+5.4%) and feed efficiency (+18.85%). In broilers, M. didyma essential oil significantly improved body weight gain (2.64%). Our results suggest that adding M. didyma essential oil to the diet of broilers offers a potential substitute for antibiotic growth promoters.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Nolwenn Hymery ◽  
Xavier Dauvergne ◽  
Halima Boussaden ◽  
Stéphane Cérantola ◽  
Dorothée Faugère ◽  
...  

Twelve halophyte species belonging to different families, widely represented along French Atlantic shoreline and commonly used in traditional medicine, were screened for protective activities against mycotoxins, in order to set out new promising sources of natural ingredients for feed applications. Selected halophytic species from diverse natural habitats were examined for their in vitro anti-mycotoxin activities, through viability evaluation of Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) and intestinal porcine enterocyte (IPEC-J2) cell lines. Besides, the in vitro antioxidant activities of plant extracts were assessed (total antioxidant and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-scavenging bioassays). Of the 12 species, Galium arenarium, Convolvulus soldanella and Eryngium campestre exhibited the most protective action on MDBK and IPEC-J2 cells against zearalenone (ZEN) or T2 toxin contamination (restoring about 75% of cell viability at 10 μg·mL−1) without inflammation response. They also had strong antioxidant capacities (Inhibitory concentration of 50% (IC50) < 100 μg·mL−1 for DPPH radical and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of 100 to 200 mg Ascorbic Acid Equivalent (AAE)·g−1 Dry Weight), suggesting that cell protection against intoxication involves antioxidant action. A bio-guided study showed that fractions of G. arenarium extract protect MDBK cells against T2 or ZEN toxicity and several major compounds like chlorogenic acid and asperuloside could be involved in this protective effect. Overall, our results show that the halophytes G. arenarium, C. soldanella and E. campestre should be considered further as new sources of ingredients for livestock feed with protective action against mycotoxin intoxication.


Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 845
Author(s):  
Candace Goodman ◽  
Katrina N. Lyon ◽  
Aitana Scotto ◽  
Cyra Smith ◽  
Thomas A. Sebrell ◽  
...  

Helicobacter pylori infection is commonly treated with a combination of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors. However, since H. pylori is becoming increasingly resistant to standard antibiotic regimens, novel treatment strategies are needed. Previous studies have demonstrated that black and red berries may have antibacterial properties. Therefore, we analyzed the antibacterial effects of black and red raspberries and blackberries on H. pylori. Freeze-dried powders and organic extracts from black and red raspberries and blackberries were prepared, and high-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure the concentrations of anthocyanins, which are considered the major active ingredients. To monitor antibiotic effects of the berry preparations on H. pylori, a high-throughput metabolic growth assay based on the Biolog system was developed and validated with the antibiotic metronidazole. Biocompatibility was analyzed using human gastric organoids. All berry preparations tested had significant bactericidal effects in vitro, with MIC90 values ranging from 0.49 to 4.17%. Antimicrobial activity was higher for extracts than powders and appeared to be independent of the anthocyanin concentration. Importantly, human gastric epithelial cell viability was not negatively impacted by black raspberry extract applied at the concentration required for complete bacterial growth inhibition. Our data suggest that black and red raspberry and blackberry extracts may have potential applications in the treatment and prevention of H. pylori infection but differ widely in their MICs. Moreover, we demonstrate that the Biolog metabolic assay is suitable for high-throughput antimicrobial susceptibility screening of H. pylori.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1934578X2098774
Author(s):  
Jinpeng Zou ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
Ruiwei Guo ◽  
Yu Tang ◽  
Zhengrong Shi ◽  
...  

The drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a worldwide problem due to its great threat to human health. A crude extract of Angelica dahurica has been proved to have antibacterial properties, which suggested that it may be able to inhibit the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa; initial exploration had shown that the crude extract could inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa effectively. After the adaptive dose of coumarin was confirmed to be a potential treatment for the bacteria’s drug resistance, “coumarin-antibiotic combination treatments” (3 coumarins—simple coumarin, imperatorin, and isoimperatorin—combined with 2 antibiotics—ampicillin and ceftazidime) were examined to determine their capability to inhibit P. aeruginosa. The final results showed that (1) coumarin with either ampicillin or ceftazidime significantly inhibited the biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa; (2) coumarin could directly destroy mature biofilms; and (3) the combination treatment can synergistically enhance the inhibition of biofilm formation, which could significantly reduce the usage of antibiotics and bacterial resistance. To sum up, a coumarin-antibiotic combination treatment may be a potential way to inhibit the biofilm growth of P. aeruginosa and provides a reference for antibiotic resistance treatment.


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