scholarly journals An assessment of the evidence for antibacterial activity of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) extracts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freya Harrison ◽  
Jessica Furner-Pardoe ◽  
Erin Connelly
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Weak Acid ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
The Common ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

Stinging nettles (Urtica spp.) have been used in a diverse range of traditional and historical medicines from around the world for the treatment of skin diseases, wounds, urinary disorders, respiratory diseases, bone and joint pain, anaemia and other circulatory problems, as well as in cosmetic preparations for skin and haircare. As part of an interdisciplinary exploration of nettle-based remedies, we performed a systematic review of published evidence for the antimicrobial activity of Urtica spp. extracts against bacteria and fungi that commonly cause skin, soft tissue and respiratory infections. We focussed on studies in which minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays of U. dioica were conducted on the common bacterial opportunistic pathogens Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. No studies used fresh leaves (all were dried prior to use), and no studies prepared nettles in weak acid (corresponding to vinegar) or in fats/oils, which are common combinations in historical and traditional preparations. We addressed this gap by conducting new antibacterial tests of extracts of fresh U. dioica leaves prepared in vinegar, butter or olive oil against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Our systematic review and additional experimental data leads us to conclude that there is no strong evidence for nettles containing molecules with clinically useful antimicrobial activity. It seems most likely that the utility of nettles in traditional topical preparations for wounds may simply be as a "safe" absorbent medium for keeping antibacterial (vinegar) or emollient (oils) ingredients at the treatment site.

scholarly journals Central Nervous System Manifestations in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahrzad Nazari ◽  
Amirhossein Azari Jafari ◽  
Seyyedmohammadsadeq Mirmoeeni ◽  
Saeid Sadeghian ◽  
Mohammad Eghbal Heidari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Impaired Consciousness ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Common

Background: At the end of December 2019, a novel respiratory infection, initially reported in China, known as COVID-19 initially reported in China, and later known as COVID-19, led to a global pandemic. Despite many studies reporting respiratory infections as the primary manifestations of this illness, an increasing number of investigations have focused on the central nervous system (CNS) manifestations in COVID-19. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the CNS presentations in COVID-19 patients in an attempt to identify the common CNS features and provide a better overview to tackle this new pandemic. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Included studies were publications that reported the CNS features between January 1st, 2020, to April 20th, 2020. The data of selected studies were screened and extracted independently by four reviewers. Extracted data analyzed by using STATA statistical software. The study protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020184456). Results: Of 2353 retrieved studies, we selected 64 studies with 11282 patients after screening. Most of the studies were conducted in China (58 studies). The most common CNS symptom of COVID-19 were Headache (8.69%, 95%CI: 6.76%-10.82%), Dizziness (5.94%, 95%CI: 3.66%-8.22%), and Impaired consciousness (1.9%, 95%CI: 1%-2.79%). Conclusions: The growing number of studies have reported COVID-19, CNS presentations as remarkable manifestations that happen. Hence, understanding the CNS characteristics of COVID-19 can help us for better diagnosis and ultimately prevention of worse outcomes.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial Activity of Apple Cider Vinegar

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asma Saqib
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Medicinal Purpose ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Antifungal Activities ◽  
Apple Cider ◽  
Antibacterial And Antifungal Activities ◽  
Medicinal Properties ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi ◽  
Antibacterial And Antifungal

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in researching and developing new antimicrobial agents from various sources to combat microbial resistance. Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known as cider vinegar or ACV, is a type of vinegar made from cider or apple must and has a pale to medium amber color. Unpasteurized or organic ACV contains mother of vinegar. It has been used for medicinal purpose for thousands of years for its various medicinal properties. The antimicrobial activity of cider vinegar has been recognized but not investigated. It can be used as alternative to commercial antimicrobial agents. The present study aims at finding the antibacterial and antifungal activities of various dilutions of ACV against diverse range of bacteria and fungi to generate data for which little investigation exist.

scholarly journals Learning from Mistakes – a Case of Pediatric Patient with Recurrent Whitlow

Folia Medica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-480
Author(s):  
Vessela V. Raykova
Keyword(s):  
Herpes Simplex ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Herpes Simplex Virus Infection ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Unknown Origin ◽  
Typical Appearance ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi ◽  
Simplex Virus ◽  
Herpetic Whitlow

Background: Herpetic whitlow is a herpes simplex virus infection of the fingers or thumb characterized by erythema accompanied by painful non-purulent vesicles.  Aim: To draw attention to the typical appearance of herpetic whitlow and to distinguish it from bacterial infections and other skin diseases because of their different management. Materials and methods: The patient’s history, dermatological status, and scrapings from the vesicles were taken. The swabs were cultured for isolation of bacteria and fungi. DNA extraction and PCR were performed for detection of HSV.  Results: Repeated identical infections of the finger were found in the patients’ history, commonly associated with respiratory infections. The cultured swabs for bacterial or fungal detection remained negative. The scraping from vesicle used for viral detection showed positive HSV result. Conclusion: It is important to distinguish herpetic whitlow from infectious and skin diseases and to learn from yet done mistakes - the patient was previously diagnosed with bacterial whitlow, contact dermatitis and dermatitis of unknown origin.

scholarly journals Phytochemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils of Wild Growing Cistus species in Croatia

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1801300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivera Politeo ◽  
Ana Maravić ◽  
Franko Burčul ◽  
Ivana Carev ◽  
Jure Kamenjarin
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Essential Oils ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Folk Medicine ◽  
Antimicrobial Activities ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Phytochemical Composition ◽  
Ancient Times ◽  
Dose Dependent

Members of the Cistus genus have been traditionally used in folk medicine since ancient times as a remedy for various infections and diseases. In this paper essential oils of four wild growing Cistus species in Croatia were examined for their chemical composition and antimicrobial activity against both ATCC and multiple-resistant clinical strains of opportunistic pathogens associated with skin, nail, gastrointestinal, bloodstream and respiratory infections. The results showed that C. villosus and C. salviifolius essential oils have nonterpene compounds as dominant ones, particularly nonterpene acids and derivatives, while C. creticus and C. monspeliensis essential oils have labdane-type diterpene compounds as dominant ones. Tested Cistus oils have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities which are dose dependent. C. salviifolius and C. creticus oils were found to be the most potent ones, particularly against leading skin pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii and Candida albicans. The data presented here presented evidence for biological and aromatical potential of the Cistus essential oils for their further use in traditional medicine.

Laparoscopic Exploration of the Common Bile Duct: A Systematic Review of the Published Evidence Over the Last 10 Years

2020 ◽  
pp. 000313482094952
Author(s):  
Bertram Marks ◽  
Ahmad Al Samaraee
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Bile Duct ◽  
Common Bile Duct ◽  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Open Surgery ◽  
Bile Leak ◽  
Common Bile Duct Exploration ◽  
Duration Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
The Common

Introduction Endoscopic and open surgical interventions are widely implemented as the standard practice in common bile duct exploration. However, the laparoscopic approach has been also reported to have comparative/superior outcomes in this concept. This has created an ongoing debate about the ideal approach to adopt in practice. Methods A systematic review of the published evidence over the last decade that has looked into the outcomes of laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct through transductal and transcystic approaches. Results Our systematic review included 36 relevant papers. The majority were based on nonrandomized protocols conducted in single centers with high expertise. The data analysis showed that laparoscopic common bile duct exploration through both approaches was successful in more than 84% of the patients, with an average length of hospital stay of 5.6 days. Conversion to open surgery was reported in 5%-8% of the patients, and the bile leak rates from the more recent studies was 0%-12%, with mortality figures of 0%-1.3%. The outcomes were statistically in favor of the transcystic route when compared to the transductal route from the viewpoints of bile leak rates, mean operative time, duration of hospital stay and morbidity. Conclusion In experienced hands, both laparoscopic approaches in common bile duct exploration are safe in patients who are clinically fit to have this intervention. It is associated with a statistically significant lower overall morbidity and shorter duration of hospital stay when compared to open surgery. Relevant up-to-date high-quality randomized trials are unavailable.

Characteristics of the Frequency-Following Response to Speech in Neonates and Potential Applicability in Clinical Practice: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 1618-1635
Author(s):  
Céline Richard ◽  
Mary Lauren Neel ◽  
Arnaud Jeanvoine ◽  
Sharon Mc Connell ◽  
Alison Gehred ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽  
Frequency Following Response ◽  
Ovid Medline ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Mesh Terms ◽  
Potential Applicability ◽  
Clinical Potential

Purpose We sought to critically analyze and evaluate published evidence regarding feasibility and clinical potential for predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes of the frequency-following responses (FFRs) to speech recordings in neonates (birth to 28 days). Method A systematic search of MeSH terms in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied HealthLiterature, Embase, Google Scholar, Ovid Medline (R) and E-Pub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Daily, Web of Science, SCOPUS, COCHRANE Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed. Manual review of all items identified in the search was performed by two independent reviewers. Articles were evaluated based on the level of methodological quality and evidence according to the RTI item bank. Results Seven articles met inclusion criteria. None of the included studies reported neurodevelopmental outcomes past 3 months of age. Quality of the evidence ranged from moderate to high. Protocol variations were frequent. Conclusions Based on this systematic review, the FFR to speech can capture both temporal and spectral acoustic features in neonates. It can accurately be recorded in a fast and easy manner at the infant's bedside. However, at this time, further studies are needed to identify and validate which FFR features could be incorporated as an addition to standard evaluation of infant sound processing evaluation in subcortico-cortical networks. This review identifies the need for further research focused on identifying specific features of the neonatal FFRs, those with predictive value for early childhood outcomes to help guide targeted early speech and hearing interventions.

scholarly journals Antimicrobial metabolite profiling of Nigrospora sphaerica from Adiantum philippense L.

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kolathuru Puttamadaiah Ramesha ◽  
Nagabhushana Chandra Mohana ◽  
Bettadapura Rameshgowda Nuthan ◽  
Devaraju Rakshith ◽  
Sreedharamurthy Satish
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Xanthomonas Campestris ◽  
Fungal Endophytes ◽  
Leaf Segment ◽  
Spectroscopic Techniques ◽  
Biological Potential ◽  
Bioassay Guided Fractionation ◽  
Antimicrobial Metabolite ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi

Abstract Background Endophyte bestows beneficial aspects to its inhabiting host, along with a contribution to diverse structural attributes with biological potential. In this regard, antimicrobial profiling of fungal endophytes from medicinal plant Adiantum philippense revealed bioactive Nigrospora sphaerica from the leaf segment. Chemical and biological profiling through TLC–bioautography and hyphenated spectroscopic techniques confirmed the presence of phomalactone as an antimicrobial metabolite. Results The chemical investigation of the broth extract by bioassay-guided fractionation confirmed phomalactone as a bioactive antimicrobial secondary metabolite. The antimicrobial activity of phomalactone was found to be highest against Escherichia coli by disc diffusion assay. The MIC was found to be significant against both Escherichia coli and Xanthomonas campestris in the case of bacteria and dermatophyte Candida albicans at 150 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusions Overall, the results highlighted the antimicrobial potential of phomalactone from the endophyte Nigrospora sphaerica exhibiting a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against human and phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi. This work is the first report regarding the antibacterial activity of phomalactone.

scholarly journals Plant antimicrobial peptides: structures, functions, and applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junpeng Li ◽  
Shuping Hu ◽  
Wei Jian ◽  
Chengjian Xie ◽  
Xingyong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Activity ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptides ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Antimicrobial Activities ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Potential Applicability ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi ◽  
Positively Charged

AbstractAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of short, usually positively charged polypeptides that exist in humans, animals, and plants. Considering the increasing number of drug-resistant pathogens, the antimicrobial activity of AMPs has attracted much attention. AMPs with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against many gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi are an important defensive barrier against pathogens for many organisms. With continuing research, many other physiological functions of plant AMPs have been found in addition to their antimicrobial roles, such as regulating plant growth and development and treating many diseases with high efficacy. The potential applicability of plant AMPs in agricultural production, as food additives and disease treatments, has garnered much interest. This review focuses on the types of plant AMPs, their mechanisms of action, the parameters affecting the antimicrobial activities of AMPs, and their potential applications in agricultural production, the food industry, breeding industry, and medical field.

scholarly journals Targeted Therapies for Metabolic Myopathies Related to Glycogen Storage and Lipid Metabolism: a Systematic Review and Steps Towards a ‘Treatabolome’

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
A. Manta ◽  
S. Spendiff ◽  
H. Lochmüller ◽  
R. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Genetic Defect ◽  
Genetic Mutation ◽  
Glycogen Storage ◽  
Carnitine Deficiency ◽  
Exercise Intolerance ◽  
Enzyme Replacement ◽  
Metabolic Myopathies ◽  
Published Evidence

Background: Metabolic myopathies are a heterogenous group of muscle diseases typically characterized by exercise intolerance, myalgia and progressive muscle weakness. Effective treatments for some of these diseases are available, but while our understanding of the pathogenesis of metabolic myopathies related to glycogen storage, lipid metabolism and β-oxidation is well established, evidence linking treatments with the precise causative genetic defect is lacking. Objective: The objective of this study was to collate all published evidence on pharmacological therapies for the aforementioned metabolic myopathies and link this to the genetic mutation in a format amenable to databasing for further computational use in line with the principles of the “treatabolome” project. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to retrieve all levels of evidence examining the therapeutic efficacy of pharmacological treatments on metabolic myopathies related to glycogen storage and lipid metabolism. A key inclusion criterion was the availability of the genetic variant of the treated patients in order to link treatment outcome with the genetic defect. Results: Of the 1,085 articles initially identified, 268 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, of which 87 were carried over into the final data extraction. The most studied metabolic myopathies were Pompe disease (45 articles), multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency related to mutations in the ETFDH gene (15 articles) and systemic primary carnitine deficiency (8 articles). The most studied therapeutic management strategies for these diseases were enzyme replacement therapy, riboflavin, and carnitine supplementation, respectively. Conclusions: This systematic review provides evidence for treatments of metabolic myopathies linked with the genetic defect in a computationally accessible format suitable for databasing in the treatabolome system, which will enable clinicians to acquire evidence on appropriate therapeutic options for their patient at the time of diagnosis.

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