scholarly journals Introduction pages

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. I-IX
Author(s):  
Radu E. SESTRAS

Notulae Scientia Biologicae (http://www.notulaebiologicae.ro), Issue 2, Volume 12, 2020: The papers published in this issue represent interesting novelties in different topics of life science. Among the exciting researches, we invite readers to find news about: evaluation of phytochemical constituents and in vitro antimicrobial activities of leaves extracts of Calotropis procera against certain human pathogens; in vitro anti-urease, antioxidant, anticholinesterase, cytotoxic and in vivo anti-inflammatory potential of Satureja cuneifolia; impact of essential oils of clove Syzygium aromaticum in rats exposed to stress by nickel; young capitulum as important explant in in vitro mass propagation of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii); a comparative study between temporary immersion system and semi-solid cultures on shoot multiplication and plantlets production of two Moroccan date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) varieties in vitro; effect of pretreatments on germination of seeds of the timber plant, Terminalia ivorensis and Mansonnia altissima; abundance, frequency and distribution pattern of tree species in recorded forest area of Western Himalaya; role of active transport of potassium to leaves in the mechanisms of tolerance to salinity in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1200701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niko S. Radulović ◽  
Milan B. Stojković ◽  
Snežana S. Mitić ◽  
Pavle J. Randjelović ◽  
Ivan R. Ilić ◽  
...  

In this study we evaluated in vitro (radical scavenging) and in vivo (hepatoprotective effect) antioxidant activities and antimicrobial properties of the extracts of the above- and underground parts of Geranium macrorrhizum L. (Geraniaceae), an ethnopharmacologically renowned plant species. The antioxidant activity and total phenol and flavonoid contents of four different solvent extracts were evaluated by seven different methods. The methanol extracts, administered i.p. to rats (120-480 mg/kg), were evaluated for hepatoprotective activity in a CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity model. The same extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity against seven bacterial and two fungal species. The administered methanol extracts with the highest antioxidant potential showed a significant dose-dependent hepatoprotective action against CCl4-induced liver damage in both decreasing the levels of liver transaminases and bilirubin and in reducing the extent of morphological malformations of the liver. The leaf methanol extract displayed a very strong antibacterial activity, especially against Staphylococcus aureus, with low minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. These results justify the frequent use of this plant species in folk medicine. Besides the known astringent effect, one can expect that the observed antimicrobial activity against several human pathogens contributes to the wound healing properties of this plant.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mansurat B. FALANA ◽  
Quadri O. NURUDEEN

Calotropis procera, a well-known and commonly used plant in Nigeria to treat many infectious diseases, has been documented to possess constituents with proven antimicrobial potentials. The type of solvent used in herbal extraction determines the number of phytoconstituents extracted, therefore it was investigated the effect of some solvents selected based on polarity on the phytoconstituents and antimicrobial efficacy of leaves of C. procera. Phytochemical screening of extracts from leaves of C. procera obtained from five solvents (acetone, hexane, ethylactate, mixture “acetone, hexane, ethyl acetate 50/30/20 v/v/v” and sterile distilled water) was carried out. Disc diffusion assay, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) and Minimal Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of the extracts were compared with those of commercial drugs (chloramphenicol, gentamicin and griseofulvin) against Candida albicans, S. aureus ATCC 25923 and E. coli ATCC 25922. Tannins, steroids, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, proteins, flavonoids, coumarins and anthraquinones were detected in higher numbers in ethyl acetate and sterile distilled water extracts, while the least number of constituents were detected in hexane extracts. A dose- dependent broad spectrum of bacteriostatic/fungistatic and bactericidal activities was produced by the extracts against the tested pathogens. Wider inhibition zone (19.80 mm) was produced at 100 mg/mL concentration by the mixture of solvents and ethylacetate extract, respectively, while the lowest inhibition zone (7.6 mm) was produced by sterile distilled water extract at 25 mg/mL. The present study provided plausible information to corroborate the medicinal value of the investigated plant, as claimed by herbal medicine users.


2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1711-1715
Author(s):  
Stefania Gheorghe ◽  
Gabriela Geanina Vasile ◽  
Cristina Gligor ◽  
Irina Eugenia Lucaciu ◽  
Mihai Nita Lazar

Metallic elements copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni) and manganese (Mn) are some of the most commonly found in water and sediment samples collected from the Danube - Danube Delta. These elements are important as essential micronutrients, being normally present at low concentrations in biological organisms, but in high concentrations they become toxic with immediate and delayed effects. The role of this metals is still controversial, that�s why bioconcentration potential is so important. In this non-clinical study, we tested in vitro effect of heavy metals on carp, Cyprinus carpio, reproducing in vivo presence of Cu, Zn, Ni and Mn in the Romanian�s surface water. The toxicity tests were performed according to OECD 203 by detecting the average (50%) lethal concentration - LC50 on aquatic organisms (freshwater fish) at 96h. The results pointed out that, copper value for LC 50 at 96h was estimated as 3.4 mg/L (concentrations tested in the range of 0.1 - 4.75 mg/L). Zinc value for LC 50 at 96h was estimated as 20.8 mg/L (concentrations tested in the range of 0.028 � 29.6 mg/L). Nickel value for LC 50 at 96h was estimated as 40.1 mg/L (concentrations tested in the range of 0.008 - 84.5 mg/L). For manganese the mortality effects has recorded at LC 50 at 96h at estimated value higher than 53 mg/L (concentrations tested in the range of 0.04 - 53.9 mg/L). The accuracy of the testing metals concentration was insured by the screening of the dilution water, as well as food and control fish, acclimated in laboratory conditions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Shiv Dev Singh ◽  
Arvind Kumar ◽  
Firoz Babar ◽  
Neetu Sachan ◽  
Arun Kumar Sharma

Background: Thienopyrimidines are the bioisoster of quinazoline and unlike quinazoline exist in three isomeric forms corresponding to the three possible types annulation of thiophene to the pyrimidine ring viz thieno[2,3-d] pyrimidine, thieno[3,2-d] pyrimidine and thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidine. Heterocyclic containing the thienopyrimidinone moiety exhibits various pronounced activities such as anti-hypertensive, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antiviral, platelet aggregation inhibitory, antiprotozoal bronchodilatory, phosphodiesterase inhibitory, antihistaminic, antipsychotic and antimicrobial activity. Objective: Synthesis of novel 3(N,N-dialkylamino)alkyl/phenyl substituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinones as H1-anti-histaminic and antimicrobial agents. Methods: A series of 3-[(N,N-dialkylamino)alkyl/phenyl]-2-(1H)thioxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo(b) thieno(2,3-d)pyrimidine-4(3H)-ones[4a-d], their oxo analogous [5a-d] and 3-[(N,N-dialkylamino)alkyl]- 2-chlorophenyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo(b)thieno(2,3-d)pyrimidine- 4 (3H)-ones[6a-d]derivative were synthesized from 2-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo(b)thiophene-3-carboxylic acid by nucleophilic substitution of different N,N-dialkyl alkylene/phenylene diamines on activated 3-acylchloride moiety followed by cyclocondensation with carbon disulfide and ethanolic potassium hydroxide to get [4a-d] and in second reaction by condensation with 4-chlorobenzoyl chloride to get [6a-d] by single pot novel innovative route. The oxo analogous [5a-d] were prepared by treating derivatives [4a-d] with potassium permagnate in ethanolic KOH. The synthesized compound were evaluated for H1-antihistaminic and antimicrobial activities. Results: All synthesized compounds exhibited significant H1-antihistaminic activity by in vitro and in vivo screening methods and data were verified analytically and statistically. The compound 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b showed significant H1-antihistaminiic activity than the reference standard chlorpheniramine maleate. The compound 6d, 6c, 5c and 4c exhibited significant antimicrobial activity.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 692
Author(s):  
Giulia Franzoni ◽  
Antonio Anfossi ◽  
Chiara Grazia De Ciucis ◽  
Samanta Mecocci ◽  
Tania Carta ◽  
...  

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) ligands are attracting increasing attention as prophylactic and immunotherapeutic agents against pathogens and tumors. We previously observed that a synthetic diacylated lipopeptide based on a surface protein of Mycoplasma agalactiae (Mag-Pam2Cys) strongly activated innate immune cells, including porcine monocyte-derived macrophages (moMΦ). In this study, we utilized confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, multiplex cytokine ELISA, and RT-qPCR to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the effects of scalar doses of Mag-Pam2Cys on porcine moMΦ. We observed enhanced expression of activation markers (MHC class I, MHC class II DR, CD25), increased phagocytotic activity, and release of IL-12 and proinflammatory cytokines. Mag-Pam2Cys also upregulated the gene expression of several IFN-α subtypes, p65, NOS2, and molecules with antimicrobial activities (CD14, beta defensin 1). Overall, our data showed that Mag-Pam2Cys polarized porcine macrophages towards a proinflammatory antimicrobial phenotype. However, Mag-Pam2Cys downregulated the expression of IFN-α3, six TLRs (TLR3, -4, -5, -7, -8, -9), and did not interfere with macrophage polarization induced by the immunosuppressive IL-10, suggesting that the inflammatory activity evoked by Mag-Pam2Cys could be regulated to avoid potentially harmful consequences. We hope that our in vitro results will lay the foundation for the further evaluation of this diacylated lipopeptide as an immunopotentiator in vivo.


2006 ◽  
Vol 396 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrysoula Panethymitaki ◽  
Paul W. Bowyer ◽  
Helen P. Price ◽  
Robin J. Leatherbarrow ◽  
Katherine A. Brown ◽  
...  

The eukaryotic enzyme NMT (myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase) has been characterized in a range of species from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Homo sapiens. NMT is essential for viability in a number of human pathogens, including the fungi Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans, and the parasitic protozoa Leishmania major and Trypanosoma brucei. We have purified the Leishmania and T. brucei NMTs as active recombinant proteins and carried out kinetic analyses with their essential fatty acid donor, myristoyl-CoA and specific peptide substrates. A number of inhibitory compounds that target NMT in fungal species have been tested against the parasite enzymes in vitro and against live parasites in vivo. Two of these compounds inhibit TbNMT with IC50 values of <1 μM and are also active against mammalian parasite stages, with ED50 (the effective dose that allows 50% cell growth) values of 16–66 μM and low toxicity to murine macrophages. These results suggest that targeting NMT could be a valid approach for the development of chemotherapeutic agents against infectious diseases including African sleeping sickness and Nagana.


2005 ◽  
Vol 1722 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
V TAMHANE ◽  
N CHOUGULE ◽  
A GIRI ◽  
A DIXIT ◽  
M SAINANI ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilias Marmouzi ◽  
El Mostafa Karym ◽  
Rachid Alami ◽  
Meryem El Jemli ◽  
Mourad Kharbach ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundTherapy combination is defined as disease treatment with two or more medication to acheive efficacy with lower doses or lower toxicity. Regarding its reported toxicities and efficacy, the Essential Oils (EOs) from Syzygium aromaticum (SA) and Pelargonium graveolens (PG) were combined for in vitro and in vivo assays and toxicities.MethodsThe Essential Oils and mixture were tested for in vivo/in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The assays included the animal model of acute inflammation (carrageenan model), the protective effect on H2O2/Sodium nitroprissude induced stress in Tetrahymena pyriformis, and the in vitro antioxidant assays.ResultsThe chemical analysis of the investigated Oils has lead to the identification of Eugenol (74.06%), Caryophyllene (11.52%) and Carvacrol acetate (7.82%) as the major element in SA; while PG was much higher in Citronellol (30.77%), 10-epi-γ-Eudesmol (22.59%), and Geraniol (13.95%). In our pharmacological screening of samples, both Oils demonstrated good antioxidant effects. In vivo investigation of the antioxidant activity in the protozoa model (T. pyriformis) demonstrated a lesser toxic effect of EOs mixture with no significant differences when oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes (MDA, SOD and CAT) were evaluated. On the other hand the in vivo model of inflammatory response to carrageenan demonstrated a good inhibitory potential of both EOs. The EOs Mixture demonstrated equivalent bioactivity with lower toxic effect and minimal risk for each compound.ConclusionsThe results from this study indicate that EOs mixture from SA and PG demonstrated promising modulatory antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effect, which suggest an efficient association for therapy.


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