Antioxidative and Antibacterial Ethanol Extract from a Neglected Indigenous Myco-food Suppresses Hep3B Proliferation by Regulating ROS-driven Intrinsic Mitochondrial Pathway

Food has always been an important way in many medical systems to treat illness. Despite the credence, many ethnic nutrients meet sturdy resistance due to a lack of evidence-based knowledge. Russula senecis is one of such forgotten myco-resource that has historically been cherished as health-promoting food; yet remains abandoned in the city market. To save the indigenous culture and popularize locally available functional food, we planned to explore the taxon's health benefits. The ethanolic fraction was enriched in phenolics (pyrogallol> cinnamic acid) followed by a flavonoid, ascorbic acid, β-carotene, and lycopene. Further investigation demonstrated that the preparation was capable enough to scavenge free radicals (superoxide, DPPH, ABTS), prevent β-carotene bleaching, donate an electron, and chelate Fe2+ with EC50 of 122-1151 μg/ml. Besides, the significant antibiotic property was also recorded against tested pathogenic microbes, as evidenced by low MIC scores (48.5-529 μg/ml). Moreover, the extract selectively rendered Hep3B cell proliferation as the treatment provoked a rapid increase in intracellular ROS resulting DNA breakage, cell cycle arrest, ΔΨm decrease, imbalance in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activation of caspase-9 signifying induction of intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Thus the study recommends the use of R. senecis in medicinal, pharmaceutical, and food industries for the betterment of humankind.

STABILITY OF BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCED BY PSEUDOMONAS TAENENSIS

Biosurfactants are one of the microbial bioproducts that are naturally synthesized and are applicable for many industrial purposes. In this study, antibacterial, stability and antibiotic susceptibility of biosurfactant was evaluated. Biosurfactants produced from different substrates (groundnut cake, cassava flour waste, pome, cooking oil, engine oil, cassava waste water, molasses, cassava peel, potato) by Pseudomonas taenensis were evaluated for antibacterial activity using agar well diffusion method. Antibiotics susceptibility of Pseudomonas taenensis was carried out using different antibiotics (augmentin, ofloxacin, tetracyclin and ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, pefloxacin, amoxylin, ceftriazone, nitrofuranton and gentamycin). The stability of the biosurfactant was evaluated by adjusting the biosurfactant to: pH (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12) using 1M NaOH and 1M HCl, temperature (4, 30, 37, 55, 75 and 100 °C) and NaCl (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 %). Results showed that only biosurfactant produced using cassava waste water as substrate was sensitive to Escherichia coli while biosurfactant produced using cassava flour waste, pome and molasses were sensitive to Staphylococcus aureus. Biosurfactant-producing isolate (Pseudomonas taenensis) was sensitive to four antibiotics (augmentin, ofloxacin, tetracyclin and ciprofloxacin) and resistant to six antibiotics (cotrimoxazole, pefloxacin, amoxylin, ceftriazone, nitrofuranton and gentamycin). Biosurfactant was stable over all the wide ranges of pH, temperature and sodium chloride concentrations investigated. This study therefore revealed that biosurfactant have good stability, thus, could survive environmental stress; Not all biosurfactant and biosurfactant producers have antimicrobial and antibiotic property.

Development of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membrane by Incorporating Bio-Based Ginger Extract as Additive

Biofouling on the membrane surface leads to performance deficiencies in membrane filtration. In this study, the application of ginger extract as a bio-based additive to enhance membrane antibiofouling properties was investigated. The extract was dispersed in a dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) solvent together with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) to enhance biofouling resistance of the resulting membrane due to its antibiotic property. The concentrations of the ginger extract in the dope solution were varied in the range of 0–0.1 wt %. The antibacterial property of the resulting membranes was assessed using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. The results show an inhibition zone formed around the PVDF/ginger membrane against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus demonstrating the efficacy of the residual ginger extract in the membrane matrix to impose the antibiofouling property. The addition of the ginger extract also enhanced the hydrophilicity in the membrane surface by lowering the contact angle from 93° to 85°, which was in good agreement with the increase in the pure water flux of up to 62%.

Efficacy of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Hymenocallis species (Spider Lilly) Leaf Extract as Antimicrobial Agents

Biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles synthesized from Hymenocallis species (Spider Lilly) leaf extract was subjected for investigation of its antimicrobial property against four bacterial species (E. coli, Salmonella sp., Streptococcus sp. & Staphylococcus sp.). The results revealed that synthesized nanoparticles solution very much justify the color change property from initial light yellow to final reddish brown during the synthesis producing a characteristics absorption peak in the range of 434-466 nm. As antimicrobial agents, their efficacy was evaluated by analysis of variance in between the species and among the different concentration of AgNPs solution, which clearly showed that there was significant variation in the antibiotic property between the four different concentrations of AgNPs solution and also among four different species of bacteria taken under studies. However, silver nanoparticles solution of 1: 9 and 1:4 were proved comparatively more efficient as antimicrobial agents against four species of bacteria.

Azithromycin in Periodontal Therapy: Beyond the Antibiotics

Periodontitis is a multifactorial disease, in which microorganisms in plaque biofilm play a major role. Scaling and root planing is the primary mode of non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease. Adjunctive use of an antimicrobial is advocated in certain periodontal disease conditions. Azithromycin might be considered a promising adjunctive drug in the treatment for periodontal disease because of its distinguished characteristic of immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic property along with the accumulation in higher concentration into the acute reactant cells and sustained release at the site of infection. This antibiotic is popular for its very simple dosage regime and limited side effects. The objective of this literature review to highlight the mechanism and potential favourable role in the management of various form of the periodontal disease.

Beekeeping and Bee Products; Boon for Human Health and Wealth

The cross-fertilization by bee increases average agricultural yield by 20 to 25 percent. Its products like honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis, bee venom have immense medical importance. Honey is useful for healing the wounds, helps to build up hemoglobin, used as laxative blood purifier, preventive against cold, cough, sore throat, eye ailments, burns and gastrointestinal disorder etc. Honey has antibiotic property and is effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Pollen lowers blood pressure, increases hemoglobin and erythrocyte content, useful in pernicious anemia, sterility, hypertension, in complaints of the nervous and endocrine system. Royal jelly has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, vasodilative and hypotensive, antioxidant, antihypercholesterolemic and antitumor property. Royal jelly has a diuretic effect, prevents obesity, builds up resistance to infection, regulates the functioning of the endocrine glands and is good for arteriosclerosis and coronary deficiency. Bee venom acts as antibiotic and useful for lowering of blood pressure, in neural disorders and rheumatoid arthritis and acute rheumatic carditis, treating certain eye diseases, hypertension and gynecological and children’s diseases. Propolis, a resinous substance has pharmacologically active constituents as flavonoids, phenolics and other various aromatic compounds. Propolis has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant and antiinflammatory proprieties. It is used to treat mouth and gum disorders, gum decay, resistance to general illness, cure burns and fungal skin complaints. Beeswax is used to prepare polishes, waterproofing, electrical insulation, cosmetics, cold creams etc. It is also useful in engineering, pharmaceutical and confectionary industries.

Preparation of Antibacterial WPU Nanometer Titanium Dioxide Composite

In the paper, WPU nanometer titanium dioxide composite is made mainly of polypropylene glycol (PPG), 2, 4-toluene diisocynate (TDI), nanometer titanium dioxide (TiO2), oleic acid (OA), dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA), dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), triethylamine (TEA), polypropylene glycol phosphate (PPG-P). Feature of nano particle is analyzed and tested by scanning electron microscope; Fourier infrared spectrum of nanoparticle and composite is tested by fourier infrared spectrometer under room temperature; thermal property test is conducted to composite by thermogravimetric analyzer; XRD test is conducted to nanoparticle and compound thin-film material by X-ray diffractometer; mechanical property of composite is tested by universal stretcher, proving that titanium dioxide does not change structure of WPU and titanium dioxide keeps the original crystal structure instead of being destroyed. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that titanium dioxide raises thermal stability of composite better; mechanical properties prove that increase of 2wt% nanometer titanium dioxide can raise mechanical properties of WPU. Titanium dioxide has extensive application prospect in production and life because it has optical activity and can raise antibiotic property of WPU.

Pharmacokinetics of Ceftazidime in CAPD-Related Peritonitis

Objective The aim of this study was to measure and evaluate the appropriateness of the actual concentrations of serum and dialysate ceftazidime in Thai continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Design Prospective and descriptive study of patients treated following the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) 2000 recommendation for the empiric therapy of CAPD-related peritonitis. Setting Institutional level of clinical care. Patients CAPD-related peritonitis patients were diagnosed by dialysate effluent white blood cell count of more than 100/mm3 and polymorphonuclear leukocytes of at least 50%. There were 10 patients, all at least 18 years of age, entered; all completed the study. Intervention In accordance with the ISPD 2000 recommendations, the antibiotic regimen comprised continuous intraperitoneal (IP) cefazolin and once-daily IP ceftazidime. Cefazolin was administered as loading and continuous maintenance doses of 500 and 125 mg/L dialysate respectively. Ceftazidime (20 mg/kg body weight) was given IP once daily. Duration of treatment was 96 hours. Main Outcome Measures Serum and dialysate effluent samples of the 10 CAPD patients with peritonitis were measured for ceftazidime levels, which were used for the development of pharmacokinetic equations that could predict drug concentrations at any treatment time. Results Following ceftazidime administration as in the ISPD 2000 recommendation, serum ceftazidime levels were above 8 μg/mL, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) recommended by NCCLS, throughout 24 hours. Dialysate ceftazidime levels were below the MIC for total periods of 4.19 and 6.26 hours in day 1 and day 4 respectively. The clinical response rate to the empiric regimen was 90%. Conclusions Once-daily IP administration of ceftazidime according to the ISPD 2000 recommendation could not provide adequately therapeutic levels of ceftazidime in dialysate throughout 24 hours. Despite this finding and the poor post-antibiotic property of ceftazidime, the empiric regimen including once-daily IP ceftazidime could yield good clinical outcome.

A New Alkaloid From an Australian Marine Sponge, Spongosorites sp.

A specimen of a marine sponge, Spongosorites sp., collected in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia, has yielded the alkaloid (2). The structure of (2) was secured by spectroscopic analysis, chemical derivatization and synthesis of a dihydro derivative (4). The antibiotic property of the crude ethanol extract of this sponge was attributed to (2).