The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of some medicinal plants against β-lactam-resistant bacteria

Biomedical applications of cerium vanadate nanoparticles: a review

Cerium vanadate nanoparticles (CeVO4 NPs), which are members of the rare earth orthovanadate nanomaterial family, have generated considerable interest due to their diverse properties and prospective biomedical applications. The current study, which provides a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and characterization techniques for CeVO4 NPs, emphasizes the sonochemical method as an efficient and straightforward technique for producing CeVO4 NPs with tunable size and shape. This paper investigates the toxicity and biocompatibility of CeVO4 NPs, as well as their antioxidant and catalytic properties, which allow them to modify the redox state of biological systems and degrade organic pollutants. In addition, the most recent developments in the medicinal applications of CeVO4 NPs, such as cancer treatment, antibacterial activity, biosensing, and drug or gene delivery, are emphasized. In addition, the disadvantages of CeVO4 NPs, such as stability, aggregation, biodistribution, and biodegradation, are outlined, and several potential solutions are suggested. The research concludes with data and recommendations for developing and enhancing CeVO4 NPs in the biomedical industry.

Herbal Products and Their Active Constituents Used Alone and in Combination with Antibiotics against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge acquired on herbal products and their active constituents with antimicrobial activity used alone and in combination with antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The most promising herbal products and active constituents used alone against multidrug-resistant bacteria are Piper betle (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), Glycyrrhiza glabra (methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, P. aeruginosa), and berberine (methicillin-resistant S. aureus, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa), respectively. The synergistic effect of the combination of herbal products and their active constituents with antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria are also described. These natural antibacterial agents can be promising sources of inhibitors, which can modulate antibiotic activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, especially as efflux pump inhibitors. Other possible mechanisms of action of herbal therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria including modification of the bacterial cell wall and/or membrane, inhibition of the cell division protein filamenting temperature sensitive Z-ring, and inhibition of protein synthesis and gene expression, all of which will also be discussed. Our review suggests that combination herbal therapy and antibiotics can be effectively used to expand the spectrum of their antimicrobial action. Therefore, combination therapy against multidrug-resistant bacteria may enable new choices for the treatment of infectious diseases and represents a potential area for future research.

Antimicrobial activity of jambu mawar [Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston] leaf extract against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms

The present work evaluated the antimicrobial potential of the ethanolic extract of jambu mawar [Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston] leaves against various foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms via the disc diffusion assay (DDS) and the time-kill curve assay. These microorganisms included bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC13773, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19112, Proteus mirabilis ATCC21100, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC9027, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29737, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC17802), yeasts (Candida albicans ATCC10231, C. krusei ATCC32196, C. glabrata ATCC2001, and C. parapsilosis ATCC22019), and moulds (Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC26430, A. niger ATCC9029, Rhizopus oligosporus ATCC22959, and R. oryzae ATCC22580). The inhibition zone of DDA ranged from 7.00 ± 0.23 to 10.25 ± 0.29 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal (MBC/MFC) of the ethanolic leaf extract were obtained at the concentrations of 0.01 to 2.50 and 0.01 to 5.00 mg/mL, respectively. The time-kill curve assay showed that except for P. mirabilis, other microorganisms were completely killed at MIC concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 4× MIC. In comparison, P. mirabilis showed a growth reduction of > 3 log10 CFU/mL for 4 h. Meanwhile, the conidial germination of A. fumigatus was fully inhibited at 0.5× MIC. Though not fully inhibited, the ethanolic leaf extract significantly reduced the conidial germination of A. niger, R. oryzae, and R. oligosporus to 7.0, 7.0, and 11.0%, respectively. Overall, the ethanolic leaf extract of S. jambos exhibited antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.

Antibacterial Activity of Nanoparticles of Garlic (Allium sativum) Extract against Different Bacteria Such as Streptococcus mutans and Poryphormonas gingivalis

To combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance, it is important to discover innovative and effective alternative antibacterial agents. Garlic has been recommended as a medicinal plant with antibacterial qualities. Hence, we conducted this study to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ultrasonicated garlic extract against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus sub. aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Poryphyromonas gingivalis. Aqueous ultrasonicated garlic extract was tested against these strains, and their antibacterial activity quantified using both agar disk diffusion and agar well diffusion methods; the plate count technique was used to estimate the total viable count. Moreover, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and microplate spectrophotometry were used to characterize garlic nanoparticles. The results confirmed that all tested bacteria were sensitive to both sonicated and non-sonicated garlic extracts. Streptococcus mutans was the most susceptible bacteria; on the other hand, Escherichia coli was the most resistant bacteria. Furthermore, characterization of the prepared garlic nanoparticles, showed the presence of organosulfur and phenolic compounds, carboxyl groups, and protein particles. Based on the obtained results, ultrasonicated garlic extract is a potent antibacterial agent. It can come in handy while developing novel antibiotics against bacteria that have developed resistance.

In Vitro Phytotherapeutic Properties of Aqueous Extracted Adenia viridiflora Craib. towards Civilization Diseases

Adenia viridiflora Craib. is an indigenous edible plant that became an endangered species due to limited consumption of the local population with unknown reproduction and growth conditions. The plant is used as a traditional herb; however, its health applications lack scientific-based evidence. A. viridiflora Craib. plant parts (old leaves and young shoots) from four areas as Kamphaeng Phet (KP), Muang Nakhon Ratchasima (MN), Pakchong Nakhon Ratchasima (PN), and Uthai Thani (UT) origins were investigated for phenolic compositions and in vitro health properties through the inhibition of key enzymes relevant to obesity (lipase), diabetes (α-glucosidase and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV), Alzheimer’s disease (cholinesterases and β-secretase), and hypertension (angiotensin-converting enzyme). Phenolics including p-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, naringenin, and apigenin were detected in old leaves and young shoots in all plant origins. Old leaves exhibited higher total phenolic contents (TPCs) and total flavonoid contents (TFCs), leading to higher enzyme inhibitory activities than young shoots. Besides, PN and MN with higher TPCs and TFCs tended to exhibit greater enzyme inhibitory activities than others. These results will be useful to promote this plant as a healthy food with valuable medicinal capacities to support its consumption and agricultural stimulation, leading to sustainable conservation of this endangered species.

Antibacterial Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Syzygium polyanthum L. (Salam) Leaves against Foodborne Pathogens and Application as Food Sanitizer

The aim of this study was to determine antibacterial activity of S. polyanthum L. (salam) leaves extract foodborne pathogens. All the foodborne pathogens were inhibited after treating with extract in disk diffusion test with range 6.67 ± 0.58-9.67 ± 0.58 mm of inhibition zone. The range of MIC values was between 0.63 and 1.25 mg/mL whereas MBC values were in the range 0.63 mg/mL to 2.50 mg/mL. In time-kill curve, L. monocytogenes and P. aeruginosa were found completely killed after exposing to extract in 1 h incubation at 4x MIC. Four hours had been taken to completely kill E. coli, S. aureus, V. cholerae, and V. parahaemolyticus at 4x MIC. However, the population of K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, and S. typhimurium only reduced to 3 log CFU/mL. The treated cell showed cell rupture and leakage of the cell cytoplasm in SEM observation. The significant reduction of natural microflora in grapes fruit was started at 0.50% of extract at 5 min and this concentration also was parallel to sensory attributes acceptability where application of extract was accepted by the panellists until 5%. In conclusion, S. polyanthum extract exhibits antimicrobial activities and thus might be developed as natural sanitizer for washing raw food materials.

Ethnopharmacology and Therapeutic Value of Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. in Tropical Africa: A Comprehensive Review

Bridelia micrantha is traditionally used in tropical Africa to treat a wide range of human and animal diseases. The aim of this study was to summarise the research that has been done on the ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of B. micrantha so as to understand its importance and potential value in primary healthcare systems. The literature search for information on ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities of B. micrantha was undertaken using databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, BioMed Central (BMC), PubMed and Springerlink. Other relevant literature sources included books, book chapters, websites, theses, conference papers and other scientific publications. This study showed that B. micrantha is used as herbal medicine in just over half (57.3%) of the countries in tropical Africa where it is indigenous. A total of 54 ethnomedicinal uses of B. micrantha have been recorded with a high degree of consensus on burns, wounds, conjunctivitis, painful eyes, constipation, gastric ulcers, cough, headache, rheumatism, painful joints, dysentery, ethnoveterinary medicine, malaria, sexually transmitted infections, stomach ache, tape worms and diarrhoea. Different plant parts, aqueous and organic extracts exhibited anthelmintic, antimicrobial, anticonvulsant and sedative, antidiabetic, antidiarrhoeal, antinociceptive, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, antischistosomal, hepatoprotective, insecticidal and β-lactamase inhibitory activities.

Activity of medicinal plants from Ghana against the parasitic gut protist Blastocystis

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The plants tested in this study were examples of plants historically used to treat or alleviate several types of stomach disorders manifested by e.g. stomachache, diarrhoea or dysentery. These plants have been consumed typically as a decoction, sometimes mixed with other flavourings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-Blastocystis activity of 24 plant parts from 21 medicinal plants from Ghana.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The medicinal plants were collected in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Every plant part was tested in three different extracts; an ethanolic, a warm, and a cold water extract, at a final concentration of 1 mg/mL for the initial screening, and in a range from 0.0156 to 1mg/mL for determination of inhibitory concentrations. The obligate anaerobic parasitic gut protist Blastocystis (subtype 4) was used as a 48 h old subcultivated isolate in the final concentration of 10(6) cells/mL. Plant extracts inoculated with Blastocystis were incubated at 37 °C for 24 h and 48 h. Both MIC minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) assays and minimal lethal concentration (MLC) assays were performed after 24 h and 48 h. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was derived after 24 h and 48 h. Antimicrobial activity was tested against two Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacteria for all 24 plant parts at a final concentration of 1mg/mL.

RESULTS

Screening of the 24 different plant parts showed significant anti-Blastocystis activity of six of the ethanolic extracts: Mallotus oppositifolius, IC50, 24 h 27.8 µg/mL; Vemonia colorata, IC50, 24 h 117.9 µg/mL; Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, cortex IC50, 24 h 255.6 µg/mL; Clausena anisata, IC50, 24 h 314.0 µg/mL; Z. zanthoxyloides, radix IC50, 24 h 335.7 µg/mL and Eythrina senegalensis, IC50, 24 h 527.6 µg/mL. The reference anti-protozoal agent metronidazole (MTZ) had an IC50, 24 h of 7.6 µg/mL. Only C. anisata showed antimicrobial activity at a concentration of 800 µg/mL.

CONCLUSION

Six ethanolic plant extracts showed significant anti-parasitic activity against Blastocystis. M. oppositifolius showed nearly as good activity as the reference anti-protozoal drug MTZ. Historically, the active plants found in this study have been used against dysentery, diarrhoea or other stomach disorders. Nowadays they are not used specifically for dysentery, but they are being used as medicinal plants against various stomach disorders.

Pharmacological effects of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. in health and disease

CONTEXT

The health benefits and medicinal properties of herbal food products are known since antiquity. Fenugreek [Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn. (Fabaceae)], a seed spice used to enhance flavor, color and texture of food, is employed for medicinal purposes in many traditional systems. A number of epidemiological studies and laboratory research have unraveled the biological actions of fenugreek.

OBJECTIVE

Research on fenugreek in recent years has identified a number of health benefits and physiological attributes in both experimental animals as well as clinical trials in humans. In this study we have reviewed the available scientific literature on fenugreek.

METHODS

This review article summarizes and reviews published experimental studies and scientific literature from the databases including PubMed, Google and local library searches.

RESULTS

The information available in the literature on the health benefits and pharmaceutical effects of Trigonella accounts for its known medicinal properties and adds new therapeutic effects in newer indications. Besides its known medicinal properties such as carminative, gastric stimulant, antidiabetic and galactogogue (lactation-inducer) effects, newer research has identified hypocholesterolemic, antilipidemia, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiulcer, antilithigenic, anticarcinogenic and other miscellaneous medicinal effects of fenugreek. Although most of these studies have used whole seed powder or different forms of extracts, some have identified active constituents from seeds and attributed them medicinal values for different indications.

CONCLUSION

The resarch on Trigonella exhibits its health benefits and potential medicinal properties in various indications and has little or no side effects, suggesting its pharmaceutical, therapeutic and nutritional potential.

Antibacterial evaluation of Styrax pohlii and isolated compounds

The antibacterial activity of the compounds egonol (1) and homoegonol (2), of the crude ethanolic extract of Styrax pohlii (Styracaceae) aerial parts (EE), and of its n-hexane (HF), EtOAc (EF), n-BuOH (BF), and hydromethanolic (HMF) fractions was evaluated against the following microorganisms: Streptococcus pneumoniae (ATCC 6305), S. pyogenes (ATCC 19615), Haemophilus influenzae (ATCC 10211), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 10031). The broth microdilution method was used for determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) during preliminary evaluation of antibacterial activity. The EE yielded MIC values of 400 µg/mL for S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa and 300 µg/mL for H. influenzae. The HF and EF fractions exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity, with MIC values of 200 µg/mL against S. pneumoniae, but only EF displayed activity against H. influenzae (MIC 200 µg/mL). The best MIC value with compounds 1 and 2 (400 µg/mL) was obtained for (1) against S. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. Therefore, 1 exhibited weak antibacterial activity against these standard strains.

Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial evaluation of the ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark of Bridelia micrantha

Background

Plant cells fundamentally are chemical factories containing a rich supply of therapeutically useful phytocompounds that have the potential of being developed into potent antimicrobial agents.

Aim of the Study:

To investigate the antibacterial activity of fractionated extracts of the ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark of Bridelia micrantha (Hochst., Baill., Euphorbiaceae).

Materials and Methods:

Thin-layer chromatography and column chromatography were used to purify the extracts and antimicrobial activity performed on reference and clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sonnei, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Helicobacter pylori using direct and indirect bioautographic methods respectively. Furthermore, the eluted compound fractions were then assayed for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀) using the 96-well micro dilution technique.

Results:

Better separation of phytocompounds was obtained from the non-polar Benzene/Ethanol/Ammonia (BEA) and intermediate-polar Chloroform/Ethyl acetate/Formic acid (CEF) eluents compared to the polar Ethanol/Methanol/Water (EMW). Bioautography revealed the presence of three bioactive compounds (R_f values; 0.12, 0.20, and 0.42) on the BEA plates, designated fractions 3, 7, and 8 with MIC₅₀ values; 0.0048mg/mL to 1.25mg/mL (fraction 3), 0.0024mg/mL to 5 mg/mL (fraction 7), and 0.0024mg/mL to 2.5mg/mL (fraction 8).

Conclusion:

Our findings demonstrate that ethyl acetate extract of the stem-bark of B. micrantha possess potent bioactive phytocompounds that may be developed into new antimicrobials.

Microbiological and Pharmacological Evaluation of the Micropropagated Rubus liebmannii Medicinal Plant

Rubus liebmannii is an endemic species from Mexico used in traditional medicine primarily to treat dysentery and cough. The in vitro activity against Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica that produces the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant led us to expand the pharmacological and phytochemical research of this species. Gastrointestinal disorders including amebiasis remain one of the health problems that need to be addressed and it is of interest to find alternatives that improve their treatment. Also, it is important to emphasize that R. liebmannii grows wild in the country and is not found in abundance; therefore, alternatives that avoid overexploitation of the natural resource are mandatory. Ongoing with the evaluation of the potentialities that R. liebmannii possesses for treating infectious gastrointestinal diseases, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the biological effects and the chemical composition of the micropropagated plant.