S-benzyldithiocarbazate imine coordinated metal complexes kill Candida albicans by causing cellular apoptosis and necrosis

Development of new chemotherapeutic agents and strategies are urgently needed to curb and halt the growing menace caused by hard-to-treat microbes. Coordination of metals to bioactive organic ligands is now considered to be an efficient strategy for delivering bioactive compounds inside the microbial cell membranes. Metal complexes have been effectively used to treat many dreadful diseases were other treatment modalities had failed. Use of metal complexes to treat microbial infections is now conceived to be an alternative and efficient strategy. Towards this, some new homoleptic transition metal complexes, obtained by coordination of metal ions to bioactive S-benzyldithiocarbazate Schiff-base ligands were evaluated for their anti-Candida activity and their potential to disrupt the membrane architecture. The complexes displayed remarkable antifungal activity against a wide spectrum of fluconazole susceptible and resistant Candida albicans isolates, with Ni complex (dtc3) being highly active with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 1 to 32 µg/mL. Cell viability assay confirmed the fungicidal activity of these metal complexes, especially the complex dtc3. These metal complexes kill Candida albicans by inducing cellular apoptosis and necrosis thereby causing phosphatidylserine externalization as revealed by Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining assays.

Fabrication of metal incorporated polymer composite: An excellent antibacterial agent

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed for direct addition of castor oil for human consumption as food and most recently FDA approved castor oil as over-the-counter (OTC) for laxative drug. The present article highlights the green route phosphorylation of castor oil (COL) via condensation polymerization. Further, the incorporation of metal ions Cu (II)) and Zn (II) into the polymer matrix have been carried out at elevated temperature using catalyst p-toluene sulphonic acid (PTSA). The modification of the said material has been confirmed by FT-IR, UV-VIS, and ¹H and ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy. Further, the in vitro antibacterial activities of the metal incorporated-COL has been performed by standard methods against B. cereus (MCC2243) (gram-positive) and E. coli (MCC2412) (gram-negative) bacteria. The results revealed that the incorporation of metal ions into the polymer matrix increases the antibacterial activity largely. This may be governed by the electrostatic interaction between metal ions and microbes, also the generation of free active oxygen hinders the normal activity of bacteria. These results suggest that the synthesized material may act a potential candidate for low cost, environment friendly antibacterial agents and may find their application in clinical fields. Herein we are also proposing mechanism of antibacterial activity.

In-situ modification of castor oil with divalent metal ions like Zn (II), Cu (II), Co (II) and Ba (II) and their comparative antioxidant study by in-vitro methods

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permitted for direct addition of castor oil into food for human consumption and recently FDA approved castor oil as over-the-counter (OTC) for laxative drug. Castor oil (COL) is a vegetable oil and naturally polyol which is inexpensive, environmental friendly and a very valuable renewable resource. Metals are believed to influence antioxidant property of ligands. Metals copper, zinc, cobalt and barium were incorporated with castor oil and subsequently structures were established by FT-IR, UV-Visible, and ¹H NMR spectroscopic techniques. In vitro antioxidant activities of metal containing COL were determined by DPPH and superoxide scavenging methods and the results were compared with vitamin C. Enhanced antioxidant nature of metal containing castor oil was noticed and compared to virgin castor oil. This study reveals that synthesized metal containing-COL is a potential antioxidant material.

Small intestinal mucosal cells in piglets fed with probiotic and zinc: a qualitative and quantitative microanatomical study

BACKGROUND

Probiotics and zinc are commonly used and beneficial in pig production. This work aimed to assess the effects of probiotic and zinc on the mucosal cells of the small intestine in respect to digestive capacity and immunity in pre- and post-weaned piglets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen Large White Yorkshire piglets were divided equally into control and treatment groups. The piglets were maintained in standard management conditions and were weaned at 28 days of age. The treatment group of piglets fed a mixture of probiotics orally at 1.25 × 109 CFU/day and zinc at 2000 ppm/day from birth to 10 days of age. At three different age-groups viz. day 20 (pre-weaning) and, day 30 and day 60 (post-weaning), the animals were sacrificed. For histomorphology, the tissue samples were processed and stained with Mayer's haematoxylin and eosin for routine study, combined periodic acid-Schiff-Alcian blue for mucopolysaccharides and Masson-Hamperl argentaffin technique for argentaffin cells. The stained slides were observed under the microscope. The samples were processed as per the standard procedure for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The statistical analysis of the data using the appropriate statistical tests was also conducted.

RESULTS

The mucosal epithelium of villi and crypts were lined by enterocytes, goblet cells, argentaffin cells, microfold (M-cell) cells, tuft cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes. The multipotent stem cells were located at the crypt base. The length of the enterocyte microvilli was significantly longer (p < 0.05) in the treatment group of piglets. The number of different types of goblet cells and argentaffin cells was more in treated piglets irrespective of segments of intestine and age. The intraepithelial lymphocytes were located in apical, nuclear and basal positions in the lining epithelium of both villus tip and base with their significant increase in the treatment group of piglets. The transmission electron microscopy revealed the frequent occurrence of tuft cells in the lining mucosa of the small intestine in treated piglets.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary supplementation of probiotic and zinc induced the number of different mucosal cells of villi and crypts in the small intestine that might suggest the greater absorptive capacity of nutrients and effective immunity in critical pre and post-weaned piglets.

Lymphocyte subsets in the small intestine of piglets fed with probiotic and zinc: a qualitative and quantitative micro-anatomical study

BACKGROUND

Piglet mortality is a real concern to the pig farmers. The major cause is due to the late maturation of the immune system and dietary changes in post-weaned piglets. The potential role of probiotic and zinc in the stimulation of the immune system is well established. Hence, the present study was undertaken to evaluate alterations of T and B cells in the small intestine after dietary inclusion of probiotic and zinc in pre and post-weaned piglets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 18 healthy LWY piglets, irrespective of sex obtained from 3 litters at the age-group of 20, 30 and 60 days. They were divided into a control group fed with basal diet and a treatment group fed with probiotic and zinc supplement along with the basal diet, consisting of three animals in each group. The piglets were weaned at 28 days of age. After sacrificing the animals at day 20, 30 and 60 from both the groups, the abdominal cavity was opened and small intestinal tissue samples were collected, processed and stained by indirect immunofluorescence technique. The slides were evaluated under the fluorescent light microscope. The data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The different T and B cell subsets were recorded in the lining epithelium, core of villus, crypt area of LP and PP area. The number of CD4+, CD8+, IgA+ and IgM+ cells was higher in the treated piglets than the control group of animals, irrespective of segments of intestine and age-group.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded that the dietary supplementation of probiotic and zinc was found to be good additives as they can stimulate the immune response in piglets, especially during the critical early post-weaning period.