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  1. Green fabricated CuO nanobullets via Olea europaea leaf extract shows auspicious antimicrobial potential.

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    Maqbool, Qaisar; Iftikhar, Sidra; Nazar, Mudassar; Abbas, Fazal; Saleem, Asif; Hussain, Talib; Kausar, Rizwan; Anwaar, Sadaf; Jabeen, Nyla

    2017-06-01

    In present investigation, copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures have been prepared via green chemistry. Olea europaea leaf extract act as strong chelating agent for tailoring physical as well as bio-medical characteristics of CuO at the nano-size. Physical characterisation such as scanning electron microscope analysis depicts the formation of homogenised spherical shape nanoparticles (NPs) with average size of 42 nm. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy further confirmed the crystalline pure phase and monoclinic structure. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) testing is performed to evaluate the relative concentration of bioactive molecules in the O. europaea leaf extract. From HPLC results capping action of organic molecules around CuO-NPs is hypothesised. The antimicrobial potency of biosynthesised CuO-NPs have been evaluated using colony forming unit (CFU) counting assay and disc diffusion method which shows a significant zone of inhibition against bacterial and fungal strains may be highly potential for future antimicrobial pharmaceutics. Furthermore, reduction of various precursors by plant extract will reduce environmental impact over chemical synthesis.

  2. Isolation and characterization of pigmented bacteria showing antimicrobial activity from Malaysian marine environment

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    Ahmad, A.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims: Natural products play a prominent role in the discovery of leads for the development of drugs in the treatment ofhuman diseases. Much of nature remains to be explored, especially marine and microbial environments.Methodology and results: Fifty-five pigmented marine bacteria were isolated from sponges, seawater, mangrovesediment, sea cucumber and mussel from different coastal area of Malaysia. The antimicrobial activities of thesebacteria were investigated by disk diffusion method against pathogenic bacteria. Out of 55 isolates, 18 isolates exhibitedantimicrobial activity, which based on morphological characterization, 53% of them were Gram positive and 47% wereGram negative. All active isolates were able to tolerate more than 4% NaCl in the nutrient agar medium that indicatedthey were autochthonous to marine environment and moderate salt tolerant in nature. Molecular identification of isolatesby the strong antimicrobial activities indicates that isolates WPRA3 (JX020764 and SM11-3j belong to genus Serratiaand isolate SDPM1 (JQ083392 belongs to genus Zooshikella.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: The results of present study revealed that the active isolates arepotential producer of antimicrobial secondary metabolites and might be utilized as drug candidate.

  3. Synthetic analogs of anoplin show improved antimicrobial activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Munk, Jens; Uggerhøj, Lars Erik; Poulsen, Tanja Juul

    2013-01-01

    We present the antimicrobial and hemolytic activities of the decapeptide anoplin and 19 analogs thereof tested against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 33591 (MRSA), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (ATCC...... that increasing the charge and/or hydrophobicity improves antimicrobial activity and increases hemolytic activity. For each strain tested, we identify at least six anoplin analogs with an improved therapeutic index compared with anoplin, the only exception being Enterococcus faecium, against which only few...

  4. Production of Silver Nanoparticles with Strong and Stable Antimicrobial Activity against Highly Pathogenic and Multidrug Resistant Bacteria

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    Saeb, Amr T. M.; Alshammari, Ahmad S.; Al-Brahim, Hessa; Al-Rubeaan, Khalid A.

    2014-01-01

    Aims. To synthesize, characterize, and analyze antimicrobial activity of AgNPs of Escherichia hermannii (SHE), Citrobacter sedlakii (S11P), and Pseudomonas putida (S5). Methods. The synthesized AgNPs were examined using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and, zeta potential, and the size and the morphology obtained from the three different isolates were also confirmed by TEM. Results. Among the three isolates tested, SHE showed the best antimicrobial activity due to the presence of small (4–12 nm) and stable (−22 mV) AgNPs. Stability of AgNPs was also investigated and found to be dependent on the nature of isolates. Conclusion. Produced AgNPs showed particle stability and antimicrobial efficacy up to 90 days of production. Our AgNPs exhibited greater antimicrobial activity compared with gentamicin against P. aeruginosa isolates and vancomycin against S. aureus and MRSA isolates at very low concentration (0.0002 mg per Microliters). PMID:25093206

  5. Antimicrobial activity of latex silver nanoparticles using Calotropis procera

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    Nadia Hussein Mohamed

    2014-11-01

    Conclusions: It can be concluded that serum latex of Calotropis procera was found to display strong potential for the synthesis of AgNPs as antimicrobial agents through rapid reduction of silver ions (Ag+ to Ag0. The green synthesized AgNPs were found to show higher antimicrobial efficacy than crude latex.

  6. Correlations between Income inequality and antimicrobial resistance.

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    Kirby, Andrew; Herbert, Annie

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study is to investigate if correlations exist between income inequality and antimicrobial resistance. This study's hypothesis is that income inequality at the national level is positively correlated with antimicrobial resistance within developed countries. Income inequality data were obtained from the Standardized World Income Inequality Database. Antimicrobial resistance data were obtained from the European antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network and outpatient antimicrobial consumption data, measured by Defined daily Doses per 1000 inhabitants per day, from the European Surveillance of antimicrobial Consumption group. Spearman's correlation coefficient (r) defined strengths of correlations of: > 0.8 as strong, > 0.5 as moderate and > 0.2 as weak. Confidence intervals and p values were defined for all r values. Correlations were calculated for the time period 2003-10, for 15 European countries. Income inequality and antimicrobial resistance correlations which were moderate or strong, with 95% confidence intervals > 0, included the following. Enterococcus faecalis resistance to aminopenicillins, vancomycin and high level gentamicin was moderately associated with income inequality (r= ≥0.54 for all three antimicrobials). Escherichia coli resistance to aminoglycosides, aminopenicillins, third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones was moderately-strongly associated with income inequality (r= ≥0.7 for all four antimicrobials). Klebsiella pneumoniae resistance to third generation cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones was moderately associated with income inequality (r= ≥0.5 for all three antimicrobials). Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistance and income inequality were strongly associated (r=0.87). As income inequality increases in European countries so do the rates of antimicrobial resistance for bacteria including E. faecalis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae and S. aureus. Further studies are needed to confirm these

  7. Antimicrobial and Antiradical Activity of Extracts Obtained from Leaves of Five Species of the Genus Bergenia: Identification of Antimicrobial Compounds.

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    Żbikowska, Beata; Franiczek, Roman; Sowa, Alina; Połukord, Grażyna; Krzyżanowska, Barbara; Sroka, Zbigniew

    2017-09-01

    An important focus of modern medicine is the search for new substances and strategies to combat infectious diseases, which present an increasing threat due to the growth of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Another problem concerns free radicals, which in excess can cause several serious diseases. An alternative to chemical synthesis of antimicrobial and antiradical compounds is to find active substances in plant raw materials. We prepared extracts from leaves of five species of the genus Bergenia: B. purpurascens, B. cordifolia, B. ligulata, B. crassifolia, and B. ciliata. Antimicrobial and antiradical features of extracts and raw materials were assessed, and the quantities of phenolic compounds were determined. We also evaluated, using high-performance liquid chromatography, the amounts of arbutin and hydroquinone, compounds related to antimicrobial activity of these raw materials. The strongest antiradical properties were shown by leaves of B. crassifolia and B. cordifolia, the lowest by leaves of B. ciliata. The antiradical activity of extracts showed a strong positive correlation with the amount of phenols. All raw materials have significant antimicrobial properties. Among them, the ethyl acetate extracts were the most active. Antimicrobial activity very weakly correlated with the amount of arbutin, but correlated very strongly with the contents of both hydroquinone and phenolic compounds. Additional experiments using artificially prepared mixtures of phenolic compounds and hydroquinone allowed us to conclude that the most active antimicrobial substance is hydroquinone.

  8. Bacteriophages show promise as antimicrobial agents.

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    Alisky, J; Iczkowski, K; Rapoport, A; Troitsky, N

    1998-01-01

    The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has prompted interest in alternatives to conventional drugs. One possible option is to use bacteriophages (phage) as antimicrobial agents. We have conducted a literature review of all Medline citations from 1966-1996 that dealt with the therapeutic use of phage. There were 27 papers from Poland, the Soviet Union, Britain and the U.S.A. The Polish and Soviets administered phage orally, topically or systemically to treat a wide variety of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in both adults and children. Infections included suppurative wound infections, gastroenteritis, sepsis, osteomyelitis, dermatitis, empyemas and pneumonia; pathogens included Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Shigella and Salmonella spp. Overall, the Polish and Soviets reported success rates of 80-95% for phage therapy, with rare, reversible gastrointestinal or allergic side effects. However, efficacy of phage was determined almost exclusively by qualitative clinical assessment of patients, and details of dosages and clinical criteria were very sketchy. There were also six British reports describing controlled trials of phage in animal models (mice, guinea pigs and livestock), measuring survival rates and other objective criteria. All of the British studies raised phage against specific pathogens then used to create experimental infections. Demonstrable efficacy against Escherichia, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus spp. was noted in these model systems. Two U.S. papers dealt with improving the bioavailability of phage. Phage is sequestered in the spleen and removed from circulation. This can be overcome by serial passage of phage through mice to isolate mutants that resist sequestration. In conclusion, bacteriophages may show promise for treating antibiotic resistant pathogens. To facilitate further progress, directions for future research are discussed and a directory of authors from the reviewed

  9. Strong antimicrobial activity of xanthohumol and other derivatives from hops (Humulus lupulus L.) on gut anaerobic bacteria.

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    Cermak, Pavel; Olsovska, Jana; Mikyska, Alexandr; Dusek, Martin; Kadleckova, Zuzana; Vanicek, Jiri; Nyc, Otakar; Sigler, Karel; Bostikova, Vanda; Bostik, Pavel

    2017-11-01

    Anaerobic bacteria, such as Bacteroides fragilis or Clostridium perfringens, are part of indigenous human flora. However, Clostridium difficile represents also an important causative agent of nosocomial infectious antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Treatment of C. difficile infection is problematic, making it imperative to search for new compounds with antimicrobial properties. Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) contain substances with antibacterial properties. We tested antimicrobial activity of purified hop constituents humulone, lupulone and xanthohumol against anaerobic bacteria. The antimicrobial activity was established against B. fragilis, C. perfringens and C. difficile strains according to standard testing protocols (CLSI, EUCAST), and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were calculated. All C. difficile strains were toxigenic and clinically relevant, as they were isolated from patients with diarrhoea. Strongest antimicrobial effects were observed with xanthohumol showing MIC and MBC values of 15-107 μg/mL, which are close to those of conventional antibiotics in the strains of bacteria with increased resistance. Slightly higher MIC and MBC values were obtained with lupulone followed by higher values of humulone. Our study, thus, shows a potential of purified hop compounds, especially xanthohumol, as alternatives for treatment of infections caused by select anaerobic bacteria, namely nosocomial diarrhoea caused by resistant strains. © 2017 APMIS. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Occurrence of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes in beef cattle storage ponds and swine treatment lagoons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yuping; Zhang, Chiqian; Parker, David B.; Snow, Daniel D.; Zhou, Zhi; Li, Xu

    2013-01-01

    Livestock manure treatment and storage structures are potential environmental sources of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, the occurrence of antimicrobials and ARGs was investigated in the water and the sludge compartments of beef cattle storage ponds and swine lagoons. Analysis was focused on two families of antimicrobials (sulfonamide and tetracycline) and the corresponding ARGs (sul1, sul2, tetO, tetQ and tetX). Results showed that the pseudo-partitioning coefficients of tetracyclines were higher than those of sulfonamides, suggesting different distributions of these two classes of antimicrobials between water and sludge. The ARGs tested were detected in nearly all ponds and lagoons, with the highest relative abundance in sul2 at 6.3 × 10 −1 copies per 16S rRNA gene. A positive correlation was observed between total sul genes and total sulfonamides in water while the correlation was negative in sludge. No significant correlation was found between total tet genes and total tetracyclines in either water or sludge, but significant correlations were observed for certain individual tet genes. Ammonia concentrations strongly correlated with all ARGs except tetX. This study provided quantitative information on the occurrence of antimicrobials and ARGs in the liquid and solid compartments of typical manure treatment and storage structures. - Highlights: • Partitioning of antimicrobials between water and sludge is compound specific. • Antimicrobial resistance genes occurred in both water and sludge. • The ARG abundance varied more substantially in swine lagoons than in cattle ponds. • Correlations between ARGs and antimicrobials are system dependent

  11. Occurrence of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes in beef cattle storage ponds and swine treatment lagoons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yuping; Zhang, Chiqian [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE (United States); Parker, David B. [USDA Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE (United States); Snow, Daniel D. [Water Sciences Laboratory, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE (United States); Zhou, Zhi [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore (Singapore); Li, Xu, E-mail: xuli@unl.edu [Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE (United States)

    2013-10-01

    Livestock manure treatment and storage structures are potential environmental sources of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, the occurrence of antimicrobials and ARGs was investigated in the water and the sludge compartments of beef cattle storage ponds and swine lagoons. Analysis was focused on two families of antimicrobials (sulfonamide and tetracycline) and the corresponding ARGs (sul1, sul2, tetO, tetQ and tetX). Results showed that the pseudo-partitioning coefficients of tetracyclines were higher than those of sulfonamides, suggesting different distributions of these two classes of antimicrobials between water and sludge. The ARGs tested were detected in nearly all ponds and lagoons, with the highest relative abundance in sul2 at 6.3 × 10{sup −1} copies per 16S rRNA gene. A positive correlation was observed between total sul genes and total sulfonamides in water while the correlation was negative in sludge. No significant correlation was found between total tet genes and total tetracyclines in either water or sludge, but significant correlations were observed for certain individual tet genes. Ammonia concentrations strongly correlated with all ARGs except tetX. This study provided quantitative information on the occurrence of antimicrobials and ARGs in the liquid and solid compartments of typical manure treatment and storage structures. - Highlights: • Partitioning of antimicrobials between water and sludge is compound specific. • Antimicrobial resistance genes occurred in both water and sludge. • The ARG abundance varied more substantially in swine lagoons than in cattle ponds. • Correlations between ARGs and antimicrobials are system dependent.

  12. Rational Design of Alpha-Helical Antimicrobial Peptides: Do's and Don'ts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Uggerhøj, Lars Erik; Poulsen, Tanja Juul; Munk, Jens Kristian

    2015-01-01

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates for battling multiresistant bacteria. Despite extensive research, structure–activity relationships of AMPs are not fully understood, and there is a lack of structural data relating to AMPs in lipids. Here we present the NMR structure of anoplin...... (GLLKRIKTLL-NH2) in a micellar environment. A vast library of substitutions was designed and tested for antimicrobial and hemolytic activity, as well as for changes in structure and lipid interactions. This showed that improvement of antimicrobial activity without concomitant introduction of strong hemolytic...

  13. Antimicrobial effects of Thai medicinal plants against acne-inducing bacteria.

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    Chomnawang, Mullika Traidej; Surassmo, Suvimol; Nukoolkarn, Veena S; Gritsanapan, Wandee

    2005-10-03

    Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis have been recognized as pus-forming bacteria triggering an inflammation in acne. The present study was conducted to evaluate antimicrobial activities of Thai medicinal plants against these etiologic agents of acne vulgaris. Crude extracts were tested for antimicrobial activities by disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. The results from the disc diffusion method showed that 13 medicinal plants could inhibit the growth of Propionibacterium acnes. Among those, Senna alata, Eupatorium odoratum, Garcinia mangostana, and Barleria lupulina had strong inhibitory effects. Based on a broth dilution method, the Garcinia mangostana extract had the greatest antimicrobial effect. The MIC values were the same (0.039 mg/ml) for both bacterial species and the MBC values were 0.039 and 0.156 mg/ml against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively. In bioautography assay, the Garcinia mangostana extract produced strong inhibition zones against Propionibacterium acnes. Antimicrobial activity from fractions of column chromatography revealed one of the active compounds in Garcinia mangostana could be mangostin, a xanthone derivative. Taken together, our data indicated that Garcinia mangostana had a strong inhibitory effect on Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Therefore, this plant would be an interesting topic for further study and possibly for an alternative treatment for acne.

  14. National disparities in the relationship between antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial consumption in Europe: an observational study in 29 countries.

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    McDonnell, Lucy; Armstrong, David; Ashworth, Mark; Dregan, Alexandru; Malik, Umer; White, Patrick

    2017-11-01

    Antimicrobial resistance in invasive infections is driven mainly by human antimicrobial consumption. Limited cross-national comparative evidence exists about variation in antimicrobial consumption and effect on resistance. We examined the relationship between national community antimicrobial consumption rates (2013) and national hospital antimicrobial resistance rates (2014) across 29 countries in the European Economic Area (EEA). Consumption rates were obtained from the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net). Resistance data were obtained from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net), based on 196480 invasive isolates in 2014. Data availability and consistency were good. Some countries did not report figures for each strain of resistant bacteria. National antimicrobial consumption rates (2013) varied from ≤ 13 DDD (Estonia, the Netherlands and Sweden) to ≥ 30 DDD (France, Greece and Romania) per 1000 inhabitants per day. National antimicrobial resistance rates (hospital isolates, 15 species) also varied from  37.2% (Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Slovakia). National antimicrobial consumption rates (2013) showed strong to moderate correlation with national hospital antimicrobial resistance rates (2014) in 19 strains of bacteria (r = 0.84 to r = 0.39). Some countries defied the trend with high consumption and low resistance (France, Belgium and Luxembourg) or low consumption and high resistance (Bulgaria, Hungary and Latvia). We found associations between national community antimicrobial consumption and national hospital antimicrobial resistance across a wide range of bacteria. These associations were not uniform. Different mechanisms may drive resistance in hospital-based invasive infections. Future research on international variations in antimicrobial resistance should consider environmental factors, agricultural use, vaccination policies and prescribing quality. © The Author 2017

  15. Caseins from bovine colostrum and milk strongly bind piscidin-1, an antimicrobial peptide from fish.

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    Kütt, Mary-Liis; Stagsted, Jan

    2014-09-01

    A model system of bovine colostrum and piscidin, a fish-derived antimicrobial peptide, was developed to study potential interactions of antimicrobial peptides in colostrum. We did not detect any antimicrobial activity of colostrum using the radial plate diffusion assay; in fact colostrum completely abrogated activity of added piscidin. This could not be explained by degradation of piscidin by colostrum, which was less than ten percent. We found that colostrum even protected piscidin against degradation by added proteases. We further observed that colostrum and milk rapidly quenched the fluorescence of fluorescein-piscidin but not that of fluorescein. This effect was not seen with BSA and the specific quenching of fluorescein-piscidin by colostrum was saturably inhibited with unlabeled piscidin. Size exclusion chromatography indicated that fluorescein-piscidin bound to casein micelles with no apparent binding to IgG or whey proteins. Further, addition of pure caseins was able to quench fluorescence of fluorescein-piscidin and to inhibit the antimicrobial activity of piscidin. The interaction between caseins and piscidin could be dissociated by guanidine hydrochloride and recovered piscidin had antimicrobial activity against bacteria. Based on our results we propose that caseins could be carriers for antimicrobial peptides in colostrum and milk. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. A Study on Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils of Different Cultivars of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus

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    Ashish Kumar Gupta, Ritam Muhury, Deepak Ganjewala

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cymbopogon flexuosus popularly known as lemongrass provides a lemon scented essential oil which is widely used in flavour and fragrance, perfumery, food and pharmaceuticals. The aim of the present study was to assess antimicrobial activities of essential oils of three lemongrass cultivars viz., Pragati, Praman and Suvarna. Methods: Essential oils were isolated from one month old plants by hydro-distillation in mini Clevenger apparatus for 2 h. Antimicrobial activities were determined by agar well diffusion method Results: Lemongrass oils exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against all the microbes except E coli. Mean inhibition zone diameter (mm against bacteria was ranged 27-38 mm. B. Subtilis was the most sensitive bacterium to all essential oils. Essential oils also showed strong antifungal effects against both A. niger and C. albicans with mean inhibition zone diameter (mm values 20-26 and 27-29 mm, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed that antimicrobial activity shown by essential oils were significant (p > 0.05. Conclusion: The study revealed strong antimicrobial potential of the essential oil against pathogenic microbial strains which may be of high clinical importance in future.

  17. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Eschericia coli isolates from Arieş river (Romania

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    Andreea BODOCZI FLOREA

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available We studied the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AR and multiple antimicrobial resistances (MAR among the faecal bacteria found in the Arieş river (Romania affected by strong anthropogenic pressures. Isolation and identification of E. coli were done by using enrichment media, selective media, and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by the disk diffusion method was conducted for 12 antimicrobial agents: ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, ceftazidin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, ticarcycline, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, erythromycin, and norfloxacin. The data of the antimicrobial susceptibility reviled that all the studied E. coli strains were resistant to most of the tested antibiotics. The analysis of antibiotic resistance frequencies has showed an incidence of 46.66% strains resistant to more than 4 different antibiotics. Moreover, a high incidence of multiple antibiotic resistances was detected in each of the studied samples.

  18. Antimicrobial chemical constituents from endophytic fungus Phomasp.

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Hidayat Hussain; Siegfried Draeger; Barbara Schulz; Karsten Krohn; Ines Kock; Ahmed Al-Harrasi; Ahmed Al-Rawahi; Ghulam Abbas; Ivan R Green; Afzal Shah; Amin Badshah; Muhammad Saleem

    2014-01-01

    Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial potential of different extracts of the endophytic fungus Phomasp. and the tentative identification of their active constituents.Methods:The extract and compounds were screened for antimicrobial activity using theAgarWellDiffusionMethod. Four compounds were purified using column chromatography and their structures were assigned using1H and13CNMR spectra,DEPT,2DCOSY,HMQC andHMBC experiments.Results:The ethyl acetate fraction ofPhomasp. showed good antifungal, antibacterial, and algicidal properties.One new dihydrofuran derivative, named phomafuranol(1), together with three known compounds, phomalacton(2),(3R)-5-hydroxymellein(3) and emodin(4) were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction ofPhomasp.Preliminary studies indicated that phomalacton(2) displayed strong antibacterial, good antifungal and antialgal activities.Similarly(3R)-5-hydroxymellein (3) and emodin(4) showed good antifungal, antibacterial and algicidal properties.Conclusions:Antimicrobial activities of the ethyl acetate fraction of the endophytic fungusPhomasp. and isolated compounds clearly demonstrate thatPhomasp. and its active compounds represent a great potential for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

  19. Particulate Respirators Functionalized with Silver Nanoparticles Showed Excellent Real-Time Antimicrobial Effects against Pathogens.

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    Zheng, Clark Renjun; Li, Shuai; Ye, Chengsong; Li, Xinyang; Zhang, Chiqian; Yu, Xin

    2016-07-05

    Particulate respirators designed to filtrate fine particulate matters usually do not possess antimicrobial functions. The current study aimed to functionalize particulate respirators with silver nanoparticles (nanosilver or AgNPs), which have excellent antimicrobial activities, utilizing a straightforward and effective method. We first enhanced the nanosilver-coating ability of nonwoven fabrics from a particulate respirator through surface modification by sodium oleate. The surfactant treatment significantly improved the fabrics' water wet preference where the static water contact angles reduced from 122° to 56°. Both macroscopic agar-plate tests and microscopic scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization revealed that nanosilver functionalized fabrics could effectively inhibit the growth of two model bacterial strains (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The coating of silver nanoparticles would not affect the main function of particulate respirators (i.e., filtration of fine air-borne particles). Nanosilver coated particulate respirators with excellent antimicrobial activities can provide real-time protection to people in regions with severe air pollution against air-borne pathogens.

  20. N-Acylated and d Enantiomer Derivatives of a Nonamer Core Peptide of Lactoferricin B Showing Improved Antimicrobial Activity

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    Wakabayashi, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Hashimoto, Koichi; Teraguchi, Susumu; Takase, Mitsunori; Hayasawa, Hirotoshi

    1999-01-01

    N-acylated or d enantiomer peptide derivatives based on the sequence RRWQWRMKK in lactoferricin B demonstrated antimicrobial activities greater than those of lactoferricin B against bacteria and fungi. The most potent peptide, conjugated with an 11-carbon-chain acyl group, showed two to eight times lower MIC than lactoferricin B.

  1. N-Acylated and D enantiomer derivatives of a nonamer core peptide of lactoferricin B showing improved antimicrobial activity.

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    Wakabayashi, H; Matsumoto, H; Hashimoto, K; Teraguchi, S; Takase, M; Hayasawa, H

    1999-05-01

    N-acylated or D enantiomer peptide derivatives based on the sequence RRWQWRMKK in lactoferricin B demonstrated antimicrobial activities greater than those of lactoferricin B against bacteria and fungi. The most potent peptide, conjugated with an 11-carbon-chain acyl group, showed two to eight times lower MIC than lactoferricin B.

  2. Antimicrobial properties and membrane-active mechanism of a potential α-helical antimicrobial derived from cathelicidin PMAP-36.

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    Yinfeng Lv

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs, which present in the non-specific immune system of organism, are amongst the most promising candidates for the development of novel antimicrobials. The modification of naturally occurring AMPs based on their residue composition and distribution is a simple and effective strategy for optimization of known AMPs. In this study, a series of truncated and residue-substituted derivatives of antimicrobial peptide PMAP-36 were designed and synthesized. The 24-residue truncated peptide, GI24, displayed antimicrobial activity comparable to the mother peptide PMAP-36 with MICs ranging from 1 to 4 µM, which is lower than the MICs of bee venom melittin. Although GI24 displayed high antimicrobial activity, its hemolytic activity was much lower than melittin, suggesting that GI24 have optimal cell selectivity. In addition, the crucial site of GI24 was identified through single site-mutation. An amino acid with high hydrophobicity at position 23 played an important role in guaranteeing the high antimicrobial activity of GI24. Then, lipid vesicles and whole bacteria were employed to investigate the membrane-active mechanisms. Membrane-simulating experiments showed that GI24 interacted strongly with negatively charged phospholipids and weakly with zwitterionic phospholipids, which corresponded well with the data of its biological activities. Membrane permeabilization and flow cytometry provide the evidence that GI24 killed microbial cells by permeabilizing the cell membrane and damaging membrane integrity. GI24 resulted in greater cell morphological changes and visible pores on cell membrane as determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and transmission electron microscope (TEM. Taken together, the peptide GI24 may provide a promising antimicrobial agent for therapeutic applications against the frequently-encountered bacteria.

  3. Relationship between Chemical Structure and Antimicrobial Activities of Isothiocyanates from Cruciferous Vegetables against Oral Pathogens.

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    Ko, Mi-Ok; Kim, Mi-Bo; Lim, Sang-Bin

    2016-12-28

    We evaluated the potentials of 10 isothiocyanates (ITCs) from cruciferous vegetables and radish root hydrolysate for inhibiting the growth of oral pathogens, with an emphasis on assessing any structure-function relationship. Structural differences in ITCs impacted their antimicrobial activities against oral pathogens differently. The indolyl ITC (indol-3-carbinol) was the most potent inhibitor of the growth of oral pathogens, followed by aromatic ITCs (benzyl ITC (BITC) and phenylethyl ITC (PEITC)) and aliphatic ITCs (erucin, iberin, and sulforaphene). Sulforaphene, which is similar in structure, but has one double bond, showed higher antimicrobial activity than sulforaphane. Erucin, which has a thiol group, showed higher antimicrobial activity than sulforaphane, which has a sulfinyl group. BITC and iberin with a short chain exhibited higher antimicrobial potential than PEITC and sulforaphane with a longer chain, respectively. ITCs have strong antimicrobial activities and may be useful in the prevention and management of dental caries.

  4. Species distribution and resistance patterns to growth-promoting antimicrobials of enterococci isolated from pigs and chickens in Korea.

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    Hwang, In Yeong; Ku, Hyun Ok; Lim, Suk Kyung; Park, Choi Kyu; Jung, Gab Su; Jung, Suk Chan; Nam, Hyang Mi

    2009-11-01

    A total of 147 Enterococcus faecium and 165 Enterococcus faecalis isolates from fecal samples of chickens and pigs at slaughterhouses in Korea were tested for their resistance to 8 growth-promoting antimicrobials commonly used in animals and quinupristin and dalfopristin. Resistance to most antimicrobials was very common among both E. faecalis and E. faecium. In particular, E. faecalis showed almost no susceptibility to all the antimicrobials tested except penicillin and flavomycin, to which 1.4% and less than 24% showed resistance, respectively. Although the prevalence of resistance was lower than in E. faecalis, E. faecium showed relatively uniform resistance to all the agents tested. Among the antimicrobials tested, virginiamycin and penicillin were the most effective against E. faecium isolates: less than 31% and 41% showed resistance to those 2 antimicrobials, respectively. Penicillin was the only agent that showed relatively strong activity against both E. faecalis and E. faecium. Resistance observed in E. faecalis and E. faecium against most antimicrobials used for growth promotion was more prevalent in Korea than in European countries. The current study is the first report of resistance against feed additive antimicrobials in enterococcal isolates from livestock in Korea.

  5. Polymer-Ag nanocomposites with enhanced antimicrobial activity against bacterial infection.

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    Mei, Lin; Lu, Zhentan; Zhang, Xinge; Li, Chaoxing; Jia, Yanxia

    2014-09-24

    Herein, a nontoxic nanocomposite is synthesized by reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of a cationic polymer displaying strong antimicrobial activity against bacterial infection. These nanocomposites with a large concentration of positive charge promote their adsorption to bacterial membranes through electrostatic interaction. Moreover, the synthesized nanocomposites with polyvalent and synergistic antimicrobial effects can effectively kill both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria without the emergence of bacterial resistance. Morphological changes obtained by transmission electron microscope observation show that these nanocomposites can cause leakage and chaos of intracellular contents. Analysis of the antimicrobial mechanism confirms that the lethal action of nanocomposites against the bacteria started with disruption of the bacterial membrane, subsequent cellular internalization of the nanoparticles, and inhibition of intracellular enzymatic activity. This novel antimicrobial material with good cytocompatibility promotes healing of infected wounds in diabetic rats, and has a promising future in the treatment of other infectious diseases.

  6. Mushrooms as Possible Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosanić, Marijana; Ranković, Branislav; Dašić, Marko

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the study is to examine in-vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the acetonic and methanolic extracts of the mushrooms Boletus aestivalis, Boletus edulis and Leccinum carpini. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by using free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. In addition, total content of phenol and flavonoid in extracts were determined as pyrocatechol equivalent, and as rutin equivalent, respectively. As a result of the study acetonic extracts from Boletus edulis was more powerful antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 4.72 μg/mL which was similar or greater than the standard antioxidants, ascorbic acid (IC50 = 4.22 μg/mL), BHA (IC50 = 6.42 μg/mL) and α-tocopherol (IC50 = 62.43 μg/mL). Moreover, the tested extracts had effective reducing power. A significant relationship between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and their antioxidative activities was significantly observed. The antimicrobial activity of each extract was estimated by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration by using microdilution plate method against five species of bacteria and five species of fungi. Generally, the tested mushroom extracts had relatively strong antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration for both extracts related to the tested bacteria and fungi were 1.25 - 10 mg/ mL. The present study shows that tested mushroom species demonstrated a strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. It suggests that mushroom may be used as good sources of natural antioxidants and for pharmaceutical purposes in treating of various deseases. PMID:24250542

  7. Comparison of the effectiveness of different antimicrobial surface technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Buhl Sebastian

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The risk of infection via microbiologically contaminated surfaces has already been demonstrated by other publications. In this work two different antibacterial surface technologies transition metalloacids (AMiSTec and TiO2/AgNO3 (Health Complete were compared regarding feasibility as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The examination of the antimicrobial activity was assessed according to the JIS Z 2801. We could demonstrate that all of our tested samples showed a strong antimicrobial activity (>log 3 germ reduction in the JIS experiments. Furthermore this strong antibacterial effect could be shown already after <30min incubation and at low light intensity (approx. 300 Lux for the TiO2/AgNO3 samples. Both technologies provide a high potential for an improved infection control for example in a high risk environment like operation rooms or intensive care units.

  8. Antimicrobial Activity and Modulatory Effect of Essential Oil from the Leaf of Rhaphiodon echinus (Nees & Mart) Schauer on Some Antimicrobial Drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duarte, Antonia Eliene; de Menezes, Irwin Rose Alencar; Bezerra Morais Braga, Maria Flaviana; Leite, Nadghia Figueiredo; Barros, Luiz Marivando; Waczuk, Emily Pansera; Pessoa da Silva, Maria Arlene; Boligon, Aline; Teixeira Rocha, João Batista; Souza, Diogo Onofre; Kamdem, Jean Paul; Melo Coutinho, Henrique Douglas; Escobar Burger, Marilise

    2016-06-08

    Rhaphiodon echinus is a weed plant used in the Brazilian folk medicinal for the treatment of infectious diseases. In this study, the essential oil of R. echinus leaf was investigated for its antimicrobial properties. The chemical constituents of the essential oil were characterized by GC-MS. The antimicrobial properties were determined by studying by the microdilution method the effect of the oil alone, and in combination with antifungal or antibiotic drugs against the fungi Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis and the microbes Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas. In addition, the iron (II) chelation potential of the oil was determined. The results showed the presence of β-caryophyllene and bicyclogermacrene in major compounds, and revealed a low antifungal and antibacterial activity of the essential oil, but a strong modulatory effect on antimicrobial drugs when associated with the oil. The essential oil showed iron (II) chelation activity. The GC-MS characterization revealed the presence of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in the essential oil and metal chelation potential, which may be responsible in part for the modulatory effect of the oil. These findings suggest that essential oil of R. echinus is a natural product capable of enhancing the antibacterial and antifungal activity of antimicrobial drugs.

  9. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of selected plant extracts by rapid XTT colorimetry and bacterial enumeration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Bakri, Amal G; Afifi, Fatma U

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this study was to screen and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of indigenous Jordanian plant extracts, dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide, using the rapid XTT assay and viable count methods. XTT rapid assay was used for the initial screening of antimicrobial activity for the plant extracts. Antimicrobial activity of potentially active plant extracts was further assessed using the "viable plate count" method. Four degrees of antimicrobial activity (high, moderate, weak and inactive) against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively, were recorded. The plant extracts of Hypericum triquetrifolium, Ballota undulata, Ruta chalepensis, Ononis natrix, Paronychia argentea and Marrubium vulgare had shown promising antimicrobial activity. This study showed that while both XTT and viable count methods are comparable when estimating the overall antimicrobial activity of experimental substances, there is no strong linear correlation between the two methods.

  10. Evaluation of natural antimicrobials on typical meat spoilage bacteria in vitro and in vacuum-packed pork meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schirmer, Bjørn Christian; Langsrud, Solveig

    2010-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of natural antimicrobials on the growth of typical spoilage bacteria from marinated pork. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of thymol, cinnamaldehyde, allyl isothiocyanate, citric acid, ascorbic acid, a rosemary extract, and a grapefruit seed extract against Lactobacillus algidus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc carnosum, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Carnobacterium divergens, Brochothrix thermosphacta, and Serratia proteamaculans were determined in a microplate assay. Combinations of antimicrobials were tested and several combinations showed synergistic effects in inhibiting bacterial growth. Single and combined antimicrobials were added to vacuum-packed pork meat to evaluate preserving effects. Antimicrobial concentrations of up to 10 times the MIC values showed no effect on total bacterial growth in vacuum packed pork meaning that although most antimicrobials inhibited the growth of spoilage bacteria in vitro, results from the microplate assay could not be transferred to the meat system. Most natural antimicrobials possess strong odor and flavor that limit their use as a food preservative. In conclusion, this study showed that the use of natural antimicrobials in meat products is limited and that bacterial quality and shelf life was not enhanced under the chosen conditions.

  11. Antimicrobial drug use in food-producing animals and associated human health risks: what, and how strong, is the evidence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoelzer, Karin; Wong, Nora; Thomas, Joe; Talkington, Kathy; Jungman, Elizabeth; Coukell, Allan

    2017-07-04

    Antimicrobial resistance is a public health threat. Because antimicrobial consumption in food-producing animals contributes to the problem, policies restricting the inappropriate or unnecessary agricultural use of antimicrobial drugs are important. However, this link between agricultural antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance has remained contested by some, with potentially disruptive effects on efforts to move towards the judicious or prudent use of these drugs. The goal of this review is to systematically evaluate the types of evidence available for each step in the causal pathway from antimicrobial use on farms to human public health risk, and to evaluate the strength of evidence within a 'Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation'(GRADE) framework. The review clearly demonstrates that there is compelling scientific evidence available to support each step in the causal pathway, from antimicrobial use on farms to a public health burden caused by infections with resistant pathogens. Importantly, the pathogen, antimicrobial drug and treatment regimen, and general setting (e.g., feed type) can have significant impacts on how quickly resistance emerges or spreads, for how long resistance may persist after antimicrobial exposures cease, and what public health impacts may be associated with antimicrobial use on farms. Therefore an exact quantification of the public health burden attributable to antimicrobial drug use in animal agriculture compared to other sources remains challenging. Even though more research is needed to close existing data gaps, obtain a better understanding of how antimicrobial drugs are actually used on farms or feedlots, and quantify the risk associated with antimicrobial use in animal agriculture, these findings reinforce the need to act now and restrict antibiotic use in animal agriculture to those instances necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the animals.

  12. Comparative evaluation of antimicrobials for textile applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Windler, Lena; Height, Murray; Nowack, Bernd

    2013-03-01

    Many antimicrobial technologies are available for textiles. They may be used in many different textile applications to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Due to the biological activity of the antimicrobial compounds, the assessment of the safety of these substances is an ongoing subject of research and regulatory scrutiny. This review aims to give an overview on the main compounds used today for antimicrobial textile functionalization. Based on an evaluation of scientific publications, market data as well as regulatory documents, the potential effects of antimicrobials on the environment and on human health were considered and also life cycle perspectives were taken into account. The characteristics of each compound were summarized according to technical, environmental and human health criteria. Triclosan, silane quaternary ammonium compounds, zinc pyrithione and silver-based compounds are the main antimicrobials used in textiles. The synthetic organic compounds dominate the antimicrobials market on a weight basis. On the technical side the application rates of the antimicrobials used to functionalize a textile product are an important parameter with treatments requiring lower dosage rates offering clear benefits in terms of less active substance required to achieve the functionality. The durability of the antimicrobial treatment has a strong influence on the potential for release and subsequent environmental effects. In terms of environmental criteria, all compounds were rated similarly in effective removal in wastewater treatment processes. The extent of published information about environmental behavior for each compound varies, limiting the possibility for an in-depth comparison of all textile-relevant parameters across the antimicrobials. Nevertheless the comparative evaluation showed that each antimicrobial technology has specific risks and benefits that should be taken into account in evaluating the suitability of different antimicrobial products. The

  13. Antimicrobial Peptides, Infections and the Skin Barrier

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Maja Lisa; Agner, Tove

    2016-01-01

    The skin serves as a strong barrier protecting us from invading pathogens and harmful organisms. An important part of this barrier comes from antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are small peptides expressed abundantly in the skin. AMPs are produced in the deeper layers of the epidermis and trans......The skin serves as a strong barrier protecting us from invading pathogens and harmful organisms. An important part of this barrier comes from antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are small peptides expressed abundantly in the skin. AMPs are produced in the deeper layers of the epidermis...

  14. Acrolein contributes strongly to antimicrobial and heterocyclic amine transformation activities of reuterin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engels, Christina; Schwab, Clarissa; Zhang, Jianbo; Stevens, Marc J A; Bieri, Corinne; Ebert, Marc-Olivier; McNeill, Kristopher; Sturla, Shana J; Lacroix, Christophe

    2016-11-07

    Glycerol/diol dehydratases catalyze the conversion of glycerol to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA), the basis of a multi-component system called reuterin. Reuterin has antimicrobial properties and undergoes chemical conjugation with dietary heterocyclic amines (HCAs). In aqueous solution reuterin is in dynamic equilibrium with the toxicant acrolein. It was the aim of this study to investigate the extent of acrolein formation at various physiological conditions and to determine its role in biological and chemical activities. The application of a combined novel analytical approach including IC-PAD, LC-MS and NMR together with specific acrolein scavengers suggested for the first time that acrolein, and not 3-HPA, is the active compound responsible for HCA conjugation and antimicrobial activity attributed to reuterin. As formation of the HCA conjugate was observed in vivo, our results imply that acrolein is formed in the human gut with implications on detoxification of HCAs. We propose to re-define the term reuterin to include acrolein.

  15. In Vitro Antimicrobial Potential of the Lichen Parmotrema sp. Extracts against Various Pathogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauhan, Ritika; Abraham, Jayanthi

    2013-07-01

    The ongoing increasing antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest challenges faced by global public health. The perennial need for new antimicrobials against a background of increasing antibiotic resistance in pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms obliges the scientific community to constantly develop new drugs and antimicrobial agents. Lichens are known prolific sources of natural antimicrobial drugs and biologically active natural products. This study was aimed to explore in vitro antimicrobial activity of lichen Parmotrema sp. The methanol and aqueous extracts of lichen Parmotrema sp. was extracted using Soxhlet extractor. Antibiotic assessment of methanol and aqueous extracts was done against eight bacterial (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Enterococci faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae,) clinical pathogens and five plant pathogenic fungal strains (Aspergillus terreus strain JAS1, Scedosporium sp. JAS1, Ganoderma sp. JAS4, Candida tropicalis and Fusarium sp.) by Kirby-Bauer method. The methanol lichen Parmotrema sp. extract inhibited all the test organisms. The highest antibacterial activity was found against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The weakest activity was manifested in Salmonella sp. and Scedosporium sp. JAS1. Strong antifungal effect was found against Ganoderma sp. JAS4 and Fusarium sp. The aqueous lichen Parmotrema sp. extract revealed neither antibacterial nor antifungal activity. The present study shows that tested lichen Parmotrema sp. extracts demonstrated a strong antimicrobial effect. That suggests the active components from methanol extracts of the investigated lichen Parmotrema sp. can be used as natural antimicrobial agent against pathogens.

  16. Insecticidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of bulb extracts of Allium sativum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meriga, Balaji; Mopuri, Ramgopal; MuraliKrishna, T

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the insecticidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of bulb extracts of Allium sativum (A. sativum). Dried bulbs of A. sativum were extracted with different solvents and evaluated for insecticidal, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Aqueous and methanol extracts showed highest insecticidal activity (mortality rate of 81% and 64% respectively) against the larvae of Spodoptera litura (S. litura) at a concentration of 1 000 ppm. With regard to antimicrobial activity, aqueous extract exhibited antibacterial activity against gram positive (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureu,) and gram negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia) strains and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. While methanol extract showed antimicrobial activity against all the tested micro organisms except two (Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans), the extracts of hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate did not show any anti microbial activity. Minimum inhibitory concentration of aqueous and methanol extracts against tested bacterial and fungal strains was 100-150 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity of the bulb extracts was evaluated in terms of inhibition of free radicals by 2, 2'-diphenly-1-picrylhydrazyl. Aqueous and methanol extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity (80%-90% of the standard). Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of A. sativum against the tested organisms therefore, provides scientific basis for its utilization in traditional and folk medicine. Also, our results demonstrated the insecticidal efficacy of A. sativum against S. litura, a polyphagous insect. Copyright © 2012 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Plant location and extraction procedure strongly alter the antimicrobial activity of murta extracts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shene, Carolina; Reyes, Agnes K.; Villarroel, Mario

    2009-01-01

    plants grown nearer to the mountain (58 mg GAE/g murta), subjected to extreme summer/winter-day/night temperature changes and rainy regime. Extracts from leaves collected in the valley and coast contained 46 and 40 mg GAE/g murta, respectively. A mixture of 50% ethanol/water was the most efficient......Leaves and fruits of Murta (Ugni Molinae Turcz.) growing in three locations of Chile with diverse climatic conditions were extracted by using ethanol/water mixtures at different ratios and the antimicrobial activity was assessed. Extracts containing the highest polyphenolic content were from murta...... in extracting polyphenols, showing pure solvents-both water and ethanol-a lower extraction capacity. No correlation between antioxidant capacity and polyphenolic content was found. Extracts from Murta leaves provoked a decrease in the growing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus...

  18. Antimicrobial activity of Iranian propolis and its chemical composition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaghoubi M.J.

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of ethanol extract of Iranian propolis on some microorganisms using disc diffusion method. The chemical composition of the propolis was also investigated using thin layer chromatography and spectrophotometric methods. Ethanol extract of propolis showed activity only against Gram-positives and fungi, whereas no activity was observed against Gram-negatives. Thin layer chromatography screening revealed the presence of pinocembrine, caffeic acid, kaempferol, phenethyl caffeate, chrysin, and galangin in Iranian propolis. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents were 7.3% and 36%, respectively, which suggests that the strong antimicrobial activity of Iranian propolis may be due to high levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds.

  19. Bacillus subtilis from Soybean Food Shows Antimicrobial Activity for Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by Affecting the adeS Gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tieshan; Su, Jianrong

    2016-12-28

    Exploring novel antibiotics is necessary for multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Because the probiotics in soybean food have antimicrobial activities, we investigated their effects on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii . Nineteen multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains were clinifcally isolated as an experimental group and 11 multidrug-sensitive strains as controls. The growth rates of all bacteria were determined by using the analysis for xCELLigence Real-Time Cell. The combination of antibiotics showed synergistic effects on the strains in the control group but no effect on the strains in the experimental group. Efflux pump gene adeS was absent in all the strains from the control group, whereas it exists in all the strains from the experimental group. Furthermore, all the strains lost multidrug resistance when an adeS inhibitor was used. One strain of probiotics isolated from soybean food showed high antimicrobial activity for multidrug-resistant A. baumannii . The isolated strain belongs to Bacillus subtilis according to 16S RNA analysis. Furthermore, E. coli showed multidrug resistance when it was transformed with the adeS gene from A. baumannii whereas the resistant bacteria could be inhibited completely by isolated Bacillus subtilis . Thus, probiotics from soybean food provide potential antibiotics against multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria.

  20. In vitro antimicrobial activities of cinnamon bark oil, anethole, carvacrol, eugenol and guaiazulene against Mycoplasma hominis clinical isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleha, Radek; Mosio, Petra; Vydrzalova, Marketa; Jantovska, Alexandra; Bostikova, Vanda; Mazurova, Jaroslava

    2014-06-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of five natural substances against 50 clinical isolates of Mycoplasma hominis. The in vitro activity of selected natural compounds, cinnamon bark oil, anethole, carvacrol, eugenol and guaiazulene, was investigated against 50 M. hominis isolates cultivated from cervical swabs by the broth dilution method. All showed valuable antimicrobial activity against the tested isolates. Oil from the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (MBC90 = 500 µg/mL) however was found to be the most effective. Carvacrol (MBC90 = 600 µg/mL) and eugenol (MBC90 = 1000 µg/mL) also possessed strong antimycoplasmal activity. The results indicate that cinnamon bark oil, carvacrol and eugenol have strong antimycoplasmal activity and the potential for use as antimicrobial agents in the treatment of mycoplasmal infections.

  1. Novel silver-based nanoclay as an antimicrobial in polylactic acid food packaging coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busolo, Maria A; Fernandez, Patricia; Ocio, Maria J; Lagaron, Jose M

    2010-11-01

    This paper presents a comprehensive performance study of polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites, obtained by solvent casting, containing a novel silver-based antimicrobial layered silicate additive for use in active food packaging applications. The silver-based nanoclay showed strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative Salmonella spp. Despite the fact that no exfoliation of the silver-based nanoclay in PLA was observed, as suggested by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) experiments, the additive dispersed nicely throughout the PLA matrix to a nanoscale, yielding nanobiocomposites. The films were highly transparent with enhanced water barrier and strong biocidal properties. Silver migration from the films to a slightly acidified water medium, considered an aggressive food simulant, was measured by stripping voltammetry. Silver migration accelerated after 6 days of exposure. Nevertheless, the study suggests that migration levels of silver, within the specific migration levels referenced by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), exhibit antimicrobial activity, supporting the potential application of this biocidal additive in active food-packaging applications to improve food quality and safety.

  2. An active principle of Nigella sativa L., thymoquinone, showing significant antimicrobial activity against anaerobic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randhawa, Mohammad Akram; Alenazy, Awwad Khalaf; Alrowaili, Majed Gorayan; Basha, Jamith

    2017-01-01

    Thymoquinone (TQ) is the major active principle of Nigella sativa seed (black seed) and is known to control many fungi, bacteria, and some viruses. However, the activity of TQ against anaerobic bacteria is not well demonstrated. Anaerobic bacteria can cause severe infections, including diarrhea, aspiration pneumonia, and brain abscess, particularly in immunodeficient individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of TQ against some anaerobic pathogens in comparison to metronidazole. Standard, ATCC, strains of four anaerobic bacteria ( Clostridium difficile , Clostridium perfringens , Bacteroides fragilis , and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron ), were initially isolated on special Brucella agar base (with hemin and vitamin K). Then, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of TQ and metronidazole were determined against these anaerobes when grown in Brucella agar, using serial agar dilution method according to the recommended guidelines for anaerobic organisms instructed by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. TQ showed a significant antimicrobial activity against anaerobic bacteria although much weaker than metronidazole. MICs of TQ and metronidazole against various anaerobic human pathogens tested were found to be between 10-160 mg/L and 0.19-6.25 mg/L, respectively. TQ controlled the anaerobic human pathogenic bacteria, which supports the use of N. sativa in the treatment of diarrhea in folk medicine. Further investigations are in need for determination of the synergistic effect of TQ in combination with metronidazole and the activity of derivatives of TQ against anaerobic infections.

  3. Structure-activity relationships of an antimicrobial peptide plantaricin s from two-peptide class IIb bacteriocins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soliman, Wael; Wang, Liru; Bhattacharjee, Subir; Kaur, Kamaljit

    2011-04-14

    Class IIb bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides comprising two different peptides synergistically acting in equal amounts for optimal potency. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time potent (nanomolar) antimicrobial activity of a representative class IIb bacteriocin, plantaricin S (Pls), against four pathogenic gram-positive bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes. The structure-activity relationships for Pls were studied using activity assays, circular dichroism (CD), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The two Pls peptides and five Pls derived fragments were synthesized. The CD spectra of the Pls and selected fragments revealed helical conformations in aqueous 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. The MD simulations showed that when the two Pls peptides are in antiparallel orientation, the helical regions interact and align, mediated by strong attraction between conserved GxxxG/AxxxA motifs. The results strongly correlate with the antimicrobial activity suggesting that helix-helix alignment of the two Pls peptides and interaction between the conserved motifs are crucial for interaction with the target cell membrane.

  4. Antimicrobial efficacy of granulysin-derived synthetic peptides in acne vulgaris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Hee-Sun; Chun, Seung-Min; Soung, Min-Gyu; Kim, Jenny; Kim, Seong-Jin

    2015-07-01

    Antimicrobial peptides are considered as a potential alternative to antibiotic treatment in acne vulgaris because the development of a resistant strain of Propionibacterium acnes is problematic. Granulysin can be regarded as an ideal substance with which to treat acne because it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. This study was performed to explore the effectiveness of granulysin-derived peptides (GDPs) in killing P. acnes in vitro under a standard microbiologic assay and to evaluate their potential use in a topical agent for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Twenty different peptides based on the known sequence of a GDP were synthesized and tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity. Thirty patients with facial acne vulgaris were instructed to apply a topical formulation containing synthetic GDP to acne lesions twice per day for 12 weeks. A newly synthesized peptide in which aspartic acid was substituted with arginine, and methionine was substituted with cysteine, showed the highest antimicrobial activity against P. acnes. Moreover, it was effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in vitro. After treatment with the topical formulation containing 50 ppm of synthetic peptide for 12 weeks, a significant reduction in the number of pustules was observed, regardless of the increase in the number of comedones. In addition, a significant reduction in the clinical grade of acne based on the Korean Acne Grading System (KAGS) was evident. Synthesized GDP shows strong antimicrobial activity against P. acnes in vitro. The clinical improvement observed suggests a topical formulation containing the GDP has therapeutic potential for the improvement of inflammatory-type acne vulgaris by its antimicrobial activity. © 2015 The International Society of Dermatology.

  5. Production of Recombinant Antimicrobial Polymeric Protein Beta Casein-E 50-52 and Its Antimicrobial Synergistic Effects Assessment with Thymol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shohreh Fahimirad

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Accelerating emergence of antimicrobial resistance among food pathogens and consumers’ increasing demands for preservative-free foods are two contemporary challenging aspects within the food industry. Antimicrobial packaging and the use of natural preservatives are promising solutions. In the present study, we used beta-casein—one of the primary self-assembly proteins in milk with a high polymeric film production capability—as a fusion partner for the recombinant expression of E 50-52 antimicrobial peptide in Escherichia coli. The pET21a-BCN-E 50-52 construct was transformed to E. coli BL21 (DE3, and protein expression was induced under optimized conditions. Purified protein obtained from nickel affinity chromatography was refolded under optimized dialysis circumstances and concentrated to 1600 µg/mL fusion protein by ultrafiltration. Antimicrobial activities of recombinant BCN-E 50-52 performed against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus, and Candida albicans. Subsequently, the synergistic effects of BCN-E 50-52 and thymol were assayed. Results of checkerboard tests showed strong synergistic activity between two compounds. Time–kill and growth kinetic studies indicated a sharp reduction of cell viability during the first period of exposure, and SEM (scanning electron microscope results validated the severe destructive effects of BCN E 50-52 and thymol in combination on bacterial cells.

  6. Veterinary drug usage and antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of animal origin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aarestrup, Frank Møller

    2005-01-01

    In the production of food animals, large amounts of antimicrobial agents are used for therapy and prophylaxis of bacterial infections and in feed to promote growth. There are large variations in the amounts of antimicrobial agents used to produce the same amount of meat among the different Europe...... monitoring the occurrence and development of resistance and consumption of antimicrobial agents are strongly desirable, as is research into the most appropriate ways to use antimicrobial agents in veterinary medicine....

  7. Farmers’ knowledge and expectations of antimicrobial use and resistance are strongly related to usage in Dutch livestock sectors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kramer, Tineke; Jansen, Leonie E.; Lipman, Len J.A.; Smit, Lidwien A.M.; Heederik, Dick J.J.; Dorado-García, Alejandro

    2017-01-01

    Comprehensive strategies to improve on-farm antimicrobial use (AMU) are needed to contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Little is known about farmers’ motivating and enabling factors, and about their influence on AMU. In a cross-sectional online survey, Dutch dairy, veal and pig farmers (n = 457)

  8. Reliable estimation of antimicrobial use and its evolution between 2010 and 2013 in French swine farms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hémonic, Anne; Chauvin, Claire; Delzescaux, Didier; Verliat, Fabien; Corrégé, Isabelle

    2018-01-01

    There has been a strong implication of both the French swine industry and the national authorities on reducing the use of antimicrobials in swine production since 2010. The annual monitoring of antimicrobial sales by the French Veterinary Medicines Agency (Anses-ANMV) provides estimates but not detailed figures on actual on-farm usage of antimicrobials in swine production. In order to provide detailed information on the 2010 and 2013 antimicrobial use in the French swine industry, the methodology of cross-sectional retrospective study on a representative sample of at least 150 farms has been elected. The analysis of the collected data shows a strong and significant decrease in antimicrobial exposure of pigs between 2010 and 2013. Over three years, the average number of days of treatment significantly decreased by 29% in suckling piglets and by 19% in weaned piglets. In fattening pigs, the drop (- 29%) was not statistically significant. Only usage in sows did increase over that period (+ 17%, non-significant), which might be associated with the transition to group-housing of pregnant sows that took place at the time. Also, over that period, the use of third- and fourth generation cephalosporins in suckling piglets decreased by 89%, and by 82% in sows, which confirms that the voluntary moratorium on these classes of antimicrobials decided at the end of 2010 has been effectively implemented. The methodology of random sampling of farms appears as a precise and robust tool to monitor antimicrobial use within a production animal species, able to fulfil industry and national authorities' objectives and requirements to assess the outcome of concerted efforts on antimicrobial use reduction. It demonstrates that the use of antimicrobials decreased in the French swine industry between 2010 and 2013, including the classes considered as critical for human medicine.

  9. Association between selected antimicrobial resistance genes and antimicrobial exposure in Danish pig farms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkegård, Anna Camilla; Hisham Beshara Halasa, Tariq; Græsbøll, Kaare

    2017-01-01

    Bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pigs is an important public health concern due to its possible transfer to humans. We aimed at quantifying the relationship between the lifetime exposure of antimicrobials and seven antimicrobial resistance genes in Danish slaughter pig farms. AMR gene...... levels were quantified by qPCR of total-community DNA in faecal samples obtained from 681 batches of slaughter pigs. The lifetime exposure to antimicrobials was estimated at batch level for the piglet, weaner, and finisher periods individually for the sampled batches. We showed that the effect...... of antimicrobial exposure on the levels of AMR genes was complex and unique for each individual gene. Several antimicrobial classes had both negative and positive correlations with the AMR genes. From 10-42% of the variation in AMR gene levels could be explained in the final regression models, indicating...

  10. Essential oil of the leaves of Ricinus communis L.: in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarai, Zied; Ben Chobba, Ines; Ben Mansour, Riadh; Békir, Ahmed; Gharsallah, Néji; Kadri, Adel

    2012-08-13

    The aim of the present study was to appraise the antimicrobial activity of Ricinus communis L. essential oil against different pathogenic microorganisms and the cytotoxic activity against HeLa cell lines. The agar disk diffusion method was used to study the antibacterial activity of Ricinus communis L. essential oil against 12 bacterial and 4 fungi strains. The disc diameters of zone of inhibition (DD), the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the concentration inhibiting 50% (IC50) were investigated to characterize the antimicrobial activities of this essential oil. The in vitro cytotoxicity of Ricinus communis L. essential oil was examined using a modified MTT assay; the viability and the IC50 were used to evaluate this test. The essential oil from the leaves of Ricinus communis L. was analyzed by GC-MS and bioassays were carried out. Five constituents of the oil were identified by GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity of the oil was investigated in order to evaluate its efficacy against twelve bacteria and four fungi species, using disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration methods. The essential oil showed strong antimicrobial activity against all microorganisms tested with higher sensitivity for Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter cloacae. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the essential oil on HeLa cell lines were examined by MTT assay. The cytotoxicity of the oil was quite strong with IC50 values less than 2.63 mg/ml for both cell lines. The present study showed the potential antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic properties of the essential oil of Ricinus communis L., indicating the possibilities of its potential use in the formula of natural remedies for the topical treatment of infections.

  11. Enhancing the antimicrobial activity of d-limonene nanoemulsion with the inclusion of ε-polylysine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahi, Mohamed Reda; El Hattab, Mohamed; Liang, Hao; Yuan, Qipeng

    2017-04-15

    The objective of this research was to investigate the synergism between ε-polylysine and d-limonene and develop a novel nanoemulsion system by merging the positive effect of these two antimicrobial agents. Results from the checkerboard method showed that ε-polylysine and d-limonene exhibit strong synergistic and useful additive effects against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, d-limonene nanoemulsion with the inclusion of ε-polylysine was successfully prepared by high pressure homogenizer technology. Its antimicrobial efficiency was compared with pure d-limonene nanoemulsion by measuring the minimal inhibitory concentration, electronic microscope observation and the leakage of the intercellular constituents. The results demonstrated a wide improvement of the antimicrobial activity of d-limonene nanoemulsion following the inclusion of ε-polylysine. Overall, the current study may have a valuable contribution to make in developing a more efficient antimicrobial system in the food industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. An effective zinc phthalocyanine derivative for photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Zhuo; Zhou, Shanyong; Chen, Jincan; Li, Linsen; Hu, Ping; Chen, Song; Huang, Mingdong

    2014-01-01

    Bacterial infection is a common clinical problem. The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria posts a severe challenge to medical practice worldwide. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) uses laser light at specific wavelength to activate oxygen molecule in the human tissue into reactive oxygen species as antimicrobial agent. This activation of oxygen by laser light is mediated through a photosensitizer. Two key properties for potent photosensitizer are its absorbance of light in the infrared region (630–700 nm), which promotes tissue penetration depth, and the selective accumulation on bacteria instead of human tissue. We herein report a zinc phthalocyanine derivative, pentalysine β-carbonylphthalocyanine zinc (ZnPc-(Lys) 5 ) and its antimicrobial effects in vitro and in an animal infection model. This photosensitizer has strong capability to kill bacteria at 670 nm. Chemically, it is a water-soluble and cationic photosensitizer carrying positive charge under physiological pH, and can specifically target to bacteria which usually bears negative charges on its surface. Compared with anionic ZnPc counterparts, ZnPc-(Lys) 5 shows a higher phototoxicity toward bacteria. PACT studies of ZnPc-(Lys) 5 in experimental infection animal model showed a significant bacteria inhibition compared to controls, and high selectivity of ZnPc-(Lys) 5 toward bacteria. These findings suggest ZnPc-(Lys) 5 is a promising antimicrobial photosensitizer for the treatment of infectious diseases. - Highlights: • Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) with water-soluble zinc phthalocyanine derivative offers a promising measure to deal with antibiotic resistance of bacteria. • The use of portable LED light sources that are battery-powered and with low cost may make possible the deployment of systems that can be used for wound decontamination. • ZnPc-(Lys) 5 is a potent photosensitizer for treatment of infectious diseases

  13. An effective zinc phthalocyanine derivative for photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Zhuo, E-mail: zchen@fjirsm.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Danish-Chinese Centre for Proteases and Cancer, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China); Zhou, Shanyong; Chen, Jincan [State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Danish-Chinese Centre for Proteases and Cancer, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China); Li, Linsen [Department of Biochemistry, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, Liaoning 110034 (China); Hu, Ping; Chen, Song [State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Danish-Chinese Centre for Proteases and Cancer, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China); Huang, Mingdong, E-mail: mhuang@fjirsm.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Danish-Chinese Centre for Proteases and Cancer, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China)

    2014-08-01

    Bacterial infection is a common clinical problem. The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria posts a severe challenge to medical practice worldwide. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) uses laser light at specific wavelength to activate oxygen molecule in the human tissue into reactive oxygen species as antimicrobial agent. This activation of oxygen by laser light is mediated through a photosensitizer. Two key properties for potent photosensitizer are its absorbance of light in the infrared region (630–700 nm), which promotes tissue penetration depth, and the selective accumulation on bacteria instead of human tissue. We herein report a zinc phthalocyanine derivative, pentalysine β-carbonylphthalocyanine zinc (ZnPc-(Lys){sub 5}) and its antimicrobial effects in vitro and in an animal infection model. This photosensitizer has strong capability to kill bacteria at 670 nm. Chemically, it is a water-soluble and cationic photosensitizer carrying positive charge under physiological pH, and can specifically target to bacteria which usually bears negative charges on its surface. Compared with anionic ZnPc counterparts, ZnPc-(Lys){sub 5} shows a higher phototoxicity toward bacteria. PACT studies of ZnPc-(Lys){sub 5} in experimental infection animal model showed a significant bacteria inhibition compared to controls, and high selectivity of ZnPc-(Lys){sub 5} toward bacteria. These findings suggest ZnPc-(Lys){sub 5} is a promising antimicrobial photosensitizer for the treatment of infectious diseases. - Highlights: • Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) with water-soluble zinc phthalocyanine derivative offers a promising measure to deal with antibiotic resistance of bacteria. • The use of portable LED light sources that are battery-powered and with low cost may make possible the deployment of systems that can be used for wound decontamination. • ZnPc-(Lys){sub 5} is a potent photosensitizer for treatment of infectious diseases.

  14. Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles from Catharanthus roseus leaf extract and assessing their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Shmgani, Hanady S A; Mohammed, Wasnaa H; Sulaiman, Ghassan M; Saadoon, Ali H

    2017-09-01

    Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Catharanthus roseus leaf extract was carried out, and their characterization, as well as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activities were evaluated. Color change, UV-vis spectrum, XRD, FTIR, and AFM assessments supported the biosynthesis and characterization of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs showed strong in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against various pathogens. The in vivo assessment of wound healing in AgNPs-treated mice revealed their effectiveness in closuring and reducing size of wounds. Such potent bioactivity may justify their biomedical use as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for controlling various health-related diseases, particularly in wound healing.

  15. Enhanced mechanical, thermal and antimicrobial properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide/starch/silver nanocomposites films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Usman, Adil; Hussain, Zakir; Riaz, Asim; Khan, Ahmad Nawaz

    2016-11-20

    In the present work, synthesis of poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide/starch/silver (PVA/GO/Starch/Ag) nanocomposites films is reported. Such films have been characterized and investigated for their mechanical, thermal and antimicrobial properties. The exfoliation of GO in the PVA matrix occurs owing to the non-covalent interactions of the polymer chains of PVA and hydrophilic surface of the GO layers. Presence of GO in PVA and PVA/starch blends were found to enhance the tensile strength of the nanocomposites system. It was found that the thermal stability of PVA as well as PVA/starch blend systems increased by the incorporation of GO where strong physical bonding between GO layers and PVA/starch blends is assumed to cause thermal barrier effects. Antimicrobial properties of the prepared films were investigated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Our results show enhanced antimicrobial properties of the prepared films where PVA-GO, PVA-Ag, PVA-GO-Ag and PVA-GO-Ag-Starch showed antimicrobial activity in ascending order. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Membrane interactions and antimicrobial effects of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malekkhaiat Häffner, S; Nyström, L; Nordström, R

    2017-01-01

    Membrane interactions are critical for the successful use of inorganic nanoparticles as antimicrobial agents and as carriers of, or co-actives with, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). In order to contribute to an increased understanding of these, we here investigate effects of particle size (42-208 nm...... into size-dependent synergistic effects with the antimicrobial peptide LL-37. Due to strong interactions with anionic lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan layers, direct membrane disruption of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria is suppressed. However, LDH nanoparticles cause size-dependent charge...

  17. Antibacterial activity of the soil-bound antimicrobials oxytetracycline and ofloxacin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Feng-Jiao; Zhou, Li-Jun; Ying, Guang-Guo; Liu, You-Sheng; Zhao, Jian-Liang

    2014-04-01

    Soil contamination of antimicrobials has become an increasing concern because of the potential risks to the soil microbial ecosystem and human health. The present study investigated sorption and desorption behaviors of oxytetracycline (OTC) and ofloxacin (OFL) in 3 typical soils (A, B, and C), and evaluated the antibacterial activity of soil-adsorbed compounds to a pure sensitive strain Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. The results showed different sorption and desorption behaviors of OTC and OFL in the 3 soils, behaviors that were mainly influenced by soil organic matter content and cation exchange capacity (CEC) as well as pH value. In addition, complexation and cation-exchange reactions were shown to be the main sorption mechanisms. Strong adsorption was found in soil B (with a high organic matter content) and in soil C (with high CEC), whereas enhanced desorption was observed in soil A (with low organic matter content). The results also demonstrated that soil-bound antimicrobials retained antibacterial activity toward E. coli. Opposite patterns of antibacterial activity were found for the 2 antimicrobials in the 3 soils: A>B>C for OFL; and C>B>A for OTC. This finding suggests that soil-bound antimicrobials could still exert selective pressure on soil bacteria although less effectively in comparison with the dissolved forms. © 2014 SETAC.

  18. A comparison of methods to assess the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticle combinations on bacterial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claire Bankier

    Full Text Available Bacterial cell quantification after exposure to antimicrobial compounds varies widely throughout industry and healthcare. Numerous methods are employed to quantify these antimicrobial effects. With increasing demand for new preventative methods for disease control, we aimed to compare and assess common analytical methods used to determine antimicrobial effects of novel nanoparticle combinations on two different pathogens.Plate counts of total viable cells, flow cytometry (LIVE/DEAD BacLight viability assay and qPCR (viability qPCR were used to assess the antimicrobial activity of engineered nanoparticle combinations (NPCs on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria at different concentrations (0.05, 0.10 and 0.25 w/v%. Results were analysed using linear models to assess the effectiveness of different treatments.Strong antimicrobial effects of the three NPCs (AMNP0-2 on both pathogens could be quantified using the plate count method and flow cytometry. The plate count method showed a high log reduction (>8-log for bacteria exposed to high NPC concentrations. We found similar antimicrobial results using the flow cytometry live/dead assay. Viability qPCR analysis of antimicrobial activity could not be quantified due to interference of NPCs with qPCR amplification.Flow cytometry was determined to be the best method to measure antimicrobial activity of the novel NPCs due to high-throughput, rapid and quantifiable results.

  19. A comparison of methods to assess the antimicrobial activity of nanoparticle combinations on bacterial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bankier, Claire; Cheong, Yuen; Mahalingam, Suntharavathanan; Edirisinghe, Mohan; Ren, Guogang; Cloutman-Green, Elaine; Ciric, Lena

    2018-01-01

    Bacterial cell quantification after exposure to antimicrobial compounds varies widely throughout industry and healthcare. Numerous methods are employed to quantify these antimicrobial effects. With increasing demand for new preventative methods for disease control, we aimed to compare and assess common analytical methods used to determine antimicrobial effects of novel nanoparticle combinations on two different pathogens. Plate counts of total viable cells, flow cytometry (LIVE/DEAD BacLight viability assay) and qPCR (viability qPCR) were used to assess the antimicrobial activity of engineered nanoparticle combinations (NPCs) on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria at different concentrations (0.05, 0.10 and 0.25 w/v%). Results were analysed using linear models to assess the effectiveness of different treatments. Strong antimicrobial effects of the three NPCs (AMNP0-2) on both pathogens could be quantified using the plate count method and flow cytometry. The plate count method showed a high log reduction (>8-log) for bacteria exposed to high NPC concentrations. We found similar antimicrobial results using the flow cytometry live/dead assay. Viability qPCR analysis of antimicrobial activity could not be quantified due to interference of NPCs with qPCR amplification. Flow cytometry was determined to be the best method to measure antimicrobial activity of the novel NPCs due to high-throughput, rapid and quantifiable results.

  20. Essential oil from Artemisia phaeolepis: chemical composition and antimicrobial activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Hsouna, Anis; Ben Halima, Nihed; Abdelkafi, Slim; Hamdi, Naceur

    2013-01-01

    Artemisia phaeolepis, a perennial herb with a strong volatile odor, grows on the grasslands of Mediterranean region. Essential oil obtained from Artemisia phaeolepis was analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 79 components representing 98.19% of the total oil were identified, and the main compounds in the oil were found to be eucalyptol (11.30%), camphor (8.21%), terpine-4-ol (7.32%), germacrene D (6.39), caryophyllene oxide (6.34%), and caryophyllene (5.37%). The essential oil showed definite inhibitory activity against 10 strains of test microorganisms. Eucalyptol, camphor, terpine-4-ol, caryophyllene, germacrene D and caryophyllene oxide were also examined as the major components of the oil. Camphor showed the strongest antimicrobial activity; terpine-4-ol, eucalyptol, caryophyllene and germacrene D were moderately active and caryophyllene oxide was weakly active. The study revealed that the antimicrobial properties of the essential oil can be attributed to the synergistic effects of its diverse major and minor components.

  1. Antimicrobial activities of endophytic fungi isolated from Ophiopogon japonicus (Liliaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Hanqiao; Xing, Yongmei; Chen, Juan; Zhang, Dawei; Guo, Shunxing; Wang, Chunlan

    2012-11-28

    Drug resistance in bacteria has become a global concern and the search for new antibacterial agents is urgent and ongoing. Endophytes provide an abundant reservoir of bioactive metabolites for medicinal exploitation, and an increasing number of novel compounds are being isolated from endophytic fungi. Ophiopogon japonicus, containing compounds with antibacterial activity, is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant used for eliminating phlegm, relieving coughs, latent heat in the lungs, and alleviating diabetes mellitus. We investigated the antimicrobial activities of 30 strains of O. japonicus. Fungal endophytes were isolated from roots and stems of O. japonicus collected from Chongqing City, southwestern China. Mycelial extracts (MC) and fermentation broth (FB) were tested for antimicrobial activity using peptide deformylase (PDF) inhibition fluorescence assays and MTT cell proliferation assays. A total of 30 endophytic strains were isolated from O. japonicus; 22 from roots and eight from stems. 53.33% of the mycelial extracts (MC) and 33.33% of the fermentation broths (FB) displayed potent inhibition of PDF. 80% of MC and 33.33% of FB significantly inhibited Staphylococcus aureus. 70% of MC and 36.67% of FB showed strong activities against Cryptococcus neoformans. None showed influence on Escherichia coli. The secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi from O. japonicus are potential antimicrobial agents.

  2. External immunity in ant societies: sociality and colony size do not predict investment in antimicrobials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halawani, Omar; Pearson, Bria; Mathews, Stephanie; López-Uribe, Margarita M.; Dunn, Robert R.; Smith, Adrian A.

    2018-01-01

    Social insects live in dense groups with a high probability of disease transmission and have therefore faced strong pressures to develop defences against pathogens. For this reason, social insects have been hypothesized to invest in antimicrobial secretions as a mechanism of external immunity to prevent the spread of disease. However, empirical studies linking the evolution of sociality with increased investment in antimicrobials have been relatively few. Here we quantify the strength of antimicrobial secretions among 20 ant species that cover a broad spectrum of ant diversity and colony sizes. We extracted external compounds from ant workers to test whether they inhibited the growth of the bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis. Because all ant species are highly social, we predicted that all species would exhibit some antimicrobial activity and that species that form the largest colonies would exhibit the strongest antimicrobial response. Our comparative approach revealed that strong surface antimicrobials are common to particular ant clades, but 40% of species exhibited no antimicrobial activity at all. We also found no correlation between antimicrobial activity and colony size. Rather than relying on antimicrobial secretions as external immunity to control pathogen spread, many ant species have probably developed alternative strategies to defend against disease pressure. PMID:29515850

  3. Antimicrobial Carvacrol-Containing Polypropylene Films: Composition, Structure and Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Max Krepker

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Significant research has been directed toward the incorporation of bioactive plant extracts or essential oils (EOs into polymers to endow the latter with antimicrobial functionality. EOs offer a unique combination of having broad antimicrobial activity from a natural source, generally recognized as safe (GRAS recognition in the US, and a volatile nature. However, their volatility also presents a major challenge in their incorporation into polymers by conventional high-temperature-processing techniques. Herein, antimicrobial polypropylene (PP cast films were produced by incorporating carvacrol (a model EO or carvacrol, loaded into halloysite nanotubes (HNTs, via melt compounding. We studied the composition-structure-property relationships in these systems, focusing on the effect of carvacrol on the composition of the films, the PP crystalline phase and its morphology and the films’ mechanical and antimicrobial properties. For the first time, molecular dynamics simulations were applied to reveal the complex interactions between the components of these carvacrol-containing systems. We show that strong molecular interactions between PP and carvacrol minimize the loss of this highly-volatile EO during high-temperature polymer processing, enabling semi-industrial scale production. The resulting films exhibit outstanding antimicrobial properties against model microorganisms (Escherichia coli and Alternaria alternata. The PP/(HNTs-carvacrol nanocomposite films, containing the carvacrol-loaded HNTs, display a higher level of crystalline order, superior mechanical properties and prolonged release of carvacrol, in comparison to PP/carvacrol blends. These properties are ascribed to the role of HNTs in these nanocomposites and their effect on the PP matrix and retained carvacrol content.

  4. Antimicrobial resistance challenged with metal-based antimicrobial macromolecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd-El-Aziz, Alaa S; Agatemor, Christian; Etkin, Nola

    2017-02-01

    Antimicrobial resistance threatens the achievements of science and medicine, as it deactivates conventional antimicrobial therapeutics. Scientists respond to the threat by developing new antimicrobial platforms to prevent and treat infections from these resistant strains. Metal-based antimicrobial macromolecules are emerging as an alternative to conventional platforms because they combine multiple mechanisms of action into one platform due to the distinctive properties of metals. For example, metals interact with intracellular proteins and enzymes, and catalyse various intracellular processes. The macromolecular architecture offers a means to enhance antimicrobial activity since several antimicrobial moieties can be conjugated to the scaffold. Further, these macromolecules can be fabricated into antimicrobial materials for contact-killing medical implants, fabrics, and devices. As volatilization or leaching out of the antimicrobial moieties from the macromolecular scaffold is reduced, these medical implants, fabrics, and devices can retain their antimicrobial activity over an extended period. Recent advances demonstrate the potential of metal-based antimicrobial macromolecules as effective platforms that prevent and treat infections from resistant strains. In this review these advances are thoroughly discussed within the context of examples of metal-based antimicrobial macromolecules, their mechanisms of action and biocompatibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Essential oil constituents and antimicrobial activity of Pycnocycla bashagardiana Mozaff. from Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alizadeh, Ardalan; Abdollahzadeh, Hamid

    2017-09-01

    Pycnocycla bashagardiana is a rare endemic and endangered species that has been used in folkloric medicine in Southern Iran. This study aimed to evaluate the essential oil constituents and antimicrobial activity of wild and cultivated p. bashagardiana. The aerial parts of wild and cultivated plants were collected from two provinces of Iran. The essential oil was isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by a combination of capillary GC and GC-MS. The main components in wild plants were myristicin (39.12%), (E)-β-ocimene (21.97%), sabinene (15.0%) and cis-iso-miristicin (2.67%) and in cultivated plants, (E)-β-ocimene (55.40%), myristicin (18.27%), (Z)-β-ocimene (12.47%) and cis-iso-miristicin (2.94%) were the main constituents in essential oil. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of P. bashagardiana were studied against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans for the first time. The results showed that the oil exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against all the tested pathogens.

  6. Characterization of essential oil from Citrus aurantium L. flowers: antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Hsouna, Anis; Hamdi, Naceur; Ben Halima, Nihed; Abdelkafi, Slim

    2013-01-01

    Citrus aurantium L. essential oil is commonly used as a flavouring agent. In the present study, the essential oil of fresh Citrus aurantium L. (CaEO) flowers cultivated in North East of Tunisia (Nabeul) was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. 33 compounds were identified, representing 99% of the total oil. Limonene (27.5%) was the main component followed by E-nerolidol (17.5%), α-terpineol (14%), α-terpinyl acetate (11.7%) and E. E-farnesol (8%). The antimicrobial activity of the CaEO was evaluated against a panel of 13 bacteria and 8 fungal strains using agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Results have shown that the CaEO exhibited moderate to strong antimicrobial activity against the tested species. The investigation of the mode of action of the CaEO by the time-kill curve showed a drastic bactericidal effect after 5 min using a concentration of 624 μg/ml. The antioxidant activities of the CaEO were assayed by DPPH and beta carotene tests. Results showed that CaEO displayed an excellent DPPH scavenging ability with an IC₅₀ of 1.8 μg/ml and a strong Beta-carotene bleaching inhibition after 120 min of incubation with an IC₅₀ of 15.3 μg/ml. The results suggested that the CaEO possesses antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, and is therefore a potential source of active ingredients for food and pharmaceutical industry.

  7. Polyphenol, antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of six different white and red wine grape processing leftovers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trošt, Kajetan; Klančnik, Anja; Mozetič Vodopivec, Branka; Sternad Lemut, Melita; Jug Novšak, Katja; Raspor, Peter; Smole Možina, Sonja

    2016-11-01

    During winemaking, grape polyphenols are only partly extracted, and consequently unexploited. The main aim was to characterize the phenolic content of freeze-dried grape skin and seed (FDSS) extracts obtained from Slovenian and international grape varieties and to evaluate their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-adhesive activities. FDSS of six Vitis vinifera L. grapevine cultivars from Vipava Valley region (Slovenia) underwent extraction and sonification under different conditions. Flavonols were the predominant content of extracts from white 'Zelen' and 'Sauvignon Blanc' grape varieties, with strong antimicrobial activities against Gram-negative bacteria. 'Pinot Noir' FDSS extracted with 50% aqueous ethanol extraction produced a high phenolic content in the final extract, which was further associated with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against all tested bacteria. Bacterial adhesion to stainless steel surfaces with minimal and maximal surface roughness was significantly inhibited (up to 60%) across a wide FDSS concentration range, with lower concentrations also effective with two types of stainless steel surfaces. FDSS extracts from winery by-products show interesting phenolic profiles that include flavonols, catechins, anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids, with yields influenced by grapevine cultivar and extraction conditions. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-adhesive activities of 50% aqueous ethanol 'Pinot Noir' FDSS extract reveals potential applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries for these bioactive residues. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  8. Recent updates of marine antimicrobial peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semreen, Mohammad H; El-Gamal, Mohammed I; Abdin, Shifaa; Alkhazraji, Hajar; Kamal, Leena; Hammad, Saba; El-Awady, Faten; Waleed, Dima; Kourbaj, Layal

    2018-03-01

    Antimicrobial peptides are group of proteins showing broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that have been known to be powerful agents against a variety of pathogens. This class of compounds contributed to solving the microbial resistance dilemma that limited the use of many potent antimicrobial agents. The marine environment is known to be one of the richest sources for antimicrobial peptides, yet this environment is not fully explored. Hence, the scientific research attention should be directed toward the marine ecosystem as enormous amount of useful discoveries could be brought to the forefront. In the current article, the marine antimicrobial peptides reported from mid 2012 to 2017 have been reviewed.

  9. Recent updates of marine antimicrobial peptides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad H. Semreen

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides are group of proteins showing broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that have been known to be powerful agents against a variety of pathogens. This class of compounds contributed to solving the microbial resistance dilemma that limited the use of many potent antimicrobial agents. The marine environment is known to be one of the richest sources for antimicrobial peptides, yet this environment is not fully explored. Hence, the scientific research attention should be directed toward the marine ecosystem as enormous amount of useful discoveries could be brought to the forefront. In the current article, the marine antimicrobial peptides reported from mid 2012 to 2017 have been reviewed.

  10. Antimicrobial Drugs in Fighting against Antimicrobial Resistance

    OpenAIRE

    Cheng, Guyue; Dai, Menghong; Ahmed, Saeed; Hao, Haihong; Wang, Xu; Yuan, Zonghui

    2016-01-01

    The outbreak of antimicrobial resistance, together with the lack of newly developed antimicrobial drugs, represents an alarming signal for both human and animal healthcare worldwide. Selection of rational dosage regimens for traditional antimicrobial drugs based on pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic principles as well as development of novel antimicrobials targeting new bacterial targets or resistance mechanisms are key approaches in tackling AMR. In addition to the cellular level resistance (i....

  11. Antimicrobial Activity of Bee Venom and Melittin against Borrelia burgdorferi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Socarras, Kayla M; Theophilus, Priyanka A S; Torres, Jason P; Gupta, Khusali; Sapi, Eva

    2017-11-29

    Lyme disease is a tick-borne, multi-systemic disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Though antibiotics are used as a primary treatment, relapse often occurs after the discontinuation of antimicrobial agents. The reason for relapse remains unknown, however previous studies suggest the possible presence of antibiotic resistant Borrelia round bodies, persisters and attached biofilm forms. Thus, there is an urgent need to find antimicrobial agents suitable to eliminate all known forms of B. burgdorferi . In this study, natural antimicrobial agents such as Apis mellifera venom and a known component, melittin, were tested using SYBR Green I/PI, direct cell counting, biofilm assays combined with LIVE/DEAD and atomic force microscopy methods. The obtained results were compared to standalone and combinations of antibiotics such as Doxycycline, Cefoperazone, Daptomycin, which were recently found to be effective against Borrelia persisters. Our findings showed that both bee venom and melittin had significant effects on all the tested forms of B. burgdorferi. In contrast, the control antibiotics when used individually or even in combinations had limited effects on the attached biofilm form. These findings strongly suggest that whole bee venom or melittin could be effective antimicrobial agents for B. burgdorferi; however, further research is necessary to evaluate their effectiveness in vivo, as well as their safe and effective delivery method for their therapeutic use.

  12. Antimicrobial activity of zinc and titanium dioxide nanoparticles against biofilm-producing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jesline, A.; John, Neetu P.; Narayanan, P. M.; Vani, C.; Murugan, Sevanan

    2015-02-01

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the major nosocomial pathogens responsible for a wide spectrum of infections and the emergence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics has lead to treatment drawbacks towards large number of drugs. Formation of biofilms is the main contributing factor to antibiotic resistance. The development of reliable processes for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles is an important aspect of nanotechnology today. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles comprise well-known inhibitory and bactericidal effects. Emergence of antimicrobial resistance by pathogenic bacteria is a major health problem in recent years. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of zinc and titanium dioxide nanoparticles against biofilm producing methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Biofilm production was detected by tissue culture plate method. Out of 30 MRSA isolates, 22 isolates showed strong biofilm production and 2 showed weak and moderate biofilm formation. Two strong and weak biofilm-producing methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates were subjected to antimicrobial activity using commercially available zinc and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Thus, the nanoparticles showed considerably good activity against the isolates, and it can be concluded that they may act as promising, antibacterial agents in the coming years.

  13. Antimicrobial activity of traditional medicinal plants from Ankober District, North Shewa Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lulekal, E; Rondevaldova, J; Bernaskova, E; Cepkova, J; Asfaw, Z; Kelbessa, E; Kokoska, L; Van Damme, P

    2014-05-01

    Traditional medicinal plants have long been used in Ethiopia to treat human and livestock ailments. Despite a well-documented rich tradition of medicinal plant use in the country, their direct antimicrobial effects are still poorly known. To investigate the antimicrobial activity of 19 medicinal plant species that were selected based on the ethnobotanical information on their traditional use to treat infectious diseases in Ankober District. About 23 different ethanol extracts of plants obtained by maceration of various parts of 19 medicinal plant species were studied for potential antimicrobial activity using a broth microdilution method against Bacillus cereus, Bacteroides fragilis, Candida albicans, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Plant extracts from Embelia schimperi Vatke (Myrsinaceae) showed the strongest antibacterial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 64 µg/ml against B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, and S. pyogenes. Growth inhibitory activities were also observed for extracts of Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. (Lamiaceae) against S. pyogenes, and those of Rubus steudneri Schweinf. (Rosaceae) against S. epidermidis at an MIC value of 128 µg/ml. Generally, 74% of ethanol extracts (17 extracts) showed antimicrobial activity against one or more of the microbial strains tested at an MIC value of 512 µg/ml or below. Results confirm the antimicrobial role of traditional medicinal plants of Ankober and warrant further investigations on promising medicinal plant species so as to isolate and characterise chemicals responsible for the observed strong antimicrobial activities.

  14. An evidence of C16 fatty acid methyl esters extracted from microalga for effective antimicrobial and antioxidant property.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davoodbasha, MubarakAli; Edachery, Baldev; Nooruddin, Thajuddin; Lee, Sang-Yul; Kim, Jung-Wan

    2018-02-01

    Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) derived from lipids of microalgae is known to have wide bio-functional materials including antimicrobials. FAME is an ideal super-curator and superior anti-pathogenic. The present study evaluated the efficiency of FAME extracted from microalgae Scenedesmus intermedius as an antimicrobial agent against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Bacillus cereus) Gram negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria and Fungi (Aspergillus parasiticus and Candida albicans). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the gram negative bacteria was determined as 12-24 μg mL -1 , whereas MIC for gram positive bacteria was 24-48 μg mL -1 . MIC for the fungi was as high as 60-192 μg mL -1 . The FAME profiles determined by gas chromatography showed 18 methyl esters. Among them, pharmacologically active FAME such as palmitic acid methyl ester (C16:0) was detected at high percentage (23.08%), which accounted for the bioactivity. FAME obtained in this study exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity at the lowest MIC than those of recent reports. This result clearly indicated that FAME of S. intermedius has a strong antimicrobial and antioxidant property and that could be used as an effective resource against microbial diseases. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. In vitro Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic and Radical Scavenging Activities and Chemical Constituents of the Endemic Thymus laevigatus (Vahl

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Al-Fatimi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The leaves of Thymus laevigatus (Vahl, Lamiaceae (Labiatae, an endemic species of Yemen, are traditionally used in the treatment of various disorders including stomach and respiratory system. In a first biological and chemical study of this endemic species we investigated antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of different extracts of the leaves of this plant. The preliminary phytochemical screening of extracts composition was performed by TLC while the composition of the essential oil was determined by GC-MS. Twelve constituents were detected from the essential oil, which constituted 99.6 % of the total amount. The major constituents of the oil were: carvacrol (84.3 %, p-cymene (4.1 % p-mentha-1, 4-diene (4.0 % and trans-anethole (3.6%. The main active components were identified by TLC as carvacrol and anethole for dichloromethane extract and as non-volatile phenols and flavonoids for the methanol extract. The methanol, dichloromethane and aqueous extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activities against five bacteria strains and six human pathogenic fungi. Both methanol and dichloromethane showed strong activities against most human pathogenic strains. In the contrast, methanol extract showed broader and stronger antibacterial activities than the dichloromethane extract, especially against the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The methanol extract showed the same strong radical scavenging activity in the DPPH assay (14.9mg/ml, when compared to the standard antioxidant, ascorbic acid. In contrast, the cytotoxic activity of the methanol against FL cells, a human amniotic epithelial cell line, was only moderate (IC50 298, 8 mg/ml. On the contrary, the water extract did not show any biological activity. Results presented here suggest that the essential oil and extracts of Thymus laevigatus possess strong antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, and therefore, they can be used as a natural preservative ingredient

  16. Antimicrobial activity of chitosan coatings and films against Listeria monocytogenes on black radish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jovanović, Gordana D; Klaus, Anita S; Nikšić, Miomir P

    2016-01-01

    The antibacterial activity of chitosan coatings prepared with acetic or lactic acid, as well as of composite chitosan-gelatin films prepared with essential oils, was evaluated in fresh shredded black radish samples inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and L. monocytogenes ATCC 19112 during seven days of storage at 4°C. The chitosan coating prepared with acetic acid showed the most effective antibacterial activity. All tested formulations of chitosan films exhibited strong antimicrobial activity on the growth of L. monocytogenes on black radish, although a higher inhibition of pathogens was achieved at higher concentrations of chitosan. The antimicrobial effect of chitosan films was even more pronounced with the addition of essential oils. Chitosan-gelatin films with thyme essential oils showed the most effective antimicrobial activity. A reduction of 2.4log10CFU/g for L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and 2.1log10CFU/g for L. monocytogenes ATCC 19112 was achieved in the presence of 1% chitosan film containing 0.2% of thyme essential oil after 24h of storage. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  17. The antimicrobial resistance crisis: causes, consequences, and management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michael, Carolyn Anne; Dominey-Howes, Dale; Labbate, Maurizio

    2014-01-01

    The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis is the increasing global incidence of infectious diseases affecting the human population, which are untreatable with any known antimicrobial agent. This crisis will have a devastating cost on human society as both debilitating and lethal diseases increase in frequency and scope. Three major factors determine this crisis: (1) the increasing frequency of AMR phenotypes among microbes is an evolutionary response to the widespread use of antimicrobials; (2) the large and globally connected human population allows pathogens in any environment access to all of humanity; and (3) the extensive and often unnecessary use of antimicrobials by humanity provides the strong selective pressure that is driving the evolutionary response in the microbial world. Of these factors, the size of the human population is least amenable to rapid change. In contrast, the remaining two factors may be affected, so offering a means of managing the crisis: the rate at which AMR, as well as virulence factors evolve in microbial world may be slowed by reducing the applied selective pressure. This may be accomplished by radically reducing the global use of current and prospective antimicrobials. Current management measures to legislate the use of antimicrobials and to educate the healthcare world in the issues, while useful, have not comprehensively addressed the problem of achieving an overall reduction in the human use of antimicrobials. We propose that in addition to current measures and increased research into new antimicrobials and diagnostics, a comprehensive education program will be required to change the public paradigm of antimicrobial usage from that of a first line treatment to that of a last resort when all other therapeutic options have failed.

  18. The antimicrobial resistance crisis: causes, consequences and management.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolyn Anne Michael

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR crisis is the increasing global incidence of infectious diseases affecting the human population, which are untreatable with any known antimicrobial agent. This crisis will have a devastating cost on human society as both debilitating and lethal diseases increase in frequency and scope. Three major factors determine this crisis: 1/ The increasing frequency of AMR phenotypes amongst microbes is an evolutionary response to the widespread use of antimicrobials. 2/ The large and globally connected human population allows pathogens in any environment access to all of humanity. 3/ The extensive and often unnecessary use of antimicrobials by humanity provides the strong selective pressure that is driving the evolutionary response in the microbial world. Of these factors, the size of the human population is least amenable to rapid change. In contrast the remaining two factors may be affected, so offering a means of managing the crisis: The rate at which AMR, as well as virulence factors evolve in microbial world may be slowed by reducing the applied selective pressure. This may be accomplished by radically reducing the global use of current and prospective antimicrobials. Current management measures to legislate the use of antimicrobials and to educate the healthcare world in the issues, while useful, have not comprehensively addressed the problem of achieving an overall reduction in the human use of antimicrobials. We propose that in addition to current measures and increased research into new antimicrobials and diagnostics, a comprehensive education programme will be required to change the public paradigm of antimicrobial usage from that of a first line treatment to that of a last resort when all other therapeutic options have failed.

  19. Potential antimicrobial agents from triazole-functionalized 2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3(4H)-ones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bollu, Rajitha; Banu, Saleha; Bantu, Rajashaker; Reddy, A Gopi; Nagarapu, Lingaiah; Sirisha, K; Kumar, C Ganesh; Gunda, Shravan Kumar; Shaik, Kamal

    2017-12-01

    A series of substituted triazole functionalized 2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3(4H)-ones were synthesized by employing click chemistry and further characterized based on 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, IR and mass spectral studies. All the synthesized derivatives were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activities. Further, molecular docking studies were accomplished to explore the binding interactions between 1,2,3-triazol-4-yl-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-3(4H)-one and the active site of Staphylococcus aureus (CrtM) dehydrosqualene synthase (PDB ID: 2ZCS). These docking studies revealed that the synthesized derivatives showed high binding energies and strong H-bond interactions with the dehydrosqualene synthase validating the observed antimicrobial activity data. Based on antimicrobial activity and docking studies, the compounds 9c, 9d and 9e were identified as promising antimicrobial leads. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Expression of recombinant Arabian camel lactoferricin-related peptide in Pichia pastoris and its antimicrobial identification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chahardooli, Mahmood; Niazi, Ali; Aram, Farzaneh; Sohrabi, Seyyed Mohsen

    2016-01-30

    Lactoferricin (LFcin) is a strong cationic peptide released from the N-terminus of lactoferrin by gastric pepsin digestion. LFcin has some important properties, including high antimicrobial activity. To date, lactoferricins have been isolated and characterised from various animal species, but not from camel. The aim of this study was to characterise and express recombinant camel lactoferricin (LFcinC) in Pichia pastoris and investigate its antimicrobial activity. After methanol induction, LFcinC was expressed and secreted into a culture broth medium and the results determined by concentrated supernatant culture medium showed high antimicrobial activity against the following microorganisms: Escherichia coli PTCC 1330 (ATCC 8739), Staphylococcus aureus PTCC 1112 (ATCC 6538), Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC 1074 (ATCC 9027), Bacillus subtilis PTCC 1023 (ATCC 6633), and Candida albicans PTCC 5027 (ATCC 10231). Thermal stability was clarified with antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli PTCC 1330 (ATCC 8739). Results confirmed that camel lactoferricin had suitable antimicrobial activity and its production by Pichia pastoris can be used for recombinant production. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Transcriptome of Dickeya dadantii infecting Acyrthosiphon pisum reveals a strong defense against antimicrobial peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costechareyre, Denis; Chich, Jean-François; Strub, Jean-Marc; Rahbé, Yvan; Condemine, Guy

    2013-01-01

    The plant pathogenic bacterium Dickeya dadantii has recently been shown to be able to kill the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. While the factors required to cause plant disease are now well characterized, those required for insect pathogeny remain mostly unknown. To identify these factors, we analyzed the transcriptome of the bacteria isolated from infected aphids. More than 150 genes were upregulated and 300 downregulated more than 5-fold at 3 days post infection. No homologue to known toxin genes could be identified in the upregulated genes. The upregulated genes reflect the response of the bacteria to the conditions encountered inside aphids. While only a few genes involved in the response to oxidative stress were induced, a strong defense against antimicrobial peptides (AMP) was induced. Expression of a great number of efflux proteins and transporters was increased. Besides the genes involved in LPS modification by addition of 4-aminoarabinose (the arnBCADTEF operon) and phosphoethanolamine (pmrC, eptB) usually induced in Gram negative bacteria in response to AMPs, dltBAC and pbpG genes, which confer Gram positive bacteria resistance to AMPs by adding alanine to teichoic acids, were also induced. Both types of modification confer D. dadantii resistance to the AMP polymyxin. A. pisum harbors symbiotic bacteria and it is thought that it has a very limited immune system to maintain these populations and do not synthesize AMPs. The arnB mutant was less pathogenic to A. pisum, which suggests that, in contrast to what has been supposed, aphids do synthesize AMP.

  2. Transcriptome of Dickeya dadantii infecting Acyrthosiphon pisum reveals a strong defense against antimicrobial peptides.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denis Costechareyre

    Full Text Available The plant pathogenic bacterium Dickeya dadantii has recently been shown to be able to kill the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. While the factors required to cause plant disease are now well characterized, those required for insect pathogeny remain mostly unknown. To identify these factors, we analyzed the transcriptome of the bacteria isolated from infected aphids. More than 150 genes were upregulated and 300 downregulated more than 5-fold at 3 days post infection. No homologue to known toxin genes could be identified in the upregulated genes. The upregulated genes reflect the response of the bacteria to the conditions encountered inside aphids. While only a few genes involved in the response to oxidative stress were induced, a strong defense against antimicrobial peptides (AMP was induced. Expression of a great number of efflux proteins and transporters was increased. Besides the genes involved in LPS modification by addition of 4-aminoarabinose (the arnBCADTEF operon and phosphoethanolamine (pmrC, eptB usually induced in Gram negative bacteria in response to AMPs, dltBAC and pbpG genes, which confer Gram positive bacteria resistance to AMPs by adding alanine to teichoic acids, were also induced. Both types of modification confer D. dadantii resistance to the AMP polymyxin. A. pisum harbors symbiotic bacteria and it is thought that it has a very limited immune system to maintain these populations and do not synthesize AMPs. The arnB mutant was less pathogenic to A. pisum, which suggests that, in contrast to what has been supposed, aphids do synthesize AMP.

  3. Nanostructures for delivery of natural antimicrobials in food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Nathalie Almeida; Brandelli, Adriano

    2017-04-10

    Natural antimicrobial compounds are a topic of utmost interest in food science due to the increased demand for safe and high-quality foods with minimal processing. The use of nanostructures is an interesting alternative to protect and delivery antimicrobials in food, also providing controlled release of natural compounds such as bacteriocins and antimicrobial proteins, and also for delivery of plant derived antimicrobials. A diversity of nanostructures are capable of trapping natural antimicrobials maintaining the stability of substances that are frequently sensitive to food processing and storage conditions. This article provides an overview on natural antimicrobials incorporated in nanostructures, showing an effective antimicrobial activity on a diversity of food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms.

  4. The antimicrobial action of resveratrol against Listeria monocytogenes in food-based models and its antibiofilm properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Susana; Domingues, Fernanda

    2016-10-01

    Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a natural phytoalexin synthesized by plants in response to stress. This compound has several beneficial documented properties, namely anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective and antimicrobial activities. In this study the antimicrobial activity of resveratrol against Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua was investigated. Resveratrol had a minimum inhibitory concentration of 200 µg mL(-1) for the tested strains, with time-kill curves demonstrating bacteriostatic activity. Inhibition of biofilm formation was also assessed, with resveratrol strongly inhibiting biofilm formation by both species even at subinhibitory concentrations. Overall, resveratrol showed antimicrobial properties on planktonic cells and on biofilm formation ability. Considering the potential use of resveratrol as a food preservative, the antimicrobial efficacy of resveratrol in food was studied in milk, lettuce leaf model and chicken juice. Resveratrol retained greater efficacy in both lettuce leaf model and chicken juice, but milk had a negative impact on its antilisterial activity, indicating a possible reduction of resveratrol availability in milk. This study reinforces resveratrol as an antimicrobial agent, pointing out its antibiofilm activity and its potential use as preservative in some food matrices. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  5. Cationic Antimicrobial Polymers and Their Assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmona-Ribeiro, Ana Maria; de Melo Carrasco, Letícia Dias

    2013-01-01

    Cationic compounds are promising candidates for development of antimicrobial agents. Positive charges attached to surfaces, particles, polymers, peptides or bilayers have been used as antimicrobial agents by themselves or in sophisticated formulations. The main positively charged moieties in these natural or synthetic structures are quaternary ammonium groups, resulting in quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). The advantage of amphiphilic cationic polymers when compared to small amphiphilic molecules is their enhanced microbicidal activity. Besides, many of these polymeric structures also show low toxicity to human cells; a major requirement for biomedical applications. Determination of the specific elements in polymers, which affect their antimicrobial activity, has been previously difficult due to broad molecular weight distributions and random sequences characteristic of radical polymerization. With the advances in polymerization control, selection of well defined polymers and structures are allowing greater insight into their structure-antimicrobial activity relationship. On the other hand, antimicrobial polymers grafted or self-assembled to inert or non inert vehicles can yield hybrid antimicrobial nanostructures or films, which can act as antimicrobials by themselves or deliver bioactive molecules for a variety of applications, such as wound dressing, photodynamic antimicrobial therapy, food packing and preservation and antifouling applications. PMID:23665898

  6. Cationic Antimicrobial Polymers and Their Assemblies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Maria Carmona-Ribeiro

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Cationic compounds are promising candidates for development of antimicrobial agents. Positive charges attached to surfaces, particles, polymers, peptides or bilayers have been used as antimicrobial agents by themselves or in sophisticated formulations. The main positively charged moieties in these natural or synthetic structures are quaternary ammonium groups, resulting in quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs. The advantage of amphiphilic cationic polymers when compared to small amphiphilic molecules is their enhanced microbicidal activity. Besides, many of these polymeric structures also show low toxicity to human cells; a major requirement for biomedical applications. Determination of the specific elements in polymers, which affect their antimicrobial activity, has been previously difficult due to broad molecular weight distributions and random sequences characteristic of radical polymerization. With the advances in polymerization control, selection of well defined polymers and structures are allowing greater insight into their structure-antimicrobial activity relationship. On the other hand, antimicrobial polymers grafted or self-assembled to inert or non inert vehicles can yield hybrid antimicrobial nanostructures or films, which can act as antimicrobials by themselves or deliver bioactive molecules for a variety of applications, such as wound dressing, photodynamic antimicrobial therapy, food packing and preservation and antifouling applications.

  7. Can disc diffusion susceptibility tests assess the antimicrobial activity of engineered nanoparticles?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kourmouli, Angeliki; Valenti, Marco; van Rijn, Erwin; Beaumont, Hubertus J. E.; Kalantzi, Olga-Ioanna; Schmidt-Ott, Andreas; Biskos, George

    2018-03-01

    The use of disc diffusion susceptibility tests to determine the antibacterial activity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is questionable because their low diffusivity practically prevents them from penetrating through the culture media. In this study, we investigate the ability of such a test, namely the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test, to determine the antimicrobial activity of Au and Ag ENPs having diameters from 10 to 40 nm on Escherichia coli cultures. As anticipated, the tests did not show any antibacterial effects of Au nanoparticles (NPs) as a result of their negligible diffusivity through the culture media. Ag NPs on the other hand exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity that was independent of their size. Considering that Ag, in contrast to Au, dissolves upon oxidation and dilution in aqueous solutions, the apparent antibacterial behavior of Ag NPs is attributed to the ions they release. The Kirby-Bauer method, and other similar tests, can therefore be employed to probe the antimicrobial activity of ENPs related to their ability to release ions rather than to their unique size-dependent properties. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  8. Antimicrobial Potential of Momordica charantia L. against Multiresistant Standard Species and Clinical Isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucena Filho, José Hardman Sátiro de; Lima, Rennaly de Freitas; Medeiros, Ana Claudia Dantas de; Pereira, Jozinete Vieira; Granville-Garcia, Ana Flávia; Costa, Edja Maria Melo de Brito

    2015-11-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal potential in vitro of Momordica charantia L. against the microorganisms of clinical interest (standard strains and multiresistant isolates) in order to aggregate scientific information in relation to its use as a therapeutic product. M. charantia L. plant material was acquired in municipality of Malta, Paraiba, Brazil. The extract was obtained through maceration, filtration and then concentrated under reduced pressure in a rotary evaporator, resulting in a dough, and was then dried in an oven for 72 hours at 40°C. Antimicrobial action of ethanolic extract of seed M. charantia L. was evaluated based on the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) against standard strains of bacteria, isolates multiresistant bacteria and Candida species, by microdilution in broth method. All organisms were sensitive to the extract, being considered strong antimicrobial activity (MIC and MBC/MFC charantia L. showed strong antimicrobial potential, with bactericidal and fungicidal profile, there is the prospect to constitute a new therapeutic strategy for the control of infections, particularly in multiresistant strains. The use of medicinal plants in treatment of infectious processes have an important function nowadays, due to the limitations of the use of synthetic antibiotics available, related specifically to the microbial resistance emergence.

  9. Antimicrobial activity of Dracaena cinnabari resin from Soqotra ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Few studies showed that Dracaena cinnabari resin, collected from Soqotra Island, Yemen, has antimicrobial activity. This study is the first to investigate antimicrobial activity of the resin on both antibiotic multi-resistant human pathogens and on poly-microbial culture. Material and Methods: Antimicrobial activity ...

  10. Antimicrobial activity of transition metal acid MoO3 prevents microbial growth on material surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zollfrank, Cordt; Gutbrod, Kai; Wechsler, Peter; Guggenbichler, Josef Peter

    2012-01-01

    Serious infectious complications of patients in healthcare settings are often transmitted by materials and devices colonised by microorganisms (nosocomial infections). Current strategies to generate material surfaces with an antimicrobial activity suffer from the consumption of the antimicrobial agent and emerging multidrug-resistant pathogens amongst others. Consequently, materials surfaces exhibiting a permanent antimicrobial activity without the risk of generating resistant microorganisms are desirable. This publication reports on the extraordinary efficient antimicrobial properties of transition metal acids such as molybdic acid (H 2 MoO 4 ), which is based on molybdenum trioxide (MoO 3 ). The modification of various materials (e.g. polymers, metals) with MoO 3 particles or sol–gel derived coatings showed that the modified materials surfaces were practically free of microorganisms six hours after contamination with infectious agents. The antimicrobial activity is based on the formation of an acidic surface deteriorating cell growth and proliferation. The application of transition metal acids as antimicrobial surface agents is an innovative approach to prevent the dissemination of microorganisms in healthcare units and public environments. Highlights: ► The presented modifications of materials surfaces with MoO 3 are non-cytotoxic and decrease biofilm growth and bacteria transmission. ► The material is insensitive towards emerging resistances of bacteria. ► Strong potential to reduce spreading of infectious agents on inanimate surfaces.

  11. Antimicrobial peptides in the centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Won Gi; Lee, Joon Ha; Shin, Younhee; Shim, Jae-Young; Jung, Myunghee; Kang, Byeong-Chul; Oh, Jaedon; Seong, Jiyeon; Lee, Hak Kyo; Kong, Hong Sik; Song, Ki-Duk; Yun, Eun-Young; Kim, In-Woo; Kwon, Young-Nam; Lee, Dong Gun; Hwang, Ui-Wook; Park, Junhyung; Hwang, Jae Sam

    2014-06-01

    The centipede Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans is an environmentally beneficial and medically important arthropod species. Although this species is increasingly applied as a reliable source of new antimicrobial peptides, the transcriptome of this species is a prerequisite for more rational selection of antimicrobial peptides. In this report, we isolated total RNA from the whole body of adult centipedes, S. subspinipes mutilans, that were nonimmunized and immunized against Escherichia coli, and we generated a total of 77,063 pooled contigs and singletons using high-throughput sequencing. To screen putative antimicrobial peptides, in silico analyses of the S. subspinipes mutilans transcriptome were performed based on the physicochemical evidence of length, charge, isoelectric point, and in vitro and in vivo aggregation scores together with the existence of continuous antimicrobial peptide stretches. Moreover, we excluded some transcripts that showed similarity with both previously known antimicrobial peptides and the human proteome, had a proteolytic cleavage site, and had downregulated expression compared with the nonimmunized sample. As a result, we selected 17 transcripts and tested their antimicrobial activity with a radial diffusion assay. Among them, ten synthetic peptides experimentally showed antimicrobial activity against microbes and no toxicity to mouse erythrocytes. Our results provide not only a useful set of antimicrobial peptide candidates and an efficient strategy for novel antimicrobial peptide development but also the transcriptome data of a big centipede as a valuable resource.

  12. Farmers' knowledge and expectations of antimicrobial use and resistance are strongly related to usage in Dutch livestock sectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramer, Tineke; Jansen, Leonie E; Lipman, Len J A; Smit, Lidwien A M; Heederik, Dick J J; Dorado-García, Alejandro

    2017-11-01

    Comprehensive strategies to improve on-farm antimicrobial use (AMU) are needed to contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Little is known about farmers' motivating and enabling factors, and about their influence on AMU. In a cross-sectional online survey, Dutch dairy, veal and pig farmers (n=457) reported their on-farm AMU as "Defined Daily Dose Animal" per year (DDDA F ) and completed a detailed questionnaire on their view, knowledge and behavior towards AMU and AMR. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the questionnaire items identified four psychological factors labeled as 'referent beliefs', 'perceived risk', 'knowledge', and 'undesired attitude to regulations'. Linear regression was done to explore the relationship between the obtained factors and on-farm AMU across the three animal sectors. Dairy farmers showed the highest factor scores for 'knowledge' and the lowest for 'perceived risk'. 'Knowledge' scores were significantly and inversely related to AMU (P=0.0004). Borderline significant associations with AMU were found for 'perceived risk' and 'undesired attitude to regulations' (negative and positive relationships respectively). There were no apparent differences for these relationships between the three livestock sectors. Behavioral interventions in farmers such as educational campaigns or increased support by veterinarians could empower farmers with more prudent and rational practices, eventually reducing AMU in food animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Antimicrobial resistance of zoonotic and commensal bacteria in Europe: the missing link between consumption and resistance in veterinary medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Migura, Lourdes; Hendriksen, Rene S; Fraile, Lorenzo; Aarestrup, Frank M

    2014-05-14

    The emergence of resistance in food animals has been associated to the consumption of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine. Consequently, monitoring programs have been designed to monitor the occurrence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. This study analyses the amount of antimicrobial agents used in nine European countries from 2005 to 2011, and compares by univariate analysis the correlations between consumptions of each of the following antimicrobial classes; tetracycline, penicillins, cephalosporins, quinolones and macrolides. An overview of resistance in zoonotic and commensal bacteria in Europe focusing on Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter sp. and Enterococcus sp., during the same period of time based on monitoring programs is also assessed. With the exception of cephalosporins, linear regressions showed strong positive associations between the consumption of the four different antimicrobial classes. Substantial differences between countries were observed in the amount of antimicrobials used to produce 1 kg of meat. Moreover, large variations in proportions of resistant bacteria were reported by the different countries, suggesting differences in veterinary practice. Despite the withdrawn of a specific antimicrobial from "on farm" use, persistence over the years of bacteria resistant to this particular antimicrobial agent, was still observed. There were also differences in trends of resistance associated to specific animal species. In order to correlate the use of antimicrobial agents to the presence of resistance, surveillance of antimicrobial consumption by animal species should be established. Subsequently, intervention strategies could be designed to minimize the occurrence of resistance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Lactobacillus plantarum as a Probiotic Potential from Kouzeh Cheese (Traditional Iranian Cheese) and Its Antimicrobial Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbari, Vahid; Khiabani, Mahmoud Sowti; Mokarram, Reza Rezaei; Hassanzadeh, Azad Mohammad; Ahmadi, Elham; Gharenaghadeh, Sasan; Karimi, Nayyer; Kafil, Hossein Samadi

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study is to isolate and identify Lactobacillus plantarum isolates from traditional cheese, Kouzeh, and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some food pathogens. In total, 56 lactic acid bacteria were isolated by morphological and biochemical methods, 12 of which were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum by biochemical method and 11 were confirmed by molecular method. For analyzing the antimicrobial activity of these isolates properly, diffusion method was performed. The isolates were identified by 318 bp band dedicated for L. plantarum. The isolated L. plantarum represented an inhibitory activity against four of the pathogenic bacteria and showed different inhibition halos against each other. The larger halos were observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (15 ± 0.3 and 14.8 ± 0.7 mm, respectively). The inhibition halo of Escherichia coli was smaller than that of other pathogen and some L. plantarum did not show any inhibitory activity against E. coli, which were resistant to antimicrobial compounds produced by L. plantarum. The isolated L. plantarum isolates with the antimicrobial activity in this study had strong probiotic properties. These results indicated the nutritional value of Kouzeh cheese and usage of the isolated isolates as probiotic strains.

  15. Antimicrobial compounds in tears.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDermott, Alison M

    2013-12-01

    The tear film coats the cornea and conjunctiva and serves several important functions. It provides lubrication, prevents drying of the ocular surface epithelia, helps provide a smooth surface for refracting light, supplies oxygen and is an important component of the innate defense system of the eye providing protection against a range of potential pathogens. This review describes both classic antimicrobial compounds found in tears such as lysozyme and some more recently identified such as members of the cationic antimicrobial peptide family and surfactant protein-D as well as potential new candidate molecules that may contribute to antimicrobial protection. As is readily evident from the literature review herein, tears, like all mucosal fluids, contain a plethora of molecules with known antimicrobial effects. That all of these are active in vivo is debatable as many are present in low concentrations, may be influenced by other tear components such as the ionic environment, and antimicrobial action may be only one of several activities ascribed to the molecule. However, there are many studies showing synergistic/additive interactions between several of the tear antimicrobials and it is highly likely that cooperativity between molecules is the primary way tears are able to afford significant antimicrobial protection to the ocular surface in vivo. In addition to effects on pathogen growth and survival some tear components prevent epithelial cell invasion and promote the epithelial expression of innate defense molecules. Given the protective role of tears a number of scenarios can be envisaged that may affect the amount and/or activity of tear antimicrobials and hence compromise tear immunity. Two such situations, dry eye disease and contact lens wear, are discussed here. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Global Governance Mechanisms to Address Antimicrobial Resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padiyara, Ponnu; Inoue, Hajime; Sprenger, Marc

    2018-01-01

    Since their discovery, antibiotics, and more broadly, antimicrobials, have been a cornerstone of modern medicine. But the overuse and misuse of these drugs have led to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance, which occurs when bacteria adapt in ways that render antibiotics ineffective. A world without effective antibiotics can have drastic impacts on population health, global development, and the global economy. As a global common good, antibiotic effectiveness is vulnerable to the tragedy of the commons, where a shared limited resource is overused by a community when each individual exploits the finite resource for their own benefit. A borderless threat like antimicrobial resistance requires global governance mechanisms to mitigate its emergence and spread, and it is the responsibility of all countries and relevant multilateral organizations. These mechanisms can be in the form of legally binding global governance mechanisms such as treaties and regulatory standards or nonbinding mechanisms such as political declarations, resolutions, or guidelines. In this article, we argue that while both are effective methods, the strong, swift, and coordinated action needed to address rising rates of antimicrobial resistance will be better served through legally binding governance mechanisms.

  17. In-vitro antimicrobial activity and identification of bioactive components using GC-MS of commercially available essential oils in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashraf, Syed Amir; Al-Shammari, Eyad; Hussain, Talib; Tajuddin, Shaikh; Panda, Bibhu Prasad

    2017-11-01

    This study was designed to evaluate antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of four different plant essential oils i.e. Ginger oil (GiO), Black seed oil (BSO), Oregano oil (OO) and Rose oil (RO) against different bacterial and fungal strains. Anti-microbial activities of selected essential oils were determined by the microbiological technique using Agar well diffusion assay. After in vitro study, most of the essential oils showed antimicrobial activity against all the selected pathogens. Among all the tested oils, GiO showed strong antimicrobial activity. GiO showed highest antimicrobial activity against Shigella (119.79%), Enteococcus hirae (110.61%) and Escherichia coli (106.02%), when compared with the tetracycline (50 µg/mL) activity. However, Antifungal activity of GiO was found to be present against Candida albicans and Aspergilluas flavus , when compared with clotrimazole (50 µg/mL) activity. Among all the selected bacteria, BSO showed maximum antimicrobial activity against the E. coli followed by Citrobacter freundii. Moreover, BSO had highest zone of inhibition against the C. ablicans (33.58%). OO indicated that, Shigella had the highest sensitivity (12.6 ± 0.58, 131.25%), followed by E. hirae (19.1 ± 0.61, 96.46%) and Salmonella typhi (15.2 ± 0.27, 83.06%) when compared with tetracycline activity. OO showed poor sensitivity against all the selected fungal strains. Furthermore, Gas Chromatography analysis revealed that, Gingerol (10.86%) was the chief chemical constituents found in GiO followed by α -Sesquiphellandrene (6.29%), Zingiberene (5.88%). While, BSO, OO and RO had higher percentage of p-Cymene (6.90%), Carvacrol (15.87%) and Citronellol (8.07%) respectively. The results exhibited that the essential oils used for this study was the richest source for antimicrobial activity which indicates the presence of broad spectrum antimicrobial compounds in these essential oils. Hence, essential oils and their components can be

  18. Comparative study of the chemical profiling, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of essential oils of different parts of Thymus willdenowii Boiss & Reut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouknin, Mohamed; Romane, Abderrahmane; Costa, Jean; Majidi, Lhou

    2018-02-27

    The analysis of Thymus willdenowii Boiss & Reut essential oils (TW EOs) shows 33 components accounting for (96.3-97.7%) of all identified. The main constituents of TW EOs were thymol (35.5-47.3%), p-cymene (13.9-23.8%), γ-terpinene (8.9-20.3%). The antioxidant assays revealed that all TW EOs tested showed strong activities, the antimicrobial effect of TW EOs has been tested against isolated clinical strains of Proteus mirabilis (ATCC 35659), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), and Aspergillus brasilliensis (ATCC 16404). The antimicrobial test indicates that TW EOs show an inhibition effect against all the tested bacteria with a MIC of 6.9 to 27.6 μg/mL -1 . These results proving that the essential oils extracted from Thymus willdenowii Boiss & Reut may be a new potential source of natural antimicrobial applied in pharmaceutical and food industries.

  19. Antimicrobial Stewardship: A Cross-Sectional Survey Assessing the Perceptions and Practices of Community Pharmacists in Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Asfaw Erku

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Community pharmacists are key healthcare professionals for antimicrobial stewardship programs owing to their role in dispensing of antimicrobials. The aim of the present study was to assess the perception and practices of community pharmacists towards antimicrobial stewardship (AMS in Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by selecting pharmacy sites through stratified simple random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results. Majority of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that AMS program is vital for the improvement of patient care. Almost all of respondents agreed that pharmacists can play a prominent role in AMS and infection prevention (93.2%, median = 5; IQR = 2–5. However, only 26.5% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that AMS should be practiced at community pharmacy level (median = 4, IQR = 1–3 and more than half of community pharmacists (59.9% often/always dispense antimicrobial without a prescription. Conclusion. The present study revealed positive perceptions and practices of community pharmacists towards antimicrobial stewardship. Yet, some weak areas like integration of AMS program in community pharmacies, the significance of interprofessional involvement, and dispensing of antimicrobials without a valid prescription still need improvement.

  20. Associations of antimicrobial use with antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter coli from grow-finish pigs in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozawa, M; Makita, K; Tamura, Y; Asai, T

    2012-10-01

    To determine associations between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter coli, 155 isolates were obtained from the feces of apparently healthy grow-finish pigs in Japan. In addition, data on the use of antibiotics collected through the national antimicrobial resistance monitoring system in Japan were used for the analysis. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors to antimicrobial resistance in C. coli in pigs for the following antimicrobials: ampicillin, dihydrostreptomycin, erythromycin, oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol, and enrofloxacin. The data suggested the involvement of several different mechanisms of resistance selection. The statistical relationships were suggestive of co-selection; use of macrolides was associated with enrofloxacin resistance (OR=2.94; CI(95%): 0.997, 8.68) and use of tetracyclines was associated with chloramphenicol resistance (OR=2.37; CI(95%): 1.08, 5.19). The statistical relationships were suggestive of cross-resistance: use of macrolides was associated with erythromycin resistance (OR=9.36; CI(95%): 2.96, 29.62) and the use of phenicols was associated with chloramphenicol resistance (OR=11.83; CI(95%): 1.41, 99.44). These data showed that the use of antimicrobials in pigs selects for resistance in C. coli within and between classes of antimicrobials. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Antimicrobial activity of hop extracts against foodborne pathogens for meat applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kramer, B; Thielmann, J; Hickisch, A; Muranyi, P; Wunderlich, J; Hauser, C

    2015-03-01

    The objective of this study was the fundamental investigation of the antimicrobial efficiency of various hop extracts against selected foodborne pathogens in vitro, as well as their activity against Listeria monocytogenes in a model meat marinade and on marinated pork tenderloins. In a first step, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of three hop extracts containing either α- or β-acids or xanthohumol were determined against test bacteria including L. monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli by a colorimetric method based on the measurement of bacterial metabolic activity. Moreover, the influence of either lactic or citric acid on the antimicrobial activity of the hop extracts was evaluated. The efficiency of hop extracts as a natural food preservative was then tested in a model meat marinade at 2 and 8°C, respectively, and finally on marinated pork. The experiments showed that Gram-positive bacteria were strongly inhibited by hop extracts containing β-acids and xanthohumol (MIC values of 6.3 and 12.5 ppm, respectively), whereas the antimicrobial activity of the investigated α-acid extract was significantly lower (MIC values of 200 ppm). Gram-negative bacteria were highly resistant against all tested hop extracts. Acidification of the test media led to a decrease of the MIC values. The inhibitory activity of the hop extracts against L. monocytogenes was strongly reduced in a fat-containing model meat marinade, but the efficiency of β-acids in this matrix could be increased by lowering pH and storage temperatures. By applying 0.5 % β-acids at pH = 5 in a model marinade, the total aerobic count of pork tenderloins was reduced up to 0.9 log10 compared with marinated pork without hop extract after 2 weeks of storage at 5°C. β-acid containing hop extracts have proven to possess a high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria in vitro and in a practice-related application for food preservation

  2. Screening of some Malay medicated oils for antimicrobial activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalid Khalisanni

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Oils from six Malay medicated oils, used traditionally in the treatment of infectious and septic diseases in humans, were tested for their antimicrobial property. The aim was to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of six Malay medicated oils against certain microbial isolates. Locally available Malay medicated oils were checked for their antimicrobial activities using six species of bacteria: E. coli, Salmonella spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Bacillus subtilis and 2 fungi with 1 yeast (Aspergillus niger, Penicillum spp. and Candida albicans. Clove oil showed the highest antibacterial activity followed, respectively, by 'bunga merah', cajaput, nutmeg, lemon grass and 'gamat' oil. Clove oil and lemon grass showed anticandidal activity. The Malay medicated oil studies did not show any antifungal activity. The study shows that Malay medicated oils, like antibiotics, have antimicrobial activities against some microorganisms.

  3. Hyaluronan- and heparin-reduced silver nanoparticles with antimicrobial properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemp, Melissa M; Kumar, Ashavani; Clement, Dylan; Ajayan, Pulickel; Mousa, Shaker

    2009-01-01

    Aims Silver nanoparticles exhibit unique antibacterial properties that make these ideal candidates for biological and medical applications. We utilized a clean method involving a single synthetic step to prepare silver nanoparticles that exhibit antimicrobial activity. Materials & methods These nanoparticles were prepared by reducing silver nitrate with diaminopyridinylated heparin (DAPHP) and hyaluronan (HA) polysaccharides and tested for their efficacy in inhibiting microbial growth. Results & discussion The resulting silver nanoparticles exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and modest activity against Escherichia coli. Silver–HA showed greater antimicrobial activity than silver–DAPHP, while silver–glucose nanoparticles exhibited very weak antimicrobial activity. Neither HA nor DAPHP showed activity against S. aureus or E. coli. Conclusion These results suggest that DAPHP and HA silver nanoparticles have potential in antimicrobial therapeutic applications. PMID:19505245

  4. Identification and Antimicrobial Activity Detection of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Corn Stover Silage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongxia Li

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available A total of 59 lactic acid bacteria (LAB strains were isolated from corn stover silage. According to phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA sequences and recA gene polymerase chain reaction amplification, these LAB isolates were identified as five species: Lactobacillus (L. plantarum subsp. plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Enterococcus mundtii, Weissella cibaria and Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, respectively. Those strains were also screened for antimicrobial activity using a dual-culture agar plate assay. Based on excluding the effects of organic acids and hydrogen peroxide, two L. plantarum subsp. plantarum strains ZZU 203 and 204, which strongly inhibited Salmonella enterica ATCC 43971T, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698T and Escherichia coli ATCC 11775T were selected for further research on sensitivity of the antimicrobial substance to heat, pH and protease. Cell-free culture supernatants of the two strains exhibited strong heat stability (60 min at 100°C, but the antimicrobial activity was eliminated after treatment at 121°C for 15 min. The antimicrobial substance remained active under acidic condition (pH 2.0 to 6.0, but became inactive under neutral and alkaline condition (pH 7.0 to 9.0. In addition, the antimicrobial activities of these two strains decreased remarkably after digestion by protease K. These results preliminarily suggest that the desirable antimicrobial activity of strains ZZU 203 and 204 is the result of the production of a bacteriocin-like substance, and these two strains with antimicrobial activity could be used as silage additives to inhibit proliferation of unwanted microorganism during ensiling and preserve nutrients of silage. The nature of the antimicrobial substances is being investigated in our laboratory.

  5. Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of mixed ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of mixed ascorbic acid - nicotinamide metal complexes. ... The result of the antimicrobial studies showed that the mixed complexes have higher inhibitory activity than the original ligands against the tested bacteria and fungi species. KEY WORDS: Ascorbic acid, ...

  6. New antimicrobial contact catalyst killing antibiotic resistant clinical and waterborne pathogens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guridi, A. [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Diederich, A.-K. [University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Aguila-Arcos, S.; Garcia-Moreno, M. [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Blasi, R.; Broszat, M. [University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Schmieder, W.; Clauss-Lendzian, E. [Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Sakinc-Gueler, T. [University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Andrade, R. [Advanced Research Facilities (SGIker), University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Alkorta, I. [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); Meyer, C.; Landau, U. [Largentec GmbH, Am Waldhaus 32, 14129 Berlin (Germany); Grohmann, E., E-mail: elisabeth.grohmann@googlemail.com [Biophysics Unit (CSIC, UPV/EHU), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa (Spain); University Medical Center Freiburg, Division of Infectious Diseases, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106 Freiburg (Germany); Biology II, Microbiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Schänzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany)

    2015-05-01

    Microbial growth on medical and technical devices is a big health issue, particularly when microorganisms aggregate to form biofilms. Moreover, the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the clinical environment is dramatically growing, making treatment of bacterial infections very challenging. In search of an alternative, we studied a novel antimicrobial surface coating based on micro galvanic elements formed by silver and ruthenium with surface catalytic properties. The antimicrobial coating efficiently inhibited the growth of the nosocomial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium as demonstrated by the growth inhibition on agar surface and in biofilms of antibiotic resistant clinical E. faecalis, E. faecium, and S. aureus isolates. It also strongly reduced the growth of Legionella in a drinking water pipeline and of Escherichia coli in urine. We postulate a mode of action of the antimicrobial material, which is independent of the release of silver ions. Thus, the novel antimicrobial coating could represent an alternative to combat microbial growth avoiding the toxic side effects of high levels of silver ions on eukaryotic cells. - Highlights: • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of clinical staphylococci and enterococci. • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of Legionella in drinking water. • A putative mode of action of the antimicrobial coating is presented.

  7. New antimicrobial contact catalyst killing antibiotic resistant clinical and waterborne pathogens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guridi, A.; Diederich, A.-K.; Aguila-Arcos, S.; Garcia-Moreno, M.; Blasi, R.; Broszat, M.; Schmieder, W.; Clauss-Lendzian, E.; Sakinc-Gueler, T.; Andrade, R.; Alkorta, I.; Meyer, C.; Landau, U.; Grohmann, E.

    2015-01-01

    Microbial growth on medical and technical devices is a big health issue, particularly when microorganisms aggregate to form biofilms. Moreover, the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the clinical environment is dramatically growing, making treatment of bacterial infections very challenging. In search of an alternative, we studied a novel antimicrobial surface coating based on micro galvanic elements formed by silver and ruthenium with surface catalytic properties. The antimicrobial coating efficiently inhibited the growth of the nosocomial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium as demonstrated by the growth inhibition on agar surface and in biofilms of antibiotic resistant clinical E. faecalis, E. faecium, and S. aureus isolates. It also strongly reduced the growth of Legionella in a drinking water pipeline and of Escherichia coli in urine. We postulate a mode of action of the antimicrobial material, which is independent of the release of silver ions. Thus, the novel antimicrobial coating could represent an alternative to combat microbial growth avoiding the toxic side effects of high levels of silver ions on eukaryotic cells. - Highlights: • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of clinical staphylococci and enterococci. • The novel antimicrobial inhibits growth of Legionella in drinking water. • A putative mode of action of the antimicrobial coating is presented

  8. Antimicrobials Treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drosinos, Eleftherios H.; Skandamis, Panagiotis N.; Mataragas, Marios

    The use of antimicrobials is a common practice for preservation of foods. Incorporation, in a food recipe, of chemical antimicrobials towards inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic micro-organisms results in the compositional modification of food. This treatment is nowadays undesirable for the consumer, who likes natural products. Scientific community reflecting consumers demand for natural antimicrobials has made efforts to investigate the possibility to use natural antimicrobials such us bacteriocins and essential oils of plant origin to inhibit microbial growth.

  9. African peppermint (Mentha piperita) from Morocco: Chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of essential oil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marwa, Chraibi; Fikri-Benbrahim, Kawtar; Ou-Yahia, Douae; Farah, Abdellah

    2017-01-01

    To replace and avoid synthetic chemicals toxicity, there is a growing interest in the investigation of natural products from plant origin for the discovery of active compounds with antimicrobial properties. This work was devoted to determine chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of the EO of M. piperita harvested in the garden of the National Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Morocco. Experiments have been conducted at the Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory at the Sciences and Technology Faculty, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco. M. piperita oil was screened for its antimicrobial activity against seven bacteria and two fungi using broth microdilution method. Chemical EO analysis was performed using CPG/MS. The EO revealed menthol (46.32%), menthofuran (13.18%), menthyl acetate (12.10%), menthone (7.42%), and 1,8-cineole (6.06%) as the main constituents. The tested EO exhibited strong inhibitory effect against all tested microorganisms with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.062% to 0.5% (v/v), except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa that was the least sensitive and was only inhibited by concentrations as high as 0.5% (v/v). The studied EO showed an antimicrobial potential. This reinforces its use as an alternative to chemical additives that can be applied to the food and drug industry. PMID:28795021

  10. African peppermint (Mentha piperita from Morocco: Chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of essential oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chraibi Marwa

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available To replace and avoid synthetic chemicals toxicity, there is a growing interest in the investigation of natural products from plant origin for the discovery of active compounds with antimicrobial properties. This work was devoted to determine chemical composition and antimicrobial properties of the EO of M. piperita harvested in the garden of the National Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Morocco. Experiments have been conducted at the Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory at the Sciences and Technology Faculty, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco. M. piperita oil was screened for its antimicrobial activity against seven bacteria and two fungi using broth microdilution method. Chemical EO analysis was performed using CPG/MS. The EO revealed menthol (46.32%, menthofuran (13.18%, menthyl acetate (12.10%, menthone (7.42%, and 1,8-cineole (6.06% as the main constituents. The tested EO exhibited strong inhibitory effect against all tested microorganisms with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.062% to 0.5% (v/v, except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa that was the least sensitive and was only inhibited by concentrations as high as 0.5% (v/v. The studied EO showed an antimicrobial potential. This reinforces its use as an alternative to chemical additives that can be applied to the food and drug industry.

  11. Chemical composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of essential oil from pine needle (Cedrus deodara).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Wei-Cai; Zhang, Zeng; Gao, Hong; Jia, Li-Rong; He, Qiang

    2012-07-01

    The chemical composition of essential oil from pine needles (Cedrus deodara) was determined, and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. Twenty-three components, representing 95.79% of the oil, were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The main components include α-terpineol (30.2%), linalool (24.47%), limonene (17.01%), anethole (14.57%), caryophyllene (3.14%), and eugenol (2.14%). Pine needle essential oil showed remarkable antioxidant activity in scavenging free radicals, in lipid peroxidation, and in reducing power assays. Moreover, the essential oil revealed strong antimicrobial activity against typical food-borne microorganisms, with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of 0.2 to 1.56 and 0.39 to 6.25 μg/mL, respectively. Transmission electron microscope observation ascertained that the bactericidal mechanism of pine needle essential oil may be the induction of cytoplasmic outflow and plasmolysis. These results suggest that the essential oil from pine needles has potential to be used as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent in food processing. The present study provides a theoretical basis for the potential application of essential oil from pine needles (C. deodara) to be used as a natural resource of antioxidant and antimicrobial agents in food industry. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  12. Assessment of antinociceptive, antipyretic and antimicrobial activity of Piper cubeba L. essential oil in animal models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mothana, Ramzi; Alsaid, Mansour; Khaled, Jamal M; Alharbi, Naiyf S; Alatar, Abdulrahman; Raish, Mohammad; Al-Yahya, Mohammed; Rafatullah, Syed; Parvez, Mohammad Khalid; Ahamad, Syed Rizwan

    2016-03-01

    This study was designed to investigate the possible antiniciceptive, antipyretic and antimicrobial activities of the essential oil obtained from the fruits of Piper Cubeba (L.). To assess the antinociceptive and antipyretic activities, three doses (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg, i.p.) were tested in acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing, tail flick reaction and hot-plate and Brewer's yeast-induced hyperpyrexia test models in animals. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity was examined using agar diffusion method and broth micro-dilution assay for minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). The Piper Cubeba essential oil (PCEO) showed a marked antinociception (17, 30 and 54%) and an increase in reaction time in mice in the flick tailed and hot-plate tests. The brewer's yeast induced hyperpyrexia was decreased in a dose dependent manner. PCEO also exhibited a strong antimicrobial potential. These findings confirm the traditional analgesic indications of P. cubeba oil and provide persuasive evidence and support its use in Arab traditional medicine.

  13. Colloidal silver fabrication using the spark discharge system and its antimicrobial effect on Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tien, Der-Chi; Tseng, Kuo-Hsiung; Liao, Chih-Yu; Tsung, Tsing-Tshih

    2008-10-01

    Nanoscale techniques for silver production may assist the resurgence of the medical use of silver, especially given that pathogens are showing increasing resistance to antibiotics. Traditional chemical synthesis methods for colloidal silver (CS) may lead to the presence of toxic chemical species or chemical residues, which may inhibit the effectiveness of CS as an antibacterial agent. To counter these problems a spark discharge system (SDS) was used to fabricate a suspension of colloidal silver in deionized water with no added chemical surfactants. SDS-CS contains both metallic silver nanoparticles (Ag(0)) and ionic silver forms (Ag(+)). The antimicrobial affect of SDS-CS on Staphylococcus aureus was studied. The results show that CS solutions with an ionic silver concentration of 30 ppm or higher are strong enough to destroy S. aureus. In addition, it was found that a solution's antimicrobial potency is directly related to its level of silver ion concentration.

  14. Antimicrobial resistance of thermophilic Campylobacter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Engberg, J.

    2001-01-01

    Campylobacter has become the leading cause of zoonotic enteric infections in developed and developing countries world-wide. Antimicrobial resistance has emerged among Campylobacter mainly as a consequence of the use of antimicrobial agents in food animal production. Resistance to drugs of choice...... for the treatment of infections, macrolides and fluoroquinolones has emerged as a clinical problem and interventions to reduce this are recommended. Resistance to fluoroquinolones and macrolides is mediated by chromosomal mutations. Resistance to other relevant antimicrobial agents, mediated by acquired resistance...... genes, has not become widespread so far. However, resistance genes originating from both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species have been found, showing the potential for acquired resistance to emerge in Campylobacter....

  15. Antimicrobial evaluation of the crude extract of symbiotic fungi from marine sponge Reniera japonica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuelian Bai

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Marine sponge-derived microbes are one of the rich sources of bioactive natural products with a broad spectrum of bioactivities. The present work focuses on the isolation and antimicrobial screening of the marine sponge-associated fungi from Reniera japonica MNP-2016. The results indicated that five fungi (L1-2, L2-1, L4, L8-1 and L14 were successfully isolated. Bioassay tests showed that only strain L14 had strong inhibitory effect on the pathogens, Staphyloccocus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. 18S rDNA sequence analysis indicated that strain L14 was ascribed to Aspergillus genus. To the best of our knowledge, this work was the first report on the isolation and antimicrobial evaluation of fungi from R. japonica.

  16. Antimicrobials, stress and mutagenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandro Rodríguez-Rojas

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Cationic antimicrobial peptides are ancient and ubiquitous immune effectors that multicellular organisms use to kill and police microbes whereas antibiotics are mostly employed by microorganisms. As antimicrobial peptides (AMPs mostly target the cell wall, a microbial 'Achilles heel', it has been proposed that bacterial resistance evolution is very unlikely and hence AMPs are ancient 'weapons' of multicellular organisms. Here we provide a new hypothesis to explain the widespread distribution of AMPs amongst multicellular organism. Studying five antimicrobial peptides from vertebrates and insects, we show, using a classic Luria-Delbrück fluctuation assay, that cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs do not increase bacterial mutation rates. Moreover, using rtPCR and disc diffusion assays we find that AMPs do not elicit SOS or rpoS bacterial stress pathways. This is in contrast to the main classes of antibiotics that elevate mutagenesis via eliciting the SOS and rpoS pathways. The notion of the 'Achilles heel' has been challenged by experimental selection for AMP-resistance, but our findings offer a new perspective on the evolutionary success of AMPs. Employing AMPs seems advantageous for multicellular organisms, as it does not fuel the adaptation of bacteria to their immune defenses. This has important consequences for our understanding of host-microbe interactions, the evolution of innate immune defenses, and also sheds new light on antimicrobial resistance evolution and the use of AMPs as drugs.

  17. Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Coleus amboinicus Lour Exhibited Antimicrobial Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astuti, Puji; Sudarsono, Sudarsono; Nisak, Khoirun; Nugroho, Giri Wisnu

    2014-12-01

    Coleus amboinicus is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat various diseases such as throat infection, cough and fever, diarrhea, nasal congestion and digestive problems. The plant was explored for endophytic fungi producing antimicrobial agents. Screening for endophytic fungi producing antimicrobial agents was conducted using agar plug method and antimicrobial activity of promising ethyl acetate extracts was determined by disc diffusion assay. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) - bioautography was performed to localize the bioactive components within the extract. TLC visualization detection reagents were used to preliminary analyze phytochemical groups of the bioactive compounds. Three endophytic fungi were obtained, two of them showed promising potential. Agar diffusion method showed that endophytic fungi CAL-2 exhibited antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, S. aureus and S. thypi, whilst CAS-1 inhibited the growth of B. subtilis. TLC bioautography of ethyl acetate extract of CAL-2 revealed at least three bands exhibited antimicrobial activity and at least two bands showed inhibition of B. subtilis growth. Preliminary analysis of the crude extracts suggests that bioactive compounds within CAL-2 extract are terpenoids, phenolics and phenyl propanoid compounds whilst the antimicrobial agents within CAS-1 extract are terpenoids, propylpropanoids, alkaloids or heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. These data suggest the potential of endophytic fungi of C. amboinicus as source for antimicrobial agents.

  18. Size-dependent antimicrobial properties of the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Žalnėravičius, Rokas; Paškevičius, Algimantas; Kurtinaitiene, Marija; Jagminas, Arūnas

    2016-10-01

    The growing resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics elicited considerable interest to non-typical drugs. In this study, antimicrobial investigations were performed on low-size dispersion cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (Nps) fabricated by co-precipitation approach in several average sizes, in particular, 15.0, 5.0, and 1.65 nm. A variety of experimental tests demonstrated that the size of these Nps is determinant for antimicrobial efficiency against S. cerevisiae and several Candida species, in particular, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, and C. albicans. The small and ultra-small fractions of CoFe2O4 Nps possess especially strong antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. The possible reasons are discussed. Nps were characterized by means of transmission and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, chemical analysis and magnetic measurements.

  19. Size-dependent antimicrobial properties of the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Žalnėravičius, Rokas; Paškevičius, Algimantas; Kurtinaitiene, Marija; Jagminas, Arūnas

    2016-01-01

    The growing resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics elicited considerable interest to non-typical drugs. In this study, antimicrobial investigations were performed on low-size dispersion cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (Nps) fabricated by co-precipitation approach in several average sizes, in particular, 15.0, 5.0, and 1.65 nm. A variety of experimental tests demonstrated that the size of these Nps is determinant for antimicrobial efficiency against S. cerevisiae and several Candida species, in particular, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, and C. albicans. The small and ultra-small fractions of CoFe_2O_4 Nps possess especially strong antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. The possible reasons are discussed. Nps were characterized by means of transmission and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, chemical analysis and magnetic measurements.Graphical Abstract

  20. Biofilm disruption with rotating microrods enhances antimicrobial efficacy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mair, Lamar O., E-mail: Lamar.Mair@gmail.com [Weinberg Medical Physics, Inc., North Bethesda, MD (United States); Nacev, Aleksandar; Hilaman, Ryan; Stepanov, Pavel Y.; Chowdhury, Sagar; Jafari, Sahar [Weinberg Medical Physics, Inc., North Bethesda, MD (United States); Hausfeld, Jeffrey [School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, WA (United States); Karlsson, Amy J. [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Shirtliff, Mark E. [School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD (United States); Shapiro, Benjamin [Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Weinberg, Irving N. [Weinberg Medical Physics, Inc., North Bethesda, MD (United States)

    2017-04-01

    Biofilms are a common and persistent cause of numerous illnesses. Compared to planktonic microbes, biofilm residing cells often demonstrate significant resistance to antimicrobial agents. Thus, methods for dislodging cells from the biofilm may increase the antimicrobial susceptibility of such cells, and serve as a mechanical means of increasing antimicrobial efficacy. Using Aspergillus fumigatus as a model microbe, we magnetically rotate microrods in and around biofilm. We show that such rods can improve the efficacy of antimicrobial Amphotericin B treatments in vitro. This work represents a first step in using kinetic magnetic particle therapy for disrupting fungal biofilms. - Highlights: • Fungal biofilms have been implicated in a variety of medical ailments. • Magnetic microrods, grown via electroplating, were rotated in and around fungal biofilms. • Rotating microrods potentiate the effectiveness of antimicrobial drug. • Antimicrobial efficacy may be enhanced due to increased mixing.

  1. Biofilm disruption with rotating microrods enhances antimicrobial efficacy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mair, Lamar O.; Nacev, Aleksandar; Hilaman, Ryan; Stepanov, Pavel Y.; Chowdhury, Sagar; Jafari, Sahar; Hausfeld, Jeffrey; Karlsson, Amy J.; Shirtliff, Mark E.; Shapiro, Benjamin; Weinberg, Irving N.

    2017-01-01

    Biofilms are a common and persistent cause of numerous illnesses. Compared to planktonic microbes, biofilm residing cells often demonstrate significant resistance to antimicrobial agents. Thus, methods for dislodging cells from the biofilm may increase the antimicrobial susceptibility of such cells, and serve as a mechanical means of increasing antimicrobial efficacy. Using Aspergillus fumigatus as a model microbe, we magnetically rotate microrods in and around biofilm. We show that such rods can improve the efficacy of antimicrobial Amphotericin B treatments in vitro. This work represents a first step in using kinetic magnetic particle therapy for disrupting fungal biofilms. - Highlights: • Fungal biofilms have been implicated in a variety of medical ailments. • Magnetic microrods, grown via electroplating, were rotated in and around fungal biofilms. • Rotating microrods potentiate the effectiveness of antimicrobial drug. • Antimicrobial efficacy may be enhanced due to increased mixing.

  2. Antimicrobial stewardship in a Gastroenterology Department: Impact on antimicrobial consumption, antimicrobial resistance and clinical outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedini, Andrea; De Maria, Nicola; Del Buono, Mariagrazia; Bianchini, Marcello; Mancini, Mauro; Binda, Cecilia; Brasacchio, Andrea; Orlando, Gabriella; Franceschini, Erica; Meschiari, Marianna; Sartini, Alessandro; Zona, Stefano; Paioli, Serena; Villa, Erica; Gyssens, Inge C; Mussini, Cristina

    2016-10-01

    A major cause of the increase in antimicrobial resistance is the inappropriate use of antimicrobials. To evaluate the impact on antimicrobial consumption and clinical outcome of an antimicrobial stewardship program in an Italian Gastroenterology Department. Between October 2014 and September 2015 (period B), a specialist in infectious diseases (ID) controlled all antimicrobial prescriptions and decided about the therapy in agreement with gastroenterologists. The defined daily doses of antimicrobials (DDDs), incidence of MDR-infections, mean length of stay and overall in-hospital mortality rate were compared with those of the same period in the previous 12-months (period A). During period B, the ID specialist performed 304 consultations: antimicrobials were continued in 44.4% of the cases, discontinued in 13.8%, not recommended in 12.1%, de-escalated 9.9%, escalated in 7.9%, and started in 4.0%. Comparing the 2 periods, we observed a decreased of antibiotics consumption (from 109.81 to 78.45 DDDs/100 patient-days, p=0.0005), antifungals (from 41.28 to 24.75 DDDs/100pd, p=0.0004), carbapenems (from 15.99 to 6.80 DDDsx100pd, p=0.0032), quinolones (from 35.79 to 17.82 DDDsx100pd, p=0.0079). No differences were observed in incidence of MDR-infections, length of hospital stay (LOS), and mortality rate. ASP program had a positive impact on reducing the consumption of antimicrobials, without an increase in LOS and mortality. Copyright © 2016 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing options ... of Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance More in Antimicrobial ... Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System About NARMS 2015 NARMS Integrated ...

  4. Phytochemical and antimicrobial screening of crude extracts ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The bark and wood parts of the root of Terminalia mollis was investigated for its phytochemical and antimicrobial properties. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of tannins and resins as the major secondary metabolites. Test for antimicrobial activity of the plant crude extracts using the agar diffusion method ...

  5. Low cytotoxic trace element selenium nanoparticles and their differential antimicrobial properties against S. aureus and E. coli

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran, Phong A; Biswas, Dhee P; O’Connor, Andrea J; O’Brien-Simpson, Neil; Reynolds, Eric C; Pantarat, Namfon

    2016-01-01

    Antimicrobial agents that have no or low cytotoxicity and high specificity are desirable to have no or minimal side effects. We report here the low cytotoxicity of polyvinyl alcohol-stabilized selenium (Se) nanoparticles and their differential effects on growth of S. aureus, a gram-positive bacterium and E. coli, a gram-negative bacterium. The nanoparticles were synthesised through redox reactions in an aqueous environment at room temperature and were characterised using UV visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The nanoparticles showed low toxicity toward fibroblasts which remained more than 70% viable at Se concentrations as high as 128 ppm. The nanoparticles also exhibited very low haemolysis with only 18% of maximal lysis observed at a Se concentration of 128 ppm. Importantly, the nanoparticles showed strong growth inhibition toward S. aureus at a concentration as low as 1 ppm. Interestingly, growth of E. coli was unaffected at all concentrations tested. This study therefore strongly suggests that these nanoparticles should be investigated further to understand this differential effect as well as for potential advanced antimicrobial applications such as S. aureus infection—resisting, non-cytotoxic coatings for medical devices. (paper)

  6. Biofilm disruption with rotating microrods enhances antimicrobial efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mair, Lamar O.; Nacev, Aleksandar; Hilaman, Ryan; Stepanov, Pavel Y.; Chowdhury, Sagar; Jafari, Sahar; Hausfeld, Jeffrey; Karlsson, Amy J.; Shirtliff, Mark E.; Shapiro, Benjamin; Weinberg, Irving N.

    2017-04-01

    Biofilms are a common and persistent cause of numerous illnesses. Compared to planktonic microbes, biofilm residing cells often demonstrate significant resistance to antimicrobial agents. Thus, methods for dislodging cells from the biofilm may increase the antimicrobial susceptibility of such cells, and serve as a mechanical means of increasing antimicrobial efficacy. Using Aspergillus fumigatus as a model microbe, we magnetically rotate microrods in and around biofilm. We show that such rods can improve the efficacy of antimicrobial Amphotericin B treatments in vitro. This work represents a first step in using kinetic magnetic particle therapy for disrupting fungal biofilms.

  7. Anti-BACE1 and Antimicrobial Activities of Steroidal Compounds Isolated from Marine Urechis unicinctus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong-Zhe Zhu

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The human β-site amyloid cleaving enzyme (BACE1 has been considered as an effective drug target for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD. In this study, Urechis unicinctus (U. unicinctus, which is a Far East specialty food known as innkeeper worm, ethanol extract was studied by bioassay-directed fractionation and isolation to examine its potential β-site amyloid cleaving enzyme inhibitory and antimicrobial activity. The following compounds were characterized: hecogenin, cholest-4-en-3-one, cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol, and hurgadacin. These compounds were identified by their mass spectrometry, 1H, and 13C NMR spectral data, comparing those data with NIST/EPA/NIH Mass spectral database (NIST11 and published values. Hecogenin and cholest-4-en-3-one showed significant inhibitory activity against BACE1 with EC50 values of 116.3 and 390.6 µM, respectively. Cholesta-4,6-dien-3-ol and hurgadacin showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, particularly strongly against Escherichia coli (E. coli, Salmonella enterica (S. enterica, Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida, and Physalospora piricola (P. piricola, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC ranging from 0.46 to 0.94 mg/mL. This is the first report regarding those four known compounds that were isolated from U. unicinctus and their anti-BACE1 and antimicrobial activity, highlighting the fact that known natural compounds may be a critical source of new medicine leads. These findings provide scientific evidence for potential application of those bioactive compounds for the development of AD drugs and antimicrobial agents.

  8. Anti-BACE1 and Antimicrobial Activities of Steroidal Compounds Isolated from Marine Urechis unicinctus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yong-Zhe; Liu, Jing-Wen; Wang, Xue; Jeong, In-Hong; Ahn, Young-Joon; Zhang, Chuan-Jie

    2018-03-14

    The human β-site amyloid cleaving enzyme (BACE1) has been considered as an effective drug target for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, Urechis unicinctus (U. unicinctus) , which is a Far East specialty food known as innkeeper worm, ethanol extract was studied by bioassay-directed fractionation and isolation to examine its potential β-site amyloid cleaving enzyme inhibitory and antimicrobial activity. The following compounds were characterized: hecogenin, cholest-4- en -3-one, cholesta-4,6- dien -3-ol, and hurgadacin. These compounds were identified by their mass spectrometry, ¹H, and 13 C NMR spectral data, comparing those data with NIST/EPA/NIH Mass spectral database (NIST11) and published values. Hecogenin and cholest-4- en -3-one showed significant inhibitory activity against BACE1 with EC 50 values of 116.3 and 390.6 µM, respectively. Cholesta-4,6- dien -3-ol and hurgadacin showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, particularly strongly against Escherichia coli (E. coli) , Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) , Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) , and Physalospora piricola (P. piricola) , with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.46 to 0.94 mg/mL. This is the first report regarding those four known compounds that were isolated from U. unicinctus and their anti-BACE1 and antimicrobial activity, highlighting the fact that known natural compounds may be a critical source of new medicine leads. These findings provide scientific evidence for potential application of those bioactive compounds for the development of AD drugs and antimicrobial agents.

  9. Reverse engineering truncations of an antimicrobial peptide dimer to identify the origins of potency and broad spectrum of action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anantharaman, Aparna; Sahal, Dinkar

    2010-08-26

    Antimicrobial peptides hold promise against antibiotic resistant pathogens. Here, to find the physicochemical origins of potency and broad spectrum antimicrobial action, we report the structure-activity relationships of synthetic intermediates (peptides A-D) of a potent lysine branched dimeric antibacterial peptide DeltaFd. Our studies show that a tetracationic character in a weak helical fold (peptide C) elicits potent but narrow spectrum antimicrobial activity [Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) E. coli 10 microM, S. aureus>100 microM]. In contrast, a hexacationic character in a strong, amphipathic helix (DeltaFd) confers potent and broad spectrum action [MICs E. coli 2.5 microM, S. aureus 5 microM]. While DeltaFd caused rapid and potent permeabilization of the E. coli membranes, the less helical intermediates (peptides A-D) showed slow and weak to no responses. Two seminal findings that may aid future drug design are (a) at identical helicity, increasing charge enhanced outer membrane permeabilization, and (b) at identical charge, increasing helicity stimulated rate of outer membrane permeabilization and kill kinetics besides enhancing potency leading to broad spectrum action.

  10. Protein-only, antimicrobial peptide-containing recombinant nanoparticles with inherent built-in antibacterial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serna, Naroa; Sánchez-García, Laura; Sánchez-Chardi, Alejandro; Unzueta, Ugutz; Roldán, Mónica; Mangues, Ramón; Vázquez, Esther; Villaverde, Antonio

    2017-09-15

    The emergence of bacterial antibiotic resistances is a serious concern in human and animal health. In this context, naturally occurring cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) might play a main role in a next generation of drugs against bacterial infections. Taking an innovative approach to design self-organizing functional proteins, we have generated here protein-only nanoparticles with intrinsic AMP microbicide activity. Using a recombinant version of the GWH1 antimicrobial peptide as building block, these materials show a wide antibacterial activity spectrum in absence of detectable toxicity on mammalian cells. The GWH1-based nanoparticles combine clinically appealing properties of nanoscale materials with full biocompatibility, structural and functional plasticity and biological efficacy exhibited by proteins. Because of the largely implemented biological fabrication of recombinant protein drugs, the protein-based platform presented here represents a novel and scalable strategy in antimicrobial drug design, that by solving some of the limitations of AMPs offers a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics. The low molecular weight antimicrobial peptide GWH1 has been engineered to oligomerize as self-assembling protein-only nanoparticles of around 50nm. In this form, the peptide exhibits potent and broad antibacterial activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, without any harmful effect over mammalian cells. As a solid proof-of-concept, this finding strongly supports the design and biofabrication of nanoscale antimicrobial materials with in-built functionalities. The protein-based homogeneous composition offer advantages over alternative materials explored as antimicrobial agents, regarding biocompatibility, biodegradability and environmental suitability. Beyond the described prototype, this transversal engineering concept has wide applicability in the design of novel nanomedicines for advanced treatments of bacterial infections

  11. Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Coleus amboinicus Lour Exhibited Antimicrobial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Puji Astuti

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Coleus amboinicus is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat various diseases such as throat infection, cough and fever, diarrhea, nasal congestion and digestive problems. The plant was explored for endophytic fungi producing antimicrobial agents. Methods: Screening for endophytic fungi producing antimicrobial agents was conducted using agar plug method and antimicrobial activity of promising ethyl acetate extracts was determined by disc diffusion assay. Thin layer chromatography (TLC - bioautography was performed to localize the bioactive components within the extract. TLC visualization detection reagents were used to preliminary analyze phytochemical groups of the bioactive compounds. Results: Three endophytic fungi were obtained, two of them showed promising potential. Agar diffusion method showed that endophytic fungi CAL-2 exhibited antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, S. aureus and S. thypi, whilst CAS-1 inhibited the growth of B. subtilis. TLC bioautography of ethyl acetate extract of CAL-2 revealed at least three bands exhibited antimicrobial activity and at least two bands showed inhibition of B. subtilis growth. Preliminary analysis of the crude extracts suggests that bioactive compounds within CAL-2 extract are terpenoids, phenolics and phenyl propanoid compounds whilst the antimicrobial agents within CAS-1 extract are terpenoids, propylpropanoids, alkaloids or heterocyclic nitrogen compounds. Conclusion: These data suggest the potential of endophytic fungi of C. amboinicus as source for antimicrobial agents.

  12. Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils of Selected Aromatic Plants from Tajikistan

    OpenAIRE

    Sharopov, Farukh; Braun, Markus Santhosh; Gulmurodov, Isomiddin; Khalifaev, Davlat; Isupov, Salomiddin; Wink, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils of 18 plant species from Tajikistan (Central Asia) were investigated. The essential oil of Origanum tyttanthum showed a strong antibacterial activity with both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 312.5 µg/mL for E. coli, 625 µg/mL (MIC) and 1250 µg/mL (MBC) for MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), respectively. The essential oil of Galagan...

  13. Antimicrobial and anticancer activities of porous chitosan-alginate biosynthesized silver nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkatesan, Jayachandran; Lee, Jin-Young; Kang, Dong Seop; Anil, Sukumaran; Kim, Se-Kwon; Shim, Min Suk; Kim, Dong Gyu

    2017-05-01

    The main aim of this study was to obtain porous antimicrobial composites consisting of chitosan, alginate, and biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Chitosan and alginate were used owing to their pore-forming capacity, while AgNPs were used for their antimicrobial property. The developed porous composites of chitosan-alginate-AgNPs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The FT-IR results revealed the presence of a strong chemical interaction between chitosan and alginate due to polyelectrolyte complex; whereas, the XRD results confirmed the presence of AgNPs in the composites. The dispersion of AgNPs in the porous membrane was uniform with a pore size of 50-500μm. Antimicrobial activity of the composites was checked with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The developed composites resulted in the formation of a zone of inhibition of 11±1mm for the Escherichia coli, and 10±1mm for Staphylococcus aureus. The bacterial filtration efficiency of chitosan-alginate-AgNPs was 1.5-times higher than that of the chitosan-alginate composite. The breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was used to test the anticancer activity of the composites. The IC 50 value of chitosan-alginate-AgNPs on MDA-MB-231 was 4.6mg. The developed chitosan-alginate-AgNPs composite showed a huge potential for its applications in antimicrobial filtration and cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Identification and screening of potent antimicrobial peptides in arthropod genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duwadi, Deepesh; Shrestha, Anishma; Yilma, Binyam; Kozlovski, Itamar; Sa-Eed, Munaya; Dahal, Nikesh; Jukosky, James

    2018-05-01

    Using tBLASTn and BLASTp searches, we queried recently sequenced arthropod genomes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) using a database of known arthropod cecropins, defensins, and attacins. We identified and synthesized 6 potential AMPs and screened them for antimicrobial activity. Using radial diffusion assays and microtiter antimicrobial assays, we assessed the in vitro antimicrobial effects of these peptides against several human pathogens including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. We also conducted hemolysis assays to examine the cytotoxicity of these peptides to mammalian cells. Four of the six peptides identified showed antimicrobial effects in these assays. We also created truncated versions of these four peptides to assay their antimicrobial activity. Two cecropins derived from the monarch butterfly genome (Danaus plexippus), DAN1 and DAN2, showed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the range of 2-16 μg/ml when screened against Gram-negative bacteria. HOLO1 and LOUDEF1, two defensin-like peptides derived from red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) and human body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus), respectively, exhibited MICs in the range of 13-25 μg/ml against Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, HOLO1 showed an MIC less than 5 μg/ml against the fungal species Candida albicans. These peptides exhibited no hemolytic activity at concentrations up to 200 μg/ml. The truncated peptides derived from DAN2 and HOLO1 showed very little antimicrobial activity. Our experiments show that the peptides DAN1, DAN2, HOLO1, and LOUDEF1 showed potent antimicrobial activity in vitro against common human pathogens, did not lyse mammalian red blood cells, and indicates their potential as templates for novel therapeutic agents against microbial infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Nanocomposite of polystyrene foil grafted with metallaboranes for antimicrobial activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benkocká, Monika; Kolářová, Kateřina; Matoušek, Jindřich; Semerádtová, Alena; Šícha, Václav; Kolská, Zdeňka

    2018-05-01

    The surface of polystyrene foil (PS) was chemically modified. Firstly, the surface was pre-treated with Piranha solution. The activated surface was grafted by selected amino-compounds (cysteamine, ethylenediamine or chitosan) and/or subsequently grafted with five members of inorganic metallaboranes. Selected surface properties were studied by using various methods in order to indicate significant changes before and after individual modification steps of polymer foil. Elemental composition of surface was conducted by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, chemistry and polarity by infrared spectroscopy and by electrokinetic analysis, wettability by goniometry, surface morphology by atomic force microscopy. Antimicrobial tests were performed on individual samples in order to confirm antimicrobial impact. Our results show slight antibacterial activity of PS modified with SK5 for Escherichia coli in comparison with the rest of the tested borane. On the other hand molecules of all tested metallaboranes could easier pierce through bacterial cell of Staphylococcus epidermidis due to absence of outer membrane (phospholipid bilayer). Some borane grafted on PS surface embodies the strong activity for Staphylococcus epidermidis and also for Desmodesmus quadricauda growth inhibition.

  16. Size-dependent antimicrobial properties of the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Žalnėravičius, Rokas [State Research Institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania); Paškevičius, Algimantas [Nature Research Centre, Laboratory of Biodeterioration Research (Lithuania); Kurtinaitiene, Marija; Jagminas, Arūnas, E-mail: arunas.jagminas@ftmc.lt [State Research Institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania)

    2016-10-15

    The growing resistance of bacteria to conventional antibiotics elicited considerable interest to non-typical drugs. In this study, antimicrobial investigations were performed on low-size dispersion cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (Nps) fabricated by co-precipitation approach in several average sizes, in particular, 15.0, 5.0, and 1.65 nm. A variety of experimental tests demonstrated that the size of these Nps is determinant for antimicrobial efficiency against S. cerevisiae and several Candida species, in particular, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, and C. albicans. The small and ultra-small fractions of CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} Nps possess especially strong antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. The possible reasons are discussed. Nps were characterized by means of transmission and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, chemical analysis and magnetic measurements.Graphical Abstract.

  17. Antimicrobial Activity of Calcium Hydroxide in Endodontics: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalavi, S; Yazdizadeh, M

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of endodontic therapy is to preserve the patient's natural teeth without compromising the patient's local or systemic health. Calcium hydroxide has been included in several materials and antimicrobial formulations that are used in several treatment modalities in endodontics, such as inter-appointment intracanal medicaments. The purpose of this article was to review the antimicrobial properties of calcium hydroxide in endodontics. Calcium hydroxide has a high pH (approximately 12.5-12.8) and is classified chemically as a strong base. The lethal effects of calcium hydroxide on bacterial cells are probably due to protein denaturation and damage to DNA and cytoplasmic membranes. Calcium hydroxide has a wide range of antimicrobial activity against common endodontic pathogens but is less effective against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. Calcium hydroxide is also a valuable anti-endotoxin agent. However, its effect on microbial biofilms is controversial. PMID:23323217

  18. Antimicrobial resistance among pathogenic bacteria from mink (Neovison vison) in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nikolaisen, Nanett Kvist; Lassen, Desireé Corvera Kløve; Chriél, Mariann

    2017-01-01

    of antimicrobial resistance among pathogenic bacteria isolated from Danish mink during the period 2014-2016. The aim of this investigation was to provide data on antimicrobial resistance and consumption, to serve as background knowledge for new veterinary guidelines for prudent and optimal antimicrobial usage...... and macrolides. Conclusions: The study showed that antimicrobial resistance was common in most pathogenic bacteria from mink, in particular hemolytic E. coli. There is a need of guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials for mink....

  19. Discovery of novel histidine-derived lipo-amino acids: applied in the synthesis of ultra-short antimicrobial peptidomimetics having potent antimicrobial activity, salt resistance and protease stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Mija; Murugan, Ravichandran N; Jacob, Binu; Hyun, Jae-Kyung; Cheong, Chaejoon; Hwang, Eunha; Park, Hyo-Nam; Seo, Ji-Hyung; Srinivasrao, G; Lee, Kyung S; Shin, Song Yub; Bang, Jeong Kyu

    2013-10-01

    Here we report for the first time the synthesis of Histidine (His) derived lipo-amino acids having pendant lipid tails at N(τ)- and N(π)-positions on imidazole group of His and applied it into synthesis of lipo-peptides. The attachment of His-derived lipo-amino acid into the very short inactive cationic peptides endows potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria without hemolytic activity. Furthermore, our designed His-derived lipo-peptidomimetics (HDLPs) consisting of two or three residues displayed strong anti-MRSA activity and protease stability as well as retained potent antimicrobial activity under high salt concentration. Our results demonstrate that the novel lipo-amino acid is highly flexible to synthesize and carry out the extensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) on lipo-antimicrobial peptidomimetics and represents a unique amenable platform for modifying parameters important for antimicrobial activity. Through this study, we proved that the discovery of His-derived lipo-amino acid and the corresponding HDLPs are an excellent candidate as a lead compound for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Quantitative studies of antimicrobial peptide-lipid membrane interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristensen, Kasper

    antimicrobial peptides interact with phospholipid membranes. Motivated by that fact, the scope of this thesis is to study these antimicrobial peptide-lipid membrane interactions. In particular, we attempt to study these interactions with a quantitative approach. For that purpose, we consider the three...... a significant problem for quantitative studies of antimicrobial peptide-lipid membrane interactions; namely that antimicrobial peptides adsorb to surfaces of glass and plastic. Specifically, we demonstrate that under standard experimental conditions, this effect is significant for mastoparan X, melittin...... lead to inaccurate conclusions, or even completely wrong conclusions, when interpreting the FCS data. We show that, if all of the pitfalls are avoided, then FCS is a technique with a large potential for quantitative studies of antimicrobial peptide-induced leakage of fluorescent markers from large...

  1. Antimicrobial Usage and Antimicrobial Resistance in Animal Production in Southeast Asia: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen T. Nhung

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Southeast Asia is an area of great economic dynamism. In recent years, it has experienced a rapid rise in the levels of animal product production and consumption. The region is considered to be a hotspot for infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR. We reviewed English-language peer-reviewed publications related to antimicrobial usage (AMU and AMR in animal production, as well as antimicrobial residues in meat and fish from 2000 to 2016, in the region. There is a paucity of data from most countries and for most bacterial pathogens. Most of the published work relates to non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS, Escherichia coli (E. coli, and Campylobacter spp. (mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, Enterococcus spp. (Malaysia, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA (Thailand. However, most studies used the disk diffusion method for antimicrobial susceptibility testing; breakpoints were interpreted using Clinical Standard Laboratory Institute (CSLI guidelines. Statistical models integrating data from publications on AMR in NTS and E. coli studies show a higher overall prevalence of AMR in pig isolates, and an increase in levels of AMR over the years. AMU studies (mostly from Vietnam indicate very high usage levels of most types of antimicrobials, including beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, and quinolones. This review summarizes information about genetic determinants of resistance, most of which are transferrable (mostly plasmids and integrons. The data in this review provide a benchmark to help focus research and policies on AMU and AMR in the region.

  2. Comparison of antimicrobial activity of traditional and new developed root sealers against pathogens related root canal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joo-Hee Shin

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background/purpose: Bacterial infection is closely associated with the failure of endodontic treatment, and use of endodontic sealer with antimicrobial activity and biological compatibility is necessary for the success of root canal treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate and to compare the antibacterial effect of two calcium silicate-based root canal sealers (Endoseal and EndoSequence BC sealer as recent development sealers and with three conventional root canal sealers (AH Plus, Sealapex, and Tubli-Seal, before or after setting, on Porphyromonas endodontalis, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and methods: The sealers were soaked in phosphate buffered saline to elute its compositions after and before setting, and the elutes were performed the antimicrobial assay. Also, X-ray fluorescence analysis was carried out to compare compositions of two calcium silicate-based sealers. Results: The conventional root canal sealers have strong antibacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria, P. endodontalis and P. gingivalis. Endoseal sealer showed antibacterial activity against not only the Gram-negative bacteria, but also against the Gram-positive bacteria, E. faecalis. However, Endosequence BC sealer exhibited a weak antibacterial effect on all bacteria in this study. X-ray fluorescence analysis exhibited that Endoseal contained more types and more amount of the oxide compound known to have strong antimicrobial activity such as Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, NiO, and SO2 than Endoseqeunce BC. Conclusion: Endoseal, which contains various types of oxide compounds, seems to be a suitable sealer for preventing bacterial infection in both treated and untreated root canals. Keywords: Root canal sealer, Antimicrobial activity, Oxide compound, E. faecalis

  3. Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of apiary honey ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Honey produced by honeybee (Apis mellifera) which is used in herbal medicine was examined for its chemical constituents and antimicrobial activity. The phytochemical analysis of honey showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, reducing sugar and glycosides. Antimicrobial activity of honey on fresh ...

  4. Antimicrobial Polymers with Metal Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palza, Humberto

    2015-01-01

    Metals, such as copper and silver, can be extremely toxic to bacteria at exceptionally low concentrations. Because of this biocidal activity, metals have been widely used as antimicrobial agents in a multitude of applications related with agriculture, healthcare, and the industry in general. Unlike other antimicrobial agents, metals are stable under conditions currently found in the industry allowing their use as additives. Today these metal based additives are found as: particles, ions absorbed/exchanged in different carriers, salts, hybrid structures, etc. One recent route to further extend the antimicrobial applications of these metals is by their incorporation as nanoparticles into polymer matrices. These polymer/metal nanocomposites can be prepared by several routes such as in situ synthesis of the nanoparticle within a hydrogel or direct addition of the metal nanofiller into a thermoplastic matrix. The objective of the present review is to show examples of polymer/metal composites designed to have antimicrobial activities, with a special focus on copper and silver metal nanoparticles and their mechanisms. PMID:25607734

  5. Antimicrobial Peptides: Multifunctional Drugs for Different Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lea-Jessica Albrecht

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (APs are an important part of the innate immune system in epithelial and non-epithelial surfaces. So far, many different antimicrobial peptides from various families have been discovered in non-vertebrates and vertebrates. They are characterized by antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral activities against a variety of microorganisms. In addition to their role as endogenous antimicrobials, APs participate in multiple aspects of immunity. They are involved in septic and non-septic inflammation, wound repair, angiogenesis, regulation of the adaptive immune system and in maintaining homeostasis. Due to those characteristics AP could play an important role in many practical applications. Limited therapeutic efficiency of current antimicrobial agents and the emerging resistance of pathogens require alternate antimicrobial drugs. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent literature on functions and mechanisms of APs. It also shows their current practical applications as peptide therapeutics and bioactive polymers and discusses the possibilities of future clinical developments.

  6. Antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oils and their interactions with conventional antimicrobial agents against multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knezevic, Petar; Aleksic, Verica; Simin, Natasa; Svircev, Emilija; Petrovic, Aleksandra; Mimica-Dukic, Neda

    2016-02-03

    Traditional herbal medicine has become an important issue on the global scale during the past decade. Among drugs of natural origin, special place belongs to essential oils, known as strong antimicrobial agents that can be used to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves are traditional herbal remedy used for various purposes, including treatment of infections. The aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial potential of two E. camaldulensis essential oils against multi-drug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii wound isolates and to examine possible interactions of essential oils with conventional antimicrobial agents. Chemical composition of essential oils was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS). MIC values of essential oils against A. baumannii strains were estimated by modified broth microdilution method. The components responsible for antimicrobial activity were detected by bioautographic analysis. The potential synergy between the essential oils and antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and polymyxin B) was examined by checkerboard method and time kill curve. The dominant components of both essential oils were spatulenol, cryptone, p-cimene, 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol and β-pinene. The detected MICs for the E. camaldulensis essential oils were in range from 0.5 to 2 μl mL(-1). The bioautographic assay confirmed antibacterial activity of polar terpene compounds. In combination with conventional antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, gentamicin and polymyxin B), the examined essential oils showed synergistic antibacterial effect in most of the cases, while in some even re-sensitized MDR A. baumannii strains. The synergistic interaction was confirmed by time-kill curves for E. camaldulensis essential oil and polymyxin B combination which reduced bacterial count under detection limit very fast, i.e. after 6h of incubation. The detected anti-A. baumannii activity of E. camaldulensis essential oils

  7. Antimicrobial potential of endophytic fungi derived from three seagrass species: Cymodocea serrulata, Halophila ovalis and Thalassia hemprichii.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Preuttiporn Supaphon

    Full Text Available Endophytic fungi from three commonly found seagrasses in southern Thailand were explored for their ability to produce antimicrobial metabolites. One hundred and sixty endophytic fungi derived from Cymodoceaserrulata (Family Cymodoceaceae, Halophilaovalis and Thalassiahemprichii (Family Hydrocharitaceae were screened for production of antimicrobial compounds by a colorimetric broth microdilution test against ten human pathogenic microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, a clinical isolate of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Escherichia coli ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans ATCC 90028 and NCPF 3153, Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 90112 and ATCC 90113 and clinical isolates of Microsporumgypseum and Penicilliummarneffei. Sixty-nine percent of the isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity against at least one test strain. Antifungal activity was more pronounced than antibacterial activity. Among the active fungi, seven isolates including Hypocreales sp. PSU-ES26 from C. serrulata, Trichoderma spp. PSU-ES8 and PSU-ES38 from H. ovalis, and Penicillium sp. PSU-ES43, Fusarium sp. PSU-ES73, Stephanonectria sp. PSU-ES172 and an unidentified endophyte PSU-ES190 from T. hemprichii exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against human pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC of less than 10 µg/ml. The inhibitory extracts at concentrations of 4 times their MIC destroyed the targeted cells as observed by scanning electron microscopy. These results showed the antimicrobial potential of extracts from endophytic fungi from seagrasses.

  8. Antimicrobial Bacterial Cellulose-Silver Nanoparticles Composite Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hernane S. Barud

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial bacterial cellulose-silver nanoparticles composite membranes have been obtained by “in situ” preparation of Ag nanoparticles from hydrolytic decomposition of silver nitrate solution using triethanolamine as reducing and complexing agent. The formation of silver nanoparticles was evidenced by the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and absorption in the UV-Visible (350 nm to 600 nm. Thermal and mechanical properties together with swelling behavior for water were considered. TEA concentration was observed to be important in order to obtain only Ag particles and not a mixture of silver oxides. It was also observed to control particle size and amount of silver contents in bacterial cellulose. The composite membranes exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

  9. Assessment of in vitro antitumoral and antimicrobial activities of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ONOS

    2010-07-05

    Jul 5, 2010 ... cell line, and it showed less than 10% cell viability after treatment. Antimicrobial ... marine macro algae have also been studied extensively. Antimicrobial ... Algae samples were washed twice with distilled water and air-dried.

  10. Alternative Antimicrobial Approach: Nano-Antimicrobial Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurit Beyth

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite numerous existing potent antibiotics and other antimicrobial means, bacterial infections are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Moreover, the need to develop additional bactericidal means has significantly increased due to the growing concern regarding multidrug-resistant bacterial strains and biofilm associated infections. Consequently, attention has been especially devoted to new and emerging nanoparticle-based materials in the field of antimicrobial chemotherapy. The present review discusses the activities of nanoparticles as an antimicrobial means, their mode of action, nanoparticle effect on drug-resistant bacteria, and the risks attendant on their use as antibacterial agents. Factors contributing to nanoparticle performance in the clinical setting, their unique properties, and mechanism of action as antibacterial agents are discussed in detail.

  11. Antimicrobial peptides from the skins of North American frogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conlon, J Michael; Kolodziejek, Jolanta; Nowotny, Norbert

    2009-08-01

    North America is home to anuran species belonging to the families Bufonidae, Eleutherodactylidae, Hylidae, Leiopelmatidae, Ranidae, and Scaphiopodidae but antimicrobial peptides have been identified only in skin secretions and/or skin extracts of frogs belonging to the Leiopelmatidae ("tailed frogs") and Ranidae ("true frogs"). Eight structurally-related cationic alpha-helical peptides with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, termed ascaphins, have been isolated from specimens of Ascaphus truei (Leiopelmatidae) occupying a coastal range. Characterization of orthologous antimicrobial peptides from Ascaphus specimens occupying an inland range supports the proposal that this population should be regarded as a separate species A. montanus. Ascaphin-8 shows potential for development into a therapeutically valuable anti-infective agent. Peptides belonging to the brevinin-1, esculentin-1, esculentin-2, palustrin-1, palustrin-2, ranacyclin, ranatuerin-1, ranatuerin-2, and temporin families have been isolated from North American ranids. It is proposed that "ranalexins" represent brevinin-1 peptides that have undergone a four amino acid residue internal deletion. Current taxonomic recommendations divide North American frogs from the family Ranidae into two genera: Lithobates and Rana. Cladistic analysis based upon the amino acid sequences of the brevinin-1 peptides provides strong support for this assignment.

  12. Antimicrobial activity against Shigella sonnei and probiotic properties of wild lactobacilli from fermented food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yingchun; Zhang, Lanwei; Du, Ming; Yi, Huaxi; Guo, Chunfeng; Tuo, Yanfeng; Han, Xue; Li, Jingyan; Zhang, Lili; Yang, Lin

    2011-12-20

    Four lactobacilli strains (Lactobacillus paracasei subp. paracasei M5-L, Lactobacillus rhamnosus J10-L, Lactobacillus casei Q8-L and L. rhamnosus GG (LGG), were systematically assessed for the production of antimicrobial substances active towards Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Agar-well assay showed that the four lactobacilli strains displayed strong antibacterial activity towards S. sonnei. The nature of antimicrobial substances was also investigated and shown to be dependent on the production of organic acids, in particular the lactic acid. Time-kill assay showed that the viability of the S. sonnei was decreased by 2.7-3.6logCFU/ml after contact with CFCS (cell-free culture supernatants) of four lactobacilli for 2h, which confirmed the result of the agar-well assay. Further analysis of the organic acid composition in the CFCS revealed that the content of lactic acid range from 227 to 293mM. In addition, the aggregations properties, adherence properties and tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions were also investigated in vitro tests. The result suggested that the M5-L, J10-L and Q8-L strains possess desirable antimicrobial activity towards S. sonnei and probiotic properties as LGG and could be potentially used as novel probiotic strains in the food industry. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  13. Polylactic Acid?Lemongrass Essential Oil Nanocapsules with Antimicrobial Properties

    OpenAIRE

    Liakos, Ioannis L.; Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai; Holban, Alina Maria; Florin, Iordache; D?Autilia, Francesca; Carzino, Riccardo; Bianchini, Paolo; Athanassiou, Athanassia

    2016-01-01

    Polylactic acid was combined with lemongrass essential oil (EO) to produce functional nanocapsules (NCs). The obtained polylactic acid nanoparticles showed antimicrobial activity both with and without the presence of lemongrass oil; however, the presence of EO improved the activity of the NCs. The presence of lemongrass assisted the formation of well-separated NCs and also provided enhanced antimicrobial properties, since lemongrass is known for its antimicrobial character. Fluorescence micro...

  14. Antimicrobial activity of Gentiana lutea L. extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savikin, Katarina; Menković, Nebojsa; Zdunić, Gordana; Stević, Tatjana; Radanović, Dragoja; Janković, Teodora

    2009-01-01

    Methanolic extracts of flowers and leaves of Gentiana lutea L., together with the isolated compounds mangiferin, isogentisin and gentiopicrin, were used to investigate the antimicrobial activity of the plant. A variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as the yeast Candida albicans has been included in this study. Both extracts and isolated compounds showed antimicrobial activity with MIC values ranging from 0.12-0.31 mg/ml. Our study indicated that the synergistic activity of the pure compounds may be responsible for the good antimicrobial effect of the extracts. Quantification of the secondary metabolites was performed using HPLC.

  15. Antimicrobial activity of Lactobacillus strains of chicken origin against bacterial pathogenss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dec, Marta; Puchalski, Andrzej; Nowaczek, Anna; Wernicki, Andrzej

    2016-03-01

    This study was conducted to identify and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of some Lactobacillus isolates of chicken origin. Among 90 isolates 14 Lactobacillus species were distinguished using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 16S-ARDRA. The dominant species was L. salivarius (34.4%), followed by L. johnsonii (23.3%), L. crispatus (13.3%) and L. reuteri (11.1%). All lactobacilli were screened for antimicrobial activity against wild-type strains of Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens. Results from the agar slab method showed that all Lactobacillus isolates were able to produce active compounds on solid media with antagonistic properties against these pathogens. The highest sensitivity to lactobacilli was observed in C. perfringens strains, and the lowest in E. coli. Lactobacillus salivarius exhibited particularly strong antagonism towards all of the indicator bacteria. Strains of L. ingluviei and L. johnsonii and one strain of L. salivarius (10d) selectively inhibited the growth of C. perfringens. No antimicrobial activity of many Lactobacillus isolates was observed when cell-free culture supernatant was used in a well diffusion assay. All Lactobacillus isolates exhibited the ability to produce H2O2 and proved to be hydrophobic (excluding one of L. salivarius). [Int Microbiol 19(1):57-67 (2016)]. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

  16. Deep Learning Improves Antimicrobial Peptide Recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veltri, Daniel; Kamath, Uday; Shehu, Amarda

    2018-03-24

    Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing concern. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), natural components of innate immunity, are popular targets for developing new drugs. Machine learning methods are now commonly adopted by wet-laboratory researchers to screen for promising candidates. In this work we utilize deep learning to recognize antimicrobial activity. We propose a neural network model with convolutional and recurrent layers that leverage primary sequence composition. Results show that the proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art classification models on a comprehensive data set. By utilizing the embedding weights, we also present a reduced-alphabet representation and show that reasonable AMP recognition can be maintained using nine amino-acid types. Models and data sets are made freely available through the Antimicrobial Peptide Scanner vr.2 web server at: www.ampscanner.com. amarda@gmu.edu for general inquiries and dan.veltri@gmail.com for web server information. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

  17. Chemical Composition of Mentha spicata L. subsp. tomentosa and M. pulegium L., and their Antimicrobial Activity on Strong Pathogen Microorganisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emre SEVİNDİK

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Mentha L., recognized as a medical and aromatic plant, is a general name affiliated to mint species and belongs to Labiatae family. Some species are used as fresh vegetables in the Turkish kitchen and they can also be used in salads. In addition, some species have been used as a spice in food. In this study, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity towards some pathogenics (gram + and gram - microorganisms of the essential oils Mentha spicata L. subsp. tomentosa (Briq. Harley, Mentha pulegium L. grown under West Anatolian ecological conditions were investigated. Extractions were carried out with Clevenger apparatus and essential oil composition was determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS. Microorganisms used for the antimicrobial studies were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterecoccus faecium DSM 13590, Escherichia coli Q157:H7 and Bacillus cereus CCM99.  As a result, M. pulegium and M. spicata subsp. tomentosa were found to be rich in piperitenone oxide: 72.77% and 28.84%, respectively. Each of the oils was found to possess antimicrobial properties against test microorganisms. Essential oils obtained from Mentha species give positive effect on all microorganisms.

  18. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... complex. This video was designed to make the concept of antimicrobial resistance more real and understandable to ... audiences. We hope this animation will make the concept more understandable to non-scientists by showing how ...

  19. Antimicrobial resistance in aerobic bacteria isolated from oral ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study reinforces the need for dog bite wound microbial culture and antimicrobial sensitivity test as isolates showed varied antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. The oral cavities of hunting dogs are laden with multi-drug resistant bacteria of significant public health importance that could be transferred to humans through ...

  20. Alternative Antimicrobial Approach: Nano-Antimicrobial Materials

    OpenAIRE

    Nurit Beyth; Yael Houri-Haddad; Avi Domb; Wahid Khan; Ronen Hazan

    2015-01-01

    Despite numerous existing potent antibiotics and other antimicrobial means, bacterial infections are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Moreover, the need to develop additional bactericidal means has significantly increased due to the growing concern regarding multidrug-resistant bacterial strains and biofilm associated infections. Consequently, attention has been especially devoted to new and emerging nanoparticle-based materials in the field of antimicrobial chemotherapy. The ...

  1. Hoopoes color their eggs with antimicrobial uropygial secretions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soler, Juan J.; Martín-Vivaldi, M.; Peralta-Sánchez, J. M.; Arco, L.; Juárez-García-Pelayo, N.

    2014-09-01

    Uropygial gland secretions are used as cosmetics by some species of birds to color and enhance properties of feathers and teguments, which may signal individual quality. Uropygial secretions also reach eggshells during incubation and, therefore, may influence the coloration of birds' eggs, a trait that has attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists for more than one century. The color of hoopoe eggs typically changes along incubation, from bluish-gray to greenish-brown. Here, we test experimentally the hypothesis that dark uropygial secretion of females is responsible for such drastic color change. Moreover, since uropygial secretion of hoopoes has antimicrobial properties, we also explore the association between color and antimicrobial activity of the uropygial secretion of females. We found that eggs stayed bluish-gray in nests where female access to the uropygial secretion was experimentally blocked. Furthermore, experimental eggs that were maintained in incubators and manually smeared with uropygial secretion experienced similar color changes that naturally incubated eggs did, while control eggs that were not in contact with the secretions did not experience such color changes. All these results strongly support the hypothesis that female hoopoes use their uropygial gland secretion to color the eggs. Moreover, saturation of the uropygial secretion was associated with antimicrobial activity against Bacillus licheniformis. Given the known antimicrobial potential of uropygial secretions of birds, this finding opens the possibility that in scenarios of sexual selection, hoopoes in particular and birds in general signal antimicrobial properties of their uropygial secretion by mean of changes in egg coloration along incubation.

  2. Visual evoked potentials show strong positive association with intracranial pressure in patients with cryptococcal meningitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Adriano da Cunha Silva Vieira

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective : To verify the relationship between intracranial pressure and flash visual evoked potentials (F-VEP in patients with cryptococcal meningitis. Method The sample included adults diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis admitted at a reference hospital for infectious diseases. The patients were subjected to F-VEP tests shortly before lumbar puncture. The Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient was calculated and the linear regression analysis was performed. Results : Eighteen individuals were subjected to a total of 69 lumbar punctures preceded by F-VEP tests. At the first lumbar puncture performed in each patient, N2 latency exhibited a strong positive correlation with intracranial pressure (r = 0.83; CI = 0.60 - 0.94; p < 0.0001. The direction of this relationship was maintained in subsequent punctures. Conclusion : The intracranial pressure measured by spinal tap manometry showed strong positive association with the N2 latency F-VEP in patients with cryptococcal meningitis.

  3. Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities of Lichen Umbilicaria cylindrica (L. Delise (Umbilicariaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nedeljko T. Manojlovic

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The phytochemical analysis of methanol and chloroform extracts of Umbilicaria cylindrica was determined by HPLC-UV method. The predominant phenolic compound in both extracts was depsidone, salazinic acid (1. Besides salazinic acid, the tested extracts of U. cylindrica contain norstictic acid (2, methyl-β-orcinol carboxylate (3, ethyl haematommate (4, atranorin (5, and usnic acid (6, in different amounts and relations. The lichen extracts showed comparable and strong antioxidant activity, exhibited higher DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavengings, chelating activity, and inhibitory activity towards lipid peroxidation. The lichen extracts demonstrated important antimicrobial activity against eight strains with MIC values from 15.62 to 62.50 μg/mL. This is the first report of the detail chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the lichen Umbilicaria cylindrica, and the results suggest that this lichen can be used as a new source of the natural antioxidants and the substances with antimicrobial features.

  4. Antimicrobial resistance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Llor, Carl; Bjerrum, Lars

    2014-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health challenge, which has accelerated by the overuse of antibiotics worldwide. Increased antimicrobial resistance is the cause of severe infections, complications, longer hospital stays and increased mortality. Overprescribing of antibiotics......-the-counter sale of antibiotics, the use of antimicrobial stewardship programmes, the active participation of clinicians in audits, the utilization of valid rapid point-of-care tests, the promotion of delayed antibiotic prescribing strategies, the enhancement of communication skills with patients with the aid...

  5. Antimicrobial activity of different tissues of snakehead fish Channa striatus (Bloch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pravin Kumar N

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the presence of antimicrobial activity in different organs/tissues (gills, blood, skin, liver, intestine, kidney, tissue and ovary extract of snakehead fish Channa striatus. Methods: A total of 48 fractions from the organs and tissue extracts were obtained by solid-phase extraction and the fractions were assayed for antimicrobial activity. The screening of antimicrobial activity for all the fractions were tested against 8 human pathogens including Gram positive (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Gram negative bacteria (Salmonella enteritidis, Shigella flexneri, Acinetobacter baumanni, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae using the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC standardized disc susceptibility test method. The activity was measured in terms of zone of inhibition in mm. Results: The results indicated that, among the 8 organs/tissues tested only blood and gills extract fractions (40 and 60 % ACN fraction showed inhibition against Escherichia coli and 60 % ACN fraction of gill extract showed inhibition against Salmonella enteritidis. Protein profile analysis by SDS-PAGE showed that antimicrobial activity of the partially purified blood and gill tissue extracts might be due to low molecular weight peptides. Conclusions: The present study showed that, gill and blood extracts of Channa striatus can be a potential source of an antimicrobial protein for specific human pathogens.

  6. Antimicrobial biosurfactants from marine Bacillus circulans: extracellular synthesis and purification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, S; Das, P; Sivapathasekaran, C; Sen, R

    2009-03-01

    To purify the biosurfactant produced by a marine Bacillus circulans strain and evaluate the improvement in surface and antimicrobial activities. The study of biosurfactant production by B. circulans was carried out in glucose mineral salts (GMS) medium using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) for quantitative estimation. The biosurfactant production by this strain was found to be growth-associated showing maximum biosurfactant accumulation at 26 h of fermentation. The crude biosurfactants were purified using gel filtration chromatography with Sephadex G-50 matrix. The purification attained by employing this technique was evident from UV-visible spectroscopy and TLC analysis of crude and purified biosurfactants. The purified biosurfactants showed an increase in surface activity and a decrease in critical micelle concentration values. The antimicrobial action of the biosurfactants was also enhanced after purification. The marine B. circulans used in this study produced biosurfactants in a growth-associated manner. High degree of purification could be obtained by using gel filtration chromatography. The purified biosurfactants showed enhanced surface and antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial biosurfactant produced by B. circulans could be effectively purified using gel filtration and can serve as new potential drugs in antimicrobial chemotherapy.

  7. Antimicrobial Resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... least 10 countries (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Japan, Norway, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom ... plan Global report on surveillance Country situation analysis Policy to combat antimicrobial resistance More on antimicrobial resistance ...

  8. Antimicrobial Resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... can prevent and manage antimicrobial resistance. It is collaborating with partners to strengthen the evidence base and ... on the global action plan. WHO has been leading multiple initiatives to address antimicrobial resistance: World Antibiotic ...

  9. Antimicrobial activity of Algerian propolis in foodborne pathogens and its quantitative chemical composition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neila Nedji

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of propolis samples collected from different regions of Algeria and their chemical composition. Methods: The antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract of Algerian propolis against Bacillus cereus (IPA, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25923R, Escherichia coli (ATCC25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC27893R was evaluated by the disc diffusion method and determined as an equivalent of the inhibition zones diameters after incubation of the cultures at 37 °C for 24 h. The investigation of the polyphenol and flavonoid contents was done spectrophotometrically. Results: The ethanolic extract of Algerian propolis samples inhibited the growth of all examined microorganisms with the highest antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria. Polyphenol and flavonoids contents were variable, depending on the propolis samples and a positive correlation between antimicrobial activity and chemical composition was observed. Conclusions: Antimicrobial activity, polyphenol and flavonoid contents were variable, depending on the propolis sample. The strong antimicrobial activity of Algerian propolis may be due to high total phenolic and flavonoid contents and this study suggests potential use of propolis in foods.

  10. Report: Antimicrobial activity of Kalanchoe laciniata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manan, Maria; Hussain, Liaqat; Ijaz, Hira; Qadir, Muhammad Imran

    2016-07-01

    This study was conducted to identify antimicrobial potential of Kalanchoe laciniata. The plants were extracted with 30-70% aqueous-methanol and n-hexane. The antimicrobial activities were examined using agar well diffusion method against bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli) and fungi (Candidaalbicans). Results showed that E. coli were more sensitive than Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. The largest zone of inhibition (52 mm) was recorded against E. coli with the n-hexane extract of Kalanchoe laciniata.

  11. Antidepressants, antimicrobials or both? Gut microbiota dysbiosis in depression and possible implications of the antimicrobial effects of antidepressant drugs for antidepressant effectiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macedo, Danielle; Filho, Adriano José Maia Chaves; Soares de Sousa, Caren Nádia; Quevedo, João; Barichello, Tatiana; Júnior, Hélio Vitoriano Nobre; Freitas de Lucena, David

    2017-01-15

    The first drug repurposed for the treatment of depression was the tuberculostatic iproniazid. At present, drugs belonging to new classes of antidepressants still have antimicrobial effects. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota was implicated in the development or exacerbation of mental disorders, such as major depressive disorder (MDD). Based on the current interest in the gut-brain axis, the focus of this narrative review is to compile the available studies regarding the influences of gut microbiota in behavior and depression and to show the antimicrobial effect of antidepressant drugs. A discussion regarding the possible contribution of the antimicrobial effect of antidepressant drugs to its effectiveness/resistance is included. The search included relevant articles from PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, PsycINFO, and ISI Web of Knowledge. MDD is associated with changes in gut permeability and microbiota composition. In this respect, antidepressant drugs present antimicrobial effects that could also be related to the effectiveness of these drugs for MDD treatment. Conversely, some antimicrobials present antidepressant effects. Both antidepressants and antimicrobials present neuroprotective/antidepressant and antimicrobial effects. Further studies are needed to evaluate the participation of antimicrobial mechanisms of antidepressants in MDD treatment as well as to determine the contribution of this effect to antidepressant resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Silver Nanoparticles Complexed with Bovine Submaxillary Mucin Possess Strong Antibacterial Activity and Protect against Seedling Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makarovsky, Daria; Fadeev, Ludmila; Salam, Bolaji Babajide; Zelinger, Einat; Matan, Ofra; Inbar, Jacob; Jurkevitch, Edouard; Gozin, Michael; Burdman, Saul

    2018-02-15

    A simple method for the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) of silver (Ag) in a matrix of bovine submaxillary mucin (BSM) was reported previously by some of the authors of this study. Based on mucin characteristics such as long-lasting stability, water solubility, and surfactant and adhesive characteristics, we hypothesized that these compounds, named BSM-Ag NPs, may possess favorable properties as potent antimicrobial agents. The goal of this study was to assess whether BSM-Ag NPs possess antibacterial activity, focusing on important plant-pathogenic bacterial strains representing both Gram-negative ( Acidovorax and Xanthomonas ) and Gram-positive ( Clavibacter ) genera. Growth inhibition and bactericidal assays, as well as electron microscopic observations, demonstrate that BSM-Ag NPs, at relatively low concentrations of silver, exert strong antimicrobial effects. Moreover, we show that treatment of melon seeds with BSM-Ag NPs effectively prevents seed-to-seedling transmission of Acidovorax citrulli , one of the most threatening pathogens of cucurbit production worldwide. Overall, our findings demonstrate strong antimicrobial activity of BSM-Ag NPs and their potential application for reducing the spread and establishment of devastating bacterial plant diseases in agriculture. IMPORTANCE Bacterial plant diseases challenge agricultural production, and the means available to manage them are limited. Importantly, many plant-pathogenic bacteria have the ability to colonize seeds, and seed-to-seedling transmission is a critical route by which bacterial plant diseases spread to new regions and countries. The significance of our study resides in the following aspects: (i) the simplicity of the method of BSM-Ag NP synthesis, (ii) the advantageous chemical properties of BSM-Ag NPs, (iii) the strong antibacterial activity of BSM-Ag NPs at relatively low concentrations of silver, and (iv) the fact that, in contrast to most studies on the effects of metal NPs on plant pathogens

  13. Antimicrobial properties of a nanostructured eggshell from a compost-nesting bird.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alba, Liliana; Jones, Darryl N; Badawy, Hope T; Eliason, Chad M; Shawkey, Matthew D

    2014-04-01

    Infection is an important source of mortality for avian embryos but parental behaviors and eggs themselves can provide a network of antimicrobial defenses. Mound builders (Aves: Megapodiidae) are unique among birds in that they produce heat for developing embryos not by sitting on eggs but by burying them in carefully tended mounds of soil and microbially decomposing vegetation. The low infection rate of eggs of one species in particular, the Australian brush-turkey (Alectura lathami), suggests that they possess strong defensive mechanisms. To identify some of these mechanisms, we first quantified antimicrobial albumen proteins and characterized eggshell structure, finding that albumen was not unusually antimicrobial, but that eggshell cuticle was composed of nanometer-sized calcite spheres. Experimental tests revealed that these modified eggshells were significantly more hydrophobic and better at preventing bacterial attachment and penetration into the egg contents than chicken eggs. Our results suggest that these mechanisms may contribute to the antimicrobial defense system of these eggs, and may provide inspiration for new biomimetic anti-fouling surfaces.

  14. Oral Administration of Probiotics Increases Paneth Cells and Intestinal Antimicrobial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia I. Cazorla

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The huge amount of intestinal bacteria represents a continuing threat to the intestinal barrier. To meet this challenge, gut epithelial cells produce antimicrobial peptides (AMP that act at the forefront of innate immunity. We explore whether this antimicrobial activity and Paneth cells, the main intestinal cell responsible of AMP production, are influenced by probiotics administration, to avoid the imbalance of intestinal microbiota and preserve intestinal barrier. Administration of Lactobacillus casei CRL 431 (Lc 431 and L. paracasei CNCM I-1518 (Lp 1518 to 42 days old mice, increases the number of Paneth cells on small intestine, and the antimicrobial activity against the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium in the intestinal fluids. Specifically, strong damage of the bacterial cell with leakage of cytoplasmic content, and cellular fragmentation were observed in S. Typhimurium and S. aureus. Even more important, probiotics increase the antimicrobial activity of the intestinal fluids at the different ages, from weaning (21 days old to old age (180 days old. Intestinal antimicrobial activity stimulated by oral probiotics, do not influence significantly the composition of total anaerobic bacteria, lactobacilli and enterobacteria in the large intestine, at any age analyzed. This result, together with the antimicrobial activity observed against the same probiotic bacteria; endorse the regular consumption of probiotics without adverse effect on the intestinal homeostasis in healthy individuals. We demonstrate that oral probiotics increase intestinal antimicrobial activity and Paneth cells in order to strengthen epithelial barrier against pathogens. This effect would be another important mechanism by which probiotics protect the host mainly against infectious diseases.

  15. Antimicrobial peptide capsids of de novo design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Santis, Emiliana; Alkassem, Hasan; Lamarre, Baptiste; Faruqui, Nilofar; Bella, Angelo; Noble, James E; Micale, Nicola; Ray, Santanu; Burns, Jonathan R; Yon, Alexander R; Hoogenboom, Bart W; Ryadnov, Maxim G

    2017-12-22

    The spread of bacterial resistance to antibiotics poses the need for antimicrobial discovery. With traditional search paradigms being exhausted, approaches that are altogether different from antibiotics may offer promising and creative solutions. Here, we introduce a de novo peptide topology that-by emulating the virus architecture-assembles into discrete antimicrobial capsids. Using the combination of high-resolution and real-time imaging, we demonstrate that these artificial capsids assemble as 20-nm hollow shells that attack bacterial membranes and upon landing on phospholipid bilayers instantaneously (seconds) convert into rapidly expanding pores causing membrane lysis (minutes). The designed capsids show broad antimicrobial activities, thus executing one primary function-they destroy bacteria on contact.

  16. Bio-inspired crosslinking and matrix-drug interactions for advanced wound dressings with long-term antimicrobial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhand, Chetna; Venkatesh, Mayandi; Barathi, Veluchami Amutha; Harini, Sriram; Bairagi, Samiran; Goh Tze Leng, Eunice; Muruganandham, Nandhakumar; Low, Kenny Zhi Wei; Fazil, Mobashar Hussain Urf Turabe; Loh, Xian Jun; Srinivasan, Dinesh Kumar; Liu, Shou Ping; Beuerman, Roger W; Verma, Navin Kumar; Ramakrishna, Seeram; Lakshminarayanan, Rajamani

    2017-09-01

    There is a growing demand for durable advanced wound dressings for the management of persistent infections after deep burn injuries. Herein, we demonstrated the preparation of durable antimicrobial nanofiber mats, by taking advantage of strong interfacial interactions between polyhydroxy antibiotics (with varying number of OH groups) and gelatin and their in-situ crosslinking with polydopamine (pDA) using ammonium carbonate diffusion method. Polydopamine crosslinking did not interfere with the antimicrobial efficacy of the loaded antibiotics. Interestingly, incorporation of antibiotics containing more number of alcoholic OH groups (N OH  ≥ 5) delayed the release kinetics with complete retention of antimicrobial activity for an extended period of time (20 days). The antimicrobials-loaded mats displayed superior mechanical and thermal properties than gelatin or pDA-crosslinked gelatin mats. Mats containing polyhydroxy antifungals showed enhanced aqueous stability and retained nanofibrous morphology under aqueous environment for more than 4 weeks. This approach can be expanded to produce mats with broad spectrum antimicrobial properties by incorporating the combination of antibacterial and antifungal drugs. Direct electrospinning of vancomycin-loaded electrospun nanofibers onto a bandage gauze and subsequent crosslinking produced non-adherent durable advanced wound dressings that could be easily applied to the injured sites and readily detached after treatment. In a partial thickness burn injury model in piglets, the drug-loaded mats displayed comparable wound closure to commercially available silver-based dressings. This prototype wound dressing designed for easy handling and with long-lasting antimicrobial properties represents an effective option for treating life-threatening microbial infections due to thermal injuries. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  17. Extracellular synthesis of gold bionanoparticles by Nocardiopsis sp. and evaluation of its antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manivasagan, Panchanathan; Alam, Moch Syaiful; Kang, Kyong-Hwa; Kwak, Minseok; Kim, Se-Kwon

    2015-06-01

    Advancement of biological process for the synthesis of bionanoparticles is evolving into a key area of research in nanotechnology. The present study deals with the biosynthesis, characterization of gold bionanoparticles by Nocardiopsis sp. MBRC-48 and evaluation of their antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The gold bionanoparticles obtained were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synthesized gold bionanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average of 11.57 ± 1.24 nm as determined by TEM and dynamic light scattering (DLS) particle size analyzer, respectively. The biosynthesized gold nanoparticles exhibited good antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms. It showed strong antioxidant activity as well as cytotoxicity against HeLa cervical cancer cell line. The present study demonstrated the potential use of the marine actinobacterial strain of Nocardiopsis sp. MBRC-48 as an important source for gold nanoparticles with improved biomedical applications including antimicrobial, antioxidant as well as cytotoxic agent.

  18. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... video) Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance (text version) Arabic Translation of Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Chinese Translation of Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance French Translation of ...

  19. Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Using Forward Laser Light Scatter Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayden, Randall T; Clinton, Lani K; Hewitt, Carolyn; Koyamatsu, Terri; Sun, Yilun; Jamison, Ginger; Perkins, Rosalie; Tang, Li; Pounds, Stanley; Bankowski, Matthew J

    2016-11-01

    The delayed reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility testing remains a limiting factor in clinical decision-making in the treatment of bacterial infection. This study evaluates the use of forward laser light scatter (FLLS) to measure bacterial growth for the early determination of antimicrobial susceptibility. Three isolates each (two clinical isolates and one reference strain) of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were tested in triplicate using two commercial antimicrobial testing systems, the Vitek2 and the MicroScan MIC panel, to challenge the BacterioScan FLLS. The BacterioScan FLLS showed a high degree of categorical concordance with the commercial methods. Pairwise comparison with each commercial system serving as a reference standard showed 88.9% agreement with MicroScan (two minor errors) and 72.2% agreement with Vitek (five minor errors). FLLS using the BacterioScan system shows promise as a novel method for the rapid and accurate determination of antimicrobial susceptibility. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  20. Antimicrobial and cell-penetrating properties of penetratin analogs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahnsen, Jesper Søborg; Franzyk, Henrik; Sandberg-Schaal, Anne

    2013-01-01

    Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show great potential as drug delivery vectors and new antibiotic drug entities, respectively. The current study deals with the properties of a variety of peptide analogs derived from the well-known CPP penetratin as well as octaar......Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show great potential as drug delivery vectors and new antibiotic drug entities, respectively. The current study deals with the properties of a variety of peptide analogs derived from the well-known CPP penetratin as well...... as octaarginine and different Tat sequences. The effects of peptide length, guanidinium content, and sequence of non-cationic residues were assessed in mammalian and bacterial cells. The arginine (Arg) content in the penetratin analogs was found to influence eukaryotic cell uptake efficiency, antimicrobial...... was similar, the eukaryotic cellular uptake of the shuffled analogs was noticeably lower than for native penetratin. Moreover, a point substitution of Met to Leu in native penetratin had no influence on eukaryotic cellular uptake and antimicrobial effect, and only a minor effect on cytotoxicity, in contrast...

  1. [Antimicrobial treatment in complicated intraabdominal infections--current situation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vyhnánek, F

    2009-04-01

    Compared to other infections, intraabdominal infections include wide spectrum of infections of various severity, have different ethiology, which is frequently polymicrobial, show different microbiological results, which are difficult to interpret. The role of surgical intervention is essential. Intraabdominal infections are common causes of morbidity and mortality. Their prognosis is significantly improved with early and exact diagnosis, appropriate surgical or radiological intervention and timely effective antimicrobial therapy. Practitioners may choose between older or more modern antibiotics, between monotherapy or combination therapy, however, they should also consider clinical condition of the patient, the antibiotic's spectrum of activity, the treatment timing and its duration, the dose and dosing scheme of the particular antimicrobials. Furthermore, antimicrobial therapy should be used with caution, with the aim to prevent development of antimicrobial resistence. Inappropriate choice of antimicrobials in initial empiric therapy results in relapsing infections, surgical intervention and prolongation of hospitalization, and even death rates reflect adequate and timely empiric therapy.

  2. ACVIM Consensus Statement on Therapeutic Antimicrobial Use in Animals and Antimicrobial Resistance

    OpenAIRE

    Weese, J.S.; Gigu?re, S.; Guardabassi, L.; Morley, P.S.; Papich, M.; Ricciuto, D.R.; Sykes, J.E.

    2015-01-01

    The epidemic of antimicrobial resistant infections continues to challenge, compromising animal care, complicating food animal production and posing zoonotic disease risks. While the overall role of therapeutic antimicrobial use in animals in the development AMR in animal and human pathogens is poorly defined, veterinarians must consider the impacts of antimicrobial use in animal and take steps to optimize antimicrobial use, so as to maximize the health benefits to animals while minimizing the...

  3. Characterization of phytoconstituents and evaluation of antimicrobial activity of silver-extract nanoparticles synthesized from Momordica charantia fruit extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Md Mamun Or; Akhter, Kazi Nahid; Chowdhury, Jakir Ahmed; Hossen, Foysal; Hussain, Md Saddam; Hossain, Md Tanvir

    2017-06-26

    Our present study was conducted to characterize the phytoconstituents present in the aqueous extract of Momordica charantia and evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of silver-extract nanoparticles (Ag-Extract-NPs). Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by reducing AgNO 3; and NaBH 4 served as reducing agent. After screening of phytochemicals; AgNPs and aqueous extract were mixed thoroughly and then coated by polyaniline. These NPs were characterized by using Visual inspection, UV spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM and TEM techniques. Antimicrobial activities were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Aqueous extract of M. charantia fruits contain alkaloid, phenol, saponin etc. UV-Vis spectrum showed strong absorption peak around 408 nm. The presence of -CH, -NH, -COOH etc. stretching in FTIR spectrum of Ag-Extract-NPs endorsed that AgNPs were successfully capped by bio-compounds. SEM and TEM result revealed that synthesized NPs had particle size 78.5-220 nm. Ag-Extract-NPs showed 34.6 ± 0.8 mm zone of inhibition against E. coli compared to 25.6 ± 0.5 mm for ciprofloxacin. Maximum zone of inhibition for Ag-Extract-NPs were 24.8 ± 0.7 mm, 26.4 ± 0.4 mm, 7.4 ± 0.4 mm for S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and S. typhi. We found that Ag-Extract-NPs have much better antibacterial efficacy than AgNPs and M. charantia extract has individually. It is also noticed that gram negative bacteria (except S. typhi) are more susceptible to Ag-Extract-NPs than gram positive bacteria. Ag-Extract-NPs showed strong antibacterial activity. In order to make a reliable stand for mankind, further study is needed to consider determining the actual biochemical pathway by which AgNPs-extracts exert their antimicrobial effect.

  4. Novel natural food antimicrobials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juneja, Vijay K; Dwivedi, Hari P; Yan, Xianghe

    2012-01-01

    Naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds could be applied as food preservatives to protect food quality and extend the shelf life of foods and beverages. These compounds are naturally produced and isolated from various sources, including plants, animals and microorganisms, in which they constitute part of host defense systems. Many naturally occurring compounds, such as nisin, plant essential oils, and natamycin, have been widely studied and are reported to be effective in their potential role as antimicrobial agents against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Although some of these natural antimicrobials are commercially available and applied in food processing, their efficacy, consumer acceptance and regulation are not well defined. This manuscript reviews natural antimicrobial compounds with reference to their applications in food when applied individually or in combination with other hurdles. It also reviews the mechanism of action of selected natural antimicrobials, factors affecting their antimicrobial activities, and future prospects for use of natural antimicrobials in the food industry.

  5. Antimicrobial activities of Moringa oleifera Lam leaf extracts | Moyo ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Plants have been reported to contain important preventative and curative compounds. Studies were conducted to determine the antimicrobial activities of Moringa oleifera extracts using in vitro antimicrobial screening methods. The acetone extract of M. oleifera leaves at a concentration of 5 mg/ml showed antibacterial ...

  6. Oral antimicrobials increase antimicrobial resistance in porcine E. coli--a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burow, E; Simoneit, C; Tenhagen, B-A; Käsbohrer, A

    2014-03-01

    Administration of antimicrobials to livestock increases the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in commensal bacteria. Antimicrobials in pig production are usually administered per pen via feed which implies treatment of sick alongside with healthy animals. The objective of this systematic literature review was to investigate the effect of orally administered antimicrobials on AMR in Escherichia coli of swine. Studies published in peer reviewed journals were retrieved from the international online databases ISI Web of Knowledge, PubMed, Scopus and the national electronic literature data base of Deutsches Institut für Medizinische Dokumentation und Information. The studies were assessed using the eligibility criteria English or German language, access to full paper version, defined treatment and control group (initial value or non-treatment) as well as administration and resistance testing of the same antimicrobial class. In the qualitative synthesis, only studies were included presenting the summary measures odds ratio or prevalence of resistance, the category of the applied antimicrobial and the dosage. An effect of the antimicrobial on AMR in E. coli was evaluated as an "increase", "no effect" or "decrease" if the odds or alternatively the prevalence ratio were >1.0, 1.0 or antimicrobial substance and dosage was missing in 4 and 5 of the 11 finally selected studies. The 36 identified trials were inhomogenous in usage and provision of information on sample size. Oral administration of antimicrobials increases the risk of AMR in E. coli from swine. There is however a lack of studies on the impact of dosage and longitudinal effects of treatment. The published studies have a number of issues concerning their scientific quality. More high quality research is needed to better address and quantifiy the effect of orally administered antimicrobials on AMR in swine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Isolation, screening and partial purification of antimicrobial antibiotics from soil Streptomyces sp. SCA 7

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Saravana Kumar

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Thirty-seven actinomycetes strains were isolated from soil samples collected from an agriculture field in Vengodu, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu, India (latitude: 12° 54′ 0033″, North; longitude: 79° 78′ 5216″, East; elevation: 228.6/70.0 ft/m. The isolates were assessed for antagonistic activity against five Gram-positive bacteria, seven Gram-negative bacteria, and two pathogenic fungi. During the initial screening, 43% of the strains showed weak activity, 16% showed moderate activity, 5% showed good activity, and 35% showed no antagonistic activity. Among the strains tested, SCA 7 showed strong antimicrobial activity. Maximum biological activity was obtained on modified nutrient glucose agar (MNGA medium. The mycelia of SCA 7 were extracted with methanol and tested against microbial pathogens using the disc diffusion method. The crude extract was purified partially using column chromatography and assessed for antimicrobial activity. Fraction 10 showed good activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (31.25 μg/mL and Malassezia pachydermatis (500 μg/mL and the active principle (fraction 10 was identified as 2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl phenol. Based on morphological, physiological, biochemical, cultural, and molecular characteristics (16S rDNA sequencing, this strain was identified as Streptomyces sp. SCA 7. It could be used in the development of new substances for pharmaceutical or agricultural purposes.

  8. Development of antimicrobial optimum glass ionomer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Angioletto, E.; Tezza, V.B.; Santos, M.J.; Montedo, O.R.K.; Pich, C.T.; Fiori, M.A.; Angioletto, Ev.

    2010-01-01

    The use of glass ionomer for restorations in dentistry for lower income population is a well established practice in public clinics of Brazil. However the average price of this kind of material and its low durability still have a negative impact on public health for being imported and frequently replaced it becomes expensive for the manufacturers and for public agencies. In glass ionomer the main antimicrobial agent is fluoride, which is released gradually. The material used for filling provides an average life of five years and its durability can be increased if the ionomer contains other oligodynamic elements. It was formulated, merged a new optimized glass ionomer which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, ion measurement and antimicrobial activity. This new product showed promising results, that pointed structural stability an increase of antimicrobial efficiency. (author)

  9. Development of antimicrobial films for microbiological control of packaged salad.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muriel-Galet, Virginia; Cerisuelo, Josep P; López-Carballo, Gracia; Lara, Marta; Gavara, Rafael; Hernández-Muñoz, Pilar

    2012-07-02

    The aim of the present work was to characterize the antimicrobial efficiency of films consisting of PP/EVOH structures with oregano essential oil and citral. Both substances are known for their antimicrobial activity based on their interaction with the cell membrane. The films developed were used to pack minimally processed salads, combining modified atmosphere technology to extend shelf-life and active packaging technology to reduce possible microbiological risks. The antimicrobial activity of the films against the pathogenic microorganisms Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes and natural microflora was investigated "in vitro" and also on the food itself. The effect of release of the antimicrobial agent on the sensory characteristics of the salad was also studied. The results showed that antimicrobial activity reduced spoilage flora on the salad as well as inhibited the growth of pathogens in contaminated salads. This effect was greater against Gram-negative bacteria. Sensory studies showed that the package that was most effective and most accepted by customers was the one containing 5% oregano essential oil. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Substandard/counterfeit antimicrobial drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelesidis, Theodoros; Falagas, Matthew E

    2015-04-01

    Substandard/counterfeit antimicrobial drugs are a growing global problem. The most common substandard/counterfeit antimicrobials include beta-lactams (among antibiotics) and chloroquine and artemisin derivatives (among antimalarials). The most common type of substandard/counterfeit antimicrobial drugs have a reduced amount of the active drug, and the majority of them are manufactured in Southeast Asia and Africa. Counterfeit antimicrobial drugs may cause increased mortality and morbidity and pose a danger to patients. Here we review the literature with regard to the issue of substandard/counterfeit antimicrobials and describe the prevalence of this problem, the different types of substandard/counterfeit antimicrobial drugs, and the consequences for the individuals and global public health. Local, national, and international initiatives are required to combat this very important public health issue. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  11. Improving antimicrobial prescribing: implementation of an antimicrobial i.v.-to-oral switch policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCallum, A D; Sutherland, R K; Mackintosh, C L

    2013-01-01

    Antimicrobial stewardship programmes reduce the risk of hospital associated infections (HAI) and antimicrobial resistance, and include early intravenous-to-oral switch (IVOS) as a key stewardship measure. We audited the number of patients on intravenous antimicrobials suitable for oral switch, assessed whether prescribing guidelines were followed and reviewed prescribing documentation in three clinical areas in the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, in late 2012. Following this, the first cycle results and local guidelines were presented at a local level and at the hospital grand rounds, posters with recommendations were distributed, joint infection consult and antimicrobial rounds commenced and an alert antimicrobial policy was introduced before re-auditing in early 2013. We demonstrate suboptimal prescribing of intravenous antimicrobials, with 43.9% (43/98) of patients eligible for IVOS at the time of auditing. Only 56.1% (55/98) followed empiric prescribing recommendations. Documentation of antimicrobial prescribing was poor with stop dates recorded in 14.3%, indication on prescription charts in 18.4% and in the notes in 90.8%. The commonest reason for deferring IVOS was deteriorating clinical condition or severe sepsis. Further work to encourage prudent antimicrobial prescribing and earlier consideration of IVOS is required.

  12. Cell-penetrating antimicrobial peptides - prospectives for targeting intracellular infections

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahnsen, Jesper S; Franzyk, Henrik; Sayers, Edward J

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE: To investigate the suitability of three antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as cell-penetrating antimicrobial peptides. METHODS: Cellular uptake of three AMPs (PK-12-KKP, SA-3 and TPk) and a cell-penetrating peptide (penetratin), all 5(6)-carboxytetramethylrhodamine-labeled, were tested in He......La WT cells and analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Furthermore, the effects of the peptides on eukaryotic cell viability as well as their antimicrobial effect were tested. In addition, the disrupting ability of the peptides in the presence of bilayer membranes of different composition...... the cellular viability to an unacceptable degree. TPk showed acceptable uptake efficiency, high antimicrobial activity and relatively low toxicity, and it is the best potential lead peptide for further development....

  13. In vitro evaluation of antimicrobial features of vasopressors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Habib Bostan

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Drugs administered as intravenous infusion may be contaminated during several stages of production or preparation. However studies focusing on antibacterial effects of vasopressor drugs are very rare. This study investigates the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the clinically used forms of vasopressors. Materials and methods: In vitro antimicrobial activities of vasopressor drugs of different concentrations were investigated by using the micro dilution technique. Microorganisms used in the test were Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis ATCC 911, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 43251, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus cereus 702 Roma, Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC607, Candida albicans ATCC 60193, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae RSKK 251. Antibacterial assays were performed in Mueller-Hinton broth at pH 7.3 and antifungal assays were performed in buffered Yeast Nitrogen Base at pH 7.0. Results: Two different dopamine preparations showed antimicrobial activity. No other study drug showed any antimicrobial activity. Conclusions: In our opinion, dopamine's antibacterial effects may be advantageous for inhibiting the spread of bacterial contamination during the preparation of the infusion solutions. However, it is important that strict guidelines regarding the need for sterile equipment and deliverables be adhered to during all procedures performed in the intensive care units. Keywords: Antimicrobial activities, Vasopressor drugs, Drug contamination

  14. Air spark-like plasma source for antimicrobial NOx generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavlovich, M J; Galleher, C; Curtis, B; Clark, D S; Graves, D B; Ono, T; Machala, Z

    2014-01-01

    We demonstrate and analyse the generation of nitrogen oxides and their antimicrobial efficacy using atmospheric air spark-like plasmas. Spark-like discharges in air in a 1 L confined volume are shown to generate NO x at an initial rate of about 1.5  ×  10 16 NO x molecules/J dissipated in the plasma. Such a discharge operating in this confined volume generates on the order of 6000 ppm NO x in 10 min. Around 90% of the NO x is in the form of NO 2 after several minutes of operation in the confined volume, suggesting that NO 2 is the dominant antimicrobial component. The strong antimicrobial action of the NO x mixture after several minutes of plasma operation is demonstrated by measuring rates of E. coli disinfection on surfaces and in water exposed to the NO x mixture. Some possible applications of plasma generation of NO x (perhaps followed by dissolution in water) include disinfection of surfaces, skin or wound antisepsis, and sterilization of medical instruments at or near room temperature. (paper)

  15. Therapeutic drug monitoring of antimicrobials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Jason A; Norris, Ross; Paterson, David L; Martin, Jennifer H

    2012-01-01

    Optimizing the prescription of antimicrobials is required to improve clinical outcome from infections and to reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance. One such method to improve antimicrobial dosing in individual patients is through application of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). The aim of this manuscript is to review the place of TDM in the dosing of antimicrobial agents, specifically the importance of pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) to define the antimicrobial exposures necessary for maximizing killing or inhibition of bacterial growth. In this context, there are robust data for some antimicrobials, including the ratio of a PK parameter (e.g. peak concentration) to the minimal inhibitory concentration of the bacteria associated with maximal antimicrobial effect. Blood sampling of an individual patient can then further define the relevant PK parameter value in that patient and, if necessary, antimicrobial dosing can be adjusted to enable achievement of the target PK/PD ratio. To date, the clinical outcome benefits of a systematic TDM programme for antimicrobials have only been demonstrated for aminoglycosides, although the decreasing susceptibility of bacteria to available antimicrobials and the increasing costs of pharmaceuticals, as well as emerging data on pharmacokinetic variability, suggest that benefits are likely. PMID:21831196

  16. Search Engine for Antimicrobial Resistance: A Cloud Compatible Pipeline and Web Interface for Rapidly Detecting Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Directly from Sequence Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowe, Will; Baker, Kate S; Verner-Jeffreys, David; Baker-Austin, Craig; Ryan, Jim J; Maskell, Duncan; Pearce, Gareth

    2015-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance remains a growing and significant concern in human and veterinary medicine. Current laboratory methods for the detection and surveillance of antimicrobial resistant bacteria are limited in their effectiveness and scope. With the rapidly developing field of whole genome sequencing beginning to be utilised in clinical practice, the ability to interrogate sequencing data quickly and easily for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes will become increasingly important and useful for informing clinical decisions. Additionally, use of such tools will provide insight into the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance genes in metagenomic samples such as those used in environmental monitoring. Here we present the Search Engine for Antimicrobial Resistance (SEAR), a pipeline and web interface for detection of horizontally acquired antimicrobial resistance genes in raw sequencing data. The pipeline provides gene information, abundance estimation and the reconstructed sequence of antimicrobial resistance genes; it also provides web links to additional information on each gene. The pipeline utilises clustering and read mapping to annotate full-length genes relative to a user-defined database. It also uses local alignment of annotated genes to a range of online databases to provide additional information. We demonstrate SEAR's application in the detection and abundance estimation of antimicrobial resistance genes in two novel environmental metagenomes, 32 human faecal microbiome datasets and 126 clinical isolates of Shigella sonnei. We have developed a pipeline that contributes to the improved capacity for antimicrobial resistance detection afforded by next generation sequencing technologies, allowing for rapid detection of antimicrobial resistance genes directly from sequencing data. SEAR uses raw sequencing data via an intuitive interface so can be run rapidly without requiring advanced bioinformatic skills or resources. Finally, we show that SEAR

  17. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing options ... produced a nine-minute animation explaining how antimicrobial resistance both emerges and proliferates among bacteria. Over time, ...

  18. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... how antimicrobial resistance both emerges and proliferates among bacteria. Over time, the use of antimicrobial drugs will result in the development of resistant strains of bacteria, complicating clinician's efforts to select the appropriate antimicrobial ...

  19. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing ... CVM) produced a nine-minute animation explaining how antimicrobial resistance both emerges and proliferates among bacteria. Over ...

  20. Antimicrobial activity of different hydroxyapatites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feitosa, G.T.; Santos, M.V.B.; Barreto, H.M.; Osorio, L.R.; Osajima, J.A.; Silva Filho, E.C. da

    2014-01-01

    Among the applications of ceramics in the technological context, hydroxyapatite (HAp) stands out in the scientific community due to chemical biocompatibility and molecular similarity to the structures of bone and dental tissues. Such features are added to the antimicrobial properties that this brings. This work aimed at the synthesis of hydroxyapatite by two different routes, hydrothermal (HD HAp) and co-precipitation (CP HAp), as well as verification of the antimicrobial properties of these through direct contact of the powders synthesized tests with Staphylococcus aureus (SA10) and Escherichia coli (EC7) bacteria. The materials was characterized by XRD, Raman and TEM, and Antimicrobial tests showed inhibitory efficacy of 97% and 9.5% of CP HAp for SA10 and EC7, respectively. The HD HAp had inhibitory effect of 95% and 0% for EC7 and SA10, respectively. The inhibitory effect on SA10 is based on the hydrophilicity that the material possesses. (author)

  1. Analysis of silver nanoparticles in antimicrobial products using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Huiyuan; Zhang, Zhiyun; Xing, Baoshan; Mukherjee, Arnab; Musante, Craig; White, Jason C; He, Lili

    2015-04-07

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the most commonly used nanoparticles in consumer products. Concerns over human exposure to and risk from these particles have resulted in increased interest in novel strategies to detect AgNPs. This study investigated the feasibility of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a method for the detection and quantification of AgNPs in antimicrobial products. By using ferbam (ferric dimethyl-dithiocarbamate) as an indicator molecule that binds strongly onto the nanoparticles, AgNPs detection and discrimination were achieved based on the signature SERS response of AgNPs-ferbam complexes. SERS response with ferbam was distinct for silver ions, silver chloride, silver bulk particles, and AgNPs. Two types of AgNPs with different coatings, citrate and polyvinylpirrolidone (PVP), both showed strong interactions with ferbam and induced strong SERS signals. SERS was effectively applicable for detecting Ag particles ranging from 20 to 200 nm, with the highest signal intensity in the 60-100 nm range. A linear relationship (R(2) = 0.9804) between Raman intensity and citrate-AgNPs concentrations (60 nm; 0-20 mg/L) indicates the potential for particle quantification. We also evaluated SERS detection of AgNPs in four commercially available antimicrobial products. Combined with ICP-MS and TEM data, the results indicated that the SERS response is primarily dependent on size, but also affected by AgNPs concentration. The findings demonstrate that SERS is a promising analytical platform for studying environmentally relevant levels of AgNPs in consumer products and related matrices.

  2. Antimicrobial activity of some Pacific Northwest woods against anaerobic bacteria and yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, W H; Karchesy, J J; Constantine, G H; Craig, A M

    2001-11-01

    Extracts of woods commonly used for animal bedding were tested for antimicrobial activity. Essential oils from Alaska cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis), western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) and old growth Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) as well as methanol extracts of wood from these trees plus western red cedar (Thuja plicata) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) were tested for antimicrobial activity against anaerobic bacteria and yeast. The test microbes included Fusobacterium necrophorum, Clostridium perfringens, Actinomyces bovis and Candida albicans which are common to foot diseases and other infections in animals. The essential oils and methanol extracts were tested using a standardized broth assay. Only extracts of Alaska cedar and western juniper showed significant antimicrobial activity against each of the microbes tested. The essential oil of Douglas fir did show antimicrobial activity against A. bovis at the concentrations tested. The methanol extracts of the heartwood of Douglas fir and the sapwood of ponderosa pine showed no antimicrobial activity. The major chemical components of western juniper (cedrol and alpha- and beta-cedrene) and Alaska cedar (nootkatin) were also tested. In western juniper, alpha- and beta-cedrene were found to be active components. Nootkatin showed activity only against C. albicans. The inhibitory activity in Alaska cedar oil was high enough to justify further efforts to define the other chemical components responsible for the antimicrobial activity. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Antimicrobial activity of some Iranian medicinal plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghasemi Pirbalouti Abdollah

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The major aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of the extracts of eight plant species which are endemic in Iran. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts of eight Iranian traditional plants, including Hypericum scabrum, Myrtus communis, Pistachia atlantica, Arnebia euchroma, Salvia hydrangea, Satureja bachtiarica, Thymus daenensis and Kelussia odoratissima, were investigated against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes and Candida albicans by agar disc diffusion and serial dilution assays. Most of the extracts showed a relatively high antimicrobial activity against all the tested bacteria and fungi. Of the plants studied, the most active extracts were those obtained from the essential oils of M. communis and T. daenensis. The MIC values for active extract and essential oil ranged between 0.039 and 10 mg/ml. It can be said that the extract and essential oil of some medicinal plants could be used as natural antimicrobial agents in food preservation. .

  4. Antimicrobial screening of Cichorium intybus seed extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tauseef shaikh

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Medicinal plants play an important role in the field of natural products and human health care system. Chemical constituents present in the various parts of the plants can resist to parasitic attack by using several defense mechanisms. One such mechanism is the synthesis of antimicrobial compound. Cichorium intybus is one of the important medicinal plants which belong to Asteraceae family. In the present work, antimicrobial screening of C. intybus seed extract was studied by agar well diffusion assay by using aqueous and organic extracts. The pathogenic microorganisms tested include Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Escherichia coli. All the seed extracts showed antimicrobial activity against tested microorganisms whereas S. aureus was found to be most sensitive against aqueous extract and had the widest zone of inhibition. Ethyl acetate and ethanol extract were found to be significant against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. The results obtained from antimicrobial screening scientifically support the effectiveness of the medicinal plant.

  5. Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacterial Populations and Antimicrobial Resistance Genes Obtained from Environments Impacted by Livestock and Municipal Waste.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Getahun E Agga

    Full Text Available This study compared the populations of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and the repertoire of antimicrobial resistance genes in four environments: effluent of three municipal wastewater treatment facilities, three cattle feedlot runoff catchment ponds, three swine waste lagoons, and two "low impact" environments (an urban lake and a relict prairie. Multiple liquid and solid samples were collected from each environment. The prevalences and concentrations of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica and Gram-positive (enterococci bacteria were determined from individual samples (n = 174. The prevalences of 84 antimicrobial resistance genes in metagenomic DNA isolated from samples pooled (n = 44 by collection date, location, and sample type were determined. The prevalences and concentrations of AMR E. coli and Salmonella were similar among the livestock and municipal sample sources. The levels of erythromycin-resistant enterococci were significantly higher in liquid samples from cattle catchment ponds and swine waste lagoons than in liquid samples from municipal wastewater treatment facilities, but solid samples from these environments did not differ significantly. Similarly, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole-resistant E. coli concentrations were significantly higher in swine liquid than in municipal liquid samples, but there was no difference in solid samples. Multivariate analysis of the distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes using principal coordinate analysis showed distinct clustering of samples with livestock (cattle and swine, low impact environment and municipal samples forming three separate clusters. The numbers of class A beta-lactamase, class C beta-lactamase, and fluoroquinolone resistance genes detected were significantly higher (P < 0.05 in municipal samples than in cattle runoff or swine lagoon samples. In conclusion, we report that AMR is a very widespread phenomenon and that similar

  6. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing options ... CVM) produced a nine-minute animation explaining how antimicrobial resistance both emerges and proliferates among bacteria. Over time, ...

  7. Fate and transport of antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes in soil and runoff following land application of swine manure slurry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joy, Stacey R; Bartelt-Hunt, Shannon L; Snow, Daniel D; Gilley, John E; Woodbury, Bryan L; Parker, David B; Marx, David B; Li, Xu

    2013-01-01

    Due to the use of antimicrobials in livestock production, residual antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) could enter the environment following the land application of animal wastes and could further contaminate surface and groundwater. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of various manure land application methods on the fate and transport of antimicrobials and ARGs in soil and runoff following land application of swine manure slurry. Swine manure slurries were obtained from facilities housing pigs that were fed chlortetracyline, tylosin or bacitracin and were land applied via broadcast, incorporation, and injection methods. Three rainfall simulation tests were then performed on amended and control plots. Results show that land application methods had no statistically significant effect on the aqueous concentrations of antimicrobials in runoff. However, among the three application methods tested broadcast resulted in the highest total mass loading of antimicrobials in runoff from the three rainfall simulation tests. The aqueous concentrations of chlortetracyline and tylosin in runoff decreased in consecutive rainfall events, although the trend was only statistically significant for tylosin. For ARGs, broadcast resulted in significantly higher erm genes in runoff than did incorporation and injection methods. In soil, the effects of land application methods on the fate of antimicrobials in top soil were compound specific. No clear trend was observed in the ARG levels in soil, likely because different host cells may respond differently to the soil environments created by various land application methods.

  8. Correlation between antimicrobial consumption and antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a hospital setting: a 10-year study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mladenovic-Antic, S; Kocic, B; Velickovic-Radovanovic, R; Dinic, M; Petrovic, J; Randjelovic, G; Mitic, R

    2016-10-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to human health. One of the most important factors leading to the emergence of resistant bacteria is overuse of antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between antimicrobial usage and bacterial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) over a 10-year period in the Clinical Center Niš, one of the biggest tertiary care hospitals in Serbia. We focused on possible relationships between the consumption of carbapenems and beta-lactam antibiotics and the rates of resistance of P. aeruginosa to carbapenems. We recorded utilization of antibiotics expressed as defined daily doses per 100 bed days (DBD). Bacterial resistance was reported as the percentage of resistant isolates (percentage of all resistant and intermediate resistant strains) among all tested isolates. A significant increasing trend in resistance was seen in imipenem (P resistance to amikacin (P resistance to imipenem in P. aeruginosa shows significance (P resistance to meropenem showed a trend towards significance (P > 0·05, Pearson r = 0·607). We found a very good correlation between the use of all beta-lactam and P. aeruginosa resistance to carbapenems (P antimicrobial resistance to carbapenems, significant correlations between the consumption of antibiotics, especially carbapenems and beta-lactams, and rates of antimicrobial resistance of P. aeruginosa to imipenem and meropenem. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Antimicrobial resistance in Danish pigs: A cross sectional study of the association between antimicrobial resistance and geography, exposure to antimicrobials, and trade

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkegård, Anna Camilla

    Antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide problem of paramount importance for both humans and animals. To combat the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, the problem must be targeted in all major reservoirs as it is assumed that a high level of AMR genes in environmental reservoirs can increase...... the risk of human pathogens becoming resistant. Pigs might constitute an important reservoir. Therefore, it is important to manage antimicrobial resistance in pigs. Before effectiveactions can be initiated, it is crucial to know which factors are associated with the levels of antimicrobial resistance...... the collection of information on relevant factors. The aim of this PhD project was to study the relationship between the levels of antimicrobial resistance genes and three factors in Danish pig farms: the geographical location of the farm, the exposure to antimicrobials, and the trade patterns. Data collection...

  10. General principles of antimicrobial therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leekha, Surbhi; Terrell, Christine L; Edson, Randall S

    2011-02-01

    Antimicrobial agents are some of the most widely, and often injudiciously, used therapeutic drugs worldwide. Important considerations when prescribing antimicrobial therapy include obtaining an accurate diagnosis of infection; understanding the difference between empiric and definitive therapy; identifying opportunities to switch to narrow-spectrum, cost-effective oral agents for the shortest duration necessary; understanding drug characteristics that are peculiar to antimicrobial agents (such as pharmacodynamics and efficacy at the site of infection); accounting for host characteristics that influence antimicrobial activity; and in turn, recognizing the adverse effects of antimicrobial agents on the host. It is also important to understand the importance of antimicrobial stewardship, to know when to consult infectious disease specialists for guidance, and to be able to identify situations when antimicrobial therapy is not needed. By following these general principles, all practicing physicians should be able to use antimicrobial agents in a responsible manner that benefits both the individual patient and the community.

  11. Silver nanoparticles in aquatic environments: Physiochemical behavior and antimicrobial mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chiqian; Hu, Zhiqiang; Deng, Baolin

    2016-01-01

    Nanosilver (silver nanoparticles or AgNPs) has unique physiochemical properties and strong antimicrobial activities. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the physicochemical behavior (e.g., dissolution and aggregation) and antimicrobial mechanisms of nanosilver in aquatic environments. The inconsistency in calculating the Gibbs free energy of formation of nanosilver [ΔGf(AgNPs)] in aquatic environments highlights the research needed to carefully determine the thermodynamic stability of nanosilver. The dissolutive release of silver ion (Ag(+)) in the literature is often described using a pseudo-first-order kinetics, but the fit is generally poor. This paper proposes a two-stage model that could better predict silver ion release kinetics. The theoretical analysis suggests that nanosilver dissolution could occur under anoxic conditions and that nanosilver may be sulfidized to form silver sulfide (Ag2S) under strict anaerobic conditions, but more investigation with carefully-designed experiments is required to confirm the analysis. Although silver ion release is likely the main antimicrobial mechanism of nanosilver, the contributions of (ion-free) AgNPs and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation to the overall toxicity of nanosilver must not be neglected. Several research directions are proposed to better understand the dissolution kinetics of nanosilver and its antimicrobial mechanisms under various aquatic environmental conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Antimicrobial Peptides in 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guangshun Wang

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This article highlights new members, novel mechanisms of action, new functions, and interesting applications of antimicrobial peptides reported in 2014. As of December 2014, over 100 new peptides were registered into the Antimicrobial Peptide Database, increasing the total number of entries to 2493. Unique antimicrobial peptides have been identified from marine bacteria, fungi, and plants. Environmental conditions clearly influence peptide activity or function. Human α-defensin HD-6 is only antimicrobial under reduced conditions. The pH-dependent oligomerization of human cathelicidin LL-37 is linked to double-stranded RNA delivery to endosomes, where the acidic pH triggers the dissociation of the peptide aggregate to release its cargo. Proline-rich peptides, previously known to bind to heat shock proteins, are shown to inhibit protein synthesis. A model antimicrobial peptide is demonstrated to have multiple hits on bacteria, including surface protein delocalization. While cell surface modification to decrease cationic peptide binding is a recognized resistance mechanism for pathogenic bacteria, it is also used as a survival strategy for commensal bacteria. The year 2014 also witnessed continued efforts in exploiting potential applications of antimicrobial peptides. We highlight 3D structure-based design of peptide antimicrobials and vaccines, surface coating, delivery systems, and microbial detection devices involving antimicrobial peptides. The 2014 results also support that combination therapy is preferred over monotherapy in treating biofilms.

  13. Antimicrobial and Anti-Proliferative Effects of Skin Mucus Derived from Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus, 1758

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virginia Fuochi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Resistance to chemotherapy occurs in various diseases (i.e., cancer and infection, and for this reason, both are very difficult to treat. Therefore, novel antimicrobial and chemotherapic drugs are needed for effective antibiotic therapy. The aim of the present study was to assess the antimicrobial and anti-proliferative effects of skin mucus derived from Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus, 1758. Our results showed that skin mucus exhibited a significant and specific antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria but not against Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, we also observed a significant antifungal activity against some strains of Candida spp. Concerning anti-proliferative activity, we showed that fish mucus was specifically toxic for acute leukemia cells (HL60 with an inhibition of proliferation in a dose dependent manner (about 52% at 1000 μg/mL of fish skin mucous, FSM. Moreover, we did not observe effects in healthy cells, in neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y, and multiple myeloma cell lines (MM1, U266. Finally, it exhibited strong expression and activity of chitinase which may be responsible, at least in part, for the aforementioned results.

  14. Antimicrobial Activity of Lactoferrin-Related Peptides and Applications in Human and Veterinary Medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natascia Bruni

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs represent a vast array of molecules produced by virtually all living organisms as natural barriers against infection. Among AMP sources, an interesting class regards the food-derived bioactive agents. The whey protein lactoferrin (Lf is an iron-binding glycoprotein that plays a significant role in the innate immune system, and is considered as an important host defense molecule. In search for novel antimicrobial agents, Lf offers a new source with potential pharmaceutical applications. The Lf-derived peptides Lf(1–11, lactoferricin (Lfcin and lactoferrampin exhibit interesting and more potent antimicrobial actions than intact protein. Particularly, Lfcin has demonstrated strong antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiparasitic activity with promising applications both in human and veterinary diseases (from ocular infections to osteo-articular, gastrointestinal and dermatological diseases.

  15. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Echinophora spinosa L. (Apiaceae Essential Oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasmina M. Glamočlija

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study was undertaken to investigate the chemical composition and effectiveness of the essential oil isolated from Echinophora spinosa on different bacterial and fungal species. Chemical analysis (GC/MS showed that δ³-carene (60,86 %, α-phellandrene (7,12%, p-cymene (6,22 %, myrcene (4,82 % and β-phellandrene (2,73 % were dominant components in this oil. Essential oil tested showed good antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial potential of this oil was higher than potential of commercial antimicrobial drugs tested, streptomycin, bifonozole and ketoconazole.

  16. Antimicrobial activity of Davilla elliptica St. Hill (Dilleniaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.C. Michelin

    Full Text Available Davilla elliptica St. Hill ("lixinha", family Dilleniaceae, is commonly used in the Brazilian folk medicine as purgative and stimulant. This work evaluated the antimicrobial activity of the methanol and chloroform extracts of the leaves and barks of D. elliptica using the disc-diffusion method. The results obtained showed that the methanolic extracts of the leaves and barks presented antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms.

  17. Factors associated with the inappropriate use of antimicrobials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntosh, W; Dean, W

    2015-04-01

    Antimicrobial resistance continues to grow and antimicrobial use in food animal production and to a lesser extent in human patients is under fire. Much of the criticism has to do with the misapplication of these drugs in both settings. Research indicates that patients, food animal producers, physicians and veterinarians have all played a part in misusing antimicrobials, often because of mistaken beliefs. This paper reviews this research and introduces a theoretical perspective, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which broadens our understanding of the motivations for misuse. In particular this approach shows that individuals making decisions about antimicrobial use take into account social pressures from and a sense of obligation to significant others in their social networks. Our own work summarized in this paper indicates that both feedlot veterinarians and feedlot managers' antimicrobial decisions are influenced by both expectations from and obligations to a variety of actors in the feedlot network (other veterinarians, feedlot clients, consumers, pharmaceutical companies, and regulatory bodies). Generally across 4 circumstances of antimicrobial use (for acutely sick cattle, chronically-sick cattle, at-risk cattle, high-risk cattle), it is largely the perception that peers and clients expect feedlot veterinarians to use antimicrobials and feedlot veterinarians sense of obligation to these groups that have the most influence on their decisions to recommend antimicrobials. Based on these findings, the question of engaging in changing the choices made by those working with food animals must start with those who influence the decision to proscribe or use antimicrobials. As our data come from the United States and may be unique relative to other countries, these efforts should begin by ascertaining who influences these decisions. The next step is to then change the beliefs of these significant others. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  18. Antimicrobial resistance surveillance of flomoxef in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Lanqing; Li, Yun; Lv, Yuan; Xue, Feng; Liu, Jian

    2015-05-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of flomoxef against clinical isolates collected from China and understand the trend of antimicrobial resistance. A total of 2955 pathogenic strains isolated from 18 tertiary hospitals in 18 cities of China over the period from July 2011 to June 2012 were studied. And the susceptibility tests were performed using agar dilution method recommended by CLSI in central laboratory. Flomoxef showed good potency against Enterobacteriaceae with susceptibility rate 85%-100%. The susceptibility rates of flomoxef against Staphylococcus spp. isolates were 63.9%-92.2%; 98.8% of MSSA and 88.2% of MSSE were susceptible to this drug. For other tested bacteria including Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus spp., and Streptococcus spp. (except Viridans group streptococci) flomoxef showed good potency with susceptibility rate more than 95%. All these results strongly suggest that flomoxef is a potent antibacterial agent against major pathogens in China. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. SCREENING OF PLANT EXTRACTS FOR ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AGAINST BACTERIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Vatľák

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was antimicrobial action of the methanolic extracts of Equisetum arvense L. and Urtica dioica L. against gramnegative and grampositive bacteria. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts against gramnegative bacteria: Escherichia coli CCM 3988, Listeria ivanovii CCM 5884, Listeria innocua CCM 4030, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CCM 1960, Serratia rubidaea CCM 4684 and grampositive bacteria: Brochothrix thermosphacta CCM 4769, Enterococcus raffinosus CCM 4216, Lactobacillus rhamnosus CCM 1828, Paenobacillus larvae CCM 4483 and Staphylococcus epidermis CCM 4418 were determined by the disc diffusion method and the microbroth dilution method according to CLSI. Probit analysis was used in this experiment. Of the 2 plant extracts tested, all extracts showed antimicrobial activity against one or more species of microorganisms. The most antimicrobial activity showed methanolic plant extract of E. arvense against S. epidermis with disc diffusion method and with microbroth dilution method against S. rubidaea and plant extract Urtica dioica with disc diffusion method against P. aeruginosa and with microbroth dilution method against S. rubidaea and E. coli.

  20. Antimicrobial activity of immobilized lactoferrin and lactoferricin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Renxun; Cole, Nerida; Dutta, Debarun; Kumar, Naresh; Willcox, Mark D P

    2017-11-01

    Lactoferrin and lactoferricin were immobilized on glass surfaces via two linkers, 4-azidobenzoic acid (ABA) or 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenyl azide (FNA). The resulting surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements. The antimicrobial activity of the surfaces was determined using Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus strains by fluorescence microscopy. Lactoferrin and lactoferricin immobilization was confirmed by XPS showing significant increases (p lactoferricin immobilized on glass significantly (p lactoferricin were successfully immobilized on glass surfaces and showed promising antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2612-2617, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Evaluation of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of seed extracts from six Nigella species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landa, Premysl; Marsik, Petr; Havlik, Jaroslav; Kloucek, Pavel; Vanek, Tomas; Kokoska, Ladislav

    2009-04-01

    Seed extracts from six species of the genus Nigella (Family Ranunculaceae)-Nigella arvensis, Nigella damascena, Nigella hispanica, Nigella nigellastrum, Nigella orientalis, and Nigella sativa-obtained by successive extraction with n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol, were tested for their antimicrobial activity against 10 strains of pathogenic bacteria and yeast using the microdilution method as well as for anti-inflammatory properties by in vitro cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 assay. Chemical characterization of active extracts was carried out including free and fixed fatty acid analysis. Comparison of antimicrobial activity showed that N. arvensis chloroform extract was the most potent among all species tested, inhibiting Gram-positive bacterial and yeast strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.25 to 1 mg/mL. With the exception of selective inhibitory action of n-hexane extract of N. orientalis on growth of Bacteroides fragilis (MIC = 0.5 mg/mL), we observed no antimicrobial activity for other Nigella species. Anti-inflammatory screening revealed that N. sativa, N. orientalis, N. hispanica, N. arvensis n-hexane, and N. hispanica chloroform extracts had strong inhibitory activity (more than 80%) on COX-1 and N. orientalis, N. arvensis, and N. hispanica n-hexane extracts were most effective against COX-2, when the concentration of extracts was 100 microg/mL in both COX assays. In conclusion, N. arvensis, N. orientalis, and N. hispanica seeds, for the first time examined for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, revealed their significant activity in one or both assays.

  2. Lipopolysaccharide induces amyloid formation of antimicrobial peptide HAL-2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jiarong; Li, Yan; Wang, Xiaoming; Chen, Wei; Sun, Hongbin; Wang, Junfeng

    2014-11-01

    Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the important component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, contributes to the integrity of the outer membrane and protects the cell against bactericidal agents, including antimicrobial peptides. However, the mechanisms of interaction between antimicrobial peptides and LPS are not clearly understood. Halictines-2 (HAL-2), one of the novel antimicrobial peptides, was isolated from the venom of the eusocial bee Halictus sexcinctus. HAL-2 has exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and even against cancer cells. Here, we studied the interactions between HAL-2 and LPS to elucidate the antibacterial mechanism of HAL-2 in vitro. Our results show that HAL-2 adopts a significant degree of β-strand structure in the presence of LPS. LPS is capable of inducing HAL-2 amyloid formation, which may play a vital role in its antimicrobial activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Comparison of antimicrobial activities of naphthoquinones from Impatiens balsamina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakunphueak, Athip; Panichayupakaranant, Pharkphoom

    2012-01-01

    Lawsone (1), lawsone methyl ether (2), and methylene-3,3'-bilawsone (3) are the main naphthoquinones in the leaf extracts of Impatiens balsamina L. (Balsaminaceae). Antimicrobial activities of these three naphthoquinones against dermatophyte fungi, yeast, aerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobic and anaerobic bacteria were evaluated by determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimal bactericidal or fungicidal concentrations (MBCs or MFCs) using a modified agar dilution method. Compound 2 showed the highest antimicrobial activity. It showed antifungal activity against dermatophyte fungi and Candida albicans with the MICs and MFCs in the ranges of 3.9-23.4 and 7.8-23.4 µg mL(-1), respectively, and also had some antibacterial activity against aerobic, facultative anaerobic and anaerobic bacteria with MICs in the range of 23.4-93.8, 31.2-62.5 and 125 µg mL(-1), respectively. Compound 1 showed only moderate antimicrobial activity against dermatophytes (MICs and MFCs in the ranges of 62.5-250 and 125-250 µg mL(-1), respectively), but had low potency against aerobic bacteria, and was not active against C. albicans and facultative anaerobic bacteria. In contrast, 3 showed significant antimicrobial activity only against Staphylococus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis (MIC and MBC of 46.9 and 93.8 µg mL(-1), respectively).

  4. Antimicrobial use in swine production and its effect on the swine gut microbiota and antimicrobial resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holman, Devin B; Chénier, Martin R

    2015-11-01

    Antimicrobials have been used in swine production at subtherapeutic levels since the early 1950s to increase feed efficiency and promote growth. In North America, a number of antimicrobials are available for use in swine. However, the continuous administration of subtherapeutic, low concentrations of antimicrobials to pigs also provides selective pressure for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance determinants. For this reason, subtherapeutic antimicrobial use in livestock remains a source of controversy and concern. The swine gut microbiota demonstrates a number of changes in response to antimicrobial administration depending on the dosage, duration of treatment, age of the pigs, and gut location that is sampled. Both culture-independent and -dependent studies have also shown that the swine gut microbiota contains a large number of antimicrobial resistance determinants even in the absence of antimicrobial exposure. Heavy metals, such as zinc and copper, which are often added at relatively high doses to swine feed, may also play a role in maintaining antimicrobial resistance and in the stability of the swine gut microbiota. This review focuses on the use of antimicrobials in swine production, with an emphasis on the North American regulatory context, and their effect on the swine gut microbiota and on antimicrobial resistance determinants in the gut microbiota.

  5. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils of Some Coniferous Plants Cultivated in Egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Taghreed A; El-Hela, Atef A; El-Hefnawy, Hala M; Al-Taweel, Areej M; Perveen, Shagufta

    2017-01-01

    Family Cupressaceae is the largest coniferous plant family. Essential oils of many species belonging to family Cupressaceae are known to have several biological activities specially antimicrobial activity. The essential oils from aerial parts of Calocedrus decurrens Torr., Cupressus sempervirens stricta L. and Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Mast. were prepared by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of the essential oils has been elucidated by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis. The prepared essential oils were examined against selected species of Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and Candida species. Broth dilution methods were used to detect minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Sixteen compounds were identified in the essential oils of both Calocedrus decurrens and Cupressus sempervirens L. and fifteen compounds were identified in the essential oil of Tetraclinis articulata . δ-3-Carene (43.10%), (+)-Cedrol (74.03%) and Camphor (21.23%) were the major constituents in the essential oils of Calocedrus decurrens , Cupressus sempervirens L. and Tetraclinis articulata , respectively. The essential oils showed strong antimicrobial activities against the selected microorganisms in concentration range 0.02 3- 3.03 µL/mL. This study could contribute to the chemotaxonomic characterization of family Cupressaceae. In addition, it proved that the essential oils under investigation possess potential antimicrobial properties.

  6. The Silencing of a 14-3-3ɛ Homolog in Tenebrio molitor Leads to Increased Antimicrobial Activity in Hemocyte and Reduces Larval Survivability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Gi Won; Jo, Yong Hun; Seong, Jeong Hwan; Park, Ki Beom; Patnaik, Bharat Bhusan; Tindwa, Hamisi; Kim, Sun-Am; Lee, Yong Seok; Kim, Yu Jung; Han, Yeon Soo

    2016-08-20

    The 14-3-3 family of phosphorylated serine-binding proteins acts as signaling molecules in biological processes such as metabolism, division, differentiation, autophagy, and apoptosis. Herein, we report the requirement of 14-3-3ɛ isoform from Tenebrio molitor (Tm14-3-3ɛ) in the hemocyte antimicrobial activity. The Tm14-3-3ɛ transcript is 771 nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide of 256 amino acid residues. The protein has the typical 14-3-3 domain, the nuclear export signal (NES) sequence, and the peptide binding residues. The Tm14-3-3ɛ transcript shows a significant three-fold expression in the hemocyte of T. molitor larvae when infected with Escherichia coli Tm14-3-3ɛ silenced larvae show significantly lower survival rates when infected with E. coli. Under Tm14-3-3ɛ silenced condition, a strong antimicrobial activity is elicited in the hemocyte of the host inoculated with E. coli. This suggests impaired secretion of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) into the hemolymph. Furthermore, a reduction in AMP secretion under Tm14-3-3ɛ silenced condition would be responsible for loss in the capacity to kill bacteria and might explain the reduced survivability of the larvae upon E. coli challenge. This shows that Tm14-3-3ɛ is required to maintain innate immunity in T. molitor by enabling antimicrobial secretion into the hemolymph and explains the functional specialization of the isoform.

  7. The Silencing of a 14-3-3ɛ Homolog in Tenebrio molitor Leads to Increased Antimicrobial Activity in Hemocyte and Reduces Larval Survivability

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    Gi Won Seo

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The 14-3-3 family of phosphorylated serine-binding proteins acts as signaling molecules in biological processes such as metabolism, division, differentiation, autophagy, and apoptosis. Herein, we report the requirement of 14-3-3ɛ isoform from Tenebrio molitor (Tm14-3-3ɛ in the hemocyte antimicrobial activity. The Tm14-3-3ɛ transcript is 771 nucleotides in length and encodes a polypeptide of 256 amino acid residues. The protein has the typical 14-3-3 domain, the nuclear export signal (NES sequence, and the peptide binding residues. The Tm14-3-3ɛ transcript shows a significant three-fold expression in the hemocyte of T. molitor larvae when infected with Escherichia coli Tm14-3-3ɛ silenced larvae show significantly lower survival rates when infected with E. coli. Under Tm14-3-3ɛ silenced condition, a strong antimicrobial activity is elicited in the hemocyte of the host inoculated with E. coli. This suggests impaired secretion of antimicrobial peptides (AMP into the hemolymph. Furthermore, a reduction in AMP secretion under Tm14-3-3ɛ silenced condition would be responsible for loss in the capacity to kill bacteria and might explain the reduced survivability of the larvae upon E. coli challenge. This shows that Tm14-3-3ɛ is required to maintain innate immunity in T. molitor by enabling antimicrobial secretion into the hemolymph and explains the functional specialization of the isoform.

  8. Antimicrobial Peptides in Reptiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Hoek, Monique L.

    2014-01-01

    Reptiles are among the oldest known amniotes and are highly diverse in their morphology and ecological niches. These animals have an evolutionarily ancient innate-immune system that is of great interest to scientists trying to identify new and useful antimicrobial peptides. Significant work in the last decade in the fields of biochemistry, proteomics and genomics has begun to reveal the complexity of reptilian antimicrobial peptides. Here, the current knowledge about antimicrobial peptides in reptiles is reviewed, with specific examples in each of the four orders: Testudines (turtles and tortosises), Sphenodontia (tuataras), Squamata (snakes and lizards), and Crocodilia (crocodilans). Examples are presented of the major classes of antimicrobial peptides expressed by reptiles including defensins, cathelicidins, liver-expressed peptides (hepcidin and LEAP-2), lysozyme, crotamine, and others. Some of these peptides have been identified and tested for their antibacterial or antiviral activity; others are only predicted as possible genes from genomic sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis of the reptile genomes is presented, revealing many predicted candidate antimicrobial peptides genes across this diverse class. The study of how these ancient creatures use antimicrobial peptides within their innate immune systems may reveal new understandings of our mammalian innate immune system and may also provide new and powerful antimicrobial peptides as scaffolds for potential therapeutic development. PMID:24918867

  9. Phytochemical screening, antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy of different extracts of Rumex dentatus L. - A locally used medicinal herb of Kashmir Himalaya

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    Humeera Nisa

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To elucidate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Rumex dentatus L. (R. dentatus along with its phytochemical analysis. Methods: Agar disk diffusion method for antimicrobial activity and DPPH, riboflavin photooxidation, deoxyribose and lipid peroxidation assay for antioxidant activity. Results: The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of different concentrations of five R. dentatus extracts were tested against different clinical bacterial strains (Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium and fungal strains (Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus flavus, Accremonium spp., Penicillium dimorphosporum, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida kruesie. Among all extracts, the butanol extract showed strong antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae (inhibition zone diameter of 20 mm and aqueous extract showed no activity against any of the bacterial strains. While as in case of the fungal strains, the maximum antifungal activity was observed against Aspergillus flavus by aqueous extract. The antioxidant activity revealed that the extracts exhibited scavenging effect in concentration-dependent manner on superoxide anion radicals and hydroxyl radicals. The phytochemical tests carried out with the crude extracts of R. dentatus showed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, anthraquinones and cardiac glycosides in it. The total phenolic content of these extracts was estimated quantitatively from standard calibration curve of gallic acid and it varied from 145 µg/mg in butanol extract to 45 µg/mg in petroleum ether extract. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the plant has got a broad spectrum antimicrobial and antioxidant activity and could be used as a potential alternative for treating various diseases.

  10. Antimicrobial Stewardship and Urinary Tract Infections

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    Lilian M. Abbo

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Urinary tract infections are the most common bacterial infections encountered in ambulatory and long-term care settings in the United States. Urine samples are the largest single category of specimens received by most microbiology laboratories and many such cultures are collected from patients who have no or questionable urinary symptoms. Unfortunately, antimicrobials are often prescribed inappropriately in such patients. Antimicrobial use, whether appropriate or inappropriate, is associated with the selection for antimicrobial-resistant organisms colonizing or infecting the urinary tract. Infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant organisms are associated with higher rates of treatment failures, prolonged hospitalizations, increased costs and mortality. Antimicrobial stewardship consists of avoidance of antimicrobials when appropriate and, when antimicrobials are indicated, use of strategies to optimize the selection, dosing, route of administration, duration and timing of antimicrobial therapy to maximize clinical cure while limiting the unintended consequences of antimicrobial use, including toxicity and selection of resistant microorganisms. This article reviews successful antimicrobial stewardship strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections.

  11. Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... with facebook share with twitter share with linkedin Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance Go to Information for Researchers ► Credit: ... and infectious diseases. Why Is the Study of Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance a Priority for NIAID? Over time, ...

  12. Quantifying antimicrobial resistance at veal calf farms.

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    Angela B Bosman

    Full Text Available This study was performed to determine a sampling strategy to quantify the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance on veal calf farms, based on the variation in antimicrobial resistance within and between calves on five farms. Faecal samples from 50 healthy calves (10 calves/farm were collected. From each individual sample and one pooled faecal sample per farm, 90 selected Escherichia coli isolates were tested for their resistance against 25 mg/L amoxicillin, 25 mg/L tetracycline, 0.5 mg/L cefotaxime, 0.125 mg/L ciprofloxacin and 8/152 mg/L trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (tmp/s by replica plating. From each faecal sample another 10 selected E. coli isolates were tested for their resistance by broth microdilution as a reference. Logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the odds of testing an isolate resistant between both test methods (replica plating vs. broth microdilution and to evaluate the effect of pooling faecal samples. Bootstrap analysis was used to investigate the precision of the estimated prevalence of resistance to each antimicrobial obtained by several simulated sampling strategies. Replica plating showed similar odds of E. coli isolates tested resistant compared to broth microdilution, except for ciprofloxacin (OR 0.29, p ≤ 0.05. Pooled samples showed in general lower odds of an isolate being resistant compared to individual samples, although these differences were not significant. Bootstrap analysis showed that within each antimicrobial the various compositions of a pooled sample provided consistent estimates for the mean proportion of resistant isolates. Sampling strategies should be based on the variation in resistance among isolates within faecal samples and between faecal samples, which may vary by antimicrobial. In our study, the optimal sampling strategy from the perspective of precision of the estimated levels of resistance and practicality consists of a pooled faecal sample from 20 individual animals, of which

  13. Review of antimicrobial and antioxidative activities of chitosans in food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Mendel; Juneja, Vijay K

    2010-09-01

    Interest in chitosan, a biodegradable, nontoxic, non-antigenic, and biocompatible biopolymer isolated from shellfish, arises from the fact that chitosans are reported to exhibit numerous health-related beneficial effects, including strong antimicrobial and antioxidative activities in foods. The extraordinary interest in the chemistry and application in agriculture, horticulture, environmental science, industry, microbiology, and medicine is attested by about 17,000 citations on this subject in the Scopus database. A special need exists to develop a better understanding of the role of chitosans in ameliorating foodborne illness. To contribute to this effort, this overview surveys and interprets our present knowledge of the chemistry and antimicrobial activities of chitosan in solution, as powders, and in edible films and coating against foodborne pathogens, spoilage bacteria, and pathogenic viruses and fungi in several food categories. These include produce, fruit juices, eggs and dairy, cereal, meat, and seafood products. Also covered are antimicrobial activities of chemically modified and nanochitosans, therapeutic properties, and possible mechanisms of the antimicrobial, antioxidative, and metal chelating effects. Further research is suggested in each of these categories. The widely scattered data on the multifaceted aspects of chitosan microbiology, summarized in the text and in 10 tables and 8 representative figures, suggest that low-molecular-weight chitosans at a pH below 6.0 presents optimal conditions for achieving desirable antimicrobial and antioxidative-preservative effects in liquid and solid foods. We are very hopeful that the described findings will be a valuable record and resource for further progress to improve microbial food safety and food quality.

  14. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of lemon balm Kombucha

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    Velićanski Aleksandra S.

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Kombucha is a beverage traditionally produced by metabolic activity of yeasts and acetic acid bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of lemon balm kombucha as well as of particular control samples was determined by agar-well diffusion method. Antioxidant activity on stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals of lemon balm kombucha and lemon balm tea was determined by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Acetic acid, Kombucha samples and heat-denaturated kombucha showed significant antimicrobial activity against bacteria. However, there was no activity against yeasts and moulds. Kombucha showed higher antioxidant activity than tea sample for all applied sample volumes.

  15. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of stingless bee bread and propolis extracts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhir, Rabieatul Adawieah Md; Bakar, Mohd Fadzelly Abu; Sanusi, Shuaibu Babaji

    2017-10-01

    Bee bread and propolis are by-products of honey bee. The main objective of this research was to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of stingless bee bread and propolis extracted using 70% ethanol and n-hexane. The antioxidant activity of the sample extracts were determined by spectrophotometry analysis while for the antimicrobial activity, the sample extracts were analyzed using disc diffusion and broth dilution assays. For DPPH and ABTS assays, the results showed that ethanolic extract of bee bread showed the highest free radical scavenging (%) as compared to other samples. However, FRAP values for both hexanic extracts are higher as compared to the ethanolic extracts. For disc diffusion assay, the results showed that the ethanolic extract of bee bread and propolis as well as hexanic extract of propolis were able to inhibit all tested bacteria. Meanwhile, broth dilution assay showed minimum inhibition zone (MIC) ranging from <6.67 to 33.33 µL/mL. As the conclusion, both bee bread and propolis produced by stingless bee in this study displayed antioxidant and antimicrobial effect but there are different in the degree of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity exhibited between each of the samples.

  16. Antimicrobial potential and physio-chemical analysis of polygonum barbatum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, S.; Farooq, U.; Naz, S.; Sarwar, R.

    2014-01-01

    The present study deals with the investigation of antimicrobial activity by AWD method and DD method against Gram-positive (B subtilis, M luteus, S aureus) and Gram-negative (S setubal, P picketti) bacteria, and two fungal strains (Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus). It was observed that Polygonum barbatum showed significant antimicrobial activity. Among all fractions the n-hexane fraction showed significant activity against S setubal (ZOI 18mm). The n-BuOH fraction of Polygonum barbatum was active against both fungal strains (ZOI 27mm). (author)

  17. Antimicrobial and cytotoxic potentials of Buddleja polystachya extracts

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    Ghada Ahmed Fawzy

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Most of the species of Buddleja have found applications in folk medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial and cytotoxic potentials of B. polystachya extracts. Four extracts were prepared A-D (dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous extracts, respectively. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the broth micro-dilution assay for minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC. The crystal violet staining method (CVS was used for the evaluation of the cytotoxic activity on HepG-2, MCF-7 and HCT-116 human cell lines. Results showed that the highest antimicrobial activity was given by the ethyl acetate extract followed by the dichloromethane extract, while the n-butanol revealed moderate activity against gram positive bacteria only with no activity against the rest of tested microorganisms. The aqueous extract was totally ineffective against all tested microorganisms at 20 mg/ml. Among the four extracts tested, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts showed the highest cytotoxic activity on all three human cell lines.

  18. Enhancement of antimicrobial activity of chitosan by irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuhashi, S.; Kume, T.

    1997-01-01

    Antimicrobial activity of irradiated chitosan was studied against Escherichia coli B/r. Irradiation of chitosan at 100 kGy under dry conditions was effective in increasing the activity, and inhibited the growth of E. coli completely. The molecular weight of chitosan significantly decreased with the increase in irradiation dose, whereas the relative surface charge of chitosan was decreased only 3% by 100 kGy irradiation. Antimicrobial activity assay of chitosan fractionated according to molecular weight showed that 1 x 10 5 -3 x 10 5 fraction was most effective in suppressing the growth of E coli. This fraction comprised only 8% of the 100 kGy irradiated chitosan. On the other hand, chitosan whose molecular weight was less than 1 x 10 5 had no activity. The results show that low dose irradiation, specifically 100 kGy, of chitosan gives enough degradation to increase its antimicrobial activity as a result of a change in molecular weight. (Author)

  19. Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils of Selected Aromatic Plants from Tajikistan

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    Farukh Sharopov

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils of 18 plant species from Tajikistan (Central Asia were investigated. The essential oil of Origanum tyttanthum showed a strong antibacterial activity with both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC values of 312.5 µg/mL for E. coli, 625 µg/mL (MIC and 1250 µg/mL (MBC for MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The essential oil of Galagania fragrantissima was highly active against MRSA at concentrations as low as 39.1 µg/mL and 78.2 µg/mL for MIC and MBC, respectively. Origanum tyttanthum essential oil showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 0.12 mg/mL for ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and 0.28 mg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Galagania fragrantissima and Origanum tyttanthum essential oils showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity; IC50 values of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX inhibition were 7.34 and 14.78 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, essential oils of Origanum tyttanthum and Galagania fragrantissima exhibit substantial antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. They are interesting candidates in phytotherapy.

  20. Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils of Selected Aromatic Plants from Tajikistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharopov, Farukh; Braun, Markus Santhosh; Gulmurodov, Isomiddin; Khalifaev, Davlat; Isupov, Salomiddin; Wink, Michael

    2015-11-02

    Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils of 18 plant species from Tajikistan (Central Asia) were investigated. The essential oil of Origanum tyttanthum showed a strong antibacterial activity with both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 312.5 µg/mL for E. coli , 625 µg/mL (MIC) and 1250 µg/mL (MBC) for MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), respectively. The essential oil of Galagania fragrantissima was highly active against MRSA at concentrations as low as 39.1 µg/mL and 78.2 µg/mL for MIC and MBC, respectively. Origanum tyttanthum essential oil showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC 50 values of 0.12 mg/mL for ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and 0.28 mg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) . Galagania fragrantissima and Origanum tyttanthum essential oils showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity; IC 50 values of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition were 7.34 and 14.78 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, essential oils of Origanum tyttanthum and Galagania fragrantissima exhibit substantial antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. They are interesting candidates in phytotherapy.

  1. Green fabrication of quaternized chitosan/rectorite/Ag NP nanocomposites with antimicrobial activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Jiwen; Xie, Meijia; Wang, Xiaoying

    2014-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were synthesized rapidly in one pot via the Tollens reaction, in which quaternized chitosan (QCS) and rectorite (REC) acted as the reducing and stabilizing agent, while other chemical reducing and stabilizing agents and the surfactant were not included. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results showed that spherical Ag NPs with uniform sizes were obtained, the layers of clay were peeled and thus exfoliated QCS/REC/Ag NP (QCRAg) nanocomposite was achieved. Moreover, Ag NPs dispersed well in the exfoliated nanocomposite matrix, some Ag NPs even entered into the interlayer of REC. QCRAg nanocomposites showed strong antimicrobial activity; the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration against Staphyloccocus aureus was only 0.0001% (w/v). The study reveals that the obtained QCRAg nanocomposites have great potential for biomedical applications. (communication)

  2. Are antimicrobial peptides an alternative for conventional antibiotics?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamysz, W.

    2005-01-01

    Antimicrobial peptides are widespread in living organisms and constitute an important component of innate immunity to microbial infections. By the early 1980' s , more than 800 different antimicrobial peptides had been isolated from mammals, amphibians, fish, insects, plants and bacterial species. In humans, they are produced by granulocytes, macrophages and most epithelial and endothelial cells. Newly discovered antibiotics have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and even antiprotozoal activity. Occasionally, a single antibiotic may have a very wide spectrum of activity and may show activity towards various kinds of microorganisms. Although antimicrobial activity is the most typical function of peptides, they are also characterized by numerous other properties. They stimulate the immune system, have anti-neoplastic properties and participate in cell signalling and proliferation regulation. As antimicrobial peptides from higher eukaryotes differ structurally from conventional antibiotics produced by bacteria and fungi, they offer novel templates for pharmaceutical compounds, which could be used effectively against the increasing number of resistant microbes. (author)

  3. Antimicrobial activity and phytochemical characterization of Carya illinoensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bottari, Nathieli Bianchin; Lopes, Leonardo Quintana Soares; Pizzuti, Kauana; Filippi Dos Santos Alves, Camilla; Corrêa, Marcos Saldanha; Bolzan, Leandro Perger; Zago, Adriana; de Almeida Vaucher, Rodrigo; Boligon, Aline Augusti; Giongo, Janice Luehring; Baldissera, Matheus Dellaméa; Santos, Roberto Christ Vianna

    2017-03-01

    Carya illinoensis is a widespread species, belonging to the Juglandaceae family, commonly known as Pecan. Popularly, the leaves have been used in the treatment of smoking as a hypoglycemic, cleansing, astringent, keratolytic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial agent. The following research aimed to identify for the first time the phytochemical compounds present in the leaves of C. illinoensis and carry out the determination of antimicrobial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts. The antimicrobial activity was tested against 20 microorganisms by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Phenolic acids (gallic acid and ellagic acid), flavonoids (rutin), and tannins (catechins and epicatechins) were identified by HPLC-DAD and may be partially responsible for the antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and yeast. The results showed MIC values between 25 mg/mL and 0.78 mg/mL. The extracts were also able to inhibit the production of germ tubes by Candida albicans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Antimicrobial activity of filamentous fungi isolated from highly antibiotic-contaminated river sediment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svahn, K. Stefan; Göransson, Ulf; El-Seedi, Hesham; Bohlin, Lars; Larsson, D.G. Joakim; Olsen, Björn; Chryssanthou, Erja

    2012-01-01

    Background Filamentous fungi are well known for their production of substances with antimicrobial activities, several of which have formed the basis for the development of new clinically important antimicrobial agents. Recently, environments polluted with extraordinarily high levels of antibiotics have been documented, leading to strong selection pressure on local sentinel bacterial communities. In such microbial ecosystems, where multidrug-resistant bacteria are likely to thrive, it is possible that certain fungal antibiotics have become less efficient, thus encouraging alternative strategies for fungi to compete with bacteria. Methods In this study, sediment of a highly antibiotic-contaminated Indian river was sampled in order to investigate the presence of cultivable filamentous fungi and their ability to produce substances with antimicrobial activity. Results Sixty one strains of filamentous fungi, predominantly various Aspergillus spp. were identified. The majority of the Aspergillus strains displayed antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. Bioassay-guided isolation of the secondary metabolites of A. fumigatus led to the identification of gliotoxin. Conclusion This study demonstrated proof of principle of using bioassay-guided isolation for finding bioactive molecules. PMID:22957125

  5. Antimicrobial activity of filamentous fungi isolated from highly antibiotic-contaminated river sediment

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    K. Stefan Svahn

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Filamentous fungi are well known for their production of substances with antimicrobial activities, several of which have formed the basis for the development of new clinically important antimicrobial agents. Recently, environments polluted with extraordinarily high levels of antibiotics have been documented, leading to strong selection pressure on local sentinel bacterial communities. In such microbial ecosystems, where multidrug-resistant bacteria are likely to thrive, it is possible that certain fungal antibiotics have become less efficient, thus encouraging alternative strategies for fungi to compete with bacteria. Methods: In this study, sediment of a highly antibiotic-contaminated Indian river was sampled in order to investigate the presence of cultivable filamentous fungi and their ability to produce substances with antimicrobial activity. Results: Sixty one strains of filamentous fungi, predominantly various Aspergillus spp. were identified. The majority of the Aspergillus strains displayed antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Candida albicans. Bioassay-guided isolation of the secondary metabolites of A. fumigatus led to the identification of gliotoxin. Conclusion: This study demonstrated proof of principle of using bioassay-guided isolation for finding bioactive molecules.

  6. Characterization of an Antimicrobial Extract from Elaeagnus angustifolia

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    Mohammad Hossein Dehghan

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: According to ethnobotanical data, Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit has wound healing activity, anti-inflammatory effect and antifebrile prosperities. Objectives: This study was performed as to the best of our knowledge; there has been no scientific report on the characterization of antimicrobial effect of E. angustifolia extract. Materials and Methods: An aqueous extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia was prepared and antimicrobial activity tests were performed on various target cultures. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC of the extract was done using the broth dilution technique. To characterize the extract, shelf life, thermal and pH stability, effects of detergents such as Tween 80, Tween 20, Triton X100, toluene and enzymes on the antimicrobial activity of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract, were examined. Results: The MIC values ranged from 7.5 to 0.1 mg/mL, showing maximum activity (1.62 mg/mL against E. coli. Similarly, the MBC of the extract against E. coli was 1.62 mg/mL. Antimicrobial activity of the extract was relatively stable when kept in the refrigerator for 60 days. The antimicrobial activity of Elaeagnus angustifolia extract was absolutely stable at temperatures up to 700° C. After exposure of the Elaeagnus angustifolia extract to different pH solutions in the range of 4-10, almost 100% residual activity was found against E. coli at pH 4, 5, 6, and 7. Treatment of the extract with detergents, lipase and lysozyme eliminated its antimicrobial activity. Conclusions: Our study gives an indication of the presence of promising antimicrobial compounds and provides basic information about the nature of the Elaeagnus angustifolia extract. Future studies should elucidate the components responsible for antimicrobial activity of these extracts against target cultures.

  7. National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System: Two Decades of Advancing Public Health Through Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karp, Beth E; Tate, Heather; Plumblee, Jodie R; Dessai, Uday; Whichard, Jean M; Thacker, Eileen L; Hale, Kis Robertson; Wilson, Wanda; Friedman, Cindy R; Griffin, Patricia M; McDermott, Patrick F

    2017-10-01

    Drug-resistant bacterial infections pose a serious and growing public health threat globally. In this review, we describe the role of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) in providing data that help address the resistance problem and show how such a program can have broad positive impacts on public health. NARMS was formed two decades ago to help assess the consequences to human health arising from the use of antimicrobial drugs in food animal production in the United States. A collaboration among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the United States Department of Agriculture, and state and local health departments, NARMS uses an integrated "One Health" approach to monitor antimicrobial resistance in enteric bacteria from humans, retail meat, and food animals. NARMS has adapted to changing needs and threats by expanding surveillance catchment areas, examining new isolate sources, adding bacteria, adjusting sampling schemes, and modifying antimicrobial agents tested. NARMS data are not only essential for ensuring that antimicrobial drugs approved for food animals are used in ways that are safe for human health but they also help address broader food safety priorities. NARMS surveillance, applied research studies, and outbreak isolate testing provide data on the emergence of drug-resistant enteric bacteria; genetic mechanisms underlying resistance; movement of bacterial populations among humans, food, and food animals; and sources and outcomes of resistant and susceptible infections. These data can be used to guide and evaluate the impact of science-based policies, regulatory actions, antimicrobial stewardship initiatives, and other public health efforts aimed at preserving drug effectiveness, improving patient outcomes, and preventing infections. Many improvements have been made to NARMS over time and the program will continue to adapt to address emerging resistance threats, changes in

  8. Antimicrobial polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Anjali; Duvvuri, L Sailaja; Farah, Shady; Beyth, Nurit; Domb, Abraham J; Khan, Wahid

    2014-12-01

    Better health is basic requirement of human being, but the rapid growth of harmful pathogens and their serious health effects pose a significant challenge to modern science. Infections by pathogenic microorganisms are of great concern in many fields such as medical devices, drugs, hospital surfaces/furniture, dental restoration, surgery equipment, health care products, and hygienic applications (e.g., water purification systems, textiles, food packaging and storage, major or domestic appliances etc.) Antimicrobial polymers are the materials having the capability to kill/inhibit the growth of microbes on their surface or surrounding environment. Recently, they gained considerable interest for both academic research and industry and were found to be better than their small molecular counterparts in terms of enhanced efficacy, reduced toxicity, minimized environmental problems, resistance, and prolonged lifetime. Hence, efforts have focused on the development of antimicrobial polymers with all desired characters for optimum activity. In this Review, an overview of different antimicrobial polymers, their mechanism of action, factors affecting antimicrobial activity, and application in various fields are given. Recent advances and the current clinical status of these polymers are also discussed. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products Animal & Veterinary Home Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin ...

  10. Byrsonima crassa Niedenzu (IK: antimicrobial activity and chemical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Vilegas

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available

    The methanolic extract of leaves from Byrsonima crassa, a Brazilian medicinal plant, was analyzed by CC and HPLC. Four constituents were isolated and identified as quercetin, methyl gallate, (--epigallocatechin gallate and quercetin-3-O-(2”-galloyl-a-L-arabinopyranoside. The methanolic and hydromethanolic extract, as well as fractions, were evaluated regarding their possible antimicrobial activity using in vitro methods. Results showed that both extracts and fractions exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against all tested strains. Keywords: Byrsonima crassa, antimicrobial activity, Malpighiaceae.

  11. Understanding the culture of antimicrobial prescribing in agriculture: a qualitative study of UK pig veterinary surgeons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyne, L A; Latham, S M; Williams, N J; Dawson, S; Donald, I J; Pearson, R B; Smith, R F; Pinchbeck, G L

    2016-11-01

    The use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals has been linked with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial populations, with consequences for animal and public health. This study explored the underpinning drivers, motivators and reasoning behind prescribing decisions made by veterinary surgeons working in the UK pig industry. A qualitative interview study was conducted with 21 veterinary surgeons purposively selected from all UK pig veterinary surgeons. Thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts. Ensuring optimum pig health and welfare was described as a driver for antimicrobial use by many veterinary surgeons and was considered a professional and moral obligation. Veterinary surgeons also exhibited a strong sense of social responsibility over the need to ensure that antimicrobial use was responsible. A close relationship between management practices, health and economics was evident, with improvements in management commonly identified as being potential routes to reduce antimicrobial usage; however, these were not always considered economically viable. The relationship with clients was identified as being a source of professional stress for practitioners due to pressure from farmers requesting antimicrobial prescriptions, and concern over poor compliance of antimicrobial administration by some farmers. The drivers behind prescribing decisions by veterinary surgeons were complex and diverse. A combination of education, improving communication between veterinary surgeons and farmers, and changes in regulations, in farm management and in consumer/retailer demands may all be needed to ensure that antimicrobial prescribing is optimal and to achieve significant reductions in use. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

  12. Antimicrobial activity of Nigerian medicinal plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anyanwu, Madubuike Umunna; Okoye, Rosemary Chinazam

    2017-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the major threats facing mankind. The emergence and rapid spread of multi- and pan-drug-resistant organisms (such as vancomycin-, methicillin-, extended-spectrum β-lactam-, carbapenem- and colistin-resistant organisms) has put the world in a dilemma. The health and economic burden associated with AMR on a global scale are dreadful. Available antimicrobials have been misused and are almost ineffective with some of these drugs associated with dangerous side effects in some individuals. Development of new, effective, and safe antimicrobials is one of the ways by which AMR burden can be reduced. The rate at which microorganisms develop AMR mechanisms outpaces the rate at which new antimicrobials are being developed. Medicinal plants are potential sources of new antimicrobial molecules. There is renewed interest in antimicrobial activities of phytochemicals. Nigeria boasts of a huge heritage of medicinal plants and there is avalanche of researches that have been undertaken to screen antimicrobial activities of these plants. Scientific compilation of these studies could provide useful information on the antimicrobial properties of the plants. This information can be useful in the development of new antimicrobial drugs. This paper reviews antimicrobial researches that have been undertaken on Nigerian medicinal plants. PMID:28512606

  13. Understanding the culture of antimicrobial prescribing in agriculture: a qualitative study of UK pig veterinary surgeons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyne, L. A.; Latham, S. M.; Williams, N. J.; Dawson, S.; Donald, I. J.; Pearson, R. B.; Smith, R. F.; Pinchbeck, G. L.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals has been linked with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in bacterial populations, with consequences for animal and public health. This study explored the underpinning drivers, motivators and reasoning behind prescribing decisions made by veterinary surgeons working in the UK pig industry. Methods A qualitative interview study was conducted with 21 veterinary surgeons purposively selected from all UK pig veterinary surgeons. Thematic analysis was used to analyse transcripts. Results Ensuring optimum pig health and welfare was described as a driver for antimicrobial use by many veterinary surgeons and was considered a professional and moral obligation. Veterinary surgeons also exhibited a strong sense of social responsibility over the need to ensure that antimicrobial use was responsible. A close relationship between management practices, health and economics was evident, with improvements in management commonly identified as being potential routes to reduce antimicrobial usage; however, these were not always considered economically viable. The relationship with clients was identified as being a source of professional stress for practitioners due to pressure from farmers requesting antimicrobial prescriptions, and concern over poor compliance of antimicrobial administration by some farmers. Conclusions The drivers behind prescribing decisions by veterinary surgeons were complex and diverse. A combination of education, improving communication between veterinary surgeons and farmers, and changes in regulations, in farm management and in consumer/retailer demands may all be needed to ensure that antimicrobial prescribing is optimal and to achieve significant reductions in use. PMID:27516473

  14. Dealing with antimicrobial resistance - the Danish experience

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bager, Flemming; Aarestrup, Frank Møller; Wegener, Henrik Caspar

    2000-01-01

    (DANMAP), which monitors resistance among bacteria from food animals, food and humans. A programme to monitor all use of prescription medicine in food animals at the herd level is presently being implemented. Another initiative was the elaboration of a series of practical recommendations to veterinarians...... on the prudent use of antimicrobials in order to reduce the development of resistance without compromising therapeutic efficacy. Our experience with avoparcin shows that a restrictive policy on the use of antimicrobials can curb the development of resistance. However, the occurrence and persistence of specific...

  15. Antimicrobial agents from Licaria puchuri-major and their synergistic effect with polygodial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Himejima, M; Kubo, I

    1992-05-01

    The resistance of the seeds of Licaria puchuri-major (Lauraceae) to decomposition in nature seems to be due largely to chemical defense, since its n-hexane extract contains antimicrobial principles in quantity, with a broad antimicrobial spectrum. In order to identify the active principles, the n-hexane extract was steam-distilled to yield a distillate and a residue. Subsequent bioassay indicated that the distillate retained the original broad antimicrobial activity, while the residue exhibited almost no activity. Gc-ms analysis showed that the distillate contained four phenolic compounds, seven monoterpenes, and one sesquiterpene. In contrast, the residue contained, almost exclusively, lauric acid. In the detailed antimicrobial assay with the pure compounds identified, most of them showed broad, but moderate, antimicrobial activity. Some of the components identified in the distillate were combined with polygodial [1] in order to enhance their antifungal activity. Unexpectedly, while polygodial did not synergize the antifungal activity of any of the compounds tested, the antifungal activity of polygodial was significantly increased when combined with aromatic substances such as anethole, safrole, or methyleugenol.

  16. Isolation and Antimicrobial Activity of Flavonoid Compounds from Mahagony Seeds (Swietenia macrophylla, King)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mursiti, S.; Supartono

    2017-02-01

    Flavonoid is one of the secondary metabolites compounds in mahogany seeds. Mahogany seeds can be used as an antimicrobial. This study aims to determine the antimicrobial activity of flavonoid compounds from mahogany seeds against Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Bacillus cereus (B.cereus). Isolation of flavonoid compounds done step by step. First, the maceration using n-hexane, then with methanol. The methanol extract was dissolved in ethyl acetate and aquadest, then separated. Ethyl acetate extract evaporated Flavonoid compounds were. The testing of antimicrobial activity of flavonoid compounds using the absorption method. The results showed that the antimicrobial activity of flavonoid compounds from mahogany seeds shows the inhibitory activity and provide clear zone against bacteria E.coli with value Inhibitory Regional Diameter 18.50 mm respectively, and 14.50 mm to the bacteria. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that flavonoid compounds from mahogany seeds have antimicrobial activity against E.coli and B.cereus.

  17. Controversies in Antimicrobial Stewardship: Focus on New Rapid Diagnostic Technologies and Antimicrobials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Wenzler

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs are challenged with ensuring appropriate antimicrobial use while minimizing expenditures. ASPs have consistently demonstrated improved patient outcomes and significant cost reductions but are continually required to justify the costs of their existence and interventions due to the silo mentality often adopted by hospital administrators. As new technologies and antimicrobials emerge, ASPs are in a constant tug-of-war between providing optimal clinical outcomes and ensuring cost containment. Additionally, robust data on cost-effectiveness of new rapid diagnostic technologies and antimicrobials with subsequent ASP interventions to provide justification are lacking. As the implementation of an ASP will soon be mandatory for acute care hospitals in the United States, ASPs must find ways to justify novel interventions to align themselves with healthcare administrators. This review provides a framework for the justification of implementing a rapid diagnostic test or adding a new antimicrobial to formulary with ASP intervention, reviews approaches to demonstrating cost-effectiveness, and proposes methods for which ASPs may reduce healthcare expenditures via alternative tactics.

  18. Antimicrobial activity screening of marine bacteria isolated from Port Klang and Port Tanjung Pelepas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibrahim, Nik Nuraznida Nik; Usup, Gires; Ahmad, Asmat

    2018-04-01

    Over the past ten years, marine natural product researchers have expanded the scope of their studies from macroorganisms such as algae to marine microorganisms. The marine environment is believed to be able to provide novel lead against pathogenic microbes that are evolving and developing resistance to existing pharmaceutical agents. In this study, a total of 150 bacterial isolates isolated from Port Klang and Port Tanjung Pelepas were screened for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Entrococcus, faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Methicillin-Resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Only 10 isolates: PW01, PW02, PB03, and PS (04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, and 10) showed strong antibacterial activity. Based on the strongest activity, isolates PW01 and PW02 were selected for secondary screening using well diffusion assay. The dichloromethane extract of Pseudomonas sp. PW01 showed activity against S. aureus (15±0 mm), V. parahaemolyticus (25±1.63 mm) and MRSA (18±0.81 mm). Meanwhile, the diethyl ether extract of Pseudomonas sp. PW02 showed active activity against S. aureus (10±0 mm), V. parahaemolyticus (30±0.94 mm), MRSA (30±0.94 mm), E. coli (22±1.25 mm) and E. faecalis (26±0 mm). Through this study, it was suggested that marine microorganisms may represent an untapped reservoir of biodiversity capable of synthesizing antimicrobial molecules.

  19. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products Animal & Veterinary Home Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin ...

  20. Antimicrobial resistance in clinical Escherichia coli isolates from poultry and livestock, China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afrah Kamal Yassin

    Full Text Available Poultry and livestock are the most important reservoirs for pathogenic Escherichia coli and use of antimicrobials in animal farming is considered the most important factor promoting the emergence, selection and dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. The aim of our study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolated from food animals in Jiangsu, China. The disc diffusion method was used to determine susceptibility to 18 antimicrobial agents in 862 clinical isolates collected from chickens, ducks, pigs, and cows between 2004 and 2012. Overall, 94% of the isolates showed resistance to at least one drug with 83% being resistance to at least three different classes of antimicrobials. The isolates from the different species were most commonly resistant to tetracycline, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and ampicillin, and showed increasing resistance to amikacin, aztreonam, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin. They were least resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (3.4% and ertapenem (0.2%. MDR was most common in isolates from ducks (44/44, 100%, followed by chickens (568/644, 88.2%, pigs (93/113, 82.3% and cows (13/61, 21.3%. Our finding that clinical E. coli isolates from poultry and livestock are commonly resistant to multiple antibiotics should alert public health and veterinary authorities to limit and rationalize antimicrobial use in China.

  1. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae in Switzerland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirchgässner, C; Schmitt, S; Borgström, A; Wittenbrink, M M

    2016-06-01

    Brachyspira (B.) hyodysenteriae is the causative agent of swine dysentery (SD), a severe mucohaemorrhagic diarrheal disease in pigs worldwide. So far, the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of B. hyodysenteriae in Switzerland have not been investigated. Therefore, a panel of 30 porcine B. hyodysenteriae isolates were tested against 6 antimicrobial agents by using the VetMIC Brachy panel, a broth microdilution test. Tiamulin and valnemulin showed high antimicrobial activity inhibiting all isolates at low concentrations. The susceptibility testing of doxycycline revealed values from ≤0.25 μg/ ml (47%) to 2 μg/ml (10%). The MIC values of lincomycin ranged between ≤0.5 μg/ml (30%) and 32 μg/ml (43%). For tylosin, 57% of the isolates could not be inhibited at the highest concentration of ≥128 μg/ml. The MIC values for tylvalosin were between ≤0.25 μg/ml (10%) and 8 μg/ml (20%). These findings reveal Switzerland's favourable situation compared to other European countries. Above all, tiamulin and valnemulin are still effective antimicrobial agents and can be further used for the treatment of SD.

  2. Antimicrobial properties of nano-silver: a cautionary approach to ionic interference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheehy, K; Casey, A; Murphy, A; Chambers, G

    2015-04-01

    Metallic nanoparticles such as nano-silver have found many applications as alternative antimicrobials in recent years. However methods for determining their proposed antimicrobial activity have received little attention to date. The disk diffusion assay is commonly used as a demonstration of antimicrobial properties and is a regular feature in synthetic nanoparticle papers. The aim of this study was to assess its effectiveness in demonstrating the "nanoparticle specific" antimicrobial properties in the absence of ionic contributions from unreacted reducing agents and or impurities. The disk diffusion assay was carried out on a range of silver nanoparticles, both in-house synthesised and commercially available, using Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 as a model organism. Capped and purified nanoparticles show no antimicrobial activity despite claims to the contrary for this assay. Results will be discussed in terms of the need for researchers without a background in microbiology to understand the mechanism of antimicrobial action before choosing an assay. Also discussed is the importance understanding the physiochemical characteristics of when interpreting results. Finally the relevance of the results in terms establishing protocols for method development for 'nanoparticle specific' antimicrobial properties will also be considered. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Use and Misuse of Antimicrobial Drugs in Poultry and Livestock: Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toni Poole* and Cynthia Sheffield

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Food safety begins on the farm with management practices that contribute to an abundant, safe, and affordable food supply. To attain this goal antimicrobials have been used in all stages of food animal production in the United States and elsewhere around the world at one time or another. Among food–production animals antimicrobials are used for growth promotion, disease prophylaxis or disease treatment, and are generally administered to the entire flock or herd. Over many decades bacteria have become resistant to multiple antimicrobial classes in a cumulative manner. Bacteria exhibit a number of well characterized mechanisms of resistance to antimicrobials that include: 1 modification of the antimicrobial; 2 alteration of the drug target; 3 decreased access of drug to target; and 4 implementation of an alternative metabolic pathway not affected by the drug. The mechanisms of resistance are complex and depend on the type of bacterium involved (e.g. Gram–positive or Gram–negative and the class of drug. Some bacterial species have accumulated resistance to nearly all antimicrobial classes due to a combination of intrinsic and acquired processes. This has and will continue to lead to clinical failures of antimicrobial treatment in both human and animal medicine.

  4. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... More in Antimicrobial Resistance National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System ... If you need help accessing information in different file formats, see Instructions for Downloading ...

  5. Laurel leaf extracts for honeybee pest and disease management: antimicrobial, microsporicidal, and acaricidal activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damiani, Natalia; Fernández, Natalia J; Porrini, Martín P; Gende, Liesel B; Álvarez, Estefanía; Buffa, Franco; Brasesco, Constanza; Maggi, Matías D; Marcangeli, Jorge A; Eguaras, Martín J

    2014-02-01

    A diverse set of parasites and pathogens affects productivity and survival of Apis mellifera honeybees. In beekeeping, traditional control by antibiotics and molecules of synthesis has caused problems with contamination and resistant pathogens. In this research, different Laurus nobilis extracts are tested against the main honeybee pests through an integrated point of view. In vivo effects on bee survival are also evaluated. The ethanol extract showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 208 to 416 μg/mL, having the best antimicrobial effect on Paenibacillus larvae among all substances tested. Similarly, this leaf extract showed a significant antiparasitic activity on Varroa destructor, killing 50 % of mites 24 h after a 30-s exposure, and on Nosema ceranae, inhibiting the spore development in the midgut of adult bees ingesting 1 × 10(4) μg/mL of extract solution. Both ethanol extract and volatile extracts (essential oil, hydrolate, and its main component) did not cause lethal effects on adult honeybees. Thus, the absence of topical and oral toxicity of the ethanol extract on bees and the strong antimicrobial, microsporicidal, and miticidal effects registered in this study place this laurel extract as a promising integrated treatment of bee diseases and stimulates the search for other bioactive phytochemicals from plants.

  6. Antimicrobial Drugs in the Home

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    Survey participants in the United Kingdom admitted keeping leftover antimicrobial drugs for future use and taking them without medical advice. Dr. J. Todd Weber, director of CDC's Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, advises against the practice, which can be dangerous and can promote antimicrobial drug resistance.

  7. Antimicrobial efficacy of Syzygium antisepticum plant extract against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus and its application potential with cooked chicken.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Wenqian; Yuk, Hyun-Gyun

    2018-06-01

    For the past decades, there has been a growing demand for natural antimicrobials in the food industry. Plant extracts have attracted strong research interests due to their wide-spectrum antimicrobial activities, but only a limited number have been investigated thoroughly. The present study aimed at identifying a novel anti-staphylococcal plant extract, to validate its activity in a food model, and to investigate on its composition and antimicrobial mechanism. Four plant extracts were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in vitro, with Syzygium antisepticum leaf extract showing the strongest antimicrobial activity (MIC = 0.125 mg/mL). Relatively high total phenolic content (276.3 mg GAE/g extract) and antioxidant activities (90.2-138.0 mg TE/g extract) were measured in S. antisepticum extract. Food validation study revealed that higher extract concentration (32 mg/mL) was able to inhibit or reduce staphylococcal growth in cooked chicken, but caused color change on meat surface. By GC-MS, β-caryophyllene (12.76 area%) was identified as the dominant volatile compound in extract. Both crude extract and pure β-caryophyllene induced membrane damages in S. aureus. These results suggested good anti-staphylococcal properties of S. antisepticum plant extract, identified its major volatile composition and its membrane-damaging antimicrobial mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Antimicrobial potential of a lipopeptide biosurfactant derived from a marine Bacillus circulans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, P; Mukherjee, S; Sen, R

    2008-06-01

    To isolate the biologically active fraction of the lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by a marine Bacillus circulans and study its antimicrobial potentials. The marine isolate B. circulans was cultivated in glucose mineral salts medium and the crude biosurfactant was isolated by chemical isolation method. The crude biosurfactants were solvent extracted with methanol and the methanol extract was subjected to reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The crude biosurfactants resolved into six major fractions in HPLC. The sixth HPLC fraction eluting at a retention time of 27.3 min showed the maximum surface tension-reducing property and reduced the surface tension of water from 72 mNm(-1) to 28 mNm(-1). Only this fraction was found to posses bioactivity and showed a pronounced antimicrobial action against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic and semi-pathogenic micro-organisms including a few multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogenic clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of this antimicrobial fraction of the biosurfactant were determined for these test organisms. The biosurfactant was found to be active against Gram-negative bacteria such as Proteus vulgaris and Alcaligens faecalis at a concentration as low as 10 microg ml(-1). The biosurfactant was also active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other MDR pathogenic strains. The chemical identity of this bioactive biosurfactant fraction was determined by post chromatographic detection using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and also by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The antimicrobial HPLC fraction resolved as a single spot on TLC and showed positive reaction with ninhydrin, iodine and rhodamine-B reagents, indicating its lipopeptide nature. IR absorption by this fraction also showed similar and overlapping patterns with that of other lipopeptide biosurfactants such as surfactin

  9. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of Iranian Propolis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afrouzan, Houshang; Tahghighi, Azar; Zakeri, Sedigheh; Es-haghi, Ali

    2018-01-01

    Background: With considering the importance of natural products for their remedial and therapeutic value, this research was aimed to analyze the chemical compositions and antimicrobial activity of four propolis samples from different areas of Iran (Chenaran, Taleghan, Morad Beyg, and Kalaleh) with various climates and flora. Methods: Ethanolic (70% EtOH) and dichlromethane (DCM) extracts of Iranian propolis were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods, and antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus using disk diffusion antimicrobial method. Results: The results of GC-MS analysis showed the presence of fatty acids, flavonoids, terpenes, aromatic-aliphatic acids, and their related esters. The total flavonoids in DCM extract of Chenaran, Taleghan, Morad Beyg, and Kalaleh propolis were pinocembrin and pinostrobin chalcone. The common phenolic and terpene compounds detected in all four tested EtOH extracts were P-cumaric acid and dimethyl -1,3,5,6-tetramethyl-[1,3-(13C2)] bicycloce [5.5.0] dodeca-1,3,5,6,8,10-hexaene-9,10-dicarboxylate, respectively. The highest inhibitory diameter zone of the Iranian propolis against C. albicans, E. coli, and S. aureus was for DCM extract of Kalaleh propolis (13.33 mm), Morad Beyg propolis (12 mm), and Kalaleh (11.67 mm), respectively. Conclusion: Iranian propolis showed antimicrobial activities against C. albicans, E. coli, and S. aurous, perhaps due to the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenes as active components that can be used alone or in combination with the selected antibiotics to synergize antibiotic effect, as well as to prevent microbial resistance to available antimicrobial drugs. PMID:28558440

  10. Oral administration of antimicrobials increase antimicrobial resistance in E. coli from chicken--a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simoneit, C; Burow, E; Tenhagen, B-A; Käsbohrer, A

    2015-01-01

    Antimicrobials play an important role in animal and human health care. It was the aim of this systematic review to assess the effects of oral administration of antimicrobials on the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Escherichia coli (E. coli) from chickens. Moreover, the effects of the administration of more than one antimicrobial and of different dosages were studied. Literature was searched in November 2012 from the electronic databases ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and a national literature database (DIMDI) as well as the database ProQuest LLC. The search was updated in March 2014. Original studies describing a treatment (A) and a control group of either non-treatment (C) or initial value (0) and determining AMR in E. coli at different sample points (SP) were included. The literature search resulted in 35 full text articles on the topic, seven (20%) of which contained sufficient information on the administered antimicrobial and the impact of treatment on AMR. Most papers described the use of more than one antimicrobial, several dosages, controls (non-treatment or pre-treatment) and measured AMR at different SPs leading to a total of 227 SPs on the impact of the use of antimicrobials on AMR in chickens. 74% of the SPs (168/227) described a higher AMR-rate in E. coli from treated animals than from controls. After the administration of a single antimicrobial, AMR increased at 72% of the SPs. Administration of more than one antimicrobial increased AMR at 82% of the SPs. Higher dosages were associated with similar or higher AMR rates. The limited number of studies for each antimicrobial agent and the high variability in the resistance effect call for more well designed studies on the impact of oral administration on AMR development and spread. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Macromolecular agents with antimicrobial potentialities: A drive to combat antimicrobial resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilal, Muhammad; Rasheed, Tahir; Iqbal, Hafiz M N; Hu, Hongbo; Wang, Wei; Zhang, Xuehong

    2017-10-01

    In recent years, the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) or multidrug resistance (MDR) has become a serious health concern and major challenging issue, worldwide. After decades of negligence, the AMR has now captured global attention. The increasing number of antibiotic-resistant strains has threatened the achievements of science and medicine since it inactivates conventional antimicrobial therapeutics. Scientists are trying to respond to AMR/MDR threat by exploring innovative platforms and new therapeutic strategies to tackle infections from these resistant strains and bypass treatment limitations related to these pathologies. The present review focuses on the utilization of bio-inspired novel constructs and their potential applications as novel antimicrobial agents. The first part of the review describes plant-based biological macromolecules containing an immense variety of secondary metabolites, which could be potentially used as alternative strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance. The second part discusses the potential of metal-based macromolecules as effective antimicrobial platforms for preventing infections from resistant strains. The third part comprehensively elucidates how nanoparticles, in particular, metal-integrated nanoparticles can overcome this AMR or MDR issue. Towards the end, information is given with critical concluding remarks, gaps, and finally envisioned with future considerations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Antimicrobial use and antimicrobial susceptibility in Escherichia coli on small- and medium-scale pig farms in north-eastern Thailand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Ström

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Intensification of livestock production seen in many low- and middle-income countries is often believed to be associated with increased use of antimicrobials, and may hence contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to map antimicrobial use on small- (n = 25 and medium-scale (n = 27 pig farms in north-eastern Thailand, and to compare antimicrobial susceptibility of commensal Escherichia coli isolated from sows on these farms. Methods Information regarding pig husbandry and antimicrobial treatment regimens was obtained by the use of semi-structured questionnaires. Faecal samples were collected from three healthy sows at each farm, and Escherichia coli was cultured and analysed for antimicrobial susceptibility using the broth microdilution method. Multilevel regression models were used to compare antimicrobial susceptibility between isolates from small- and medium-scale farms. Results All farms included in the study administered antimicrobials to their sows. Small-scale farmers most commonly (64% decided themselves when to give antimicrobials and the majority (60% bought the medicines at the local store or pharmacy, whereas farmers on medium-scale farms always discussed antimicrobial treatment with a veterinarian. Medium-scale farms used a greater diversity of antimicrobials than small-scale farms and did also administer antimicrobials in feed to a higher extent. High levels of antimicrobial resistance to several critically important antimicrobials for human medicine (including ciprofloxacin, streptomycin and ampicillin were found in isolates from both small- and medium-scale farms. Resistance levels were significantly (P < 0.05 higher in isolates from medium-scale farms for several of the antimicrobials tested, as well as the level of multidrug-resistance (P = 0.026. Conclusion The routines regarding access and administration of antimicrobials differed between the small- and

  13. In vitro sensitivity of Hungarian Actinobaculum suis strains to selected antimicrobials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biksi, I; Major, Andrea; Fodor, L; Szenci, O; Vetési, F

    2003-01-01

    In vitro antimicrobial sensitivity of 12 Hungarian isolates and the type strain ATCC 33144 of Actinobaculum suis to different antimicrobial compounds was determined both by the agar dilution and by the disc diffusion method. By agar dilution, MIC50 values in the range of 0.05-3.125 micrograms/ml were determined for penicillin, ampicillin, ceftiofur, doxycycline, tylosin, pleuromutilins, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, enrofloxacin and lincomycin. The MIC50 value of oxytetracycline and spectinomycin was 6.25 and 12.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. For ofloxacin, flumequine, neomycin, streptomycin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin and sulphamethoxazole + trimethoprim MIC50 values were in the range of 25-100 micrograms/ml. With the disc diffusion method, all strains were sensitive to penicillin, cephalosporins examined, chloramphenicol and florfenicol, tetracyclines examined, pleuromutilins, lincomycin and tylosin. Variable sensitivity was observed for fluoroquinolones (flumequine, enrofloxacin, ofloxacin), most of the strains were susceptible to marbofloxacin. Almost all strains were resistant to aminoglycosides but most of them were sensitive to spectinomycin. A strong correlation was determined for disc diffusion and MIC results (Spearman's rho 0.789, p < 0001). MIC values of the type strain and MIC50 values of other tested strains did not differ significantly. Few strains showed a partially distinct resistance pattern for erythromycin, lincomycin and ampicillin in both methods.

  14. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... search Popular ... produced a nine-minute animation explaining how antimicrobial resistance both emerges and proliferates among bacteria. Over time, the use of antimicrobial drugs will ...

  15. A European study on the relationship between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bronzwaer, SLAM; Cars, O; Buchholz, U; Molstad, S; Goettsch, W; Veldhuijzen, IK; Kool, JL; Sprenger, MJW; Degener, JE

    In Europe, antimicrobial resistance has been monitored since 1998 by the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS). We examined the relationship between penicillin nonsusceptibility of invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and antibiotic sales. Information was collected

  16. Antiproliferative and antimicrobial efficacy of the compounds isolated from the roots of Oenothera biennis L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Shilpi; Dubey, Vijaya; Singh, Dhananjay Kumar; Fatima, Kaneez; Ahmad, Ateeque; Luqman, Suaib

    2017-09-01

    Oenothera biennis L., commonly known as evening primrose, harbours the flavonoids, steroids, tannins, fatty acids and terpenoids responsible for a diverse range of biological activity, such as antitumour, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition to the previous reports from aerial parts of this plant, studies related to antiproliferative or antimicrobial activity from the roots are warranted. To investigate antiproliferative and antimicrobial activity of compounds/mixture (1-8) isolated and characterized from the roots of O. biennis L. A possible mechanism of antiproliferative activity was also studied by targeting ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and cathepsin D (CATD). Antiproliferative efficacy of the compounds/mixture was examined in selected cancer cell lines along with their probable mechanism of action. The antimicrobial activity was also studied against selected microbes (bacteria and fungi). Antiproliferative potential was evaluated by MTT assay against selected cell lines. The mechanism of action was studied spectrophotometrically by targeting ODC and CATD using both an in-vitro and an in-silico approach. The antimicrobial efficiency was analysed using the disc diffusion and broth dilution methods. Oenotheralanosterol B (3) and the mixture of oenotheralanosterol A and oenotheralanosterol B (4) exhibited antiproliferative activity against breast, hepatic, prostate and leukaemia cancer cell lines as well as in mouse macrophages (IC 50 8.35-49.69 μg/ml). Oenotheralanosterol B (3) and the mixture of oenotheralanosterol A and oenotheralanosterol B (4) displayed a strong molecular interaction with succinate dehydrogenase (binding energy -6.23 and -6.84 kcal/mol and Ki 27.03 and 9.6 μm, respectively). Oenotheralanosterol A (1), oenotheralanosterol B (3) and mixture of oenotheralanosterol A and oenotheralanosterol B (4) potently inhibited the ODC activity with IC 50 ranging from 4.65 ± 0.35 to 19.06 ± 4.16 μg/ml and also showed a

  17. Polydimethylsiloxane-polymethacrylate block copolymers tethering quaternary ammonium salt groups for antimicrobial coating

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qin, Xiaoshuai; Li, Yancai; Zhou, Fang; Ren, Lixia; Zhao, Yunhui, E-mail: zhaoyunhui@tju.edu.cn; Yuan, Xiaoyan

    2015-02-15

    Highlights: • A series of PDMS-b-QPDMAEMA block copolymers were synthesized via RAFT polymerization. • The composition and morphology of the copolymer films strongly depended on the content of QPDMAEMA. • Migration of QPDMAEMA blocks toward surface was promoted when contacting with water. • Heterogeneous film surfaces with higher N{sup +} content exhibited more obvious antimicrobial activity. - Abstract: Block copolymers PDMS-b-PDMAEMA were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization involving N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) by using poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) macro-chain transfer agent. And, the tertiary amino groups in PDMAEMA were quaternized with n-octyliodide to provide quaternary ammonium salts (QPDMAEMA). The well-defined copolymers generated composition variation and morphology evolvement on film surfaces, which were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle measurements. The results indicated that the enrichment of QPDMAEMA brought about lower elemental ratios of Si/N on the film surfaces. The surface morphologies evolved with the variations of QPDMAEMA content, and the variation trend of film roughness was exactly opposite to that of water contact angle hysteresis. With regard to structure-antimicrobial relationships, the copolymer films had more evident antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Bacillus subtilis, and the surfaces with heterogeneous morphology and higher N{sup +} content presented better antimicrobial activity. The functionalized copolymers based PDMS and quaternary ammonium salts materials have the potential applications as antimicrobial coatings.

  18. Antimicrobial activities of commercial essential oils and their components against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mith, Hasika; Duré, Rémi; Delcenserie, Véronique; Zhiri, Abdesselam; Daube, Georges; Clinquart, Antoine

    2014-01-01

    This study was undertaken to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activities of 15 commercial essential oils and their main components in order to pre-select candidates for potential application in highly perishable food preservation. The antibacterial effects against food-borne pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7) and food spoilage bacteria (Brochothrix thermosphacta and Pseudomonas fluorescens) were tested using paper disk diffusion method, followed by determination of minimum inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal (MBC) concentrations. Most of the tested essential oils exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested bacteria, except galangal oil. The essential oils of cinnamon, oregano, and thyme showed strong antimicrobial activities with MIC ≥ 0.125 μL/mL and MBC ≥ 0.25 μL/mL. Among tested bacteria, P. fluorescens was the most resistant to selected essential oils with MICs and MBCs of 1 μL/mL. The results suggest that the activity of the essential oils of cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and clove can be attributed to the existence mostly of cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol, which appear to possess similar activities against all the tested bacteria. These materials could be served as an important natural alternative to prevent bacterial growth in food products. PMID:25473498

  19. [Isolation and antimicrobial activities of actinomycetes from vermicompost].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xue-jun; Yan, Shuang-lin; Min, Chang-li; Yang, Yan

    2015-02-01

    In this paper, actinomycetes were isolated from vermicompost by tablet coating method. Antimicrobial activities of actinomycetes were measured by the agar block method. Strains with high activity were identified based on morphology and biochemical characteristics, as well as 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. The results showed that 26 strains of actinomycetes were isolated, 16 of them had antimicrobial activities to the test strains which accounts for 61.54% of all strains. Among the 16 strains, the strain QYF12 and QYF22 had higher antimicrobial activity to Micrococcus luteus, with a formed inhibition zone of 27 mm and 31 mm, respectively. While the strain QYF26 had higher antimicrobial activity to Bacillus subtilis, and the inhibition zone diameter was 21 mm. Based on the identification of strains with high activity, the strain QYF12 was identified as Streptomyces chartreusis, the strain QYF22 was S. ossamyceticus and the strain QYF26 was S. gancidicus. This study provided a theoretical basis for further separate antibacterial product used for biological control.

  20. Antimicrobial lectin from Schinus terebinthifolius leaf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes, F S; Procópio, T F; Napoleão, T H; Coelho, L C B B; Paiva, P M G

    2013-03-01

    Schinus terebinthifolius leaves are used for treating human diseases caused by micro-organisms. This work reports the isolation, characterization and antimicrobial activity of S. terebinthifolius leaf lectin (SteLL). The isolation procedure involved protein extraction with 0.15 mol l(-1) NaCl, filtration through activated charcoal and chromatography of the filtrate on a chitin column. SteLL is a 14-kDa glycopeptide with haemagglutinating activity that is inhibited by N-acetyl-glucosamine, not affected by ions (Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)) and stable upon heating (30-100 °C) as well as over the pH 5.0-8.0. The antimicrobial effect of SteLL was evaluated by determining the minimal inhibitory (MIC), bactericide (MBC) and fungicide (MFC) concentrations. Lectin was active against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis and Staphylococcus aureus. Highest bacteriostatic and bactericide effects were detected for Salm. enteritidis (MIC: 0.45 μg ml(-1)) and Staph. aureus (MBC: 7.18 μg ml(-1)), respectively. SteLL impaired the growth (MIC: 6.5 μg ml(-1)) and survival (MFC: 26 μg ml(-1)) of Candida albicans. SteLL, a chitin-binding lectin, purified in milligram quantities, showed antimicrobial activity against medically important bacteria and fungi. SteLL can be considered as a new biomaterial for potential antimicrobial applications. © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  1. Serum stabilities of short tryptophan- and arginine-rich antimicrobial peptide analogs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonard T Nguyen

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Several short antimicrobial peptides that are rich in tryptophan and arginine residues were designed with a series of simple modifications such as end capping and cyclization. The two sets of hexapeptides are based on the Trp- and Arg-rich primary sequences from the "antimicrobial centre" of bovine lactoferricin as well as an antimicrobial sequence obtained through the screening of a hexapeptide combinatorial library.HPLC, mass spectrometry and antimicrobial assays were carried out to explore the consequences of the modifications on the serum stability and microbicidal activity of the peptides. The results show that C-terminal amidation increases the antimicrobial activity but that it makes little difference to its proteolytic degradation in human serum. On the other hand, N-terminal acetylation decreases the peptide activities but significantly increases their protease resistance. Peptide cyclization of the hexameric peptides was found to be highly effective for both serum stability and antimicrobial activity. However the two cyclization strategies employed have different effects, with disulfide cyclization resulting in more active peptides while backbone cyclization results in more proteolytically stable peptides. However, the benefit of backbone cyclization did not extend to longer 11-mer peptides derived from the same region of lactoferricin. Mass spectrometry data support the serum stability assay results and allowed us to determine preferred proteolysis sites in the peptides. Furthermore, isothermal titration calorimetry experiments showed that the peptides all had weak interactions with albumin, the most abundant protein in human serum.Taken together, the results provide insight into the behavior of the peptides in human serum and will therefore aid in advancing antimicrobial peptide design towards systemic applications.

  2. Antimicrobial Resistance of Faecal Escherichia coli Isolates from Pig Farms with Different Durations of In-feed Antimicrobial Use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbons, J F; Boland, F; Egan, J; Fanning, S; Markey, B K; Leonard, F C

    2016-05-01

    Antimicrobial use and resistance in animal and food production are of concern to public health. The primary aims of this study were to determine the frequency of resistance to 12 antimicrobials in Escherichia coli isolates from 39 pig farms and to identify patterns of antimicrobial use on these farms. Further aims were to determine whether a categorization of farms based on the duration of in-feed antimicrobial use (long-term versus short-term) could predict the occurrence of resistance on these farms and to identify the usage of specific antimicrobial drugs associated with the occurrence of resistance. Escherichia coli were isolated from all production stages on these farms; susceptibility testing was carried out against a panel of antimicrobials. Antimicrobial prescribing data were collected, and farms were categorized as long term or short term based on these. Resistance frequencies and antimicrobial use were tabulated. Logistic regression models of resistance to each antimicrobial were constructed with stage of production, duration of antimicrobial use and the use of 5 antimicrobial classes included as explanatory variables in each model. The greatest frequencies of resistance were observed to tetracycline, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and streptomycin with the highest levels of resistance observed in isolates from first-stage weaned pigs. Differences in the types of antimicrobial drugs used were noted between long-term and short-term use farms. Categorization of farms as long- or short-term use was sufficient to predict the likely occurrence of resistance to 3 antimicrobial classes and could provide an aid in the control of resistance in the food chain. Stage of production was a significant predictor variable in all models of resistance constructed and did not solely reflect antimicrobial use at each stage. Cross-selection and co-selection for resistance was evident in the models constructed, and the use of trimethoprim/sulphonamide drugs in particular was

  3. Polylactic Acid-Lemongrass Essential Oil Nanocapsules with Antimicrobial Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liakos, Ioannis L; Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai; Holban, Alina Maria; Florin, Iordache; D'Autilia, Francesca; Carzino, Riccardo; Bianchini, Paolo; Athanassiou, Athanassia

    2016-07-07

    Polylactic acid was combined with lemongrass essential oil (EO) to produce functional nanocapsules (NCs). The obtained polylactic acid nanoparticles showed antimicrobial activity both with and without the presence of lemongrass oil; however, the presence of EO improved the activity of the NCs. The presence of lemongrass assisted the formation of well-separated NCs and also provided enhanced antimicrobial properties, since lemongrass is known for its antimicrobial character. Fluorescence microscopy was used to optically observe the nanoparticles and NCs and revealed the attachment of lemongrass oil with the polylactic acid NCs. Dynamic light scattering was used to determine their size. UV absorption was used to determine the exact amount of lemongrass oil found in the polylactic acid-lemongrass oil NCs, which was important for understanding the minimum inhibitory concentration for the antimicrobial experiments. A series of clinically important microbial species were used in the study and the obtained NCs proved to have very good antimicrobial properties against all tested strains. Such NCs can be used for the design of ecological strategies, based on natural alternatives, which may be efficient against severe infections, including those that involve resistant pathogens and biofilms or those with difficult to reach localization.

  4. Polylactic Acid—Lemongrass Essential Oil Nanocapsules with Antimicrobial Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioannis L. Liakos

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Polylactic acid was combined with lemongrass essential oil (EO to produce functional nanocapsules (NCs. The obtained polylactic acid nanoparticles showed antimicrobial activity both with and without the presence of lemongrass oil; however, the presence of EO improved the activity of the NCs. The presence of lemongrass assisted the formation of well-separated NCs and also provided enhanced antimicrobial properties, since lemongrass is known for its antimicrobial character. Fluorescence microscopy was used to optically observe the nanoparticles and NCs and revealed the attachment of lemongrass oil with the polylactic acid NCs. Dynamic light scattering was used to determine their size. UV absorption was used to determine the exact amount of lemongrass oil found in the polylactic acid—lemongrass oil NCs, which was important for understanding the minimum inhibitory concentration for the antimicrobial experiments. A series of clinically important microbial species were used in the study and the obtained NCs proved to have very good antimicrobial properties against all tested strains. Such NCs can be used for the design of ecological strategies, based on natural alternatives, which may be efficient against severe infections, including those that involve resistant pathogens and biofilms or those with difficult to reach localization.

  5. Antimicrobial properties of nudibranchs tissues extracts from South Andaman, India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kota Veeraswamy Reddy

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial properties of tissues extracts of different nudibranchs such as Phyllidia varicosa, Plakobranchus ocellatus, Phyllidiella rosans and Halgerda stricklandi against bacterial and fungal pathogens. Methods: Nudibranchs tissue samples were subjected to organic solvent extraction for antimicrobial activity by well diffusion method. Results: The crude extract 50 μL (0.2 mg of Phyllidia varicosa showed the maximum inhibitory zone (22 mm against Shigella flexneri. Plakobranchus ocellatus extract of 50 μL (0.2 mg showed the maximum inhibitory zone against Shigella flexneri (22 mm and Staphylococcus aureus (19 mm and no significant activity was found against the fungal pathogens. Conclusions: This work reveals that nudibranch tissues contain the antimicrobial secondary metabolites, which leads the significant activity against bacterial pathogens and further emphasizes detailed study on novel drug discovery from nudibranch tissues against certain human bacterial infections.

  6. Association Between Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli Isolates from Food Animals and Blood Stream Isolates from Humans in Europe: An Ecological Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vieira, Antonio; Collignon, Peter; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

    2011-01-01

    Background: In addition to medical antimicrobial usage, the use of antimicrobials in food animals contributes to the occurrence of resistance among some bacterial species isolated from infections in humans. Recently, several studies have indicated that a large proportion of Escherichia coli causing...... infections in humans, especially those resistant to antimicrobials, have an animal origin.Methods: We analyzed the correlation between the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolates from blood stream infections in humans and in E. coli isolates from poultry, pigs, and cattle between 2005...... and 2008 for 11 countries, using available surveillance data. We also assessed the correlation between human antimicrobial usage and the occurrence of resistance in E. coli isolates from blood stream infections.Results: Strong and significant correlations between prevalences of resistance to ampicillin (r...

  7. Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activities of Five Lichen Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Snežana Marković

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available The antioxidative, antimicrobial and antiproliferative potentials of the methanol extracts of the lichen species Parmelia sulcata, Flavoparmelia caperata, Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia physodes and Cladonia foliacea were evaluated. The total phenolic content of the tested extracts varied from 78.12 to 141.59 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GA/g of extract and the total flavonoid content from 20.14 to 44.43 mg of rutin equivalent (Ru/g of extract. The antioxidant capacities of the lichen extracts were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radicals scavenging. Hypogymnia physodes with the highest phenolic content showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging effect. Further, the antimicrobial potential of the lichen extracts was determined by a microdilution method on 29 microorganisms, including 15 strains of bacteria, 10 species of filamentous fungi and 4 yeast species. A high antimicrobial activity of all the tested extracts was observed with more potent inhibitory effects on the growth of Gram (+ bacteria. The highest antimicrobial activity among lichens was demonstrated by Hypogymnia physodes and Cladonia foliacea. Finally, the antiproliferative activity of the lichen extracts was explored on the colon cancer adenocarcinoma cell line HCT-116 by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide viability assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. The methanol extracts of Hypogymnia physodes and Cladonia foliacea showed a better cytotoxic activity than the other extracts. All lichen species showed the ability to induce apoptosis of HCT-116 cells.

  8. Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activities of Five Lichen Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitrović, Tatjana; Stamenković, Slaviša; Cvetković, Vladimir; Tošić, Svetlana; Stanković, Milan; Radojević, Ivana; Stefanović, Olgica; Čomić, Ljiljana; Đačić, Dragana; Ćurčić, Milena; Marković, Snežana

    2011-01-01

    The antioxidative, antimicrobial and antiproliferative potentials of the methanol extracts of the lichen species Parmelia sulcata, Flavoparmelia caperata, Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia physodes and Cladonia foliacea were evaluated. The total phenolic content of the tested extracts varied from 78.12 to 141.59 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GA)/g of extract and the total flavonoid content from 20.14 to 44.43 mg of rutin equivalent (Ru)/g of extract. The antioxidant capacities of the lichen extracts were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging. Hypogymnia physodes with the highest phenolic content showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging effect. Further, the antimicrobial potential of the lichen extracts was determined by a microdilution method on 29 microorganisms, including 15 strains of bacteria, 10 species of filamentous fungi and 4 yeast species. A high antimicrobial activity of all the tested extracts was observed with more potent inhibitory effects on the growth of Gram (+) bacteria. The highest antimicrobial activity among lichens was demonstrated by Hypogymnia physodes and Cladonia foliacea. Finally, the antiproliferative activity of the lichen extracts was explored on the colon cancer adenocarcinoma cell line HCT-116 by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) viability assay and acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. The methanol extracts of Hypogymnia physodes and Cladonia foliacea showed a better cytotoxic activity than the other extracts. All lichen species showed the ability to induce apoptosis of HCT-116 cells. PMID:21954369

  9. Antimicrobial beeswax coated polylactide films with silver control release capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Abad, Antonio; Lagarón, Jose Maria; Ocio, María Jose

    2014-03-17

    Although the application of silver based antimicrobial systems is a widespread technology, its implementation in areas such as food packaging is still challenging. The present paper describes the fabrication of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) coated with beeswax with controlled release properties for sustained antimicrobial performance. Release of silver ions from the polymers was monitored voltammetrically under various conditions (surface contact, immersion in various liquid media and at different pH values) throughout at least 7days. A higher release was noted with decreasing pH while surface release was much slower than the release when immersed in liquid medium. While uncoated films demonstrated a high burst release which in some instances implied surpassing some current migration restrictions (food), the addition of a beeswax layer allowed a sustained release of the antimicrobial compound. Increasing the thickness of the beeswax layer resulted in an increase in the water barrier properties of the films while reducing the relatively constant values of sustained release. Antimicrobial performance was correlated with the release of silver ions, indicating threshold concentrations for biocide action of films displayed a strong bactericidal effect against Salmonella enterica. The application of this functional barrier thus offers the possibility of tuning the release profiles of the films to suit a specific application and puts forth the possible suitability of these materials for food packaging or other migration sensitive applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Effect of Antimicrobial Consumption and Production Type on Antibacterial Resistance in the Bovine Respiratory and Digestive Tract.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boudewijn Catry

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between antimicrobial use and the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in the digestive and respiratory tract in three different production systems of food producing animals. A longitudinal study was set up in 25 Belgian bovine herds (10 dairy, 10 beef, and 5 veal herds for a 2 year monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibilities in E. coli and Pasteurellaceae retrieved from the rectum and the nasal cavity, respectively. During the first year of observation, the antimicrobial use was prospectively recorded on 15 of these farms (5 of each production type and transformed into the treatment incidences according to the (animal defined daily dose (TIADD and (actually used daily dose (TIUDD. Antimicrobial resistance rates of 4,174 E. coli (all herds and 474 Pasteurellaceae (beef and veal herds only isolates for 12 antimicrobial agents demonstrated large differences between intensively reared veal calves (abundant and inconstant and more extensively reared dairy and beef cattle (sparse and relatively stable. Using linear mixed effect models, a strong relation was found between antimicrobial treatment incidences and resistance profiles of 1,639 E. coli strains (p<0.0001 and 309 Pasteurellaceae (p≤0.012. These results indicate that a high antimicrobial selection pressure, here found to be represented by low dosages of oral prophylactic and therapeutic group medication, converts not only the commensal microbiota from the digestive tract but also the opportunistic pathogenic bacteria in the respiratory tract into reservoirs of multi-resistance.

  11. Preparation and Application of Starch/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Citric Acid Ternary Blend Antimicrobial Functional Food Packaging Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhijun Wu

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Ternary blend films were prepared with different ratios of starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/citric acid. The films were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, thermogravimetric analysis, as well as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR analysis. The influence of different ratios of starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/citric acid and different drying times on the performance properties, transparency, tensile strength (TS, water vapor permeability (WVP, water solubility (WS, color difference (ΔE, and antimicrobial activity of the ternary blends films were investigated. The starch/polyvinyl alcohol/citric acid (S/P/C1:1:0, S/P/C3:1:0.08, and S/P/C3:3:0.08 films were all highly transparent. The S/P/C3:3:0.08 had a 54.31 times water-holding capacity of its own weight and its mechanical tensile strength was 46.45 MPa. In addition, its surface had good uniformity and compactness. The S/P/C3:1:0.08 and S/P/C3:3:0.08 showed strong antimicrobial activity to Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, which were the food-borne pathogenic bacteria used. The freshness test results of fresh figs showed that all of the blends prevented the formation of condensed water on the surface of the film, and the S/P/C3:1:0.08 and S/P/C3:3:0.08 prevented the deterioration of figs during storage. The films can be used as an active food packaging system due to their strong antibacterial effect.

  12. Suggested guidelines for using systemic antimicrobials in bacterial skin infections: part?2? antimicrobial choice, treatment regimens and compliance

    OpenAIRE

    Beco, L.; Guagu?re, E.; M?ndez, C. Lorente; Noli, C.; Nuttall, T.; Vroom, M.

    2013-01-01

    Systemic antimicrobials are critically important in veterinary healthcare, and resistance is a major concern. Antimicrobial stewardship will be important in maintaining clinical efficacy by reducing the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Bacterial skin infections are one of the most common reasons for using systemic antimicrobials in dogs and cats. Appropriate management of these infections is, therefore, crucial in any policy for responsible antimicrobial use. The goals of t...

  13. Arginine-rich histones have strong antiviral activity for influenza A viruses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoeksema, Marloes; Tripathi, Shweta; White, Mitchell; Qi, Li; Taubenberger, Jeffery; van Eijk, Martin; Haagsman, Henk; Hartshorn, Kevan L

    2015-10-01

    While histones are best known for DNA binding and transcription-regulating properties, they also have antimicrobial activity against a broad range of potentially pathogenic organisms. Histones are abundant in neutrophil extracellular traps, where they play an important role in NET-mediated antimicrobial killing. Here, we show anti-influenza activity of histones against both seasonal H3N2 and H1N1, but not pandemic H1N1. The arginine rich histones, H3 and H4, had greater neutralizing and viral aggregating activity than the lysine rich histones, H2A and H2B. Of all core histones, histone H4 is most potent in neutralizing IAV, and incubation with IAV with histone H4 results in a decrease in uptake and viral replication by epithelial cells when measured by qRT-PCR. The antiviral activity of histone H4 is mediated principally by direct effects on viral particles. Histone H4 binds to IAV as assessed by ELISA and co-sedimentation of H4 with IAV. H4 also induces aggregation, as assessed by confocal microscopy and light transmission assays. Despite strong antiviral activity against the seasonal IAV strains, H4 was inactive against pandemic H1N1. These findings indicate a possible role for histones in the innate immune response against IAV. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Preparation, characterization and antimicrobial efficiency of Ag/PDDA-diatomite nanocomposite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panáček, Aleš; Balzerová, Anna; Prucek, Robert; Ranc, Václav; Večeřová, Renata; Husičková, Vendula; Pechoušek, Jiří; Filip, Jan; Zbořil, Radek; Kvítek, Libor

    2013-10-01

    Nanocomposites consisting of diatomaceous earth particles and silver nanoparticles (silver NPs) with high antimicrobial activity were prepared and characterized. For the purpose of nanocomposite preparation, silver NPs with an average size of 28nm prepared by modified Tollens process were used. Nanocomposites were prepared using poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA) as an interlayer substance between diatomite and silver NPs which enables to change diatomite original negative surface charge to positive one. Due to strong electrostatic interactions between negatively charged silver NPs and positively charged PDDA-modified diatomite, Ag/PDDA-diatomite nanocomposites with a high content of silver (as high as 46.6mgAg/1g of diatomite) were prepared. Because of minimal release of silver NPs from prepared nanocomposites to aqueous media (<0.3mg Ag/1g of nanocomposite), the developed nanocomposites are regarded as a potential useful antimicrobial material with a long-term efficiency showing no risk to human health or environment. All the prepared nanocomposites exhibit a high bactericidal activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungicidal activity against yeasts at very low concentrations as low as 0.11g/L, corresponding to silver concentration of 5mg/L. Hence, the prepared nanocomposites constitute a promising candidate suitable for the microbial water treatment in environmental applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Antimicrobial prescribing behaviour in dogs and cats by Belgian veterinarians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Cleven, Alexia; Sarrazin, Steven; de Rooster, Hilde; Paepe, Dominique; Van der Meeren, Sofie; Dewulf, Jeroen

    2018-03-17

    The objective of this study is to survey general prescribing behaviour by Belgian companion animal veterinarians and to assess agreement of these practices with current treatment guidelines. Therefore an online survey was administered with five realistic and frequently occurring first-line cases to primary-care veterinary practitioners. For each case a predefined pattern of questions were asked about whether or not they would prescribe antimicrobials, if they would prescribe a non-antimicrobial treatment and if they would perform additional diagnostic steps. The responses were compared with recommendations in national guidelines and recent literature. The overall most prescribed antimicrobials were potentiated amoxicillin (43.0 per cent), fluoroquinolones (14.7 per cent), third-generation and fourth-generation cephalosporins (10.9 per cent) and tetracyclines (10.9 per cent). Only 48.3 per cent of the veterinarians complied with the guidelines in nearly all of the clinical scenarios (ie, prescribing antimicrobials when indicated, not prescribing antimicrobials when it is not indicated). Moreover, when prescribing highest priority critically important antimicrobials, susceptibility testing on bacterial cultures was performed in only 12.4 per cent of the prescriptions. The results showed that the prescribing behaviour of antimicrobial compounds by primary-care veterinary practitioners in dogs and cats is often not in agreement with national guidelines. Focus in improvement of this prescribing behaviour should be on performing the appropriate diagnostic steps and decreasing the use of highest priority critically important antimicrobials. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  16. Usage of antimicrobials and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacteria from mink

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Karl; Hammer, Anne Sofie; Sørensen, Charlotte Mark

    2009-01-01

    , whereas resistance to other antimicrobials was rare. All P aeruginosa were sensitive to gentamicin and colistin and sensitive or intermediate to enrofloxacin. whereas most isolates were resistant to all other antimicrobials. All P. multocida and haemolytic streptococci were sensitive to penicillin...

  17. Investigation of cream and ointment on antimicrobial activity of Mangifera indica extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amgad A Awad El-Gied

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Medicinal plants have curative properties due to the presence of various complex chemical substance of different composition, which are found as secondary plant metabolites in one or more parts of these plants. Mangifera indica Linn (MI L. is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. Phytoconstituents in the seed extracts may be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of the plant. The purpose of the study was to formulate and evaluate the antimicrobial herbal ointment and cream from extracts of the seeds of mango (MI L. The formulated ointments containing oleaginous-based showed the best formulation compared to the emulsion water in oil type, the ointment and cream bases in different concentration 1%, 5% and 10%. The formulated ointment and cream of MI L. were subjected to evaluation of Uniformity of Weight, measurement of pH, viscosity, Spreadability, Acute skin irritation study, stability study and antimicrobial activity. Our study shows that MI has high potential as an antimicrobial agent when formulated as ointment and creams for topical use. Thus, the present study concludes that the formulated formulations of the MI are safe and efficient carriers, with potent antimicrobial activity.

  18. Investigation of cream and ointment on antimicrobial activity of Mangifera indica extract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awad El-Gied, Amgad A.; Abdelkareem, Abdelkareem M.; Hamedelniel, Elnazeer I.

    2015-01-01

    Medicinal plants have curative properties due to the presence of various complex chemical substance of different composition, which are found as secondary plant metabolites in one or more parts of these plants. Mangifera indica Linn (MI L.) is a species of mango in the Anacardiaceae family. Phytoconstituents in the seed extracts may be responsible for the antimicrobial activity of the plant. The purpose of the study was to formulate and evaluate the antimicrobial herbal ointment and cream from extracts of the seeds of mango (MI L.) The formulated ointments containing oleaginous-based showed the best formulation compared to the emulsion water in oil type, the ointment and cream bases in different concentration 1%, 5% and 10%. The formulated ointment and cream of MI L. were subjected to evaluation of Uniformity of Weight, measurement of pH, viscosity, Spreadability, Acute skin irritation study, stability study and antimicrobial activity. Our study shows that MI has high potential as an antimicrobial agent when formulated as ointment and creams for topical use. Thus, the present study concludes that the formulated formulations of the MI are safe and efficient carriers, with potent antimicrobial activity. PMID:25878974

  19. Isothiocyanates: An Overview of Their Antimicrobial Activity against Human Infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Letizia Romeo

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The use of plant-derived products as antimicrobial agents has been investigated in depth. Isothiocyanates (ITCs are bioactive products resulting from enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates (GLs, the most abundant secondary metabolites in the botanical order Brassicales. Although the antimicrobial activity of ITCs against foodborne and plant pathogens has been well documented, little is known about their antimicrobial properties against human pathogens. This review collects studies that focus on this topic. Particular focus will be put on ITCs’ antimicrobial properties and their mechanism of action against human pathogens for which the current therapeutic solutions are deficient and therefore of prime importance for public health. Our purpose was the evaluation of the potential use of ITCs to replace or support the common antibiotics. Even though ITCs appear to be effective against the most important human pathogens, including bacteria with resistant phenotypes, the majority of the studies did not show comparable results and thus it is very difficult to compare the antimicrobial activity of the different ITCs. For this reason, a standard method should be used and further studies are needed.

  20. Improved antimicrobial activity of Pediococcus acidilactici against Salmonella Gallinarum by UV mutagenesis and genome shuffling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Geon Goo; Song, Ahn Ah; Kim, Eun Bae; Yoon, Seong-Hyun; Bok, Jin-Duck; Cho, Chong-Su; Kil, Dong Yong; Kang, Sang-Kee; Choi, Yun-Jaie

    2017-07-01

    Pediococcus acidilactici is a widely used probiotic, and Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (SG) is a significant pathogen in the poultry industry. In this study, we improved the antimicrobial activity of P. acidilactici against SG using UV mutation and genome shuffling (GS). To improve antimicrobial activity against SG, UV mutagenesis was performed against wild-type P. acidilactici (WT), and five mutants showed improved antimicrobial activity. To further improve antimicrobial activity, GS was performed on five UV mutants. Following GS, four mutants showed improved antimicrobial activity compared with the UV mutants and WT. The antimicrobial activity of GS1 was highest among the mutants; however, the activity was reduced when the culture supernatant was treated with proteinase K, suggesting that the improved antimicrobial activity is due to a proteinous substance such as bacteriocin. To validate the activity of GS1 in vivo, we designed multi-species probiotics and performed broiler feeding experiments. Groups consisted of no treatment (NC), avilamycin-treated (PC), probiotic group 1 containing WT (T1), and probiotic group 2 containing GS1 (T2). In broiler feeding experiments, coliform bacteria were significantly reduced in T2 compared with NC, PC, and T1. The cecal microbiota was modulated and pathogenic bacteria were reduced by GS1 oral administration. In this study, GS1 showed improved antimicrobial activity against SG in vitro and reduced pathogenic bacteria in a broiler feeding experiment. These results suggest that GS1 can serve as an efficient probiotic, as an alternative to antibiotics in the poultry industry.

  1. Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Nanocomposites composed of Eu-doped anatase grafted with CuO. • Increase in photocatalytic hydrogen production due to CuO acting as electrons sink. • CuO in composites decreasing the photoinduced total mineralization of phenol. • Selective photoinduced antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus species. - Abstract: TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO 2 (Eu). In investigated TiO 2 (Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

  2. Effect of potassium sorbate on antimicrobial and physical properties of starch-clay nanocomposite films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barzegar, Hassan; Azizi, Mohammad Hossein; Barzegar, Mohsen; Hamidi-Esfahani, Zohreh

    2014-09-22

    Using fresh foods which undergo the least processing operations developed widely in recent years. Active packaging is a novel method for preserving these products. Active starch-clay nanocomposite films which contained potassium sorbate (PS) at a level of 0, 5, 7.5 and 10 g PS/100 g starch were produced and their physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties were evaluated. In order to evaluate antimicrobial properties of films Aspergillus niger was used. The results showed that 5% of the PS did not produce antimicrobial property in the film, but by increasing the content of the additive in film formulation, antimicrobial effect increased. PS increased water permeability and elongation at break of the films, but decreased tensile strength. The rate of PS migration into the semi-solid medium in starch-nanocomposites was lower than starch films. This shows that nanocomposite films could retain their antimicrobial property for longer time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Constitutive expression of transgenes encoding derivatives of the synthetic antimicrobial peptide BP100: impact on rice host plant fitness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadal Anna

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Biopeptide BP100 is a synthetic and strongly cationic α-helical undecapeptide with high, specific antibacterial activity against economically important plant-pathogenic bacteria, and very low toxicity. It was selected from a library of synthetic peptides, along with other peptides with activities against relevant bacterial and fungal species. Expression of the BP100 series of peptides in plants is of major interest to establish disease-resistant plants and facilitate molecular farming. Specific challenges were the small length, peptide degradation by plant proteases and toxicity to the host plant. Here we approached the expression of the BP100 peptide series in plants using BP100 as a proof-of-concept. Results Our design considered up to three tandemly arranged BP100 units and peptide accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER, analyzing five BP100 derivatives. The ER retention sequence did not reduce the antimicrobial activity of chemically synthesized BP100 derivatives, making this strategy possible. Transformation with sequences encoding BP100 derivatives (bp100der was over ten-fold less efficient than that of the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII transgene. The BP100 direct tandems did not show higher antimicrobial activity than BP100, and genetically modified (GM plants constitutively expressing them were not viable. In contrast, inverted repeats of BP100, whether or not elongated with a portion of a natural antimicrobial peptide (AMP, had higher antimicrobial activity, and fertile GM rice lines constitutively expressing bp100der were produced. These GM lines had increased resistance to the pathogens Dickeya chrysanthemi and Fusarium verticillioides, and tolerance to oxidative stress, with agronomic performance comparable to untransformed lines. Conclusions Constitutive expression of transgenes encoding short cationic α-helical synthetic peptides can have a strong negative impact on rice fitness. However, GM

  4. The risk of some veterinary antimicrobial agents on public health associated with antimicrobial resistance and their molecular basis

    OpenAIRE

    Haihong Hao; Zahid Iqbal; Yulian Wang; Guyue Cheng; Zong-Hui Yuan

    2016-01-01

    The risk of antimicrobial agents used in food-producing animals on public health associated with antimicrobial resistance continues to be a current topic of discussion as related to animal and human public health. In the present review, resistance monitoring data and risk assessment result of some important antimicrobial agents were cited to elucidate the possible association of antimicrobial use in food animals and antimicrobial resistance in human. From the selected examples, it was obvious...

  5. Synthesis and Complete Antimicrobial Characterization of CEOBACTER, an Ag-Based Nanocomposite.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O E Jaime-Acuña

    Full Text Available The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs is currently used as an alternative disinfectant with diverse applications, ranging from decontamination of aquatic environments to disinfection of medical devices and instrumentation. However, incorporation of AgNPs to the environment causes collateral damage that should be avoided. In this work, a novel Ag-based nanocomposite (CEOBACTER was successfully synthetized. It showed excellent antimicrobial properties without the spread of AgNPs into the environment. The complete CEOBACTER antimicrobial characterization protocol is presented herein. It is straightforward and reproducible and could be considered for the systematic characterization of antimicrobial nanomaterials. CEOBACTER showed minimal bactericidal concentration of 3 μg/ml, bactericidal action time of 2 hours and re-use capacity of at least five times against E. coli cultures. The bactericidal mechanism is the release of Ag ions. CEOBACTER displays potent bactericidal properties, long lifetime, high stability and re-use capacity, and it does not dissolve in the solution. These characteristics point to its potential use as a bactericidal agent for decontamination of aqueous environments.

  6. Synthesis and Complete Antimicrobial Characterization of CEOBACTER, an Ag-Based Nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasquez-Peña, M.; Raymond-Herrera, O.; Villavicencio-García, H.; Petranovskii, V.; Vazquez-Duhalt, R.; Huerta-Saquero, A.

    2016-01-01

    The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is currently used as an alternative disinfectant with diverse applications, ranging from decontamination of aquatic environments to disinfection of medical devices and instrumentation. However, incorporation of AgNPs to the environment causes collateral damage that should be avoided. In this work, a novel Ag-based nanocomposite (CEOBACTER) was successfully synthetized. It showed excellent antimicrobial properties without the spread of AgNPs into the environment. The complete CEOBACTER antimicrobial characterization protocol is presented herein. It is straightforward and reproducible and could be considered for the systematic characterization of antimicrobial nanomaterials. CEOBACTER showed minimal bactericidal concentration of 3 μg/ml, bactericidal action time of 2 hours and re-use capacity of at least five times against E. coli cultures. The bactericidal mechanism is the release of Ag ions. CEOBACTER displays potent bactericidal properties, long lifetime, high stability and re-use capacity, and it does not dissolve in the solution. These characteristics point to its potential use as a bactericidal agent for decontamination of aqueous environments. PMID:27824932

  7. Antimicrobial activities, toxinogenic potential and sensitivity to ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Antimicrobial activities, toxinogenic potential and sensitivity to antibiotics of ... Bacillus species showed variable ability to inhibit bacterial and/or fungal species. ... to produce Mbuja in order to better control the fermentation process of Mbuja ...

  8. Antimicrobial effect of calcium hydroxide as endo intracanal dressing on Streptococcus viridans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nanik Zubaidah

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Calcium hydroxide had been used as the intra-canal dressing in endodontic treatment due to its high alkaline and antimicrobial capacity. It can also dissolve the necrotic tissue, prevent dental root resorbtion and regenerate a new hard tissue. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of calcium hydroxide which had the highest antimicrobial effect on Streptococcus viridans. Samples were divided into 5 groups; each group consisted of 8 samples with different concentration of calcium hydroxide. Group I: 50%, group II: 55, Group III: 60%, Group IV: 65%, Group V: 70%. The antimicrobial testing was performed using diffusion method against Streptococcus viridans. The result of susceptibility test was showed by the inhibition zone diameter which measured with caliper (in millimeter. We analyzed the data using One-Way ANOVA test with significant difference 0.05 and subsequently LSD test. The study showed that calcium hydroxide with concentration 60% has the highest antimicrobial effect.

  9. [Etiology of urinary tract infections and antimicrobial susceptibility of urinary pathogens].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correia, Carlos; Costa, Elísio; Peres, António; Alves, Madalena; Pombo, Graça; Estevinho, Letícia

    2007-01-01

    With the objective of knowing the common etiological agents in urinary infection and comparing its antimicrobial susceptibility in nosocomial and community-acquired urinary infections, we analyse all the urine bacteriological exams from the Serviço de Patologia Clínica do Centro Hospitalar do Nordeste, EPE - Unidade Hospitalar de Bragança, during a two years period (April 2004 to March 2006). During this period, 4018 urine bacteriological exams were made. The cultural exam was positive in 572 samples (144 from nosocomial infections and 428 from community-acquired urinary infections). The Escherichia coli was the more isolated strain (68,4 %), followed by Klebsiella spp (7,9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6,1%) and Proteus mirabilis (5,2%). Concerning to antimicrobial susceptibility, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp showed a high resistance to the antimicrobials Amoxicillin, Piperacillin, Cephalothin, Ceftazidim and Quinolones. For Enterobacteriaceae Imipenem, Amikacin and Netilmicin were the antimicrobials with more level of susceptibility. Imipenem and Amikacin were the more efficient antimicrobials against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Concerning to the susceptibility for the same etiological agent, in nosocomial and community-acquired urinary infections, we founded statistical significant differences in the antimicrobials Ticarcillin-clavulanic acid and Collistin for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and in the group of antimicrobials from Quinolones for the Proteus mirabilis. In the other identified agents there were no statistical significant differences for antimicrobials. This study it allows making use of data necessary for the knowledge of etiologic urinary infection agents in Bragança and provides the information about the antimicrobials resistance, which were necessary to initiate an adequate empirical treatment and to elaborate treatment guides.

  10. Genomic and functional techniques to mine the microbiome for novel antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adu-Oppong, Boahemaa; Gasparrini, Andrew J; Dantas, Gautam

    2017-01-01

    Microbial communities contain diverse bacteria that play important roles in every environment. Advances in sequencing and computational methodologies over the past decades have illuminated the phylogenetic and functional diversity of microbial communities from diverse habitats. Among the activities encoded in microbiomes are the abilities to synthesize and resist small molecules, yielding antimicrobial activity. These functions are of particular interest when viewed in light of the public health emergency posed by the increase in clinical antimicrobial resistance and the dwindling antimicrobial discovery and approval pipeline, and given the intimate ecological and evolutionary relationship between antimicrobial biosynthesis and resistance. Here, we review genomic and functional methods that have been developed for accessing the antimicrobial biosynthesis and resistance capacity of microbiomes and highlight outstanding examples of their applications. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

  11. Bioprospecting saline gradient of a Wildlife Sanctuary for bacterial diversity and antimicrobial activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLuca, Mara; King, Riley; Morsy, Mustafa

    2017-08-11

    Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming a global crisis, causing death of thousands of people and significant economic impact. The discovery of novel antibiotics is crucial to saving lives and reducing healthcare costs. To address the antibiotic-resistant crisis, in collaboration the Small World Initiative, which aims to crowdsource novel antibiotic discovery, this study aimed to identify antimicrobial producing bacteria and bacterial diversity in the soil of the Stimpson Wildlife Sanctuary, an inland area with a soil salt gradient. Approximately 4500 bacterial colonies were screened for antimicrobial activity and roughly 100 bacteria were identified as antimicrobial producers, which belong to Entrococcaceae (74%), Yersiniaceae (19%), and unidentified families (7%). Several bacterial isolates showed production of broad spectrum inhibitory compounds, while others were more specific to certain pathogens. The data obtained from the current study provide a resource for further characterization of the soil bacteria with antimicrobial activity, with an aim to discover novel ones. The study showed no correlation between soil salt level and the presence of bacteria with antimicrobial activities. However, most of the identified antimicrobial producing bacteria do not belong to actinomycetes, the most common phyla of antibiotic producing bacteria and this could potentially lead to the discovery of novel antibiotics.

  12. Antimicrobial and antibiofilm potential of biosurfactants isolated from lactobacilli against multi-drug-resistant pathogens

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Biosurfactants (BS) are amphiphilic compounds produced by microbes, either on the cell surface or secreted extracellularly. BS exhibit strong antimicrobial and anti-adhesive properties, making them good candidates for applications used to combat infections. In this study, our goal was to assess the in vitro antimicrobial, anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm abilities of BS produced by Lactobacillus jensenii and Lactobacillus rhamnosus against clinical Multidrug Resistant (MDR) strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Cell-bound BS from both L. jensenii and L. rhamnosus were extracted and isolated. The surface activities of crude BS samples were evaluated using an oil spreading assay. The antimicrobial, anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm activities of both BS against the above mentioned MDR pathogens were determined. Results Surface activities for both BS ranged from 6.25 to 25 mg/ml with clear zones observed between 7 and 11 cm. BS of both L. jensenii and L. rhamnosus showed antimicrobial activities against A. baumannii, E. coli and S. aureus at 25-50 mg/ml. Anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm activities were also observed for the aforementioned pathogens between 25 and 50 mg/ml. Finally, analysis by electron microscope indicated that the BS caused membrane damage for A. baumannii and pronounced cell wall damage in S. aureus. Conclusion Our results indicate that BS isolated from two Lactobacilli strains has antibacterial properties against MDR strains of A. baumannii, E. coli and MRSA. Both BS also displayed anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm abilities against A. baumannii, E. coli and S. aureus. Together, these capabilities may open up possibilities for BS as an alternative therapeutic approach for the prevention and/or treatment of hospital-acquired infections. PMID:25124936

  13. In situ green synthesis of antimicrobial carboxymethyl chitosan-nanosilver hybrids with controlled silver release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Siqi; Yu, Zhiming; Zhang, Yang; Qi, Chusheng; Zhang, Shifeng

    2017-01-01

    In order to fabricate antimicrobial carboxymethyl chitosan-nanosilver (CMC-Ag) hybrids with controlled silver release, this study demonstrated comparable formation via three synthetic protocols: 1) carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and glucose (adding glucose after AgNO 3 ), 2) CMC and glucose (adding glucose before AgNO 3 ), and 3) CMC only. Under principles of green chemistry, the synthesis was conducted in an aqueous medium exposed to microwave irradiation for 10 minutes with nontoxic chemicals. The structure and formation mechanisms of the three CMC-Ag hybrids were explored using X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared analyses. Additionally, antimicrobial activity and in vitro silver release of the three synthesized hybrids were investigated in detail. The results revealed that a large number of stable, uniform, and small silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in situ on CMC chains via protocol 1. AgNPs were well dispersed with narrow size distribution in the range of 6-20 nm, with mean diameter only 12.22±2.57 nm. The addition of glucose resulted in greater AgNP synthesis. The order of addition of glucose and AgNO 3 significantly affected particle size and size distribution of AgNPs. Compared to CMC alone and commercially available AgNPs, the antimicrobial activities of three hybrids were significantly improved. Of the three hybrids, CMC-Ag1 synthesized via protocol 1 exhibited better antimicrobial activity than CMC-Ag2 and CMC-Ag3, and showed more effective inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus than Escherichia coli . Due to strong coordination and electrostatic interactions between CMC and silver and good steric protection provided by CMC, CMC-Ag1 displayed stable and continuous silver release and better performance in retaining silver for prolonged periods than CMC-Ag2 and CMC-Ag3.

  14. In situ green synthesis of antimicrobial carboxymethyl chitosan–nanosilver hybrids with controlled silver release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Siqi; Yu, Zhiming; Zhang, Yang; Qi, Chusheng; Zhang, Shifeng

    2017-01-01

    In order to fabricate antimicrobial carboxymethyl chitosan–nanosilver (CMC-Ag) hybrids with controlled silver release, this study demonstrated comparable formation via three synthetic protocols: 1) carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and glucose (adding glucose after AgNO3), 2) CMC and glucose (adding glucose before AgNO3), and 3) CMC only. Under principles of green chemistry, the synthesis was conducted in an aqueous medium exposed to microwave irradiation for 10 minutes with nontoxic chemicals. The structure and formation mechanisms of the three CMC-Ag hybrids were explored using X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared analyses. Additionally, antimicrobial activity and in vitro silver release of the three synthesized hybrids were investigated in detail. The results revealed that a large number of stable, uniform, and small silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in situ on CMC chains via protocol 1. AgNPs were well dispersed with narrow size distribution in the range of 6–20 nm, with mean diameter only 12.22±2.57 nm. The addition of glucose resulted in greater AgNP synthesis. The order of addition of glucose and AgNO3 significantly affected particle size and size distribution of AgNPs. Compared to CMC alone and commercially available AgNPs, the antimicrobial activities of three hybrids were significantly improved. Of the three hybrids, CMC-Ag1 synthesized via protocol 1 exhibited better antimicrobial activity than CMC-Ag2 and CMC-Ag3, and showed more effective inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus than Escherichia coli. Due to strong coordination and electrostatic interactions between CMC and silver and good steric protection provided by CMC, CMC-Ag1 displayed stable and continuous silver release and better performance in retaining silver for prolonged periods than CMC-Ag2 and CMC-Ag3. PMID:28458539

  15. Behavioral approach to appropriate antimicrobial prescribing in hospitals: the Dutch Unique Method for Antimicrobial Stewardship (DUMAS) participatory intervention study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sikkens, J.J.; Agtmael, M.A. van; Peters, E.J.G.; Lettinga, K.D.; Kuip, M. van der; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, C.M.J.E.; Wagner, C.; Kramer, M.H.H.

    2017-01-01

    Importance: Inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing leads to antimicrobial resistance and suboptimal clinical outcomes. Changing antimicrobial prescribing is a complex behavioral process that is not often taken into account in antimicrobial stewardship programs. Objective: To examine whether an

  16. Prophylactic and metaphylactic antimicrobial use in Belgian fattening pig herds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Callens, Bénédicte; Persoons, Davy; Maes, Dominiek; Laanen, Maria; Postma, Merel; Boyen, Filip; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Butaye, Patrick; Catry, Boudewijn; Dewulf, Jeroen

    2012-09-01

    The monitoring of antimicrobial use is an essential step to control the selection and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Between January and October 2010 data on prophylactic and metaphylactic antimicrobial use were collected retrospectively on 50 closed or semi-closed pig herds. Ninety-three percent of the group treatments were prophylactic whereas only 7% were methaphylactic. The most frequently used antimicrobials orally applied at group level were colistin (30.7%), amoxicillin (30.0%), trimethoprim-sulfonamides (13.1%), doxycycline (9.9%) and tylosin (8.1%). The most frequently applied injectable antimicrobials were tulathromycin (45.0%), long acting ceftiofur (40.1%) and long acting amoxicillin (8.4%). The treatment incidences (TI) based on the used daily dose pig (UDD(pig) or the actually administered dose per day per kg pig of a drug) for all oral and injectable antimicrobial drugs was on average 200.7 per 1000 pigs at risk per day (min=0, max=699.0), while the TI based on the animal daily dose pig (ADD(pig) or the national defined average maintenance dose per day per kg pig of a drug used for its main indication) was slightly higher (average=235.8, min=0, max=1322.1). This indicates that in reality fewer pigs were treated with the same amount of antimicrobials than theoretically possible. Injectable products were generally overdosed (79.5%), whereas oral treatments were often underdosed (47.3%). In conclusion, this study shows that prophylactic group treatment was applied in 98% of the visited herds and often includes the use of critically important and broad-spectrum antimicrobials. In Belgium, the guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials are not yet implemented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. A survey of antimicrobial usage in animals in South Africa with specific reference to food animals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayley Eagar

    2012-08-01

    Results showed that 68.5% of the antimicrobials surveyed were administered as in-feed medications. 17.5% of the total volume of antimicrobials utilised were parenteral antimicrobials, whereas antimicrobials for water medication constituted 12% of the total and ’other‘ dosage forms, for example the topical and aural dosage forms, constituted 1.5% of the total. Intramammary antimicrobials represented 0.04% of the total. The surveillance systems for veterinary antimicrobials used by other countries were scrutinised and compared. It was concluded that a combination of the surveillance systems applied by Australia and the United Kingdom is the best model (with modifications to apply to the animal health industry in South Africa. Such a surveillance system, of the volumes of veterinary antimicrobials consumed, should ideally be implemented in conjunction with a veterinary antimicrobial resistance surveillance and monitoring programme. This will generate meaningful data that will contribute to the rational administration of antimicrobials in order to preserve the efficacy of the existing antimicrobials in South Africa.

  18. Investigating the Antimicrobial Bioactivity of Cyano bacterial Extracts on Some Plant and Human Pathogens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Semary, N.A.; Osman, M.E.; Ahmed, A.S.; Botros, H.W.; Farag, A.T.

    2014-01-01

    The search for broad spectrum antimicrobial agents against microbial pathogens, as the available bioactive compounds, has decreasing efficacy and the multidrug resistance trait is spreading among pathogens. Accordingly, the study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial bioactivity of extracts derived from a cyano bacterial strain from Egypt. The solvents used were diethyl ether, chloroform and methanol. The antimicrobial bioassay of the lipophilic fraction dissolved in diethyl ether of Synechococcus spp. (isolated from Wadi El-Natroun, Egypt) showed the highest broad spectrum bioactivity as it inhibited the growth of both plant and human pathogens. The extract was also effective on the filamentous plant pathogenic fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. The effects of incubation periods, growth media and pH values on both growth and antimicrobial activity of Synechococcus spp. were investigated. Chu medium was the medium that gave the highest growth followed by BG11 medium then Oscillatoria medium and all these three media showed antibacterial activities but only BG11 showed both antibacterial and antifungal activities after 18 days of incubation. The pH value 10 proved to be the best for growth and antimicrobial activities of Synechococcus spp. in BG11 medium

  19. Antimicrobial Treatments and Efficacy

    Science.gov (United States)

    To limit exposure to indoor biological contamination a risk-management approach which employs various antimicrobial treatments can effectively control contaminants and reduce exposure. Antimicrobial treatment of biological contaminants, especially mold in buildings, it is often n...

  20. Antimicrobial use in long-term-care facilities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nicolle, LE; Bentley, DW; Garibaldi, R; Neuhaus, EG; Smith, PW

    There is intense antimicrobial use in long-term-care facilities (LTCFs), and studies repeatedly document that much of this use is inappropriate. The current crisis in antimicrobial resistance, which encompasses the LTCF, heightens concerns of antimicrobial use. Attempts to improve antimicrobial use

  1. Encapsulation of curcumin in polymeric nanoparticles for antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffersson Krishan Trigo Gutierrez

    Full Text Available Curcumin (CUR has been used as photosensitizer in antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT. However its poor water solubility, instability, and scarce bioavalibility hinder its in vivo application. The aim of this study was to synthesize curcumin in polymeric nanoparticles (NP and to evaluate their antimicrobial photodynamic effect and cytoxicity. CUR in anionic and cationic NP was synthesized using polylactic acid and dextran sulfate by the nanoprecipitation method. For cationic NP, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was added. CUR-NP were characterized by physicochemical properties, photodegradation, encapsulation efficiency and release of curcumin from nanoparticles. CUR-NP was compared with free CUR in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO as a photosensitizer for aPDT against planktonic and biofilms (mono-, dual- and triple-species cultures of Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The cytotoxicity effect of formulations was evaluated on keratinocytes. Data were analysed by parametric (ANOVA and non-parametric (Kruskal-Wallis tests (α = 0.05. CUR-NP showed alteration in the physicochemical properties along time, photodegradation similar to free curcumin, encapsulation efficiency up to 67%, and 96% of release after 48h. After aPDT planktonic cultures showed reductions from 0.78 log10 to complete eradication, while biofilms showed no antimicrobial effect or reductions up to 4.44 log10. Anionic CUR-NP showed reduced photoinactivation of biofilms. Cationic CUR-NP showed microbicidal effect even in absence of light. Anionic formulations showed no cytotoxic effect compared with free CUR and cationic CUR-NP and NP. The synthesized formulations improved the water solubility of CUR, showed higher antimicrobial photodynamic effect for planktonic cultures than for biofilms, and the encapsulation of CUR in anionic NP reduced the cytotoxicity of 10% DMSO used for free CUR.

  2. Encapsulation of curcumin in polymeric nanoparticles for antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trigo Gutierrez, Jeffersson Krishan; Zanatta, Gabriela Cristina; Ortega, Ana Laura Mira; Balastegui, Maria Isabella Cuba; Sanitá, Paula Volpato; Pavarina, Ana Cláudia; Barbugli, Paula Aboud

    2017-01-01

    Curcumin (CUR) has been used as photosensitizer in antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT). However its poor water solubility, instability, and scarce bioavalibility hinder its in vivo application. The aim of this study was to synthesize curcumin in polymeric nanoparticles (NP) and to evaluate their antimicrobial photodynamic effect and cytoxicity. CUR in anionic and cationic NP was synthesized using polylactic acid and dextran sulfate by the nanoprecipitation method. For cationic NP, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide was added. CUR-NP were characterized by physicochemical properties, photodegradation, encapsulation efficiency and release of curcumin from nanoparticles. CUR-NP was compared with free CUR in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a photosensitizer for aPDT against planktonic and biofilms (mono-, dual- and triple-species) cultures of Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The cytotoxicity effect of formulations was evaluated on keratinocytes. Data were analysed by parametric (ANOVA) and non-parametric (Kruskal-Wallis) tests (α = 0.05). CUR-NP showed alteration in the physicochemical properties along time, photodegradation similar to free curcumin, encapsulation efficiency up to 67%, and 96% of release after 48h. After aPDT planktonic cultures showed reductions from 0.78 log10 to complete eradication, while biofilms showed no antimicrobial effect or reductions up to 4.44 log10. Anionic CUR-NP showed reduced photoinactivation of biofilms. Cationic CUR-NP showed microbicidal effect even in absence of light. Anionic formulations showed no cytotoxic effect compared with free CUR and cationic CUR-NP and NP. The synthesized formulations improved the water solubility of CUR, showed higher antimicrobial photodynamic effect for planktonic cultures than for biofilms, and the encapsulation of CUR in anionic NP reduced the cytotoxicity of 10% DMSO used for free CUR. PMID:29107978

  3. Antimicrobial Drugs in the Home

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2006-10-19

    Survey participants in the United Kingdom admitted keeping leftover antimicrobial drugs for future use and taking them without medical advice. Dr. J. Todd Weber, director of CDC's Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, advises against the practice, which can be dangerous and can promote antimicrobial drug resistance.  Created: 10/19/2006 by Emerging Infectious Diseases.   Date Released: 10/26/2006.

  4. Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of Pleurostylia capensis Turcz (Loes) (celastraceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razwinani, Mapula; Tshikalange, Thilivhali Emmanuel; Motaung, Shirley C K M

    2014-01-01

    Pleurostylia capensis is a large tree that can reach the maximum height of 20 m long, and it have been traditionally used as cosmetic, for steam bath, ritual body wash, and as a purgative to treat symptoms of witchcraft. Using ethanol, chloroform, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EA), and water extracts, leaves, bark and roots of Pleurostylia capensis were investigated scientifically for their effectiveness in antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities using standard methods. The extracts were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Mycobacterium smegmatis), Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhimurium), and Candida albicans. The antioxidant activity was investigated using 2, 2-diphenlyl-1-picrylhadrazyl (DPPH), free radical scavenging assay. The anti-inflammatory activity of P. capensis extracts was evaluated against both cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX 1 and 2). The ethyl acetate extracts of P. capensis showed a strong antimicrobial activity against B. cereus, K. pneumonia, S. pyogenes, and M. smegmatis with MIC value of 0.39 and 0.78 mg/ml. While the ethanol bark extract was most active against M. smegmatis with MIC value of 0.78 mg/ml; the least potent activity was observed with dichloromethane, chloroform and water extracts, with an MIC value ranging from 1.56 mg/ml to 50.0 mg/ml. The plant extracts proved to be good antioxidant agent, whereas extracts of ethanol were the most active, with IC50 ranging from 1.00 to 1.74 µg/ml, which is lower, and in close range to Vitamin C (1.40 µg/ml). Its moderation to potent inhibitory activity was observed in all extracts. Ethanol and dichloromethane extracts were among the most potent when compared to water and petroleum ether extracts. The water extracts showed to be nontoxic on the Hek cell line with an IC50 value of 204.0, and 207

  5. Self-stratifying antimicrobial coatings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yagci, M.B.

    2012-01-01

    Today, antimicrobial polymers/coatings are widely used in various areas, such as biomedical devices, pharmaceuticals, hospital buildings, textiles, food processing, and contact lenses, where sanitation is needed. Such wide application facilities have made antimicrobial materials very attractive for

  6. Synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Som, Abhigyan; Vemparala, Satyavani; Ivanov, Ivaylo; Tew, Gregory N

    2008-01-01

    Infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance are now considered the most imperative global healthcare problem. In the search for new treatments, host defense, or antimicrobial, peptides have attracted considerable attention due to their various unique properties; however, attempts to develop in vivo therapies have been severely limited. Efforts to develop synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides (SMAMPs) have increased significantly in the last decade, and this review will focus primarily on the structural evolution of SMAMPs and their membrane activity. This review will attempt to make a bridge between the design of SMAMPs and the fundamentals of SMAMP-membrane interactions. In discussions regarding the membrane interaction of SMAMPs, close attention will be paid to the lipid composition of the bilayer. Despite many years of study, the exact conformational aspects responsible for the high selectivity of these AMPs and SMAMPs toward bacterial cells over mammalian cells are still not fully understood. The ability to design SMAMPs that are potently antimicrobial, yet nontoxic to mammalian cells has been demonstrated with a variety of molecular scaffolds. Initial animal studies show very good tissue distribution along with more than a 4-log reduction in bacterial counts. The results on SMAMPs are not only extremely promising for novel antibiotics, but also provide an optimistic picture for the greater challenge of general proteomimetics.

  7. Physiochemical screening and antimicrobial potential of otostegia limbata benth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naz, S.; Farooq, U.; Khan, A.; Sarwar, R.

    2014-01-01

    Otostegia limbata (Benth.) has been used in treatment of gums diseases, dental disorders, healing of wounds, hypertension, eye inflammation, and most importantly as anticancer. The present investigation deals with the physiochemical screening of crude extract of O. limbata and antimicrobial activities of its various fractions. The results showed the presence of alkaloids, catecholic tannins, phenols, sugars, flavonoids, terpenoids, and saponins. Antimicrobial activities of four fractions of O. limbata namely n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol were performed by using disc diffusion method against Salmonella setubal, Pseudomonas pickettii, Staphlococcus aureus, and Micrococcus luteus to evaluate its therapeutic value. All the fractions showed significant antibacterial activities but none of the fractions showed antifungal activity against Aspergilus niger and Aspergilus flavus. (author)

  8. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Skip to common links HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Food and Drug Administration ... Tobacco Products Animal & Veterinary Home Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet ...

  9. Phytochemical and antimicrobial study of an antidiabetic plant: Scoparia dulcis L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latha, M; Ramkumar, K M; Pari, L; Damodaran, P N; Rajeshkannan, V; Suresh, T

    2006-01-01

    The antimicrobial and antifungal effects of different concentrations of chloroform/methanol fractions of Scoparia dulcis were investigated. The isolated fractions were tested against different bacteria like Salmonella typhii, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus vulgaris and fungal strains such as Alternaria macrospora, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium oxysporum. The isolated fractions exhibited significant antimicrobial and antifungal activity against all the tested organisms compared with respective reference drugs. The isolated fractions of S. dulcis showed properties like antimicrobial and antifungal activities that will enable researchers in turn to look for application-oriented principles.

  10. Critical Synergistic Concentration of Lecithin Phospholipids Improves the Antimicrobial Activity of Eugenol against Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haoshu; Dudley, Edward G.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT In this study, the effect of individual lecithin phospholipids on the antimicrobial properties of eugenol against Escherichia coli C600 was investigated. We tested five major phospholipids common in soy or egg lecithin (1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DPPC], 1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DSPC], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine [DPPE], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate [sodium salt] [DPPA], and 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine [DPPS]) and one synthetic cationic phospholipid (1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine [18:0 EPC]). Among the six phospholipids, DPPC, DSPC, DPPE, DPPA, and the cationic 18:0 EPC showed critical synergistic concentrations that significantly improved the inactivation effect of eugenol against E. coli after 30 min of exposure. At the critical synergistic concentration, an additional ca. 0.4 to 1.9 log reduction (ca. 0.66 to 2.17 log CFU/ml reduction) in the microbial population was observed compared to eugenol-only (control) treatments (ca. 0.25 log reduction). In all cases, increasing the phospholipid amount above the critical synergistic concentration (which was different for each phospholipid) resulted in antimicrobial properties similar to those seen with the eugenol-only (control) treatments. DPPS did not affect the antimicrobial properties of eugenol at the tested concentrations. The critical synergistic concentration of phospholipids was correlated with their critical micelle concentrations (CMC). IMPORTANCE Essential oils (EOs) are naturally occurring antimicrobials, with limited use in food due to their hydrophobicity and strong aroma. Lecithin is used as a natural emulsifier to stabilize EOs in aqueous systems. We previously demonstrated that, within a narrow critical-concentration window, lecithin can synergistically enhance the antimicrobial properties of eugenol. Since lecithin is a mixture of different phospholipids, we aimed to

  11. Critical Synergistic Concentration of Lecithin Phospholipids Improves the Antimicrobial Activity of Eugenol against Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haoshu; Dudley, Edward G; Harte, Federico

    2017-11-01

    In this study, the effect of individual lecithin phospholipids on the antimicrobial properties of eugenol against Escherichia coli C600 was investigated. We tested five major phospholipids common in soy or egg lecithin (1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DPPC], 1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DSPC], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine [DPPE], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate [sodium salt] [DPPA], and 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine [DPPS]) and one synthetic cationic phospholipid (1,2-dioctadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine [18:0 EPC]). Among the six phospholipids, DPPC, DSPC, DPPE, DPPA, and the cationic 18:0 EPC showed critical synergistic concentrations that significantly improved the inactivation effect of eugenol against E. coli after 30 min of exposure. At the critical synergistic concentration, an additional ca. 0.4 to 1.9 log reduction (ca. 0.66 to 2.17 log CFU/ml reduction) in the microbial population was observed compared to eugenol-only (control) treatments (ca. 0.25 log reduction). In all cases, increasing the phospholipid amount above the critical synergistic concentration (which was different for each phospholipid) resulted in antimicrobial properties similar to those seen with the eugenol-only (control) treatments. DPPS did not affect the antimicrobial properties of eugenol at the tested concentrations. The critical synergistic concentration of phospholipids was correlated with their critical micelle concentrations (CMC). IMPORTANCE Essential oils (EOs) are naturally occurring antimicrobials, with limited use in food due to their hydrophobicity and strong aroma. Lecithin is used as a natural emulsifier to stabilize EOs in aqueous systems. We previously demonstrated that, within a narrow critical-concentration window, lecithin can synergistically enhance the antimicrobial properties of eugenol. Since lecithin is a mixture of different phospholipids, we aimed to identify

  12. Utilization of a clinical microbiology service at a Cambodian paediatric hospital and its impact on appropriate antimicrobial prescribing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox-Lewis, Shivani; Pol, Sreymom; Miliya, Thyl; Day, Nicholas P J; Turner, Paul; Turner, Claudia

    2018-02-01

    Antimicrobial resistance threatens human health worldwide. Antimicrobial misuse is a major driver of resistance. Promoting appropriate antimicrobial use requires an understanding of how clinical microbiology services are utilized, particularly in resource-limited settings. To assess the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing and the factors affecting utilization of the established clinical microbiology service (CMS). The CMS comprises the microbiology laboratory, clinical microbiologists (infection doctors) and antimicrobial treatment guidelines. This mixed-methods study was conducted at a non-governmental Cambodian paediatric hospital. Empirical and post-culture antimicrobial prescriptions were reviewed from medical records. The random sample included 10 outpatients per week in 2016 (retrospective) and 20 inpatients per week for 4 weeks in the medical, neonatal and intensive care wards (prospective). Post-culture prescriptions were assessed in patients with positive blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with clinicians explored barriers and facilitators to use of the CMS. Only 31% of outpatients were prescribed empirical antimicrobials. Post-culture prescriptions (394/443, 89%) were more likely to be appropriate than empirical prescriptions (447/535, 84%), based on treatment guidelines, microbiology advice and antimicrobial susceptibility test results (P = 0.015). Being comprehensive, accessible and trusted enabled CMS utilization. Clinical microbiologists provided a crucial human interface between the CMS and physicians. The main barriers were a strong clinical hierarchy and occasional communication difficulties. Antimicrobial prescribing in this hospital was largely appropriate. A culturally appropriate human interface linking the laboratory and physicians is essential in providing effective microbiology services and ensuring appropriate antimicrobial

  13. Antimicrobial activity of kombucha made from Rtanj tea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cvetković Dragoljub D.

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Kombucha is a beverage with special therapeutic properties produced by the metabolic activity of yeasts and acetic acid bacteria in sweetened black tea (traditional cultivation medium. The antimicrobial activity of kombucha (for consumption made from black tea and Rtanj tea, as well as particular control samples, was examined by the modified disc diffusion method. Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus sp., Sarcina lutea, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Aspergilus niger, Aspergilus flavus, Rhodotorula sp. Candida pseudotropi-calis and Saccharomyces cerevisae have been used as test organisms. Acetic acid and kombucha samples show significant antimicrobial activity against all bacteria except Sarcina lutea. The other control samples (neutralized kombucha, tea and a "model sistem" show less bacteriostatic activity. Kombucha and acetic acid solution show borderline inhibitory activity against some moulds, while was no activity against yeasts.

  14. Redesigned Spider Peptide with Improved Antimicrobial and Anticancer Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troeira Henriques, Sónia; Lawrence, Nicole; Chaousis, Stephanie; Ravipati, Anjaneya S; Cheneval, Olivier; Benfield, Aurélie H; Elliott, Alysha G; Kavanagh, Angela Maria; Cooper, Matthew A; Chan, Lai Yue; Huang, Yen-Hua; Craik, David J

    2017-09-15

    Gomesin, a disulfide-rich antimicrobial peptide produced by the Brazilian spider Acanthoscurria gomesiana, has been shown to be potent against Gram-negative bacteria and to possess selective anticancer properties against melanoma cells. In a recent study, a backbone cyclized analogue of gomesin was shown to be as active but more stable than its native form. In the current study, we were interested in improving the antimicrobial properties of the cyclic gomesin, understanding its selectivity toward melanoma cells and elucidating its antimicrobial and anticancer mode of action. Rationally designed analogues of cyclic gomesin were examined for their antimicrobial potency, selectivity toward cancer cells, membrane-binding affinity, and ability to disrupt cell and model membranes. We improved the activity of cyclic gomesin by ∼10-fold against tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria without increasing toxicity to human red blood cells. In addition, we showed that gomesin and its analogues are more toxic toward melanoma and leukemia cells than toward red blood cells and act by selectively targeting and disrupting cancer cell membranes. Preference toward some cancer types is likely dependent on their different cell membrane properties. Our findings highlight the potential of peptides as antimicrobial and anticancer leads and the importance of selectively targeting cancer cell membranes for drug development.

  15. Antimicrobial stewardship: Strategies for a global response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenny Grunwald

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The increasing antimicrobial resistance worldwide, combined with dwindling antimicrobial armamentarium, has resulted in a critical threat to the public health and safety of patients. To combat this hazard, antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs have emerged. Antimicrobial stewardship programs prevent or slow the emergence of antimicrobial resistance by coordinated interventions designed to optimize antimicrobial use to achieve the best clinical outcomes and limiting selective pressures that drive the emergence of resistance. This also reduces excessive costs attributable to suboptimal antimicrobial use. Even though an ideal effective ASP should incorporate more than one element simultaneously, it also requires a multidisciplinary team, which should include an infectious diseases physician, a clinical pharmacist with infectious diseases training, infection control professionals, hospital epidemiologist, a clinical microbiologist and an information specialist. However, for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS programs to be successful, they must address the specific needs of individual institutions, must be built on available resources, the limitations and advantages of each institution, and the available staffing and technological infrastructure.

  16. Phenolic profile and antimicrobial activities to selected microorganisms of some wild medical plant from Slovakia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lukáš Hleba

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the methanol extracts of Tussilago farfara (T. farfara, Equisetum arvense, Sambucus nigra (S. nigra and Aesculus hippocastanum. Methods: The antimicrobial activities of the extracts against Enterococcus raffinosus, Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia rubidaea, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Staphylococcus epidermis were determined by the microbroth dilution method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, while the concentrations of main phenolic acids and flavonoids in the form of trimethylsilyl ethers were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The probit analysis was used for statistical evaluation. Results: Of the 4 plant tested, all extracts showed a significant antimicrobial activity against one or more species of examined microorganisms. The most active antimicrobial plant extract was gathered from T. farfara, followed by Aesculus hippocastanum and Equisetum arvense. The extract from S. nigra showed no antimicrobial effects. The flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol, as well as several phenolic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, ferulic acid and caffeic acid were identified in all extracts. The highest concentrations of bioactive compounds were detected in the extracts of T. farfara (9 587.6 µg/mg quercetin and 4 875.3 µg/mg caffeic acid as well as S. nigra (4788.8 µg/mg kaempferol. Conclusions: We can state that the methanolic plant extract of T. farfara showed the strongest antimicrobial activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae as well as other tested microorganisms. At the same time, a good antimicrobial activity was found in the other medical plant extracts as well. No antimicrobial effect of the S. nigra extract was found with respect to the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus raffinosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

  17. Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities of PR-39 derived peptides.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edwin J A Veldhuizen

    Full Text Available The porcine cathelicidin PR-39 is a host defence peptide that plays a pivotal role in the innate immune defence of the pig against infections. Besides direct antimicrobial activity, it is involved in immunomodulation, wound healing and several other biological processes. In this study, the antimicrobial- and immunomodulatory activity of PR-39, and N- and C-terminal derivatives of PR-39 were tested. PR-39 exhibited an unexpected broad antimicrobial spectrum including several Gram positive strains such as Bacillus globigii and Enterococcus faecalis. Of organisms tested, only Staphylococcus aureus was insensitive to PR-39. Truncation of PR-39 down to 15 (N-terminal amino acids did not lead to major loss of activity, while peptides corresponding to the C-terminal part of PR-39 were hampered in their antimicrobial activity. However, shorter peptides were all much more sensitive to inhibition by salt. Active peptides induced ATP leakage and loss of membrane potential in Bacillus globigii and Escherichia coli, indicating a lytic mechanism of action for these peptides. Finally, only the mature peptide was able to induce IL-8 production in porcine macrophages, but some shorter peptides also had an effect on TNF-α production showing differential regulation of cytokine induction by PR-39 derived peptides. None of the active peptides showed high cytotoxicity highlighting the potential of these peptides for use as an alternative to antibiotics.

  18. Antimicrobial and Immunomodulatory Activities of PR-39 Derived Peptides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veldhuizen, Edwin J. A.; Schneider, Viktoria A. F.; Agustiandari, Herfita; van Dijk, Albert; Tjeerdsma-van Bokhoven, Johanna L. M.; Bikker, Floris J.; Haagsman, Henk P.

    2014-01-01

    The porcine cathelicidin PR-39 is a host defence peptide that plays a pivotal role in the innate immune defence of the pig against infections. Besides direct antimicrobial activity, it is involved in immunomodulation, wound healing and several other biological processes. In this study, the antimicrobial- and immunomodulatory activity of PR-39, and N- and C-terminal derivatives of PR-39 were tested. PR-39 exhibited an unexpected broad antimicrobial spectrum including several Gram positive strains such as Bacillus globigii and Enterococcus faecalis. Of organisms tested, only Staphylococcus aureus was insensitive to PR-39. Truncation of PR-39 down to 15 (N-terminal) amino acids did not lead to major loss of activity, while peptides corresponding to the C-terminal part of PR-39 were hampered in their antimicrobial activity. However, shorter peptides were all much more sensitive to inhibition by salt. Active peptides induced ATP leakage and loss of membrane potential in Bacillus globigii and Escherichia coli, indicating a lytic mechanism of action for these peptides. Finally, only the mature peptide was able to induce IL-8 production in porcine macrophages, but some shorter peptides also had an effect on TNF-α production showing differential regulation of cytokine induction by PR-39 derived peptides. None of the active peptides showed high cytotoxicity highlighting the potential of these peptides for use as an alternative to antibiotics. PMID:24755622

  19. Rhanterium epapposum Oliv. essential oil: Chemical composition and antimicrobial,insect-repellent and anticholinesterase activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essential oils from Rhanterium epapposum Oliv. (Asteraceae) was investigated for its repellent, antimicrobial and acetyl- and butyrylcholine esterase inhibitory activities. The oil showed good repellent activity while oils demonstrated weak in antimicrobial and cholinesterase inhibitions. Terpenoids...

  20. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Brachyspira Species Isolated in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Jih-Ching; Lo, Dan-Yuan; Chang, Shao-Kuang; Kuo, Hung-Chih

    2018-03-13

    Some members of the Brachyspira genus cause diseases such as swine dysentery (SD) and porcine intestinal (or colonic) spirochetosis. Severe economic losses are caused by decreased feed intake and increased feed conversion ratio, as well as costs associated with treatment and death. A loss of clinical efficacy of some antimicrobial agents authorized for treating SD has been observed in many countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the antimicrobial susceptibility of Brachyspira isolated from Taiwan and to investigate the mechanism of decreased susceptibility to macrolides. A total of 55 Brachyspira isolates obtained from the grower-finisher period were evaluated in this study. These isolates included B. hyodysenteriae (n = 37), B. murdochii (n = 11), B. pilosicoli (n = 5), B. intermedia (n = 1), and B. innocens (n = 1). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed to examine 12 selected antimicrobial agents. The results showed that the 50% and 90% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the tested macrolides were all >256 μg/ml. The MIC 50 of lincomycin, tiamulin, carbadox, olaquindox, ampicillin, amoxicillin, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, and gentamicin were 32, 1, ≤0.125, ≤0.125, 0.5, 0.25, 2, 2, and 2 μg/ml. The genetic basis of the decreased susceptibility to tylosin and lincomycin in Brachyspira spp. was investigated and the results showed a possible connection to the mutations at position A2058 and G2032 of the 23S rRNA gene. These findings demonstrated that, in Taiwan, there may be a decrease in susceptibility of Brachyspira spp. to antimicrobials commonly used for the treatment of SD.

  1. GC-MS profile of antimicrobial and antioxidant fractions from Cordia rothii roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Kehkashan; Firdous, Sadiqa; Ahmad, Aqeel; Fayyaz, Nida; Nadir, Muhammad; Rasheed, Munawwer; Faizi, Shaheen

    2016-11-01

    An ethnobotanical survey of Cordia rothii Roem. & Schult. (Boraginaceae) reveals it as a medicinal plant. Antimicrobial and antioxidant potential evaluation and identification of chemical constituents via GC-MS of C. rothii roots fractions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation of the roots exploiting GC-MS. Extraction and fractionation of C. rothii roots furnished various fractions using solvents of varying polarity, i.e., n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol. In vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant screening was performed using disk diffusion and DPPH methods, respectively. MIC of active fractions was also determined using disk diffusion method. GC-MS was used to identify constituents which may be responsible for these activities. Among various fractions from C. rothii roots, fraction KA-C showed strong antibacterial activity against 17 microorganisms tested, with MIC ranging from 250-31.25 μg/mL. Fractions KA-A, KM and KM-A exhibited significant antioxidant potential with EC 50 46.875 μg/mL, while fractions KEA-PE, KM-PE and KM-M were good with EC 50 93.750 μg/mL. Forty-five phytochemicals were identified in GC-MS studies including eight hydrocarbons, six free fatty acids, 11 fatty acids esters, two phenylpropanoids, four aromatics, four terpenoid quinones/hydroquinones, three triterpenes, four phytosterols, two hexose metabolites and a DNA base. Of these, 32 constituents have been reported for the first time from C. rothii, 24 from genus Cordia and 15 from Boraginaceae. Strong antibacterial and antioxidant potential of C. rothii roots may be due to the contribution of phytoconstituents identified through GC-MS studies.

  2. Antimicrobial susceptibility, serotypes and genotypes of Pasteurella multocida isolates associated with swine pneumonia in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Jih-Ching; Lo, Dan-Yuan; Chang, Shao-Kuang; Chou, Chi-Chung; Kuo, Hung-Chih

    2017-09-21

    Pasteurella multocida (PM) can cause progressive atrophic rhinitis and suppurative bronchopneumonia in pigs. The present study performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing and serotype and genotype identification on the 62 PM strains isolated from the lungs of diseased pigs with respiratory symptoms. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing examined 13 antimicrobial agents (amoxicillin, cefazolin, doxycycline, flumequine, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, kanamycin, lincomycin, Linco-Spectin (lincomycin and spectinomycin), erythromycin, tylosin, tilmicosin and tiamulin). Antimicrobial resistance ratios were over 40% in all of the antimicrobial agents except for cefazolin. The highest levels of resistance (100%) were found for kanamycin, erythromycin and tylosin. The majority of isolated strains was serotype D:L6 (n=35) followed by A:L3 (n=17). Comparison of the antimicrobial resistance levels between the two serotypes showed that the antimicrobial resistance rates were higher in D:L6 than in A:L3 for all the tested antimicrobials except for tylosin and tilmicosin. For PM with erm (B), erm (T) or erm (42), the results showed no significant difference compared with non-resistance gene strains in phenotype. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotyping using Apa I restriction digestion of the genomic DNA demonstrated that there were 17 distinct clusters with a similarity of 85% or more, and the genotyping result was similar to that of serotyping. The results of the present study demonstrated that the PM isolated from diseased pigs in Taiwan was resistant to multiple antimicrobials, and the distribution of antimicrobial resistance was associated with pulsotype and serotype. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  3. Antimicrobial Activities and Time-Kill Kinetics of Extracts of Selected Ghanaian Mushrooms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theresa Appiah

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The rapid rise of antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide problem. This has necessitated the need to search for new antimicrobial agents. Mushrooms are rich sources of potential antimicrobial agents. This study investigated the antimicrobial properties of methanol extracts of Trametes gibbosa, Trametes elegans, Schizophyllum commune, and Volvariella volvacea. Agar well diffusion, broth microdilution, and time-kill kinetic assays were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of the extracts against selected test organisms. Preliminary mycochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, triterpenoids, anthraquinones, and alkaloids in the extracts. Methanol extracts of T. gibbosa, T. elegans, S. commune, and V. volvacea showed mean zone of growth inhibition of 10.00±0.0 to 21.50±0.84, 10.00±0.0 to 22.00±1.10, 9.00±0.63 to 21.83±1.17, and 12.00±0.0 to 21.17±1.00 mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration of methanol extracts of T. gibbosa, T. elegans, S. commune, and V. volvacea ranged from 4.0 to 20, 6.0 to 30.0, 8.0 to 10.0, and 6.0 to 20.0 mg/mL, respectively. Time-kill kinetics studies showed that the extracts possess bacteriostatic action. Methanol extracts of T. gibbosa, T. elegans, S. commune, and V. volvacea exhibited antimicrobial activity and may contain bioactive compounds which may serve as potential antibacterial and antifungal agents.

  4. [Antimicrobial effect of various calcium hydroxide on Porphyromonas endodontalis in vitro].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Ting-ting; Qiu, Li-hong; Jia, Ge; Yang, Di; Guo, Yan

    2012-04-01

    To compare the antimicrobial activity of Endocal, calcium hydroxide paste, Calxyl, Vitapex on Porphyromonas endodontalis(P.e). (1) The antimicrobial activity of different calcium hydroxide on P.e was examined at different exposure times by dynamic nephelometry. (2) 85 freshly extracted single-rooted human teeth were selected and cut at the amelocemental junction. All roots were randomly divided into five groups. The bacteria were incubated in each canal and were sampled and counted before and after enveloping five kinds of intercanal medicine seeded. Student's t test, One-way ANOVA were used with SPSS11.0 software package for statistical analysis. The bacteria from each group were reduced significantly after intracanal medication (P<0.05). The antibacterial efficacy of Endocal and calcium hydroxide paste were superior to others under dynamic nephelometry test (P<0.05). Endocal, calcium hydroxide paste, Calxyl, Vitapex had strong inhibitory effect on P.e from infected root canals, and the rate of bacteria clearance was 95%. The antimicrobial activity of Endocal was significantly greater than others (P<0.05). Endocal, calcium hydroxide paste, Calxyl and Vitapex were effective for intercanal disinfection. The antibacterial activity of Endocal is greater than Vitapex.

  5. Animals living in polluted environments are potential source of antimicrobials against infectious agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Simon; Siddiqui, Ruqaiyyah; Khan, Naveed Ahmed

    2012-01-01

    The antimicrobials crisis is a ticking time bomb which could lead to millions of people dying from untreatable infections. With the worsening trends of antimicrobial resistance, we are heading towards a pre-antibiotic era. Thus, there is a need for newer and more powerful antibiotic agents. The search for new antibiotic compounds originating from natural resources is a promising research area. Animals living in germ-infested environments are a potent source of antimicrobials. Under polluted milieus, organisms such as cockroaches encounter different types of bacteria, including superbugs. Such creatures survive the onslaught of superbugs and are able to ward off disease by producing antimicrobial substances which show potent activity in the nervous system. We hope that the discovery of antimicrobial activity in the cockroach brain will stimulate research in finding antimicrobials from unusual sources, and has potential for the development of novel antibiotics. Nevertheless, intensive research in the next few years will be required to approach or realize these expectations. PMID:23265422

  6. Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

    2016-05-01

    TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO2(Eu). In investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

  7. Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG): development and impact of the Scottish National Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathwani, Dilip; Sneddon, Jacqueline; Malcolm, William; Wiuff, Camilla; Patton, Andrea; Hurding, Simon; Eastaway, Anne; Seaton, R Andrew; Watson, Emma; Gillies, Elizabeth; Davey, Peter; Bennie, Marion

    2011-07-01

    In 2008, the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (ScotMARAP) was published by the Scottish Government. One of the key actions was initiation of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG), hosted within the Scottish Medicines Consortium, to take forward national implementation of the key recommendations of this action plan. The primary objective of SAPG is to co-ordinate and deliver a national framework or programme of work for antimicrobial stewardship. This programme, led by SAPG, is delivered by NHS National Services Scotland (Health Protection Scotland and Information Services Division), NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, and NHS National Education Scotland as well as NHS board Antimicrobial Management Teams. Between 2008 and 2010, SAPG has achieved a number of early successes, which are the subject of this review: (i) through measures to optimise prescribing in hospital and primary care, combined with infection prevention measures, SAPG has contributed significantly to reducing Clostridium difficile infection rates in Scotland; (ii) there has been engagement of all key stakeholders at local and national levels to ensure an integrated approach to antimicrobial stewardship within the wider healthcare-associated infection agenda; (iii) development and implementation of data management systems to support quality improvement; (iv) development of training materials on antimicrobial stewardship for healthcare professionals; and (v) improving clinical management of infections (e.g. community-acquired pneumonia) through quality improvement methodology. The early successes achieved by SAPG demonstrate that this delivery model is effective and provides the leadership and focus required to implement antimicrobial stewardship to improve antimicrobial prescribing and infection management across NHS Scotland. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

  8. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Pin it Email Print The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) produced a nine-minute animation explaining how antimicrobial resistance both emerges and proliferates among bacteria. Over time, the use of antimicrobial drugs will result in ...

  9. Real-Time Optical Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fredborg, Marlene; Andersen, Klaus R; Jørgensen, Erik

    2013-01-01

    Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing is in highly demand in health-care fields as antimicrobial resistant bacterial strains emerge and spread. Here we describe an optical screening system (oCelloScope), which based on time-lapse imaging of 96 bacteria-antibiotic combinations at a time......, introduces real-time detection of bacterial growth and antimicrobial susceptibility, with imaging material to support the automatically generated graphs. Automated antibiotic susceptibility tests of a monoculture showed statistically significant antibiotic effect within 6 minutes and within 30 minutes...... from multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. The oCelloScope system can be employed for a broad range of applications within bacteriology and may present new vistas as a point-of-care instrument in both clinical and veterinarian settings....

  10. Controlling Antimicrobial Resistance: Lessons from Scotland for India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suchita Bhattacharyya

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction In India, antimicrobial resistance (AMR is a serious public health problem. While some official policies have been formulated, they are not comprehensive and their enforcement is not monitored or regulated. This paper discusses the success achieved by the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG and derives lessons relevant for AMR policies in India. Methods This study involved secondary data review and discussions with SAPG representatives. Results India is the largest consumer of antibiotics for human health (10.7 units/person and this consumption is steadily increasing. Irrational use, fixed‐dose combinations and growing antibiotic use in livestock have resulted in newer drug‐resistant pathogens. In 2008, the Scottish government initiated the SAPG that has achieved nationwide success in AMR control. The enormous success achieved by SAPG has demonstrated that this delivery model is effective in addressing AMR and can also be used in India, with country‐specific modifications. Conclusions In India, strong political and stakeholder support is required for a pragmatic one‐health approach to antimicrobial governance that would involve the interplay between agriculture, livestock and pharmaceutical industries. Project management, quality improvement, information management and performance assessment through accountability measures are essential. These can be coordinated nationally and implemented locally through existing structures and institutes. This needs to be supported by a powerful clinical network and underpinned by robust educational support that is dynamic to meet the needs of local healthcare professionals and general population.

  11. Impact of antimicrobial use during beef production on fecal occurrence of antimicrobial resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Objective: To determine the impact of typical antimicrobial use during cattle production on fecal occurrence of antimicrobial resistance by culture, quantitative PCR, and metagenomic sequencing. Experimental Design & Analysis: Feces were recovered from colons of 36 lots of "conventional" (CONV) ca...

  12. Antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis from broiler carcasses in Serbia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolić, A.; Baltić, T.; Velebit, B.; Babić, M.; Milojević, L.; Đorđević, V.

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed to investigate antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella Infantis isolates from poultry carcasses in Serbia. A total of 48 Salmonella isolates were examined for antimicrobial resistance. A panel of 10 antibiotics was selected for testing. Isolates showed resistance to sulfamethoxazole, ceftazidime and cefotaxime (100%). However, the highest number of Salmonella Infantis isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol. The usage of antibiotics in food producing animals could result in antimicrobial resistance pathogenic bacteria especially Salmonella spp. in poultry, which may be transmitted to humans through the food chain and increase risk of treatment failures.

  13. Green production of microalgae-based silver chloride nanoparticles with antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva Ferreira, Veronica; ConzFerreira, Mateus Eugenio; Lima, Luís Maurício T R; Frasés, Susana; de Souza, Wanderley; Sant'Anna, Celso

    2017-02-01

    Silver nanoparticles are powerful antimicrobial agents. Here, the synthesis of silver chloride nanoparticles (AgCl-NPs) was consistently evidenced from a commercially valuable microalgae species, Chlorella vulgaris. Incubation of C. vulgaris conditioned medium with AgNO 3 resulted in a medium color change to yellow/brown (with UV-vis absorbance at 415nm), indicative of silver nanoparticle formation. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) of purified nanoparticles confirmed the presence of both silver and chlorine atoms, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the typical pattern of cubic crystalline AgCl-NPs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that most particles (65%) were spherical, with average diameter of 9.8±5.7nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of purified nanoparticle fractions suggested that proteins are the main molecular entities involved in AgCl-NP formation and stabilization. AgCl-NPs (from 10μg/mL) decreased by 98% the growth of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterial pathogens, and had a dose-dependent effect on cell viability, which was measured by automated image-based high content screening (HCS). Ultrastructural analysis of treated bacteria by TEM revealed the abnormal arrangement of the chromosomal DNA. Our findings strongly indicated that the AgCl-NPs from C. vulgaris conditioned medium is a promising 'green' alternative for biomedical application as antimicrobials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from seafoods in Lagos Lagoon Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chigozie Oramadike

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study, a total of 90 seafood samples; croaker fish (Pseudotolithus senegalensis, shrimps (Penaeus notialis and blue crab (Callinectes sapidus collected from landing sites along the Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria were examined for the prevalence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus using both biochemical and molecular methods. Biochemical identification of the isolates was confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR. The presence of the virulence-associated tdh (thermostable direct haemolysin, trh1 (thermostable-related haemolysin and trh2 genes in the V. parahaemolyticus isolates was also detected by the PCR method. PCR products from the V.16S primers were sequenced. Antibiotics susceptibility of the isolates was also determined. About, eight isolates were presumptively identified as V. parahaemolyticus, PCR identified five and none of the isolates were positive for the genes tdh or trh. The five isolates sequenced were identified as different strains of V. parahaemolyticus. V. parahaemolyticus_RIMD_2210633 = 2MKSHa remained resistant to all antimicrobials tested. However, only V. parahaemolyticus_MP-2_AY911391 = TBSHy showed strong sensitivity to all the antimicrobials with ampicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration-4 μg/ml. In addition, the other three isolates showed sensitivity for Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Gentamicin and Ceftazidime. Ampicillin resistance in most of the isolates suggests low efficiency of ampicillin in management of V. parahaemolyticus infection.

  15. Lipophilic prodrugs of FR900098 are antimicrobial against Francisella novicida in vivo and in vitro and show GlpT independent efficacy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth S McKenney

    Full Text Available Bacteria, plants, and algae produce isoprenoids through the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP pathway, an attractive pathway for antimicrobial drug development as it is present in prokaryotes and some lower eukaryotes but absent from human cells. The first committed step of the MEP pathway is catalyzed by 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR/MEP synthase. MEP pathway genes have been identified in many biothreat agents, including Francisella, Brucella, Bacillus, Burkholderia, and Yersinia. The importance of the MEP pathway to Francisella is demonstrated by the fact that MEP pathway mutations are lethal. We have previously established that fosmidomycin inhibits purified MEP synthase (DXR from F. tularensis LVS. FR900098, the acetyl derivative of fosmidomycin, was found to inhibit the activity of purified DXR from F. tularensis LVS (IC(50=230 nM. Fosmidomycin and FR900098 are effective against purified DXR from Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well, but have no effect on whole cells because the compounds are too polar to penetrate the thick cell wall. Fosmidomycin requires the GlpT transporter to enter cells, and this is absent in some pathogens, including M. tuberculosis. In this study, we have identified the GlpT homologs in F. novicida and tested transposon insertion mutants of glpT. We showed that FR900098 also requires GlpT for full activity against F. novicida. Thus, we synthesized several FR900098 prodrugs that have lipophilic groups to facilitate their passage through the bacterial cell wall and bypass the requirement for the GlpT transporter. One compound, that we termed "compound 1," was found to have GlpT-independent antimicrobial activity. We tested the ability of this best performing prodrug to inhibit F. novicida intracellular infection of eukaryotic cell lines and the caterpillar Galleria mellonella as an in vivo infection model. As a lipophilic GlpT-independent DXR inhibitor, compound 1 has the potential to be a broad

  16. Characterisation and functional properties of antimicrobial bio-barriers formed by natural fibres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomšič, Brigita; Ilec, Eva; Žerjav, Metka; Hladnik, Aleš; Simončič, Andrej; Simončič, Barbara

    2014-10-01

    Antimicrobial bio-barriers formed on cotton (CO), silk (SE), and woollen (WO) fabrics were prepared by the application of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride (Si-QAC) at 11 concentrations ranging from 0.5% to 20% using an exhaustion method. The presence of the Si-QAC coating on the treated fabric samples was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The bromophenol blue reagent was used to determine the concentration of quaternary ammonium groups in the coating. The antimicrobial activity of the coated fibres against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus), fungi (Aspergillus niger and Chaetomium globosum), and soil microflora was assessed using standard microbiological methods. The antimicrobial protection of the fibres increased with increases in the applied concentration of Si-QAC. The fibre type strongly influenced the antimicrobial activity of Si-QAC. Si-QAC was most effective for CO fibres, less effective for WO fibres, and least effective for SE fibres, suggesting that Si-QAC is less accessible for interactions with microorganisms when applied to protein fibres than to cellulose. Although Si-QAC reduced the microbial growth, it did not significantly hinder the biodegradability or sustainability of the coated fibres when exposed to soil microflora. The extent of rotting was more influenced by the morphological and chemical properties of the fibres than by the presence of Si-QAC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, EunKyung; Kim, YoungJun; Joo, Nami

    2013-12-01

    The therapeutic action of a plant depends on its chemical constituents. In this study, experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the effect of extraction conditions on the antioxidative and antimicrobial activities of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.). Roselle was found to be rich in malic acid, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid and minerals, especially Ca and Fe, but low in glucose. More than 18 volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This herb, which is rich in phenolic compounds and displays DPPH radical scavenging activity, could be a good source of natural antioxidants. The antimicrobial activity of the Roselle water and ethanol extracts was tested with Bacillus subtilis (ATCC6633), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC6538) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739). The inhibition of the Roselle ethanol extract against B. subtilis and S. aureus was slightly higher than that of water extract but this difference was not significant. However, E. coli was strongly inhibited by the Roselle water extract at concentrations of 25 and 50 mg mL(-1) as determined by a paper disc method. The obtained results indicated that antioxidant and antimicrobial activity was related to different methods of extraction and Roselle extracts could be a source of therapeutically useful products. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  18. Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Properties of the Essential Oil of Myrtus communis L. against Clinical Strains of Mycobacterium spp.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefania Zanetti

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the etiological agent of tuberculosis. The World Health Organization has estimated that 8 million of people develop active TB every year and the situation is complicated by an increase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains resistant to drugs used in antitubercular therapy: MDR and XDR-TB. Myrtle leaf extracts, used as an antiseptic in Sardinian traditional medicine, have strong antibacterial activity as several investigations showed. In this study we investigated the antimicrobial properties of the essential oil of Myrtus communis against clinical strains of M. tuberculosis and M. paratuberculosis.

  19. Structure-activity relationship of a u-type antimicrobial microemulsion system.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Zhang

    Full Text Available The structure-activity relationship of a U-type antimicrobial microemulsion system containing glycerol monolaurate and ethanol at a 1∶1 mass ratio as oil phase and Tween 20 as surfactant were investigated along a water dilution line at a ratio of 80∶20 mass% surfactant/oil phase, based on a pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The differential scanning calorimetry results showed that in the region of up to 33% water, all water molecules are confined to the hydrophilic core of the reverse micelles, leading to the formation of w/o microemulsion. As the water content increases, the water gains mobility, and transforms into bicontinuous in the region of 33-39% water, and finally the microemulsion become o/w in the region of above 39% water. The microstructure characterization was confirmed by the dynamic light scattering measurements and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscope observation. The antimicrobial activity assay using kinetics of killing analysis demonstrated that the microemulsions in w/o regions exhibited relatively high antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the antimicrobial oil phase as the continuous phase, while the antimicrobial activity started to decrease when the microemulsions entered the bicontinuous region, and decreased rapidly as the water content increased in the o/w region, as a result of the dilution of antimicrobial oil droplets in the aqueous continuous phase.

  20. Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties of Gamma Irradiated Starch/ Chitosan/ Ag Nano composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalil, S.A.; Hassan, M.S.; Ali, N.M.

    2016-01-01

    Composites based on different ratios of starch and chitosan, in the presence of a constant amount of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), were prepared in the form of thin films by casting solutions. The gamma irradiated composites were characterized in terms of solution viscosity, FTIR, XRD, TGA and SEM. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of the prepared composites against different microorganisms was investigated. The results showed that the increase of irradiation dose more than 5 kGy leads to a decrease in the composite solution viscosity, the overall crystallinity, thermal stability and antimicrobial activity of the prepared films. The prepared starch based composites were applied to cotton samples to demonstrate the antimicrobial finishing. Acceptable antimicrobial results against both the tested pathogenic bacteria and in burial test were obtained.

  1. The antimicrobial assessment of some Nigerian herbal soap.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Igbeneghu, O A

    2013-01-01

    Twenty samples of herbal soaps were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against bacteria and yeast of significance in skin infections with the aim to provide some justification for the continued use of the soaps in the management of superficial skin infections. All the soaps were found to possess antimicrobial activity in a concentration and organism dependent manner. The soaps were more active against the gram positive organisms than the Gram negative organisms while none of the soaps had activity against the tested yeasts. Only 35% of the soaps were appropriately packaged with adequate directions for use and storage. The study showed that the tested soaps possessed antimicrobial properties and they can contribute to the treatment and management of skin infections caused by bacteria if well prepared with the appropriate plant materials to target specific causative organisms and packaged with appropriate directions for use and storage.

  2. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... menu Skip to common links HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Food and Drug Administration ... Tobacco Products Animal & Veterinary Home Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ...

  3. ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF “DUTSEN DAN LIBYA”

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DJFLEX

    the test organisms showed the lowest MIC at the dose level of 1.25mg/ml and MBC at the dose level of 2.50mg/ ... KEYWORDS: Antimicrobial, Infectious disease, Pathogenic, Bacteria, Fungi ... poverty and increasing incidence of multiple drug.

  4. Mycoplasma bovis: Mechanisms of Resistance and Trends in Antimicrobial Susceptibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lysnyansky, Inna; Ayling, Roger D

    2016-01-01

    Mycoplasma bovis is a cell-wall-less bacterium and belongs to the class Mollicutes. It is the most important etiological agent of bovine mycoplasmoses in North America and Europe, causing respiratory disease, mastitis, otitis media, arthritis, and reproductive disease. Clinical disease associated with M. bovis is often chronic, debilitating, and poorly responsive to antimicrobial therapy, resulting in significant economic loss, the full extent of which is difficult to estimate. Until M. bovis vaccines are universally available, sanitary control measures and antimicrobial treatment are the only approaches that can be used in attempts to control M. bovis infections. However, in vitro studies show that many of the current M. bovis isolates circulating in Europe have high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for many of the commercially available antimicrobials. In this review we summarize the current MIC trends indicating the development of antimicrobial resistance in M. bovis as well as the known molecular mechanisms by which resistance is acquired.

  5. Mycoplasma bovis: mechanisms of resistance and trends in antimicrobial susceptibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Inna eLysnyansky

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Mycoplasma bovis is a cell-wall-less bacterium and belongs to the class Mollicutes. It is the most important etiological agent of bovine mycoplasmoses in North America and Europe, causing respiratory disease, mastitis, otitis media, arthritis, and reproductive disease. Clinical disease associated with M. bovis is often chronic, debilitating, and poorly responsive to antimicrobial therapy, resulting in significant economic loss, the full extent of which is difficult to estimate. Until M. bovis vaccines are universally available, sanitary control measures and antimicrobial treatment are the only approaches that can be used in attempts to control M. bovis infections. However, in vitro studies show that many of the current M. bovis isolates circulating in Europe have high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC for many of the commercially available antimicrobials. In this review we summarize the current MIC trends indicating the development of antimicrobial resistance in M. bovis as well as the known molecular mechanisms by which resistance is acquired.

  6. Pachira glabra Pasq. essential oil: chemical constituents, antimicrobial and insecticidal activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawal, Oladipupo A; Ogunwande, Isiaka A; Salvador, Atinuke F; Sanni, Adetayo A; Opoku, Andy R

    2014-01-01

    The chemical composition of essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves of Pachira glabra Pasq., (PgEO) has been studied by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Thirty three constituents representing 98.4% of total contents were identified from the essential oil. The major constituents of oil were limonene (23.2%), β-caryophyllene (14.5%), phtyol (8.5%) and β-bisabolene (6.3%). The antimicrobial activity of the PgEO was evaluated against a panel of ten bacteria and three fungal strain using agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Results have shown that the PgEO exhibited moderate to strong antimicrobial activity against the tested microorganisms except Citrobacter youagae, Micrococcus spp. and Proteus spp. The activity zones of inhibition (ZI) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranged between 13.7 mm-24.0 mm and 0.3 mg/mL-2.5 mg/mL, respectively. The insecticidal activity of PgEO was assayed against the adult Sitophilus zeamais. The lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90) of the PgEO showed it to be toxic against adult S. zeamais at 32.2 and 53.7 mg/mL, respectively. This is the first report on the chemical composition and in vitro biological activities of essential oil of P. glabra growing in Nigeria.

  7. Antityrosinase and antimicrobial activities from Thai medicinal plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dej-Adisai, Sukanya; Meechai, Imron; Puripattanavong, Jindaporn; Kummee, Sopa

    2014-04-01

    Various dermatological disorders and microbial skin infection can cause hyperpigmentation. Therefore, screenings for whitening and antimicrobial agents from Thai medicinal plants have been of research interest. Seventy-seven ethanol plant extracts were investigated for antityrosinase activity, eleven samples showed the tyrosinase inhibition more than 50 % were further preliminary screening for antimicrobial activity by agar disc diffusion and broth micro-dilution methods. Artocarpus integer (Thunb.) Merr. (Moraceae) root extract, which showed the potential of tyrosinase inhibition with 90.57 ± 2.93 % and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Propionibacterium acnes and Trichophyton mentagophytes with inhibition zone as 9.10 ± 0.00, 10.67 ± 0.09, 15.25 ± 0.05 and 6.60 ± 0.17 mm, respectively was selected for phytochemical investigation. Three pure compounds were isolated as artocarpin, cudraflavone C and artocarpanone. And artocarpanone exhibited anti-tyrosinase effect; artocarpin and cudraflavone C also showed the potential of antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis and P. acnes with MIC at 2, 4 and 2 μg/ml, respectively and MBC at 32 μg/ml for these bacteria. So, these pure compounds are interesting for further study in order to provide possibilities of new whitening and antibacterial development. This will be the first report of phytochemical investigation of A. integer root.

  8. Use of antimicrobial agents in aquaculture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Y H; Hwang, S Y; Hong, M K; Kwon, K H

    2012-04-01

    The aquaculture industry has grown dramatically, and plays an important role in the world's food supply chain. Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria associated with food animals receives much attention, and drug use in aquaculture is also an important issue. There are many differences between aquatic and terrestrial management systems, such as the methods used for administration of drugs. Unique problems are related to the application of drugs in aquatic environments. Residual drugs in fish products can affect people who consume them, and antimicrobials released into aquatic environments can select for resistant bacteria. Moreover, these antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, or their resistance genes, can be transferred to humans. To decrease the risks associated with the use of antimicrobials, various regulations have been developed. In addition, it is necessary to prevent bacterial diseases in aquatic animals by vaccination, to improve culture systems, and to monitor the amount of antimicrobial drugs used and the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

  9. Editorial of the Special Issue Antimicrobial Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iolanda Francolini

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The special issue “Antimicrobial Polymers” includes research and review papers concerning the recent advances on preparation of antimicrobial polymers and their relevance to industrial settings and biomedical field. Antimicrobial polymers have recently emerged as promising candidates to fight microbial contamination onto surfaces thanks to their interesting properties. In this special issue, the main strategies pursued for developing antimicrobial polymers, including polymer impregnation with antimicrobial agents or synthesis of polymers bearing antimicrobial moieties, were discussed. The future application of these polymers either in industrial or healthcare settings could result in an extremely positive impact not only at the economic level but also for the improvement of quality of life.

  10. Short communication: In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of Mycoplasma agalactiae strains isolated from dairy goats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterna, A; Sánchez, A; Gómez-Martín, A; Corrales, J C; De la Fe, C; Contreras, A; Amores, J

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the susceptibility to several antimicrobials of 28 isolates of Mycoplasma agalactiae obtained from goats in a region (southeastern Spain) where contagious agalactia is endemic. For each isolate, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against 12 antimicrobials of the quinolone, macrolide, aminoglycoside, and tetracycline families was determined. The antimicrobials with the lowest MIC were enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, tylosin, and doxycycline, all with MIC90 (concentration at which growth of 90% of the isolates is inhibited) <1 µg/mL. Norfloxacin (a quinolone) showed a wide MIC range (0.1-12.8 µg/mL), suggesting a resistance mechanism toward this antimicrobial that was not elicited by enrofloxacin or ciprofloxacin (the other quinolones tested). Erythromycin showed the highest MIC90 such that its use against Mycoplasma agalactiae is not recommended. Finally, Mycoplasma agalactiae isolates obtained from goat herds with clinical symptoms of contagious agalactia featured higher MIC90 and MIC50 (concentration at which growth of 50% of the isolates is inhibited) values for many of the antimicrobials compared with isolates from asymptomatic animals. The relationship between the extensive use of antimicrobials in herds with clinical contagious agalactia and variations in MIC requires further study. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Silver nanoparticles: Antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and synergism with N-acetyl cysteine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamed, Selwan; Emara, Mohamed; Shawky, Riham M; El-Domany, Ramadan A; Youssef, Tareq

    2017-08-01

    The fast progression of nanotechnology has led to novel therapeutic interventions. Antimicrobial activities of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were tested against standard ATCC strains of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 9144), Escherichia coli (O157:H7), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) in addition to 60 clinical isolates collected from cancer patients. Antimicrobial activity was tested by disk diffusion method and MIC values for Ag NPs alone and in combination with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against tested pathogens were determined by broth microdilution method. Ag NPs showed a robust antimicrobial activity against all tested pathogens and NAC substantially enhanced the antimicrobial activity of Ag NPs against all tested pathogens. Synergism between Ag NPs and NAC has been confirmed by checkerboard assay. The effect of Ag NPs on tested pathogens was further scrutinized by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) which showed disruption of cell wall in both bacteria and fungi. Ag NPs abrogated the activity of respiratory chain dehydrogenase of all tested pathogens and released muramic acid content from S. aureus in culture. The cytotoxic effect of Ag NPs alone and in combination with NAC was examined using human HepG2 cells and this revealed no cytotoxicity at MIC values of Ag NPs and interestingly, NAC reduced the cytotoxic effect of Ag NPs at concentrations higher than their MIC values. Taken together, Ag NPs have robust antimicrobial activity and NAC substantially enhances their antimicrobial activities against MDR pathogens which would provide a novel safe, effective, and inexpensive therapeutic approach to control the prevalence of MDR pathogens. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Wild Mushroom Show Potential Antimicrobial Activities against Food Borne Pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yugal Kishore Mohanta

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The present study demonstrates an economical and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs using the wild mushroom Ganoderma sessiliforme. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed and the products characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR analysis was performed to identify the viable biomolecules involved in the capping and active stabilization of AgNPs. Moreover, the average sizes and morphologies of AgNPs were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM. The potential impacts of AgNPs on food safety and control were evaluated by the antimicrobial activity of the synthesized AgNPs against common food-borne bacteria, namely, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus faecalis, Listeria innocua and Micrococcus luteus. The results of this study revealed that the synthesized AgNPs can be used to control the growth of food-borne pathogens and have potential application in the food packaging industry. Moreover, the AgNPs were evaluated for antioxidant activity (DPPH, for biocompatibility (L-929, normal fibroblast cells, and for cytotoxic effects on human breast adenosarcoma cells (MCF-7 & MDA-MB231 to highlight their potential for use in a variety of bio-applications.

  13. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Skip to common links HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Food and Drug Administration A to Z Index Follow FDA En Español Search FDA Submit search ... & Health Antimicrobial Resistance Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance Share Tweet ...

  14. Efficacy of a novel antimicrobial peptide against periodontal pathogens in both planktonic and polymicrobial biofilm states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hong-Yan; Cheng, Jya-Wei; Yu, Hui-Yuan; Lin, Li; Chih, Ya-Han; Pan, Ya-Ping

    2015-10-01

    Streptococcus gordonii, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis represent the early, middle and late colonizers of the bacterial accretion in dental plaque biofilms. These sessile communities constitute a protected mode of growth that promotes survival in a hostile environment. This study describes a novel and unrecognized role for a synthetic cationic antimicrobial peptide, Nal-P-113, which inhibits and kills periodontal bacteria in planktonic state, inhibits the formation of biofilms and eradicates polymicrobial biofilms. Nal-P-113 is also stable in saliva, serum and saline solution. At a concentration less than 320 μg/mL which is harmless to normal oral cells, Nal-P-113 can kill bacteria in planktonic state. At a concentration of antimicrobial peptide Nal-P-113 (1280 μg/mL) which only causes slight damages to normal oral cells is needed to kill bacteria in biofilm state. It is worth mentioning that this concentration of Nal-P-113 is harmless to rat oral mucosa compared to chlorhexidine. The mechanism of Nal-P-113 inhibiting and killing periodontal bacteria might rely on the abilities to permeabilize and/or to form pores within the cytoplasmic membranes, thus causes the death of bacteria. Here, we provided a novel and stable antimicrobial peptide with very low mammalian cytotoxicity, which can inhibit and kill periodontal bacteria in both planktonic and polymicrobial biofilm states. Nal-P-113 is a potent antimicrobial peptide with strong antimicrobial ability, improved deficiency compared with other antibacterial peptides, and remains stable in phosphate buffered saline, saliva, brain-heart infusion medium and bovine calf serum. Nal-P-113 exhibits a broad spectrum of bacteriocidal activity with excellent eradicating capability on oral pathogens and the respective biofilms. In this study, we used propidium iodide staining, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy to confirm that Nal-P-113 can perforate plasmalemma thereby

  15. Antimicrobial Activities of Dorema Auchri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Sharifi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Due to emerging of resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics, investigations for novel antimicrobial agents have always been one of the major preoccupations of the medical society. Traditional medicine systems have played an important role during human evolution and development. Today, a number of medical herbs around the world have been studied for their medicinal activities. Amongst the several herbal medicine used as a medicine, Dorema auchri is yet another potent herbal medicine which has not been extensively studied for the medicinal uses in comparison with other herbal medicine. Dorema auchri has a long history of use as a sore and food additive in Yasuj, Iran. However, not much scientific work has been conducted on Dorema auchri antimicrobial activities. The present study aimed to study the antimicrobial properties of Dorema auchri on some pathogen microorganisms. Materials & Methods: In the present study was conducted at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences in 2009. After collection and preparation of hydro alcoholic extract of Dorena auchri, the extract was used to study its activities against human pathogen microorganisms (overall 10 microorganisms. The determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimum lethal concentration were evaluated for this extract. The antimicrobial potent of Dorema auchri extract was compared with commercial antibiotics. Each experiment was done three times and collected data were analyzed by SPSS using ANOVA and Chi-Square tests. Results: Findings of this study showed that in 10 mg/ml concentration, all bacteria were resistant to Dorema auchri extract. In 20 mg/ml concentration, only Staphylococcus areus and Staphylococcus epidermis showed zone of inhibition (ZOI 10 mm and 13 mm respectively. In 40 mg/ml concentration, the maximum ZOI was 15 mm in Staphylococcus areus and 80 mg/ml concentration, the maximum ZOI was 20 mm in Staphylococcus areus. The acceptable MIC

  16. Antimicrobial resistance in Libya: 1970–2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khalifa Sifaw Ghenghesh

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Resistance to antimicrobial agents is a major health problem that affects the whole world. Providing information on the past state of antimicrobial resistance in Libya may assist the health authorities in addressing the problem more effectively in the future. Information was obtained mainly from Highwire Press (including PubMed search for the period 1970–2011 using the terms ‘antibiotic resistance in Libya’, ‘antimicrobial resistance in Libya’, ‘tuberculosis in Libya’, and ‘primary and acquired resistance in Libya’ in title and abstract. From 1970 to 2011 little data was available on antimicrobial resistance in Libya due to lack of surveillance and few published studies. Available data shows high resistance rates for Salmonella species in the late 1970s and has remained high to the present day. High prevalence rates (54–68% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA were reported in the last decade among S. aureus from patients with burns and surgical wound infections. No reports were found of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA or vancomycin-intermediate-resistant S. aureus (VISA using standard methods from Libya up to the end of 2011. Reported rates of primary (i.e. new cases and acquired (i.e. retreatment cases multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB from the eastern region of Libya in 1971 were 16.6 and 33.3% and in 1976 were 8.6 and 14.7%, in western regions in 1984–1986 were 11 and 21.5% and in the whole country in 2011 were estimated at 3.4 and 29%, respectively. The problem of antibiotic resistance is very serious in Libya. The health authorities in particular and society in general should address this problem urgently. Establishing monitoring systems based on the routine testing of antimicrobial sensitivity and education of healthcare workers, pharmacists, and the community on the health risks associated with the problem and benefits of prudent use of antimicrobials are some steps that can be taken to

  17. Chemerin is an antimicrobial agent in human epidermis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Banas

    Full Text Available Chemerin, a chemoattractant ligand for chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1 is predicted to share similar tertiary structure with antibacterial cathelicidins. Recombinant chemerin has antimicrobial activity. Here we show that endogenous chemerin is abundant in human epidermis, and that inhibition of bacteria growth by exudates from organ cultures of primary human skin keratinocytes is largely chemerin-dependent. Using a panel of overlapping chemerin-derived synthetic peptides, we demonstrate that the antibacterial activity of chemerin is primarily mediated by Val(66-Pro(85, which causes direct bacterial lysis. Therefore, chemerin is an antimicrobial agent in human skin.

  18. Genomewide Analysis of the Antimicrobial Peptides in Python bivittatus and Characterization of Cathelicidins with Potent Antimicrobial Activity and Low Cytotoxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dayeong; Soundrarajan, Nagasundarapandian; Lee, Juyeon; Cho, Hye-Sun; Choi, Minkyeung; Cha, Se-Yeoun; Ahn, Byeongyong; Jeon, Hyoim; Le, Minh Thong; Song, Hyuk; Kim, Jin-Hoi; Park, Chankyu

    2017-09-01

    In this study, we sought to identify novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in Python bivittatus through bioinformatic analyses of publicly available genome information and experimental validation. In our analysis of the python genome, we identified 29 AMP-related candidate sequences. Of these, we selected five cathelicidin-like sequences and subjected them to further in silico analyses. The results showed that these sequences likely have antimicrobial activity. The sequences were named Pb-CATH1 to Pb-CATH5 according to their sequence similarity to previously reported snake cathelicidins. We predicted their molecular structure and then chemically synthesized the mature peptide for three putative cathelicidins and subjected them to biological activity tests. Interestingly, all three peptides showed potent antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative bacteria but very weak activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Remarkably, ΔPb-CATH4 showed potent activity against antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates and also was observed to possess very low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. ΔPb-CATH4 also showed considerable serum stability. Electron microscopic analysis indicated that ΔPb-CATH4 exerts its effects via toroidal pore preformation. Structural comparison of the cathelicidins identified in this study to previously reported ones revealed that these Pb-CATHs are representatives of a new group of reptilian cathelicidins lacking the acidic connecting domain. Furthermore, Pb-CATH4 possesses a completely different mature peptide sequence from those of previously described reptilian cathelicidins. These new AMPs may be candidates for the development of alternatives to or complements of antibiotics to control multidrug-resistant pathogens. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  19. Antimicrobial food packaging: potential and pitfalls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malhotra, Bhanu; Keshwani, Anu; Kharkwal, Harsha

    2015-01-01

    Nowadays food preservation, quality maintenance, and safety are major growing concerns of the food industry. It is evident that over time consumers’ demand for natural and safe food products with stringent regulations to prevent food-borne infectious diseases. Antimicrobial packaging which is thought to be a subset of active packaging and controlled release packaging is one such promising technology which effectively impregnates the antimicrobial into the food packaging film material and subsequently delivers it over the stipulated period of time to kill the pathogenic microorganisms affecting food products thereby increasing the shelf life to severe folds. This paper presents a picture of the recent research on antimicrobial agents that are aimed at enhancing and improving food quality and safety by reduction of pathogen growth and extension of shelf life, in a form of a comprehensive review. Examination of the available antimicrobial packaging technologies is also presented along with their significant impact on food safety. This article entails various antimicrobial agents for commercial applications, as well as the difference between the use of antimicrobials under laboratory scale and real time applications. Development of resistance amongst microorganisms is considered as a future implication of antimicrobials with an aim to come up with actual efficacies in extension of shelf life as well as reduction in bacterial growth through the upcoming and promising use of antimicrobials in food packaging for the forthcoming research down the line. PMID:26136740

  20. Antimicrobial use in Belgian broiler production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persoons, Davy; Dewulf, Jeroen; Smet, Annemieke; Herman, Lieve; Heyndrickx, Marc; Martel, An; Catry, Boudewijn; Butaye, Patrick; Haesebrouck, Freddy

    2012-08-01

    The use of antimicrobials in production animals has become a worldwide concern in the face of rising resistance levels in commensal, pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria. In the years 2007 and 2008 antimicrobial consumption records were collected during two non consecutive production cycles in 32 randomly selected Belgian broiler farms. Antimicrobials were used in 48 of the 64 monitored production cycles, 7 farms did not use any antimicrobials in both production cycles, 2 farms only administered antimicrobials in one of the two production cycles, the other 23 farms applied antimicrobial treatment in both production cycles. For the quantification of antimicrobial drug use, the treatment incidences (TI) based on the defined daily doses (the dose as it should be applied: DDD) and used daily doses (the actual dose applied: UDD) were calculated. A mean antimicrobial treatment incidence per 1000 animals of 131.8 (standard deviation 126.8) animals treated daily with one DDD and 121.4 (SD 106.7) animals treated daily with one UDD was found. The most frequently used compounds were amoxicillin, tylosin and trimethoprim-sulphonamide with a mean TI(UDD) of 37.9, 34.8, and 21.7, respectively. The ratio of the UDD/DDD gives an estimate on correctness of dosing. Tylosin was underdosed in most of the administrations whereas amoxicillin and trimethoprim-sulphonamide were slightly overdosed in the average flock. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Antimicrobial activity of yeasts against some pathogenic bacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gamal Younis

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study was designed to isolate and identify yeast species from milk and meat products, and to test their antimicrobial activity against some bacterial species. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 milk and meat products samples were collected from random sellers and super markets in New Damietta city, Damietta, Egypt. Samples were subjected to yeast isolation procedures and tested for its antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. In addition, all yeast species isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR for detection of khs (kievitone hydratase and pelA (pectate degrading enzyme genes. Results: The recovery rate of yeasts from sausage was 20% (2/10 followed by kareish cheese, processed cheese, and butter 10% (1/10 each as well as raw milk 9% (9/100, and fruit yoghurt 30% (6/20. Different yeast species were recovered, namely, Candida kefyr (5 isolates, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (4 isolates, Candida intermedia (3 isolates, Candida tropicalis (2 isolates, Candida lusitaniae (2 isolates, and Candida krusei (1 isolate. khs gene was detected in all S. cerevisiae isolates, however, pelA gene was not detected in all identified yeast species. Antimicrobial activity of recovered yeasts against the selected bacterial species showed high activity with C. intermedia against S. aureus and E. coli, C. kefyr against E. coli, and C. lusitaniae against S. aureus. Moderate activities were obtained with C. tropicalis, C. lusitaniae, and S. cerevisiae against E. coli; meanwhile, all the tested yeasts revealed a very low antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa. Conclusion: The obtained results confirmed that some kinds of yeasts have the ability to produce antimicrobial compounds that could inhibit some pathogenic and spoilage bacteria and these antimicrobial activity of yeasts enables them to be one of the novel agents in controlling spoilage of food.

  2. In vitro sensitivities to antimicrobial drugs of ureaplasmas isolated from the bovine respiratory tract, genital tract and eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishima, M; Hashimoto, K

    1979-09-01

    The sensitivity to 18 antimicrobial drugs was examined for 66 strains of Ureaplasma sp isolated from respiratory tracts of calves suffering from enzootic pneumonia, urinary tracts of bulls and eyes of cows suffering from infectious bovine kerato-conjunctivitis. Furamizole, tiamulin fumarate, erythromycin lactobionate, malidomycin C, doxycycline hydrochloride, kitasamycin tartrate, tylosin tartrate, T-2636C, tetracycline hydrochloride, oxytetracycline hydrochloride, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, oleandomycin phosphate, furazolidone, spiramycin adipate, chloramphenicol and thiophenicol showed strong inhibiting activity on all the test strains. Among them, furamizole, tiamulin fumarate and erythromycin lactobionate were most active. Kanamycin sulphate showed weak activity on all the strains tested. The differences in origin of the test strains did not affect their sensitivity to any of the drugs.

  3. A collaborative initiative for the containment of antimicrobial resistance in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaidi, Mussaret B; Dreser, Anahi; Figueroa, Inda Marcela

    2015-04-01

    Antimicrobial resistance exacts worldwide an increasingly significant clinical and economic toll. Despite the international calls for urgent action, antimicrobial use and resistance have been low on the Mexican government's policy agenda. In early 2010, a multidisciplinary group of experts launched a national initiative for containment of antimicrobial resistance that was endorsed by major medical, veterinary and public health institutions. The initiative called for seven priority actions including the creation of an ad hoc intersectoral advisory group, a requirement that human and veterinary antibiotics be dispensed only with prescription, and the establishment of effective surveillance systems. A consensus document was disseminated among key decision-makers at the ministries of Health and Agriculture and the legislature. The Ministry of Health (MoH) enacted a decree effective as of August 2010, which enforced the regulations that required medical prescriptions for the sale of human antibiotics. While the information disseminated by the MoH did focus on the dangers of self-medication, it failed to highlight the inherent perils of antibiotic resistance or the consequences of antibiotic use in food-animals. Following the decree, there was a surge of medical offices controlled by retail pharmacies. In the veterinary sector, voluntary guidelines were developed for good husbandry practices, including antibiotic use in food animals; five antimicrobials for use in food-animals were banned. No intersectoral advisory group or surveillance systems were established. This study describes a bottom-top approach in Mexico for the development of a national strategy to improve antibiotic use and contain antimicrobial resistance. Its experiences suggest that, in countries such as Mexico that lack strong regulatory systems and surveillance capacities, a more systemic approach is warranted. Future efforts should begin with early involvement of key stakeholders and informing policy

  4. Antimicrobial brass coatings prepared on poly(ethylene terephthalate) textile by high power impulse magnetron sputtering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Ying-Hung, E-mail: tieamo2002@gmail.com; Wu, Guo-Wei; He, Ju-Liang

    2015-03-01

    The goal of this work is to prepare antimicrobial, corrosion-resistant and low-cost Cu65Zn35 brass film on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), which is known to provide high-density plasma, so as to generate a strongly adherent film at a reduced substrate temperature. The results reveal that the brass film grows in a layer-plus-island mode. Independent of their deposition time, the obtained films retain a Cu/Zn elemental composition ratio of 1.86 and exhibit primarily an α copper phase structure. Oxygen plasma pre-treatment for 1 min before coating can significantly increase film adhesion such that the brass-coated fabric of Grade 5 or Grade 4–5 can ultimately be obtained under dry and wet rubbing tests, respectively. However, a deposition time of 1 min suffices to provide effective antimicrobial properties for both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. As a whole, the feasibility of using such advanced HIPIMS coating technique to develop durable antimicrobial textile was demonstrated. - Highlights: • Prepare antimicrobial, corrosion-resistant and low-cost Cu65Zn35 brass film on PET fabric by HIPIMS • Brass-coated fabric with excellent durability, even undergone rubbing and washing tests • Brass-coated fabric provides effective antimicrobial properties for E. coli and S. aureus. • After brass coating, PET fabric still retained its mechanical property.

  5. Antimicrobial brass coatings prepared on poly(ethylene terephthalate) textile by high power impulse magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Ying-Hung; Wu, Guo-Wei; He, Ju-Liang

    2015-01-01

    The goal of this work is to prepare antimicrobial, corrosion-resistant and low-cost Cu65Zn35 brass film on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), which is known to provide high-density plasma, so as to generate a strongly adherent film at a reduced substrate temperature. The results reveal that the brass film grows in a layer-plus-island mode. Independent of their deposition time, the obtained films retain a Cu/Zn elemental composition ratio of 1.86 and exhibit primarily an α copper phase structure. Oxygen plasma pre-treatment for 1 min before coating can significantly increase film adhesion such that the brass-coated fabric of Grade 5 or Grade 4–5 can ultimately be obtained under dry and wet rubbing tests, respectively. However, a deposition time of 1 min suffices to provide effective antimicrobial properties for both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. As a whole, the feasibility of using such advanced HIPIMS coating technique to develop durable antimicrobial textile was demonstrated. - Highlights: • Prepare antimicrobial, corrosion-resistant and low-cost Cu65Zn35 brass film on PET fabric by HIPIMS • Brass-coated fabric with excellent durability, even undergone rubbing and washing tests • Brass-coated fabric provides effective antimicrobial properties for E. coli and S. aureus. • After brass coating, PET fabric still retained its mechanical property

  6. Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... More in Antimicrobial Resistance National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System About NARMS 2015 NARMS Integrated Report Data Meetings ... Deutsch | 日本語 | فارسی | English FDA Accessibility Careers FDA Basics FOIA No FEAR ...

  7. Chimerization of lactoferricin and lactoferrampin peptides strongly potentiates the killing activity against Candida albicans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolscher, Jan; Nazmi, Kamran; van Marle, Jan; van 't Hof, Wim; Veerman, Enno

    2012-06-01

    Bovine lactoferrin harbors 2 antimicrobial sequences (LFcin and LFampin), situated in close proximity in the N1-domain. To mimic their semi parallel configuration we have synthesized a chimeric peptide (LFchimera) in which these sequences are linked in a head-to-head fashion to the α- and ε-amino group, respectively, of a single lysine. In line with previously described bactericidal effects, this peptide was also a stronger candidacidal agent than the antimicrobial peptides LFcin17-30 and LFampin265-284, or a combination of these 2. Conditions that strongly reduced the candidacidal activities of LFcin17-30 and LFampin265-284, such as high ionic strength and energy depletion, had little influence on the activity of LFchimera. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed that LFchimera severely affected the membrane morphology, resulting in disintegration of the membrane bilayer and in an efflux of small and high molecular weight molecules such as ATP and proteins. The differential effects displayed by the chimeric peptide and a mixture of its constituent peptides clearly demonstrate the synergistic effect of linking these peptides in a fashion that allows a similar spatial arrangement as in the parent protein, suggesting that in bovine lactoferrrin the corresponding fragments act in concert in its candidacidal activity.

  8. Antimicrobial Cu-bearing stainless steel scaffolds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Qiang, E-mail: mfqwang@163.com [School of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110002 (China); Ren, Ling [Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China); Li, Xiaopeng [School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia (Australia); Zhang, Shuyuan [Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China); Sercombe, Timothy B., E-mail: tim.sercombe@uwa.edu.au [School of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, The University of Western Australia (Australia); Yang, Ke, E-mail: kyang@imr.ac.cn [Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China)

    2016-11-01

    Copper-bearing stainless steel scaffolds with two different structures (Body Centered Cubic and Gyroid labyrinth) at two solid fractions (25% and 40%) were fabricated from both 316L powder and a mixture of 316L and elemental Cu powder using selective laser melting, and relative 316L scaffolds were served as control group. After processing, the antimicrobial testing demonstrated that the 316L-Cu scaffolds presented excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the cell viability assay indicated that there was no cytotoxic effect of 316L-Cu scaffolds on rat marrow mesenchymal stem cells. As such, these have the potential to reduce implant-associated infections. The Cu was also found to homogeneously distribute within the microstructure by scanning electronic microcopy. The addition of Cu would not significantly affect its strength and stiffness compared to 316L scaffold, and the stiffness of all the scaffolds (3-20GPa) is similar to that of bone and much less than that of bulk stainless steel. Consequently, fabrication of such low stiffness porous structures, especially coupled with the addition of antimicrobial Cu, may provide a new direction for medical stainless steels. - Highlights: • 316L-Cu scaffolds were fabricated by using selective laser melting (SLM). • 316L-Cu scaffolds showed satisfied antimicrobial activities. • 316L-Cu scaffolds have no cytotoxic effect on normal cells. • Other properties of 316L-Cu scaffolds were similar to 316L scaffolds. • 316L-Cu scaffolds have the potential to be used in orthopedic applications.

  9. Antimicrobial Cu-bearing stainless steel scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Qiang; Ren, Ling; Li, Xiaopeng; Zhang, Shuyuan; Sercombe, Timothy B.; Yang, Ke

    2016-01-01

    Copper-bearing stainless steel scaffolds with two different structures (Body Centered Cubic and Gyroid labyrinth) at two solid fractions (25% and 40%) were fabricated from both 316L powder and a mixture of 316L and elemental Cu powder using selective laser melting, and relative 316L scaffolds were served as control group. After processing, the antimicrobial testing demonstrated that the 316L-Cu scaffolds presented excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and the cell viability assay indicated that there was no cytotoxic effect of 316L-Cu scaffolds on rat marrow mesenchymal stem cells. As such, these have the potential to reduce implant-associated infections. The Cu was also found to homogeneously distribute within the microstructure by scanning electronic microcopy. The addition of Cu would not significantly affect its strength and stiffness compared to 316L scaffold, and the stiffness of all the scaffolds (3-20GPa) is similar to that of bone and much less than that of bulk stainless steel. Consequently, fabrication of such low stiffness porous structures, especially coupled with the addition of antimicrobial Cu, may provide a new direction for medical stainless steels. - Highlights: • 316L-Cu scaffolds were fabricated by using selective laser melting (SLM). • 316L-Cu scaffolds showed satisfied antimicrobial activities. • 316L-Cu scaffolds have no cytotoxic effect on normal cells. • Other properties of 316L-Cu scaffolds were similar to 316L scaffolds. • 316L-Cu scaffolds have the potential to be used in orthopedic applications.

  10. Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Seeds Cultivated in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jin Hwa; Lee, Yun Jin; Kim, Yeon Ho; Yoon, Ki Sun

    2017-09-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of quinoa cultivated in Korea and to compare it with imported quinoa from the USA and Peru. The highest amount of total flavonoid contents (TFC) with 20.91 mg quercetin equivalents/100 g was measured in quinoa seed extract cultivated in Korea, while the total phenolic contents (TPC) were significantly higher in quinoa from the USA (16.28 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g). In addition, quinoa extracts cultivated in Korea displayed a superior antioxidant ability in both, ferric reducing antioxidant power and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl values. There was a high correlation between TFC and antioxidant activity and a low correlation between TPC and antioxidant activity. The antimicrobial activity of the quinoa extracts was determined using a disc diffusion assay and optical density method. In both assays, the quinoa seed extracts did not have strong antimicrobial activity against foodborne bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria monocytogenes , Bacillus cereus , Escherichia coli , Salmonella Typhimurium, and Campylobacter jejuni .

  11. Antimicrobial reduction measures applied in Danish pig herds following the introduction of the “Yellow Card” antimicrobial scheme

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dupont, Nana; Diness, Line Hummelmose; Fertner, Mette Ely

    2017-01-01

    their annual antimicrobial consumption with ≥10% following the introduction of the Yellow Card Scheme comparing June 1, 2009–May 31, 2010 to June 1, 2010–May 31, 2011. Subsequently, questionnaire surveys of both farmers and veterinarians were carried out, resulting in responses from 179 farmers accounting...... for 202 herds (response ratio: 83%) and 58 veterinarians accounting for 140 herds. Prior to the introduction of the Yellow Card Scheme, 24% of the participating herds had an antimicrobial consumption for one or more age groups which exceeded the Yellow Card Scheme threshold values on antimicrobial......Following introduction of the antimicrobial restrictive “Yellow Card Scheme” in summer 2010, a rapid decrease in the Danish national pig antimicrobial consumption was observed. The aims of this study were to (i) investigate which measures had been implemented to reduce the antimicrobial consumption...

  12. D-amino acid substitution enhances the stability of antimicrobial peptide polybia-CP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Fengjing; Wang, Jiayi; Peng, Jinxiu; Zhao, Ping; Kong, Ziqing; Wang, Kairong; Yan, Wenjin; Wang, Rui

    2017-10-01

    With the increasing emergence of resistant microbes toward conventional antimicrobial agents, there is an urgent need for the development of antimicrobial agents with novel action mode. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are believed to be one kind of ideal alternatives. However, AMPs can be easily degraded by protease, which limited their therapeutic use. In the present study, D-amino acid substitution strategy was employed to enhance the stability of polybia-CP. We investigated the stability of peptides against the degradation of trypsin and chymotrypsin by determining the antimicrobial activity or determining the HPLC profile of peptides after incubation with proteases. Our results showed that both the all D-amino acid derivative (D-CP) and partial D-lysine substitution derivative (D-lys-CP) have an improved stability against trypsin and chymotrypsin. Although D-CP takes left-hand α-helical conformation and D-lys-CP loses some α-helical content, both of the D-amino acid-substituted derivatives maintain their parental peptides' membrane active action mode. In addition, D-lys-CP showed a slight weaker antimicrobial activity than polybia-CP, but the hemolytic activity decreased greatly. These results suggest that D-CP and D-lys-CP can offer strategy to improve the property of AMPs and may be leading compounds for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. C- and N-truncated antimicrobial peptides from LFampin 265 - 284: Biophysical versus microbiology results

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Adão, R.; Nazmi, K.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Bastos, M.

    2011-01-01

    Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with two globular lobes, each having two domains. Since the discovery of its antimicrobial properties, efforts have been made to find peptides derived from this protein showing antimicrobial properties. Most peptides initially studied were derived from Lactoferricin B,

  14. Critical Concentration of Lecithin Enhances the Antimicrobial Activity of Eugenol against Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haoshu; Dudley, Edward G.; Davidson, P. Michael

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Lecithin is a natural emulsifier used in a wide range of food and nonfood applications to improve physical stability, with no known bioactive effects. In this study, the effect of lecithin on the antimicrobial performance of a constant eugenol concentration was tested against three Escherichia coli strains (C600, 0.1229, and O157:H7 strain ATCC 700728). This is the first study, to our knowledge, focusing on lecithin at concentrations below those commonly used in foods to improve the stability of oil in water emulsions (≤10 mg/100 ml). For all three cultures, significant synergistic antimicrobial effects were observed when E. coli cultures were exposed to a constant eugenol concentration (ranging from 0.043 to 0.050% [wt/wt]) together with critical lecithin concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1 mg/100 ml. Increasing the concentration of lecithin above 1 mg/100 ml (up to 10 mg/100 ml lecithin) diminished the antibacterial effect to values similar to those with eugenol-only treatments. The formation of aggregates (lecithin concentration was observed using cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), together with a reduction in light absorbance at 284 nm. At critically low concentrations of lecithin, the formation of nanoscale aggregates is responsible for improving eugenol antimicrobial effects. IMPORTANCE Essential oils (EOs) are effective natural antimicrobials. However, their hydrophobicity and strong aromatic character limit the use of essential oils in food systems. Emulsifiers (e.g., lecithin) increase the stability of EOs in water-based systems but fail to consistently improve antimicrobial effects. We demonstrate that lecithin, within a narrow critical concentration window, can enhance the antimicrobial properties of eugenol. This study highlights the potential bioactivity of lecithin when utilized to effectively control foodborne pathogens. PMID:28213539

  15. Critical Concentration of Lecithin Enhances the Antimicrobial Activity of Eugenol against Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haoshu; Dudley, Edward G; Davidson, P Michael; Harte, Federico

    2017-04-15

    Lecithin is a natural emulsifier used in a wide range of food and nonfood applications to improve physical stability, with no known bioactive effects. In this study, the effect of lecithin on the antimicrobial performance of a constant eugenol concentration was tested against three Escherichia coli strains (C600, 0.1229, and O157:H7 strain ATCC 700728). This is the first study, to our knowledge, focusing on lecithin at concentrations below those commonly used in foods to improve the stability of oil in water emulsions (≤10 mg/100 ml). For all three cultures, significant synergistic antimicrobial effects were observed when E. coli cultures were exposed to a constant eugenol concentration (ranging from 0.043 to 0.050% [wt/wt]) together with critical lecithin concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1 mg/100 ml. Increasing the concentration of lecithin above 1 mg/100 ml (up to 10 mg/100 ml lecithin) diminished the antibacterial effect to values similar to those with eugenol-only treatments. The formation of aggregates (lecithin concentration was observed using cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), together with a reduction in light absorbance at 284 nm. At critically low concentrations of lecithin, the formation of nanoscale aggregates is responsible for improving eugenol antimicrobial effects. IMPORTANCE Essential oils (EOs) are effective natural antimicrobials. However, their hydrophobicity and strong aromatic character limit the use of essential oils in food systems. Emulsifiers (e.g., lecithin) increase the stability of EOs in water-based systems but fail to consistently improve antimicrobial effects. We demonstrate that lecithin, within a narrow critical concentration window, can enhance the antimicrobial properties of eugenol. This study highlights the potential bioactivity of lecithin when utilized to effectively control foodborne pathogens. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  16. Ohmyungsamycins promote antimicrobial responses through autophagy activation via AMP-activated protein kinase pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Tae Sung; Shin, Yern-Hyerk; Lee, Hye-Mi; Kim, Jin Kyung; Choe, Jin Ho; Jang, Ji-Chan; Um, Soohyun; Jin, Hyo Sun; Komatsu, Masaaki; Cha, Guang-Ho; Chae, Han-Jung; Oh, Dong-Chan; Jo, Eun-Kyeong

    2017-06-13

    The induction of host cell autophagy by various autophagy inducers contributes to the antimicrobial host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), a major pathogenic strain that causes human tuberculosis. In this study, we present a role for the newly identified cyclic peptides ohmyungsamycins (OMS) A and B in the antimicrobial responses against Mtb infections by activating autophagy in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). OMS robustly activated autophagy, which was essentially required for the colocalization of LC3 autophagosomes with bacterial phagosomes and antimicrobial responses against Mtb in BMDMs. Using a Drosophila melanogaster-Mycobacterium marinum infection model, we showed that OMS-A-induced autophagy contributed to the increased survival of infected flies and the limitation of bacterial load. We further showed that OMS triggered AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, which was required for OMS-mediated phagosome maturation and antimicrobial responses against Mtb. Moreover, treating BMDMs with OMS led to dose-dependent inhibition of macrophage inflammatory responses, which was also dependent on AMPK activation. Collectively, these data show that OMS is a promising candidate for new anti-mycobacterial therapeutics by activating antibacterial autophagy via AMPK-dependent signaling and suppressing excessive inflammation during Mtb infections.

  17. Antimicrobial activity and cellular toxicity of nanoparticle-polymyxin B conjugates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Soonhyang; Chibli, Hicham; Wong, Jody; Nadeau, Jay L.

    2011-05-01

    We investigate the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells of conjugates of the peptide antibiotic polymyxin B (PMB) to Au nanoparticles and CdTe quantum dots. Au nanoparticles fully covered with PMB are identical in antimicrobial activity to the free drug alone, whereas partially-conjugated Au particles show decreased effectiveness in proportion to the concentration of Au. CdTe-PMB conjugates are more toxic to Escherichia coli than PMB alone, resulting in a flattening of the steep PMB dose-response curve. The effect is most pronounced at low concentrations of PMB, with a greater effect on the concentration required to reduce growth by half (IC50) than on the concentration needed to inhibit all growth (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC). The Gram positive organism Staphylococcus aureus is resistant to both PMB and CdTe, showing minimal increased sensitivity when the two are conjugated. Measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation shows a significant reduction in photo-generated hydroxyl and superoxide radicals with CdTe-PMB as compared with bare CdTe. There is a corresponding reduction in toxicity of QD-PMB versus bare CdTe to mammalian cells, with nearly 100% survival in fibroblasts exposed to bactericidal concentrations of QD-PMB. The situation in bacteria is more complex: photoexcitation of the CdTe particles plays a small role in IC50 but has a significant effect on the MIC, suggesting that at least two different mechanisms are responsible for the antimicrobial action seen. These results show that it is possible to create antimicrobial agents using concentrations of CdTe quantum dots that do not harm mammalian cells.

  18. Antimicrobial activity and cellular toxicity of nanoparticle-polymyxin B conjugates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Soonhyang; Chibli, Hicham; Wong, Jody; Nadeau, Jay L

    2011-01-01

    We investigate the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells of conjugates of the peptide antibiotic polymyxin B (PMB) to Au nanoparticles and CdTe quantum dots. Au nanoparticles fully covered with PMB are identical in antimicrobial activity to the free drug alone, whereas partially-conjugated Au particles show decreased effectiveness in proportion to the concentration of Au. CdTe-PMB conjugates are more toxic to Escherichia coli than PMB alone, resulting in a flattening of the steep PMB dose-response curve. The effect is most pronounced at low concentrations of PMB, with a greater effect on the concentration required to reduce growth by half (IC50) than on the concentration needed to inhibit all growth (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC). The Gram positive organism Staphylococcus aureus is resistant to both PMB and CdTe, showing minimal increased sensitivity when the two are conjugated. Measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation shows a significant reduction in photo-generated hydroxyl and superoxide radicals with CdTe-PMB as compared with bare CdTe. There is a corresponding reduction in toxicity of QD-PMB versus bare CdTe to mammalian cells, with nearly 100% survival in fibroblasts exposed to bactericidal concentrations of QD-PMB. The situation in bacteria is more complex: photoexcitation of the CdTe particles plays a small role in IC50 but has a significant effect on the MIC, suggesting that at least two different mechanisms are responsible for the antimicrobial action seen. These results show that it is possible to create antimicrobial agents using concentrations of CdTe quantum dots that do not harm mammalian cells.

  19. Antimicrobial activity and cellular toxicity of nanoparticle-polymyxin B conjugates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Soonhyang; Chibli, Hicham; Wong, Jody; Nadeau, Jay L, E-mail: jay.nadeau@mcgill.ca [Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal QC, H3A 2B4 (Canada)

    2011-05-06

    We investigate the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells of conjugates of the peptide antibiotic polymyxin B (PMB) to Au nanoparticles and CdTe quantum dots. Au nanoparticles fully covered with PMB are identical in antimicrobial activity to the free drug alone, whereas partially-conjugated Au particles show decreased effectiveness in proportion to the concentration of Au. CdTe-PMB conjugates are more toxic to Escherichia coli than PMB alone, resulting in a flattening of the steep PMB dose-response curve. The effect is most pronounced at low concentrations of PMB, with a greater effect on the concentration required to reduce growth by half (IC50) than on the concentration needed to inhibit all growth (minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC). The Gram positive organism Staphylococcus aureus is resistant to both PMB and CdTe, showing minimal increased sensitivity when the two are conjugated. Measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation shows a significant reduction in photo-generated hydroxyl and superoxide radicals with CdTe-PMB as compared with bare CdTe. There is a corresponding reduction in toxicity of QD-PMB versus bare CdTe to mammalian cells, with nearly 100% survival in fibroblasts exposed to bactericidal concentrations of QD-PMB. The situation in bacteria is more complex: photoexcitation of the CdTe particles plays a small role in IC50 but has a significant effect on the MIC, suggesting that at least two different mechanisms are responsible for the antimicrobial action seen. These results show that it is possible to create antimicrobial agents using concentrations of CdTe quantum dots that do not harm mammalian cells.

  20. Medical table: A major tool for antimicrobial stewardship policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roger, P-M; Demonchy, E; Risso, K; Courjon, J; Leroux, S; Leroux, E; Cua, É

    2017-09-01

    Infectious diseases are unpredictable, with heterogeneous clinical presentations, diverse pathogens, and various susceptibility rates to anti-infective agents. These features lead to a wide variety of clinical practices, which in turn strongly limits their evaluation. We have been using a medical table since 2005 to monitor the medical activity in our department. The observation of heterogeneous therapeutic practices led to drafting up our own antibiotic guidelines and to implementing a continuous evaluation of their observance and impact on morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases, including adverse effects of antibiotics, duration of hospital stay, use of intensive care, and deaths. The 10-year analysis of medical practices using the medical table is based on more than 10,000 hospitalizations. It shows simplified antibiotic therapies and a reduction in infection-related morbidity and mortality. The medical table is a major tool for antimicrobial stewardship, leading to constant benefits for patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Insights on antimicrobial resistance, biofilms and the use of phytochemicals as new antimicrobial agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borges, Anabela; Saavedra, Maria J; Simões, Manuel

    2015-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious public health problems. This is of particular concern when bacteria become resistant to various antimicrobial agents simultaneously and when they form biofilms. Consequently, therapeutic options for the treatment of infections have become limited, leading frequently to recurrent infections, treatment failure and increase of morbidity and mortality. Both, persistence and spread of antibiotic resistance, in combination with decreased effectiveness and increased toxicity of current antibiotics have emphasized the urgent need to search alternative sources of antimicrobial substances. Plants are recognized as a source of unexplored chemical structures with high therapeutic potential, including antimicrobial activity against clinically important microorganisms. Additionally, phytochemicals (plant secondary metabolites) present several advantages over synthetic molecules, including green status and different mechanisms of action from antibiotics which could help to overcome the resistance problem. In this study, an overview of the main classes of phytochemicals with antimicrobial properties and their mode of action is presented. A revision about the application of phytochemicals for biofilm prevention and control is also done. Moreover, the use of phytochemicals as scaffolds of new functional molecules to expand the antibiotics pipeline is reviewed.

  2. Chitosan-thioglycolic acid as a versatile antimicrobial agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geisberger, Georg; Gyenge, Emina Besic; Hinger, Doris; Käch, Andres; Maake, Caroline; Patzke, Greta R

    2013-04-08

    As functionalized chitosans hold great potential for the development of effective and broad-spectrum antibiotics, representative chitosan derivatives were tested for antimicrobial activity in neutral media: trimethyl chitosan (TMC), carboxy-methyl chitosan (CMC), and chitosan-thioglycolic acid (TGA; medium molecular weight: MMW-TGA; low molecular weight: LMW-TGA). Colony forming assays indicated that LMW-TGA displayed superior antimicrobial activity over the other derivatives tested: a 30 min incubation killed 100% Streptococcus sobrinus (Gram-positive bacteria) and reduced colony counts by 99.99% in Neisseria subflava (Gram-negative bacteria) and 99.97% in Candida albicans (fungi). To elucidate LMW-TGA effects at the cellular level, microscopic studies were performed. Use of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled chitosan derivates in confocal microscopy showed that LMW-TGA attaches to microbial cell walls, while transmission electron microscopy indicated that this derivative severely affects cell wall integrity and intracellular ultrastructure in all species tested. We therefore propose LMW-TGA as a promising and effective broad-band antimicrobial compound.

  3. Analysis of Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Chenopodium ambrosioides: An Ethnomedicinal Plant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Ajaib

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of Chenopodium ambrosioides L. was explored. Antimicrobial potential was investigated through zone of inhibition and minimum inhibition concentration whereas antioxidant potential of selected plant was evaluated through different techniques, that is, total phenolic contents, total flavonoids content, DPPH assay, ABTS assay, and metal chelating. It is concluded that both parts showed good to satisfactory antimicrobial and antioxidant results. The maximum antibacterial potential is exhibited by bark macerated in petroleum ether against Bacillus subtilis (33±1.5 mm and maximum antifungal potential exhibited by methanol extracts of fruit against Aspergillus niger (16±1.5 mm. Aqueous extracts failed to show any activity against selected organisms. The minimum (significant MIC value exhibited by fruit extract against Staphylococcus aureus was 0.009±0.02 at 0.7 mg/mL. Aqueous extracts of bark and fruit exhibited maximum antioxidant potential in all assays except DPPH assay. Petroleum ether bark extract showed maximum % DPPH value.

  4. Food Animals and Antimicrobials: Impacts on Human Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Bonnie M.; Levy, Stuart B.

    2011-01-01

    Summary: Antimicrobials are valuable therapeutics whose efficacy is seriously compromised by the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. The provision of antibiotics to food animals encompasses a wide variety of nontherapeutic purposes that include growth promotion. The concern over resistance emergence and spread to people by nontherapeutic use of antimicrobials has led to conflicted practices and opinions. Considerable evidence supported the removal of nontherapeutic antimicrobials (NTAs) in Europe, based on the “precautionary principle.” Still, concrete scientific evidence of the favorable versus unfavorable consequences of NTAs is not clear to all stakeholders. Substantial data show elevated antibiotic resistance in bacteria associated with animals fed NTAs and their food products. This resistance spreads to other animals and humans—directly by contact and indirectly via the food chain, water, air, and manured and sludge-fertilized soils. Modern genetic techniques are making advances in deciphering the ecological impact of NTAs, but modeling efforts are thwarted by deficits in key knowledge of microbial and antibiotic loads at each stage of the transmission chain. Still, the substantial and expanding volume of evidence reporting animal-to-human spread of resistant bacteria, including that arising from use of NTAs, supports eliminating NTA use in order to reduce the growing environmental load of resistance genes. PMID:21976606

  5. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXYDANT ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    VOUNDI

    2016-04-20

    Apr 20, 2016 ... antimicrobial activities of some spices' essential oils on ... antimicrobial effect of their essential oils on some food pathogenic bacteria, namely, Staphylococcus aureus ...... by Origanum compactum essential oil. J. Appl.

  6. Antimicrobial usage and resistance in beef production

    OpenAIRE

    Cameron, Andrew; McAllister, Tim A.

    2016-01-01

    Antimicrobials are critical to contemporary high-intensity beef production. Many different antimicrobials are approved for beef cattle, and are used judiciously for animal welfare, and controversially, to promote growth and feed efficiency. Antimicrobial administration provides a powerful selective pressure that acts on the microbial community, selecting for resistance gene determinants and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria resident in the bovine flora. The bovine microbiota includes many harm...

  7. A molecular dynamics and circular dichroism study of a novel synthetic antimicrobial peptide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodina, N P; Yudenko, A N; Terterov, I N; Eliseev, I E

    2013-01-01

    Antimicrobial peptides are a class of small, usually positively charged amphiphilic peptides that are used by the innate immune system to combat bacterial infection in multicellular eukaryotes. Antimicrobial peptides are known for their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and thus can be used as a basis for a development of new antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The most challengeous task on the way to a therapeutic use of antimicrobial peptides is a rational design of new peptides with enhanced activity and reduced toxicity. Here we report a molecular dynamics and circular dichroism study of a novel synthetic antimicrobial peptide D51. This peptide was earlier designed by Loose et al. using a linguistic model of natural antimicrobial peptides. Molecular dynamics simulation of the peptide folding in explicit solvent shows fast formation of two antiparallel beta strands connected by a beta-turn that is confirmed by circular dichroism measurements. Obtained from simulation amphipatic conformation of the peptide is analysed and possible mechanism of it's interaction with bacterial membranes together with ways to enhance it's antibacterial activity are suggested

  8. Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Thymus capitata Essential Oil with Its Preservative Effect against Listeria monocytogenes Inoculated in Minced Beef Meat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nariman El Abed

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, and the preservative effect of Thymus capitata essential oil against Listeria monocytogenes inoculated in minced beef meat were evaluated. The essential oil extracted was chemically analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Nineteen components were identified, of which carvacrol represented (88.89% of the oil. The antioxidant activity was assessed in vitro by using both the DPPH and the ABTS assays. The findings showed that the essential oil exhibited high antioxidant activity, which was comparable to the reference standards (BHT and ascorbic acid with IC50 values of 44.16 and 0.463 μg/mL determined by the free-radical scavenging DPPH and ABTS assays, respectively. Furthermore, the essential oil was evaluated for its antimicrobial activity using disc agar diffusion and microdilution methods. The results demonstrated that the zone of inhibition varied from moderate to strong (15–80 mm and the minimum inhibition concentration values ranged from 0.32 to 20 mg/mL. In addition, essential oil evaluated in vivo against Listeria monocytogenes showed clear and strong inhibitory effect. The application of 0.25 or 1% (v/w essential oil of T. capitata to minced beef significantly reduced the L. monocytogenes population when compared to those of control samples (P-value  <0.01.

  9. Antibiotic and Antimicrobial Resistance: Threat Report 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Form Controls Cancel Submit Search The CDC Antibiotic / Antimicrobial Resistance Note: Javascript is disabled or is not ... please visit this page: About CDC.gov . Antibiotic / Antimicrobial Resistance About Antimicrobial Resistance Biggest Threats Emerging Drug ...

  10. Comparative phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The leaves and bark of Carica papaya (Pawpaw) were subjected to solvent extraction using both water and methanol. Preliminary phytochemical evaluation of the extracts was performed followed by antimicrobial studies against some bacteria using the agar-well diffusion method. The phytochemical analysis showed that ...

  11. Antimicrobial Activity and Phytochemical Screening of Ficus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prelimlinary phytochemical screening of Ficus exasperata root bark showed that it contains saponin, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside and reducing sugar with no traces of tannin and anthraquinone. The results of the study provide scientific basis for developing a novel broad spectrum antimicrobial herbal formulation in future.

  12. Scoping review to identify potential non-antimicrobial interventions to mitigate antimicrobial resistance in commensal enteric bacteria in North American cattle production systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, C P; Fajt, V R; Scott, H M; Foster, M J; Wickwire, P; McEwen, S A

    2016-01-01

    A scoping review was conducted to identify modifiable non-antimicrobial factors to reduce the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in cattle populations. Searches were developed to retrieve peer-reviewed published studies in animal, human and in vitro microbial populations. Citations were retained when modifiable non-antimicrobial factors or interventions potentially associated with antimicrobial resistance were described. Studies described resistance in five bacterial genera, species or types, and 40 antimicrobials. Modifiable non-antimicrobial factors or interventions ranged widely in type, and the depth of evidence in animal populations was shallow. Specific associations between a factor or intervention with antimicrobial resistance in a population (e.g. associations between organic systems and tetracycline susceptibility in E. coli from cattle) were reported in a maximum of three studies. The identified non-antimicrobial factors or interventions were classified into 16 themes. Most reported associations between the non-antimicrobial modifiable factors or interventions and antimicrobial resistance were not statistically significant (P > 0·05 and a confidence interval including 1), but when significant, the results were not consistent in direction (increase or decrease in antimicrobial resistance) or magnitude. Research is needed to better understand the impacts of promising modifiable factors or interventions on the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance before any recommendations can be offered or adopted.

  13. Antimicrobial-Resistant Campylobacter in Organically and Conventionally Raised Layer Chickens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassem, Issmat I; Kehinde, Olugbenga; Kumar, Anand; Rajashekara, Gireesh

    2017-01-01

    Poultry is a major source of Campylobacter, which can cause foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. Additionally, poultry-associated Campylobacter can develop resistance to important antimicrobials, which increases the risk to public health. While broiler chickens have been the focus of many studies, the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter on layer farms has not received equal attention. However, the growing popularity of cage-free and organic layer farming necessitates a closer assessment of (1) the impact of these farming practices on the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter and (2) layers as a potential source for the transmission of these pathogens. Here, we showed that the prevalence of Campylobacter on organic and conventional layer farms was statistically similar (p > 0.05). However, the average number of Campylobacter jejuni-positive organically grown hens was lower (p < 0.05) in comparison to conventionally grown hens. Campylobacter isolated from both production systems carried antimicrobial resistance genes. The tet(O) and cmeB were the most frequently detected genes, while the occurrence of aph-3-1 and blaOXA-61 was significantly lower (p < 0.05). Farming practices appeared to have an effect on the antimicrobial resistance phenotype, because the isolates from organically grown hens on two farms (OF-2 and OF-3) exhibited significantly lower resistance (p < 0.05) to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and tylosin. However, on one of the sampled organic farms (OF-1), a relatively high number of antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter were isolated. We conclude that organic farming can potentially impact the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter. Nevertheless, this impact should be regularly monitored to avoid potential relapses.

  14. Antimicrobial activity and mechanism of PDC213, an endogenous peptide from human milk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Yazhou; Zhou, Yahui; Liu, Xiao; Zhang, Fan; Yan, Linping; Chen, Ling; Wang, Xing; Ruan, Hongjie; Ji, Chenbo; Cui, Xianwei; Wang, Jiaqin

    2017-01-01

    Human milk has always been considered an ideal source of elemental nutrients to both preterm and full term infants in order to optimally develop the infant's tissues and organs. Recently, hundreds of endogenous milk peptides were identified in human milk. These peptides exhibited angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition, immunomodulation, or antimicrobial activity. Here, we report the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of a novel type of human antimicrobial peptide (AMP), termed PDC213 (peptide derived from β-Casein 213-226 aa). PDC213 is an endogenous peptide and is present at higher levels in preterm milk than in full term milk. The inhibitory concentration curve and disk diffusion tests showed that PDC213 had obvious antimicrobial against S. aureus and Y. enterocolitica, the common nosocomial pathogens in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Fluorescent dye methods, electron microscopy experiments and DNA-binding activity assays further indicated that PDC213 can permeabilize bacterial membranes and cell walls rather than bind intracellular DNA to kill bacteria. Together, our results suggest that PDC213 is a novel type of AMP that warrants further investigation. - Highlights: • PDC213 is an endogenous peptide presenting higher levels in preterm milk. • PDC213 showed obvious antimicrobial against S. aereus and Y. enterocolitica. • PDC213 can permeabilize bacterial membranes and cell walls to kill bacterias. • PDC213 is a novel type of antimicrobial peptides worthy further investigation.

  15. Comparative study of anthocyanin composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) fruits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burdulis, Deividas; Sarkinas, Antanas; Jasutiené, Ina; Stackevicené, Elicija; Nikolajevas, Laurynas; Janulis, Valdimaras

    2009-01-01

    Simultaneous comparison of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L) fruits for their anthocyanin composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity is reported. The aim of this study was to investigate and to compare anthocyanin composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity in bilberry and blueberry fruits and their skins. The investigations revealed that the highest amount of total anthocyanins was observed in fruits skins of blueberry cultivars. The results, obtained by chromatographic analysis, indicated that cyanidin is a dominant anthocyanidin in bilberry and malvidin in blueberry samples. Extracts of "Herbert", "Coville", "Toro" blueberry cultivars and bilberry fruits revealed antimicrobial properties. Citrobacter freundii (ATCC 8090) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC29212) were the most sensitive among eight tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Significant differences between berry and skin extracts were not established. Studies with fruits showed that the strongest antioxidant activity possesses blueberry cultivar "Berkeley" (82.13 +/- 0.51%). Meanwhile, the amount of quenched free radicals in bilberry samples was 63.72 +/- 1.11%, respectively. The lowest antioxidant activity was estimated in blueberry cultivar "Coville". Accordingly, the strongest antiradical properties were estimated in blueberry cultivar "Ama" fruit skins. Bilberry fruit skin samples possess strong antiradical activity as well (82.69 +/- 0.37%).

  16. Role of Antimicrobial Selective Pressure and Secondary Factors on Antimicrobial Resistance Prevalence in Escherichia coli from Food-Producing Animals in Japan

    OpenAIRE

    Harada, Kazuki; Asai, Tetsuo

    2010-01-01

    The use of antimicrobial agents in the veterinary field affects the emergence, prevalence, and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from food-producing animals. To control the emergence, prevalence, and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, it is necessary to implement appropriate actions based on scientific evidence. In Japan, the Japanese Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (JVARM) was established in 1999 to monitor the antimicrobial suscepti...

  17. Antimicrobial activity of eumelanin-based hybrids: The role of TiO2 in modulating the structure and biological performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vitiello, Giuseppe; Pezzella, Alessandro; Zanfardino, Anna; Silvestri, Brigida; Giudicianni, Paola; Costantini, Aniello; Varcamonti, Mario; Branda, Francesco; Luciani, Giuseppina

    2017-01-01

    Eco-friendly hybrid Eumelanin-TiO 2 nanostructures, recently obtained through in situ methodology based on hydrothermal route, have shown a striking antimicrobial activity, after exposure to oxidative environment, even under visible light induction condition. Nevertheless, the role of each component in defining the efficacy of these biological properties is far from being clearly defined. Furthermore, the effect of oxidative step on hybrids structure has not yet addressed. This study aims at elucidating the role of the ratio between eumelanin precursor, 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA), and TiO 2 , for its polymerization in defining morphology and structural organization of TiO 2 -melanin nanostructures. Furthermore, tests on a Gram-negative Escherichia coli DH5α strain under UV irradiation and even visible light allowed to assess the contribution of each component, as well as of the TiO 2 –DHICA charge transfer complex to overall biological performance. Finally, results of biocide characterization were combined with spectroscopic evidences to prove that oxidative treatment induces a marked structural modification in melanin thus enhancing overall antimicrobial efficacy. - Highlights: • Eco-friendly hybrid Eumelanin-TiO 2 nanostructures shows striking antimicrobial activity under visible light. • TiO 2 catalyzes 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) polymerization to eumelanin. • Eumelanin precursor/catalyst ratio modulates physico-chemical and structural properties of hybrid nanostructures. • Oxidative treatment increases the reticulation grade of the polymeric chains within the nanoparticles. • Additional oxidative process of the eumelanin pigment strongly improves the antimicrobial activity of hybrids.

  18. Structural, physicochemical characterization and antimicrobial ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Structural, physicochemical characterization and antimicrobial activities of a new Tetraaqua ... Antimicrobial activity of 1 was tested. ... was prepared as good quality yellow single crystals .... at 540 nm. Increase of OD was compared to control.

  19. Implementation of antimicrobial peptides for sample preparation prior to nucleic acid amplification in point-of-care settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krõlov, Katrin; Uusna, Julia; Grellier, Tiia; Andresen, Liis; Jevtuševskaja, Jekaterina; Tulp, Indrek; Langel, Ülo

    2017-12-01

    A variety of sample preparation techniques are used prior to nucleic acid amplification. However, their efficiency is not always sufficient and nucleic acid purification remains the preferred method for template preparation. Purification is difficult and costly to apply in point-of-care (POC) settings and there is a strong need for more robust, rapid, and efficient biological sample preparation techniques in molecular diagnostics. Here, the authors applied antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) for urine sample preparation prior to isothermal loop-mediated amplification (LAMP). AMPs bind to many microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses causing disruption of their membrane integrity and facilitate nucleic acid release. The authors show that incubation of E. coli with antimicrobial peptide cecropin P1 for 5 min had a significant effect on the availability of template DNA compared with untreated or even heat treated samples resulting in up to six times increase of the amplification efficiency. These results show that AMPs treatment is a very efficient sample preparation technique that is suitable for application prior to nucleic acid amplification directly within biological samples. Furthermore, the entire process of AMPs treatment was performed at room temperature for 5 min thereby making it a good candidate for use in POC applications.

  20. Essential Oil Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Methyl cinnamate-Linalool Chemovariant of Ocimum basilicum L. from India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajendra Chandra Padalia

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The essential oils obtained from hydrodistillation of Ocimum basilicum L. harvested at four different growth stages during spring-summer and rain-autumn cropping seasons , were characterized using GC and GC-MS. The e ssential oil yield was found to vary from 0.28–0.32% and 0.40–0.52% during spring-summer and rain-autumn cropping season, respectively with its maximal at full bloom stage. Altogether , forty constituents, comprising 94.9–98.3% were identified represented by ( E -methyl cinnamate (36.6 – 66.4%, linalool (11.2 – 43.8%, and (Z -methyl cinnamate (5.4-7.6% as main constituents. Results showed that growth stages strongly influenced the chemical composition of the essential oil in two cropping seasons, particularly concerning to the content of ( E -methyl cinnamate and linalool. Seed setting stage was optimized for harvesting ( E -methyl cinnamate rich oil (66.4% in rain-winter cropping season. The antimicrobial potential of the essential oil was tested againist eight pathogenic bacteria and three fungal strains. Antimicrobial assay showed that the essential oil possessed good antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli , and antifungal activity against Candida kefyr and Candida albicans. Ocimum basilicum , essential oil, ( E - methyl cinnamate, linalool, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity

  1. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of selected medicinal plants from Algeria

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Krimat Soumia; Dob Tahar; Lamari Lynda; Boumeridja Saida; Chelghoum Chabane; Metidji Hafidha

    2014-01-01

    Objective:To evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of methanolic extract extracts of selected Algerian medicinal plants. Methods:Antioxidant activity of extracts was evaluated in terms of radical scavenging potential (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and β-carotene bleaching assay. Total phenolic contents and flavonoid contents were also measured. Antimicrobial activity of these plants was examined against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. Results:The values of IC50 ranged from 4.30 μg/mL to 486.6 μg/mL for the DPPH method, while total antioxidant activity using β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay ranged from 17.03%to 86.13%. It was found that Pistacia lentiscus showed the highest antioxidant capacities using DPPH assay (IC50=4.30 μg/mL), while Populus trimula, Origanum glandulosum, Centaurea calcitrapa, Sysimbrium officinalis and Rhamnus alaternus showed the highest percent of total antioxidant activity inβ-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents ranged from 3.96 to 259.65 mg GAE/g extract and from 1.13 to 26.84 mg QE/g extract, respectively. The most interesting antimicrobial activity was obtained from Sysimbrium officinalis, Rhamnus alaternus, Origanum glandulosum, Cupressus sempervirens, Pinus halipensis and Centaurea calcitrapa. Conclusions:The results indicated that the plants tested may be potential sources for isolation of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds.

  2. The second nationwide surveillance of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male urethritis in Japan, 2012-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamasuna, Ryoichi; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Ishikawa, Kiyohito; Uehara, Shinya; Hayami, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Tetsuro; Yamamoto, Shingo; Minamitani, Shinichi; Watanabe, Akira; Iwata, Satoshi; Kaku, Mitsuo; Kadota, Junichi; Sunakawa, Keisuke; Sato, Junko; Hanaki, Hideaki; Tsukamoto, Taiji; Kiyota, Hiroshi; Egawa, Shin; Tanaka, Kazushi; Arakawa, Soichi; Fujisawa, Masato; Kumon, Hiromi; Kobayashi, Kanao; Matsubara, Akio; Naito, Seiji; Kuroiwa, Kentaro; Hirayama, Hideo; Narita, Harunori; Hosobe, Takahide; Ito, Shin; Ito, Kenji; Kawai, Shuichi; Ito, Masayasu; Chokyu, Hirofumi; Matsumura, Masaru; Yoshioka, Masaru; Uno, Satoshi; Monden, Koichi; Takayama, Kazuo; Kaji, Shinichi; Kawahara, Motoshi; Sumii, Toru; Kadena, Hitoshi; Yamaguchi, Takamasa; Maeda, Shinichi; Nishi, Shohei; Nishimura, Hirofumi; Shirane, Takeshi; Yoh, Mutsumasa; Akiyama, Kikuo; Imai, Toshio; Kano, Motonori

    2015-05-01

    Worldwide, the most important concern in the treatment of sexually transmitted infections is the increase in antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains including resistance to cephalosporins, penicillins, fluoroquinolones or macrolides. To investigate the trends of antimicrobial susceptibility among N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated from male patients with urethritis, a Japanese surveillance committee conducted the second nationwide surveillance study. Urethral discharge was collected from male patients with urethritis at 26 medical facilities from March 2012 to January 2013. Of the 151 specimens, 103 N. gonorrhoeae strains were tested for susceptibility to 20 antimicrobial agents. None of the strains was resistant to ceftriaxone, but the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 90% of ceftriaxone increased to 0.125 μg/ml, and 11 (10.7%) strains were considered less susceptible with an MIC of 0.125 μg/ml. There were 11 strains resistant to cefixime, and the MICs of these strains were 0.5 μg/ml. The distributions of the MICs of fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tosufloxacin, were bimodal. Sitafloxacin, a fluoroquinolone, showed strong activity against all strains, including strains resistant to other three fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and tosufloxacin. The azithromycin MICs in 2 strains were 1 μg/ml. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Divorcing folding from function: how acylation affects the membrane-perturbing properties of an antimicrobial peptide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vad, Brian Stougaard; Thomsen, Line Aagot Hede; Bertelsen, Kresten

    2010-01-01

    Many small cationic peptides, which are unstructured in aqueous solution, have antimicrobial properties. These properties are assumed to be linked to their ability to permeabilize bacterial membranes, accompanied by the transition to an alpha-helical folding state. Here we show that there is no d......Many small cationic peptides, which are unstructured in aqueous solution, have antimicrobial properties. These properties are assumed to be linked to their ability to permeabilize bacterial membranes, accompanied by the transition to an alpha-helical folding state. Here we show...... that there is no direct link between folding of the antimicrobial peptide Novicidin (Nc) and its membrane permeabilization. N-terminal acylation with C8-C16 alkyl chains and the inclusion of anionic lipids both increase Nc's ability to form alpha-helical structure in the presence of vesicles. Nevertheless, both acylation......, this cannot rationalize our results since permeabilization and antimicrobial activities are observed well below concentrations where aggregation occurs. This suggests that significant induction of alpha-helical structure is not a prerequisite for membrane perturbation in this class of antimicrobial peptides...

  4. Antimicrobial stewardship: attempting to preserve a strategic resource

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trevor Van Schooneveld, Md

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobials hold a unique place in our drug armamentarium. Unfortunately the increase in resistance among both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens coupled with a lack of new antimicrobial agents is threatening our ability to treat infections. Antimicrobial use is the driving force behind this rise in resistance and much of this use is suboptimal. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP have been advocated as a strategy to improve antimicrobial use. The goals of ASP are to improve patient outcomes while minimizing toxicity and selection for resistant strains by assisting in the selection of the correct agent, right dose, and best duration. Two major strategies for ASP exist: restriction/pre-authorization that controls use at the time of ordering and audit and feedback that reviews ordered antimicrobials and makes suggestions for improvement. Both strategies have some limitations, but have been effective at achieving stewardship goals. Other supplemental strategies such as education, clinical prediction rules, biomarkers, clinical decision support software, and institutional guidelines have been effective at improving antimicrobial use. The most effective antimicrobial stewardship programs have employed multiple strategies to impact antimicrobial use. Using these strategies stewardship programs have been able to decrease antimicrobial use, the spread of resistant pathogens, the incidence of C. difficile infection, pharmacy costs, and improved patient outcomes.

  5. Efficacy of triclosan as an antimicrobial hand soap and its potential impact on antimicrobial resistance: a focused review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giuliano, Christopher A; Rybak, Michael J

    2015-03-01

    Triclosan is a synthetic biocide found in many household products, including antimicrobial hand soap. Levels of triclosan have been found throughout the environment and in human urine, blood, and even breast milk. Increasing levels of exposure to triclosan have led to concerns over the development of resistance to triclosan and cross-resistance to other antimicrobials. We performed a literature search to assess whether the widespread use of triclosan displays a favorable benefit: risk ratio, defined by evaluation of triclosan's efficacy as an antimicrobial hand soap and its potential effect on the development of antimicrobial resistance. Data from laboratory-based studies regarding the efficacy of triclosan are conflicting, although well-designed studies suggest no significant difference in efficacy over nonantimicrobial soap. In addition, when triclosan was introduced in a community setting, no beneficial effects were observed on the reduction of infections over nonantimicrobial soap. Resistance to triclosan and cross-resistance to antimicrobials have been consistently demonstrated in laboratory settings, although overall resistance rates and cross-resistance rates in the community setting are low. Based on the available evidence, the risk of potential antimicrobial resistance outweighs the benefit of widespread triclosan use in antimicrobial soaps. © 2015 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  6. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrzad Sadredinamin

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs are extensive group of molecules that produced by variety tissues of invertebrate, plants, and animal species which play an important role in their immunity response. AMPs have different classifications such as; biosynthetic machines, biological sources, biological functions, molecular properties, covalent bonding patterns, three dimensional structures, and molecular targets.These molecules have multidimensional properties including antimicrobial activity, antiviral activity, antifungal activity, anti-parasite activity, biofilm control, antitumor activity, mitogens activity and linking innate to adaptive immunity that making them promising agents for therapeutic drugs. In spite of this advantage of AMPs, their clinical developments have some limitation for commercial development. But some of AMPs are under clinical trials for the therapeutic purpose such as diabetic foot ulcers, different bacterial infections and tissue damage. In this review, we emphasized on the source, structure, multidimensional properties, limitation and therapeutic applications of various antimicrobial peptides.

  7. Antimicrobial Peptides Derived from Fusion Peptides of Influenza A Viruses, a Promising Approach to Designing Potent Antimicrobial Agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jingyu; Zhong, Wenjing; Lin, Dongguo; Xia, Fan; Wu, Wenjiao; Zhang, Heyuan; Lv, Lin; Liu, Shuwen; He, Jian

    2015-10-01

    The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens have spurred the urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial agents with different mode of action. In this respect, we turned several fusogenic peptides (FPs) derived from the hemagglutinin glycoproteins (HAs) of IAV into potent antibacterials by replacing the negatively or neutrally charged residues of FPs with positively charged lysines. Their antibacterial activities were evaluated by testing the MICs against a panel of bacterial strains including S. aureus, S. mutans, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli. The results showed that peptides HA-FP-1, HA-FP-2-1, and HA-FP-3-1 were effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria with MICs ranging from 1.9 to 16.0 μm, while the toxicities toward mammalian cells were low. In addition, the mode of action and the secondary structure of these peptides were also discussed. These data not only provide several potent peptides displaying promising potential in development as broad antimicrobial agents, but also present a useful strategy in designing new antimicrobial agents. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  8. The In Vitro Antimicrobial Effects of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Conventional Antimicrobial Agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Rapper, Stephanie; Viljoen, Alvaro

    2016-01-01

    The paper focuses on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender) essential oil in combination with four commercial antimicrobial agents. Stock solutions of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nystatin, and fusidic acid were tested in combination with L. angustifolia essential oil. The antimicrobial activities of the combinations were investigated against the Gram-positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27858) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) was selected to represent the yeasts. The antimicrobial effect was performed using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) microdilution assay. Isobolograms were constructed for varying ratios. The most prominent interaction was noted when L. angustifolia essential oil was combined with chloramphenicol and tested against the pathogen P. aeruginosa (ΣFIC of 0.29). Lavendula angustifolia essential oil was shown in most cases to interact synergistically with conventional antimicrobials when combined in ratios where higher volumes of L. angustifolia essential oil were incorporated into the combination. PMID:27891157

  9. The In Vitro Antimicrobial Effects of Lavandula angustifolia Essential Oil in Combination with Conventional Antimicrobial Agents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie de Rapper

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper focuses on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (lavender essential oil in combination with four commercial antimicrobial agents. Stock solutions of chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, nystatin, and fusidic acid were tested in combination with L. angustifolia essential oil. The antimicrobial activities of the combinations were investigated against the Gram-positive bacterial strain Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538 and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27858 and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231 was selected to represent the yeasts. The antimicrobial effect was performed using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC microdilution assay. Isobolograms were constructed for varying ratios. The most prominent interaction was noted when L. angustifolia essential oil was combined with chloramphenicol and tested against the pathogen P. aeruginosa (ΣFIC of 0.29. Lavendula angustifolia essential oil was shown in most cases to interact synergistically with conventional antimicrobials when combined in ratios where higher volumes of L. angustifolia essential oil were incorporated into the combination.

  10. Exploiting CRISPR-Cas nucleases to produce sequence-specific antimicrobials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bikard, David; Euler, Chad W; Jiang, Wenyan; Nussenzweig, Philip M; Goldberg, Gregory W; Duportet, Xavier; Fischetti, Vincent A; Marraffini, Luciano A

    2014-11-01

    Antibiotics target conserved bacterial cellular pathways or growth functions and therefore cannot selectively kill specific members of a complex microbial population. Here, we develop programmable, sequence-specific antimicrobials using the RNA-guided nuclease Cas9 (refs.1,2) delivered by a bacteriophage. We show that Cas9, reprogrammed to target virulence genes, kills virulent, but not avirulent, Staphylococcus aureus. Reprogramming the nuclease to target antibiotic resistance genes destroys staphylococcal plasmids that harbor antibiotic resistance genes and immunizes avirulent staphylococci to prevent the spread of plasmid-borne resistance genes. We also show that CRISPR-Cas9 antimicrobials function in vivo to kill S. aureus in a mouse skin colonization model. This technology creates opportunities to manipulate complex bacterial populations in a sequence-specific manner.

  11. Synergistic Antimicrobial Activities Of Phytoestrogens In Crude ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ethanolic, methanolic and aqueous extracts of both leaves were studied for their in-vitro synergistic antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative micro-organisms, and Yeast using Agar diffusion method. The GC-MS phytochemical screening of methanolic extract showed that the major compounds in ...

  12. Antimicrobial Constituents of Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd. against Periodontal Pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Garland More

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The phytochemical investigation of an ethanol extract of Artemisia afra led to the isolation of six known compounds, acacetin (1, 12α,4α-dihydroxybishopsolicepolide (2, scopoletin (3, α-amyrin (4, phytol (5, and a pentacyclic triterpenoid betulinic acid (6. The compounds were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Gram positive (Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces israelii, and Streptococcus mutans, Gram negative bacteria (Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans previously known as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and Candida albicans. The crude extract of A. afra inhibited the growth of all tested microbial species at concentration range of 1.6 mg/mL to 25 mg/mL. The compounds 1–6 also showed activity range at 1.0 mg/mL to 0.25 mg/mL. Three best compounds (scopoletin, betulinic acid, and acacetin which showed good antimicrobial activity were selected for further studies. Cytotoxicity of extract and compounds was determined using the XTT cell proliferation kit. The antioxidant activity of the extract and compounds was done using the DPPH scavenging method. The extract showed good antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 22.2 μg/mL. Scopoletin had a strong transformation of the DPPH radical into its reduced form, with an IC50 value of 1.24 μg/mL which was significant to that of vitamin C (1.22 μg/mL. Acacetin and betulinic acid exhibited a decreased scavenging activity with the IC50 of 2.39 and 2.42 μg/mL, respectively. The extract and compounds showed moderate toxicity on McCoy fibroblast cell line and scopoletin was relatively nontoxic with an IC50 value of 132.5 μg/mL. Acacetin and betulinic acid also showed a smooth trend of non-toxic effects with IC50 values of 35.44 and 30.96 μg/mL. The obtained results in this study confirm the use of A. afra in the treatment of microbial infections.

  13. Nanoparticles for antimicrobial purposes in Endodontics: A systematic review of in vitro studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samiei, Mohammad; Farjami, Afsaneh; Dizaj, Solmaz Maleki; Lotfipour, Farzaneh

    2016-01-01

    Antimicrobial nanoparticles with enhanced physiochemical properties have attracted attention as modern antimicrobials, especially in the complicated oral cavity environment. The goal of the present article is to review the current state of nanoparticles used for antimicrobial purposes in root canal infections. A review was conducted in electronic databases using MeSH keywords to identify relevant published literature in English. The analysis and eligibility criteria were documented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analysis (PRISMA-guidelines). No restrictions on publication date were imposed. Data regarding root canal disinfections, general antimicrobial mechanisms of nanoparticles, type of nanoparticles as antimicrobial agent and antimicrobial effect of nanoparticles in endodontics were collected and subjected to descriptive data analysis. The literature search in electronic databases according to the inclusion criteria provided 83 titles and abstracts. Among them 15 papers were related to antimicrobial effect of nanoparticles in Endodontics. Silver nanoparticles with sustainable activity were the most studied agent for its antimicrobial behavior in root canal infection. Aided polymeric nanoparticles with photo or ultrasound, glass bioactive nanoparticles as well as Calcium derivative based nanoparticles, with improved activity in comparison with the non-nano counterparts, are of importance in infection control of dental root canal. Bioactive Non-organic nanoparticles with structural capabilities present enhanced antimicrobial activity in root canal infections. All included studies showed an enhanced or at least equal effect of nanoparticulate systems to combat dental root canal infections compared to conventional antimicrobial procedures. However, it is crucial to understand their shortcomings and their probable cellular effects and toxicity as well as environmental effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  14. Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli Isolated from Chickens in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talebiyan, Reza; Kheradmand, Mehdi; Khamesipour, Faham; Rabiee-Faradonbeh, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Antimicrobial agents are used extremely in order to reduce the great losses caused by Escherichia coli infections in poultry industry. In this study, 318 pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains isolated from commercial broiler flocks with coli-septicemia were examined for antimicrobials of both veterinary and human significance by disc diffusion method. Multiple resistances to antimicrobial agents were observed in all the isolates. Resistance to the antibiotics was as follows: Tylosin (88.68%), Erythromycin (71.70%), Oxytetracycline (43.40%), Sulfadimethoxine-Trimethoprim (39.62%), Enrofloxacin (37.74%), Florfenicol (35.85%), Chlortetracycline (33.96%), Doxycycline (16.98%), Difloxacin (32.08%), Danofloxacin (28.30%), Chloramphenicol (20.75%), Ciprofloxacin (7.55%), and Gentamicin (5.66%). This study showed resistance against the antimicrobial agents that are commonly applied in poultry, although resistance against the antibiotics that are only applied in humans or less frequently used in poultry was significantly low. This study emphasizes on the occurrence of multiple drug resistant E. coli among diseased broiler chickens in Iran. The data revealed the relative risks of using antimicrobials in poultry industry. It also concluded that use of antibiotics must be limited in poultry farms in order to reduce the antibiotic resistances.

  15. Multiple Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli Isolated from Chickens in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reza Talebiyan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial agents are used extremely in order to reduce the great losses caused by Escherichia coli infections in poultry industry. In this study, 318 pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC strains isolated from commercial broiler flocks with coli-septicemia were examined for antimicrobials of both veterinary and human significance by disc diffusion method. Multiple resistances to antimicrobial agents were observed in all the isolates. Resistance to the antibiotics was as follows: Tylosin (88.68%, Erythromycin (71.70%, Oxytetracycline (43.40%, Sulfadimethoxine-Trimethoprim (39.62%, Enrofloxacin (37.74%, Florfenicol (35.85%, Chlortetracycline (33.96%, Doxycycline (16.98%, Difloxacin (32.08%, Danofloxacin (28.30%, Chloramphenicol (20.75%, Ciprofloxacin (7.55%, and Gentamicin (5.66%. This study showed resistance against the antimicrobial agents that are commonly applied in poultry, although resistance against the antibiotics that are only applied in humans or less frequently used in poultry was significantly low. This study emphasizes on the occurrence of multiple drug resistant E. coli among diseased broiler chickens in Iran. The data revealed the relative risks of using antimicrobials in poultry industry. It also concluded that use of antibiotics must be limited in poultry farms in order to reduce the antibiotic resistances.

  16. Antimicrobial compounds of porcine mucosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotenkova, E. A.; Lukinova, E. A.; Fedulova, L. V.

    2017-09-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate porcine oral cavity mucosa (OCM), nasal cavity mucosa (NCM), rectal mucosa (RM) and tongue mucosa (TM) as sources of antimicrobial compounds. Ultrafiltrates with MW >30 kDa, MW 5-30 kDa and MW 30 kDa, the zone of microbial growth inhibition was 7.5 mm, for the MW<5 kDa fraction, it was 7 mm, and for MW 5-30 kDa fraction, it was 4.5 mm. No significant differences were found in high molecular weight proteomic profile, while qualitative and quantitative differences were observed in the medium and low molecular weight areas, especially in OCM and NCM. HPLC showed 221 tissue-specific peptides in OCM, 156 in NCM, 225 in RM, but only 5 in TM. The results observed confirmed porcine mucous tissues as a good source of antimicrobial compounds, which could be an actual alternative for reduction of microbial spoilage of foods.

  17. Total phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Blepharis edulis extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohaddese Mahboubi

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Blepharis edulis is traditionally used as an antiseptic, purgative, aphrodisiac and anti-inflammatory agent. The extractsof plant aerial parts were screened for total phenolic content (TPC gallic acid equivalents (GAE, total flavonoid compound(TFC quercetin equivalents (QE, antioxidant capacity and its antimicrobial activity by micro broth dilution assay. The 50%-inhibition values of BHT and 70% (v/v aqueous ethanol, 70% (v/v aqueous methanol, methanol, and water extracts of B.edulis according to the DPPH method were found to be 19.6, 71.2, 73.7, 81.4, and 218.4 g/ml, respectively. TPC ranged from38.9 to 102.7 mg GAE/g dry extracts. The antimicrobial activity showed that yeast and fungi were sensitive and resistantmicroorganisms to the extracts. The 70%-methanol extract showed more drastic antimicrobial activity than the others. Theantimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract is the same as of the methanolic extract; water extract had the weakest antimicrobialactivity.

  18. ANTI-MICROBIAL AND ANTI-AMOEBIC ACTIVITY SOME AZOMETHINES - POTENTIAL TEXTILE DYESTUFFS

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    DJORDJEVIC Dragan

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, new synthesized three azomethine derivatives applied in dyeing textiles checking the anti-microbial properties of active components, at the same time [1-3]. The emphasis is thrown on the verification of anti-microbial properties that are important for obtaining textile with significantly improved performance. All compounds were characterized and evaluated for their anti-microbial activity against 7 pathogenic bacteria, 1 parasitic protozoan and 1 fungus. It estimated anti-bacterial activity in vitro against the following microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus anthracis, Streptococcus faecalis, Enterobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, and Candida albicans. The anti-amoebic activity in vitro was evaluated against the HM1: IMSS strain of Entamoeba histolytica and the results were compared with the standard drug, metronidazole. The synthesized azomethines, showed very good substantivity for wool fibers, gave fine coloring, with good degree of exhaustion after dyeing. The combination of extended synthetic analogues of natural molecules leads to discovery of chemical entities which might be excellent anti-microbial and anti-amoebic compounds as depicted in our results. Being highly the effects this compound can be explored in future as an option for decreasing pathogenic potential of infecting from different sources. Azomethines containing hydrazone (dyestuff 1 and phenylhydrazone (dyestuff 2 as moiety show average yield and moderate inhibition activity while azomethines containing thiosemicarbazone (dyestuff 3 as moiety show higher yield and greater inhibition activity towards gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as a fungus.

  19. Background levels of methane in Mars’ atmosphere show strong seasonal variations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webster, Christopher R.; Mahaffy, Paul R.; Atreya, Sushil K.; Moores, John E.; Flesch, Gregory J.; Malespin, Charles; McKay, Christopher P.; Martinez, German; Smith, Christina L.; Martin-Torres, Javier; Gomez-Elvira, Javier; Zorzano, Maria-Paz; Wong, Michael H.; Trainer, Melissa G.; Steele, Andrew; Archer, Doug; Sutter, Brad; Coll, Patrice J.; Freissinet, Caroline; Meslin, Pierre-Yves; Gough, Raina V.; House, Christopher H.; Pavlov, Alexander; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Pearson, John C.; Keymeulen, Didier; Christensen, Lance E.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.; Navarro-Gonzalez, Rafael; Pla-García, Jorge; Rafkin, Scot C. R.; Vicente-Retortillo, Álvaro; Kahanpää, Henrik; Viudez-Moreiras, Daniel; Smith, Michael D.; Harri, Ari-Matti; Genzer, Maria; Hassler, Donald M.; Lemmon, Mark; Crisp, Joy; Sander, Stanley P.; Zurek, Richard W.; Vasavada, Ashwin R.

    2018-06-01

    Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.

  20. Litsea glutinosa (Lauraceae: Evaluation of its Foliar Phytochemical Constituents for Antimicrobial Activity

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    Mutyala Naidu LAGUDU

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Litsea glutinosa revealed the presence of secondary metabolites like alkaloids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins, terpenoids, volatile compounds, amino acids and carbohiydrates. The antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibition concentration values were determined for these phytochemical constituents as crude extracts using the agar well diffusion and two-fold serial dilution methods. The results indicated that Bacillus subtilis was the most susceptible bacterium with high inhibition zones for the methanol and chloroform extracts of 31 mm and 26 mm, respectively. The MIC values indicated that extracts possess good antimicrobial activity with significant MIC value against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus pneumoniae at 31.2 µg/ml concentrations. The extracts showed marked antimicrobial activity against both bacteria and fungi. Among the bacterial strains, gram-positive bacteria were more susceptible than the gram-negative. All the 13 microorganisms tested showed dose dependent susceptibility towards the phytochemicals present in the foliar extracts. The study suggests that Litsea glutinosa leaves possess potent antimicrobial activity and can be a good source for the development of new antibiotics.

  1. Preparation and Characterization of Antimicrobial PVA/ZnO Nanocomposite for Biomaterial Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Kareem

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Control of microbial infections is a highly important issue in hospitals. Antimicrobial polymers are new kinds of antiseptics, which can be used as alternatives to disinfectants in sometimes. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (90 nm with polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA generated by melting route. ZnO NPs was modified by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO to get on uniform distribution within the matrix and then reduce agglomeration. The purpose of this study is to determine the antimicrobial activity of PVA ̸ ZnO nanoparticles against Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Escherichia coli and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus epidermidis and fungi (Candida albicans,. The effects of concentration and particle size on the antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles was studied using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC test and the antimicrobial activity of PVA/ZnO nanocomposite was studied using agar well diffusion method. Results showed that the antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles with PVA increased with decreasing particle size and increasing concentration of ZnO NPs. Results showed that all microbes were fully inhibited at 3.7 μg / ml concentration for ZnO NPs, but activity against bacteria was not observed at 1.8 μm / ml.

  2. Risk assessment of antimicrobial usage in Danish pig production on the human exposure to antimicrobial resistant bacteria from pork

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Struve, Tina

    to antimicrobials are influenced by the use of antimicrobial agents, and the prudence of antimicrobial use have been emphasized since the Swann report in 1969 recommended that antibiotics used in human medicine should not be used as growth promoters in food-producing animals. In 2007, the World Health Organisation...... the human exposure to cephalosporin resistance from pork purchased in retail shops was assessed using different scenarios for the amount of antimicrobial used in the primary production. Also, farm-related factors affecting the antimicrobial usage were investigated as a part of this thesis. The thesis...... producing E. coli through the purchase of pork chops Objective 3: Identification of management factors in the Danish finishing pig production important for antimicrobial usage In Objective 1, the occurrence (presence/non-presence) of ESC producing E. coli in samples from healthy pigs at slaughter...

  3. Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms among Campylobacter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieczorek, Kinga; Osek, Jacek

    2013-01-01

    Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are recognized as the most common causative agents of bacterial gastroenteritis in the world. Humans most often become infected by ingesting contaminated food, especially undercooked chicken, but also other sources of bacteria have been described. Campylobacteriosis is normally a self-limiting disease. Antimicrobial treatment is needed only in patients with more severe disease and in those who are immunologically compromised. The most common antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of Campylobacter infections are macrolides, such as erythromycin, and fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin. Tetracyclines have been suggested as an alternative choice in the treatment of clinical campylobacteriosis but in practice are not often used. However, during the past few decades an increasing number of resistant Campylobacter isolates have developed resistance to fluoroquinolones and other antimicrobials such as macrolides, aminoglycosides, and beta-lactams. Trends in antimicrobial resistance have shown a clear correlation between use of antibiotics in the veterinary medicine and animal production and resistant isolates of Campylobacter in humans. In this review, the patterns of emerging resistance to the antimicrobial agents useful in treatment of the disease are presented and the mechanisms of resistance to these drugs in Campylobacter are discussed.

  4. Phytochemical investigation GC-MS analysis and in vitro antimicrobial activity of Coleus forskohlii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krishnamoorthy Rajkumar

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the phytochemical constituents, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS analysis and antimicrobial activity of Coleus forskohlii. The different solvents such as ethanol, chloroform, acetone and aqueous extracts were identified pharmacologically as important bioactive compounds and their antimicrobial properties were studied. In the phytochemical investigation almost all the ethanol extract of leaf, stem and root having secondary metabolites like alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and steroids. The active constituents of the ethanol extract of C. forskohlii root was studied by GC-MS analysis. According to the antimicrobial results ethanol extract of C. froshkolii root showed highest antibacterial activity compared with stem and leaf. The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against Klebsiella pneumonia (19 mm and Candida albicans (16 mm in ethanol extract of root. Among the above extracts of leaf, stem and root, ethanol extract of root having antimicrobial activities due to the presence of phytoconstituents.

  5. Antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic characterization of Escherichia coli recovered from frozen game meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateus-Vargas, Rafael H; Atanassova, Viktoria; Reich, Felix; Klein, Günter

    2017-05-01

    The increasing number of antimicrobial resistant Enterobacteriaceae both in veterinary and human medicine, the dissemination of these bacteria in several environments and their possible repercussions on human health is causing concern. Game meat is usually seen as free of antimicrobial resistant bacteria. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current antimicrobial susceptibility status in generic Escherichia coli isolated from packed frozen game meat from a game handling establishment in Germany. A total of 229 E. coli isolates were obtained from cuts of red deer, roe deer and wild boar. The susceptibility to 12 antimicrobial agents was evaluated by a broth microdilution method according to ISO 20776-1:2006. Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values were compared to breakpoints and cut-off values published by the EUCAST. Isolates showing MICs above the reference values were further studied for associated resistance determinants and phylogrouping by PCR. Overall, 16 E. coli isolates (7.0%) showed resistance (microbiological or clinical) to at least one antimicrobial agent tested. Clinical resistance was recorded to ampicillin (5/229) and chloramphenicol (4/229), whereas the MIC of 9 isolates exceeded the epidemiological cut-off value for doxycycline. One of the ampicillin-resistant isolates showed resistance to the β-lactam antibiotic derivatives tested, cephalosporines and aztreonam. Three of 9 non-wild-type isolates for doxycycline were positive for tet (B) genes. The ß-lactam-resistant isolate was found to harbour bla CTX-M-1 gene. These data show a low prevalence of resistant E. coli in packed game meat compared to studies on conventional meat. Although isolates obtained in this study may also be originating from the processing environment and not necessarily from animals, based on our results, it is important to monitor the development of antimicrobial resistance in game animals and products in order to identify future threats for the

  6. Chitosan-Sodium Phytate Films with a Strong Water Barrier and Antimicrobial Properties Produced via One-Step-Consecutive-Stripping and Layer-by-Layer-Casting Technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jie; Xiong, Liu; Li, Man; Sun, Qingjie

    2018-06-20

    The pursuit of sustainable functional materials requires the development of materials based on renewable resources and efficient fabrication methods. Here, we first fabricated chitosan-sodium phytate films via one-step-stripping and layer-by-layer-casting technologies. The proposed film-fabrication methods are general, facile, environmentally benign, cost-effective, and easy to scale up. The resultant one-step-stripped film was thin (9 ± 1 μm), soft, transparent, and strong, whereas the thickness of the layer-by-layer-cast film was 70 ± 3 μm. FTIR analysis of the films indicated the formation of interactions between the phosphoric groups in sodium phytate and the amino groups in chitosan. More importantly, the water-vapor-permeability values of the one-step-stripped and cast films were 4-5 orders of magnitude lower than chitosan films reported before. Layer-by-layer-cast films in particular exhibited high tensile strength (49.21 ± 1.12 MPa) and were more than three times stronger than other polyelectrolyte multilayer films. Both types of films remained stable in an acidic environment. Furthermore, the layer-by-layer-assembled films presented greater antimicrobial activity than the stripped films. The developed chitosan-sodium phytate films can enhance several biomedical and environmental applications, such as packaging, drug delivery, diagnostics, microfluidics, and biosensing.

  7. A survey of antimicrobial usage in animals in South Africa with specific reference to food animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eagar, Hayley; Swan, Gerry; van Vuuren, Moritz

    2012-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to set a benchmark for a monitoring and surveillance programme on the volumes of antimicrobials available and consumed by animals for the benefit of animal health in South Africa. This survey was collated from data available from 2002 to 2004. The authorised antimicrobials available in South Africa were firstly reviewed. The majority of available antimicrobials were registered under the Stock Remedies Act 36 1947. Secondly, volumes of antimicrobials consumed were then surveyed and it was found that the majority of consumed antimicrobials were from the macrolide and pleuromutilin classes, followed by the tetracycline class, the sulphonamide class and lastly the penicillin class.Results showed that 68.5% of the antimicrobials surveyed were administered as in-feed medications. 17.5% of the total volume of antimicrobials utilised were parenteral antimicrobials, whereas antimicrobials for water medication constituted 12% of the total and 'other' dosage forms, for example the topical and aural dosage forms, constituted 1.5% of the total. Intramammary antimicrobials represented 0.04% of the total. The surveillance systems for veterinary antimicrobials used by other countries were scrutinised and compared. It was concluded that a combination of the surveillance systems applied by Australia and the United Kingdom is the best model (with modifications) to apply to the animal health industry in South Africa. Such a surveillance system, of the volumes of veterinary antimicrobials consumed, should ideally be implemented in conjunction with a veterinary antimicrobial resistance surveillance and monitoring programme. This will generate meaningful data that will contribute to the rational administration of antimicrobials in order to preserve the efficacy of the existing antimicrobials in South Africa.

  8. A survey of antimicrobial usage in animals in South Africa with specific reference to food animals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayley Eagar

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to set a benchmark for a monitoring and surveillance programme on the volumes of antimicrobials available and consumed by animals for the benefit of animal health in South Africa. This survey was collated from data available from 2002 to 2004. The authorised antimicrobials available in South Africa were firstly reviewed. The majority of available antimicrobials were registered under the Stock Remedies Act 36 1947. Secondly, volumes of antimicrobials consumed were then surveyed and it was found that the majority of consumed antimicrobials were from the macrolide and pleuromutilin classes, followed by the tetracycline class, the sulphonamide class and lastly the penicillin class.Results showed that 68.5% of the antimicrobials surveyed were administered as in-feed medications. 17.5% of the total volume of antimicrobials utilised were parenteral antimicrobials, whereas antimicrobials for water medication constituted 12% of the total and ’other‘ dosage forms, for example the topical and aural dosage forms, constituted 1.5% of the total. Intramammary antimicrobials represented 0.04% of the total. The surveillance systems for veterinary antimicrobials used by other countries were scrutinised and compared. It was concluded that a combination of the surveillance systems applied by Australia and the United Kingdom is the best model (with modifications to apply to the animal health industry in South Africa. Such a surveillance system, of the volumes of veterinary antimicrobials consumed, should ideally be implemented in conjunction with a veterinary antimicrobial resistance surveillance and monitoring programme. This will generate meaningful data that will contribute to the rational administration of antimicrobials in order to preserve the efficacy of the existing antimicrobials in South Africa.

  9. Synthesis, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity studies of some novel modified Strobilurin derivatives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sridhara, Ajjanna M.; Gopinath, Vadiraj S.; Bose, Prosenjit; Goud, Sanath Kumar [Advinus Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore (India); Reddy, Kallam R. Venugopala, E-mail: venurashmi30@rediffmail.co [Advinus Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore (India). Dept. of Studies in Industrial Chemistry; Keshavayya, Jathi [Advinus Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore (India). Dept. of Studies in Chemistry; Ambika, Dasannana Malige S. [Kuvempu University, Jnana Sahyadri, Karnataka (India). Dept. of Biochemistry; Peethambar, Sanenahalli K. [Kuvempu University, Jnana Sahyadri, Karnataka (India). Dept. of Plant Pathology

    2011-07-01

    A series of some new 3-isoxazoline substituted methyl-3-methoxy-2-(4-oxo-3,4- dihydrophthalazine-1-yl)prop-2-enoate derivatives were designed and synthesized from methyl- (4-oxo-3,4-dihydrophthalazine-1-yl)acetate, which in turn was prepared from phthalic anhydride. The structures of synthesized new compounds were characterized by spectral data and studied for their antimicrobial activities and cytotoxicity. Several of these compounds showed good antimicrobial activity (author)

  10. Antimicrobial Activity Investigation on Wuyiencin Fractions of Different Polarity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zengjie Cui

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of Wuyiencin fractions with different polarities against six indicator microorganisms: Rhodotorula rubra, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Escherichia coli, Cladosporium fulvum and Staphylococcus aureus. The fermentation broth of Wuyiencin was submitted to AB-8 macroporous adsorptive resin and fractionated with solvents of different polarity. The fraction eluted with water had remarkably antimicrobial activity against all the microorganisms investigated except for C. fulvum and S. aureus (MIC ≤ 0.0625 mg/mL, probably due to the presence of active components. The fraction eluted with methanol showed potential antimicrobial activity against all the test microorganisms except for R.rubra, with MIC values of0.5 and 2 mg/mL. In conclusion, fractions eluted with water and methanol, respectively, represent the main active-part of Wuyiencin, and could be emphasized for agricultural applications in the future.

  11. Novel Formulations for Antimicrobial Peptides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Maria Carmona-Ribeiro

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Peptides in general hold much promise as a major ingredient in novel supramolecular assemblies. They may become essential in vaccine design, antimicrobial chemotherapy, cancer immunotherapy, food preservation, organs transplants, design of novel materials for dentistry, formulations against diabetes and other important strategical applications. This review discusses how novel formulations may improve the therapeutic index of antimicrobial peptides by protecting their activity and improving their bioavailability. The diversity of novel formulations using lipids, liposomes, nanoparticles, polymers, micelles, etc., within the limits of nanotechnology may also provide novel applications going beyond antimicrobial chemotherapy.

  12. Novel Formulations for Antimicrobial Peptides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmona-Ribeiro, Ana Maria; Carrasco, Letícia Dias de Melo

    2014-01-01

    Peptides in general hold much promise as a major ingredient in novel supramolecular assemblies. They may become essential in vaccine design, antimicrobial chemotherapy, cancer immunotherapy, food preservation, organs transplants, design of novel materials for dentistry, formulations against diabetes and other important strategical applications. This review discusses how novel formulations may improve the therapeutic index of antimicrobial peptides by protecting their activity and improving their bioavailability. The diversity of novel formulations using lipids, liposomes, nanoparticles, polymers, micelles, etc., within the limits of nanotechnology may also provide novel applications going beyond antimicrobial chemotherapy. PMID:25302615

  13. Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Michal, Robert [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Dworniczek, Ewa [Department of Microbiology, Wroclaw Medical University, 50368 Wroclaw (Poland); Caplovicova, Maria [STU Centre for Nanodiagnostics, Slovak University of Technology, 81243 Bratislava (Slovakia); Monfort, Olivier [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Lianos, Panagiotis [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26500 Patras (Greece); Caplovic, Lubomir [Institute of Materials Science, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, Slovak University of Technology, 91724 Trnava (Slovakia); Plesch, Gustav, E-mail: plesch@fns.uniba.sk [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia)

    2016-05-15

    Highlights: • Nanocomposites composed of Eu-doped anatase grafted with CuO. • Increase in photocatalytic hydrogen production due to CuO acting as electrons sink. • CuO in composites decreasing the photoinduced total mineralization of phenol. • Selective photoinduced antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus species. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO{sub 2}(Eu). In investigated TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

  14. Antimicrobial stewardship: Limits for implementation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sinha, Bhanu

    2014-01-01

    Antibiotic stewardship programme (ASP) is a multifaceted approach to improve patients' clinical outcomes, prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, and reduce hospital costs by prudent and focused antimicrobial use. Development of local treatment guidelines according to local ecology, rapid

  15. Antimicrobial Agents Used in Endodontic Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina George Kudiyirickal

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomechanical preparation alone does not completely eradicate microorganisms from the root canal, hence the next logical step is to perform root canal procedures in conjunction with antimicrobials. The use of an antimicrobial agent improves the efficacy and prognosis of endodontic treatment. This review enumerates the most widely used antimicrobial agents, their mechanism of action and their potential use in reducing the microbial load.

  16. Antimicrobial polymer films for food packaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Concilio, S.; Piotto, S.; Sessa, L.; Iannelli, P.; Porta, A.; Calabrese, E. C.; Galdi, M. R.; Incarnato, L.

    2012-07-01

    New antimicrobial polymeric systems were realized introducing new antimicrobial azo compounds in PP and LDPE matrices. The polymeric materials containing different percentage of azo compounds were mold-casted and the obtained film were tested in vitro against Gram+ and Gram- bacteria and fungi. These results hold promise for the fabrication of bacteria-resistant polymer films by means of simple melt processing with antimicrobial azo-dyes.

  17. Anticancer and enhanced antimicrobial activity of biosynthesizd silver nanoparticles against clinical pathogens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajeshkumar, Shanmugam; Malarkodi, Chelladurai; Vanaja, Mahendran; Annadurai, Gurusamy

    2016-07-01

    The present investigation shows the biosynthesis of eco-friendly silver nanoparticles using culture supernatant of Enterococcus sp. and study the effect of enhanced antimicrobial activity, anticancer activity against pathogenic bacteria, fungi and cancer cell lines. Silver nanoparticles was synthesized by adding 1 mM silver nitrate into the 100 ml of 24 h freshly prepared culture supernatant of Enterococcus sp. and were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Selected Area Diffraction X-Ray (SAED), Energy Dispersive X Ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infra red Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The synthesized silver nanoparticles were impregnated with commercial antibiotics for evaluation of enhanced antimicrobial activity. Further these synthesized silver nanoparticles were assessed for its anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. In this study crystalline structured nanoparticles with spherical in the size ranges from 10 to 80 nm and it shows excellent enhanced antimicrobial activity than the commercial antibiotics. The in vitro assay of silver nanoparticles on anticancer have great potential to inhibit the cell viability. Amide linkages and carboxylate groups of proteins from Enterococcus sp. may bind with silver ions and convert into nanoparticles. The activities of commercial antibiotics were enhanced by coating silver nanoparticles shows significant improved antimicrobial activity. Silver nanoparticles have the great potential to inhibit the cell viability of liver cancer cells lines (HepG2) and lung cancer cell lines (A549).

  18. Evaluation of Fatty Acid Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity, Mineral Composition and Calorie Values of Some Nuts and Seeds from Turkey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatma Gülay Kırbaşlar

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The samples of the hazelnut, peanut, pistachio, almond, walnut, chestnut, pumpkin seed and sunflower seed were collected from Turkey. The fatty acid compositions of Turkish nut and seed oils were analyzed by Gas Chromatography (GC were determined. The antioxidant activity of the samples was assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH radical scavenging capacity assay toward BHT and Vitamin C. Retinol and a -tocopherol were analyzed using High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography with UV Detector (HPLC-UV. The antimicrobial and antifungal activities of Turkish nut and seeds were evaluated using the disk diffusion method toward 9 bacteria and 5 yeasts. The nut and seeds showed strong antimicrobial activity against the test organisms. Spectroscopic determination of minerals (Calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc, chromium, aluminum of nuts and seeds was performed with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES. The calorie values of samples were measured using a Bomb Calorimeter.

  19. EVALUATION OF CYTOTOXIC, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIINFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES FROM THE LATEX OF IPOMEA STAPHYLINA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prasanthi Narra

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The plant Ipomoea staphylina has been used in diverse traditional medication for the treatment of diseases and illness of human beings. The crude latex extract obtained from the stem of Ipomea staphylina was evaluated for cytotoxic, antimicrobial and wound healing properties. Cell viability and cytotoxicity assays such as Colony Formation method and Enzyme based methods that determined cell viability with a colorimetric method were performed to evaluate the medicinal properties of Ipomea staphylina. Similarly Microbiological Antibiotic Assay to determine the antimicrobial properties and wound healing properties were tested by determining the potent anti-inflammatory molecules that inhibited COX and LOX enzymes. Results showed that the latex crude extract of Ipomea staphylina showed potent Antimicrobial and Antiinflamatory properties, but the viability of the cells were unaffected.

  20. Antimicrobial action of calcium hydroxide-based endodontic sealers after setting, against E. faecalis biofilm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriely Cristinni REZENDE

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Enterococcus faecalis are gram positive bacteria that can mostly resist endodontic therapy, inducing persistent infection in the root canal system. Endodontic sealers with antimicrobial activity may help eliminate residual microorganisms that survive endodontic treatment. The present study aimed at comparing the antimicrobial activity of Acroseal, Sealapex and AH Plus endodontic sealers in an in vitro biofilm model. Bovine dentin specimens (144 were prepared, and twelve blocks for each sealer and each experimental time point (2, 7 and 14 days were placed and left in contact with plates containing inoculum of E. faecalis (ATCC 51299, to induce biofilm formation. After 14 days, the samples were transferred to another plate with test sealers and kept at 37°C and 5% CO2 for 2, 7 and 14 days. The specimens without sealers were used as a control for each period. The samples were agitated in a sonicator after each experiment. The suspensions were agitated in a vortex mixer, serially diluted in saline, and triple plated onto m-Enterococcus agar. Colonyforming units were counted, and the data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA, Shapiro-Wilk and Kruskal-Wallis one-way tests (p < 0.05 to determine antimicrobial potential. Sealapex showed significant differences at all the experimental time points, in comparison with all the other groups. AH Plus and Acroseal showed antimicrobial activity only on the 14th experimental day. Neither of the sealers tested were able to completely eliminate the biofilm. Sealapex showed the highest antimicrobial activity in all the experimental periods. The antimicrobial activity of all the sealers analyzed increased over time.

  1. Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of some ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Thermogravimetric analyses were also carried out. The data obtained agree with the proposed structures and show that the complexes decomposed to the corresponding metal oxide. The ligand and their metal complexes were screened for their antimicrobial activities by the agar-well diffusion technique using DMSO as a ...

  2. Antimicrobial properties of uncapped silver nanoparticles synthesized by DC arc thermal plasma technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinde, Manish; Patil, Rajendra; Karmakar, Soumen; Bhoraskar, Sudha; Rane, Sunit; Gade, Wasudev; Amalnerkar, Dinesh

    2012-02-01

    We, herein, report the antimicrobial properties of uncapped silver nanoparticles for a Gram positive model organism, Bacillus subtilis. Uncapped silver nanoparticles have been prepared using less-explored DC arc thermal plasma technique by considering its large scale generation capability. It is observed that the resultant nanoparticles show size as well as optical property dependent antimicrobial effect.

  3. Refugees and antimicrobial resistance: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Smalen, Allard Willem; Ghorab, Hatem; Abd El Ghany, Moataz; Hill-Cawthorne, Grant A

    There is a large increase in the numbers of refugees and asylum seekers worldwide and a lack of data on the carriage of antimicrobial resistance in refugee/asylum seeking groups. This article aims to identify the impact of refugees and asylum seekers on the acquisition and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a literature search. The databases Embase, Medline, Pubmed, and Web of Science Core Collection were utilised and covered all articles before the 1st of October 2016. In total, 577 articles were identified, and studies were eligible if they met the selection criteria, including observational study design, English language, and AMR strains reported in absolute numbers. In total, 17 articles met the criteria, the majority were from the European region. Articles fitting the selection criteria exclusively reported AMR in bacterial species including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, K. oxytoca, Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The analyses indicated that a high percentage of AMR strains, have been circulating among refugees and asylum seekers. The displacement of refugees and asylum seekers seem to play a key role in the transmission of AMR. Therefore, improved AMR control measures are essential. A knowledge gap was identified; further research is strongly recommended. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. [Consensus for antimicrobial susceptibility testing for Enterobacteriaceae. Subcommittee on Antimicrobials, SADEBAC (Argentinian Society of Clinical Bacteriology), Argentinian Association of Microbiology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Famiglietti, A; Quinteros, M; Vázquez, M; Marín, M; Nicola, F; Radice, M; Galas, M; Pasterán, F; Bantar, C; Casellas, J M; Kovensky Pupko, J; Couto, E; Goldberg, M; Lopardo, H; Gutkind, G; Soloaga, R

    2005-01-01

    Taking into account previous recommendations from the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS), the Antimicrobial Committee, Sociedad Argentina de Bacteriología Clínica (SADEBAC), Asociación Argentina de Microbiología (AAM), and the experience from its members and some invited microbiologists, a consensus was obtained for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and interpretation in most frequent enterobacterial species isolated from clinical samples in our region. This document describes the natural antimicrobial resistance of some Enterobacteriaceae family members, including the resistance profiles due to their own chromosomal encoded beta-lactamases. A list of the antimicrobial agents that should be tested, their position on the agar plates, in order to detect the most frequent antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and considerations on which antimicrobial agents should be reported regarding to the infection site and patient characteristics are included. Also, a description on appropriate phenotypic screening and confirmatory test for detection of prevalent extended spectrum beta-lactamases in our region are presented. Finally, a summary on frequent antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and their probably associated resistance mechanisms, and some infrequent antimicrobial resistance profiles that deserve confirmation are outlined.

  5. Phenolic Composition and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Extracts Obtained from Crataegus azarolus L. var. aronia (Willd. Batt. Ovaries Calli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radhia Bahri-Sahloul

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Plant cell culture is an innovative technology to produce a variety of substances. Numerous plants synthesize among their secondary metabolites phenolic compounds which possess antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Hawthorn (Crataegus is one of these plants which has long been used in folk medicine and is widely utilized in pharmaceutical preparations mainly in neuro- and cardiosedative actions. Methods and Results. The production of polyphenol by fifty-two-week-old Crataegus azarolus var. aronia calli was studied in relation to growth variation and antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity within a subcultured period. The DPPH and ABTS+ assays were used to characterize the antioxidant actions of the callus cultures. Antimicrobial activity was tested by using disc diffusion and dilution assays for the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC values of each active extract. High TEACDPPH, TEACABTS, and antimicrobial activity was observed when maximal growth was reached. An optimum of total phenol, proanthocyanidins, flavonoid, (−-epicatechin, procyanidin B2, chlorogenic acid, and hyperoside was produced during this period. Conclusion. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were strongly correlated with total phenols and total flavonoids. Crataegus azarolus var. aronia cells culture represents an important alternative source of natural antioxidants and antimicrobials.

  6. [Antimicrobial activity of stable silver nanoparticles of a certain size].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukha, Iu P; Eremenko, A M; Smirnova, N P; Mikhienkova, A I; Korchak, G I; Gorchev, V F; Chunikhin, A Iu

    2013-01-01

    Conditions for obtaining stable silver nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm were developed using a binary stabilizer polyvinylpyrrolidone/sodium dodecylsulphate in optimal ratio. Optical spectra, morphology and dependence of size of the nanoparticles on the amount of reducing agent were studied. Colloidal solutions of nanosilver showed a high bactericidal activity against strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fungicidal activity against Candida albicans. The mechanism of action of nanosized silver on microbial cell was examined by laser scanning confocal microscope using fluorescent label. First step of antimicrobial effect on microorganisms was membrane damage and penetration of silver nanoparticles into the cell. Prolonged stability of nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity over the past two years were showed.

  7. Antimicrobial activity of eumelanin-based hybrids: The role of TiO{sub 2} in modulating the structure and biological performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vitiello, Giuseppe [Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, p.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples (Italy); CSGI, Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo Sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Florence (Italy); Pezzella, Alessandro [Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II” via Cintia 4, 80126 Naples (Italy); Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB), CNR, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (Italy); Zanfardino, Anna [Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II” via Cintia 4, 80126 Naples (Italy); Silvestri, Brigida [Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, p.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples (Italy); Giudicianni, Paola [Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione, Centro Nazionale delle Ricerche IRC-CNR, via Claudio, 80125 Napoli (Italy); Costantini, Aniello [Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, p.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples (Italy); Varcamonti, Mario [Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II” via Cintia 4, 80126 Naples (Italy); Branda, Francesco [Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, p.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples (Italy); Luciani, Giuseppina, E-mail: giuseppina.luciani@unina.it [Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples “Federico II”, p.le V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples (Italy)

    2017-06-01

    Eco-friendly hybrid Eumelanin-TiO{sub 2} nanostructures, recently obtained through in situ methodology based on hydrothermal route, have shown a striking antimicrobial activity, after exposure to oxidative environment, even under visible light induction condition. Nevertheless, the role of each component in defining the efficacy of these biological properties is far from being clearly defined. Furthermore, the effect of oxidative step on hybrids structure has not yet addressed. This study aims at elucidating the role of the ratio between eumelanin precursor, 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA), and TiO{sub 2}, for its polymerization in defining morphology and structural organization of TiO{sub 2}-melanin nanostructures. Furthermore, tests on a Gram-negative Escherichia coli DH5α strain under UV irradiation and even visible light allowed to assess the contribution of each component, as well as of the TiO{sub 2}–DHICA charge transfer complex to overall biological performance. Finally, results of biocide characterization were combined with spectroscopic evidences to prove that oxidative treatment induces a marked structural modification in melanin thus enhancing overall antimicrobial efficacy. - Highlights: • Eco-friendly hybrid Eumelanin-TiO{sub 2} nanostructures shows striking antimicrobial activity under visible light. • TiO{sub 2} catalyzes 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) polymerization to eumelanin. • Eumelanin precursor/catalyst ratio modulates physico-chemical and structural properties of hybrid nanostructures. • Oxidative treatment increases the reticulation grade of the polymeric chains within the nanoparticles. • Additional oxidative process of the eumelanin pigment strongly improves the antimicrobial activity of hybrids.

  8. SCREENING OF ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS FROM SOME KINDS OF RAW MATERIALS WITH QUINONEDERIVATIVES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boyko N.N.

    2014-12-01

    extractives in extracts is C = 0.0386 g/g extract and may range from 0.0017 to 0.0755 g/g extract. The mean result of the extract density is ρ = 0.897 g/cm³ and may range from 0.877 to 0.917 g/cm³. It is noted antimicrobial properties of the solution of alizarin 0.1% m / m in 70% vol. ethanol, which in studies showed moderate strength antimicrobial properties: A = 1.60 and inhibited the growth of all tested strains of microorganisms r=0.99. This potentially allows to predict the antimicrobial properties of extracts from plants containing derivatives of alizarin on its concentration in them. Study data show significant antimicrobial properties of numerous kinds of raw materials that contain of hydroquinones, naphtoquinones, anthraquinones and high possibility of their use in complex phytochemical medicinal products as antimicrobial component.

  9. In Vitro Evaluation of Nanoscale Hydroxyapatite-Based Bone Reconstructive Materials with Antimicrobial Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajduković, Zorica R; Mihajilov-Krstev, Tatjana M; Ignjatović, Nenad L; Stojanović, Zoran; Mladenović-Antić, Snezana B; Kocić, Branislava D; Najman, Stevo; Petrović, Nenad D; Uskoković, Dragan P

    2016-02-01

    In the field of oral implantology the loss of bone tissue prevents adequate patient care, and calls for the use of synthetic biomaterials with properties that resemble natural bone. Special attention is paid to the risk of infection after the implantation of these materials. Studies have suggested that some nanocontructs containing metal ions have antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study was to examine the antimicrobial and hemolytic activity of cobalt-substituted hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, compared to hydroxyapatite and hydroxyapatite/poly-lactide-co-glycolide. The antibacterial effects of these powders were tested against two pathogenic bacterial strains: Escherichia coi (ATCC 25922) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), using the disc diffusion method and the quantitative antimicrobial test in a liquid medium. The quantitative antimicrobial test showed that all of the tested biomaterials have some antibacterial properties. The effects of both tests were more prominent in case of S. aureus than in E coli. A higher percentage of cobalt in the crystal structure of cobalt-substituted hydroxyapatite nanoparticles led to an increased antimicrobial activity. All of the presented biomaterial samples were found to be non-hemolytic. Having in mind that the tested of cobalt-substituted hydroxyapatite (Ca/Co-HAp) material in given concentrations shows good hemocompatibility and antimicrobial effects, along with its previously studied biological properties, the conclusion can be reached that it is a potential candidate that could substitute calcium hydroxyapatite as the material of choice for use in bone tissue engineering and clinical practices in orthopedic, oral and maxillofacial surgery.

  10. Antimicrobial activity of jasmine oil against oral microorganisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thaweboon, S.; Thaweboon, B.; Kaypetch, R.

    2018-02-01

    Jasmine sambac is a species of jasmine indigenous to the tropical and warm temperature regions in particular West and Southeast Asia. Essential oil extracted from the flowers of J. sambac has been shown to have anti-oxidant activity. However, very little information regarding antimicrobial activity especially oral microorganisms exists. Objective: To investigate antimicrobial effect of essential oil extracted from flowers of J. sambac against various oral microorganisms. Materials and Methods: Oral microbial strains used in the study were Streptococcus mutans KPSK2, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 5638, Lactobacillus casei ATCC 6363, Klebsiella pneumoniae (clinical isolate), Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida krusei ATCC 6258, Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019, Candida tropicalis (clinical isolate), Candida glabrata ATCC 90030, Candida pseudotropicalis (clinical isolate) and Candida stellatoidia (clinical isolate). The potential of microbial growth inhibition of the oil was firstly screened by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and then the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by agar dilution method. Results: Jasmine oil showed antimicrobial activities against S. mutans, L. casei, E. coli and all strains of Candida species with the zones of inhibition ranging from 9 to 26 mm and MIC values of 0.19-1.56 %v/v. Conclusion: Results from the present study are scientific evidence to demonstrate that jasmine oil could be employed as a natural antimicrobial agent against oral microorganisms.

  11. How externalities impact an evaluation of strategies to prevent antimicrobial resistance in health care organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenine R. Leal

    2017-06-01

    antimicrobial resistance associated with antimicrobial use, we propose an alternative approach that quantifies the externalities of antimicrobial use, combining the attributable cost of AROs with time-series analyses showing the relationship between antimicrobial utilization and incidence of AROs. Conclusion Based on the findings of this review, we propose a methodology that healthcare organizations can use to incorporate the impact of negative externalities when making resource allocation decisions on strategies to reduce AROs.

  12. Using data on resistance prevalence per sample in the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vieira, Antonio; Shuyu, Wu; Jensen, Lars Bogø

    2008-01-01

    Objectives: In most existing antimicrobial resistance monitoring programmes, one single bacterial colony from each collected sample is susceptibility tested against a panel of antimicrobials. Detecting the proportion of colonies resistant to different antimicrobials in each sample can provide...... quantitative data on antimicrobial resistance (resistance prevalence per sample). Methods: In this study, a total of 98 faecal samples from slaughter pigs were tested for tetracycline and sulphonamide resistance in Escherichia coli using the single colony method, and these results were compared...... with the results obtained using the resistance prevalence per sample method. Results: The results obtained by the resistance prevalence per sample method showed a lower occurrence of resistance. Tetracycline resistance in E. coli was found in 36.7% of the samples using the single colony method, while the mean...

  13. The antimicrobial activity of as-prepared silver-loaded phosphate glasses and zirconium phosphate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jing, Wang; Jiang, Ji Zhi; Yang, Yang; Yan, Zhao Chun; Yan, Wang Xiao; He, Shui Zhong

    2016-01-01

    The antimicrobial activities of silver-loaded zirconium phosphate (JDG) and silver-loaded phosphate glasses (ZZB) against Escherichia coli were studied. Although the silver content in JDG was higher than that in ZZB, ZZB suspensions showed better antimicrobial property than JDG suspensions, especially at low concentrations. The antimicrobial activity was analyzed using minimum inhibitory concentrations, bacterial inhibition ring tests, and detection of silver ions in the suspensions. Furthermore, the amounts of silver ions in suspensions with/without bacterial cells were analyzed. Results revealed that only a portion of released silver ions could be adsorbed by E. coli cells, which are critical to cell death. The damaged microstructures of E. coli cells observed by transmission electron microscopy may further prove that the adsorbed silver ions play an important role in the antimicrobial process.

  14. Purification and characterization of a mucin specific mycelial lectin from Aspergillus gorakhpurensis: application for mitogenic and antimicrobial activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ram Sarup Singh

    Full Text Available Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins or glycoproteins that bind reversibly to specific carbohydrates present on the apposing cells, which are responsible for their ability to agglutinate red blood cells, lymphocytes, fibroblasts, etc. Interest in lectins has been intensified due to their carbohydrate specificity as they can be valuable reagents for the investigation of cell surface sugars, purification and characterization of glycoproteins. The present study reports the purification, characterization and evaluation of mitogenic and antimicrobial potential of a mycelial lectin from Aspergillus gorakhpurensis.Affinity chromatography on mucin-sepharose column was carried out for purification of Aspergillus gorakhpurensis lectin. The lectin was characterized for physico-chemical parameters. Mitogenic potential of the lectin was evaluated against splenocytes of Swiss albino mice by MTT assay. Antimicrobial activity of the purified lectin has also been evaluated by disc diffusion assay.Single-step affinity purification resulted in 18.6-fold purification of the mycelial lectin. The molecular mass of the lectin was found to be 70 kDa and it was composed of two subunits of 34.8 kDa as determined by gel filtration chromatography, SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analysis. pH optima of the lectin was found to be 6.5-9.5, while optimum temperature for lectin activity was 20-30 °C. Lectin was stable within a pH range of 7.0-10.5 and showed fair thermostability. EDTA did not affect lectin activity whereas it was found susceptible to the denaturants tested. MTT assay revealed strong mitogenic potential of A. gorakhpurensis lectin at a concentration upto 150 µg/mL. Antimicrobial activity assay showed its potent antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcous aureus and Escherichia coli and marginal antifungal activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae.This is the first report on the mitogenic and antimicrobial potential of Aspergillus gorakhpurensis

  15. Purification and characterization of a mucin specific mycelial lectin from Aspergillus gorakhpurensis: application for mitogenic and antimicrobial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ram Sarup; Kaur, Hemant Preet; Singh, Jatinder

    2014-01-01

    Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins or glycoproteins that bind reversibly to specific carbohydrates present on the apposing cells, which are responsible for their ability to agglutinate red blood cells, lymphocytes, fibroblasts, etc. Interest in lectins has been intensified due to their carbohydrate specificity as they can be valuable reagents for the investigation of cell surface sugars, purification and characterization of glycoproteins. The present study reports the purification, characterization and evaluation of mitogenic and antimicrobial potential of a mycelial lectin from Aspergillus gorakhpurensis. Affinity chromatography on mucin-sepharose column was carried out for purification of Aspergillus gorakhpurensis lectin. The lectin was characterized for physico-chemical parameters. Mitogenic potential of the lectin was evaluated against splenocytes of Swiss albino mice by MTT assay. Antimicrobial activity of the purified lectin has also been evaluated by disc diffusion assay. Single-step affinity purification resulted in 18.6-fold purification of the mycelial lectin. The molecular mass of the lectin was found to be 70 kDa and it was composed of two subunits of 34.8 kDa as determined by gel filtration chromatography, SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analysis. pH optima of the lectin was found to be 6.5-9.5, while optimum temperature for lectin activity was 20-30 °C. Lectin was stable within a pH range of 7.0-10.5 and showed fair thermostability. EDTA did not affect lectin activity whereas it was found susceptible to the denaturants tested. MTT assay revealed strong mitogenic potential of A. gorakhpurensis lectin at a concentration upto 150 µg/mL. Antimicrobial activity assay showed its potent antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcous aureus and Escherichia coli and marginal antifungal activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This is the first report on the mitogenic and antimicrobial potential of Aspergillus gorakhpurensis lectin. The

  16. A novel cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide from the mucus of the snail of Achatina fulica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Jian; Wang, Wenhong; Yang, Xiaomei; Yan, Xiuwen; Liu, Rui

    2013-01-01

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important components of the innate immunity. Many antimicrobial peptides have been found from marine mollusks. Little information about AMPs of mollusks living on land is available. A novel cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide (mytimacin-AF) belonging to the peptide family of mytimacins was purified and characterized from the mucus of the snail of Achatina fulica. Its cDNA was also cloned from the cDNA library. Mytimacin-AF is composed of 80 amino acid residues including 10 cysteines. Mytimacin-AF showed potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and the fungus Candida albicans. Among tested microorganisms, it exerted strongest antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with a minimal peptide concentration (MIC) of 1.9 μg/ml. Mytimacin-AF had little hemolytic activity against human blood red cells. The current work confirmed the presence of mytimacin-like antimicrobial peptide in land-living mollusks. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Dill (Anethum graveolens L. seeds essential oil as a potential natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanojević, Lj.P.

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic antioxidants and antimicrobial agents can induce many undesired side effects, which attracts interest of food producers and consumers in finding ingredients of natural origin. The antioxidative and antimicrobial activity of essential oil from dill (Anethum graveolens L. seeds was investigated in terms of its possible application as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. DPPH test and FRAP method have been used for the investigation of antioxidative activity of essential oil. Disc-diffusion method has been used for investigation of oil antimicrobial activity on following microorganisms: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis and Candida albicans. Essential oil, in concentration of 29 mg/mL, incubated for 60 minutes has shown the highest degree of DPPH radicals’ neutralization (79.62%. FRAP activity of oil was 40.63 μmol Fe2+/g of essential oil. Essential oil showed the best antimicrobial activity on Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, there was a significant antimicrobial activity on all investigated microorganisms.

  18. ANTIMICROBIALS USED IN ACTIVE PACKAGING FILMS

    OpenAIRE

    Dıblan, Sevgin; Kaya, Sevim

    2017-01-01

    Active packaging technology is one of the innovativemethods for preserving of food products, and antimicrobial packaging films is amajor branch and promising application of this technology. In order to controlmicrobial spoilage and also contamination of pathogen onto processed or fresh food,antimicrobial agent(s) is/are incorporated into food packaging structure.Polymer type as a carrier of antimicrobial can be petroleum-based plastic orbiopolymer: because of environmental concerns researcher...

  19. Production of Antimicrobial Agent by Streptomyces violachromogenes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmed, Arwa A.

    2007-01-01

    The isolation of antibiotics from microorganisms improved the discovery of novel antibiotics, which is relatively easy as compared to chemical synthesis of antimicrobial agents. This study starts from isolation and purification of the antimicrobial producing Sterptomycetes obtained from soil habitat of Yemen. The good antimicrobial producing Sterptomycetes isolate was selected from a batch of Sterptomycetes isolates then identified. This isolate has bioactivity against some G+ve and G-ve bacteria. The antimicrobial agent isolated from Streptomyces violachromogenes (isolate no.YA118) was extracted with ethyl acetate at pH 3. The residue was applied to a silica gel column chromatography and eluted stepwise with many solvent systems. The active fractions were tested with B. subtilis NCTC10400. The purification of the antibiotic has been carried out by thin layer chromatography then the physical and chemical properties were studied to identify the antimicrobial agent. The isolated antimicrobial agent is an antibiotic belonging to the neomycin group. (author)

  20. Danish integrated antimicrobial in resistance monitoring and research program

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hammerum, Anette Marie; Heuer, Ole Eske; Emborg, Hanne-Dorthe

    2007-01-01

    a systematic and continuous monitoring program of antimicrobial drug consumption and antimicrobial agent resistance in animals, food, and humans, the Danish Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Program (DANMAP). Monitoring of antimicrobial drug resistance and a range of research......Resistance to antimicrobial agents is an emerging problem worldwide. Awareness of the undesirable consequences of its widespread occurrence has led to the initiation of antimicrobial agent resistance monitoring programs in several countries. In 1995, Denmark was the first country to establish...... activities related to DANMAP have contributed to restrictions or bans of use of several antimicrobial agents in food animals in Denmark and other European Union countries....

  1. Effect of mixed antimicrobial agents and flavors in active packaging films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez, Laura; Escudero, Ana; Batlle, Ramón; Nerín, Cristina

    2009-09-23

    Active packaging is an emerging food technology to improve the quality and safety of food products. Many works have been developed to study the antimicrobial activity of essential oils. Essential oils have been traditionally used as flavorings in food, so they have an important odor impact but they have as well antimicrobial properties that could be used to protect the food. Recent developments in antimicrobial active packaging showed the efficiency of essential oils versus bread and bakery products among other applications. However, one of the main problems to face is the odor and taste they could provide to the packaged food. Using some aromas to mask the odor could be a good approach. That is why the main objective of this paper is to develop an antimicrobial packaging material based on the combination of the most active compounds of essential oils (hydrocinnamaldehyde, oregano essential oil, cinnamaldehyde, thymol, and carvacrol) together with some aromas commonly used in the food industry. A study of the concentration required to get the antimicrobial properties, the organoleptic compatibility with typical aroma present in many food systems (vanilla, banana, and strawberry), and the right combination of both systems has been carried out. Antimicrobial tests of both the mentioned aromas, the main components of some essential oils, and the combination of both groups were carried out against bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis, Yersinia enterocolitica, Escherichia coli), yeasts (Candida albicans, Debaryomyces hansenii, Zygosaccharomyces rouxii), and molds (Botrytis cinerae, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium roqueforti, Eurotium repens, Penicillium islandicum, Penicillium commune, Penicillium nalgiovensis). The sensory properties of the combinations were evaluated with a triangular test and classification was by an order test; the odor threshold of the aroma compounds was also

  2. Decreased antimicrobial resistance and defined daily doses after implementation of a clinical culture-guided antimicrobial stewardship program in a local hospital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Teng Wu

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: We aimed to report the implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP guided by clinically significant cultures in a hospital to assess its pharmaceutical, microbiological, financial, and outcome effects. Methods: A 3-year cohort study of an antimicrobial restriction policy implementation was performed. The ASP with culture-guided de-escalation of antibiotics was instituted in a local hospital since January 1, 2012. The cost of antimicrobials, defined daily dose (DDD, susceptibility to antimicrobials, and outcome of all admitted patients were calculated and evaluated before and after the ASP implementation. Results: Average monthly length of stay of admitted patients decreased from 7.8 ± 0.5 days in 2011 to 6.9 ± 0.3 days in 2013 (p < 0.001. The average monthly cost of antimicrobials decreased 46.9% from US$30,146.8 in 2011 to US$16,021.3 in 2013 (p < 0.001. Total intravenous antimicrobial DDDs per 100 bed-days of the inpatients were 66.9, 54.1 and 48.4 in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. A total of 18.6 DDDs per 100 bed-days of inpatients (27.7% decreased from 2011 to 2013. By comparing data in 2013 to those in 2011, the ASP reduced antimicrobial resistance of Gram-positive bacteria (p = 0.013, Gram-negative bacteria (p < 0.001, and predominant species (all p < 0.05. The yearly mortality also decreased from 1.3% in 2011 to 1.1% in 2012 and 1.0% in 2013. Conclusions: The ASP with a culture-guided de-escalation of antibiotics successfully reduced length of stay, mortality, the cost of antimicrobials, DDDs, and antimicrobial resistance rate, and that is highly recommended for local hospitals. Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial restriction policy, antimicrobial stewardship program, defined daily dose

  3. Antimicrobial drug resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry abattoir workers at risk and broilers on antimicrobials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.W. Oguttu

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Antimicrobial usage in food animals increases the prevalence of antimicrobial drug resistance among their enteric bacteria. It has been suggested that this resistance can in turn be transferred to people working with such animals, e.g. abattoir workers. Antimicrobial drug resistance was investigated for Escherichia coli from broilers raised on feed supplemented with antimicrobials, and the people who carry out evisceration, washing and packing of intestines in a high-throughput poultry abattoir in Gauteng, South Africa. Broiler carcasses were sampled from 6 farms, on each of which broilers are produced in a separate 'grow-out cycle'. Per farm, 100 caeca were randomly collected 5 minutes after slaughter and the contents of each were selectively cultured for E. coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of each isolate was determined for the following antimicrobials : doxycycline, trimethoprim, sulphamethoxazole, ampicillin, enrofloxacin, fosfomycin, ceftriaxone and nalidixic acid. The same was determined for the faeces of 29 abattoir workers and 28 persons used as controls. The majority of isolates from broilers were resistant, especially to antimicrobials that were used on the farms in the study. Overall median MICs and the number of resistant isolates from abattoir workers (packers plus eviscerators tended to be higher than for the control group. However, no statistically significant differences were observed when the median MICs of antimicrobials used regularly in poultry and percentage resistance were compared, nor could an association between resistance among the enteric E. coli from packers and those from broilers be demonstrated.

  4. Antimicrobial Properties of Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Therapeutic Potential for Cystic Fibrosis Infection, and Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morgan T. Sutton

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cystic fibrosis (CF is a genetic disease in which the battle between pulmonary infection and inflammation becomes the major cause of morbidity and mortality. We have previously shown that human MSCs (hMSCs decrease inflammation and infection in the in vivo murine model of CF. The studies in this paper focus on the specificity of the hMSC antimicrobial effectiveness using Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus (gram positive bacteria. Our studies show that hMSCs secrete bioactive molecules which are antimicrobial in vitro against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumonia, impacting the rate of bacterial growth and transition into colony forming units regardless of the pathogen. Further, we show that the hMSCs have the capacity to enhance antibiotic sensitivity, improving the capacity to kill bacteria. We present data which suggests that the antimicrobial effectiveness is associated with the capacity to slow bacterial growth and the ability of the hMSCs to secrete the antimicrobial peptide LL-37. Lastly, our studies demonstrate that the tissue origin of the hMSCs (bone marrow or adipose tissue derived, the presence of functional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR: human, Cftr: mouse activity, and response to effector cytokines can impact both hMSC phenotype and antimicrobial potency and efficacy. These studies demonstrate, the unique capacity of the hMSCs to manage different pathogens and the significance of their phenotype in both the antimicrobial and antibiotic enhancing activities.

  5. Antimicrobial activity of thin metallic silver flakes, waste products of a manufacturing process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anzano, Manuela; Tosti, Alessandra; Lasagni, Marina; Campiglio, Alfredo; Pitea, Demetrio; Collina, Elena

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the research was to develop new products and processes from a manufacturing waste from an Italian metallurgic company. The company produced thin silver metallic films and the production scraps were silver flakes. The possibility to use the silver flakes in water disinfection processes was studied. The antimicrobial activity of the flakes was investigated in batch using Escherichia coli as Gram-negative microorganism model. The flakes did not show any antimicrobial activity, so they were activated with two different processes: thermal activation in reducing atmosphere and chemical activation, obtaining, respectively, reduced flakes (RF) and chemical flakes (CF). The flakes, activated with either treatment, showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The kill rate was dependent on the type of activated flakes. The chemical flakes were more efficient than reduced flakes. The kill rate determined for 1 g of CF, 1.0 +/- 0.2 min(-1), was greater than the kill rate determined for 1 g of RF, 0.069 +/- 0.004 min(-1). This was confirmed also by the minimum inhibitory concentration values. It was demonstrated that the antimicrobial capability was dependent on flakes amount and on the type of aqueous medium. Furthermore, the flakes maintained their properties also when used a second time. Finally, the antimicrobial activities of flakes were tested in an effluent of a wastewater treatment plant where a variety of heterotrophic bacteria were present.

  6. Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of New Thiadiazole Derivatives

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mullick, Pooja; Khan, Suroor A.; Verma, Surajpal; Alam, Ozair [Hamdard University, New Delhi (India)

    2010-08-15

    A series of thiadiazole derivatives were synthesized with differently substituted benzoic acids which were cyclized to give differently substituted thiazolidin-4-one. Elemental analysis, IR, {sup 1}H NMR, {sup 13}C NMR and mass spectral data confirmed the structure of the newly synthesized compounds. The derivatives of these moieties were evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Most of the synthesized compounds showed good antimicrobial activity at 200 and 100 μg/mL. Compounds showed most significant antibacterial activity against gram negative test organism Escherichia coli and most significant antifungal activity against test organisms Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. It was observed that compounds with OCH{sub 3} at 3, 4 position of phenyl ring [5(a-l)] were more potent against microbes as compared to compounds having unsubstituted phenyl ring [4(a-l)].

  7. SCREENING OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND GENES CODING POLYKETIDE SYNTHETASE AND NONRIBOSOMAL PEPTIDE SYNTHETASE OF ACTINOMYCETE ISOLATES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Kovácsová

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to observe antimicrobial activity using agar plate diffusion method and screening genes coding polyketide synthetase (PKS-I and nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS from actinomycetes. A total of 105 actinomycete strains were isolated from arable soil. Antimicrobial activity was demonstrated at 54 strains against at least 1 of total 12 indicator organisms. Antifungal properties were recorded more often than antibacterial properties. The presence of PKS-I and NRPS genes were founded at 61 of total 105 strains. The number of strains with mentioned biosynthetic enzyme gene fragments matching the anticipated length were 19 (18% and 50 (47% respectively. Overall, five actinomycete strains carried all the biosynthetical genes, yet no antimicrobial activity was found against any of tested pathogens. On the other hand, twenty-one strains showed antimicrobial activity even though we were not able to amplify any of the PKS or NRPS genes from them. Combination of the two methods showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of actinomycetes isolated from arable soil, which indicate that actinomycetes are valuable reservoirs of novel bioactive compounds.

  8. Antimicrobial activity of some potential active compounds against ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Antimicrobial activities of six potential active compounds (acetic acid, chitosan, catechin, gallic acid, lysozyme, and nisin) at the concentration of 500 g/ml against the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were determined. Lysozyme showed the highest ...

  9. Co-production of parasporal crystal toxins and antimicrobial ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Co-production of antimicrobial substances and insecticidal compounds by Bacillus thuringiensis BAR 3 was investigated. The cell free supernatant (CFS) of B. thuringiensis showed inhibitory activities against both Gram positive (B. thuringiensis IFO13866 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) and Gram negative ...

  10. Antimicrobial activities of methanol and aqueous extracts of the stem ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids in both the methanol and aqueous extracts. The antimicrobial activity result showed that the methanol extract significantly (P < 0.01) demonstrated antibacterial action against B. subtilis ...

  11. Antimicrobial defence and persistent infection in insects revisited.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makarova, Olga; Rodríguez-Rojas, Alexandro; Eravci, Murat; Weise, Chris; Dobson, Adam; Johnston, Paul; Rolff, Jens

    2016-05-26

    Insects show long-lasting antimicrobial immune responses that follow the initial fast-acting cellular processes. These immune responses are discussed to provide a form of phrophylaxis and/or to serve as a safety measure against persisting infections. The duration and components of such long-lasting responses have rarely been studied in detail, a necessary prerequisite to understand their adaptive value. Here, we present a 21 day proteomic time course of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor immune-challenged with heat-killed Staphylococcus aureus The most upregulated peptides are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), many of which are still highly abundant 21 days after infection. The identified AMPs included toll and imd-mediated AMPs, a significant number of which have no known function against S. aureus or other Gram-positive bacteria. The proteome reflects the selective arena for bacterial infections. The results also corroborate the notion of synergistic interactions in vivo that are difficult to model in vitroThis article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary ecology of arthropod antimicrobial peptides'. © 2016 The Author(s).

  12. Antimicrobial role of human meibomian lipids at the ocular surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mudgil, Poonam

    2014-10-14

    Human meibomian lipids form the outermost lipid layer of the tear film and serve many important functions to maintain its integrity. Although not investigated earlier, these lipids may have antimicrobial properties that help in strengthening the innate host defense of tears at the ocular surface. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial role of human meibomian lipids. Ocular pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus 31, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 19, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 20, and Serratia marcescens 35, were grown in the presence and absence of human meibomian lipids in an artificial tear solution at the physiological temperature. Viable counts were obtained to note the number of bacteria surviving the treatment with meibomian lipids. Bacterial cells were imaged using scanning electron microscopy to observe the damages caused by meibomian lipids. Viable count results showed that in the presence of meibomian lipids, growth of all bacteria was considerably lower. Scanning electron microscopy showed that meibomian lipids caused extensive cellular damage to bacteria as manifested in smaller size, loss of aggregation, abnormal phenotype, cellular distortion, damaged cell wall, and cell lysis. This is the first-ever report of the antimicrobial role of human meibomian lipids. These lipids possess antimicrobial properties against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and are involved in the innate host defense of tears in protecting the ocular surface against microbial pathogens. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

  13. Estimation of antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and brine shrimp toxicity of plants collected from Oymyakon region of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia, Russia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Babita Paudel

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Several plants are reported to be produced various biological active compounds. Lichens from the extreme environments such as high altitude, high UV, drought and cold are believed to be synthesized unique types of secondary metabolites than the other one. Several human pathogenic bacteria and fungi have been muted into drug resistant strains. Various synthetic antioxidant compounds have posed carcinogenic effects. This phenomenon needs further research for new effective drugs of natural origin. This manuscript aimed to screen new source of biological active compounds from plants of subarctic origin. RESULTS: A total of 114 plant species, including 80 species of higher plants, 19 species of lichens and 15 species of mosses, were collected from Oymyakon region of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia, Russia (63˚20′N, 141˚42′E - 63˚15′N, 142˚27′E. Antimicrobial, DPPH free radical scavenging and brine shrimp (Artemia salina toxicity of all crude extract were evaluated. The obtained result was analyzed and compared with commercial standards. A total of 28 species of higher plants showed very strong antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50, 0.45-5.0 µg/mL, 13 species showed strong activity (DPPH IC50, 5-10 µg/mL, 22 species showed moderate antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50,10-20 µg/mL and 17 species showed weak antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50 more than 20 µg/mL. Similarly, 3 species of lichen showed strong antioxidant activity, one species showed moderate and 15 species showed weak DPPH reducing activity. In addition, 4 species of mosses showed moderate antioxidant activity and 11 species showed weak antioxidant activity. Similarly, extracts of 51 species of higher plants showed antimicrobial (AM activity against Staphylococcus aureus and 2 species showed AM activity against Candida albicans. Similarly, 11 species of lichen showed AM activity against S. aureus and 3 species showed AM activity against Escherichia coli. One species of moss

  14. Antimicrobial use on Canadian dairy farms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saini, V; McClure, J T; Léger, D; Dufour, S; Sheldon, A G; Scholl, D T; Barkema, H W

    2012-03-01

    Antimicrobial use (AMU) data are critical for formulating policies for containing antimicrobial resistance. The present study determined AMU on Canadian dairy farms and characterized variation in AMU based on herd-level factors such as milk production, somatic cell count, herd size, geographic region and housing type. Drug use data were collected on 89 dairy herds in 4 regions of Canada, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and the Maritime provinces (Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) for an average of 540 d per herd. Dairy producers and farm personnel were asked to deposit empty drug containers into specially provided receptacles. Antimicrobial use was measured as antimicrobial drug use rate (ADUR), with the unit being number of animal defined-daily doses (ADD)/1,000 cow-days. Antimicrobial drug use rates were determined at farm, region, and national level. Combined ADUR of all antimicrobial classes was 14.35 ADD/1,000 cow-days nationally. National level ADUR of the 6 most commonly used antimicrobial drug classes, cephalosporins, penicillins, penicillin combinations, tetracyclines, trimethoprim-sulfonamide combinations, and lincosamides were 3.05, 2.56, 2.20, 1.83, 0.87, and 0.84 ADD/1,000 cow-days, respectively. Dairy herds in Ontario were higher users of third-generation cephalosporins (ceftiofur) than in Québec. Alberta dairy herds were higher users of tetracyclines in comparison to Maritimes. Antimicrobial drug use rate was higher via systemic route as compared with intramammary and other routes of administration (topical, oral, and intrauterine). The ADUR of antimicrobials used intramammarily was higher for clinical mastitis treatment than dry cow therapy. For dry cow therapy, penicillin ADUR was greater than ADUR of first-generation cephalosporins. For clinical mastitis treatment, ADUR of intramammary penicillin combinations was greater than ADUR of cephapirin. Herd-level milk production was positively associated with overall ADUR, ADUR of

  15. An endogenous ribonuclease inhibitor regulates the antimicrobial activity of ribonuclease 7 in the human urinary tract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, John David; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Eichler, Tad; Wang, Huanyu; Kline, Jennifer; Justice, Sheryl S.; Cohen, Daniel M.; Hains, David S.

    2013-01-01

    Recent studies stress the importance of antimicrobial peptides in protecting the urinary tract from infection. Previously, we have shown that ribonuclease 7 (RNase 7) is a potent antimicrobial peptide that has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against uropathogenic bacteria. The urothelium of the lower urinary tract and intercalated cells of the kidney produce RNase 7 but regulation of its antimicrobial activity has not been well defined. Here we characterize the expression of an endogenous inhibitor, ribonuclease inhibitor (RI), in the urinary tract and evaluate its effect on RNase 7’s antimicrobial activity. Using RNA isolated from non-infected human bladder and kidney tissue, quantitative real-time PCR showed that RNH1, the gene encoding RI, is constitutively expressed throughout the urinary tract. With pyelonephritis, RNH1 expression and RI peptide production significantly decrease. Immunostaining localized RI production to the umbrella cells of the bladder and intercalated cells of the renal collecting tubule. In vitro assays showed that RI bound to RNase 7 and suppressed its antimicrobial activity by blocking its ability to bind the cell wall of uropathogenic bacteria. Thus, these results demonstrate a new immunomodulatory role for RI and identified a unique regulatory pathway that may affect how RNase 7 maintains urinary tract sterility. PMID:24107847

  16. Advances in Development of Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics as Potential Drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molchanova, Natalia; Hansen, Paul R; Franzyk, Henrik

    2017-08-29

    The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens has evolved into a global health problem as current treatment options are failing for infections caused by pan-resistant bacteria. Hence, novel antibiotics are in high demand, and for this reason antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted considerable interest, since they often show broad-spectrum activity, fast killing and high cell selectivity. However, the therapeutic potential of natural AMPs is limited by their short plasma half-life. Antimicrobial peptidomimetics mimic the structure and biological activity of AMPs, but display extended stability in the presence of biological matrices. In the present review, focus is on the developments reported in the last decade with respect to their design, synthesis, antimicrobial activity, cytotoxic side effects as well as their potential applications as anti-infective agents. Specifically, only peptidomimetics with a modular structure of residues connected via amide linkages will be discussed. These comprise the classes of α-peptoids ( N -alkylated glycine oligomers), β-peptoids ( N -alkylated β-alanine oligomers), β³-peptides, α/β³-peptides, α-peptide/β-peptoid hybrids, α/γ N -acylated N -aminoethylpeptides (AApeptides), and oligoacyllysines (OAKs). Such peptidomimetics are of particular interest due to their potent antimicrobial activity, versatile design, and convenient optimization via assembly by standard solid-phase procedures.

  17. Antimicrobial activity of Diospyros melanoxylon bark from Similipal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-05-04

    May 4, 2009 ... However, very limited studies on medicinal plants in general and antimicrobial ..... Recio MC (1989). A review of some antimicrobial compounds isolated ... Rwandese medicinal plants for antimicrobial and antiviral properties.

  18. Participatory action research in antimicrobial stewardship: a novel approach to improving antimicrobial prescribing in hospitals and long-term care facilities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Buul, L.W.; Sikkens, J.J.; van Agtmael, M.A.; Kramer, M.H.H.; van der Steen, J.T.; Hertogh, C.M.P.M.

    2014-01-01

    It is challenging to change physicians' antimicrobial prescribing behaviour. Although antimicrobial prescribing is determined by contextual (e.g. a lack of guidelines), cultural (e.g. peer practice) and behavioural (e.g. perceived decision making autonomy) factors, most antimicrobial stewardship

  19. Phytochemical investigation and antimicrobial activity of Psidium guajava L. leaves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metwally, A. M.; Omar, A. A.; Harraz, F. M.; El Sohafy, S. M.

    2010-01-01

    Psidium guajava L. leaves were subjected to extraction, fractionation and isolation of the flavonoidal compounds. Five flavonoidal compounds were isolated which are quercetin, quercetin-3-O-α-L-arabinofuranoside, quercetin-3-O-β-D-arabinopyranoside, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside and quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside. Quercetin-3-O-β-D-arabinopyranoside was isolated for the first time from the leaves. Fractions together with the isolates were tested for their antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial studies showed good activities for the extracts and the isolated compounds. PMID:20931082

  20. Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Bacillus Strains Isolated from Various Resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Golnari Maranni

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Prevalence extension of antibiotic resistant bacteria has raised concerns about control of infections especially nosocomial infections. Many attempts have been done to replace antibiotics or limit their use. The use of antimicrobial agents produced by bacteria as antibiotic replacement has been promising in recent years. The goal of this study was to isolate Bacillus strains and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some standard pathogens and clinical antibiotic resistant strains. Materials and Methods: In the present study, Bacillus strains were isolated from various resources and identified by 16S rDNA PCR method. Then, the phylogenetic tree of the isolates was constructed and antimicrobial activity of the isolates was investigated against some standard pathogens and clinical antibiotic resistant strains using spotting and well diffusion methods. Results: Eight Bacillus strains were isolated from 15 different samples. Based on the molecular identification, the isolates were identified as B.pumilus, B.coagulans, B.licheniformis, B.endophitycus and B.amiloliquefaciens. The results showed that isolates have antimicrobial activity against meticilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin resistant enterococci, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Listeria, Streptococcus and Escherichia coli. Conclusion: In this study, isolated Bacillus strains produced antimicrobial agents against pathogens and antibiotic resistant strains and inhibited their growth.