Fructobacillus, a Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, facultative anaerobic bacterium, belongs to the fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) group. The group's name originates from fructose, the favored carbon source for its members. Fructobacillus spp. are noteworthy for their distinctive traits, captivating the interest of scientists. However, there have been relatively few publications regarding the isolation and potential utilization of these microorganisms in the industry. In recent years, F. tropaeoli has garnered interest for its promising role in the food and pharmaceutical sectors, although the availability of isolates is rather limited. A more comprehensive understanding of Fructobacillus is imperative to evaluate their functionality in the industry, given their unique and exceptional properties. Our in vitro study on Fructobacillus tropaeoli KKP 3032 confirmed its fructophilic nature and high osmotolerance. This strain thrives in a 30% sugar concentration, shows resistance to low pH and bile salts, and exhibits robust autoaggregation. Additionally, it displays significant antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. Evaluating its probiotic potential, it aligns with EFSA recommendations in antibiotic resistance, except for kanamycin, to which it is resistant. Further research is necessary, but preliminary analyses confirm the high probiotic potential of F. tropaeoli KKP 3032 and its ability to thrive in the presence of high concentrations of fructose. The results indicate that the isolate F. tropaeoli KKP 3032 could potentially be used in the future as a fructophilic probiotic, protective culture, and/or active ingredient in fructose-rich food.
- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology MeSH
- Fructose metabolism MeSH
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration MeSH
- Fruit and Vegetable Juices * microbiology MeSH
- Citrus sinensis microbiology chemistry MeSH
- Food Microbiology MeSH
- Probiotics * isolation & purification MeSH
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S genetics MeSH
- Bile Acids and Salts metabolism MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
This article presents a method for producing hydrogel dressings using high methylated pectin from apples or citrus, doped with the antiseptic agent, octenidine dihydrochloride. Octenidine was incorporated in-situ during the polymer crosslinking. The pectins were characterized by their varying molecular weight characteristics, monosaccharide composition, and degree of esterification (DE). The study assessed the feasibility of producing biologically active hydrogels with pectin and delved into how the polymer's characteristics affect the properties of the resulting dressings. The structure evaluation of hydrogel materials showed interactions between individual components of the system and their dependence on the type of used pectin. Both the antimicrobial properties and cytotoxicity of the dressings were evaluated. The results suggest that the primary determinants of the functional attributes of the hydrogels are the molecular weight characteristics and the DE of the pectin. As these values rise, there is an increase in polymer-polymer interactions, overshadowing polymer-additive interactions. This intensification strengthens the mechanical and thermal stability of the hydrogels and enhances the release of active components into the surrounding environment. Biological evaluations demonstrated the ability of octenidine to be released from the dressings and effectively inhibit the growth of microbial pathogens.
- MeSH
- Anti-Infective Agents, Local * chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Citrus chemistry MeSH
- Hydrogels * chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Imines * chemistry MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Malus chemistry MeSH
- Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
- Molecular Weight MeSH
- Bandages * MeSH
- Pectins * chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Pyridines * chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Staphylococcus aureus drug effects MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Vitamin C deficiency resulting in scurvy, is considered to be a rare nutritional disorder in developed countries, thus leading to underdiagnosis with exposure to unnecessary investigations and delay in appropriate treatment. The wide myriad of clinical signs and symptoms with which vitamin C deficiency can present (including haematological, musculoskeletal and vague constitutional symptoms that overlap with other common medical conditions), also contributes to this diagnostic challenge. Despite scurvy being habitually thought to be present in children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, other important at-risk groups that frequently tend to be forgotten include children with persistent fussy eating behaviour, and children with abnormal vitamin C metabolism. We hereunder present a case of a 10-year-old boy who presented to an acute general hospital for further investigation with gait disturbance. The lack of detailed nutritional assessment on presentation in the first instance led to a missed diagnosis of vitamin C deficiency, thus exposing the child to a wide array of unnecessary investigations and treatments. The added perplexity to the case resulting from false positive results of investigations performed as part of this child's workup, is also discussed.
- MeSH
- Gait MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Scurvy * complications diagnosis drug therapy MeSH
- Ascorbic Acid therapeutic use MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Ascorbic Acid Deficiency * complications diagnosis drug therapy MeSH
- Citrus sinensis * MeSH
- Autism Spectrum Disorder * complications diagnosis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
Vitamin C deficiency resulting in scurvy, is considered to be a rare nutritional disorder in developed countries, thus leading to underdiagnosis with exposure to unnecessary investigations and delay in appropriate treatment. The wide myriad of clinical signs and symptoms with which vitamin C deficiency can present (including haematological, musculoskeletal and vague constitutional symptoms that overlap with other common medical conditions), also contributes to this diagnostic challenge. Despite scurvy being habitually thought to be present in children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, other important at-risk groups that frequently tend to be forgotten include children with persistent fussy eating behaviour, and children with abnormal vitamin C metabolism. We hereunder present a case of a 10-year-old boy who presented to an acute general hospital for further investigation with gait disturbance. The lack of detailed nutritional assessment on presentation in the first instance led to a missed diagnosis of vitamin C deficiency, thus exposing the child to a wide array of unnecessary investigations and treatments. The added perplexity to the case resulting from false positive results of investigations performed as part of this child's workup, is also discussed.
- MeSH
- Gait MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Scurvy * complications diagnosis drug therapy MeSH
- Ascorbic Acid therapeutic use MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Ascorbic Acid Deficiency * complications diagnosis drug therapy MeSH
- Citrus sinensis * MeSH
- Autism Spectrum Disorder * complications diagnosis MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
Essential oils can be used in a variety of ways to treat microorganisms that have evolved antibiotic resistance. The research assessed the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil obtained from Citrus Limonum, Citrus reticulate, and Citrus sinensis fresh peels using the hydro-distillation method. Their chemical compositions were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer. Citrus oils had antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and their activity was increased with increasing concentrations. Oils had a significant antimicrobial effect on tested bacteria except on P. aeruginosa only C. Limonum had significant (p≤0.05) inhibitory effects at both 100 and 200 mg/ml. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in the inhibition zone of tested oils against A. baumannii and ciprofloxacin at 25 mg/ml, which was the same as against E. coli at 200 mg/ml. The oil inhibitory effect on K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, and S. aureus was less than that obtained from ciprofloxacin at concentrations used. At 100 mg/mL, C. reticulate oil had a 23 mm inhibitory zone, while C. sinensis oil had a 23 mm inhibitory zone at 200 mg/mL, which was the same as the inhibitory area of ciprofloxacin against S. marcescens. Oils had convergent antifungal activity against Candida albicans that increased with increasing concentrations. The extracts competed favorably with voriconazole being used as a positive control. Citrus oils had convergent scavenging activities at the concentrations used. The studies confirmed the medicinal and industrial use of citrus essential oils as a therapeutic and antioxidant agent.
- MeSH
- Antifungal Agents analysis chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Anti-Infective Agents analysis chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Antioxidants analysis chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Biomedical Research MeSH
- Chemistry Techniques, Analytical methods instrumentation MeSH
- Citrus * chemistry MeSH
- Distillation methods instrumentation MeSH
- Plant Epidermis chemistry MeSH
- Pharmacologic Actions MeSH
- Phytochemicals analysis chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Oils, Volatile * analysis chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Free Radical Scavengers MeSH
- Geographicals
- Iraq MeSH
- MeSH
- Anti-Infective Agents classification adverse effects MeSH
- Citrus adverse effects MeSH
- Pharmacological Phenomena * drug effects MeSH
- Gastrointestinal Tract drug effects MeSH
- Immunosuppressive Agents * pharmacokinetics classification adverse effects MeSH
- Pharmaceutical Preparations classification MeSH
- Drug Interactions MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Metabolic Side Effects of Drugs and Substances MeSH
- Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions etiology drug therapy classification physiopathology MeSH
- Fruit adverse effects MeSH
- Plant Preparations adverse effects MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Review MeSH
The majority of nanomaterials have unique properties that make them helpful in a variety of biotechnology applications. The study assesses the phytochemical, antioxidant (using a DPPH radical scavenging assay) and antimicrobial activities and identifies minimum inhibitor concentrations of Citrus sinensis (orange), Citrus Limonum (lemon), and Citrus reticulata (tangerine) extracts and their silver nanoparticles. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the produced AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs have a size of less than 100 nm according to SEM examination. Their DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power increased in a dose-dependent way that was more than that of their aqueous and alcoholic extracts. In comparison to Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, silver nanoparticles were found to be more efficient towards Escherichia coli. Their activities were increased with increasing dosage. Whereas, no inhibition zones were conducted with the examined plain citrus peel extracts. This finding revealed that the biomolecules that cover nanoparticles can increase metal nanoparticles' biological activity and the organic AgNPs green alcoholic and aqueous extracts from orange, lemon, and tangerine peels could be used as a potential source of new antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.
Context: Clausena excavata Burm. f is a plant used in folklore medicine for the treatment of various ailments in South East Asia. The plant parts contain chemical components that are cytotoxic to many cancer cells. Objective: The study investigated the cytotoxic effects of ethyl acetate, methanol and chloroform C. excavata leaf extracts on the non-small-lung cancer, NCI-H460, cell line. Methods: Based on the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, among extracts, ethyl acetate C. excavata leaf extract (EACE) was the most potent anti-NCI-H460 cells, with IC50 value of 47.1 ± 6.1 μg/ml. The effects of EACE on NCI-H460 cells were also determined by clonogenic, 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide-PI flow cytometric assays. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptotic gene expressions was determined via flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. Results: EACE-treated NCI-H460 cells after 48 h underwent apoptosis as evident by loss of cell viability, cell shrinkage, and chromatin condensation. The results also showed EACE mediated increase in ROS production by the NCI-H460 cells. After 48 h treatment, EACE increased the pro-apoptotic BAX and decreased the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Survivin and c-Myc gene expressions. Conclusions: EACE is a potential anti-lung cancer by increasing cancer cell ROS production and apoptosis.
Dihydrofuranocoumarin, chalepin (1) and furanocoumarin, chalepensin (2) are 3-prenylated bioactive coumarins, first isolated from the well-known medicinal plant Ruta chalepensis L. (Fam: Rutaceae) but also distributed in various species of the genera Boenminghausenia, Clausena and Ruta. The distribution of these compounds appears to be restricted to the plants of the family Rutaceae. To date, there have been a considerable number of bioactivity studies performed on coumarins 1 and 2, which include their anticancer, antidiabetic, antifertility, antimicrobial, antiplatelet aggregation, antiprotozoal, antiviral and calcium antagonistic properties. This review article presents a critical appraisal of publications on bioactivity of these 3-prenylated coumarins in the light of their feasibility as novel therapeutic agents and investigate their natural distribution in the plant kingdom, as well as a plausible biosynthetic route.
- MeSH
- Clausena chemistry MeSH
- Furocoumarins biosynthesis pharmacology MeSH
- Coumarins chemistry MeSH
- Plants, Medicinal chemistry MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Plant Extracts metabolism pharmacology MeSH
- Ruta chemistry MeSH
- Rutaceae chemistry MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
