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Abstract Treatment of bacterial infections with antibiotic resistance is complicated. For this reason, new therapeutic methods are needed to control bacterial infections. Therefore, it is necessary to discover new antibiotics from medicinal plants that can destroy drug-resistant bacteria. Essential oils (EO) of some medicinal plants have antimicrobial effects and can be used as antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections and food industries. The aim of this study was to determine the EO composition and antimicrobial effects of EO and polyphenols profile of Salvia Sahendica roots for the first time. Chemical compounds and antibacterial activity of EOs against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus as gram-positive and Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as gram- negative bacteria were evaluated using microtiter broth dilution method. Studied organs of S. sahendica showed significant diversity in terms of type and percentage of essential oil and polyphenol compounds. Overall, 44, 46, 42, and 45 compounds were identified in the essential oil of leaves, flowers, stems, and roots of this plant, which constituted 99.6, 99.3, 98.2, and 99.4% of total oil composition, respectively. The current study collectively demonstrated inhibitory effects ranged from strong (S. aureus) to low inhibition (P. aeruginosa). According to the HPLC result, the amounts of coumaric acid, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid compounds in the root are higher than in other plant parts, which indicate that the root can be a suitable source for the production of these valuable polyphenol compounds. Due to the results, it is possible to hope for the application of EO from S. sahendica as natural antibacterial in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

This study was conducted in response to a gap in the production of hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) edible films from Satureja khuzestanica essential oil (SKEO) and to survey the preservation effect of natural edible films on the vapor phase. For these purpose varying concentrations of SKEO ranging from 1.25 % (EF1) to 7.5 % (EF5) led to producing different edible films for potential food packaging applications and the physicochemical, mechanical, and antimicrobial properties of edible films were evaluated across solid, liquid, and vapor phases. The incorporation of nanoemulsions into the polymer films led to an increase in thickness and opacity, while the addition of SKEO resulted in reduced water solubility without impacting film density. Notably, the antibacterial efficacy of the films was most pronounced against S. aureus, with a zone of inhibition measuring 41 ± 1 mm for EF5 on solid media. Time killing assays further demonstrated that specific formulations (EF3, EF4, and EF5) were capable of eradicating all microorganisms within 60 min. Moreover, SKEO edible films exhibited significant inhibitory effects against E. coli under refrigeration conditions (4 °C). These results highlighted the effect of herbal edible films in enhancing the functionality of bioactive food packaging technologies.

Abstract It is believed that antivenoms play a crucial role in neutralizing venoms. However, uncontrolled clinical effects appear in patients stung by scorpions after the injection of antivenom. In this research, non-neutralized components of the venom of the Iranian scorpion Odonthobuthus doriae were analyzed after interacting with the commercial antivenom available in the market. The venom and antivenom interaction was performed, then centrifuged, and the supernatant was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two peaks of Odonthobuthus doriae venom were observed in the chromatogram of the supernatant. Two components were isolated by HPLC and analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) instruments. Peptide sequencing was done by Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF MS/MS). Results indicate that the components of scorpion venom mainly have a molecular weight below 10 kDa, consisting of toxic peptides that disrupt the function of sodium and potassium channels. The MALDI-TOF MS results show that two toxic peptides with molecular masses of 6941 Da and 6396 Da were not neutralized by the antivenom. According to the MS/MS sequencing data, the components have been related to peptides A0A5P8U2Q6_MESEU and A0A0U4FP89_ODODO, which belong to the sodium and potassium channels toxins family, respectively.

The smoke produced from natural substances such as medicinal plants is used in various cultures for different purposes. The use of medicinal fumes has been reported in nearly 50 countries. Among medicinal plants, Tussilago farfara L. known as coltsfoot has been introduced in Canon the famous book of Avicenna a Persian polymath, for chronic dry cough and various pulmonary diseases and shortness of breath. T. farfara is distributed in wet mountainous regions of Iran. For this study, the leaves and flowers of T. farfara were collected from Chalous Road in Iran. The smoke from the burning of T. farfara organs was prepared by homemade glassware trapping the smoke in methanol and then methanol was evaporated. In general, five grams of materials were burned and the smoke was dissolved and trapped in 100 ml of methanol. The trapped and dried materials from the smoke of extracts were filtered and injected into the GC/MS for analysis and identification of its constituents. 51 compounds representing 91.1 and 92.3 percent of smoke extracts of T. farfara were identified in leaf and flower. Also, 57 compounds were detected in the sample of EL and EF with 96.8 % and 97.7 %. The percentage of phenolic compounds that were identified in all extracts of smoke were SL and SF with 52.1 and 46.5, respectively. Phenol, Hydroquinone, P-Cresol and O-Cresol were the major compounds in the smoke extracts. Smoke leaves and flowers of T. farfara were selected to test the antimicrobial to continue. This study examined the bactericidal effect of smoke flowers. Fractions of effective constituents with the help of hexane-ethyl acetate with the method of thin layer chromatography (TLC) were isolated. The results of this experiment showed that a fraction (8:2) of hexane-ethyl acetate inhibited the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. But Escherichia coli was not inhibited.

Background: Scrophularia oblongifolia belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family, commonly known as the water figwort in Iran. It has been known as a traditional medicinal plant in Iran. Objective: This study was designed to investigate the phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate, methanol, MeOH: H2O (50:50 v/v), and n-hexane extract of Scrophularia oblongifolia aerial parts, growing in the Kangavar region in the Kermanshah province of Iran. Methods: Compounds of ethyl acetate extract were isolated by chromatographic techniques (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS-Q-TOF) and their structures were elucidated by spectral methods (1D and 2D NMR). The antifungal and antibacterial activities of some new compounds and ethyl acetate, methanol, and n-hexane extract were evaluated. Results: Two new polyphenol iridoid glycosides with phenylpropanoid moiety namely scrophuloside A5 and scrophuloside A6; two known phenylpropanoid glycosides namely scrophuloside A3 and scrophuloside A4, and two known iridoid glycosides namely aucubin and harpagoside were isolated from S. oblongifolia. Pure compounds showed high antifungal activities with MIC values ranging from 0.35 to 0.74 µg/ml against C. albicans and high antibacterial activities with MIC values ranging from 0.70 to 1.48 µg/ml against G. vajinalis. n-Hexan extract showed moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity, while methanol and methanol:H2O (50:50 v/v) extract showed no antimicrobial activities. Conclusion: Based on these findings, compounds isolated from S. oblongifolia have demonstrated potential antibacterial and antifungal activities.

Background and Objectives: Plasma radiation is a widely used technique for sterilization or decontamination in various industries, as well as in some healthcare settings such as dentistry. The primary aim of this study was to assess the potential of plasma radiation to create a new population of Staphylococcus aureus cells with distinct characteristics that could lead to novel healthcare challenges. Materials and Methods: A homemade non-thermal plasma apparatus was applied and the effects of plasma treatment on S. aureus ATCC25923 was assessed. Plasma radiation was applied under controlled conditions to ensure that some bacterial cells remained viable. The treatment was repeated 10 times, with each round followed by a recovery phase to collect any surviving bacterial cells. To assess the potential changes in the bacterial population, we examined the antibiotic susceptibility pattern, micro-structural characteristics using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and total protein profile using the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) technique. Results: The experimental results revealed slight variations in the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of certain cell wall agents (imipenem, cephalothin, and cefepime), as well as in the MALDI-TOF spectra. However, no changes were observed in the SEM images. Conclusion: The insufficient application of non-thermal plasma in bacterial decontamination may lead to physiological changes that could enrich or select certain subpopulations of S. aureus.

Introduction: Profilin1 (PFN1) is a ubiquitously expressed protein known for its function as a regulator of actin polymerization and dynamics. A recent discovery linked mutant PFN1 to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which is a fatal and progressive motor neuron disease. We have also demonstrated that Gly118Val mutation in PFN1 is a cause of ALS, and the formation of aggregates containing mutant PFN1 may be a mechanism for motor neuron death. Hence, we were interested in investigating the aggregation of PFN1 further and searching for co-aggregated proteins in our mouse model overexpressing mutant PFN1. Methods: We investigated protein aggregation in several tissues of transgenic and no-transgenic mice using western blotting. To further understand the neurotoxicity of mutant PFN1, we conducted a pull-down assay using an insoluble fraction of spinal cord lysates from hPFN1G118V transgenic mice. For this assay, we expressed His6-tagged PFN1WT and PFN1G118V in E. coli and purified these proteins using the Ni-NTA column. Results: In this study, we demonstrated that mutant PFN1 forms aggregate in the brain and spinal cord of hPFN1G118V mice, while WT-PFN1 remains soluble. Among these tissues, spinal cord lysates were found to have PFN1 bands at higher molecular weights recognized with anti-PFN1. Moreover, the pull-down assay using His6-PFN1G118V showed that Myelin Binding Protein (MBP) was present in the insoluble fraction. Conclusion: Our analysis of PFN1 aggregation in vivo revealed further details of mutant PFN1 aggregation and its possible complex formation with other proteins, providing new insights into the ALS mechanism.

Background: A bioassay-guided fractionation technique was used to evaluate the active constituents of the perennial plant L. officinale W.D.J. Koch (Apiaceae) against multidrug resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods: Column chromatography was used to isolation of compounds from L. officinale and spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance) and HRMS (high resolution mass spectrometry) were used to identification of the isolated compounds. Also, to evaluate antibacterial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was carried out by broth micro-dilution method. Finally, molecular docking (MD) was performed using the Schrödinger package to evaluate interactions between the active compounds and InhA protein. Results: Phytochemical analysis of the ethyl acetate extract of the plant roots led to isolation of bergapten (1), isogosferol (2), oxypeucedanin (3), oxypeucedanin hydrate (4), imperatorin (5), ferulic acid (6) and falcarindiol (7). Falcarindiol and oxypeucedanin indicated a moderate activity on MDR M. tuberculosis with MIC values of = 32 and 64 μg/mL, respectively. Antibacterial activity of falcarindiol was also observed against S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains with the MIC values of 7.8 and 15.6 μg/mL, respectively. The results of docking analysis showed a good affinity of oxypeucedanin (3) and falcarindiol (7) to InhA enzyme with docking score values of -7.764 and -7.703 kcal/mol, respectively. Conclusion: Finally, 7 compounds were isolated from L. officinale that compounds 2-6 report for the first time from this plant. On the basis of the molecular docking (MD) study, oxypeucedanin (3) and falcarindiol (7) as active compounds against M. tuberculosis may be proposed as potential inhibitors of 2-trans-enoyl-ACP reductase (InhA), a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall. Moreover, antibacterial activity of falcarindiol against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was remarkable.

Vaginal infections are one of the major reasons women visit a gynecologist. Increased re­sistance to conventional antibiotics is one of the main factors mitigating the development of new antimicrobial agents, especially those of natural origin. In traditional Persian medicine, Trachyspermum ammi has been claimed to clear vagina from excessive discharge. Therefore, in this study, the antimicrobial activity of Ajwain essential oil was evaluated against some vaginal pathogens. The essential oil of ajwain was picked up and the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC) were revealed. The most frequently detected microorganisms involved in genital infections including Candida spp., Gardnerella vagina­lis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Lactobacillus acidophilus were considered. Evaluation of the essential oil of Trichomonas vaginalis was done by calculation of percent of growth inhibition. The essential oil showed a remarkable activity against the studied bacteria and fungi with MIC at a range of 0.0315 - 0.5 mg/ml and MBC at a range of 0.125 - 4 mg /ml. The highest inhibition and bactericidal activity was ob­served in S. agalactiae and G. vaginalis. 100% inhibition of T. vaginalis growth was shown at a concentration of 2000 μg/ml after 48 h by essential oil. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was more than that of thymol. Supposedly essential oil of Trachyspermum ammi fruit could inhibit vaginal pathogens growth .Further preclinical and clinical studies are re­quired to confirm the efficacy of this natural agent in vaginitis.

Vaginal infections are one of the most common reasons a woman visits a gynecologist. The increased resistance to conventional antibiotics is one of the main reasons for searching and developing new antimicrobial agents, especially those of natural origin. In traditional Persian medicine, the gall of Quercus infectoria has been claimed to eliminate vagina and cervix from excessive discharge. So, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of Quercus infectoria gall as well as its active constituent, gallic acid, against some vaginal pathogens. In this study, the ethanolic extract of Quercus infectoria gall was obtained by maceration and standardized based on amount of gallic acid. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of this extract as well as its active compound, gallic acid, were determined against Candida spp., Gardnerella vaginalis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Trichomonas vaginalis and Lactobacillus acidophilus. The results demonstrated remarkable activity of ethanolic extract of Quercus infectoria gall against investigated pathogens with MIC and MBC in the range between 0.125 mg/ml and 16 mg/ml. The most inhibitory and bactericidal activity was observed on Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus. The effects of gall dried ethanolic extract on Trichomonas vaginalis showed 100 % inhibition of the parasitic growth with concentration of 800 µg/ml after 24 h incubation. The antimicrobial and anti-trichomonas activity of extract was more than gallic acid. It seems that ethanolic extract of Quercus infectoria gall could inhibit the growth of vaginal pathogens. Further preclinical and clinical studies are required to confirm the efficacy of this natural extract in vaginitis.

Escherichia coli is responsible for more than 90% of food poisoning cases and can survive for long periods under adverse conditions and refrigeration temperature. In this study, the effect of gliding arc plasma processing on infected Almond with Escherichia coli was investigated. The optimal conditions during the different applied powers and treatment time were determined. Moreover, the optimum condition was examined on other gram-negative bacteria as Salmonella and Shigella. The viability of almond bacteria was studied using colony-counting analysis and evaluation of active species in plasma was made by the optical emission spectroscopy (OES) method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was carried out to illustrate the morphological change and color measuring analysis was performed to investigate food quality after almond plasma treatment. Finally, it was shown that plasma technique has the capability of food industrialization and potential of method extension.

Background and Objectives: Due to the importance of finding new and more effective antifungal and antibacterial compounds against invasive vaginitis strains, this study was conducted for fast screening of plant samples. Materials and Methods: Thirty Iranian plant samples were successively extracted by n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol to obtain a total of 90 extracts. Each extract was prepared in six concentrations and evaluated for antifungal activity via a micro-broth dilution method. Further phytochemical study of the aerial parts of Plumbago europaea, as the most promising source of anti-Candida compounds (with minimum inhibitory concentration of about 7µg/ml), was carried out and antifungal activity in the ethyl acetate extract was tracked using a combination of HPLC time-based fractionation and Thin Layer Chromatography-Bioautography via a bioassay-guided fractionation procedure. The compounds in the active region of the chromatogram were purified by a combination of column chromatography and preparative TLC, and then structure elucidation was achieved by 1D and 2D NMR, mass spectrometry and UV spectra. Results: Seven compounds were isolated and identified: (1) plumbagin, (2) isoplumbagin, (3) 5, 8-dihydroxy-2-methyl-[1, 4] naphthoquinone, (4) droserone, (5) 7-methyljuglone, (6) Isozeylanone, and (7) methylene-3, 3’-diplumbagin. Antimicrobial activity of the purified compounds were also evaluated against C. albicans (MIC values ranging from 2 to 2500 µM) and Gardnerella vaginalis (MIC values ranging from 20 to 2500 µM). Conclusion: These naphthoquinone compounds could be surveyed for finding new and more effective anti-vaginitis agents via drug design approaches.

Background and Objectives: Due to the importance of finding of new antibacterial agents, the antibacterial properties of Prosopis cineraria aerial parts were investigated using a bioassay guided fractionation scheme. Materials and Methods: The organic extract was prepared via maceration in methanol, followed by the fractionation using n-hexane and ethyl acetate. The MICs of fractions were determined against some human pathogenic bacteria using broth micro-dilution assay. The primary characterization and identification of bioactive substance(s) was based on a bio-autograph- ical method using HPTLC and flash chromatography in parallel with agar overlay assays. Finally the exact mass of effective compound(s) was determined by LC-MS. Results: The best antibacterial activities were related to the ethyl acetate fraction. The effective antibacterial compound of the plant were 2 substances with molecular weight of 348 and 184 Dalton that inhibited the growth of assessed Gram positive bacteria with MIC values lower than 125 to 62.5 µg/ml synergistically. Conclusion: Further analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance could reveal the exact structure of these two antibacterial substances. These 2 effective antibacterial compounds could be applied as lead compound for synthesis of new antibacterial agents.