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Background: Due to widespread availability, low cost, safety, and little side effects, herbal medications are now more often used than ever before. Medicinal plants with various pharmacological effects may be found in a variety of places in nature. An herbaceous, perennial tropical plant known as Maranta arundinacea L. offers a number of built-in medical benefits, including efficacy as an antioxidant and an antibacterial. Objectives: This plant's rhizome extracts were tested for phytochemical analysis, antioxidant capacity and antibacterial efficacy against some Gram-negative bacteria. Methodology: In the current work, phytochemical analysis of M. arundinacea rhizome’s various extracts was done by standard methods and its free radicals scavenge activity was assessed by using the well-known (in-vitro) model of DPPH while antibacterial activity was estimated by the disc diffusion method. Results: Phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides and steroids were found in the M. arundinacea rhizome extracts after a preliminary phytochemical screening, which may be the source of the plant's antioxidant and antibacterial action. The percentage inhibition (DPPH) of its water extract (80.11±3.2%) was higher than methanol extract (70.20±2.5%) followed by chloroform (37.50±1.8%) and petroleum ether extract (20.40±1.4%) at concentration 1mg/ml. The minimum inhibition zone developed against Enterobacter aerogene was (16±0.01mm), Salmonella typhimurium (19±0.03mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18±0.02mm) and Escherichia coli (24±0.04mm), in methanolic extract, while the inhibition zone developed against E. aerogene was (18.5±0.02mm), S. typhimurium (19.5±0.03mm), P. aeruginosa (20±0.03mm) and E. coli (29±0.05mm), in water extract and no inhibition zone was developed in petroleum ether and chloroform extract. Conclusion: It was concluded that M. arundinacea rhizome water and methanol extracts posses a strong antioxidant and antibacterial activity due to its phytochemicals which may offer an option for the treatment of illnesses linked to oxidative stress and for pathogens that are resistant to a number of drugs.

Background: Due to widespread availability, low cost, safety, and little side effects, herbal medications are now more often used than ever before. Medicinal plants with various pharmacological effects may be found in a variety of places in nature. An herbaceous, perennial tropical plant known as Maranta arundinacea L. offers a number of built-in medical benefits, including efficacy as an antioxidant and an antibacterial. Objectives: This plant's rhizome extracts were tested for phytochemical analysis, antioxidant capacity and antibacterial efficacy against some Gram-negative bacteria. Methodology: In the current work, phytochemical analysis of M. arundinacea rhizome’s various extracts was done by standard methods and its free radicals scavenge activity was assessed by using the well-known (in-vitro) model of DPPH while antibacterial activity was estimated by the disc diffusion method. Results: Phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides and steroids were found in the M. arundinacea rhizome extracts after a preliminary phytochemical screening, which may be the source of the plant's antioxidant and antibacterial action. The percentage inhibition (DPPH) of its water extract (80.11±3.2%) was higher than methanol extract (70.20±2.5%) followed by chloroform (37.50±1.8%) and petroleum ether extract (20.40±1.4%) at concentration 1mg/ml. The minimum inhibition zone developed against Enterobacter aerogene was (16±0.01mm), Salmonella typhimurium (19±0.03mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18±0.02mm) and Escherichia coli (24±0.04mm), in methanolic extract, while the inhibition zone developed against E. aerogene was (18.5±0.02mm), S. typhimurium (19.5±0.03mm), P. aeruginosa (20±0.03mm) and E. coli (29±0.05mm), in water extract and no inhibition zone was developed in petroleum ether and chloroform extract. Conclusion: It was concluded that M. arundinacea rhizome water and methanol extracts posses a strong antioxidant and antibacterial activity due to its phytochemicals which may offer an option for the treatment of illnesses linked to oxidative stress and for pathogens that are resistant to a number of drugs.

Acinetobacter baumannii causes a variety of infections including pneumonia, urinary tract infection, bacteremia, peritonitis etc. This organism is developing resistance to a number of antibiotics due to various intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance genes. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter species from Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 111 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii and 8 strains of non-baumannii Acinetobacter were isolated from various hospitals of Karachi from September 2013 to December 2014. Identification of the isolates was based on the standard biochemical tests and detection of OXA-51 and OXA-23. Antibiotic resistance profile of the isolates was determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was also determined by broth macro-dilution method. Among 111 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates, 8 were pan-drug resistant (PDR) and 103 isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) while all non-baumannii Acinetobacter were MDR. The effective antibiotics against A. baumannii were colistin, gentamicin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin with MIC50 value 1, 256, 256, 256µg/ml, respectively. These findings strongly suggest the proper detection and reporting of PDR/MDR Acinetobacter from clinical samples and also the judicious use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is necessary to prevent the further spread of resistant strains of Acinetobacter.

Multi drug resistance has now become a worldwide therapeutic challenge due to the widespread use of broad spectrum antibiotics. Klebsiella species have significant importance in clinical field as they cause various infections in human and are considered as potential pathogens that express antibiotic resistance through their strong enzymatic activity. Extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) are plasmid mediated enzymes produced mostly because of mutation and few other factors. These enzymes confer resistance against various β-lactam drugs including cephalosporins and monobactams. Among the genus Klebsiella, ESBLs are highly prevalent in K. pneumoniae followed by K. oxytoca. This study was conducted in Pakistan to assess the distribution of ESBL producers among Klebsiella spp., an important member of the family Enterobacteriaceae. From January 2010 to January 2012, a total of 236 gram-negative isolates were collected from different renowned microbiological laboratories. Out of the 236 gram-negative isolates, 125 were found as Klebsiella spp. by using standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiling of these strains was performed by using Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. Phenotypic detection of the production of extended spectrum beta lactamase enzyme was performed using double disc synergy method and combination disc method. It has been identified that Klebsiella strains are highly resistant against Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, Nalidixic Acid, Cephradine, Gentamicin, co-amoxyclav with the percentage of 100%, 86%, 86%, 82%, 82% and 80% respectively. The most effective antibiotics for Klebsiella spp. were found to be Amikacin, Meropenem and Piperacillin-tazobactam, with highest sensitivities of 96%, 94% and 91%. Phenotypic detection of Extended spectrum beta lactamase production by double disc synergy test was able to identify 28% ESBL producers among Klebsiella isolates whereas 64% were detected by combination disc test.