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An efficient method was proposed for routine analysis of the most widely used detergent enzymes.

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: Levisticum officinale commonly known as as Anjedan e roomi in the Persian language, is a member of the Apiaceae family. One of the most important biological activities reported to date for L. officinale is the antibacterial activity. So, a bioassay-guided fractionation technique was used to evaluate the active constituents of Levisticum officinale against some bacterial strains. Methods: Column chromatography was used to isolation of compounds from Levisticum officinale. Spectroscopic methods including 1D & 2D NMR and HRMS were used to identification of isolated compounds. Also to evaluate antibacterial activity, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was carried out by broth micro-dilution method. 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), oxyimperatorin (5), ferulic acid (6) and falcarindiol (7) that falcarindiol and oxypeucedanin were relatively active on MDR M. tuberculosis with MIC values of = 32 and 64 μg/mL, respectively. The results of the docking analysis showed that oxypeucedanin (3) and falcarindiol (7) had good affinity for InhA with docking score values of -7.764 and -7.703 kcal/mol, respectively. Also, compounds 3 and 7 were studied against two Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and two Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium) bacteria strains. Falcarindiol showed antibacterial activity against the S. aureus strain with a MIC value of 7.8 μg/mL and against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), with a MIC value of 15.6 μg/mL. Conclusion: Finally, 7 compounds were isolated that compounds 2-6 report for the first time from Levisticum officinale. On the basis of the molecular docking 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.

The study of phytochemical variability and biological activity followed by selection are the main steps in the domestication and breeding of medicinal and aromatic plants. Zataria multiflora Boiss....

Allium paradoxum, Buxus hyrcana, Convolvulus persicus, Cyclamen coum, Eryngium caucasicum, Heracleum persicum, Pimpinella affinis, Parrotia persica, Primula heterochroma, Pyrus boissieriana, Ruscus...

Ninhydrin reacts with poly-phenols in different ratios to produce tetracyclic adducts. Here, pyrogallol was used as a polyphenol compound. In the company of acidic ionic liquid (AIL), there was a selective reaction between the ortho-site of polyphenol and the ninhydrin’s carbonyl group. Mono-adduct (1:1) 3 and bis-adduct (2:1) 4 were prepared as a solvent and a catalyst for the reaction of ninhydrin with pyrogallol in 1-(carboxymethyl)-3-methyl-1H-imidazolium chloride (mcmimCl). Purity of the products was approved by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and Mass Spectroscopy. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of novel derivatives investigated in this paper by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical assay and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was considered to be standard. The results indicated that mono-adduct showed the strongest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 5.289µg/ml).

New N-substituted ?-aminonitrile derivatives from menthol were syn-thesized by consecutive succinic ester formation, propargylation, 1,3-dipolar Huisgen cycloaddition and Strecker reaction. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by diverse spectroscopic techniques including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, ESI-MS and IR. The novel synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aur-eus as Gram-positive and Escherichia coli as Gram-negative bacteria. These compounds demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect against S. aureus with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged from 32?128 ?g mL-1. Derivatives 6a2, 6b1, 6b4 and 6b5 with a MIC value of 32 ?g mL-1 exhibited the best inhibitory effects.

The functionalized 2-pyridone-3-carboxylic acids were synthesized starting from 3-formylchromone. Meanwhile, a decarboxylation reaction of 2-pyridone-3-carboxylic acid was performed by potassium carbonate in toluene. All compounds were evaluated against two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli (E. coli), Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii)) and two Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)) and fungus (Candida albicans (C. albicans)) using serial broth dilution method. The antimicrobial screening revealed that S. aureus is the highest sensitive microorganism towards the synthesized compounds. Among all analogs, derivatives, 4p and 5c showed excellent activities in comparison with the other compounds against S. aureus. Molecular docking showed that the most active anti S. aureus are compounds 4p and 5c exhibiting primary interaction as with fluoroquinolones by cross-linking over DNA gyrase active site via metal ion bridge and H-bonding interaction with Ser84 and Glu88 from GyrA subunit along with Arg458 and Asp437 located at GyrB subunit. In addition, based on the molecular dynamic simulation as like the standard fluoroquinolones, the mentioned compounds were stabilized for significant amount of simulation time over DNA gyrase which potentiate the importance of the mentioned residues in the DNA gate region of DNA gyrase.

Over-consumption of antibiotics has led to antimicrobial resistance creating urgency to find fast and efficient techniques to monitor the level of antibiotics in the foods. The advantages of using aptamer for a variety of scientific challenges are becoming more abundant in different fields, making its applications more effective and cost-efficient. In this study, two aptamers against two quinolones antibiotics (Enrofloxacin and Ofloxacin) were isolated via GO-SELEX (graphene oxide assisted Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment). The interaction between the aptamer and its cognate antibiotic was investigated using spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The obtained evidence from spectroscopy showed that the interaction of antibiotics with their aptamers resulted in a 41.98% and 22.45 % reduction in the extinction coefficient (ɛ) value of enrofloxacin and ofloxacin, respectively. This phenomenon could arise from the stacking interaction between the aromatic region of antibiotic and aptamer’s bases. The formation of the aptamer-antibiotic complex was studied by the high-resolution ESI-Q-TOF. In the obtained mass spectra, several peaks corresponding to the aptamer-antibiotic complexes with a wide range of charge distribution were identified, which could be explained by the fact that both aptamer-ENR and aptamer-OFLO complexes were stable in the gas phase and the intact complexes survived in the vacuum. This stability could be explained by the hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between the aptamers and antibiotics. As both aptamers can distinguish quinolone from other antibiotic families, these aptamers may become great recognizing elements for apta-sensors.

The hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) is a reliable method to survey the dynamic behavior of proteins and epitope mapping. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a quantifying tool to assay for HDX in the protein of interest. We combined HDX-MALDI-TOF MS and molecular docking/MD simulation to identify accessible amino acids and analyze their contribution in the structural changes of profilin1 (PFN1). The molecular docking/MD simulations are computational tools for enabling the analysis of the type of amino acids that may be involved via HDX identified under the lowest binding energy condition. Glycine to Valine amino acid (G117V) substitution mutation is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This mutation is found to be in the actin-binding site of PFN1 and prevents the dimerization/polymerization of actin and invokes a pathologic toxicity that leads to ALS. In this study, we sought to understand the PFN1 protein dynamic behavior using purified wild type and mutant PFN1 proteins. The data obtained from HDX-MALDI-TOF MS for PFN1WT and PFN1G117V at various time intervals, from seconds to hours, revealed multiple peaks corresponding to molecular weights from monomers to multimers. PFN1/Benzaldehyde complexes identified 20 accessible amino acids to HDX that participate in the docking simulation in the surface of WT and mutant PFN1. Consistent results from HDX-MALDI-TOF MS and docking simulation predict candidate amino acid(s) involved in the dimerization/polymerization of PFNG117V. This information may shed critical light on the structural and conformational changes with details of amino acid epitopes for mutant PFN1s’ dimerization, oligomerization, and aggregation.

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.

The ability of mass spectrometry for discrimination between protein and peptide masses which are unique to specific pathogens provides an accurate and fast method for the detection of different types of pathogens, especially viruses. Capsid proteins are specific to each virus and can be used as a biomarker for detection of this pathogen. On the other hand, single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies have been recently used to enhance the accuracy of immunoassay techniques. So conjugation of mass spectrometry and scFv antibody provides a very accurate and fast method for the detection of viruses. In this report, for the first time, we have immobilized scFv antibody of fig mosaic virus (FMV) on the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to extract the virus capsid protein from complex biological media and subsequently identified this protein through both its intact molecular mass and peptide mass fingerprint (PMF) by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

There is a growing interest in essential oil-based nanoemulsions, as an alternative antimicrobial compound for controlling multiple drug resistant (MDR) pathogens, such as Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii). In this study, stable nanoemulsion was prepared from Thymus daenensis (T. daenensis) essential oil, and characterized in terms of physical stability, particle size, size distribution and shape, using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Then, the antibacterial activity of the most stable preparation of nanoemulsion and pure oil was investigated, against 10 MDR A. baumannii isolates. In addition, anti-biofilm activity was analysed against selected MDR isolate (The number 40). The most stable nanoemulsion was produced with the particle size of 171.88 ± 1.57 nm, and spherical shape of nanoemulsion particles was confirmed by TEM images. The strong antibacterial activity of T. daenensis nanoemulsion and pure oil was revealed with MIC values of 30–45 μg/mL and 62.5–87.5 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, the nanoemulsion had considerable anti-biofilm activity on sub-lethal dose (56.43% inhibition in 1/2 MIC concentration), after 24 h of incubation. Presented data could help with the development of new therapeutically strategies for bacterial infections.

Silicon (Si)- and magnesium (Mg)-containing bioceramics have recently gained much attention for tissue engineering applications due to their ability to stimulate cell proliferation and differentiation along with their adequate microstructural and physicochemical characteristics. In this study, nanostructured monticellite (CaMgSiO4, 33.33% of Mg) was chosen as an appealing biomaterial to identify time- and dose-dependent cytocompatibility, in vitro osteogenic activity and antibacterial & anti-biofilm activity. A time- and dose-dependent MTT assay illustrated that monticellite nanoparticles promoted proliferation of bone like cell considerably more than positive and negative controls. The cell viability of the bioceramic was higher than hydroxyapatite (HA, as bone inorganic material) and control sample, demonstrating that cytocompatibility was promoted due to the increase of Mg content. The results of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity test demonstrated that the osteogenic proliferation of osteoblast-like G292 cell line enhanced more by the bioceramics extract than control and HA, corroborating when Mg content of the calcium-silicate bioceramics is increased cytocompatibility and bioactivity are significantly promoted. Moreover, further analyses revealed that the bioceramic possessed antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties due to the presence of Mg, Si and Ca elements in the structure. These findings suggest that the proposed nanostructured monticellite is a promising biomaterial for further applications in tissue engineering.

In this study, nanostructured monticellite (CaMgSiO4) bioceramics were prepared via sintering the sol–gel-derived monticellite powder compacts at 1200 °C. The mean of particles size distribution of the synthesized monticellite powders was approximately 90 nm. After evaluating physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized bioceramics, apatite-forming ability of the samples were examined in simulated body fluid (SBF) for different time periods. The soaking effect of various time periods on the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, followed by the calculations from scherrer's equation, showed that the crystallite size of the immersed monticellite ceramics in SBF for 3 and 7 days was around 88 nm. Williamson-Hall analysis was also used to calculate the lattice strain of the samples. Based on the results, by changing the soaking time, crystallite size and lattice strain have meaningfully changed. The release of Ca, Mg and Si ions from the nanostructured monticellite significantly promoted cell proliferation and growth at a certain concentration range more than that of positive and negative controls. This study could provide an in-depth understanding of the microstructural and physicochemical characteristics of this class of biomaterials. The follow-up studies should correlate the microstructural and physicochemical properties to the molecular and biological characteristics for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

An efficient metal-free approach for the synthesis of N-coumaryl amino acids and the first one-step synthesis of 4-hydrazinocoumarin from 4-hydroxycoumarin was developed. The nucleophilic addition of amino acid methyl esters to 4-tosylcoumarins produced a series of 4-N-α-coumaryl amino acids in good to excellent yields without racemization. The antioxidant activities of the synthesized compounds were investigated using DPPH and FRAP methods. 4-Hydrazinocoumarin and N-coumaryl tyrosine had the best antioxidant activity. The antimicrobial activities of the compounds against Gram-positive was stronger than Gram-negative. 4-Hydrazinocoumarin showed the best antibacterial effect.

Resistance to antibiotics is an emerging and growing threat. To address this threat, attempts are being made by researchers to identify the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) of bacteria. It is believed that unique combinations could be found among the VOCs produced by each microorganism. The current study aimed to identify and compare the VOCs of antibiotic-resistant and standard strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. A polymer of divinylbenzene /carboxen /polydimethylsiloxane was applied for absorption of volatile compounds in headspace bacterial samples in form of a solid phase micro-extraction fiber holder. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique was used for identification of volatile compounds. The analysis of the VOCs indicated that some VOCs appeared only in standard strains while others were common only among resistant strains. Exclusive VOCs to a specific strain were also detected. This study demonstrated that resistant strains of bacteria produced VOCs that were different from those of the standard strains. In addition, VOCs released by bacteria after passing the logarithmic growth phase showed no significant differences. The identification of VOCs can be a precise way to differentiate bacterial species, also it can be said that the VOCs produced by different pathogenic microorganisms can be the suitable biomarkers for their detection.

The tripeptide Tyr–Gly–Ser and a series of conjugations to coumarin, cinnamic and gallic acid were synthesized in salt form and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were investigated. The N-connecting hydroxycoumarin, cinnamic and gallic acid derivatives to peptides and the use of BBr3 as a demethylating agent for peptides was reported. Their activities were investigated based on the conjugated moiety structures. Studies of their activities showed that conjugated tripeptides 7,8-dihydroxycoumarin-peptide (17), caffeic acid-peptide (22) and gallic acid-peptide (28) were found to be superior to ascorbic acid with respect to their antioxidant activity, and 12, 14, 24, and 25 exhibited the most antimicrobial activity in the series compared to amoxicillin. Additionally, the incredible florescence intensity and brightness of 17 in water and DMSO, compared to other synthesized compounds, qualified this peptide as a suitable probe in the human body.

Pomegranate juice (PJ) is a well-known nutritional drink that has been widely consumed due to its health benefits. However, sedimentation of polyphenol, browning, and contamination of microorganisms are problems of fresh juice. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of ozone and ultrasound treatment on pasteurization and disinfection of PJ. The effective parameters have been optimized by response surface methodology. The optimized ozone dose was 3.5 ppm (2 L/min O2 flow, UV power of 1.0 A) for 6 min. The amplitude level of 50% and 6 s of on/off pulse in 5 min was achieved as an optimized state for the ultrasound. Selected conditions yielded: 1760.51 mg GA/L of TPC, 72.47 mg C3G/L of TAC, 0.47 g citric acid/L of TA, 14.24 °Brix of TSS, 0.683 of BI for ozone gas, and 1678 mg GA/L of TPC, 72.31 mg C3G/L of TAC, 0.47 g citric acid/L of TA, 14.5 °Brix of TSS, 0.743 of BI for sonication. The ultrasonic and ozone treatment of PJ contaminated with Escherichia coli PTCC 1399, aerobic bacteria, and fungi resulted in 100% and 2% disinfection, respectively. The application of ultrasound as a disinfection technique has reduced microbial load with the lowest effect on physicochemical data of PJ.

Edible films containing essential oils (EO) as natural antibacterial agents are promising systems for food preservation. In this work, nanoemulsions of Thymus daenensis EO (wild; F1 and cultivated; F2) were loaded in hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) films and the effect of different parameters (polymer, plasticizer, and EO concentration) on the film properties were analyzed and optimized. Prepared HPMC films were characterized in terms of EO loading, morphology, mechanical properties, and the antibacterial activity. The results of SEM showed uniform incorporation of nanoemulsions into the edible film. Investigation of the mechanical properties of two edible films revealed a plasticizing effect of T. daenensis EO on the films. Also, edible films had noticeable antimicrobial activity against selected microorganisms, i.e. 47.0±2.5mm and 22.6±0.5mm zone of inhibition against S. aureus for films containing F1 and F2, respectively. Incorporation of nanoemulsions into the HPMC films can be used for active food preservation.

Aims Thymol rich medicinal plants have been used in traditional medicine to relieve infectious diseases. However, the application of essential oils as medicine is limited by its low water-solubility and high vapor pressure. The objective of this study was to produce stable nanoemulsions of Thymus daenensis oil in water by preventing Ostwald ripening and phase separation. Methods & Results The antibacterial activity of bulk and emulsified essential oil against selected pathogenic bacteria including Gram-negative (Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (Streptococcus pneumoniae) were investigated in the liquid and vapor phase. The optimum formulation (L2) contained 2% Tween 80 (surfactant) and 0.1% lecithin (co-surfactant) had a mean droplet diameter of 131 nm. In the liquid phase, the optimized nanoemulsion exhibited good antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumonia with MIC value of 0.0039 mg/mL. In the vapor phase, the MIC values against Streptococcus pneumonia were similar (

Inorganic antibacterial agents such as metal nanoparticles (NPs) are very important in biomedical and pharmaceutical areas. There are many methods of synthesizing these NPs, but all of them have their own disadvantages. In this study, ultrasonic-assisted spark discharge is employed to produce colloidal silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs which are stable without using any stabilizers or surfactants. Different tests such as X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy are used for the characterization of the quantity and quality of these NPs, and their antibacterial activity is evaluated by the disk diffusion method and determination of the minimum inhibitory concentrations against Escherichia coli. The results show that the overall antibacterial activity of Ag NPs is higher than that of ZnO NPs.

This study investigated the influence of aeration and minimal medium conditions on antioxidant and antibacterial activities of 21 probiotic Lactobacillus strains isolated from dairy products. The probiotic potential of the isolates was evaluated by pH and bile tolerance. Random amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was used to confirm the phenotypic identification of isolates. Antioxidant producer isolates were screened by resistance to reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extracellular materials after 48 h fermentation with antioxidative strains were determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and broth microdilution assays, respectively. The results indicate that the antioxidant capacity of supernatants was increased by using of both minimal medium and agitation. The antibacterial activity was increased in minimal medium, but there has nearly no change in the antibacterial properties by using both agitation and minimal medium. The maximum antibacterial activity was observed during mid-exponential phase until the beginning of the early-stationary phase, but the maximum antioxidant activity was detected at the stationary growth phase. There is a significant relationship between antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the cell-free probiotic extracts, and their production rates are closely related to the fermentation type. The bioactive materials from probiotics could be extracted in a large amount at an appropriate time under a suitable condition.

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 acidIt 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.

Introduction This study evaluated and compared the antibacterial effect of plasma and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in root canals infected with Enterococcus faecalis. Methods One hundred single-rooted extracted human teeth (no treatment) were selected and sterilized. Root canals of teeth were prepared with the crown-down technique and contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis after sterilization, and incubated for one week. To investigate the effect of disinfection, 60 specimens were randomly selected for three disinfection groups: He and He/O2 plasma (n = 20) in 5-s groups (control, 2, 4, 6 and 8 min treatments) and PDT (n = 20) in 2-s groups (control and PDT treatment). Next, for comparison, 40 remaining teeth were divided into four groups: control, 8 min He plasma, 8 min He/O2, and PDT. Results of antibacterial action were reported by CFU/mL analysis and the structural changes of biofilm were evaluated by SEM. Results All groups showed a significant reduction of bacteria after treatment, and He/O2 plasma was more effective against E. faecalis, followed by PDT and He plasma respectively, further confirmed by SEM. Conclusion He/O2 plasma is a strong sterilization method against E. faecalis biofilm and can, therefore, be an effective therapy in endodontics.

Glycyrrhiza echinata L. is a perennial plant of considerable commercial importance in medicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and tobacco industries and the production of food additives as flavoring and sweetening agent. This study, variation on composition and yield of essential oil from the underground parts of five accessions of G. echinata growing wild in northern Iran was investigated. Results showed high variability for the main constituents of essential oil among accessions of G. echinata. The presence of α-pinene and myrcene in two accessions suggests that these volatiles could serve as chemotaxonomic markers and also might be considered as potentially relevant for taste. The presence of β-caryophyllene and α- caryophyllene in three accessions could be strong potential for being used in medical applications (anticancer and analgesic properties). Generally, the essential oils from G. echinata and other species could be very competitive targets for phytochemical and food studies.

The application of essential oil nanoemulsions (EO-nano) are growing to overcome the serious problem of bacterial resistance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a pathogenic bacterium could form biofilms which resist antibiotics and leads to serious infections in hospitals and microbial contaminations in industrial settings. In this research, five different nanoemulsions prepared from Lavandula angustifolia, Rosmarinus officinalis and Satureja khuzistanica essential oils (SKEO) and two EO constituents (carvacrol and 1,8-cineol) were prepared and characterized. The formulations showed noticeable long term stability according droplet size measurements using Dynamic light scattering instrument. Then, the antibacterial activity of EOs and their formulations were evaluated with micro dilution assay against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The results showed that nanoemulsions could improve the antibacterial activity of EOs between 4 and 8 times compared to bulk oils. Sub-MIC concentrations of nanoemulsions and bulk oils were then evaluated for eradication and prevention of PAO1 biofilm formation. Carvacrol rich SKEO nanoemulsion with 89.53 ± 4.88% inhibition and 56.65 ± 7.65% eradication effect had the best results among the all tested formulations and bulk oils. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of the SKEO nano formulation on the pyocyanin production exhibited up to 89.44 ± 3.41% decrease in the production of this virulence factor. These results indicated the potential use of SKEO nano formulation as antibacterial and antibiofilm agent.

There is growing interest in the development of natural antimicrobials to preserve foods. In this research, Sage ( Salvia officinalis ) essential oil was converted into a nanoemulsion using nonionic surfactants (Tween 80, Span 80) and high-intensity sonication. The antimicrobial activity of essential oil nanoemulsions ( d ≈ 222 nm) was compared to that of pure essential oil against food-borne bacteria ( Escherichia coli , Shigella dysentery , and Salmonella typhi ) using minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration (MIC and MBC) methods. The antibacterial activity of the nanoemulsion was four-times higher than the bulk oil against E. coli and S. typhi . Kinetic studies showed that the nanoemulsions could destroy all the E. coli in about 10 min, whereas

In this paper new β-carboline derivatives possessing the 1,2,3-triazole ring at C-1 substituent were synthesized from L-tryptophan by Pictet–Spengler reaction followed by a Huisgen 1,3-dipolar addition. In vitro cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity of synthetic compounds were investigated. Methyl 1-(3-((1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methoxy)phenyl)-β-carboline-3-carboxylate (7f) showed the highest cytotoxic activity with IC50 values of 46 and 32 μM against Hela and HepG2 cell lines, respectively. Compounds 7d and 7i (possessing 4-bromophenyl substituent) and 5c showed excellent inhibition activity for Enterococcus faecium with MIC of 8 μg/mL. The results demonstrated that the presence of 1,2,3-triazole rings in β-carboline derivatives improve their biological activities.

Natural preservatives are being extensively investigated for their potential industrial applications in foods and other products. In this work, an essential oil (Thymus daenensis) was formulated as a water-dispersible nanoemulsion (diameter=143nm) using high-intensity ultrasound. The antibacterial activity of the essential oil in both pure and nanoemulsion forms was measured against an important food-borne pathogen bacterium, Escherichia coli. Antibacterial activity was determined by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The antibacterial activity of the essential oil against E. coli was enhanced considerably when it was converted into a nanoemulsion, which was attributed to easier access of the essential oils to the bacterial cells. The mechanism of antibacterial activity was investigated by measuring potassium, protein, and nucleic acid leakage from the cells, and electron microscopy. Evaluation of the kinetics of microbial deactivation showed that the nanoemulsion killed all the bacteria in about 5min, whereas only a 1-log reduction was observed for pure essential oil. The nanoemulsion appeared to amplify the antibacterial activity of essential oils against E. coli by increasing their ability to disrupt cell membrane integrity.

Menthyl 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole derivatives of hydroxybenzaldehydes, phenols and bile acids were synthesized via click chemistry. The novel synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecium, and Staphylococcus aureus as Gram-positive bacteria. Some derivatives illustrated strong inhibitory effect against E. faecium with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged from 1-3 µM, where cefixime as a positive control revealed MIC value of 35 µM. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by different spectroscopic techniques including 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, high resolution (HR)-MS, IR and X-ray crystallographic analysis.