Search

Purpose: To evaluate the paramunity induction potentials of crude methanol extract (CME) and methanol fractions (MF) of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (CS) root (Fam. Periplocaceae). Method: A total of forty (40) albino rats were divided into two sets of four groups, with five animals per group. Groups 1 - 3 of both animal sets were orally administered 200, 300 and 500 mg/kg bw of CME and MF, respectively once daily for 14 days. Furthermore, Group 4 of both sets served as negative control. The effect of extracts on early-type hypersensitivity (ETH), delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), leukocyte count and haemagglutinin titer using sheep red blood cell (SRBC) as antigen were evaluated. Results: Significant (p < 0.05) body weight gains were recorded in the animal groups treated with the ME while no changes were observed in the relative organ weight of all the animals in all the groups. Acute toxicity studies yielded no adverse effect. The CME and MF elicited significant (p < 0.05) increases and decreases in ETH and DTH, respectively, at all doses. They showed a significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent, stimulatory effect on primary and secondary antibody titer across the treated groups. Packed cell volume and red blood cell count increased significantly (p < 0.05), while a dosedependent increase occurred in neutrophil counts in rats receiving CME, but the MF-treated rats had significantly decreased (p < 0.05) neutrophil counts at 300 mg/kg compared to control. Both CME and MF did not affect lymphocyte counts. Conclusion: Cryptolepis sanguinolenta extract and MF produce significant stimulatory effects on humoral immunity (antibody) with non-significant impact on cellular and innate immunity. Future studies will require isolation and characterization of the bioactive compounds in the plant extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in the development of multi-drug resistance among pathogens calls for the development of novel therapeutic agents with better effectiveness and low toxicity. The plantassociated endophytic fungi are producers of bioactive secondary metabolites with enormous potential. The study aimed to isolate, identify, and characterize the secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi isolated from different non-diseased plant parts (leaf, stem, and root bark) of Synclisia. scabrida Miers. The isolation of endophytic fungi was carried out using standard protocols and identified by molecular techniques. The bioactive secondary metabolites were extracted using ethyl acetate. The quantitative phytochemical screening of the fungal metabolites was carried out using Gas chromatography. The antimicrobial activities of ethyl acetate extracts of the isolates were analyzed via agar well diffusion technique and the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by broth dilution method. The different endophytic fungal metabolites exhibited a good presence of different phytochemical compounds. The fungal metabolites showed antimicrobial activities against several of the six tested human pathogenic bacteria or fungi. Among these metabolites, L1, R1 and R2 metabolites were the most potent, exhibiting significant activities against the test organisms. L1 and R1 metabolites showed the lowest MIC of 0.53±0.13 and 0.70±0.07 mg/ml against A. niger and C. albicans respectively. A total of five endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaf, stem, and root bark of S. scabrida Miers, and three different fungal species were identified using molecular techniques. The plant, S. scabrida Miers harbors endophytic fungi yielding bioactive metabolites with potent antimicrobial activities against pathogenic microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are known for a number of health benefits. This study investigated the in-vitro antimicrobial activities and in-vivo malaria parasite clearance rate using respectively the methanol and aqueous extracts of Carica papaya seeds. Soxhlet and Cold-maceration extraction techniques were used to obtain the methanol and aqueous extracts, respectively. The phytochemical constituents were quantitatively/qualitatively analyzed. The antimicrobial activities of the extracts were tested Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using the agar-well-diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extracts were determined using the agar-dilution method. Five groups of animals (mice) were used in this study, each having five animals each. The animals in group two to five were induced with Plasmodium berghei after which, those in group two, four, and five were treated with 25 mg/kg bw of artemether/lumefantrine and 200 and 400mg/kg bw of the plant aqueous extract respectively. Group three were not treated, while group one was neither induced nor treated. The phytochemical analysis showed presence/quantities of steroids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, reducing sugars, proteins, phenolic compounds, and alkaloids. With varying preliminary antimicrobial effects, the MIC of the methanol extract against E. coli and S. typhi were 62.5mg/ml and 125 mg/ml, respectively. The aqueous extract showed MIC of 125mg/ml against S. aureus. The antimalarial activity of aqueous extract increased in a dose-dependent manner. The aqueous extract at 400 mg/kg bw dose had a significant therapeutic (P<0.05) response. The study shows that the plant seeds have agents with both antimicrobial and antimalarial effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance of foodborne pathogens to antibiotics and their ability to form biofilms poses a serious public health burden globally. This study investigated the antibacterial susceptibility pattern and biofilm-forming ability of bacterial isolates from surfaces of minimally processed fruits and vegetables from markets in Southeastern Nigeria. Randomly selected samples of fresh minimally processed watermelon, cucumber, and garden egg were collected and evaluated by standard plate techniques. Pure cultures were identified macroscopically, microscopically, and using biochemical analysis. The antibiotic susceptibility studies were conducted using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method on eleven antibiotic discs. The biofilm screening was conducted using Congo Red Agar medium and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was to determine morphological features of biofilm formers. Characterization revealed seventeen probable species of pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotic susceptibility results revealed MTX50 having the least antibacterial activity with percentage susceptibility of 0 and AMP10, the most effective antibiotic on all isolates with percentage susceptibility of 70.41.Salmonella sp. had a mean IZD of 18.67 mm to PEF5 and according to CLSI guidelines, it is said to be resistant to PEF5.All isolates were strong biofilm formers except four which were non- and moderate biofilm formers. SEM micrograph revealed organisms enclosed in an extracellular matrix. The detection of these opportunistic pathogens capable of forming biofilms in freshly minimally processed fruits and vegetable poses a serious risk for consumers because of their bacteria colonization indication ratio and resistance patterns which varied in response to the various antibiotics used. Biofilm formers indicate resistant pathogens as they formed extracellular polymeric matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]