Chemical Composition, FTIR Studies and Antibacterial Activity of Passiflora edulis f. edulis (Fruit)

Because of the strong interest in the use of bio-products as alternatives to chemically derived antibiotics or antimicrobial agents, passion fruits extracts were evaluated for their antibacterial activity and chemical composition. Various solvent extracts of P. edulis were screened for their antibacterial activity by Agar well diffusion technique against an array of pathogenic bacteria (Gram positive and negative). Macro dilution technique was used to determine the Minimum inhibitory concentration of the potent extracts. Bacterial strain showing significant inhibition was further subjected to scanning electron microcopy (SEM) and the morphological changes induced by extracts were noted. Chemical composition of extracts showing strong antibacterial activity was determined by GC-MS and FTIR analysis. Extracts of Passion fruit (pulp with seeds) show significant inhibitory effects against test isolates but in a variable manner. Amongst all the test isolates Bacillus subtilis showed maximum inhibition followed by E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Ethyl acetate extracts had the least activity against the tested microorganisms. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of ethanol extracts showed the presence of important chemicals, such as Tetracosamethyl-cyclododecasiloxane; Dodecanoic acid, 10-methyl-, methyl ester cyclosiloxane, hexadecamethyl; 3-isopropoxy-1,1,1,7,7,7-hexamethyl-3,5,5-tris (trimethylsiloxy)tetrasil; 9-hexadecenoic acid, 9-octadecenyl ester, (Z,Z)- Fourier transform infrared studies revealed important functional groups which included phenols, esters, flavonoids, aromatic compounds, and alcohols. Significant antibacterial activity of the extracts could be attributed to phenolic compounds, esters and other chemical components identified in ethanolic extracts. Scanning electron micrographs of B. subtilis treated with ethanol extracts showed distorted shapes, rough and corrugated cell margins, and aggregations of cells. Our data depict the significant antimicrobial activity of extracts against Gram positive bacteria while the Gram negative bacteria exhibited weak inhibition by all the extracts. Based on our findings, passion fruits can be used in preparations of antimicrobial formulations against Gram positive microorganisms especially B. subtilis

Biodegradation of Selected Hydrocarbons by Fusarium Species Isolated from Contaminated Soil Samples in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Microbial biodegradation of oil-hydrocarbons is one of the sustainable and cost-effective methods to remove petroleum spills from contaminated environments. The current study aimed to investigate the biodegradation abilities of three Fusarium isolates from oil reservoirs in Saudi Arabia. The novelty of the current work is that the biodegradation ability of these isolates was never tested against some natural hydrocarbons of variable compositions, such as Crude oil, and those of known components such as kerosene and diesel oils. Methods: The isolates were treated with five selected hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon tolerance test in solid and liquid media was performed. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) investigated the morphological changes of treated fungi. 2, 6-Dichlorophenol Indophenol (DCPIP), drop collapse, emulsification activity, and oil Spreading assays investigated the biodegradation ability. The amount of produced biosurfactants was measured, and their safety profile was estimated by the germination assay of tomato seeds. Results: The tolerance test showed enhanced fungal growth of all isolates, whereas the highest dose inhibition response (DIR) was 77% for Fusarium proliferatum treated with the used oil (p < 0.05). SEM showed morphological changes in all isolates. DCPIP results showed that used oil had the highest biodegradation by Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium oxysporum. Mixed oil induced the highest effect in oil spreading, drop collapse, and emulsification assay caused by F. proliferatum. The highest recovery of biosurfactants was obtained by the solvent extraction method for F. verticillioides (4.6 g/l), F. proliferatum (4.22 g/l), and F. oxysporum (3.73 g/l). The biosurfactants produced by the three isolates stimulated tomato seeds’ germination more than in control experiments. Conclusion: The current study suggested the possible oil-biodegradation activities induced by three Fusarium isolates from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The produced biosurfactants are not toxic against tomato seed germination, emphasizing their environmental sustainability. Further studies are required to investigate the mechanism of biodegradation activities and the chemical composition of the biosurfactants produced by these species

Green synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of iron oxide nanoparticles with tigecycline against multidrug resistant bacterial strains

Objectives: The current study focused on the green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) using Salvia officinalis leaf extract, aiming to control nosocomial infections caused by drug-resistant bacterial pathogens. The nanoparticles were characterized and evaluated for antibacterial effectiveness. Methods: The disc diffusion assay was utilized to determine the synergistic antibacterial efficiency of the biogenic IONPs against three nosocomial bacterial pathogens namely, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Results and conclusion: The change of color of ferric nitrate solution from orange to black color after addition of the extract preliminary indicated the formation of biogenic IONPs. The phytosynthesized IONPs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy indicating the formation of a broad band at 349 nm. Moreover, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the formation of diffraction peaks positioned at 2 theta degrees of 24.80°, 33.41°, 35.03°, 41.28°, 49.15°, 53.41°, 57.37°, 62.40° and 64.31°, corresponding to lattice planes of (012), (104), (110), (202), (024), (116), (214) and (300), respectively. The phytosynthesized nanoparticles revealed a high antibacterial activity against the concerned pathogens at the concentration of 200 µg/disc with relative inhibitory zones of 21.14 ± 0.16, 17.26 ± 0.26, and 20.56 ± 0.62 mm, respectively against E. coli, P. aeruginosa and MRSA strains. The biogenic IONPs revealed the highest synergistic activity with tigecycline antibiotic against E. coli followed by MRSA and P. aeruginosa strains with relative increase in fold of inhibition values (IFA) of 1.79, 1.29 and 0.93, respectively. In conclusion, the water extract of S. officinalis facilitated the green fabrication of IONPs with distinctive physicochemical properties and synergistic antibacterial activity against the tested nosocomial bacterial pathogens

Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanocrystals Utilizing Origanum majorana Leaf Extract and Their Synergistic Patterns with Colistin against Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Strains

There is a crucial necessity for the formulation of efficient antimicrobial agents owing to the increasing prevalence of hospital-acquired bacterial infections triggered by multidrug-resistant microbes that result in significant deaths and illnesses around the world. Hence, the current investigation examined the antibacterial proficiency of zinc oxide nanoparticles formulated utilizing the green route against bacterial strains that were resistant to multiple drugs. In addition, the synergistic antibacterial action of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) combined with colistin was investigated against the tested microbial strains to determine the efficiency of the bioinspired ZnO nanoparticles in boosting the antibacterial proficiency of colistin antibiotic. Incidentally, the bioinspired ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using water extract of Origanum majorana leaves and these nanomaterials were physicochemically characterized using different analytical techniques. The bioactivity of the synthesized nanomaterials against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains was appraised using the agar diffusion method. The biogenic ZnO NPs at a concentration of 100 μg/disk revealed a compelling antimicrobial efficacy against the tested strains, expressing the maximum antimicrobial action against Escherichia coli strain with clear zone diameter of 38.16 ± 0.18 mm. The remarkable antibacterial proficiency might be accredited to the tiny particle size of the bioformulated ZnO NPs of 12.467 ± 1.36 nm. The net charge of ZnO nanomaterials was −14.8 mV while XRD analysis confirmed their hexagonal wurtzite structure. Furthermore, the bioformulated ZnO NPs showed a promising synergistic potency with colistin demonstrating respective synergism proportions of 91.05, 79.07, 75.04, 75.25, 56.28 and 10.60% against E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. In conclusion, the water extract of O. majorana leaves mediated green formulation of zinc oxide nanoparticles with unique physicochemical characteristics and effective antibacterial proficiency against the examined drug-resistant bacterial strains. These nanomaterials could be used in the synthesis of effective antibacterial coatings to control hospital acquired infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens

Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanocrystals Utilizing <i>Origanum majorana</i> Leaf Extract and Their Synergistic Patterns with Colistin against Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Strains

There is a crucial necessity for the formulation of efficient antimicrobial agents owing to the increasing prevalence of hospital-acquired bacterial infections triggered by multidrug-resistant microbes that result in significant deaths and illnesses around the world. Hence, the current investigation examined the antibacterial proficiency of zinc oxide nanoparticles formulated utilizing the green route against bacterial strains that were resistant to multiple drugs. In addition, the synergistic antibacterial action of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) combined with colistin was investigated against the tested microbial strains to determine the efficiency of the bioinspired ZnO nanoparticles in boosting the antibacterial proficiency of colistin antibiotic. Incidentally, the bioinspired ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using water extract of Origanum majorana leaves and these nanomaterials were physicochemically characterized using different analytical techniques. The bioactivity of the synthesized nanomaterials against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains was appraised using the agar diffusion method. The biogenic ZnO NPs at a concentration of 100 μg/disk revealed a compelling antimicrobial efficacy against the tested strains, expressing the maximum antimicrobial action against Escherichia coli strain with clear zone diameter of 38.16 ± 0.18 mm. The remarkable antibacterial proficiency might be accredited to the tiny particle size of the bioformulated ZnO NPs of 12.467 ± 1.36 nm. The net charge of ZnO nanomaterials was −14.8 mV while XRD analysis confirmed their hexagonal wurtzite structure. Furthermore, the bioformulated ZnO NPs showed a promising synergistic potency with colistin demonstrating respective synergism proportions of 91.05, 79.07, 75.04, 75.25, 56.28 and 10.60% against E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. In conclusion, the water extract of O. majorana leaves mediated green formulation of zinc oxide nanoparticles with unique physicochemical characteristics and effective antibacterial proficiency against the examined drug-resistant bacterial strains. These nanomaterials could be used in the synthesis of effective antibacterial coatings to control hospital acquired infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens

Discovering Penicillium polonicum with High-Lytic Capacity on Helianthus tuberosus Tubers: Oil-Based Preservation for Mold Management

During preservation, Jerusalem artichoke (JA) tubers are subjected to deterioration by mold fungi under storage, which signifies a serious problem. A new blue mold (Penicillium polonium) was recorded for the first time on JA tubers. Penicillium mold was isolated, identified (morphologically, and molecularly), and deposited in GenBank; (MW041259). The fungus has a multi-lytic capacity, facilitated by various enzymes capable of severely destroying the tuber components. An economic oil-based procedure was applied for preserving and retaining the nutritive value of JA tubers under storage conditions. Caraway and clove essential oils, at a concentration of 2%, were selected based on their strong antifungal actions. JA tubers were treated with individual oils under storage, kept between peat moss layers, and stored at room temperature. Tubers treated with both oils exhibited lower blue mold severity, sprouting and weight loss, and higher levels of carbohydrates, inulin, and protein contents accompanied by increased levels of defense-related phytochemicals (total phenols, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase). Caraway was superior, but the results endorse the use of both essential oils for the preservation of JA tubers at room temperature, as an economic and eco-safe storage technique against the new blue mold

Phytochemical analysis, antiproliferative and antifungal activities of different Syzygium aromaticum solvent extracts

The outbreaks of fungal resistance to the different antifungal agents represent a public health problem resulting in a significant morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, chemotherapy represents a serious issue in the cancer treatment worldwide. Accordingly, the efficiency of clove extracts as anticandidal and antitumoral agents was evaluated. Disk diffusion and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) techniques were achieved to evaluate the antimycotic and antiproliferative activities of different clove extracts. The active phytochemicals of clove extracts were analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Resistance of Candida glabrata strain to clotrimazole was obvious while C. albicans and C. tropicalis expressed dose dependent susceptibility. In contrast, the clove acetonic extract expressed the highest antimycotic proficiency against C. glabrata, C. albicans and C. tropicalis strains with suppressive zones of 18.54 ± 0.24, 19.86 ± 0.34 and 22.6 ± 0.32 mm respectively. While, the ethanolic clove extract displayed the uppermost antiproliferative efficiency with relative IC50 of 6.80 µg/mL. Phytochemical analysis showed that eugenol compound was the most prominent active ingredient of clove acetonic and ethanolic extracts with corresponding proportions of 46.53 and 54.71 % respectively. Anticandidal activity of the main active ingredient, eugenol, was significantly higher than that of clotrimazole, used as control, against C. glabrata strain (P ≤ 0.05). The proficiency of antimicrobial activity of clove and its major constituent, eugenol, against candidal strains supports utilizing these extracts in fabrication of anticandidal drugs especially against the resistant C. glabrata strain. Also, these extracts could be a source of adjuvant anticancer therapies due to their potent antiproliferative activity

Facile Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Aqueous Leaf Extract of Origanum majorana with Potential Bioactivity against Multidrug Resistant Bacterial Strains

The high prevalence of nosocomial bacterial resistance contributes to significant mortality and morbidity around the world; thus, finding novel antibacterial agents is of vital concern. Accordingly, the present study attempted to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a green approach. Aqueous leaf extract of Origanum majorana was used to synthesize AgNPs and the antibacterial efficiency against multidrug resistant bacterial strains was detected. Characterization of the biogenic AgNPs was performed using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The disc diffusion method was used to detect the antibacterial activity of AgNPs against three nosocomial multidrug-resistant strains. Preliminary UV-Vis analysis revealed the biosynthesis of AgNPs due to peak formation at 374 nm, corresponding to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of biogenic AgNPs. TEM micrographs detected the synthesis of small AgNPs with an average particle size of 26.63 nm. EDX analysis revealed the presence of the following elements: oxygen (3.69%), carbon (2.93%), aluminum (1.29), silicon (2.83%), chloride (17.89%), and silver (71.37%). Furthermore, XRD analysis revealed the presence of diffraction peaks at 2 theta (&theta;) degrees of 38.18&deg;, 44.36&deg;, 64.35&deg;, and 77.54&deg;, assigned to the planes of silver crystals (111), (200), (220), and (311), respectively. Collectively, these findings affirm the synthesis of biogenic AgNPs with potential physicochemical characteristics. The antimicrobial efficiency of the biogenic AgNPs indicated that Klebsiella pneumoniae strain was the most susceptible strain at concentrations of 50 and 100 &micro;g/disk, with inhibitory zones of 21.57 and 24.56 mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AgNPs against Klebsiella pneumoniae strain was found to be 10 &micro;g/mL, while the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was found to be 20 &micro;g/mL. In conclusion, aqueous leaf extract of O. majorana mediated synthesis of small sized AgNPs, with potential antimicrobial effectiveness against multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens

Ameliorative Effect of Beta vulgaris Root Extract on Chlorpyrifos-Induced Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Liver Injury in Rats

Exposure to organophosphorus insecticides causes several health problems to animals and humans. Red beetroot (RBR) is rich in antioxidant ingredients and possesses a promising hepatoprotective activity. This study evaluated the potential of RBR extract to prevent chlorpyrifos (CPF)-induced liver injury, with an emphasis on oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. Rats received 10 mg/kg CPF and were treated with 300 mg/kg RBR extract for 28 days. CPF caused liver injury evidenced by elevated serum levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin, along with several histological alterations. Hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and pro-inflammatory cytokines were increased in CPF-intoxicated rats. RBR prevented CPF-induced histological alterations, and ameliorated liver function, LPO, NO, iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines. RBR boosted glutathione and antioxidant enzymes, and increased Nrf2 expression. In addition, RBR diminished Bax and caspase-3, and increased Bcl-2 expression. In conclusion, RBR prevented CPF-induced liver injury via attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. RBR enhanced antioxidant defenses, suggesting that it could be used as a potential therapeutic intervention to minimize CPF hepatotoxicity

Synergistic Antifungal Efficiency of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles with Itraconazole against Multidrug-Resistant Candidal Strains

Fungal infections caused by multidrug-resistant strains are considered one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Moreover, antifungal medications used in conventional antifungal treatment revealed poor therapeutic effectiveness and possible side effects such as hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and myelotoxicity. Therefore, the current study was developed to determine the antifungal effectiveness of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and their synergistic efficiency with antifungal drugs against multidrug-resistant candidal strains. The AgNPs were greenly synthesized using the aqueous peel extract of Punica granatum. In addition, AgNPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV/Vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and zeta potential analysis. In this regard, UV-vis analysis indicated SPR of AgNPs at 396 nm, while the particle size distribution revealed that the average particle size was 18.567 &plusmn; 1.46 nm. The surface charge of AgNPs was found to be &minus;15.6 mV, indicating their stability in aqueous solutions. The biofabricated AgNPs indicated antifungal activity against Candida tropicalis, C. albicans, and C. glabrata strains showing inhibitory zone diameters of 23.78 &plusmn; 0.63, 21.38 &plusmn; 0.58, and 16.53 &plusmn; 0.21 mm, respectively while their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was found to be 2.5 &micro;g/mL against C. tropicalis strain. AgNPs and itraconazole revealed the highest synergistic activity against the multidrug-resistant strain, C. glabrata, recording a synergism percentage of 74.32%. In conclusion, the biogenic AgNPs in combination with itraconazole drug exhibited potential synergistic activity against different candidal strains indicating their potential usage in the bioformulation of highly effective antifungal agents