NONANTIBIOTICS ENHANCE THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF CEFTRIAXONE AGAINST METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is one of the most persistent issues worldwide nowadays, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is one such issue where the standard therapeutic procedures involving powerful antibiotics have failed in controlling the infection.Methods: In the present study, the antibacterial potency of the nonantibiotics troxipide (TR), mebeverine hydrochloride (Hcl), and their combinations with ceftriaxone (CEF) against MRSA has been investigated using microbiological assays of microplate dilution method and combination index interpretations of the nonantibiotics with β-lactam antibiotic CEF and the zone of inhibition method.Results: The nonantibiotics ME and TR inhibited resistant strain tested in vitro in the checkerboard assay, where the results showed that CEF and TR exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at concentrations of 50 μg/ml and 318 μg/ml, respectively. Interestingly, CEF when combined with TR reduced the MIC to 8 μg/ml and 78 μg/ml. According to the results, CEF with TR exhibited synergistic interactions at the fractional inhibitory concentration of 0.36–1.4. ME and TR and its combinations, CEF with ME, and CEF with TR have considerable anti-MRSA efficacy, with synergism though at 36 h of incubation.Conclusion: ME and TR being antispasmodic and antiulcer drugs can also be used against MRSA infections, which could prove to be favorable in the reduction of dosage of antibiotics such as CEF, and cutting down the need for additional administration of antibiotics to the patients affected with multiple complications such as gastrointestinal ulcer, spasm difficulties, and infection

Biopolymer in Gene Delivery

Nowadays, biopolymers, a class of biomaterials, represent frontier area in the drug delivery systems. Drug release from nano- and microparticles is a complex process, which involves several steps. Uptake of nanoparticle in the intracellular is affected by numerous factors. Recently, gene delivery has been considered one of the promising approaches for the treatment of various diseases acquired genetically in human being. The use of biopolymers as nanoparticles in gene delivery can potentially avoid many of the safety concerns in the gene delivery system. In gene delivery, the genetic materials such as DNA plasmids, RNA and siRNA are either encapsulated inside or conjugated to the nanoparticles, which protects the genetic materials until the drug reaches its target site. Treatment of the diseases is based on the effective delivery of the genetic materials into specific cells that are responsible for disease development. Various properties such as particle size, surface charge, morphology of the surface and release rate of the loaded molecules are the important parameters in the gene delivery system. In this chapter, various biopolymers (cationic polymers) and inorganic non-viral-delivery vectors used in gene delivery used as therapeutic agents are discussed

High performance thin-layer chromatography and in vitro cytotoxic studies on ethanol extract of Matricaria chamomilla L (Asteraceae) flowers

Purpose: To develop a high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC procedure for quantitation of apigenin in ethanol extract of Matricaria chamomilla (Babunaj) flowers, and to evaluate the extract for in vitro cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cell lines. Methods: Quantification of apigenin was carried out using a CAMAG TLC system. A combination of toluene, ethyl acetate and formic acid (4.5:3.5:0.2 v/v/v) was used as mobile phase, with densitometry detection at 336 nm. The HPTLC procedure was subjected to validation as per ICH guidelines. The cytotoxicity of the extract was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results: A sharp apigenin band at Rf of 0.51 was obtained, and the content of apigenin in the extract was 0.062 % w/w. The detection limit (LOD) and quantification limit (LOQ) were 0.19 and 0.57 ng/band, respectively. MTT assay results indicate that M. chamomilla was cytotoxic to Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells, with half-maximal concentration (IC50) of 74 µg/mL. Conclusion: The developed HPTLC method is linear, precise, accurate and specific for the determination of apigenin. M. chamomilla exerts cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cell line via induction of apoptosis

Ferric reducing anti-oxidant power assay in plant extract

The ferric reducing anti-oxidant power (FRAP) assay involved the following steps:  a) preparation of samples, b) reactions and c) finally measuring absorbance of sample and standard at 700 nm using spectrophotometer. The samples were methanolic extract, different fractions (n-hexane, chloroform) and standard ascorbic acid. The solutions prepared were buffer solution (pH 6.6), 1% potassium ferricyanide solution, 10% trichloroacetic acid and 0.1% ferric chloride.  Video Clip of Methodology: Ferric reducing anti-oxidant power assay: 21 min 18 sec   Full Screen   Alternat

Antibacterial potentiality of antiulcer and antispasmodic drugs with selected antibiotics against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus: In vitro and in silico studies

In the present study, the antispasmodic drug mebeverine hydrochloride and the antiulcer drug troxipide were tested for their possible antibacterial properties in vitro. The antimicrobial assays of the above drugs were determined with ampicillin, penicillin and ciprofloxacin against sensitive and resistant strains and their resistance were confirmed through Polymerase Chain Reaction by identifying the presence of the mecA gene. A computer-aided method was used for screening the effectiveness of the drug interactions. Mebeverine and  troxipide inhibited most of the sensitive and resistant strains tested in vitro from 32.5 to 125 µg/mL. The loss of structural alterations of the cell wall was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. In docking studies, troxipide and mebeverine were found to have substantial inhibition against penicillin binding protein 2a (IVQQ) and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1-carboxyvinyltransferase (2YVW) receptor proteins that seem to have interacted with most of the residues. Video Clips of Methodology: Set up                2 min 27 sec Broth and drug     4 min 40 sec Inoculation          2 min 29 sec Incubation and result     46 sec