Evolution of Parasitism and Pathogenic Adaptations in Certain Medically Important Fungi

Fungi are eukaryotes designated as a separate kingdom because of their unique characteristics different from both animals and plants. Fungi are mainly classified into two major types as “saprobes” and “parasites” depending on their type of nutrition and existence. It is postulated that the present-day parasites also once existed as saprophytes in the soil. It is also curious to find the reasons on what early events could have been responsible for the evolution of the saprobes into human parasites? During this process of evolution, some of the anthropophilic organisms have totally lost all their soil-inhabiting traits and the ability for saprophytic survival, while few others have successfully retained their ability to survive in two different ecological niches (soil and animal/human host). The various possible reasons, such as predation, antagonism, and other factors contributing to the emergence of parasitic adaptations, are discussed using examples of dermatophytes, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Histoplasma capsulatum

A review of studies on Candida species in Peninsular Malaysia

Data on the epidemiology and the antifungal susceptibility of Candida species infections in Malaysia is still limited. The study aimed to review and compare studies reporting the prevalence of Candida species and antifungal susceptibility of Candida infections in Peninsular Malaysia. Data from 22 studies published between 2009 and 2018. Data was collected using National Center for Biotechnology Information and Google Scholar using the keywords “Candida and Malaysia.” Around 19 Candida species were identified in a total of 35,608 Candida isolates analyzed in these studies. In most studies examined, C. albicans (66.3%) was the predominant species, followed by C. glabrata (11.7%), C. parapsilosis (10.7%), C. tropicalis (9.5%), and C. krusei (1.19%). Vaginal swabs yielded the most isolates, followed by the respiratory system, urine, blood, oral, pus, and other locations. The demographic, racial, and gender data were recorded only in two studies. Totally, eight studies examined 396 isolates for antifungal susceptibility to common antifungal medications. The average antifungal susceptibility of isolates and efficacy of drugs in these studies ranged between 45 and 99% for most common antifungal drugs. Caspofungin had the highest susceptibility at 99%, whereas itraconazole had the lowest at only 45%. Overall, this review provided a comprehensive summary of all the current research on predominant Candida species in Peninsular Malaysia

Evaluation of the Toxic Effect of <i>Bauhinia purpurea</i> Mediated Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles against <i>In-vitro</i> and <i>In-vivo</i> Models

Metal nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, etc., have many benefits and have been in use for a very long time. Nevertheless, a number of concerns have been raised about the environmental impact and the possibility of exposure to various living systems at the moment. Thus, in this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by using plant gum from Bauhinia purpurea and characterization was done using UV—Visible Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, X—ray Diffraction, etc. To determine the accumulation and toxic effects caused by the nanoparticles, Eudrilus eugeniae, Danio rerio, and their embryos were exposed to the synthesized silver nanoparticles and evaluated using microscopic observation, histology, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP—OES)

Purification and Characterization of Gum-Derived Polysaccharides of Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica and Their Applications as Plant Stimulants and Bio-Pesticidal Agents

Plant gums are bio-organic substances that are derived from the barks of trees. They are biodegradable and non-adverse complex polysaccharides that have been gaining usage in recent years due to a number of advantages they contribute to various applications. In this study, gum was collected from Moringa oleifera and Azadirachta indica trees, then dried and powdered. Characterizations of gum polysaccharides were performed using TLC, GC-MS, NMR, etc., and sugar molecules such as glucose and xylose were found to be present. Effects of the gums on Abelmoschus esculentus growth were observed through root growth, shoot growth, and biomass content. The exposure of the seeds to the plant gums led to bio stimulation in the growth of the plants. Poor quality soil was exposed to the gum polysaccharide, where the polysaccharide was found to improve soil quality, which was observed through soil analysis and SEM analysis of soil porosity and structure. Furthermore, the plant gums were also found to have bio-pesticidal activity against mealybugs, which showed certain interstitial damage evident through histopathological analysis