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Flavonoids belong to the polyphenol group that naturally exists in fruits, vegetables, tea, and grains. Flavonoids, as secondary metabolites, show indispensable contributions to biolog-ical processes and the responses of plants to numerous environmental factors. The bioactivity of flavonoids depends on C6-C3-C6 ring substitution patterns that exhibit bioactive antioxidant, an-timicrobial, antifungal, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties. The synthesis of flavonoids has been reported by various methodologies. Therefore, the present review systematically sum-marizes the synthesis of recent heterocyclic flavonoid derivatives via facile synthetic approaches since the research in flavonoids is useful for therapeutic and biotechnology fields.
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Hepatitis is a major public health issue, affecting 10-17 million people worldwide, with its prevalence continuously increasing. The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is responsible for liver related diseases, which include liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and chronic hepatitis. Pakistan is experiencing a serious rise in HCV cases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and distribution of HCV genotypes in Sindh, Pakistan. Serum samples from HCV-positive patients were collected from various local hospitals in Sindh. These samples were first screened for HCV antibodies using ELISA. Samples that tested positive for HCV RNA underwent further genotyping through sequencing using the standard Sanger method. The genotypes were identified by comparing the sequences with those available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The phylogenetic analysis showed that all isolates in this study were clustered with genotypes 3a and 3b, except for one sequence that was clustered with genotype 1a. No isolates were found to be clustered with reference genomes of genotypes 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 suggesting that genotype 3a is endemic in this region. The analyzed sequences demonstrated a 98% similarity with reference and isolated sequences. In summary, sequencing of the HCV 5' UTR essential for identifying the predominant genotype of HCV RNA in the Sindh region Further research on the distribution of HCV genotypes in other regions of Pakistan could aid in improving screening processes, identifying more effective treatment options, and developing suitable prevention strategies.
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Genotipo , Hepacivirus , Hepatitis C , Filogenia , Pakistán/epidemiología , Humanos , Hepacivirus/genética , Hepacivirus/aislamiento & purificación , Hepacivirus/clasificación , Hepatitis C/epidemiología , Hepatitis C/virología , Femenino , Masculino , Adulto , Prevalencia , ARN Viral/genética , Persona de Mediana Edad , Regiones no Traducidas 5'/genética , Adolescente , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are a diverse group of viruses associated with respiratory infections in humans worldwide. However, there is a lack of research on the genetic diversity and epidemiology of HAdVs in Pakistan. This study characterized HAdVs in pediatric patients with respiratory tract infections in Karachi, Pakistan, between 2022 and 2023. We analyzed 762 nasopharyngeal samples of children ≤ 5 years. DNA extraction, followed by PCR targeting E2B and hexon genes, was carried out. Data analysis was performed on SPSS 25.0, and phylogenetic analysis of hexon gene was performed on MEGA 11. HAdV was detected in 7.34% (56/762) of patients round the year, but at a significantly higher rate during the winter season. Age was insignificantly associated with HAdV incidence (p = 0.662), but more than 62.5% (35/56) of positive cases were younger than 10 months. The circulating HAdVs were identified as six different types from species B (78.57%) and C (21.42%), with the majority of isolates found to be like B3. HAdV was found to be co-infected with bocavirus (5.4%) and measles (7.14%). These findings revealed a high frequency and genetic diversity of respiratory HAdVs in Karachi, Pakistan. We conclude that periodic and continuous surveillance of adenoviruses and other respiratory pathogens is necessary to improve the prognosis and management of respiratory diseases, thereby reducing the child mortality rate in Pakistan.
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Infecciones por Adenovirus Humanos , Adenovirus Humanos , Filogenia , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio , Humanos , Pakistán/epidemiología , Adenovirus Humanos/genética , Adenovirus Humanos/clasificación , Adenovirus Humanos/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/virología , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/epidemiología , Preescolar , Lactante , Masculino , Femenino , Infecciones por Adenovirus Humanos/epidemiología , Infecciones por Adenovirus Humanos/virología , Nasofaringe/virología , Variación Genética , Recién Nacido , Coinfección/virología , Coinfección/epidemiología , ADN Viral/genética , Estaciones del Año , GenotipoRESUMEN
Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic tropical disease with numerous clinical manifestations. One of the causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) known for causing ulcerative lesions on the skin. The adverse effects of the recommended available drugs, such as amphotericin B and pentavalent antimonial, and the emergence of drug resistance in parasites, mean the search for new safe and effective anti-leishmanial agents is crucial. Miltefosine (MIL) was the first recommended oral medication, but its use is now limited because of the rapid emergence of resistance. Pharmaceutical cocrystallization is an effective method to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Herein, we describe the cocrystallization of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid (CU, 1a; 2-oxobenzopyrane-3-carboxylic acid, C10H6O4) with five coformers [2-amino-3-bromopyridine (1b), 2-amino-5-(trifluoromethyl)-pyridine (1c), 2-amino-6-methylpyridine (1d), p-aminobenzoic acid (1e) and amitrole (1f)] in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio via the neat grinding method. The cocrystals 2-6 obtained were characterized via single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Non-covalent interactions, such as van der Waals, hydrogen bonding, C-H...π and π...π interactions contribute significantly towards the packing of a crystal structure and alter the physicochemical and biological activity of CU. In this research, newly synthesized cocrystals were evaluated for their anti-leishmanial activity against the MIL-resistant L. tropica and cytotoxicity against the 3T3 (normal fibroblast) cell line. Among the non-cytotoxic cocrystals synthesized (2-6), CU:1b (2, IC50 = 61.83 ± 0.59â µM), CU:1c (3, 125.7 ± 1.15â µM) and CU:1d (4, 48.71 ± 0.75â µM) appeared to be potent anti-leishmanial agents and showed several-fold more anti-leishmanial potential than the tested standard drug (MIL, IC50 = 169.55 ± 0.078â µM). The results indicate that cocrystals 2-4 are promising anti-leishmanial agents which require further exploration.
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Antiprotozoarios , Leishmania tropica , Leishmaniasis Cutánea , Humanos , Antiprotozoarios/farmacología , Leishmaniasis Cutánea/tratamiento farmacológico , Cristalografía por Rayos X , Cumarinas/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Current management of HCV infection is based on Direct-Acting Antiviral Drugs (DAAs). However, resistance-associated mutations, especially in the NS3 and NS5B regions are gradually decreasing the efficacy of DAAs. The aim of the current study was to identify such mutations in the NS3, and NS5B genes in DAAs treatment-naïve Pakistani chronic HCV 3a patients. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 233 chronic HCV 3a patients at different tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, between August 2020 to September 2021. PCR-amplified target regions of the NS3/NS5B gene were subjected to Sanger sequencing to identify resistance-associated mutations. Phylogenetic analysis of the identified amino acid sequences was performed using HCV3a sequences of the global population in the virus pathogen resource (VIPR) database. Sequence analysis identified five amino acid mutations, Leu36Pro, Gln41His, Gln80Lys/Arg, Ala156Tyr, and Gln168Arg in the NS3 region, and two mutations Leu159Phe and Cys316Arg in the NS5B region. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a high genetic diversity in the studied isolates. Overall, the prevalence of resistance-associated substitutions was almost similar to other geographic regions worldwide. This data could be helpful in selecting the most effective treatment regimen for HCV chronically infected people in Pakistan.
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Antivirales , Hepatitis C Crónica , Humanos , Antivirales/farmacología , Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Pakistán/epidemiología , Filogenia , Hepacivirus , Genotipo , Farmacorresistencia Viral/genética , Proteínas no Estructurales Virales/genética , Hepatitis C Crónica/tratamiento farmacológico , Hepatitis C Crónica/epidemiología , MutaciónRESUMEN
Many heterocycles have been developed as drugs due to their capacity to interact productively with biological systems. The present study aimed to synthesize cocrystals of the heterocyclic antitubercular agent pyrazinamide (PYZ, 1, BCS III) and the commercially available anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine (CBZ, 2, BCS class II) to study the effect of cocrystallization on the stability and biological activities of these drugs. Two new cocrystals, namely, pyrazinamide-homophthalic acid (1/1) (PYZ:HMA, 3) and carbamazepine-5-chlorosalicylic acid (1/1) (CBZ:5-SA, 4), were synthesized. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction-based structure of carbamazepine-trans-cinnamic acid (1/1) (CBZ:TCA, 5) was also studied for the first time, along with the known cocrystal carbamazepine-nicotinamide (1/1) (CBZ:NA, 6). From a combination drug perspective, these are interesting pharmaceutical cocrystals to overcome the known side effects of PYZ (1) therapy, and the poor biopharmaceutical properties of CBZ (2). The purity and homogeneity of all the synthesized cocrystals were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction and FT-IR analysis, followed by thermal stability studies based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Detailed intermolecular interactions and the role of hydrogen bonding towards crystal stability were evaluated quantitatively via Hirshfeld surface analysis. The solubility of CBZ at pH 6.8 and 7.4 in 0.1â N HCl and H2O were compared with the values of cocrystal CBZ:5-SA (4). The solubility of CBZ:5-SA was found to be significantly improved at pH 6.8 and 7.4 in H2O. All the synthesized cocrystals 3-6 exhibited a potent urease inhibition (IC50 values range from 17.32â ±â 0.89 to 12.3â ±â 0.8â µM), several times more potent than standard acetohydroxamic acid (IC50 = 20.34â ±â 0.43â µM). PYZ:HMA (3) also exhibited potent larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti. Among the synthesized cocrystals, PYZ:HMA (3) and CBZ:TCA (5) were found to possess antileishmanial activity against the miltefosine-induced resistant strain of Leishmania major, with IC50 values of 111.98â ±â 0.99 and 111.90â ±â 1.44â µM, respectively, in comparison with miltefosine (IC50 = 169.55â ±â 0.20â µM).
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Pirazinamida , Ureasa , Cristalografía por Rayos X , Espectroscopía Infrarroja por Transformada de Fourier , Cristalización , Estabilidad de Medicamentos , Enlace de Hidrógeno , Carbamazepina/química , Difracción de Rayos XRESUMEN
SARS-CoV-2 Main protease (Mpro) is a well-known drug target against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Identification of Mpro inhibitors is vigorously pursued due to its crucial role in viral replication. The present study was aimed to identify Mpro inhibitors via repurposing of US-FDA approved drugs by STD-NMR spectroscopy. In this study, 156 drugs and natural compounds were evaluated against Mpro. Among them, 10 drugs were found to be interacting with Mpro, including diltiazem HCl (1), mefenamic acid (2), losartan potassium (3), mexiletine HCl (4), glaucine HBr (5), trimebutine maleate (6), flurbiprofen (7), amantadine HCl (8), dextromethorphan (9), and lobeline HCl (10) in STD-NMR spectroscopy. Their interactions were compared with three standards (Repurposed anti-viral drugs), dexamethasone, chloroquine phosphate, and remdesivir. Thermal stability of Mpro and dissociation constant (Kd) of six interacting drugs were also determined using DSF. RMSD plots in MD simulation studies showed the formation of stable protein-ligand complexes. They were further examined for their antiviral activity by plaque reduction assay against SARS-CoV-2, which showed 55-100% reduction in viral plaques. This study demonstrates the importance of drug repurposing against emerging and neglected diseases. This study also exhibits successful application of STD-NMR spectroscopy combined with plaque reduction assay in rapid identification of potential anti-viral agents.
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Antivirales , COVID-19 , Humanos , Antivirales/farmacología , Antivirales/química , SARS-CoV-2 , Reposicionamiento de Medicamentos , Inhibidores de Proteasas/farmacología , Inhibidores de Proteasas/química , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Simulación de Dinámica MolecularRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke associated with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has been well recognized by now. Few studies have compared COVID related versus unrelated strokes. We intend to report on a large group of Asian patients from two countries and compare COVID with non-COVID strokes admitted during the same time period. METHODS: Consecutive cases of acute ischemic stroke either presenting or developing, between March 2020 and December 2021 in four tertiary care hospitals (1 in Dubai, UAE and 3 in Karachi, Pakistan) and testing positive for COVID-19 were included in the study. Patients admitted with ischemic stroke during the same time period and who tested negative for COVID-19 were also randomly selected from the four hospitals. All data was collected from the medical records of the patients and recorded on a standard questionnaire before it was entered in SPSS version 21 for analysis. RESULTS: There were 139 COVID positive and 271 COVID negative patients with acute ischemic stroke included in the current study. There were significantly more males (80.6% vs 64.9%, p=0.001) and more large vessel strokes in the COVID positive group (41% vs 21.8%, p<0.001). Being COVID positive was an independent predictor of poor outcome at discharge, defined as a modified Rankin score of 3-6 (OR 3.87, 95% CI 2.21-6.77) after adjusting for country, age, sex, vascular comorbid conditions and stroke subtype. CONCLUSIONS: In this largest series of patients with COVID related strokes from Asia, COVID-19 was an independent predictor of poor outcomes at discharge after adjusting for other variables.
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COVID-19 , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico , Accidente Cerebrovascular , Masculino , Humanos , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/diagnóstico , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/epidemiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular Isquémico/terapia , COVID-19/diagnóstico , COVID-19/complicaciones , Pakistán/epidemiología , Emiratos Árabes Unidos/epidemiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/diagnóstico , Accidente Cerebrovascular/epidemiología , Accidente Cerebrovascular/terapia , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a major health problem in over 98 countries of the world, including Pakistan. The current treatments are associated with a number of adverse effects and availability problem of drugs. Therefore, there is an urgent need of easily available and cost effective treatments of CL- in Pakistan. The bioassay-guided fractionation and purification of crude extract of Physalis minima has led to the isolation of a new aminophysalin B (1), and eight known physalins, physalin B (2), 5ß,6ß-epoxyphysalin B (3), 5α-ethoxy-6ß-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrophysalin B (4), physalin H (5), 5ß,6ß-epoxyphysalin C (6), and physalin G (7), K (8), and D (9). It is worth noting that compound 1 is the second member of aminophysalin series, whereas compound 6 was fully characterized for the first time. The structures of compounds 1-9 were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques Whereas, the structural assignments of compounds 1 and 8 were also supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The anti-leishmanial activity of isolated physlains 1-9 was evaluated against Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica promastigotes. Compounds 2, 3, and 5-7 (IC50 = 9.59 ± 0.27-23.76 ± 1.10 µM) showed several-fold more potent activity against L. tropca than tested drug miltefosine (IC50 = 42.75 ± 1.03 µm) and pentamidine (IC50 = 27.20 ± 0.01 µM). Whereas compounds 2, 3 and 5 (IC50 = 3.04 ± 1.12-3.76 ± 0.85 µM) were found to be potent anti-leishmanial agents against L. major, several fold more active than tested standard miltefosine (IC50 = 25.55 ± 1.03 µM) and pentamidine (IC50 = 27.20 ± 0.015 µM). Compounds 4 (IC50 = 74.65 ± 0.81 µM) and 7 (IC50 = 39.44 ± 0.65 µM) also showed potent anti-leishmanial ativity against the miltefosine-unresponsive L. tropica strain (MIL resistant) (miltefosine IC50 = 169.55 ± 0.78 µM). Molecular docking and predictive binding studies indicated that these inhibitors may act via targeting important enzymes of various metabolic pathways of the parasites.
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Antiprotozoarios , Leishmania major , Leishmaniasis Cutánea , Humanos , Leishmania major/efectos de los fármacos , Leishmaniasis Cutánea/tratamiento farmacológico , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Pentamidina , Fitoquímicos , Antiprotozoarios/farmacología , Fosforilcolina/análogos & derivados , Fosforilcolina/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Aims: This study was aimed to identify compounds with significant inhibitory potential against multidrug-resistant (MDR), multidrug-sensitive and clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Materials & methods: Antibacterial activity of the nitroquinoline derivatives was assessed by micro-plate Alamar Blue assay. Results: Nitroquinoline derivatives 9, 11 and 14 showed inhibitory activity against MDR K. pneumoniae. Docking studies of these compounds with topoisomerase IV of K. pneumonia indicated the interactions of these compounds at the active site residues of enzyme near to cofactor (Mg+2). Furthermore, compound 11 was identified as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) inducer. None of the compounds showed hemolytic effect. Conclusion: This study was designed to identify compounds active against MDR K. pneumoniae which causes infections, such as pneumonia and urinary tract infections.
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Infecciones por Klebsiella , Nitroquinolinas , Neumonía , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana Múltiple , Inhibidores de Crecimiento/farmacología , Humanos , Infecciones por Klebsiella/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones por Klebsiella/microbiología , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Nitroquinolinas/farmacología , Neumonía/tratamiento farmacológicoRESUMEN
Surveillance of genetic diversity of the SARS-CoV-2 is extremely important to detect the emergence of more infectious and deadly strains of the virus. In this study, we evaluated mutational events in the SARS-CoV-2 genomes through whole genome sequencing. The samples were collected from COVID-19 patients in different major cities of Pakistan during the four waves of the pandemic (May 2020 to July 2021) and subjected to whole genome sequencing. Using in silico and machine learning tools, the viral mutational events were analyzed, and variants of concern and of interest were identified during each of the four waves. The overall mutation frequency (mutations per genome) increased during the course of the pandemic from 12.19 to 23.63, 31.03, and 41.22 in the first, second, third, and fourth waves, respectively. We determined that the viral strains rose to higher frequencies in local transmission. The first wave had three most common strains B.1.36, B.1.160, and B.1.255, the second wave comprised B.1.36 and B.1.247 strains, the third wave had B.1.1.7 (Alpha variant) and B.1.36 strains, and the fourth waves comprised B.1.617.2 (Delta). Intriguingly, the B.1.36 variants were found in all the waves of the infection indicating their survival fitness. Through phylogenetic analysis, the probable routes of transmission of various strains in the country were determined. Collectively, our study provided an insight into the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in the spatiotemporal local transmission during different waves of the pandemic, which aided the state institutions in implementing adequate preventive measures.
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COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Animales , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/veterinaria , Genoma Viral/genética , Genómica , Mutación , Pakistán/epidemiología , Filogenia , SARS-CoV-2/genéticaRESUMEN
Plant microbiome referred to as plant second genome, plays pivotal role in determination of vigor and productivity of plant. Current high-throughput sequence technologies provide remarkable insight into microbial diversity and host microbe interaction. The obtained dataset aimed to reveal the core bacterial community residing the rhizosphere of two leading cereal crops Zea mays and Triticum aestivum grown in different seasons at the same geographical area. The rhizosphere bacterial communities were explored via amplicon sequencing of V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA region using IonS5™XL sequencing platform. The classified tags for 16S rRNA from both the samples were clustered into 1502 Microbial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% similarity with 1340 OTUs in Zea mays and 1337 OTUs in Triticum aestivum. Ten bacterial phyla predominant in the rhizosphere were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia, Nitrospirae and Thermomicrobia. These bacterial phyla accounted for 98% and 98.9% of the OTUs in Zea mays and Triticum aestivum, respectively. Statistical analysis depicted the presence of slight variations in the relative abundance of bacterial groups residing the rhizosphere of Zea mays and Triticum aestivum. The community data produced in the present work can be used for meta-analysis studies to understand rhizosphere bacterial community of two major cereal crops. Furthermore, bacterial composition and diversity data is prerequisite for rhizosphere engineering to enhance cereal production to cope with upcoming global challenges of climate change and population growth.
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Herbicide residues in agriculture commodities are a serious threat for human health and crop production. We investigated the efficient utilization of rice straw biochar and farmyard manure as organic amendments in mitigating the bromoxynil residues in leaves, grain, husk and root tissues of wheat plants. Growth and yield of wheat plants were also examined under field conditions through a 02-year field experiment. The experiment was set up using two wheat cultivars (Faisalabad-08 and Galaxy-2013) as main plot factors and different formulations of biochar and farmyard manure as sub-plot factors in a randomized complete Block design (split plot arrangement) with 03 replications. Different formulations of biochar (BC) and farmyard manure (FYM) i.e., 100 BC: 00 FYM, 75 BC: 25 FYM, 50 BC: 50 FYM, 25 BC: 75 FYM, 00 BC: 100 FYM and 00 BC: 00 FYM as control were prepared and mixed with soil (2% m/m) at the time of sowing. The wheat crop was sprayed with recommended dose (Buctril Super 60 EC, 825 mL ha-1) of bromoxynil 40 days after sowing of the crop. Grain, husk, and root samples were collected at maturity while leave samples were taken 10 days after the herbicide application. Results revealed that the organic amendments significantly reduced the bromoxynil concentration in different tissues of wheat plant besides increasing the growth and yield of plants. The highest concentration of bromoxynil residues was found in control treatment whereas; sole biochar (100 BC:00 FYM) reduced the herbicide residues up to 78% in grain and husk of wheat, 40% in leaves and 64% in root tissues along with 41-44% increase in the grain yield. So, rice straw biochar along with farmyard manure could be considered as a promising option for mitigating the residual herbicide issues in the crop plants along with increase in the yield of wheat crop.
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Estiércol , Oryza , Agricultura/métodos , Carbón Orgánico , Fertilizantes , Humanos , Nitrilos , Suelo/química , TriticumRESUMEN
Nanotechnology is a field of science that consists of atoms, molecules and supramolecular molecules that create nanoparticles ranging in size from 1-100nm. Silver nanoparticles are widely used that are considered as effective antimicrobial agents. In this paper, the antioxidant activity of biosynthesized SNPs were analyzed by the DPPPH activity, hydrogen peroxide activity, hydroxyl RSA, TAC, TFC; their results confirmed that the phenolic compounds of this plant peels extracts enhanced the antioxidant and antiglycation activity with respect to silver nanoparticles. Biosynthesized nanoparticles of this plant extracts also showed strong zone of inhibition against the different Xanthomas, Pseudomonas and E. coli. This study concluded that biosynthesized nanoparticles of Mukia maderaspatna (M.M) plant peels extracts have the great biological activities i.e. antiglycation, antioxidant and antibacterial. More research is needed to know the exact dose rate and to compare the different dose combination of the plant with the strong antibiotic agents against these bacteria.
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Cucurbitaceae/química , Nanopartículas del Metal/química , Compuestos de Plata/química , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Antioxidantes/farmacología , Bacterias/efectos de los fármacos , Escherichia coli/efectos de los fármacos , Frutas/química , Tecnología Química Verde , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Pakistán , Tamaño de la Partícula , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Pseudomonas/efectos de los fármacos , Xanthomonas/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
Background and Purpose: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), also known as cerebral dural venous thrombosis, is not a very common cause of stroke. It has a diverse clinical presentation, with multiple predisposing factors and imaging findings. The incidence of CVT varies in different studies. We hypothesized that the incidence of CVT in Dubai is more than that reported in the West owing to dehydration caused by the high atmospheric temperature. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients aged more than 13 years with appropriate International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, codes for the diagnosis of CVT from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018 from three major hospitals with an acute stroke service in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Results: We identified 138 patients who presented with CVT. The average frequency of CVT was 6.6 per 100,000 population. Fifty percent of the patients presented between May and September, which are considered the hottest months in the UAE. Headache was the most common presentation, followed by seizures. The most important risk factors were the use of oral contraceptive pills, anemia, and polycythemia. Our study showed a higher incidence of anemia, polycythemia, thrombophilia, and abnormal CT brain findings. Conclusion: In our study, CVT was more common during the months of summer. Anemia and polycythemia were strongly associated with CVT. Public awareness about CVT, its higher incidence during summer months and strategies to avoid dehydration might be considered to reduce the incidence of CVT in summer months. However, larger studies are needed to confirm definite associations.
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Candida albicans is the causative agent of candidiasis in immunocompromised and diseased individuals. The current study was designed to evaluate the antifungal activity of Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague seeds ethanolic extract and hexanes fraction against Candida albicans, both in-vitro and in-vivo. The minimal inhibitory concentration of hexanes fraction was found to be 225 µg/mL, as compared to the standard drug amphotericin B (200 µg/mL). For the treatment of cutaneous candidiasis in BALB/c mice model, the extract and fraction containing ointment was topically applied on flank of mice at various concentrations, and 90-100% recovery in mice was observed which was better than the standard drug, clotrimazole. The GC/MS analysis of hexanes extract indicated the presence of three major components, including (43.91%), O-cymene (25.53%), and γ-terpinene (22.64%). The results showed that T. ammi possess potential antifungal effect, and can be used for the development of novel antifungal agents after further pre-clinical and clinical trials.
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Ammi , Aceites Volátiles , Animales , Antifúngicos/farmacología , Hexanos , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Extractos Vegetales/farmacología , Semillas , Timol/farmacologíaRESUMEN
Latest progress in the liquid crystal (LC) field related to azo molecules incorporated into natural product- based moieties for the improvement of LC texture and mesomeric phases has received great interest among researchers. A LC containing natural product-based moieties i.e. menthol, kojic acid, cholesterol and chalcone with stable azo and azobenzene scaffolds with specific optical tunability, has been widely used in photo-active materials such as Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), LC films, smart windows and other devices. This review discusses the influence of azobenzene, a renowned photo-responsive and stable LC scaffold, in mesogenic phases due to photo-isomerization and optical switching. The incorporation of mesomeric phases of natural product moieties to azo molecules has improved the properties of LC, i.e, from the nematic phase to the smectic phase with proper magnetic field alignment. Natural product-based LC can be useful in numerous applications, especially practical electronic or optic devices such as optical image storage, display devices, solar cells, optical switching.
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The plant microbiome influence plant health, yield and vigor and has attained a considerable attention in the present era. In the current study, native bacterial community composition and diversity colonizing Triticum aestivum L. rhizosphere at two distant geographical locations including Mirpur Azad Kashmir and Islamabad was elucidated. Based on IonS5™XL platform sequencing of respective samples targeting 16S rRNA gene that harbor V3-V4 conserved region revealed 1364 and 1254 microbial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at ≥97% similarity and were classified into 23, 20 phyla; 70, 65 classes; 101, 87 orders; 189,180 families; 275, 271 genera and 94, 95 species. Respective predominant phyla accounting for 97.90% and 98.60% of bacterial community were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi and Gemmatimonadetes. Diversity indices revealed variations in relative abundance of bacterial taxa owing to distant geographical locations however predominant bacterial taxa at both locations were similar. These findings paved a way to dissect consequence of associated microbiota on future wheat production system.
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Bacterias/clasificación , Microbiota , Rizosfera , Microbiología del Suelo , Triticum/microbiología , ADN Bacteriano/genética , India , Pakistán , ARN Ribosómico 16S/genéticaRESUMEN
Recently, probiotic yeasts have become an interesting topic of research all over the world. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is well proven probiotic yeast against several gastrointestinal diseases. Current study aimed to explore the probiotic potential and antibacterial properties of Saccharomyces strains isolated from fresh lychee fruits available in local markets of Karachi, Pakistan. Probiotic potential and antibacterial activity of locally isolated probiotic yeast strains (named as S. cerevisiae BEL 1 and S. cerevisiae BEL 9) was studied against gastrointestinal pathogens using standard in vitro screening methods. Comparative analysis was also carried out with commercially available S. boulardii probiotic preparations. Furthermore, for probiotic potential, all the studied yeast strains were exposed to various stress conditions inherent of gastrointestinal tract i.e., thermo tolerance, pH tolerance, bile salts survivability and osmo-tolerance. Isolated strains (BEL 1 and BEL 9) were able to tolerate at the temperatures (40oC and 45oC), moreover survived in the presence of gastric juices, extreme bile salt concentrations (range 0.5%-2%) and different osmotic stress conditions (1M and 1.5 M NaCl). Optimal growth was observed at 37oC. Similar growth pattern and viability of BEL 1 and 9 was found for most of the stress conditions, when compared with the commercially available strains of S. boulardii. Therefore, isolated yeast strains BEL 1 and 9 will be considered as a potential bio-therapeutic agent because of the promising probiotic potential.
Asunto(s)
Frutas/microbiología , Litchi/microbiología , Probióticos/administración & dosificación , Saccharomyces/aislamiento & purificación , Tracto Gastrointestinal/microbiología , Humanos , PakistánRESUMEN
Emergence and spread of multidrug resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus aureus strains is becoming major challenge in treatment of soft tissue infections. This study aimed to explore antimicrobial and synergistic antimicrobial potential of three commercially available thiazoline derivatives (2-amino-2-thiazoline, 2-thiazoline-2-thiol and 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline) against MDR Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from abscess drainage samples (n=20). MDR Staphylococcus aureus isolates were identified by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay and were further subjected to molecular identification by 16srRNA amplification and DNA sequencing. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values of test compounds and antibiotics (0.25-512µg/mL) were measured and subsequently, synergism assay was performed to calculate Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) index. Out of twenty Staphylococcus aureus isolates, sixteen (80%) were found to be MDR whereas four (20%) were Non-MDR. Moxifloxacin and vancomycine were found most effective antibiotics, inhibiting 100% (n=20) and 95% (n=19) strains respectively. Antimicrobial activity of 2-amino-2-thiazoline (MIC: 32µg/mL), 2-thiazoline-2-thiol (MIC: 64µg/mL) and 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline (MIC: 32µg/mL) was found significant against all ten tested MDR strains. Synergistic combinations of thiazoline derivatives with test antibiotics reduced MIC values significantly. Therefore, combination of tested thiazoline derivatives with antibiotics could be used as alternative therapeutic approach to treat soft tissue infections caused by MDR Staphylococcus aureus after further pre-clinical and clinical studies.