Fabrication of an electrochemical sensor based on eggshell waste recycling for the voltammetric simultaneous detection of the antibiotics ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin.

In this work, an accurate, highly sensitive, and economical electrochemical sensor based on a carbon paste electrode modified by Ca2CuO3 nanostructure (Ca2CuO3 NS) was constructed using Eggshell waste recycling as a cheap source of calcium. The Ca2CuO3 NS was analyzed using FTIR, SEM, and XRD measurements. The synthesized nanomaterials utilized for the first time to enhance the electrocatalytic efficiency of carbon paste electrode (CPE) toward fluoroquinolones antibiotics ofloxacin (OFL) and ciprofloxacin (CIP), The drugs used to treat pneumonia caused by COVID-19. The synthesized Ca2CuO3 NS dramatically enhanced the anodic peak response of CPE toward both drugs compared to the unmodified one and other modified electrodes. The simultaneous detection of the two antibiotics was performed in the linear range of 0.09-1.0 µM for OFL and 0.05-0.8 µM for CIP with the LOD of 0.027 µM and 0.012 µM, respectively. The suggested method was applied successfully to determine OFL and CIP in real samples.

Antibacterial effect of vitamin C against uropathogenic E. coli in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Resistance to antibiotics has increased steadily over time, thus there is a pressing need for safer alternatives to antibiotics. Current study aims to evaluate the influence of vitamin C as an antibacterial and anti-biofilm agent against uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strains. The expression of beta-lactamases and biofilm encoding genes among E. coli isolates before and after treating the isolates with sub MIC of vitamin C was analyzed by Real-time PCR. The in vivo assessment of the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of vitamin C against uropathogenic E. coli strains was done using a urinary tract infection (UTI) rat model. RESULTS: The effective concentration of vitamin C that could inhibit the growth of most study isolates (70%) was 1.25 mg/ml. Vitamin C showed a synergistic effect with most of the studied antibiotics; no antagonistic effect was detected at all. Vitamin C showed an excellent anti-biofilm effect against studied isolates, where 43 biofilm-producing isolates were converted to non-biofilm at a concentration of 0.312 mg/ml. The expression levels of most studied genes were down-regulated after treatment of E. coli isolates with vitamin C. In vivo assessment of vitamin C in treating UTIs showed that vitamin C has a rapid curative effect as the comparable antibiotic. Administration of both vitamin C and nitrofurantoin at a lower dose for treatment of UTI in rats had a better effect. CONCLUSION: Vitamin C as an antibacterial and anti-biofilm agent either alone or in combination with antibiotics could markedly improve UTI in experimental rats.