Comparative Evaluation of Medicinal Plant Extracts and Antimicrobial Magistrals.

The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the active ingredient in antimicrobial magistral drug formulations and plant extracts used in folk medicine were investigated comparatively. Borax, sulfur colloid, hydrogen peroxide, benzoic acid, rivanol, brilliant green and plant extracts as active ingredients, namely: Helianthus tuberosus tuber-H2O (aqueous extract), Cydonia oblonga leaves-H2O, Allium porrum whole plant-H2O, Cistus laurifolius leaves-EtOH, Solanum muricalum-H2O, and Fumaria cilicica leaves-EtOH were studied to determine their antimicrobial activity against different bacteria and fungi (S. pyogenes, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, K. pneumonia, H. influenza, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. coli, Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei) by using the microdilution method. The active ingredients and plant extracts showed different activities as MIC between 1->128 µg/mL. Brilliant green and rivanol as active ingredients had MIC values of 1 µg/mL against all tested microorganisms. C. oblonga leaves-H2O as well as C. laurifolius leaves-EtOH as plant extracts were indicated as having the highest antimicrobial effect in MIC value of 16 µg/ml against A. baumannii and S. pyogenes, respectively. On the other hand, F. cilicica leaves-EtOH and C. laurifolius leaves-EtOH showed the highest antifungal activity (MIC; 16 µg/mL).

[Investigation of Group A Rotavirus G10, G12 Genotypes Emerging in Patients with Acute Gastroenteritis in a Tertiary Care Hospital]. / Hastanemize Basvuran Akut Gastroenteritli Hastalarda Yeni Görülmeye Baslayan A Grubu Rotavirüs G10, G12 Genotiplerinin Arastirilmasi.

Rotaviruses are the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis with the highest mortality and morbidity rates in children aged 0-5 years. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of rotavirus infection in patients whose stool samples were sent to microbiology laboratory to investigate the etiology of diarrhea, to investigate the rotavirus genotypes that are common in our region and G10, G12 genotypes that have recently become common in the world. Fecal samples of 476 patients aged between 0-92 years who applied between November 2016 and February 2018 were studied via immunochromatographic rapid test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. ELISA positive samples were studied by nested reverse transcriptase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and genotyped by agarose gel electrophoresis. Rotavirus was found positive in 18.3% and 17% of stool samples by immunochromatographic test and ELISA, respectively. All ELISA positive samples were also detected as positive by RT-PCR. 18.5% of female patients and 15.7% of male patients were found to be positive and rotavirus positivity was not statistically significant between genders. The frequency of rotavirus in different age groups was 23.5% (6-12 years), 17.3% (13-24 months) and 16% (25-36 months). It was determined that rotavirus cases were most common in the spring. G1, G2, G3, G4, G9, G10, and G12 were detected in 37%, 7.4%, 16.1%, 6.2%, 9.9%, 2.5%, 26% of the samples, respectively. G12 was the most common genotype after G1. The most common G and P genotype combination was G1P[8] (17.2%). This was followed by G12P[8] (11.11%) and G3P[8] (11.11%). P[8] (53%) was found to be the dominant P genotype. In this study, it was observed that rotavirus, which is the cause of childhood diarrhea, can also be encountered in advanced ages and even new genotypes that infect humans worldwide may also be the causative agents. Therefore, we concluded that it is important to investigate new genotypes such as G10 and G12 in molecular epidemiological studies.

Genomic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 isolates from patients in Turkey reveals the presence of novel mutations in spike and nsp12 proteins.

Novel mutations have been emerging in the genome of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); consequently, the evolving of more virulent and treatment resistance strains have the potential to increase transmissibility and mortality rates. The characterization of full-length SARS-CoV-2 genomes is critical for understanding the origin and transmission pathways of the virus, as well as identifying mutations that affect the transmissibility and pathogenicity of the virus. We present an analysis of the mutation pattern and clade distribution of full-length SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences obtained from specimens tested at Gazi University Medical Virology Laboratory. Viral RNA was extracted from nasopharyngeal specimens. Next-generation sequencing libraries were prepared and sequenced on Illumina iSeq 100 platform. Raw sequencing data were processed to obtain full-length genome sequences and variant calling was performed to analyze amino acid changes. Clade distribution was determined to understand the phylogenetic background in relation to global data. A total of 293 distinct mutations were identified, of which 152 missense, 124 synonymous, 12 noncoding, and 5 deletions. The most frequent mutations were P323L (nsp12), D614G (ORF2/S), and 2421C>T (5'-untranslated region) found simultaneously in all sequences. Novel mutations were found in nsp12 (V111A, H133R, Y453C, M626K) and ORF2/S (R995G, V1068L). Nine different Pangolin lineages were detected. The most frequently assigned lineage was B.1.1 (17 sequences), followed by B.1 (7 sequences) and B.1.1.36 (3 sequences). Sequence information is essential for revealing genomic diversity. Mutations might have significant functional implications and analysis of these mutations provides valuable information for therapeutic and vaccine development studies. Our findings point to the introduction of the virus into Turkey through various sources and the subsequent spread of several key variants.

A comparative evaluation of Juniperus species with antimicrobial magistrals.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro bioactivity of the active ingredient in selected antimicrobial magistral drug formulations and plant extracts used in folk medicine, comparatively. The active ingredients of magistrals such as; boric acid, balsam of Peru, zinc oxide, Calendula tincture, thymol, resorcinol, crystal violet were used as well as fruit or leaf extracts of Juniperus excelsa (Je), J. sabina (Js), J. foetidissima (Jf), J. communis ssp. nana (Jcsn), and J. oxycedrus spp. oxycedrus ripe (Joso) to determine the antimicrobial activity against gram positive bacteria (S. pyogenes, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis), gram negative bacteria (K. pneumoniae, H. influenza, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, E. coli), and fungi (Candida. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei) by using microdilution method. The inhibition end point of the minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) were determined as µ mL-1. The active ingredient and plant extracts have shown antibacterial and antifungal activities with a MIC values of 1->128µmL-1. The active ingredient crystal violet (MIC; 1 µ mL-1) as well as Je- fruit ethanol, Jf-leaf and fruit ethanol, Joso-leaf and fruit ethanol extracts (MIC; 16µ mL-1) have exhibited the highest antimicrobial activities (MIC; 16µ mL-1). Although ingredients of magistrals seem to exert similar antifungal activity against C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis (MIC; 32µmL-1), thymol and resorcinol were observed to be more active against C. krusei (MIC; 16µ mL-1). Extracts were more pronounced against P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, and S. epidermidis (MIC ranging from 16 to 32). In the mine time, the extracts showed equal antifungal activity against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis (MIC; 16µ mL-1). In our study, antimicrobial activity of the natural compounds and ingredients of selected magistrals have found to be promising with MIC values of 16-32µ mL-1. According to the results of our antimicrobial activity studies, utilization of Juniperus extracts in antimicrobial magistral formulations can be suggested.