Multifactorial action of lavender and lavandin oils against filamentous fungi.

AIMS: In this study, five essential oils (EOs) from different species of Lavandula hybrida abrialis, for Lavandula hybrida R.C., Lavandula hybrida 'super A', Lavandula hybrida 'super Z' and Lavandula vera and its hybrids Lavender were evaluated against 26 dust-isolated fungal strains from North Africa. METHODS AND RESULTS: The composition of the different EOs was determined from volume to dry weight. The photochemical analyses were performed via gas chromatography (GC). The cytotoxic effect of five lavender EOs on human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) cell line was done. A total of 26 strains of filamentous fungi including Aspergillus spp., Botrytis cinerea, Ceriporia spp., Fusarium spp. and Penicillium glabrum were isolated from sand dust samples via molecular diagnostic tool of PCR. Fungal strains with the lowest minimal lethal concentration (MLC) were Penicillium glabrum, Ceriporia spp. and a strain of Aspergillus spp. CONCLUSIONS: More studies are needed to verify the activity of this EO against more different fungal species, and determine the active ingredients.Significance and impact of study: MIC of the antifungal efficacy relating to EOs was evaluated. The EOs tests showed no cytotoxic effect at very low concentrations, ranging from 0.03% (IC50 0.9132 mg/mL) (L. hybrid Abrialis) to 0.001% (IC50 1.631 mg/mL) (L. hybrid R.C.).

Metagenomics of black grains: new highlights in the understanding of eumycetoma.

BACKGROUND: Eumycetoma is a chronic subcutaneous granulomatous disease that is endemic in Sudan and other countries. It can be caused by eight different fungal orders. The gold standard diagnostic test is culture, however, culture-independent methods such as imaging, histopathological and molecular techniques can support diagnosis, especially in cases of negative cultures. METHODS: The amplicon-based internal transcribed spacer 2 metagenomic technique was used to study black grains isolated from 14 tissue biopsies from patients with mycetoma. Furthermore, mycological culture and surgical biopsy histopathological examinations of grains were performed. RESULTS: Madurella mycetomatis (n=5) and Falciformispora spp. (n=4) organisms were identified by culture and confirmed by metagenomics. Metagenomics recognised, at the species level, Falciformispora as Falciformispora tompkinsii (n=3) and Falciformispora senegalensis (n=1), while in culture-negative cases (n=5), Madurella mycetomatis (n=3), Falciformispora senegalensis (n=1) and Fusarium spp. (n=1) were identified. Interestingly, the metagenomics results showed a 'consortium' of different fungi in each sample, mainly Ascomycota phylum, including various species associated with eumycetoma. The microbial co-occurrence in eumycetoma showed the co-presence of Madurella with Trichoderma, Chaetomium, Malasseziales and Sordariales spp., while Falciformispora co-presented with Inocybe and Alternaria and was in mutual exclusion with Subramaniula, Aspergillus and Trichothecium. CONCLUSION: Metagenomics provides new insights into the aetiology of eumycetoma in samples with negative culture and into the diversity and complexity of grains mycobiota, calling into question the accuracy of traditional culture for the identification of causative agents.

Iron deficiency anaemia and low BMI among adolescent girls in India: the transition from 2005 to 2015.

OBJECTIVE: The current study explored changes in trend of anaemia and BMI among currently pregnant nullipara adolescent women against socio-economic determinants in India from 2005 through 2015. The association between anaemia in currently pregnant nullipara adolescent women v. currently pregnant nullipara older women of reproductive age was also explored. DESIGN: We used the 2005 and the 2015 nationally representative Indian Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). The outcomes of interest, anaemia and BMI, were measured based on the DHS methodology following WHO standards and indicators. Place of residence, educational attainment and wealth quintiles were used as determinants in the analysis. SETTING: India. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 696 adolescent girls from the India 2005 DHS and 3041 adolescent girls from the India 2015 DHS. RESULTS: The 10-year transition from 2005 to 2015 showed differences between the least and most wealthy sections of society, with heaviest gains in anaemia reduction over time among the latter (from 50·0 to < 40·0 %). The odds of anaemia were significantly higher among the adolescent population when compared with adult women both in 2005 and in 2015 (OR = 1·2). CONCLUSIONS: Despite an overall improvement in the prevalence of both BMI < 18·5 and anaemia among adolescents nullipara in India, the adjusted risk of anaemia in the latter category was still significantly higher as compared with their adult counterparts. Since the inequalities evidenced during the first round of DHS remained unchanged in 2015, more investments in universal health care are needed in India.

A novel ionic amphiphilic chitosan derivative as a stabilizer of nanoemulsions: Improvement of antimicrobial activity of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil.

Amphiphilic chitosans have been recently proposed to improve delivery of poorly soluble drugs. In the present paper a derivative obtained by ionic interaction between chitosan and oleic acid was for the first time studied to physically stabilize o/w nanoemulsions of an antimicrobial essential oil, Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass), in a low energy and mild conditions emulsification process. The novel combination of spontaneous emulsification process with chitosan oleate amphiphilic properties resulted in a stable dispersion of a few hundred nanometer droplets. Positive zeta potential confirmed the presence of a chitosan shell around the oil droplets, which is responsible for the nanoemulsion physical stabilization and for the maintenance of chitosan bioactive properties, such as mucoadhesion. Cytotoxicity test was performed on four different cell lines (HEp-2, Caco-2, WKD and McCoy cells) showing biocompatibility of the system. The maintenance and in some cases even a clear improvement in the essential oil antimicrobial activity towards nine bacterial and ten fungal strains, all of clinical relevance was verified for Lemongrass nanoemulsion.