ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and biological activity of Salsola tetragona Delile. (Amaranthaceae), a medicinal plant. The study evaluated the antioxidant potential of the crude extract and five fractions of S. tetragona using DPPHâ¢, ABTSâ¢+, CUPRAC, and metal chelating assays. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined using a protein denaturation assay, and the antibacterial activity was determined by the Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus strains. The MTT test and an in vitro scratch assay evaluated the effects on cell viability and cell migration. The potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity was assessed by analyzing the effects on the interaction between ACE2 and Spike protein. The bioactive compounds present in the plant were identified using LC-HR/MS analysis. The crude hydromethanolic extract (STM) and five fractions of S. tetragona, n-hexane (STH), dichloromethane (STD), ethyl acetate (STE), n-butanol (STB), and aqueous (STW) showed significant antioxidant activity in four different tests. In the anti-inflammatory assay, the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited significantly higher activity than Aspirin® (IC50 = 13 ± 5 µg/mL). The crude extract and its fractions showed positive antibacterial activity with similar MICs. In the cytotoxicity assay against the breast cancer cell line MCF7, the dichloromethane fractions (STD) were very effective and demonstrated superiority over the other fractions (IC50 = 98 µg/mL). Moreover, the potential of the extract and fractions as anti-SARS-CoV-2, the ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane fractions demonstrated important activity in this test. LC-HR/MS analysis identified 16 different phenolic compounds, Eleven of which had not been previously reported in the genus Salsola. The results suggest that the extracts of S. tetragona have the potential to become new sources for developing plant-based therapies for managing a range of diseases.
ABSTRACT
Real-life data are needed regarding the appropriate time and selection of vaccination strategies, homologous or heterologous. We aimed to compare neutralizing antibody levels and side effects in different vaccination schemes. The study included 310 Health Care Workers (HCWs) vaccinated with 5 different schemes. Antispike/RBD IgG levels were measured between 28 and 60 days after the last dose. Side effects in participants were recorded, and pharmacovigilance records were reviewed from the outpatient vaccine clinic. Mean age of the participants was 38 ± 11 years of whom 226 (72.9%) were female, and 84 (27.1%) were male. After booster doses, increasing antibody levels were detected in all groups. Mean antibody levels were detected to be statistically lower in 3 doses of inactivated vaccines group. The side effects were no significant difference between groups. Booster dose administration with mRNA vaccines stands out as the most accurate strategy for those at risk of contracting severe COVID-19 and HCWs caring for this population.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Female , Male , Humans , Adult , Middle Aged , COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects , COVID-19/prevention & control , Ambulatory Care Facilities , Immunity , Antibodies, ViralABSTRACT
Geographical variation in the frequency of various gastroduodenal pathologies was shown to be related to the geographical diversity of H. pylori CagA Glu-Pro-Ile-Tyr-Ala (EPIYA) patterns. We examined the EPIYA patterns of H. pylori and the association of EPIYA patterns with gastric cancer (GC) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, in Turkey. The patient group (PG) contained 60 patients [38 GC and 22 duodenal ulcer (DU) patients]. The control group (CG) was 110 individuals [94 gastritis patients and 16 persons with a normal gastrointestinal system (NGIS)]. Specific primers were used for the detection of cagA including empty-site-positive and EPIYA-A, -B, -C, -D PCR. Bands of EPIYA-A, -B, -C were confirmed by DNA sequencing. One hundred and forty-two (83.5 %) strains [60 in the PG (38 GC, 22 DU), 82 in the CG (72 gastritis, 10 NGIS)] were positive for the cagA gene. EPIYA-C with multiple repeats was detected in 34 (23.9 %) strains, and 22 (64.7 %) were from GC patients. EPIYA-C with one repeat was detected in 89 (62.7 %) strains, and 54 (60.7 %) were from gastritis patients. EPIYT was detected in 10 strains, and EPIYA-D was not detected. The number of EPIYA-C with multiple repeats was significantly higher for the PG than for the CG (P < 0.0001). In GC patients, the number of EPIYA-C with multiple repeats was significantly higher than one repeat (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, our study showed that multiple EPIYA-C repeats increases the GC risk by 30.6-fold and the DU risk by 8.9-fold versus the CG. This indicates that Western-type H. pylori strains in Turkey have similar EPIYA motifs to those of neighbouring countries and Western populations.