Oral administration of synthetic selenium nanoparticles induced robust Th1 cytokine pattern after HBs antigen vaccination in mouse model.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is known as a life-threatening liver infection and leads to chronic liver disease if left untreated. Nevertheless, the prevalence of HBV infection has been reduced by an approved vaccination approach using recombinant Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) and Alum, known as the HBV vaccine. Alum can be used as an adjuvant to increase HBsAg immunogenicity as a strong Th2 stimulator. There is a vital need to stimulate Th1 immunity by HBsAg vaccination; however, the present vaccine does not induce a prophylactic immune response in some groups. The main aim of the present study was to induce a Th1 cytokine pattern and stimulate an immune response after HBsAg vaccination. Experimental mice were fed selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and were later immunized with 5µg of Hepatitis B Vaccine. After a period of 30 days, the experimental animals were given two booster doses of SeNPs during their vaccination course. Group one, i.e., the control vaccine group, was only administered the HBsAg vaccine. The two treated groups, Groups 2 and 3, were daily fed different doses of SeNPs (100µg and 200µg, respectively) via gavage. Group four was considered the control group and was only given phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Lymphocyte proliferation, IFN-γ and IL-4 levels, total antibody and the isotypes of IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgM were measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The administration of SeNPs and the HBs antigen vaccine affected the lymphocyte proliferation; moreover, the total antibody responses also increased the IFN-γ level and induced a Th1 response. CONCLUSIONS: The present study proposed that the administration of SeNPs with a conventional HBs antigen vaccine induces a better immune response with a Th1 bias.

Monoterpenes as nitrofurantoin resistance modulating agents: minimal structural requirements, molecular dynamics simulations, and the effect of piperitone on the emergence of nitrofurantoin resistance in Enterobacteriaceae.

The effects of different monoterpenes and 2-cyclohexen-1-one on the antibacterial activity of nitrofurantoin against resistant Enterobacter cloacae, were compared and the minimal structural component of monoterpene required for the highest level of resistance-modulating activity was determined. Subinhibitory concentrations of all compounds tested enhanced the antibacterial activity of nitrofurantoin against E. cloacae to different extents. The highest synergistic effect was observed for the monoterpenes, like piperitone, which contained a conjugated ketone and C=C bond in their carbon ring structure. Piperitone also suppressed the emergence of nitrofurantoin-resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae that were mutagenized by ethyl methanesulfonate. The modes of interaction of carvone, piperitone, and an enzyme inhibitor, benzoate, with nitroreductase were investigated by molecular docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation for 20 ns. MD simulation supported greater stability of the benzoate and monoterpene-nitroreductase (NR) complexes than of free NR. The results of this investigation are promising for the synthesis of more effective lead compounds to enhance the antibacterial activity of nitro drugs against resistant Enterobacter strains.

Extracellular production of silver nanoparticles by using three common species of dermatophytes: Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis.

BACKGROUND: To develop a new green approach for biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles, myconanotechnology has been represented as a novel field of study in nanotechnology. In this study, we have reported the extracellular synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles using three species of dermatophytes: Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis. METHODS: Clinical strains of these species were grown in a liquid medium containing mineral salt and incubated at 25°C for 5-7 days. The cell-free filtrate of each culture was obtained and subjected to synthesize silver nanoparticles in the presence of 1 mM AgNO3. RESULTS: The reduction of Ag+ ions in metal nanoparticles was investigated virtually by tracing the solution color which was switched into reddish-light brown after 72 h. For T. mentagrophytes, a UV-visible spectra demonstrating a strong, quite narrow peak located between 422 and 425 nm was obtained. For M. canis, a fairly wide peak centering at 441 nm and for T. rubrum, a weak spectrum to decipher were observed. According to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results, fairly uniform, spherical, and small in size with almost less than 50 nm particles were forms in case of T. mentagrophytes. For the other two species, TEM images showed existence of small spherical nanosilvers but not as small as nanoparticles synthesized by T. mentagrophytes. CONCLUSION: We observed that species belong to a single genus of the fungi have variable ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles extracellulary with different efficiency. Furthermore, the extracellular synthesis may make the process simpler and easier for following processes.

Flavonoids, cinnamic acid and phenyl propanoid from aerial parts of Scrophularia striata.

No phytochemical investigation regarding Scrophularia striata Boiss. (Scrophulariaceae) has been performed, although several reports about other Scrophularia species have been published. The inhibitory effects of aerial parts of S. striata on matrix metalloproteinase expression elaborate a new approach to treat variety of malignant and inflammatory disorders. Five known compounds, including cinnamic acid, three flavonoids (quercetine, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside and nepitrin) and one phenyl propanoid glycoside (acteoside 1) were isolated from S. striata Boiss. by chromatographic techniques and the structures of compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods. This is the first report regarding the isolation of these compounds from S. striata.

ZnO nanoparticles enhanced antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Nanoparticle metal oxides offer a wide variety of potential applications in medicine due to the unprecedented advances in nanobiotechnology research. In this work, the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles prepared by mechano-chemical method on the antibacterial activity of different antibiotics was evaluated using disk diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The average size of ZnO nanoparticles was between 20 nm and 45 nm. Although ZnO nanoparticles (500 microg/disk) decreased the antibacterial activity of amoxicillin, penicillin G, and nitrofurantoin in S. aureus, the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin increased in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles in both test strains. A total of 27% and 22% increase in inhibition zone areas was observed for ciprofloxacin in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles in S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. The enhancing effect of this nanomaterial on the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin was further investigated at three different contents (500, 1000, and 2000 microg/disk) against various clinical isolates of S. aureus and E. coli The enhancing effect of ZnO nanoparticles on the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin was concentration-dependent against all test strains. The most enhancing activities were observed in the contents of the 2000 microg/disk.

Inhibitory effect of aerial parts of Scrophularia striata on matrix metalloproteinases expression.

It has been shown that destruction of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) leads to tumor invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. The aim of the present research was to verify the effects of a total extract and sequential extracts of Scrophularia striata Boiss (Scrophulariaceae) on MMPs activity. The fibro sarcoma cell line (wehi-164) was used to assess MMPs inhibitory effect. The MMPs activity was evaluated using a zymoanalysis method. The results of this study showed that the highest MMPs inhibitory effect (55.6%) was observed after treatment with 10 microg/mL of the high polarity methanol solution extract corresponding to its lowest cytotoxicity effect (4%). It is concluded that the aerial parts of S. striata might contain various polar compounds that inhibit MMPs.

Synthesis and effect of silver nanoparticles on the antibacterial activity of different antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have been known to have inhibitory and bactericidal effects. Resistance to antimicrobial agents by pathogenic bacteria has emerged in recent years and is a major health problem. The combination effects of Ag-NPs with the antibacterial activity of antibiotics have not been studied. Here, we report on the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles of silver using a reduction of aqueous Ag(+) ion with the culture supernatants of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Also in this article these nanoparticles are evaluated for their part in increasing the antimicrobial activities of various antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The antibacterial activities of penicillin G, amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and vancomycin were increased in the presence of Ag-NPs against both test strains. The highest enhancing effects were observed for vancomycin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G against S. aureus.

A TLC bioautographic assay for the detection of nitrofurantoin resistance reversal compound.

A simple TLC bioautographic method was developed for detection of antibiotic resistance reversal agents. In this study, the retention factor values of the components of some essential oils not previously shown to have any antibacterial activity were evaluated on nitrofurantoin supplemented agar media. The active component of Artemisia annua, Artemisia dracunculus and Eucalyptus globulus essential oils was piperitone which increased the antibacterial activity of nitrofurantoin against Enterobacter cloacae. Piperitone was not detected in the essential oil of Humulus lupulus and we could not observe any clear areas in this bioautographic method.

Comparison of essential oils from three plants for enhancement of antimicrobial activity of nitrofurantoin against enterobacteria.

BACKGROUND: Piperitone from plant essential oils enhancesbactericidal activities of nitrofurantoin and furazolidone against bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae. In this study, the essential oils of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.)were screened for augmentation of nitrofurantoin activity and the most active components were determined. METHOD: The effects of essential oils and their components on the bactericidal activity of nitrofurantoin against Enterobacter cloacae were studied using disk-diffusion and agar-dilution methods. The composition of essential oils was studied using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: M. spicata and A. graveolens oils exhibited the highest effects. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the oils of these two plants contained 40.12 and 20.32% carvone, respectively. Pure carvone and piperitone equally increased the bactericidal activity of nitrofurantoin. Other ingredients of essential oils, including camphor, limonene and menthone, were less effective.

Chemopreventive effect of Cousinia shulabadensis Attar & Ghahraman ethanol extract.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in several pathologic processes such as malignancy in which they facilitate invasion and metastasis and can be targets for anticancer therapies. Here, in this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity effect of Cousinia shulabadensis Attar & Ghahraman extract as well as its impact on MMPs activity using a model of cell line (Fibrosarcoma-Wehi164). To assess anti-invasiveness potentials, a modified zymoanalysis method was used to measure MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in the conditioned-media. The concentration necessary to produce 50% cell death was >80 microg/ml for ethanol extract of Cousinia shulabadensis, while a 23 microg/ml concentration of the diclofenac sodium produced the same effect. The invasion of WEHI 164 cells was considerably inhibited at concentrations > 20 microg/ml by total plant extract. The total extract of the plant did not show high toxicity at all tested concentrations, but demonstrated significant inhibition of MMP activity in dose-response fashion.

Antimicrobial activity and main chemical composition of two smoke condensates from Peganum harmala seeds.

The smoke of Peganum harmala seeds is traditionally used in Iran as a disinfectant agent. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of two smoke condensates from Peganum harmala seeds. Furthermore the composition of smoke preparations was studied using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analysis. The most prevalent compound detected in a dichloromethane extract was harmine. Standard harmine as well as the dichloromethane extract showed antimicrobial activity against all test strains. Harmine was not detected in an n-hexane extract and we did not observe antimicrobial activity from this smoke preparation at the tested concentrations.

Umbelliprenin from Ferula persica roots inhibits the red pigment production in Serratia marcescens.

The chloroform extract of Ferula persica var. persica roots was found to inhibit red pigment production of Serratia marcescens. A bioguided fractionation study by preparative thin layer chromatography (PTLC) detected a fraction (Rf = 0.71, petroleum ether/EtOAc, 2:1 v/v), which was effective on depigmentation of Serratia marcescens. Using conventional spectroscopy methods, the active fraction was identified as umbelliprenin. Neither the chloroform extract nor the isolated umbelliprenin fraction showed any antibacterial activity against the test strain at a certain concentration. In contrast, they exhibited depigmentation zones on culture plates.