Investigation of EpsA, OmpA, and Bap Genes among MDR and XDR Acinetobacter baumannii Isolatesin Khorramabad, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic hospital pathogen with high antibiotic resistance, and the ability to produce biofilm. This study aimed to investigate epsA, ompA, and bap genes involved in biofilm formation in MDR and XDR clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii in Khorramabad, Iran. METHODS: In this study, 79 A.baumannii isolates were collected from various samples of the patients admitted to tertiary hospitals in Khorramabad city, Iran, between January and August 2019. After performing the semi-quantitative evaluation of biofilm production by microtiter plate assay, screening of isolates carrying epsA, ompA, and bap genes was done by PCR method. Finally, statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 22. RESULTS: Among 79 A.baumannii isolates, 52% XDR, 40% MDR, and 16% non-XDRMDR isolates were found to be biofilm producers. All XDR and 94% MDR isolates had ompA and epsA genes, and bap genes were detected among > 80% of these isolates. Moreover, the presence of biofilm-related genes and biofilm production among non-XDRMDR isolates were less than among resistant isolates (p≤ 0.01). CONCLUSION: Based on the results, biofilm production and simultaneous presence of epsA, ompA, and bap genes among MDR, and XDR A. baumannii isolates have been found to be significantly more than non-XDR-MDR isolates.

Expression of mRNA-TLR-5 Gene in Patients with Endometriosis using Real-Time PCR in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is one of the common diseases of women, especially in reproductive age, and it is one of the most important causes of infertility in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of mRNA-TLR-5 expression in women with endometriosis. METHODS: The present study was performed in Nikan Hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2021. The samples of endometrial mucosa for the eutopic group and an ovarian endometriotic cyst for the ectopic group were obtained from the patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery at the Fetal Infertility Center and were diagnosed with endometriosis. Normal endometrial samples were also obtained from patients who had no history of infertility and underwent laparoscopic TL surgery for reasons other than endometriosis such as ovarian cysts (control group). After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis, TLR-5 gene expression was evaluated by the Real-Time PCR method. RESULTS: Based on the results of the comparison of TLR-5 gene expression in all three ectopic, eutopic endometrium, and control groups by Real-Time PCR, it was found that the TLR-5 gene expression is significantly higher in ectopic samples than in the other two groups, but there is a significant difference between two utopic and control groups. CONCLUSION: The increase in TLR-5 expression in the ectopic group can probably be a reason for reducing the apoptosis of cells entered into the peritoneal cavity and creating an environment for the survival and proliferation of these cells.

The Prevalence of Virulence Factors among ESBLs-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Khorramabad Hospitals, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the opportunistic bacteria that cause hospital infections. Various virulence factors are involved in its pathogenesis. The purpose of our study was to investigate the prevalence of virulence factor genes entB, mrkD, magA, kfu, iutA, rmpA, ybtS, and k2 among ESBLs-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from clinical samples of Khorramabad hospitals in Iran. METHODS: In this descriptive, analytical study, the extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) screening phenotypic test was performed by disc diffusion method, and virulence factor genes were detected by PCR method for Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. Finally, the obtained data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software (version 21) using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: One hundred and ten K. pneumoniae strains were isolated from urine 69 (62.7%), sputum 16 (14.5%), blood 10 (9.1%), wound 9 (8.2%), tissue 3 (2.7%), body fluids 2 (1.8%), and catheter 1(0.9%). Based on an ESBL screening phenotypic test, 57 (51.8%) K. pneumoniae isolates were ESBLs-producing. Among 57 ESBLs-positive K. pneumoniae, the occurrence of mrkD, entB, ybtS, iutA, kfu, k2, and rmpA genes were 88 (80%), 87 (79.1%), 65 (59.1%), 42 (38.2%), 19 (17.3%), 5 (4.5%), 3 (2.7%), and 2 (1.8%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study revealed, there is no significant association between the occurrence of virulence genes or source of samples with production of ESBLs among K. pneumoniae isolates.

Efflux Pump and Biofilm Inhibitory Activity of Nanoparticles in Acinetobacter Baumannii: a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii produce biofilm and efflux pumps. This systematic review study aimed to provide new strategies to inhibit the efflux pumps and biofilm in A. baumannii using nanoparticles. METHODS: In this research, analyses from 2000 to February 24, 2022, were performed by the Statement of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). Keywords include Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) AND (biofilm) AND (anti-biofilm activity) AND (nanoparticles) AND (solid lipid NPS) AND (lipid nanocarriers), and in other searches include Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumanni) AND (efflux pumps) AND (nanoparticles) AND (solid lipid NPS) AND (lipid nanocarriers). Searches were conducted in English databases, including Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Cochrane. RESULTS: At first, 136 studies were extracted, but after removing duplicates, 116 cases remained for further analysis. After evaluating the title and abstract of each study, 95 unrelated studies were excluded. The remaining 25 studies were reviewed based on full texts. Considering the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 19 studies were selected. In this study, metal nanoparticles were the most used nanoparticles for anti-biofilm and efflux pump purposes, and among these nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) contributed the most. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that nanoparticles have potential and significant effects in inhibiting biofilm and efflux pumps in A. baumannii isolates, which researchers can consider in light of the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance.

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in HIV-Infected Individuals in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan that can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Patients with co-infection with toxoplasmosis and HIV have a 30-40% risk of developing toxoplasmosis encephalitis. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology and burden of Toxoplasma gondii in HIV-infected individuals in Iran. METHODS: We searched the five English databases (Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Embase, and Cochrane) and four Persian databases (Scientific Information Database (SID), Iran Medex, Iran Doc, and Magiran) with the terms of (Toxoplasma gondii OR "toxoplasmosis") AND (HIV OR "AIDS" OR immunodeficiency OR acquired immune deficiency syndrome) AND (Seroprevalence) AND (Seroepidemiologic Studies) AND (Elisa OR IgG) AND (PCR) AND (Iran) by two authors up to Feb 2021. Studies were included if they investigated people with HIV infection and presented data that allowed us to establish the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Iran. RESULTS: According to the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 15 studies were selected. A total number of 2275 HIV-infected individuals were tested and evaluated for toxoplasmosis from 2005 up to 2018 in different regions of Iran. The weighted overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis in HIV-infected individuals with Elisa was obtained using a random-effects model, which was estimated at 47% (95% CI = 31% - 62%). Also, the Weighted overall prevalence of toxoplasmosis in HIV-infected individuals with PCR was obtained using a random-effects model, which was estimated at 7% (95% CI = 3% - 12%). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, it can be clearly understood that a large population of HIV patients living in Iran have toxoplasmosis. Therefore, due to the high susceptibility of these groups to toxoplasmosis, healthcare professionals must consider measures such as training in the ways of transmission and prevention of the infection to this high-risk group in order to reduce the risk of infection.

Nanoparticles as Potent Agents for Treatment of Schistosoma Infections: A Systematic Review.

Background: Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. The current drugs for treating schistosomiasis are associated with some side effects. Objective: The aim of this systematic study was an overview of the treatment of diseases caused by Schistosoma based on nanoparticles. Methods: In the present systematic research with keywords "Schistosoma", "parasitism", "anti-Schistosoma activity", "nanoparticles", "metal nanoparticles", "silver nanoparticles", "gold nanoparticles", "polymer nanoparticles", "PLGA nanoparticles", "nanoemulsions", "in vitro", and "in vivo" from five English-language databases, including ScienceDirect, europePMC, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Cochrane were searched from 2000 to 2022 by 2 researchers. Results: In the initial search, 250 studies were selected. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 27 articles were finally selected after removing duplicate, unrelated, and articles containing full text. In present article, the most nanoparticles used against Schistosoma were gold nanoparticles (22%). Conclusions: The results indicate the high potential of various nanoparticles, including metal nanoparticles, against Schistosoma. Also, the remarkable anti-schistosomal activity of nanoparticles suggests their use in different fields to eliminate this pathogenic microorganism so that it can be used as an effective candidate in the preparation of anti-schistosomal compounds because these compounds have fewer side effects than chemical drugs. Ther Res Clin Exp. 2023; XX:XXX-XXX).

Molecular epidemiology typing of blaOXA-48 and blaNDM-1 producing Klebsiella pneumoniae causing nosocomial infection.

In this study the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and bla genes were characterized in Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates that fingerprinted by rep-PCR and PFGE methods at Kurdistan Province, Iran. A total of 70 K. pneumoniae were isolated from clinical samples to detect the antimicrobial susceptibility, carbapenemase and MBL-producing isolates. The PCR assay was used to identify the bla genes. Isolates were typed by PFGE and Rep-PCR methods. The highest and lowest rates of resistance were observed in cefotaxime (67.1%) and imipenem (8.6%), respectively. The rate of blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-48 genes were 1 (1.4%) and 14 (20%) isolates, respectively. All were classified in 27 clusters by rep-PCR and 39 PFGE types. The low frequency of carbapenemase and MBL genes in this study are epidemiologically important.

Synthesis, characterization, and antiparasitic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles-eugenol nanosuspension against Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Background: In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles-coated with eugenol (ZnO@Eug) were synthesized and evaluated as a nanosuspension (NSus) formulation against Toxoplasma gondii in vitro and in vivo. Methods: An anti-Toxoplasma activity assay for ZnO@Eug NSus was conducted in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of ZnO@Eug NSus by detecting several functional groups involved; EDX and SEM demonstrated the grain of ZnO-NPs embedded with Eug and compositional purity. Results: Surface charge (ZP) and size distribution (DLS) of ZnO@Eug NSus were determined to be -22.7 mV and 109.6 nm, respectively. According to the release kinetics, approximately 60% of the ZnO-NPs and Eug were released in the first 45 min. In the cytotoxicity assay, ZnO-NPs, Eug, and ZnO@Eug NSus had IC50 values of 71.85, 22.39, and 2.02 mg/mL, respectively. The therapeutic efficacy of ZnO@Eug against T. gondii was 56.3%, which was not significantly different from that of spiramycin (58.9%) (Positive-control). The tissue tachyzoites in the liver, spleen, and peritoneum were less than 50% in groups treated with Eug, spiramycin, and ZnO@Eug NSus compared to the control. ZnO@Eug-treated groups showed a survival rate of up to 13 days. Conclusions: The ZnO@Eug NSus demonstrated antiparasitic activity against T. gondii with minimal toxic effects and high efficiency in increasing the survival of infected mice. The nanoformulations of ZnO-NPs incorporated with Eug could, in the future, be considered for treating toxoplasmosis in humans and animals if a detailed study was conducted to determine the precise dose and measure side effects.

Green Synthesis, Characterization, and Antiparasitic Effects of Gold Nanoparticles against Echinococcus granulosus Protoscoleces.

Echinococcosis, or hydatidosis, is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, which is initiated by the larval stage in the clasts of Echinococcus granulosus. For the treatment of hydatidosis, surgery is still the preferred method and the first line of treatment for symptomatic patients. Unfortunately, most of the scolicidal agents that are injected inside cysts during hydatid cyst surgery have side effects, including leaking out of the cyst and adverse effects on the living tissue of the host, such as necrosis of liver cells, which limits their use. This work was carried out to study the lethal effect of green synthesized gold nanoparticles (Au-NCs) against hydatid cyst protoscoleces. Au-NCs were green synthesized using the Saturja khuzestanica extract. Au-NCs were characterized by UV-visible absorbance assay, electron microscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Scolicidal properties of Au-NCs (1-5 mg/mL) were studied against protoscoleces for 10-60 min. The effect of Au-NCs on the expression level of the caspase-3 gene as well as the ultrastructural examination was studied by real-time PCR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cytotoxicity of Au-NCs on hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and normal embryonic kidney (HEK293) cell lines was also studied by the cell viability assay. The obtained Au-NCs are cubes and have an average size of 20-30 nm. The highest scolicidal efficacy was observed at 5 mg/mL with 100% mortality after 20 min of treatment for hydatid cyst protoscoleces. In ex vivo, Au-NCs required more incubation time, indicating more protoscolicidal effects. Au-NCs markedly upregulated the gene level of caspase-3 in protoscoleces; whereas they changed the ultra-structure of protoscoleces by weakening and disintegrating the cell wall, wrinkles, and protrusions due to the formation of blebs. We showed the effective in vitro and ex vivo scolicidal effects of Au-NCs against hydatid cyst protoscoleces by provoking the apoptosis process of caspase-3 activation and changing the ultrastructure of protoscoleces with no significant cytotoxicity against human normal cells. However, additional studies should be conducted to determine the possible harmful side effects and accurate efficacy.

Antibacterial Effects of Nanocomposites on Efflux Pump Expression and Biofilm Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic gram-negative pathogen with multiple mechanisms of resistance to antibiotics. This systematic review aimed to study the antibacterial effects of nanocomposites on efflux pump expression and biofilm production in P. aeruginosa. METHODS: The search was conducted from January 1, 2000, to May 30, 2022, using terms such as (P. aeruginosa) AND (biofilm) AND (antibiofilm activity) AND (anti-Efflux Pump Expression activity) AND (nanoparticles) AND (Efflux Pump Expression) AND (Solid Lipid NPS) AND (Nano Lipid Carriers). Many databases are included in the collection, including ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Cochrane. RESULTS: A list of selected articles was retrieved by using the relevant keywords. A total of 323 published papers were selected and imported into the Endnote library (version X9). Following the removal of duplicates, 240 were selected for further processing. Based on the titles and abstracts of the articles, 54 irrelevant studies were excluded. Among the remaining 186 articles, 54 were included in the analysis because their full texts were accessible. Ultimately, 74 studies were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. CONCLUSION: Recent studies regarding the impact of NPs on drug resistance in P. aeruginosa found that various nanostructures were developed with different antimicrobial properties. The results of our study suggest that NPs may be a feasible alternative for combating microbial resistance in P. aeruginosa by blocking flux pumps and inhibiting biofilm formation.

Biosynthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles by Lactobacillus spp. and Investigation of their Antimicrobial Effect.

BACKGROUND: Nanoparticle biology is preferable to other common methods due to its economic efficiency and compatibility with the environment. On the other hand, the prevalence of drug-resistant bacterial strains is expanding and it is necessary to use alternative antibiotic compounds to deal with them. The aim of the present study was the biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles(ZnO NPs) by Lactobacillus spp. and their antimicrobial effect. METHODS: In this study, after the biosynthesis of ZnO NPs by Lactobacillus spp, Characterization of Nanoparticulation Was performed by UV-Vis, XRD, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Additionally, Lactobacillus spp. - ZnO NPs were assessed for their antimicrobial properties. RESULTS: UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed the Lactobacillus spp. - ZnO NPs absorbed UV in the region of 300-400 nm. XRD analysis showed the presence of zinc metal in nanoparticles. SEM revealed that Lactobacillus plantarum - ZnO NPs were smaller than the others. Staphylococcus aureus showed the largest non-growth halo diameter against ZnO NPs synthesized by L. plantarum ATCC 8014 (3.7 mm). E. coli had the largest growth halo diameter against ZnO NPs synthesized by L. casei (3 mm) and L. plantarum (2.9 mm). The MIC values of ZnO NPs synthesized by L. plantarum ATCC 8014, L.casei ATCC 39392, L. fermenyum ATCC 9338, L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 were 2,8,8 and 4 µg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus. The MIC values of ZnO NPs synthesized by L. plantarum ATCC 8014, L. casei ATCC 39392, L. fermenyum ATCC 9338, L. acidophilus ATCC 4356 were 2, 4, 4, and 4 µg/ml for E. coli. The lowest MICs were 2 µg/ml for E. coli and S. aureus related to ZnO NPs synthesized by L. plantarum ATCC 8014. MIC and MBC values were equivalent to each other. CONCLUSION: The results of this research show that ZnO NPs synthesized by L. plantarum ATCC 8014 have more antimicrobial effects than other ZnO NPs used. Therefore, the ZnO NPs made with Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 have the potential to kill bacteria and can be considered a candidate for antibiotic replacement.

Isolation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens M13-RW0 from Soil and Evaluation of its Antifungal Activity.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of observed invasive Aspergillosis has increased in recent years. Infection with other molds happens but does not lead to a large proportion of invasive infections. The present study aims to isolate Bacillus amyloliquefaciens M13-RW0 from soil and evaluate its antifungal effects against some saprophytic fungi, such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Mucor hiemalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this research, a total of 150 samples (from the soil, air, and surfaces) were prepared from different parts of Isfahan, Iran. Isolation and purification of growing bacteria were conducted using the nutrient agar medium. The inhibitory effects of 100 isolated bacteria were evaluated against the growth of A. niger, A. flavus, and M. hiemalis, 4 bacteria were isolated with inhibitory effects against the selected fungi, and consequently, one of the bacteria isolated from the soil samples was found to show the highest inhibition of fungal growth. Quantitative evaluation of the growth inhibitory effect was performed using linear culturing of fungal suspension (104 spore/ml) at distances of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30mm from bacterial isolate (0.5 McFarland) on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) medium. Results were checked 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours later. The bacterial isolate with the most inhibitory effect was identified by phenotypic and molecular tests. RESULTS: According to the results, among the 4 inhibitory bacterial isolates, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain M13-RW01, isolated from the soil samples, was identified as the bacterium with the most significant potential antifungal activity. The strong inhibitory effect was revealed after 48 hours for all distances of 15mm and more between the fungi and the bacterium. CONCLUSION: The identified bacterium could not only be considered an inhibitor bacterium against saprophytic fungi but could also be put forward to help produce new antifungal drugs for controlling fungal diseases.

Antifungal Effect of Carrot Carotenoids on Candida Species.

BACKGROUND: Candidiasis is a serious problem in women's health that is caused by Candida species, especially Candida albicans. In this study, the effect of carotenoids in carrot extracts on Candida species including Candida albicans ATCC1677, Candida glabrata CBS2175, Candida parapsilosis ATCC2195, and Candida tropicalis CBS94 was investigated. METHODS: In this descriptive study, the carrot plant was prepared from a carrot planting site in December 2012, and then the characteristics of the plant were determined. After extracting carotenoids from carrots, the susceptibility of different Candida species to carotenoids in carrot extract was determined. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum lethal concentration of the extracts were measured by the macro-dilution method. Finally, the data were analyzed by SPSS software using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney post-hoc test with Bonferroni adjustment. RESULTS: The highest growth inhibition zone was obtained for carrot extract at a concentration of 500 mg/ml for C. glabrata and C. tropicalis. The MFC of carrot extract on Candida species was 62.5 mg/ml for C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis, and 125 mg/ml for C. tropicalis. The MFC of carrot extract on Candida species was 125 mg/ml for C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis, and 250 mg/ml for C. tropicalis. CONCLUSION: The present study can be the starting point for research activities in this direction and promises new therapies based on the use of carotenoids.

The Prevalence of bla VIM, bla KPC, bla NDM, bla IMP, bla SHV, bla TEM, bla CTX-M, and class I and II integrons Genes in Aeromonas hydrophila Isolated from Clinical Specimens of Qom, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Aeromonas hydrophila is an opportunistic gram-negative bacillus that causes diseases such as gastroenteritis, muscle infections, soft tissue, sepsis, and skin diseases in humans. Today, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has led to treatment failure and prolonged treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the level of antibiotic resistance in isolates carrying bla VIM, bla KPC, bla NDM, bla IMP, bla SHV, bla TEM, bla CTX-M and class I and II integrons in Aeromonas hydrophila. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, Aeromonas hydrophila were collected from different clinical specimens in Hazrat Masoumeh Hospital, Qom Province, Iran, from 2018 to 2020. The collected isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. Then, using specific primers bla VIM, bla KPC, bla NDM, bla IMP, bla SHV, bla TEM, bla CTX-M genes, and class I and II integrons were evaluated by PCR method. Then, data were analyzed using SPSS software and chi-squared tests, and the significance level was determined as p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: During the sample collection period, 100 Aeromonas hydrophila were collected. Based on the results of the antibiotic resistance pattern, the highest and lowest rate of antibiotic resistance to ampicillin (92%) and azithromycin (4%) were determined for both. Among the 100 isolates, 60 isolates produced broad-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and 50 isolates produced carbapenemase. Among the studied beta-lactamase genes, the highest and lowest frequencies were related to bla CTX-M (58%) and bla TEM (1%), respectively. The frequency of class I and II integron genes was 27% and 15%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study of antibiotic resistance, beta-lactamase, and carbapenemase genes showed high resistance in Aeromonas hydrophila, which raises concerns with regard to controlling infection in medical centers. Also, the study of antibiotic resistance in the presence of beta-lactamase genes showed that there was only a significant relationship between the presence of bla CTX-M gene and resistance to imipenem (p = 0.037).

New Strategies in the Treatment of Plasmodium berghei Based on Nanoparticles: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Drug resistance is a current issue affecting parasites caused by Plasmodium. Therefore, researchers have expanded their studies on nanoparticles to find new and effective drugs that can treat drug-resistant strains. The present study systematically investigates the effect of different nanoparticles, including metal, polymer, and lipid nanoparticles, on Plasmodium berghei. METHODS: In this study, English-language online literature was obtained from the databases Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Cochrane to conduct a systematic review. In the search, we used the keywords: (Plasmodium Berghei) AND (Malaria) AND (Parasitemia) AND (antimalarial activity) AND (nanoparticles) AND (Solid lipid NPS) AND (Nano lipid carriers) AND (Artemether) AND (Chloroquine) AND (intraperitoneal) AND (in vivo). Initially, a total of 160 studies were retrieved from the search. After removing duplicates, 80 studies remained. After reviewing the title and abstract of each study, 45 unrelated studies were eliminated. RESULTS: The remaining 35 studies were thoroughly reviewed using the full texts. The final result was 21 studies that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. CONCLUSION: Using these findings, we can conclude that various nanoparticles possess antiparasitic effects that may be applied to emerging and drug-resistant parasites. Together, these findings suggest that nanostructures may be used to design antiparasitic drugs that are effective against Plasmodium berghei.

Evaluation of scolicidal potential of salicylate coated zinc nanoparticles against Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces.

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by larval stages of the Echinococcus genus (metastasis). In this study, salicylate-coated Zinc oxide nanoparticles (SA-ZnO-NPs) were fabricated and characterized by SEM, FTIR and XRD analytical techniques. After that, different doses of SA-ZnO-NPs, SA and ZnO-NPs were taken to assess scolicidal potency. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs were also used to evaluate the morphological deformities of treated protoscoleces. Furthermore, Caspase-3&7 inductions were examined in protoscoleces cysts treated with all formulations. Based on SEM and DLS analyses, the size of SA-ZnO-NPs was between 30 and 40 nm, with a spherical shape. The FTIR spectrum verified the presence of SA functional groups on the ZnO coating. At 20 min, SA-ZnO-NPs at 2000 µg/ml exhibited the greatest activity on protoscolices with 100% mortality, followed by ZnO-NPs at 1500 µg/ml at 10 min and SA alone at 2000 µg/ml at 30 min. The activation of Caspase-3&7 apoptotic enzyme was determined for 2000 µg/ml of SA-ZnO-NPs, ZnO-NPs and SA to be 16.4, 31.4, and 35.7%, respectively. The SEM image revealed apoptogenic alterations and the induction of tegument surface wrinkles, as well as abnormalities in rostellum protoscolices. According to the current study, SA-ZnO-NPs have a high mortality rate against hydatid cyst protoscolices. As a result, further studies on the qualitative assessment of these nanoformulations in vivo and preclinical animal trials seem to be required. Furthermore, the adoption of nano-drugs potentially offers alternative therapeutic approaches to combat hydatid cysts.

Preparation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Assisted by Okra Mucilage and Evaluation of its Biological Activities.

BACKGROUND: In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were biologically synthesized from Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Okra) mucilage fraction (OM). METHODS: Analytical techniques were employed to study the formation and properties of OM-ZnO NPs, including their morphology, shape, size distribution, and surface charges. Additionally, OM-ZnO NPs were assessed for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties. RESULTS: UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed the formation of OM-ZnO NPs, evident by the appearance of an SPR peak at 368.8 nm. The FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated that OM functional groups contribute to the formation and stability of the NPs. Micrographs from TEM and SEM showed that OM-ZnO NPs ranged from 15-40 nm in diameter, whereas hydrodynamic diameter and surface charge values obtained from Zeta and DLS were 72.8 nm and 14.6 mv, respectively. XRD analysis indicated the OM-ZnO NPs were crystalline with a wurtzite structure and a crystallite size of 27.3 nm, while EDX revealed a zinc: oxygen ratio of 67.5:34. Further, the OM-ZnO NPs demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity in response to different types of bacteria. In the antioxidant assay, the OM-ZnO NPs scavenged DPPH with 68.6% of the efficiency of ascorbic acid (100%). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated the cytotoxic efficacy of MO-ZnO NPs against MCF7 cells with an IC50 of 43.99 µg/ml. Overall, the green synthesis of ZnO NPs by OM was successful for many biological applications, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer. Moreover, OM-ZnO NPs can be applied as a biologically-derived nanotherapeutic agent.

Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Activity of Curcumin: A Systematic Review of Pre-clinical Studies.

OBJECTIVE: This study has focused on anti-Toxoplasma gondii activity of curcumin. METHODS: In this systematic review, anti-parasitic activity of Curcuma longa on Toxoplasma gondii was assessed. Therefore, several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and Google Scholar, were searched from 2010 to 2020. RESULTS: Of the 2200 papers retrieved between 2010 and 2020, six articles were reliable and were scrutinized. In 2 in vitro studies, the most used strain was the RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii, whereas among 4 in vivo studies, RH strain was found in 2 (50%) studies, Me49 strain in 1(25%) study, and RH and Me49 strain in 1 (25%) study. In four in vivo studies, the most used animal model was BALB/c, and Swiss albino was found in 1 study (25%) and Albino rats in 1 study (25%). CONCLUSION: Curcumin and nanoparticles formulated with curcumin are new and useful agents for the treatment of parasitic diseases and reduction of drug resistance. The success of this therapeutic approach stems from the specific action of Curcuma longa against parasites and pathogens.

New strategies in the treatment of diseases caused by Acanthamoeba based on nanoparticles: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Acanthamoeba is one of the opportunistic parasites with a global prevalence. Currently, due to the side effects and the emergence of drug resistance to this parasite, much research has been performed on the use of nano-drugs to treat Acanthamoeba-caused diseases. Therefore, this systematic review study aims to evaluate new strategies for treating diseases caused by Acanthamoeba based on nanoparticles (NPs). METHODS: We designed a systematic review based on the articles published in English between 2000 and 2022. Our search strategy was based on syntax and specific tags for each database, including ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, and Cochrane. From the articles, those that had inclusion criteria were selected, and their data were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, 26 studies were selected. Metallic nanoparticles were mostly used against the Acanthamoeba species (80.7%). 19.2% of the studies used polymeric nanoparticles, and 3.8% used emulsion nanoparticles. Most studies (96.1%) were performed in vitro, and only one study (3.8%) was carried out in vivo. Silver NPs were the most used metallic nanoparticles in the studies. The best effect of the anti-Acanthamoeba compound was observed for green synthesized nanoparticles based on stabilization by plant gums, loaded with citrus fruits flavonoids hesperidin (HDN) and naringin (NRG) with a 100% growth inhibition at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: This study showed that chlorhexidine and other plant metabolites loaded with silver and gold nanoparticles increase the anti-Acanthambae activity of these nanoparticles. However, green synthesized nanoparticles based on stabilization by plant gums, loaded with citrus fruits flavonoids hesperidin (HDN) and naringin (NRG), showed the best anti-Acanthambae effect. Nevertheless, further studies should be performed to determine their safety for human use.

WITHDRAWN: Evaluating the Antifungal Activity of Rumex acetosella, Teucrium polium, and Glycyrrihize globra var. violacca on Pathogenic Dermatophytes and Determining Phenolic Compounds

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