Investigation of Thionins from Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seeds Showing Cytotoxic, Regulatory and Antifungal Activity.

Thionins (NsW1 and NsW2), earlier isolated from the seeds of endemic Middle-Asian black cumin (Aligella sativa L.), showing signilicant inhibitory action on some bacterial and yeast pathogens were investigated for cytotoxic properties against several tumor cell lines (AsPC-1, Colo357, RD and Jukart) in vitro within nano- and micromolar ranges of the active concentrations and as modulators of expression of the genes controlling conversion of normal cells to malignant ones. Suppression of the expression of the genes from MMP, RhoA, miR21 families in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells was observed, whereas the influence of the molecules on the genes in normal blood cells was not identified. It was shown that the thionins from black cumin induced almost 90% of the cell death in RD and Jukart lines. Moreover, the polypeptides inhibited clinical isolates of Aspergillus ochraceus and A.fimigatus at the level comparable with that of amphotericin B. The data demonstrated that the peptides could be considered as perspective antitumor and antimycotic agents.

[Investigation of antimycotic susceptibility of Candida krusei clinical isolates from pulmonary tuberculosis patients].

The results of the laboratory diagnosis of secondary infections of the bronchi and lungs due to Candida krusei strains isolated from patients with respiratory tract tuberculosis are presented. The activity of fluconazole, amphothericin B, itraconazole, ketoconazole, myconazole and 5-fluorocytosin against the C. krusei isolates from a tuberculosis clinic within 2003-2008 was tested. A decrease in the number of the C. krusei isolates susceptible to fluconazole from 30% in 2003 to 0% in 2008 was recorded.

[Opportunistic fungi isolated from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (characterization of species)].

The species composition of pathogenic fungi isolated from various clinical materials was studied in the diagnosis of respiratory mycotic infections in patients with tuberculosis. The paper presents data on the composition of detected opportunistic microscopic fungi from a group of likely pathogens of bronchopulmonary mycoses, as well as fungi that have pronounced toxicogenic and allergenic properties.

[Efficiency of treatment of Candida-induced lower respiratory tract lesions in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

The paper describes the results of a clinical trial of itraconasole as suspension in the treatment of Candida-induced lower respiratory tract lesions in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. The first course of the therapy stopped the growth of fungal culture in 34 (68%) patients; after its repeated course, there were 42 (84%) recovered patients out of 50. After the first course of orangul therapy, there was a decrease in the titer of fungal growth in 15 (30%) patients. The repeated course of the therapy resulted in fungal eradication in 8 of the 15 patients, a further decrease in the baseline titer of the fungi was observed in 4 patients. The treatment was ineffective only in 1 (2%) patient, which was associated with the progression of disseminated pulmonary tuberculosisand with the presence of the dose-dependent fungal strain C. glabrata.

[Respiratory tract mycotic infection in phthisiological practice: species composition and susceptibility of the Candida clinical isolates to antifungal agents].

The results of the laboratory diagnosis of respiratory tract candidiasis in patients with tuberculosis of the respiratory organs within 2-year observation in a tuberculosis clinic were generalized. The species composition of 327 isolates of the pathogens of the respiratory tract mycotic infection and the frequency of their detection in the specimens of various clinical material from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were determined. The data on the resistance of the Candida spp. isolates to 6 antifungal drugs are presented. The number of the strains resistant to azol drugs (intraconazol and fluconazol) amounted to 10% of the total number of the Candida spp. isolates.

[Distribution of microscopic fungi along Moscow roads]. / Rasprostranenie mikroskopicheskikh gribov v pridorozhnykh zonakh gorodskikh avtomagistralei.

The distribution of microscopic fungi in soils and surface air along some Moscow roads was studied from 1994 through 2000 at several distances (0, 5, 10, and 20 m) from the roads. Soil fungal complexes in roadside zones with different levels of pollution from automobile engines were found to differ in their composition, species structure, and biomorphology. Relatively far from the roads, the content of fungal mycelium diminished, while that of fungal spores increased. Close to the roads, fungal complexes in soil and surface air were dominated by dark melanin-containing fungi. The microscopic fungal complexes of soil and surface air along the roadsides were similar but differed in the relative abundance of some species.