The inhibition the Tet(K) efflux pump of tetracycline resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis by essential oils from three Salvia species.

UNLABELLED: The inhibition of efflux pumps is an attractive and powerful response to the emergence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Essential oils (EOs) from Salvia fruticosa, Salvia officinalis and Salvia sclarea reduce the minimal inhibition concentration of tetracycline, decrease efflux of antibiotic and decrease the expression of tet(K) gene in tetracycline resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis. In all the cases S. fruticosa was the best one. By using checkerboard and time-killing methods, we found synergistic interactions of EOs with tetracycline. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Our data from molecular and functional analyses of inhibitory effect of Salvia's essential oils, namely from S. fruticosa, on Tet(K) pump of Staphylococcus epidermidis and from modulatory studies may be the starting point for consecutive study of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters and their perspective use in combination therapy. Combination of antibiotic with efflux pump inhibitor would be expected to re-establish susceptibility of the bacteria to antibiotics that became no longer effective due to bacterial resistance through the efflux pumps. The inhibition of an efflux pump can potentially improve the clinical efficacy of an antibiotic and simultaneously decrease the selection of resistant mutants.

Variability of the essential oil from three sorts of Echinacea MOENCH genus during ontogenesis.

Variability of the essential oil from three sorts of Echinacea MOENCH genus during ontogenesis The content and quality of the essential oil in relation to the main ontogenetic stages of plants were studied in three various sorts of Echinacea genus. The comparison included Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea atrorubens, and Echinacea pallida. The differences in the content of the oil in different parts of plants and the abundance of individual oil constituents in oils from the sorts under study at the optimum stage of ripeness for harvest were evaluated as well.

[A study of qualitative properties of the essential oil of Tanacetum vulgare L]. / Studium kvalitatívnych vlastností silice Tanacetum vulgare L.

The study examined the qualitative properties of the essential oil obtained from the flower heads of the species Tanacetum vulgare L. The composition of the essential oil was evaluated in plants from various localities, which differed in the altitude, temperature gradient, as well as soil-climate conditions. With the use of gas chromatography (GC/MS), 49 constituents of the essential oil were separated, out of which 35 was identified. The shares of the constituents in the essential oil differed in dependence on the locality. In the lowest-lying locality with a relatively large sunshine, the content of beta-tujons in the essential oil was the highest, whereas in the regions lying towards the north the content of the essential oil was decreased and the content of camphor was increased. In the northern most region an increased number of chemovars of the camphor-cineole type was observed. In conclusion, it must be said that different climatic and agrotechnical conditions, geographical origin and adaptation of the genotypes of Tanacetum vulgare to the growth conditions can be the causes of the found chemotypes in the localities under examination.

[The content and quality of Melissa officinalis essential oil after application of Rastim 30 DKV]. / Obsah a kvalita silice Melissa officinalis po aplikácii Rastinu 30 DKV.

The paper deals with the evaluation of the content and quality of the essential oil of Melissa officinalis in various leaf insertions in the course of the ontogenetic development of the plant. The quality of the drug after the administration of the preparation Rastin 30 DKV in the form of granules was not changed in comparison with control samples. The experimental work, subsequent analysis of samples, and evaluation of results led to conclusions important from the viewpoint of significant changes in the content and composition of the essential oil taking place in the plant in the course of the vegetation period.

[Qualitative characteristics of selected species of the genus Echinacea Moench]. / Stúdium kvalitatívnych vlastností vybraných druhov rodu Echinacea Moench.

The paper examined the effect of production-technological conditions in relation to the ontogenetic stage of plants in three different species of the genus Echinacea Moench., comparing the species Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea atrorubens, and Echinacea pallida. It also examined the differences in the content of essential oil in different plant organs and evaluated the representation of individual components in the essential oils of the species under study at the stage of the optimal maturity for collection.

[Determination of residual trifluralin in the herbal drug Mentha piperita L]. / Stanovenie rezíduí trifluralinu v droge Mentha piperita L.

A HPLC/UV method was worked out to determine the residues of the herbicide trifluralin in the vegetable drug of the peppermint (M. piperita L.). The yield of the method, determined in model samples, was at least 70%, the determination limit of the method being 0.07 mg.kg-1. The content of trifluralin residues in the vegetable drug of the peppermint plant after application of the preparation Treflan 48 EC (in a dose of administration of 2 kg.ha-1) for the treatment of the growth in a small-plot experiment was below the detection limit of the analytical method.

Gas chromatographic method for determination of uracil herbicides in roots of Echinacea angustifolia Moench (Asteraceae).

A GC/NPD method and a rapid screening TLC method were developed for the simultaneous determination of uracil herbicide residues (bromacil, lenacil, terbacil) in the roots of Echinacea angustifolia Moench (Asteraceae). The uracil herbicide residues were extracted into acetone. After evaporation of acetone from the acetone-water extract the residue was dissolved in water-methanol (5:1 v/v). Cyclohexane was used for removal of the non-polar co-extractives in the sample matrix. After separation of the cyclohexane phase the uracil herbicide residues were extracted into chloroform. This extract was purified on a Florisil column, and residues were eluted with dichloromethane-acetone (9:1, v/v). The cleaned up extract was analysed by the GC/NPD method on a capillary column DB-1 using atrazine as internal standard. A minimum recovery of 70% was attained for contamination levels of 0.02-0.40 mg kg(-1).

[Royleanones in the roots of Salvia officinalis L. of domestic provenance and their antimicrobial activity]. / Royleanóny v koreni Salvia officinalis L. domácej proveniencie a ich antimikróbna aktivita.

The reported investigation of the constituents of the petroleum ether extract of the root of Salvia officinalis L. confirmed the presence of the following diterpene quinones: 12.hydroxy-8, 12-abietadiene-11, 14-dione (royleanone), 7 alpha, 12-dihydroxy-8.12-abistadiene-11-14-dione (horminone) and 7 alpha-acetoxy-12-hydroxy-8, 12-abietadiene-11,14-dione (7-O-acetylhorminone). The compounds were identified on the basic of the interpretation of results of spectral analysis. Isolated royleanones show antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus). A study of abietate diterpenoids in the root of Salvia officinalis L. of Slovak provenance has been performed for the first time.

Immunomodulating activity of Echinacea gloriosa L., Echinacea angustifolia DC. and Rudbeckia speciosa Wenderoth ethanol-water extracts.

The effect of the ethanol-water extracts of Echinacea gloriosa L., Echinacea angustifolia DC. and Rudbeckia speciosa Wenderoth on immunological system of inbred mice was investigated. The extract of the root of Rudbeckia speciosa had the highest immunostimulatory activity.

The effect of herbicides on the qualitative properties of healing plants. Part 2: Content and composition of the essential oil from Salvia officinal is L. after application of Afalon 50 WP.

The aim of our work was to study the changes of the content and quality of volatile oil in Salvia officinalis L. being treated with Afalon 50 WP (the active substance linuron) in the major ontogenetic phases of the plant growth. The plants treatment with a herbicide in pre-emergence did not cause a dramatic change in the essential oil content or in the proportional representation of its individual components. During the investigation of the changes in quality of the essential oil after an application of Afalon during various plant growth phases there was found the same relationship when compared with those being untreated.

Effect of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids from Mahonia aquifolium on the isolated rat aorta.

1. The extract from roots of Mahonia aquifolium as well as berbamine and oxyacanthine relaxed K(+)-precontracted rat aortal rings with IC50 values of about 20 mumol/l. 2. Relaxation was not inhibited by denudation of the endothelium or by premedication of the aortas with indomethacin, methylene blue or propranolol. 3. Berbamine and oxyacanthine inhibited contractions induced by noradrenaline, phenylephrine and serotonin in a non-competitive manner. Further, they competitively blocked calcium-induced contraction in Ca(2+)-free depolarizing PSS. 4. The blockade of calcium entry appears to be the main mechanism of the dilatory effect of the drugs tested, but their interaction with alpha-adrenoceptors could not be excluded.

[Testing for immunomodulating effects of ethanol-water extracts of the above-ground parts of the plants Echinaceae (Moench) and Rudbeckia L]. / Testovanie imunomodulacných úcinkov etanolovo-vodných extraktov z nadzemných castí rastlín rodu Echinacea Moench a Rudbeckia L.

Ethanolic extracts of aerial parts of the plants Echinacea angustifolia DC, Echinacea purpurea L. (Moench), Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii, Boyton et Beadle, and Rudbeckia speciosa Wenderoth show immunomodulating activity. The mice were treated in vivo for 5 days and the activity was tested for and observed on day 7. An immunostimulatory effect was observed on the phagocytic, metabolic and bactericidal activities of peritoneal macrophages. The ethanolic extracts of both Echinacea plants also increased the total weight of the spleens as compared to the effect of the Rudbeckia plants and the control group which received saline.

[Immunomodulating activity of ethanol-water extracts of the roots of Echinacea gloriosa L., Echinacea angustifolia DC. and Rudbeckia speciosa Wenderoth tested on the immune system in C57BL6 inbred mice]. / Imunomodulacná aktivita etanolovo-vodných extraktov z korennov Echinacea gloriosa L., Echinacea angustifolia DC. a Rudbeckia speciosa Wenderoth testovaná na imunitnom systéme inbredných mysí C57BL6.

The ethanolic extract from the roots Echinacea gloriosa L. (Moench), Echinacea angustifolia DC. and Rudbeckia speciosa Wenderoth shows immunomodulating activity. It was seen on the seventh day after five days of in vivo treatment of mice. The most marked immunostimulatory effect was observed on the lysosomal and peroxidal activity of peritoneal macrophages, and splenic cells after in vivo treatment with the ethanolic extract of the roots of R. speciosa Wenderoth.