Antibacterial Activity of Boron Compounds Against Biofilm-Forming Pathogens.

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of nine boron derivatives against biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria. The effect of boron derivatives (CMB, calcium metaborate; SMTB, sodium metaborate tetrahydrate; ZB, zinc borate; STFB, sodium tetra fluorine borate; STB, sodium tetraborate; PTFB, potassium tetra fluor borate; APTB, ammonium pentabo-rate tetrahydrate; SPM, sodium perborate monohydrate; Borax, ATFB, ammonium tetra fluorine borate) on bacteria isolated from blood culture was determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. Then, biofilm formation potentials on microplates, tubes, and Congo red agar were examined. The cytotoxicity of boron derivatives was determined by using WST-1-based methods. The interaction between the biofilm-forming bacteria, fibroblast cells, and boron derivatives was determined with the infection model. We found that the sodium metaborate tetrahydrate molecule was effective against all pathogens. According to the optical density values detected at 630 nm in microplates, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was observed to have the most substantial biofilm ability at 0.257 nm. As a result of cytotoxicity studies, it has been determined that a 1 µg/L concentration of boron derivatives is not toxic to fibroblast L929 cells. In cell culture experiments, these boron derivatives have very serious inhibitory activity against biofilm-forming pathogens in a short treatment period, such as 2-4 h. Furthermore, using these molecules on inanimate surfaces affected by biofilms would be appropriate instead of living cells.

Protective effect of propolis on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in males and ovariectomized females but not in intact females.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of propolis, which may have estrogenic effects, on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (mI/R) injury not only in male rats but also in intact and ovariectomized (ovx) female rats. Six groups were formed: untreated males (n = 8), treated males (n = 9), untreated intact females (n = 9), treated intact females (n = 10), untreated ovx females (n = 10), and treated ovx females (n = 8). An alcoholic extract of a single dose of propolis (200 mg/kg) was administered orally daily for 14 days. Thirty minutes of ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion were performed. Blood pressure, heart rate, arrhythmias (ventricular premature contraction [VPC], ventricular tachycardia [VT], ventricular fibrillation [VF]), and myocardial infarct size were evaluated. Total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) were measured. The untreated females showed more resistance to mI/R injury than the untreated males, as evidenced by lower duration, incidence, and score of arrhythmias, and smaller infarct size (p < .05). After ovx, this resistance disappeared. Propolis improved these values in treated males and treated ovx females (p < .05). Propolis increased TAS in treated males and decreased TOS in treated ovx females as well as elevated SOD in all treated groups (p < .05). Propolis decreased E2 level in treated intact females; however, it increased E2 level in treated ovx females (p < .05). The results revealed that propolis could protect the heart against mI/R injury in males and ovx females. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: It is known that the female heart has an increased sensitivity to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (mI/R) injury due to estrogen deficiency and/or estrogen deprivation following menopause or surgical removal of the ovaries. Propolis has the potential to mimic estrogen under physiological and pathophysiological conditions, as well as its antioxidant property. The results indicated that propolis decreased myocardial infarct size, arrhythmia score, arrhythmia duration, and incidence in ovariectomized female rats and male rats. In addition, the present results demonstrated that an alcoholic extract of propolis as a natural product can effectively maintain the resistance of female heart to mI/R injury after estrogen deficiency.