Antimicrobial activities of leptospermone isolated from Leptospermum scoparium seeds and structure-activity relationships of its derivatives against foodborne bacteria.

This study was carried out to determine the antimicrobial activities of leptospermone isolated from Leptospermum scoparium and its derivatives against six foodborne bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus aureus), with a view to developing safer antimicrobial agents. The essential oil of L. scoparium seeds possessed potent antimicrobial activity against six bacterial strains. The antimicrobial compound of L. scoparium was isolated by chromatographic analyses and identified as leptospermone. To investigate the structure-activity relationships, the antimicrobial activities of leptospermone and its derivatives (2-acetyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione, 1,3-cyclohexanedione, 1,2,3-cyclohexanetrione-1,3-dioxime, 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione and 2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethyl-1,3,5-cyclohexanetrione) were examined against six foodborne bacteria. Based on the MIC values, leptospermone (MIC 23.6-69.7 µg/mL), 1,2,3-cyclohexanetrione-1,3-dioxime (MIC 43.9-88.5 µg/mL) and 2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethyl-1,3,5-cyclohexanetrione (MIC 43.9-88.5 µg/mL) exhibited antimicrobial activities against the six foodborne bacteria. These results indicated that leptospermone and its derivatives could potentially be developed as natural food preservatives, rather than using hazardous synthetic preservatives.

Acaricidal toxicities and synergistic activities of Salvia lavandulifolia oil constituents against synanthropic mites.

BACKGROUND: The acaricidal activity of Salvia lavandulifolia oil and its major components was evaluated using contact and vapor bioassays. Synergistic interactions among components contained in S. lavandulifolia oil were studied. RESULTS: The 50% lethal dose (LD50 ) of S. lavandulifolia oil was 3.66, 3.37, and 5.04 µg cm-3 , respectively, in the vapor bioassay against Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Tyrophagus putrescentiae. The major components of S. lavandulifolia oil were (-)-camphor, camphene, 1,8-cineole, (±)-limonene, and α-pinene (79.11% combined). Several combinations of these components exhibited synergistic effects against D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus, and T. putrescentiae, particularly (-)-camphor, camphene, and α-pinene. (-)-Camphor usually had synergistic interactive effects in the mixtures. For the vapor action, the mixture of (-)-camphor, camphene and α-pinene was the most potent combination against D. farinae (R = 2.34), D. pteronyssinus (R = 2.75), and T. putrescentiae (R = 2.30) when used at their naturally occurring ratio. CONCLUSION: This study is the first report on the acaricidal activity of S. lavandulifolia oil and the synergistic interactive effects of its components against D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus and T. putrescentiae. The oil may be an alternative tool for the control of synanthropic mites. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Antimicrobial Effects of 7,8-Dihydroxy-6-Methoxycoumarin and 7-Hydroxy-6-Methoxycoumarin Analogues against Foodborne Pathogens and the Antimicrobial Mechanisms Associated with Membrane Permeability.

The antimicrobial effects of 7,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin and 7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin isolated from Fraxinus rhynchophylla bark and of their structural analogues were determined in an attempt to develop natural antimicrobial agents against the foodborne pathogens Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus intermedius, and Listeria monocytogenes. To elucidate the relationship between structure and antimicrobial activity for the coumarin analogues, isolated constituents and their structural analogues were evaluated against foodborne pathogens. Based on the culture plate inhibition zones and MICs, 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin, 7,8-dihydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin, 7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin, and 7-methoxycoumarin, containing a methoxy functional group on the coumarin skeleton, had the notable antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. However, 7-hydroxycoumarin and 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin, which contained a hydroxyl functional group on the coumarin skeleton, had no antimicrobial activity against these pathogens. An increase in cell membrane permeability was confirmed by electron microscopy observations, and release of extracellular ATP and cell constituents followed treatment with the ethyl acetate fraction of F. rhynchophylla extract. These findings indicate that F. rhynchophylla extract and coumarin analogues have potential for use as antimicrobial agents against foodborne pathogens and that the antimicrobial mechanisms are associated with the loss of cell membrane integrity.

Use of aripiprazole in clozapine induced enuresis: report of two cases.

This report describes the efficacy of combined use of aripiprazole in the treatment of a patient with clozapine induced enuresis. Aripiprazole acts as a potential dopamine partial agonist and the dopamine blockade in the basal ganglia might be one of the causes of urinary incontinence and enuresis. We speculate that aripiprazole functioned as a D2 agonist in hypodopaminergic state of basal ganglia caused by clozapine and maintained dopamine level that would improve enuresis ultimately.

Major depressive disorder preceding the onset of progressive supranuclear palsy.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by vertical supranuclear palsy and parkinsonian symptoms. The neuropsychiatric symptoms of PSP include anhedonia, depressed mood and cognitive impairment. Patients with PSP have an increased risk for developing depressive disorders within the next year. However, it is rare to find that major depressive disorder was the antecedent diagnosis of a patient who was later diagnosed with PSP. We present here a patient who suffered from PSP with repetitive falls, a masked face and dysarthria after developing a major depressive disorder.

Psychiatric disorder in two siblings with hallervorden-spatz disease.

Hallervorden-Spatz disease (HSD) is a rare autosomal-recessive hereditary disorder characterized by the early onset of progressive movement alterations, including dystonia, rigidity, choreoathetosis, and mental deterioration. HSD is also associated with a variety of psychiatric symptoms, primarily depression and mental deterioration. However, psychosis has rarely been reported as a major symptom of HSD. We report two siblings who presented psychiatric symptoms as major clinical presentations, accompanied by ataxic and spastic gait, dysarthria, and typical neuroimaging findings of HSD. A 14-year-old girl presented complex motor tics, stereotypic behavior and anxiety symptoms. Her older brother, a 16-year-old boy, presented prominent auditory hallucinations, persecutory delusions and social withdrawal symptoms. Psychiatric symptoms were improved after atypical antipsychotic treatment. HSD is a rare disease but should be carefully considered in the diagnosis of patients with both motor disorder and various psychiatric symptoms.

Comparative Analysis of Cognitive Function in Schizophrenia with and without Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenic patients with and without obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHODS: We grouped 27 patients as either obsessive-compulsive or non-obsessive-compulsive based on the presence of OCD. The two groups completed the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), and Hamilton Depression Scale. The intelligence quotient (IQ) was tested using the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The memory quotient (MQ) was tested using the Korean-Auditory Verbal Learning and Korean-Complex Figure Test. The executive intelligence quotient (EIQ) was determined using the Kims executive intelligence test (EXIT). RESULTS: Ten of the 27 patients had OCD. The compulsion score of Y-BOCS was positively correlated with positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and the total scores of PANSS. The OCD-schizophrenia patients had higher IQs. No difference was found in MQ. Although the EIQ did not differ between the two groups, the OCD-schizophrenia patients performed better at the Stroop-interference and verbal fluency tests, which was highly dependent on executive function. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that OCD may have a protective effect on some cognitive function, at least in relatively early stage of illness. Moreover, based on clinical, neurocognitive features, schizophrenia with OCD could be considered as a distinct subtype of schizophrenia.