Treatment with Glyphosate Induces Tolerance of Citrus Pathogens to Glyphosate and Fungicides but Not to 1,8-Cineole.

During the postharvest period, citrus fruits are exposed to Penicillium italicum, Penicillium digitatum, and Geotrichum candidum. Pesticides such as imazalil (IMZ), thiabendazole (TBZ), orthophenylphenol (OPP), and guazatine (GUA) are commonly used as antifungals. Glyphosate (GP) is also used in citrus fields to eliminate weed growth. The sensitivity of fungal pathogens of citrus fruit to these pesticides and 1,8-cineole was evaluated, and the effect of GP on the development of cross-resistance to other chemicals was monitored over a period of 3 weeks. IMZ most effectively inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of P. digitatum and P. italicum, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.01 and 0.05 mg/mL, respectively, followed by 1,8-cineole, GP, and TBZ. 1,8-Cineole and GP more effectively inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of G. candidum, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.2 and 1.0 mg/mL, respectively, than OPP or GUA. For the spore germination assay, all substances tested showed a total inhibitory effect. Subculturing the fungal strains in culture media containing increasing concentrations of GP induced fungal tolerance to GP as well as to the fungicides. In soil, experiments confirmed that GP induced the tolerance of P. digitatum to TBZ and GP and the tolerance of P. italicum to IMZ, TBZ, and GP. However, no tolerance was recorded against 1,8-cineole. In conclusion, it can be said that 1,8-cineole may be recommended as an alternative to conventional fungicides. In addition, these results indicate that caution should be taken when using GP in citrus fields.

Determining factors for Cannabis use among Moroccans Schizophrenic Patients: A cross sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis use is considered a major clinical problem associated with a poorer outcome in patients with schizophrenia. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of cannabis us among patients with schizophrenia. The assessment consists in comparing some factors related to substance use in a population of schizophrenic patients between cannabis users and non. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred and three participants who were examined prospectively during their hospitalization answered the PANNS scale of schizophrenia, GAF, BIS-10, CDSS, and MARS. The consumption of cannabis was investigated using urine toxicological analysis. Sociodemographic, clinical and therapeutic data were also recorded. RESULTS: The prevalence of cannabis use among schizophrenic inpatients was 49%. Patients with cannabis use were younger (31.7 vs 34.9 years old, p<0.001), more often male (52 vs 20% female, p<0.001), and they presented more often a history of imprisonment (68.8% vs 31.2%, p<0.001). Patients who were users of cannabis had a lower age at onset of the disease than non-users (23.6 vs 24.8 years, p=0.029), and more often with poor medication adherence (p=0.001). Logistic regression revealed that factors associated with cannabis use among schizophrenics were the age, gender, history of imprisonment and poor medication adherence. CONCLUSION: The study showed that a high prevalence of cannabis use among patients with schizophrenia which was associated with negative overall outcomes. Determining comorbid substance use disorders among schizophrenic patients is crucial as it may contribute to establish a better therapeutic strategy.

In Vitro Evaluation of the Potential Use of Propolis as a Multitarget Therapeutic Product: Physicochemical Properties, Chemical Composition, and Immunomodulatory, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Properties.

Propolis is a resin that honeybees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from botanical sources. The present in vitro study investigated the potential use of propolis as a multitarget therapeutic product and the physicochemical properties, chemical composition, and immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties of a propolis extract from the northern Morocco region (PNM). Pinocembrin, chrysin, and quercetin were the main phenolic compounds of PNM as measured in HPLC. The PNM showed significant inhibitory effects against all tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains and showed high antioxidant activities by scavenging free radicals with IC50 (DPPH = 0.02, ABTS = 0.04, and FRAP = 0.04 mg/ml). In addition, PNM induced a dose-dependent cytostatic effect in MCF-7, HCT, and THP-1 cell lines at noncytotoxic concentrations with IC50 values of 479.22, 108.88, and 50.54 µg/ml, respectively. The production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) was decreased in a dose-dependent manner in LPS-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs), whereas the production of the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10) was increased in a dose-dependent manner reaching 15-fold compared to the levels measured in untreated PBMNCs. Overall, the results showed that the traditionally known multitarget therapeutic properties of the PNM seem to be mediated, at least in part, through cytostatic, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory effects.