Antibacterial Activity of Glycyrrhiza Glabra Roots against food-borne bacterial pathogens / Actividad Antibacteriana de la Raíz de Glycyrrhiza glabra Contra las Bacterias Patógenas Transmitidas por los Alimentos

ABSTRACT Objective: The antibacterial activity of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) roots was evaluated against several food-borne bacterial pathogens. Methods: The in vitro anti-bacterial activity was evaluated by determining the zone diameter of inhibition (ZDI), minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) using the aqueous. Ethanolic and methanolic extracts of the roots of Glycyrrhiza glabra. Results: Therefore, significant increase in inhibitory feature was observed because of increase in extracts concentration. In addition, the aqueous extract was more effective than the others; while, among the tested bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most sensitive and the most resistant, respectively. Conclusion: Extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots can potentially be used in the pharmaceutical and food industries as preservatives or antimicrobial agents.

RESUMEN Objetivo: La actividad antibacteriana del extracto de raíces de Glycyrrhiza glabra (regaliz) fue evaluada frente a varias bacterias patógenas trasmitidas por los alimentos. Métodos: La actividad antimicrobiana se evalúa determinando el diámetro de la zona de inhibición (DZI), y la concentración bactericida mínima (CBM). Extractos acuosos, etanólicos y metanólicos de la raíz de Glycyrrhiza glabra fueron analizados en su actividad antibacteriana in vitro. Resultados: Por lo tanto, se observó un aumento significativo en la característica inhibitoria debido al aumento en la concentración de extractos. Además, el extracto acuoso fue más eficaz que los otros, en tanto que, entre las bacterias probadas, Staphylococcus aureus y Pseudomonas aeruginosa fueron las más sensibles y las más resistentes, respectivamente. Conclusión: Los resultados sugieren que los extractos de raíz de Glycyrrhiza glabra tienen un uso potencial en la industria farmacéutica y alimentaria, y pueden ser útiles como conservantes o agentes antimicrobianos.

Recognition of DNA-arginine photoadduct by anti-DNA autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Studies have been carried out to synthesize and characterize the photoconjugate between positively charged amino acid, arginine and DNA fragments and their role in the induction of anti-DNA antibodies. METHODS: Calf thymus DNA fragments of about 200 base pairs (bp) were covalently crosslinked with arginine under UV light. The amino acid was found to be covalently photoconjugated to DNA and resulted in the formation of a crosslink. The photoadduct was characterized by various physicochemical methods. RESULTS: Photoaddition of arginine to 200 bp DNA rendered the nucleic acid conformer thermodynamically more stable than the native form. After systematic characterization of the photoadduct, it was used as an antigen for the generation of antibodies in experimental animals. The photoadducts were found to be immunogenic in rabbits, inducing high titre antibodies. The DNA-arginine photoadduct showed higher binding with SLE sera known to have high level of anti-DNA antibodies. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Naturally occurring anti-DNA autoantibodies were found to recognize DNA-arginine photoadduct. The recognition of DNA-arginine photoadduct by anti-DNA autoantibodies points to the role of modified DNA in the induction of anti-DNA antibodies in autoimmune disorders.

An unusual accessory fissure of the lung.

An unusual accessory fissure of the lung found in the upper lobe of a lung on left side, during a routine dissection is reported. It cut the posterior border of the lung about 5 cm below the apex and was 1 cm deep at its commencement. It coursed forwards and downwards, across the costal surface, in a curve with its convexity directed upwards. It fell short of the anterior border by about 5 cm. It did not correspond to the usually described segmental planes of the left upper lobe.

Interactions of praseodymium and neodymium with nucleosides and nucleotides: absorption difference and comparative absorption spectral study.

The interactions of praseodymium(III) and neodymium(III) with nucleosides and nucleotides have been studied in different stoichiometry in water and water-DMF mixtures by employing absorption difference and comparative absorption spectrophotometry. The 4f-4f bands were analysed by linear curve analysis followed by gaussian curve analysis, and various spectral parameters were computed, using partial and multiple regression method. The magnitude of changes in both energy interaction and intensity were used to explore the degree of outer and inner sphere coordination, incidence of covalency and the extent of metal 4f-orbital involvement in chemical bonding. Crystalline complexes of the type [Ln(nucleotide)2(H2O)2]- (where nucleotide--GMP or IMP) were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 31P NMR data. These studies indicated that the binding of the nucleotide is through phosphate oxygen in a bidentate manner and the complexes undergo substantial ionisation in aqueous medium, thereby supporting the observed weak 4f-4f bands and lower values for nephelauxetic effect (1-beta), bonding (b) and covalency (delta) parameters derived from coulombic and spin orbit interaction parameters.

Effect of oestrogen on the incidence of drumsticks in the rabbit neutrophils.

Adult female rabbits were given daily intramuscular injections of 0.5 microgram of oestradiol diproprionate for four weeks. Weekly drum-stick counts were made from their blood smears and percent incidences of drum-sticks in the neutrophils was recorded. A highly significant increase in the drum-stick counts compared to the control animals was noted after one week's treatment with the oestrogen. Subsequent values after 2nd, 3rd and 4th week's treatment were not significantly different from values obtained from the corresponding untreated animals. It was concluded that oestrogen produces only an initial increase in the drumstick count and subsequent continued treatment neither increases nor decreases the drum-stick counts significantly.