Biosorption of Cu2+ from aqueous solutions by pretreated Cladosporium sp.

In this paper, adsorption properties of a pretreated of Cladosporium sp. for Cu2 were studied. The fungi pretreated with some chemical reagents exhibited higher Cu2+ removal capacities than native biomass. The optimum chemical reagent was 0.2M NaOH. After 0.2M NaOH pretreatment, optimum conditions of biosorption were found to be pH 5.0, temperature 35 degrees C, and stirring speed of 100rpm. Equilibrium isotherms were obtained from adsorption experiments and the biosorption maximun capacity obtained was at 28.31mg/g. The biosorbed metal ions were effectively eluted by 0.05M HNO3 solution. After eluting, the biosorbed metal ions biomass was regenerated by washing with deionized water and then contacted with a solution containing 0. 1M of Ca2+, Mg2+ ions before further adsorption tests. The pretreated fungi biomass could be used for three cycles: biosorption, elution of biosorbed ion, regeneration of biomass.

Polygodial, the fungitoxic component from the Brazilian medicinal plant Polygonum punctatum

Polygonum punctatum (Polygonaceae) is an herb known in some regions of Brazil as "erva-de-bicho" and is used to treat intestinal disorders. The dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts of this plant showed strong activity in a bioautographic assay with the fungus Cladosporium sphaerospermum. The bioassay-guided chemical fractionation of this extract afforded the sesquiterpene dialdehyde polygodial as the active constituent. The presence of this compound with antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperalgesic properties in "erva-de-bicho" may account for the effects attributed by folk medicine to this plant species

Biological screening of Brazilian medicinal plants

In this study, we screened sixty medicinal plant species from the Brazilian savanna ("cerrado") that could contain useful compounds for the control of tropical diseases. The plant selection was based on existing ethnobotanic information and interviews with local healers. Plant extracts were screened for: (a) molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata, (b) toxicity to brine shrimp (Artemia salina L.), (c) antifungal activity in the bioautographic assay with Cladosporium sphaerospermum and (d) antibacterial activity in the agar diffusion assay against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Forty-two species afforded extracts that showed some degree of activity in one or more of these bioassays.

Estudio in vitro de la acción fungicida del Eugenol en solución sobresaturada de azúcar / Clove oil in over saturated sugar solution: its antifungal activity in vitro

De acuerdo a investigaciones previas realizadas con solución sobresaturada de azúcar, hemos comprobado su acción fungicida, la cual había sido probada satisfactoriamente sobre bacterias por la Dra. Joseph, A. y cols. A la solución sobresaturada de azúcar se incorporó eugenol, con el objeto de acelerar la muerte de las cepas fúngicas ensayadas. Se observaron diferencias significativas en el tiempo de muerte de los hongos estudiados con respecto a los ensayos anteriores con solución sobresaturada de azúcar

In vitro susceptibility of filamentous fungi to itraconazole.

The in vitro activity of itraconazole was investigated against 25 clinical isolates of filamentous fungi by agar dilution method. The isolated included Aspergillus sp., hyalohypomycetes, dematiaceous fungi and zygomycetes. Intraconazole was more active, inhibiting 50% (MIC 50) and 90% (MIC 90) of the Aspergillus sp., at a concentration of 0.5 and 2.5 ug ml-1 (MIC range 0.1 and 5 micrograms ml-1) Ketoconazole (MIC range 0.5-10 ug ml-1) required 1 and 5 ug ml-1 for inhibiting 50% and 90% of the isolates. For the hyalophypomycetes and dematiaceous fungi, the MIC 50s for itraconazole were 1 and 0.5 ug ml-1 and Ketoconazole required 2.5 ug ml-1 for both the groups. For the zygomycetes, the MIC range and MIC 50s for Ketoconazole were 1-100 and 10 ug ml-1 whereas the values for itraconazole were 5- > 100 and > 100 micrograms ml-1.

5-fluorouracilo topico: eficacia clínica en cromomicosis por cladosporiun carrionii en la zona endémica venezolana / Topic 5-fluorouracil: efficacy in chromomycosis by cladosporium carrionii in the venezuelan endemic zone

Se evaluó clínicamente la eficasia del 5-fluorouracilo (5-Fu), tópico aplicado en forma ambulatoria, durante estudios previos, a pacientes con cromomicosis de la zona endérmica del Estado Falcón. De 62 casos conocidos en el Municipio Autónomo Democracia: 30 (48.38 por ciento ) estaban curados y 32 (51.62 por ciento ); enfermos. En 48 pacientes se había aplicado 5-Fu tópico al 5 por ciento ; 23 (47.91 por ciento ) estaban curados y 25 (52.08) enfermos. Se detecta 25 casos de cromomicosis por estudios clínicos y micológicos. En los casos Cladosporium Carrionii fue el agente etiológico. En 57 casos activos, se administró 5-Fu tópico a 25 (43.85 por ciento ), 12 (21.05 por ciento ) se sometieron a cirugía, y 20 (22.98 por ciento ) no se trataron por escasez de medicamentos, de los cuales 14 (70 por ciento ) tenía lesiones extensas. Se comentan la dificultades terapéuticas y la problemática de la cromomicosis en la zona. Se confirma la eficacia del 5-Fu tópico y su contribución para limitar la evolución de lesiones incipientes hacia cuadros deformantes o invalidantes y la necesidad del diagnóstico precoz. Se propone un plan de control regional para el Estado Falcón

Studies of the antifungal compounds produced by Erwinia herbicola.

The organic phase of a wide spectrum, antimycotic and diffusable toxin from Erwinia herbicola showed a highly significant inhibitory activity against Pyricularia oryzae spores in spore well bioassay. Germ tube lengths were inhibited more in wells containing 5 microliters equivalent of bacterial toxin than 1 microliter. No significant difference between the germ tube in an equal mixture of Dimethyl sulphoxide: ethanol and controls. Thin layer chromatography using the chloroform extraction of the organic phase showed a significant antagonism on Cladosporium cucumerinum. The retardation factor values for inhibitory zones in solvent 1 were 0.07 for lower spot and 0.26 for upper spot.