Chemical diversity of essential oils from flowers, leaves, and stems of Rhanterium epapposum Oliv. growing in northern border region of Saudi Arabia

Objective To evaluate the medicinal uses of Rhanterium epapposum Oliv. (R. epapposum) growing in northern border region of Saudi Arabia, through the chemical diversity of essential oils extracted from its flowers, leaves and stems. Methods Aerial parts of R. epapposum were collected in April 2014. Air dried flowers, leaves, and stems were separately subjected to hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus for 4 h to extract the essential oils. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the essential oils was carried out using an Agilent 6890 gas chromatograph equipped with an Agilent 5973 mass spectrometric detector. Results A total of 51 compounds representing 76.35%–94.86% of flowers, leaves and stems oils composition were identified. The chemical profiles of the studied fractions revealed the dominance of monoterpenes, regardless of qualitative and quantitative differences observed. Limonene, linalool, 4-terpineol and α-cadinol represented the major constituents of flowers oil. Leaves oil was dominated by limonene, sabinene, α-pinene and β-myrcene whereas linalool, ionole, α-cadinol, β-eudesmol, 4-terpineol, and α-terpineol were the major constituents of stems oil. Conclusions Essential oils from flowers, leaves and stems of R. epapposum growing in northern border region of Saudi Arabia are considered as a rich source of monoterpenes which have biological activities.

Prevalence of efflux mediated ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin resistance in pseudomonas aeruginosa urinary isolates

Pseudoinonas aeruginosa [P. aeruginosa] represents a phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, and demonstrates practically all known mechanisms of bacterial resistance. Active efflux is an important mechanism of resistance in P. aeruginosa. It contributes to the development of multiple resistances to all strategic antipseudonional antibiotics. More than five hundred urine samples were collected from patients in Assiut University Hospital. Fifty P. aeruginosa isolates were identified by conventional methods. The antibiotic susceptihity testing of isolates showed that 68% of isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and 62% were resistant to levofloxacin. A comparison between the effect of three efflux pump inhibitors [Reserpine, Pantoprazole and Carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone [CCCP]] on the activity of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin was done by measuring ability of these agents to potentiate effect of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin against resistant P. aeruginosa isolates. Outer membrane profile of P. aeruginosa isolates was also done using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE]. Reserpine was able to potentiate effect of ciprofloxacin in 50% of isolates, and in 5.5% for levofloxacin. Pantoprazole results were 33.3% for ciprofloxacin, 16 7% for levofloxacin. Finally CCCP potentiate. Regarding the SDS-PAGE of P. aeruginosa isolates, all isolates produced proteins with apparent molecular masses in the range of 50-54kDa.Reserpine-ciprofloxacin proved to be the best combination against multidrug resistant P. aeruginosa. Over production of 50-54 KDa outer membrane proteins is responsible for emergence of P. aeruginosa strains highly resistant to fluoroquinolones in clinical settings

Using of lactobacillus acidophilus and lactobacillus plantarum cultures as trials for improvement of yoghurt characteristics

Yoghurt was manufactured from 6Kg of heat treated mixed cow's and buffalo's milk [1:1] with 2% Lactobacillus delbrueckil subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus [1:1] as normal starter cultures of the 1[st] group. However, another two groups of yoghurt were inoculated with 1% normal starter culture with 1% Lb acidophilus culture for 2[nd] group and 1% Lb plantarum for the 3[rd] group. Yoghurt samples were analyzed for organoleptic scores, titratable acidity and microbiological quality during refrigerated storage till the signs of spoilage appeared. The trials repeated for processing and analysis for 3 times. The obtained results indicated that acidophilus yoghurt had the best organoleptic properties as compared with control and plantarum yoghurt samples and have better acidity and microbiological quality. Accordingly, the using of Lb acidophilus and Lb plantarum is very effective in prolonging the yoghurt shelf life up to 21 days of refrigerated storage with better properties than control yoghurt. As well as, they promote the consumer health as they are probiotic bacteria