Antibacterial effect of teucrium polium on the bacteria causing urinary tract infections

The present investigation was conducted to study the antibacterial effect of aqueous, ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of Teucrium polium plant on the bacteria isolated from urine samples of those with UTI and to compare it with the effect of commonly used antibiotics in treating UTIs. The antibiotic resistance of 147 strains of bacteria causing UTIs to the antibiotics selected through Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was determined. In the meantime, the aqueous, ethanolic and ethyl acetate extracts of T. polium plant were prepared. The antibacterial activity of these extracts was examined using Disk Diffusion Method. Finally, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration [MIC] and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration [MBC] of antibacterial were determined using serial dilution method. T. polium extracts were merely effective in enterococcus and pseudomonas bacteria. In general, the MIC rate of aqueous extract in enterococcus was 1.25-5 mg/ml. The MIC rate of ethanolic extract for enterococcus was calculated as 10 mg/ml. The MIC of aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts for pseudomonas bacteria were achieved as 5 and 20 mg/ml, respectively. The MBC contents of aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts of teucrium for pseudomonas bacteria was 10 mg/ml in aqueous and 20 mg/ml in ethyl acetate extracts. The MBC content of extracts for enterococcus bacteria were 10 mg/ml in aqueous extract and 20 mg/ml in ethanolic extract. T. polium extract can be effective in some bacteria causing urinary tract infection, especially enterococcus

Prevalence of AmpC and ESBL producing E. coli and antibacterial effect of allim sativum on clinical isolates collected from Zahedan hospitals

AmpC beta-lactamases are capable to hydrolyse all beta-lactam antibiotics except cefepime and carbapenems. Herbal medicines have been important sources of products for the developing countries in treating common infectious diseases and overcome the problems of resistance and side effects of the currently available antimicrobial agents. Total 410 non repetitive clinical E. coli strains recovered during 7 month, were screened for AmpC production by disc diffusion test using cefoxitin [30 micro g] discs and confirmed by combined disc diffusion test using phenyl boronic acid and the MIC and MBC of Allim sativum [A. sativum] alcoholic extract against AmpC positive E. coli isolates were determined. A total of 107 of 410 isolates [26%] were cefoxitin resistant and 13 [3.1%] isolates harboured AmpC enzymes. A. sativum alcoholic extract were effective against AmpC producing E. coli isolates. There is need for a correct and reliable phenotypic test to identify AmpC beta lactamases and to discriminate between AmpC and ESBL producers and also these bioactive plants may help alleviate the problem of drug resistance

effect of fasting on the immune system of athletes during holly Ramadan

Holly Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which millions of mature and obligated Muslims fast many hours during a day in all over the world. This study was performed to evaluate some immune factors in fasting athletes during the month. This cross sectional study was performed in 90 athletes with physical activity of 2-3 hours per day, age ranged of 16-36 years old, during holly Ramadan. Serum immunoglobulin levels of IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE, as well as serum complement components of C3, C4 and blood count cells with differential evaluation were measured at the beginning and end of holy Ramadan. Mean serum IgA level has significantly increased from 239.2 +/- 98.2 mg/dL before Ramadan to 262.8 +/- 88.6 mg/dL at the end of this month [p=0.008]. Mean serum C4 level was 258.2 +/- 150.6 g/L and 330.7 +/- 127.6 g/L before and after Ramadan, respectively [p<0.001]. However, the percentage of lymphocytes was decreased from 37.81 +/- 4.14% before Ramadan to 36.50 +/- 5.98% at the end [p=0.005] and neutrophils was decreased from 60.0 +/- 4.2% before this month to 56.2 +/- 8.3% at the end of the month [p=0.003]. Fasting seems to have positive effects on increasing the serum levels of C4, IgA levels, which could have protective effect on the athletes' immune system against infection during exercise

Phytochemical analysis, antibacterial activity of marrubium vulgare L against staphylococcus aureus in vitro

Herbal medicines are the major remedy in traditional medical systems and made a great contribution in maintaining human health and in preventing many infectious diseases. The present study was carried out to determine the potential antibacterial effect of ethanol extracts and essential oil of Marrubium vulgare L. against Staphylococcus aureus which is antibiotic resistant. All 17 strains of S. aureus isolated from nose and throat sample from 160 healthy subjects, hospital staffs and inpatient in the city of Zabol [Amir Al-Momenin hospital, Zabol, south-eastern Iran] were screened during years 2010-2011. In this study, the essential oil of Marrubium vulgare L. obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry [GC-MS] in order to determine their chemical composition. The minimum inhibitory concentrations were investigated to characterize the antimicrobial activities of this essential oil and extract. Thirty-one components in the oil of Marrubium vulgare were identified. The results demonstrated that the major components of the essential oil were gamma-Eudesmol [11%], Germacrene [10%], D-Citronelly formate [10%], beta-Citronellol [8%], Geranyl tiglate [7.1%], Geranyl formate [6.02%]. The least MIC value of extract M. vulgare was 2.5 mg/mL and the highest MIC value of essential oil M. vulgare was 2.5 mg/mL. This investigation showed that the M. vulgare essential oil and extract has a potent antimicrobial activity against S. aureus. The present studies confirm the use of this essential oil and extract as antibacterial agent. Further research is required to evaluate the practical values of therapeutic applications

effects of capsicum annuum L. extract on the control of single and dual biofilms of common pathogenic strains causing urinary tract infection

Biofilms directly influence the virulence and pathogenicity of a pathogen, it is optimal to employ a strategy that effectively inhibits the formation of biofilm. In this study, the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of extract Capsicum annuum L were examined. The eight strains were isolated from urine culture of hospitalized patients; growth and biofilm formation of strains were determined by microtiterplate method. The results revealed that the concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/mL are the most restrain in the biofilm formation of the isolated plates. Results of this study suggest that the extract of C. annuum L may be useful alone to treat bacterial infections

In vitro antibacterial properties of aqueous garlic extract [AEG] against multidrug-resistant enterococci

As relatively avirulent enteric bacteria, enterococci usually cause infections in immune-compromised patients. The antimicrobial treatment, however, is quite challenging, since enterococci are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics. Objective of the present study was to examine the antibacterial activity of aqueous garlic extract on isolates of enterococci. In this descriptive research, a total of 120 enterococcus isolates including 70 multidrug-resistant isolates causing different infections were collected from three hospitals in Zahedan. The susceptibility of isolates to different antibiotics was measured by agar diffusion test and antibacterial activity of garlic extract was measured using disc-diffusion and microbroth dilution methods. Among 120 enterococcus samples, 95 [79.2%] and 25 [20.8%] isolates were E. faecalis and E. faecium respectively. The highest resistance was observed in erythromycin [95.8%] and the lowest resistance [6.7%] in chloramphenicol, while 88.3% and 65.8% of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline and ampicillin respectively. Moreover, 58% of the isolates were Multi-Drug Resistant [MDR] and showed resistance to at least three antibiotics. Antibacterial activity of AGE was characterized by inhibition zones of 16.8+/-1.8 mm and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration [MIC] ranged from 4 to 32 mg/ml. The present study suggests that AGE has a significant anti-enterococcal effect and therefore, supports the use of garlic as an herbal remedy in Zahedan

Eucalyptus globulus [Eucalyptus] treatment of candidiasis in normal and diabetic rats

The leaves of Eucalyptus globulus [eucalyptus] are used for treatment of diabetes mellitus in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of eucalyptus in treatment of established systemic infection with Candida albicans in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Sixty normoglycemic male Wistar rats, weighing 200-250 g, were selected and randomly divided into six groups [n= 10]: normal control, control + C. albicans, control + eucalyptus + C. albicans, diabetic control, diabetic + C. albicans, diabetic + eucalyptus + C. albicans. Diabetes was induced after a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin [60 mg/kg body weight] and eucalyptus was added to the diet [62.5 g/kg] and drinking water [2.5 g/L] of treated animals for 4 weeks. The concerned groups were inoculated with C albicans 15 days after diabetes induction. At the end of one month experiment, fasted rats were killed by cervical decapitation. Blood was collected from neck vein for estimation of glucose. C. albicans concentrations were estimated in liver and kidneys using serial dilution culture of tissue homogenates. Eucalyptus administration significantly improved the hyperglycemia, polydipsia, polyphagia, and it also compensated weight loss of diabetic rats [P<0.05]. Moreover, eucalyptus caused a significant reduction in C. albicans concentration in liver and kidney homogenates [P<0.01]. The results revealed that eucalyptus improves Candidia infection in normal and diabetic rats that in some ways validates the traditional use of this plant in treatment of diabetic patients

Comparison of PCR and culture methods for diagnosis of enteropathogenic campylobacter in fowl feces

Enteritis due to Campylobacter is the most common cause of acute bacterial diarrhea worldwide. In most cases, infection occurs as a result of consuming contaminated water or food, especially raw meat of fowls. Campylobacters are saccharolytic and fastidious bacteria. These traits limit the number of available biochemical tests by which isolates may be differentiated. These limitations might, in principle, be overcome by the use of PCR techniques, which is the aim of the present study. To compare the culture technique with PCR assay, a total of 116 fecal samples from fowls were tested using these two techniques for the presence of Campylobacters. Campylobacter strains were isolated from 11 [9.4%] out of 116 fecal cultures from fowls [8 C. jejuni and 3 C. coli]. Using PCR assays, the number of positive Campylobacters increased to 27 [23%]. Of these 27 positive samples, 18 were C. jejuni and 9 were C. coli. The sensitivity and specificity of PCR in comparison to the culture method were found to be 100 and 84.7%, respectively. According to the present study, it is proposed that the PCR is a reliable and sensitive method which can be used as a diagnostic technique for the detection of Campylobacter in fowls' samples