Comparison of supercritical CO2 extraction and pressurized fluid extraction for isolation of alkaloids from Anacardium occidentale with the study of its anti-inflammatory activity.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of natural compounds, particularly of plant origin, owing to their demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties. Among these, Anacardium occidentale, commonly known as cashew, has garnered significant attention due to its reputed health benefits. This study aim to establish a correlation between the bioactive compounds contained in the extracts of Anacardium occidentale and its anti-inflammatory activity. Dried Anacardium occidentale leaves powder was used as the extraction matrix. Extraction techniques are maceration, pressurized fluid extraction (PFE), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The preliminary analysis of extracts was made by LC-MS/MS. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and heat maps were employed to model the influence of experimental conditions on extraction yield and peak area of specific compounds from the plant. To evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, RAW 264.7 cells were cultured, activated with LPS, and treated with varying concentrations of the plant extracts. Cell proliferation was assessed using the XTT assay. Indeed, Anacardium occidentale extracts contain anacardic acids, cardanols, and cardol, with distinct profiles yielded by SFE and ethanol-based methods. RSM shows that temperature and ethanol, as additives to CO2, significantly affect extraction efficiency in both PFE and SFE. Moreover, this composition with SFE demonstrate higher selectivity for specific group of compounds. The extracts exhibit anti-inflammatory properties without cytotoxicity in macrophages, reducing levels of pro-inflammatory proteins COX-2, COX-1, and TLR4 in activated cells. This suggests their potential as anti-inflammatory agents without adverse effects on cell viability or pro-inflammatory protein levels in non-activated cells. Overall, these findings underscore the promising therapeutic potential of Anacardium occidentale extracts in mitigating inflammation, while also providing crucial insights into optimizing the extraction process for targeted compound isolation. Thus, this makes a good prospect for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs from this plant.

Phytochemical composition and in vitro biological activities of Morinda citrifolia fruit juice.

Morinda citrifolia is a plant with broad nutraceutical and therapeutic effects and used in the traditional treatment of several ailments. The objective of this work is to investigate the phytochemistry of the fruit juice of M. citrifolia on one hand and on other hand to evaluate its antiradical and antibacterial activity. The phytochemical investigation was carried out by tube staining tests of the extract of two types of fruit juice of M. citrifolia. The antioxidant activity of these juices was evaluated by reducing the DPPH radical method. Concerning the antibacterial activity, it was tested on the in vitro growth of 10 reference bacterial strains using the well diffusion method. Qualitative phytochemistry of M. citrifolia fruit juices revealed the presence of large groups of secondary metabolites including polyphenols, reducing compounds, mucilage and terpernoids. The antioxidant activity of M. citrifolia fruit juices is dose-dependent and higher than that of ascorbic acid. Antimicrobial activity on other hand revealed that fruit juices inhibit growth inhibitory activity of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, S. epidermidis, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus oralis, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli. This observed difference is significant for each juices on the strains (p < 0.001). These results support the use of M. citrifolia in traditional medicine and are the starting points for the development of a new drug to combat both dietary conditions and chronic conditions associated with oxidative stress.

Antibiotics Resistance and Biofilm Formation Capacity of Staphylococcus spp. Strains Isolated from Surfaces and Medicotechnical Materials.

Staphylococcus spp. is most often implicated in nosocomial infections. The objective of this study is to evaluate the susceptibility to antibiotics and the biofilm formation capacity of staphylococci species isolated from surfaces and medicotechnical materials at the university hospital center of Abomey-Calavi/Sô-Ava in Benin. Samples were collected according to ISO/DIS14698-1 standard from the surfaces and medicotechnical materials by the dry swab method. The isolation of Staphylococcus strains was performed on Chapman agar, and their identification was performed using microscopic and biochemical methods. The susceptibility of Staphylococcus isolates to antibiotics was evaluated by the disc diffusion method according to EUCAST and CLSI recommendations. The biofilm formation was qualitatively assessed using microplates. Of the 128 surfaces and medicotechnical material samples analyzed, 77% were contaminated with Staphylococcus spp. Thirteen species of Staphylococcus were isolated in different proportions but the pediatric department was the most contaminated (33%) by S. aureus. Resistance to antibiotics considerably varies according to the species of Staphylococcus. However, antibiotics such as chloramphenicol and vancomycin are the most effective on S. aureus, whereas coagulase-negative staphylococci developed less resistance to gentamycin and ciprofloxacin. The biofilm test reveals that 37% of our isolated strains were biofilm formers. Although regular monitoring of hospital hygiene is crucial, the optimal use of antibiotics is a cornerstone of reducing antimicrobial resistance.