Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Medicinal Plants Baccaurea Ramiflora and Microcos Paniculata.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken to investigate the antioxidant and antimicrobial effect of ethanolic leaf extract of Baccaurea ramiflora and Microcos paniculata. METHODS: DPPH radical scavenging activity, Nitric oxide scavenging activity, Super oxide anion radical scavenging activity, Reducing power assay were used to assess antioxidant efficacy. Zone of Inhibition determination by Agar well diffusion assay was used to assess antimicrobial activity. RESULTS: The Baccaurea ramiflora and Microcos paniculata leaves extracted with different solvents such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and water among that in leaves ethanolic extract produce 10.78, 10.38 percentage yield respectively. Both the extracts subjected for phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, proteins and flavonoids. Ethanolic extract of Baccaurea ramiflora showed maximum inhibition zone diameter was obtained in Salmonella typhi (Gram-negative bacteria) with diameter 29 mm and 25 mm respectively at 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml. Similarly, Ethanolic extract of Microcos paniculata showed minimum inhibition zone diameter compare to Baccaurea ramiflora was obtained in Salmonella typhi (Gram-negative bacteria) with diameter 23 mm and 19 mm respectively at 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml. Ethanolic extract of Baccaurea ramiflora showed maximum inhibition zone diameter was obtained in Aspergillus fumigates with diameter 25 mm and 22 mm respectively at 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml. Similarly, Ethanolic extract of Microcos paniculata showed minimum inhibition zone diameter compare to Baccaurea ramiflora was obtained in Aspergillus fumigates with diameter 21 mm and 19 mm respectively at 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml. CONCLUSION: The current findings point to Baccaurea ramiflora and Microcos paniculata antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However future studies should be designed to isolate the active constituents responsible for the specified effect.

Triggering of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by fennel and clove oils in Caco-2 cells: the role of combination.

Background: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) oils are known for their various biological effects, including anticancer properties. Objective: To investigate the anticancer effect of combined fennel and clove oil treatment on Caco-2 cells and normal human lymphocytes (NHL). Methods: GC-MS, in vitro cytotoxicity, morphological, apoptosis-related marker, and flow cytometric cell cycle distribution analyses were conducted. Results: Seventeen volatile compounds were identified in fennel oil, including trans-anethole (68.3%) and (+)-fenchone (8.1%). In clove oil, 22 compounds, including eugenol (71.4%) and caryophyllene (8.7%), were identified. IC50 of the fennel, clove, and oil mixture were 300 ± 5.0, 150 ± 4.0, and 73 ± 2.5 µg/mL, respectively with combination index (CI) < 1.0. Mechanistic anticancer properties were investigated using 30, 45, and 60 µg/mL oil mixture. Analysis of apoptotic morphology, flow cytometric cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis-related markers, such as Bcl-2 and Ki-67, confirmed cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction in Caco-2 cells by the fennel and clove oil combination. Moreover, the oil mixture did not exert significant (p < 0.01) toxicity on NHL in vitro. Conclusion: The oil mixture exerted selective cytotoxicity towards Caco-2 cells through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, which may occur through synergistic effects between fennel and clove oil active ingredients.

HPLC Analysis of Phenolic Acids, Antioxidant Activity and in vitro Effectiveness of Green and Roasted Caffea arabica Bean Extracts: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Coffee is a popular drink; it is one of the most commercialized food products and a rich source of biologically active compounds that are important for human health. AIMS: This study aimed to prove the anticancer activity of Green Coffee (GC) and Roasted Coffee (RC) bean aqueous extracts (Coffea arabica) on breast cancer adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and the safety of both extracts on normal Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes culture (HPBL). METHODS: Total phenolic content for GC and RC extracts was measured and result of both extracts were (0.308±0.016 & 0.233±0.013mg/g) respectively. The phenolic acids were screened by HPLC at the wavelength of 254& 278 and 300 nm and 5-caffeoylquinic acids (Chlorogenic acid), the predominant form of phenolic acids, was identified in GC and RC samples. Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) as well as the free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) proved the antioxidant properties of both extracts. The DPPH IC50 mean values of GC and RC extracts were (2.4±0.08, 2.3±0.16 µg/ml) respectively. Cytotoxicity of both extracts on MCF-7 cells were evaluated by neutral red uptake assay which showed the IC50 mean values (377±5.7,500±8.1 µg/ml) for GC and RC extracts respectively. The safety of both extracts (0, 125, 250, 500 µg/ml) on HPBL was evaluated in vitro using trypan blue exclusion method and DNA single strand breaks (alkaline comet assay). RESULTS: Result revealed non-significant cytotoxic difference (P<0.001) between cultures especially at lower doses of GC and RC extracts except the highest dose of GC and RC extract which showed slightly significant damage (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study proved that GC and RC aqueous extracts were found to be selectively cytotoxic in vitro to cancerous cells (MCF-7 cell line) causing cell death with no cytotoxicity on normal human lymphocytes especially at lower doses.

Phenolic content, antioxidant potential and Aedes aegyptii ecological friend larvicidal activity of some selected Egyptian plants.

Polyphenols constitute a distinct group of natural compounds of medicinal importance exhibiting wide range of physiological activities as antioxidant, immunestimulant, antitumor and antiparasitic. Yellow fever and dengue fever are mosquito-borne infectious diseases transmitted by Aedes aegyptii, the presence of yellow fever in Sudan and dengue fever in Saudi Arabia are threats to Egypt with the reemerging of Ae. aegyptii in Southern Egypt, larvae control is feasible than flying adults. This work was conducted targeting estimation of the relative levels of total phenolic content, antioxidant potential and larvicidal activity of 110 selected Egyptian plants. The highest total phenolic contents were estimated in aqueous extracts of Coronilla scorpioides L., Forsskaolea tenacissima L., Crataegus sinaica Boiss., Pistacia khinjuk Boiss. and Loranthus acacia Benth.; they were 916.70 +/- 4.80, 813.70 +/- 4.16, 744.90 +/- 4.93, 549.00 +/- 3.93& 460.80 +/- 4.02 mg% while those of methanol extracts were estimated in Coronilla scorpioides, Forsskaolea tenacissima, Crataegus sinaica, Loranthus acacia and Pistacia khinjuk, they were 915.60-4.86, 664.60 +/- 4.16, 659.30 +/- 4.80, 590.80 +/- 4.49 & 588.00 +/- 3.85 mg% respectively. Investigation of the antioxidant potentials revealed that the most potent plants were Co-ronilla scorpioides, Forsskaolea tenacissima, Crataegus sinaica, Pistacia khinjuk and Loranthus acacia with calculated values of 454.80 +/- 4.83, 418.4 +/- 4.16, 399.10 +/- 4.90, 342.5 +/- 2.72 & 239.7 +/- 2.91% for aqueous extracts and 452.9 +/- 4.94, 389.6 +/- 4.6, 378.48 +/- 3.84, 352.3 +/- 3.06 & 346.5 +/- 2.98% for methanol extracts respectively while screening of larvicidal activity proved that Coronilla scorpioides, Forsskaolea tenacissima, Crataegus sinaica, Pistacia khinjuk and Loranthus acacia exhibited highest potency calculated as 22.53 +/- 2.01, 23.85 +/- 2.07, 28.17 +/- 2.06, 31.60 +/- 2.93 & 39.73 +/- 4.58 mg% aqueous extracts and 18.53 +/- 1.95, 18.8 +/- 1.67, 20.17 +/- 1.85, 23.28 +/- 2.7 & 28.48 +/- 3.9 mg% methanol ones respectively.

Tropical pyomyositis presenting as sepsis with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Tropical pyomyositis is an underdiagnosed condition. We reported a 35 year old male farmer, who presented with septicemia and acute respiratory distress syndrome due to pyomyositis involving the paraspinal muscles. Culture of the pus grew methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, and the patient recovered after surgical drainage and antibiotic treatment. Diagnostic delays can be avoided if tropical pyomyositis is considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with septicemia.

Interrelation of antioxidant, anticancer and antilieshmania effects of some selected Egyptian plants and their phenolic constituents.

Medicinal plants are the most potential resource of new therapeutic agents. They are diverse, largely productive, biologically active and chemically unique; among their constituents "polyphenol compounds group" one of the main determinant factors in evaluating the pharmacological potentials i.e. polyphenols display an array of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, immunostimulant, antitumor and antiparasitic effects. Cancer is a dreadful human disease, increasing with changing life style, nutrition and global warming while current available anticancer drugs cause serious side effects in most instances. Several reports suggested the relationship between antioxidant, anticancer and antiparasitic effects; they suggested that they act indirectly through promoting host resistance, restabilizing body equilibrim and conditioning body tissues in addition to their direct effect on certain parasites involved in cancer etiology. This work was conducted for estimation of total phenolic, flavonoids, phenylethanoid glycoside and iridoid content of twenty-three selected Egyptian plants as well as screening of their anticancer, antioxidant and antileishmanial effects, the overall gained results for suggest that the most suitable medicinal plant used as anticancer and antioxidant is Petrea volubilis L. which contain adequate mixture of total phenolic compounds 88.7 mg% and flavonoids 50.80 mg% and also suggest that flavonoid compounds are the category of phenolic compounds possess significant antioxidant and anticancer effects while the antilieshamnia screening revealed that Thymus decussatus Benth. extract exhibited the highest effect due to the presence of flavonoids and iridoids in adequate combination where iridoid compounds 201 mg% and flavonoid content was 128 mg%.

Tropical pyomyositis presenting as sepsis with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Tropical pyomyositis is an underdiagnosed condition. We reported a 35 year old male farmer, who presented with septicemia and acute respiratory distress syndrome due to pyomyositis involving the paraspinal muscles. Culture of the pus grew methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, and the patient recovered after surgical drainage and antibiotic treatment. Diagnostic delays can be avoided if tropical pyomyositis is considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with septicemia.

Diagnostic value of nitric oxide, lipoprotein(a), and malondialdehyde levels in the peripheral venous and cavernous blood of diabetics with erectile dysfunction.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the single most common cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) seen in clinical practice. Evaluation of penile arterial insufficiency in diabetic patients currently entails expensive and invasive testing. We assessed the diagnostic value of certain peripheral and cavernous blood markers as predictors of penile arterial insufficiency in diabetic men with ED. This study was conducted on a total of 51 subjects in three groups: 26 impotent diabetics, 15 psychogenic impotent men and 10 normal age matched control males. All subjects underwent standard ED evaluation including estimation of postprandial blood sugar and serum lipid profile. Peripheral venous levels of nitric oxide (NO), lipoprotein(a) (LP(a)), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were obtained in all subjects. Patients in the two impotent groups underwent additional measurement of NO, LP(a) and MDA levels in cavernous blood. They also underwent intracavernosal injection (ICI) of a trimix (papaverine, prostaglandin E1 and phentolamine mixture) and pharmaco-penile duplex ultrasonography (PPDU). Compared to patients in the psychogenic group, diabetic men had significantly lower erectile response to ICI (P<0.001), lower peak systolic velocity (PSV) (P<0.001), and smaller increase in cavernosal artery diameter (CAD) (P<0.001). Peripheral and cavernous levels of both LP(a) and MDA were higher in the diabetic group as compared to the psychogenic ED group (P<0.001), while the values of peripheral venous and cavernous NO were lower (P<0.001) in the diabetic men. Comparison of biochemical marker assays with the PPDU results showed a significant negative correlation between both venous and cavernous LP(a) and MDA levels on the one hand, and PSV, and the percentage of CAD increase on the other. At the same time, peripheral and cavernous NO levels had a significant positive correlation with the same parameters. Lipoprotein(a), MDA and NO levels were better predictors of low PSV than HbA1c, cholesterol or triglyceride levels. The finding of high levels of LP(a) and MDA with low levels of NO in the peripheral and cavernous venous blood of diabetic men with ED correlates strongly with severity of ED as measured by PPDU. This provides a rationale for further studies of biochemical markers as a surrogate for traditional invasive testing in the diagnosis of penile arterial insufficiency.

nhaG Na(+)/H(+) antiporter gene of Bacillus subtilis ATCC9372, which is missing in the complete genome sequence of strain 168, and properties of the antiporter.

We cloned a gene which enabled Escherichia coli mutant host cells lacking all of the major Na(+)/H(+) antiporters to grow in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl from chromosomal DNA of Bacillus subtilis ATCC9372. An Na(+)/H(+) antiport activity was observed with membrane vesicles prepared from E. coli cells possessing the cloned gene, but not with vesicles from the host cells. Lithium ion was also a substrate for the antiporter. We sequenced the cloned DNA and found one open reading frame (designated nhaG) preceded by a promoter-like sequence and a Shine-Dalgarno sequence, and followed by a terminator-like sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence of NhaG suggested that it consisted of 524 residues and that the calculated molecular mass was 58.1 kDa. None of the bacterial Na(+)/H(+) antiporters so far reported, except NhaP of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and SynNhaP (NhaS1) of Synechocystis sp., showed significant sequence similarity with the NhaG. However, the NhaP, the SynNhaP, animal NHEs (Na(+)/H(+) exchangers), and some hypothetical Na(+)/H(+) antiporters of several organisms showed significant sequence similarities with the NhaG. Interestingly, the entire DNA region corresponding to the nhaG gene is missing in the reported complete genome sequence of B. subtilis strain 168. We detected a band that hybridized with the nhaG DNA in chromosomal DNA from B. subtilis ATCC9372 but not with that from strain 168. The missing DNA region (1,774 base pairs) is sandwiched by two identical sequences, TTTTCTT.

Loss of calcitonin binding in rat is not related to calcitonin receptor gene abnormality.

C-cell tumors occur frequently (50%) in old WAG/Rij rats. Interestingly, genetically transmitted loss of CT binding sites in the kidney has also been demonstrated in WAG/Rij rats. To determine if these issues are resulted from mutation of calcitonin receptor (CTR), we analyzed the CTR genomic abnormality in WAG/Rij rat. We demonstrated that both Wistar and WAG/Rij rats expressed type-C1a CTR by RT-PCR analysis and their mRNA expressions were approximately equal by Northern blotting analysis. Direct sequence of RT-PCR products for CTR showed no different nucleotide sequences between the two strains. There were three polymorphisms at the first transmembrane domain and the fourth intracellular membranes, which are different from Sprague-Dawley rat. We concluded that the loss of CT binding in WAG/Rij rat is not related to CTR gene abnormality. Abnormal system of CTR amino acid modification may be occurred in WAG/Rij rat.

Dysplastic glioneuronal lesion arising in the cerebellum: a clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

We describe a case of dysplastic glioneuronal lesion in the right cerebellar hemisphere. A 13-year-old boy presented with headache since 1998. He had no neurological deficits. The computerized tomograph (CT) scan showed prominent calcification, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a non-enhancing mass of 15 x 15 x 5 cm in the right cerebellar hemisphere. The mass had low intensity in T1- and high intensity in T2-weighted images. Histologically, the lesion was composed of poorly defined small to intermediate sized cells arranged in fibrillar background. Although few neuronal cells having large nuclei with small nucleoli were present, no ganglion cells could be seen. Immunohistochemically, these poorly defined cells were non-reactive to various glial and neuronal markers. However, GFAP, synaptophysin, neurofilament and vimentin-reactive intercellular matrix and few nonneoplastic GFAP-positive glial cells and neurofilament-positive neuronal cells were seen. A very low MIB-1-labelling index of less than 0.1% was noted. Ultrastructurally, two different populations of the cells were seen. A few neuronal cells were larger and had an oval nucleus with small nucleolus and cytoplasm containing various cytoplasmic organelles, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, ribosomes, lipofuscin, rough endoplasmic reticulum, microtubules and neurofilaments. Many other cells had a scant cytoplasm and thus poorly defined. Cytoplasmic processes with axono-dendritic synapses and foci of bundles of intermediate filaments were present in the intercellular areas of the lesion. Based on these radiological, histological and ultrastructural findings of the lesion of low proliferative potential, we considered it dysplastic in nature.

[The value and limitation of two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosis of dissecting aortic aneurysm].

The diagnostic value of two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was evaluated in 29 patients with dissecting aortic aneurysm (DeBakey type I; 4, type II; 1, type IIIa; 6, type IIIb; 18) who were studied consecutively from May 1987 to August 1988. An intimal flap was demonstrated in all 29 cases. DeBakey type classification could be recognized in 26 of 29 patients (89.7%). The entry of aortic dissection could be identified in 26 of 29 patients (89.7%). The differentiation between true and false lumen could be performed in all 29 cases. The introduction of color Doppler and pulsed Doppler echocardiography has opened up an additional possibility, in particular an analysis of flow pattern of the lumen was valuable in differentiation between true and false lumen. TEE was also valuable in evaluation of operative procedure by means of intraoperative-TEE. The capability to visualize the lesion of descending aorta was superior to any other conventional diagnostic method such as CT, MRI, AOG. However, there were difficulties in scanning the distal part of the ascending aorta and aortic arch, and in identifying the reentry of arotic dissection except for DeBakey type IIIa dissection. Since transthoracic echocardiography was valuable in diagnosis of cardiac tamponade, aortic regurgitation, and DeBakey type I dissection, the diagnostic method of a combination of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography seems to be more valuable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)