Inhibitory effects of algal polysaccharide extract from Cladophora spp. against herpes simplex virus infection.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a causative agent of fever blister, genital herpes, and neonatal herpes. Nowadays, edible algae are recognized as health food due to high nutrition content and their many active compounds that are beneficial to health. The purpose of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effects of algal polysaccharide extract from Cladophora spp. against herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 on Vero cells. In this study, the structure of polysaccharide extract is presented as S=O and C-O-S of the sulfate group, as identified by the FT-IR technique. The toxicity of algal polysaccharide extract on Vero cells was determined by MTT assay. The algal extract showed low toxicity on the cells, with 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) value greater than 5000 µg mL-1. The inhibition of HSV infection by the algal extract was then evaluated on Vero cells using plaque reduction assay. The 50% effective concentration (EC50) values of algal extract exhibited antiviral activity against HSV-1 upon treatment before, during, and after viral adsorption with and without removal of the extract were 70.31, 15.17, > 5000 and 9.78 µg mL-1, respectively. Additionally, the EC50 values of algal extract against HSV-2 upon treatment before, during and after viral adsorption with, and without removal of the extract were 5.85, 2.57, > 5000 and 26.96 µg mL-1, respectively. Moreover, the algal extract demonstrated direct inactivation of HSV-1 and HSV-2 virions as well as inhibitory effect against HSV replication. Accordingly, algal polysaccharide extract containing sulfated polysaccharides showed strong activity against HSV. Therefore, it is proved to be useful to apply Cladophora spp. polysaccharide extract as an anti-HSV agent.

Anti-Herpes Simplex Virus and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of the Melittin Peptides Derived from Apis mellifera and Apis florea Venom.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is known to cause cold sores and various diseases in humans. Importantly, HSV infection can develop latent and recurrent infections, and it is also known to cause inflammation. These infections are difficult to control, and effective treatment of the disease remains a challenge. Thus, the search for new antiviral and anti-inflammatory agents is a necessity. Melittin is a major peptide that is present in the venom of the honeybee. It possesses a number of pharmacological properties. In this study, the effects of the melittin peptides from A. mellifera (MEL-AM) and A. florea (MEL-AF) against HSV-1 and HSV-2 were evaluated at different stages during the viral multiplication cycle in an attempt to define the mode of antiviral action using plaque reduction and virucidal assays. The results revealed a new finding that melittin at 5 µg/mL demonstrated the highest inhibitory effect on HSV through the direct inactivation of viral particles, and MEL-AF displayed a greater virucidal activity. Moreover, melittin was also observed to interfere with the process of HSV attachment to the host cells. MEL-AM exhibited anti-HSV-1 and anti-HSV-2 effects with EC50 values of 4.90 ± 0.15 and 4.39 ± 0.20 µg/mL, while MEL-AF demonstrated EC50 values of 4.47 ± 0.21 and 3.95 ± 0.61 µg/mL against HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. However, non-cytotoxic concentrations of both types of melittin produced only slight degrees of HSV-1 and HSV-2 inhibition after viral attachment, but melittin at 5 µg/mL was able to reduce the plaque size of HSV-2 when compared to the untreated group. In addition, MEL-AM and MEL-AF also exhibited anti-inflammatory activity via the inhibition of nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, and they were also found to down-regulate the expressions of the iNOS, COX-2 and IL-6 genes. The highest inhibition of IL-6 mRNA expression was found after treatment with 10 µg/mL of MEL-AM and MEL-AF. Therefore, melittin peptides have displayed strong potential to be used as an alternative treatment for HSV infection and inflammatory diseases in the future.

Clinacanthus nutans genetic diversity and its association with anti-apoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-bacterial activities.

Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau has been extensively utilized in Thai folk medicine. However, there has been no prior exploration of its genetic diversity or its correlation with biological activity and phytochemical profiles. Herein, a total of 10 samples of C. nutans were collected from different geographic locations in different environments of Thailand, encompassing Northern, Northeastern, and Central regions. The genetic diversity study using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers showed that all C. nutans samples were closely related, as indicated by UPGMA cluster analysis. When comparing the biological activities of C. nutans extracts, our findings demonstrated that those sourced from Northern Thailand exhibited the most potent activity in reducing lipopolysaccharide-inducing cell death, as accessed by cell viability assay. Furthermore, they showed remarkable antioxidant and antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of phytochemical profiles revealed consistent chromatography peak patterns across all C. nutans extracts. However, they exhibited varying levels of phenolic contents, as judged by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, which positively correlated with their observed activities. In conclusion, this study highlights the limited genetic variation within C. nutans population in Thailand. Furthermore, it underscores the association between the biological activity and the total phenolic contents which might be mainly impacted by environmental conditions.

Ethanolic Extract Propolis-Loaded Niosomes Diminish Phospholipase B1, Biofilm Formation, and Intracellular Replication of Cryptococcus neoformans in Macrophages.

Secretory phospholipase B1 (PLB1) and biofilms act as microbial virulence factors and play an important role in pulmonary cryptococcosis. This study aims to formulate the ethanolic extract of propolis-loaded niosomes (Nio-EEP) and evaluate the biological activities occurring during PLB1 production and biofilm formation of Cryptococcus neoformans. Some physicochemical characterizations of niosomes include a mean diameter of 270 nm in a spherical shape, a zeta-potential of -10.54 ± 1.37 mV, and 88.13 ± 0.01% entrapment efficiency. Nio-EEP can release EEP in a sustained manner and retains consistent physicochemical properties for a month. Nio-EEP has the capability to permeate the cellular membranes of C. neoformans, causing a significant decrease in the mRNA expression level of PLB1. Interestingly, biofilm formation, biofilm thickness, and the expression level of biofilm-related genes (UGD1 and UXS1) were also significantly reduced. Pre-treating with Nio-EEP prior to yeast infection reduced the intracellular replication of C. neoformans in alveolar macrophages by 47%. In conclusion, Nio-EEP mediates as an anti-virulence agent to inhibit PLB1 and biofilm production for preventing fungal colonization on lung epithelial cells and also decreases the intracellular replication of phagocytosed cryptococci. This nano-based EEP delivery might be a potential therapeutic strategy in the prophylaxis and treatment of pulmonary cryptococcosis in the future.

Antioxidant, Anti-Tyrosinase, and Anti-Skin Pathogenic Bacterial Activities and Phytochemical Compositions of Corn Silk Extracts, and Stability of Corn Silk Facial Cream Product.

Zea mays L. Poaceae stigma (corn silk, CS) is a byproduct of agricultural waste and is used as a traditional herb in many countries. CS is rich in chemical compounds known to benefit human health and is also a remedy for infectious diseases and has anti-proliferative effects on human cancer cell lines. In the present study, CS extract has been evaluated for its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-tyrosinase activities and its phytochemical composition. The higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found in the ethanolic extract of corn silk (CSA), at 28.27 ± 0.86 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 4.71 ± 0.79 mg quercetin equivalent/g extract, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant content of CSA was found at 5.22 ± 0.87 and 13.20 ± 0.42 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract using DPPH and reducing power assays. Furthermore, the ethanolic extract of corn silk showed tyrosinase inhibition with an IC50 value of 12.45 µg/mL. The bacterial growth inhibition of CSA was tested using agar disc diffusion and broth dilution assays against Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis. It was found that CSA inhibited C. acnes and S. epidermidis with an inhibition zone of 11.7 ± 1.2 and 9.3 ± 0.6 mm, respectively. Moreover, the CSA showed MIC/MBC of 15.625 mg/mL against C. acnes. The following phytochemical compounds were detected in CSA: cardiac glycosides; n-hexadecanoic acid; hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester; oleic acid; and 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, ethyl ester. After the corn silk cream product was formulated, the product demonstrated stability without phase separation. This research is beneficial for promoting effective ways to use agricultural waste while utilizing the antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and antibacterial activities of corn silk. Moreover, the use of technology and innovation to obtain high-value CS extract will benefit the development of commercial cosmetic products by providing safe, natural, and quality ingredients to the consumer.

Biological properties of mucus from land snails (Lissachatina fulica) and freshwater snails (Pomacea canaliculata) and histochemical study of mucous cells in their foot.

Background: Mucus derived from many land snails has been extensively utilised in medicine and cosmetics, but some biological activities of the mucus need to be well documented. Nevertheless, most mucus is obtained from land snails, while mucus from freshwater snails has yet to be attended. Methods: This study aims to determine and compare mucus's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities from the land snail Lissachatina fulica and the freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata. ABTS, DPPH, reducing power and total antioxidant activity assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity. Inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 cells was performed to determine the anti-inflammatory activity. Additionally, the histochemical analysis of mucous cells in each snail foot was conducted to compare the distribution of mucous cells and types of mucins using periodic acid-Schiff and Alcian blue staining. Results: Mucus from L. fulica and P. canaliculata exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in different parameters. L. fulica mucus has higher total antioxidant (44.71 ± 2.11 mg AAE/g) and nitric oxide inhibitory activities (IC50 = 9.67 ± 0.31 µg/ml), whereas P. canaliculata mucus has better-reducing power activity (43.63 ± 2.47 mg AAE/g) and protein denaturation inhibition (IC50 = 0.60 ± 0.03 mg/ml). Histochemically, both species' dorsal and ventral foot regions contained neutral and acid mucins in different quantities. In the dorsal region, the neutral mucins level in L. fulica (16.64 ± 3.46%) was significantly higher than that in P. canaliculata (11.19 ± 1.50%), while the acid mucins level showed no significant difference between species. Levels of both mucins in the ventral foot region of L. fulica (15.08 ± 3.97% and 10.76 ± 3.00%, respectively) were significantly higher than those of P. canaliculata (2.25 ± 0.48% and 2.71 ± 0.56%, respectively). This study revealed scientific evidence of the biological capacity of mucus from L. fulica and P. canaliculata as well as provided helpful information on the region of the foot which produces effective mucus.

Innovative Eco-Friendly Microwave-Assisted Rapid Biosynthesis of Ag/AgCl-NPs Coated with Algae Bloom Extract as Multi-Functional Biomaterials with Non-Toxic Effects on Normal Human Cells.

Harmful algal blooms impact human welfare and are a global concern. Sargassum spp., a type of algae or seaweed that can potentially bloom in certain regions of the sea around Thailand, exhibits a noteworthy electron capacity as the sole reducing and stabilizing agent, which suggests its potential for mediating nanoparticle composites. This study proposes an eco-friendly microwave-assisted biosynthesis (MAS) method to fabricate silver nanoparticles coated with Sargassum aqueous extract (Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME). Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME were successfully synthesized in 1 min using a 20 mM AgNO3 solution without additional hazardous chemicals. UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed their formation through a surface plasmon resonance band at 400-500 nm. XRD and FTIR analyses verified their crystalline nature and involvement of organic molecules. TEM and SEM characterization showed well-dispersed Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME with an average size of 36.43 nm. The EDS results confirmed the presence of metallic Ag+ and Cl- ions. Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME exhibited significant antioxidant activity against free radicals (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP), suggesting their effectiveness. They also inhibited enzymes (tyrosinase and ACE) linked to diseases, indicating therapeutic potential. Importantly, the Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME displayed remarkable cytotoxicity against cancer cells (A375, A549, and Caco-2) while remaining non-toxic to normal cells. DNA ladder and TUNEL assays confirmed the activation of apoptosis mechanisms in cancer cells after a 48 h treatment. These findings highlight the versatile applications of Ag/AgCl-NPs-ME in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals.

Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity on LPS-Stimulated RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cells of White Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaf Extracts.

The white mulberry (Morus alba L.) is widely used as a medicinal plant in Asia. In this study, the bioactive compounds of ethanolic extracts of white mulberry leaves from the Sakon Nakhon and Buriram cultivars were evaluated. The ethanolic extracts of mulberry leaves from the Sakon Nakhon cultivar showed the highest total phenolic content of 49.68 mg GAE/g extract and antioxidant activities of 4.38 mg GAE/g extract, 4.53 mg TEAC/g extract, and 92.78 mg FeSO4/g extract using 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,20-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, respectively. The resveratrol and oxyresveratrol compounds in mulberry leaves were also investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mulberry leaf extracts from the Sakon Nakhon and Buriram cultivars showed oxyresveratrol contents of 1.20 ± 0.04 mg/g extract and 0.39 ± 0.02 mg/g extract, respectively, whereas resveratrol was not detected. It was also found that the potent anti-inflammatory properties of mulberry leaf extracts and its compounds, resveratrol and oxyresveratrol, suppressed the LPS-stimulated inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells by significantly reducing nitric oxide production in a concentration-dependent manner. These compounds further inhibited interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production and suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Therefore, it is established that mulberry leaf extract and its bioactive compounds contribute to its anti-inflammatory activity.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Glyceryl 1,3-Distearate Identified from Clinacanthus nutans Extract against Bovine Mastitis Pathogens.

Clinacanthus nutans is widely used as a traditional medicine in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia. Although its effectiveness is well documented, its therapeutic use is limited to the treatment of only a few diseases; mostly it is used as an anti-viral agent against varicella-zoster and herpes simplex virus infections. Herein, we demonstrate the therapeutic activity of C. nutans extracts in lowering inflammation in a model of bovine mastitis caused by bacterial infection. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a gram-negative bacterial component, caused inflammation activation in bovine endothelial cells (CPAE) through the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (IL6 and IL1ß) and chemokines (CXCL3 and CXCL8) gene expression, partially leading to cell death. Treatment with C. nutans crude extract significantly diminished these responses in a dose-dependent manner. The solvent fractionation of C. nutans extract revealed that the ethyl acetate (C4H8O2) fractions had a high potential to protect against cell death and diminished IL1ß, IL6, CXCL3, and CXCL8 levels to less than 0.45 folds relative to the LPS-treated control. Glyceryl 1,3-distearate (C39H76O5) was identified as a bioactive compound responsible for the anti-inflammation activity but not the anti-cell death activity of C. nutans extract. This study highlighted the efficiency of C. nutans extracts as an alternative therapeutic option for the natural-product sustainable development of bovine mastitis treatment.

Inhibition of Skin Pathogenic Bacteria, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Royal Jelly from Northern Thailand.

Royal jelly is a nutritious substance produced by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of honeybees. Royal jelly possesses many attractive and beneficial properties which make it an ideal component in medical and pharmaceutical products. The antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of royal jelly from honeybees (Apis mellifera) were determined in this study. Moreover, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the royal jelly were also evaluated. The effects of royal jelly on growth inhibition against skin pathogenic bacteria, including Cutibacterium acnes, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Corynebacterium spp., were investigated by the agar well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were further determined by the broth dilution method. The results indicated that royal jelly showed antibacterial activity by inhibiting the growth of Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, while the effectiveness decreased against Gram-negative bacteria. Interestingly, royal jelly from Lamphun (RJ-LP1), and Chiang Mai (RJ-CM1), presented high inhibitory efficacy against C. acnes, MRSA, and S. aureus within 4 h by a time killing assay. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory properties of royal jelly were tested using RAW264.7 macrophage cells, and results revealed that RJ-LP1 and RJ-CM1 could reduce nitric oxide (NO) production and suppress iNOS gene expression. After testing the antioxidant activity, RJ-CM1 and RJ-CM2 of royal jelly from Chiang Mai had the highest level. Additionally, RJ-CM1 also showed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content. These findings have brought forward new knowledge of the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of royal jelly, which will improve clinical and pharmaceutical uses of royal jelly as an alternative therapy for bacterial infections, and also as a dietary supplement product.

Intraspecific Diversity and Pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis Isolates from an Emetic Illness.

This study describes an emetic food-borne intoxication associated with a Bacillus cereus group species and the characterization of the bacterial isolates from the incident in aspects of molecular tying, genetic factors, cytotoxicity, and pathogenic mechanisms relating to emetic illness. Through the polyphasic identification approach, all seven isolates obtained from food and clinical samples were identified as Bacillus thuringiensis. According to multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis, intraspecific diversity was found within the B. thuringiensis isolates. Four allelic profiles were found, including two previously known STs (ST8 and ST15) and two new STs (ST2804 and ST2805). All isolates harbored gene fragments located in the cereulide synthetase (ces) gene cluster. The heat-treated culture supernatants of three emetic B. thuringiensis isolates, FC2, FC7, and FC8, caused vacuolation and exhibited toxicity to Caco-2 cells, with CC50 values of 56.57, 72.17, and 79.94 µg/mL, respectively. The flow cytometry with the Annexin V/PI assay revealed both apoptosis and necrosis mechanisms, but necrosis was the prominent mechanism that caused Caco-2 cell destruction by FC2, the most toxic isolate.

Effect of Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch. n-Hexane Extract and Its Bioactive Compounds on Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Activity.

The stem bark of Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch. has been applied for the treatment of human cutaneous diseases as well as canine demodicosis in several countries. However, no detailed mechanistic studies have been reported to support their use. In this study, thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography were used to screen phytochemicals from the fresh stem bark extract of H. integrifolia. We found the two major bioactive compounds, friedelin and lupeol, and their activity on wound healing was further investigated in keratinocytes. Both bioactive compounds significantly reduced wound area and increased keratinocyte migration by increasing matrix metalloproteinases-9 production. Subsequently, we found that the mRNA gene expressions of cadherin 1 and desmoglobin 1 significantly decreased, whereas the gene expression involved in keratinocyte proliferation and homeostasis (keratin-17) increased in compound-treated human immortalized keratinocytes cells. The expression of inflammatory genes (cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase) and pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6) was reduced by treatment with n-hexane extract of H. integrifolia and its bioactive compounds. Our results revealed that H. integrifolia extract and its bioactive compounds, friedelin and lupeol, exhibit wound-healing activity with anti-inflammatory properties, mediated by regulating the gene expression involved in skin re-epithelialization.

Naturally Occurring Functional Ingredient from Filamentous Thermophilic Cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. KC45: Phytochemical Characterizations and Their Multiple Bioactivities.

Cyanobacteria are rich in phytochemicals, which have beneficial impacts on the prevention of many diseases. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize phytochemicals and evaluate multifunctional bioactivities in the ethanolic extract of the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. KC45. Results found that the extract mainly contained chlorophylls, carotenoids, phenolics, and flavonoids. Through LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis, 38 phenolic compounds with promising bioactivities were discovered, and a higher diversity of flavonoids was found among the phenolic compounds identified. The extract effectively absorbed the harmful UV rays and showed high antioxidant activity on DPPH, ABTS, and PFRAP. The extract yielded high-efficiency inhibitory effects on enzymes (tyrosinase, collagenase, ACE, and α-glucosidase) related to diseases. Interestingly, the extract showed a strong cytotoxic effect on cancer cells (skin A375, lung A549, and colon Caco-2), but had a much smaller effect on normal cells, indicating a satisfactory level of safety for the extract. More importantly, the combination of the DNA ladder assay and the TUNEL assay proved the appearance of DNA fragmentation in cancer cells after a 48 h treatment with the extract, confirming the apoptosis mechanisms. Our findings suggest that cyanobacterium extract could be potentially used as a functional ingredient for various industrial applications in foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals.

Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide from Swine-Waste Biogas on a Pilot Scale Using Immobilized Paracoccus versutus CM1.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic and corrosive component that commonly occurs in biogas. In this study, H2S removal from swine-waste biogas using sulfur-oxidizing Paracoccus versutus CM1 immobilized in porous glass (PG) and polyurethane foam (PUF) biofilters was investigated. Bacterial compositions in the biofilters were also determined using polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The biofilters were first tested on a laboratory scale under three space velocities (SV): 20, 30, and 40 h−1. Within 24 h, at an SV of 20 h−1, PG and PUF biofilters immobilized with P. versutus CM1 removed 99.5% and 99.7% of H2S, respectively, corresponding to the elimination capacities (EC) of 83.5 and 86.2 gm−3 h−1. On a pilot scale, with the horizontal PG-P. versutus CM1 biofilter operated at an SV of 30 h−1, a removal efficiency of 99.7% and a maximum EC of 113.7 gm−3 h−1 were achieved. No reduction in methane content in the outlet biogas was observed under these conditions. The PCR-DGGE analysis revealed that Paracoccus, Acidithiobacillus, and Thiomonas were the predominant bacterial genera in the biofilters, which might play important roles in H2S removal. This PG−P. versutus CM1 biofiltration system is highly efficient for H2S removal from swine-waste biogas.

Anthocyanins in Red Jasmine Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Extracts and Efficacy on Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus, Free Radicals and Cancer Cell.

Rice is one of the most important food crops in many countries, with nutritional value and health benefits. In this study, the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of red jasmine rice from Chiang Mai, Thailand were examined for their anthocyanins and phenolic contents. The antioxidant and antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), as well as anticancer activity, were investigated. The total anthocyanins content of 708.03 ± 11.56 mg Cy-3-glc equivalent/g extract, determined from the ethanolic extract, was higher than the aqueous extract. However, the aqueous extract showed the highest total phenolic compound of 81.91 ± 0.51 mg GAE/g extract. In addition, the ethanolic extract demonstrated higher antioxidant activity than aqueous extract using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays by 28.91 ± 3.26 mg GAE/g extract, 189.45 ± 11.58 mg 24 TEAC/g extract, and 3292.46 ± 259.64 g FeSO4/g extract, respectively. In the antiviral assay, it was found that the ethanolic extract of red jasmine rice could inhibit HSV-1 more effectively than HSV-2 when treated before, during, and after the viral attachment on Vero cells, with 50% effective doses of 227.53 ± 2.41, 189.59 ± 7.76, and 192.62 ± 2.40 µg/mL, respectively. The extract also demonstrated the highest reduction of HSV-1 particles at 4 h after treatment and the inhibition of HSV-1 replication. The ethanolic extract exhibited a higher toxicity level than the aqueous extract, as well as the potential to induce DNA fragmentation by intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways on the Caco-2 cells. These findings suggest that red jasmine rice extract demonstrates nutritional value and biological activity on HSV, free radicals, and cancer cell inhibition.

Efficacy of Cordyceps militaris Extracts against Some Skin Pathogenic Bacteria and Antioxidant Activity.

Cordyceps militaris has been used for treating various diseases, as well as maintaining good overall health. The antibacterial properties of the C. militaris fruiting body and substrate, cultured in Chiang Mai (sample A and B) and Chiang Rai (sample C), Thailand, were investigated in this study. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of C. militaris exhibited antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cutibacterium acnes and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) with the MIC/MBC ranging from 3.91 to 31.25 mg/mL. The ethanolic extracts of the fruiting body and substrate from sample B also inhibited all bacterial growth within 2-4 h of treatment. Furthermore, ethanolic extract from sample B showed the highest cordycepin content of 57.42 mg/g extract, whereas the highest adenosine content, 3.78 mg/g extract, was observed in the ethanolic extract from the fruiting body of sample A by HPLC. The ethanolic extracts from sample A also demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity and flavonoid content by 9.50 mg GAE/g extract and 10.59 mg QAE/g extract, respectively. However, the highest phenolic content of 49.04 mg GAE/g extract was found in the aqueous extract of sample A. In addition, the ethanolic extract of sample A at 2 and 4 mg/mL could significantly down-regulate the mecA gene expression in MRSA. Our findings reported the potential of C. militaris extract as a new substance for the treatment of skin pathogenic bacteria infections and an antioxidant agent.

Characterisation of Lactobacillus plantarum of Dairy-Product Origin for Probiotic Chèvre Cheese Production.

Probiotics are increasingly used as functional food ingredients. The objectives of this study were to isolate and characterise probiotic bacteria from dairy and fermented foods and to use a selected strain for the production of probiotic chèvre cheese. Tolerance to acid (pH 2.0) and bile salt (0.4% (w/v)) were first investigated, and then other probiotic properties were determined. Out of 241 isolates, 35 showed high tolerance to acid and bile salt, and 6 were chosen for further characterisation. They were Lactobacillus plantarum and L. fermentum, and possessed antibacterial activities against foodborne pathogens such as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli O157:H7. L. plantarum (isolate AD73) showed the highest percentage of adhesion (81.74 ± 0.16%) and was nontoxic to Caco-2 cells at a concentration of 108 CFU/mL. This isolate was therefore selected for the production of probiotic chèvre cheese from goat's milk and was prepared in a lyophilised form with a concentration of probiotic culture of 8.6 log CFU/g. The cheese had a shelf life of 8 days. On the expiry date, the probiotic, the starter and the yeast contents were 7.56 ± 0.05, 7.81 ± 0.03 and 5.64 log CFU/g, respectively. The level of the probiotics in this chèvre cheese was still sufficiently high to warrant its being a probiotic cheese.

Combination gemcitabine and PD-L1xCD3 bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) enhances T lymphocyte cytotoxicity against cholangiocarcinoma cells.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a lethal cancer with rapid progression and poor survival. Novel and more effective therapies than those currently available are, therefore, urgently needed. Our research group previously reported the combination of gemcitabine and cytotoxic T lymphocytes to be more effective than single-agent treatment for the elimination of CCA cells. However, gemcitabine treatment of CCA cells upregulates the expression of an immune checkpoint protein (programmed death-ligand 1 [PD-L1]) that consequently inhibits the cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes. To overcome this challenge and take advantage of PD-L1 upregulation upon gemcitabine treatment, we generated recombinant PD-L1xCD3 bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs) to simultaneously block PD-1/PD-L1 signaling and recruit T lymphocytes to eliminate CCA cells. Two recombinant PD-L1xCD3 BiTEs (mBiTE and sBiTE contain anti-PD-L1 scFv region from atezolizumab and from a published sequence, respectively) were able to specifically bind to both CD3 on T lymphocytes, and to PD-L1 overexpressed after gemcitabine treatment on CCA (KKU213A, KKU055, and KKU100) cells. mBiTE and sBiTE significantly enhanced T lymphocyte cytotoxicity against CCA cells, especially after gemcitabine treatment, and their magnitudes of cytotoxicity were positively associated with the levels of PD-L1 expression. Our findings suggest combination gemcitabine and PD-L1xCD3 BiTE as a potential alternative therapy for CCA.

Antioxidants of Fruit Extracts as Antimicrobial Agents against Pathogenic Bacteria.

Fruit is an essential part of the human diet and is of great interest because of its richness in phytochemicals. Various fruit extracts from citrus, berries and pomegranates have been shown to possess a broad spectrum of medicinal properties. Fruit phytochemicals are of considerable interest because of their antioxidant properties involving different mechanisms of action, which can act against different pathogenic bacteria. The antioxidant capacity of fruit phytochemicals involves different kinds of reactions, such as radical scavenging and chelation or complexation of metal ions. The interaction between fruit phytochemicals and bacteria has different repercussions: it disrupts the cell envelope, disturbs cell-cell communication and gene regulation, and suppresses metabolic and enzymatic activities. Consequently, fruit phytochemicals can directly inhibit bacterial growth or act indirectly by modulating the expression of virulence factors, both of which reduce microbial pathogenicity. The aim of this review was to report our current knowledge on various fruit extracts and their major bioactive compounds, and determine the effectiveness of organic acids, terpenes, polyphenols, and other types of phenolic compounds with antioxidant properties as a source of antimicrobial agents.

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of White Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Fruit Extracts.

The fruit of mulberry trees (Morus sp.), mulberries, are traditionally utilised as a nutritional food and provide health benefits as well as skin nourishment in Thailand. White mulberries (Morus alba L.) from Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces were evaluated for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The antioxidant activities as well as the total phenolic, flavonoid and anthocyanin content of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts were determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The aqueous extracts of mulberries exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, which was associated with a higher phenolic and anthocyanin content. In testing the potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae, the mulberry extracts proved to be quite efficient, especially following water extraction. Time-kill and antibacterial adhesion assays further indicated that aqueous mulberry extracts could inhibit bacterial growth and prevent adhesions of pathogenic enteric bacteria on intestinal epithelial cells. It thus appears that mulberries can potentially be consumed as a good source of antioxidants, containing antimicrobial properties against some pathogenic bacteria which cause gastrointestinal tract infections.