Antioxidant and hepatoprotective potentials of novel endophytic fungus Achaetomium sp., from Euphorbia hirta.

OBJECTIVE: To isolate, identify and evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective potentials, total phenolic content, flavonoid content, tannin content of ethyl acetate extract of endophytic fungus Achaetomium sp., isolated from Euphorbia hirta. METHODS: Hepatoprotectivity of ethyl acetate extract of Achaetomium sp., was evaluated by CCl4 induced toxicity in HepG2 cells and subsequently analysed for cell viability using MTT assay. It also demonstrates antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials by DPPH radical scavenging assay and well diffusion assay respectively. Quantification of total phenolic content, tannin content and flavonoid content were assessed by spectroscopic methods. RESULTS: Phenols, flavonoids and tannins were the phytochemicals present in ethyl acetate extract of Achaetomium sp., with rich phenolic content exhibited potent hepatoprotective, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The hepatoprotective activity was recorded as of 72.13% ± 2.948% of cell viability at a concentration of 150 µg/mL, whereas the standard silymarin showed 93.260% ± 0.784%. It was observed to be dose dependent, when CCl4 exposed HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of ethyl acetate extract. Antibacterial activity showed significant inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The antioxidant activity ranged from 66.890% ± 1.385% to 87.340% ± 0.289% with (44.02 ± 1.57) µg of total phenolics, (54.54 ± 1.82) µg of flavonoid content and (18.790 ± 1.018) µg of tannin content. Ascorbic acid, BHT (butylated hydroxyl toluene) Gallic acid and Pyrogallol were used as standards which showed 98.370% ± 0.763%; 97.080% ± 0.636%; 94.890% ± 1.103% and 96.980% ± 0.098% reducing potential respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal that the metabolites produced by endophytic fungi isolated from Euphorbia hirta could be novel natural products that could lead to new drug discovery.

Risk factors for antibiotic-resistant E. coli in children in a rural area.

We surveyed antimicrobial susceptibility in faecal Escherichia coli in primary schoolchildren in rural Tamil Nadu, India. Resistance profiles of E. coli samples from local water sources were also obtained. We investigated sociodemographic characteristics as risk factors for resistance and local paediatric prescription patterns. In 119 stool samples, carriage of resistance to 1 antibiotic was 63% and multiple drug resistance was 32%. Resistance outcomes were associated with school of attendance, having a sibling attend the same school, younger age, and less crowded households. Eight of nine water samples were resistant to > or =1 antibiotic. Recent history of medication use was not associated with resistance carriage. Resistance patterns may have been influenced by local paediatric prescription patterns and veterinary antibiotic use. Frequent, low-cost surveillance of commensal resistance can guide development of locally appropriate treatment guidelines. School-based hygiene programmes should be considered as means of limiting the spread of antibiotic resistance.