Design,expression, and characterization of the hybrid antimicrobial peptide T‐catesbeianin‐1 based on FyuA

The overuse of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, which presents an urgent need for new antimicrobial agents. At present, antimicrobial peptides have attracted a great deal of attention from researchers. However, antimicrobial peptides often affect a broad range of microorganisms, including the normal flora in a host organism. In the present study, we designed a novel hybrid antimicrobial peptide, expressed the hybrid peptide, and studied its specific target. The hybrid peptide, named T‐catesbeianin‐1, which includes the FyuA‐binding domain of pesticin and the peptide catesbeianin‐1, was designed and expressed in Pichia pastoris X‐33. Then, we determined the antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and specific target of the peptide. T‐catesbeianin‐1 has strong antimicrobial activity and binds to FyuA to inhibit or kill Escherichia coli present in clinical specimens and mixed‐species culture. In summary, these findings suggested that T‐catesbeianin‐1 might be promising and specific antibiotic agent for therapeutic application against fyuA⁺ E. coli.     

Antimicrobial peptide PMAP‐37 analogs: Increasing the positive charge to enhance the antibacterial activity of PMAP‐37

Bacterial resistance induced by the use of antibiotics has provided a chance for the development of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), and modification of AMPs to enhance the antibacterial activity or stability has become a research focus. PMAP‐37 is an AMP isolated from porcine myeloid marrow, and studies on its modification have not yet been reported. In this study, three PMAP‐37 analogs named PMAP‐37(F9‐R), PMAP‐37(F34‐R), and PMAP‐37(F9/34‐R) were designed by residue substitution to enhance the positive charge. The antimicrobial activity of PMAP‐37 and its analogs in vitro and in vivo were detected. The results showed that compared with PMAP‐37, PMAP‐37(F9‐R) and PMAP‐37(F9/34‐R) exhibited antibacterial activity against S. flexneri CICC21534. Although PMAP‐37(F34‐R) had no antibacterial activity against S. flexneri CICC21534, its minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were significantly lower than those of PMAP‐37 against most bacterial strains. Besides, all PMAP‐37 analogs were pH stable, retaining stable antibacterial activity after treatment with solution from pH 2 to pH 8/9. In addition, the PMAP‐37 analogs displayed increased thermal stability, and PMAP‐37(F34‐R) retained >60% antibacterial activity after boiling for 2 hours. Furthermore, the PMAP‐37 analogs exhibited impressive therapeutic efficacy in bacterial infections by reducing bacterial burden and inflammatory damage in the lung and liver, resulting in a reduction in mortality. Notably, the therapeutic effect of PMAP‐37(F34‐R) was comparable to that of ceftiofur sodium, and even superior to antibiotics in L. monocytogenes CICC21533 infection model. In conclusion, the PMAP‐37(F34‐R) may be a candidate for the treatment of bacterial infections in the clinic.     

Antiparasitic Properties of Propolis Extracts and Their Compounds

Propolis is a bee product that has been used in medicine since ancient times. Although its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, and immunomodulatory activities have been investigated, its anti-parasitic properties remain poorly explored, especially regarding helminths. This review surveys the results obtained with propolis around the world against human parasites. Regarding protozoa, studies carried out with the protozoa Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp. have demonstrated promising results in vitro and in vivo. However, there are fewer studies for Plasmodium spp., the etiological agent of malaria and less so for helminths, particularly for Fasciola spp. and Schistosoma spp. Despite the favorable in vitro results with propolis, helminth assays need to be further investigated. However, propolis has shown itself to be an excellent natural product for parasitology, thus opening new paths and approaches in its activity against protozoa and helminths.     

Rhus coriaria var. zebaria (Anacaridaceae), a new variety from Iraq

Rhus coriaria var. zebaria from Duhok/Aqrae, Kurdistan, Iraq is described as a variety new to science. Field expeditions started in spring 2011, continued during 2012 and 2013 with the aim of collecting sumac specimens from different physiographic regions of Kurdistan, Iraq. A total of ten plants for each variety were sampled. An equal number of tagged herbarium specimens were prepared. The holotype was designated and deposited together with other herbarium specimens in the herbarium of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Univ. of Duhok. Morphological characters of the leaf, inflorescence, flowers, infructescence, and fruit were studied. The pH value of the pericarp in addition to the hilum length was measured. Results were compared with Rhus coriaria L. var. coriaria. The most distinctive feature of the new variety is the dull whitish brown color of the drupe pericarp of var. zebaria as compared to the reddish brown color of the drupe pericarp of var. coriaria. The whitish color of the drupes of var. zebaria, in combination with their larger size, represents diagnostic characters for distinguishing this variety. In contrast, most leaf characters are of little or no taxonomic value in this species. Only shape, apex and marginal teeths of the leaflets show minor differences for separating the two varieties. Female and male inflorescences and flowers characters show no significant differences. Both hilum length and pH value characters may be useful for taxonomic application if mean values are taken in consideration.     

Antimicrobial potential of a lipopeptide biosurfactant derived from a marine Bacillus circulans

Aims: To isolate the biologically active fraction of the lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by a marine Bacillus circulans and study its antimicrobial potentials. Methods and Results: The marine isolate B. circulans was cultivated in glucose mineral salts medium and the crude biosurfactant was isolated by chemical isolation method. The crude biosurfactants were solvent extracted with methanol and the methanol extract was subjected to reverse phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The crude biosurfactants resolved into six major fractions in HPLC. The sixth HPLC fraction eluting at a retention time of 27·3 min showed the maximum surface tension‐reducing property and reduced the surface tension of water from 72 mNm^?1 to 28 mNm^?1. Only this fraction was found to posses bioactivity and showed a pronounced antimicrobial action against a panel of Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative pathogenic and semi‐pathogenic micro‐organisms including a few multidrug‐resistant (MDR) pathogenic clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of this antimicrobial fraction of the biosurfactant were determined for these test organisms. The biosurfactant was found to be active against Gram‐negative bacteria such as Proteus vulgaris and Alcaligens faecalis at a concentration as low as 10 μg ml^?1. The biosurfactant was also active against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other MDR pathogenic strains. The chemical identity of this bioactive biosurfactant fraction was determined by post chromatographic detection using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and also by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The antimicrobial HPLC fraction resolved as a single spot on TLC and showed positive reaction with ninhydrin, iodine and rhodamine‐B reagents, indicating its lipopeptide nature. IR absorption by this fraction also showed similar and overlapping patterns with that of other lipopeptide biosurfactants such as surfactin and lichenysin, proving this biosurfactant fraction to be a lipopeptide. The biosurfactant did not show any haemolytic activity when tested on blood agar plates, unlike the lipopeptide biosurfactant surfactin produced by Bacillus subtilis. Conclusions: The biosurfactant produced by marine B. circulans had a potent antimicrobial activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative pathogenic and semi‐pathogenic microbial strains including MDR strains. Only one of the HPLC fractions of the crude biosurfactants was responsible for its antimicrobial action. The antimicrobial lipopeptide biosurfactant fraction was also found to be nonhaemolytic in nature. Significance and impact of the study: This work presents a nonhaemolytic lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by a marine micro‐organism possessing a pronounced antimicrobial action against a wide range of bacteria. There is a high demand for new antimicrobial agents because of the increased resistance shown by pathogenic micro‐organisms against the existing antimicrobial drugs. This study provides an insight into the search of new bioactive molecules from marine micro‐organisms.     

Medicinal Uses,Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology of Origanum onites (L.): A Review

Origanum onites L., known as Turkish oregano, has great traditional, medicinal, preservative, and commercial importance. It is used for the treatment of several kinds of ailments, such as gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, high cholesterol, leukemia, bronchitis, etc. In this review, traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of O. onites reported between 1988 and 2014 were discussed. This review was prepared based on literature survey on scientific journals and books from libraries and electronic sources, such as Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, etc. All databases were searched up to June 2014. Several different classes of terpenoids, triterpene acids, phenolic acids, hydroquinones, flavonoids, hydrocarbons, sterols, pigments, fatty acids, tocopherols, and inorganic compounds were detected mainly in the aerial parts of this plant. Pharmacological studies revealed that extracts obtained from several solvents and individual compounds exhibited antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, insecticidal, anticancer, hepatoprotective, genotoxic, antidiabetic, cholinesterase inhibitory, anti‐inflammatory, analgesic activities, etc. O. onites, in general, exhibited remarkable activity potential in almost all test systems. The results of toxicity studies indicated that O. onites did not show any significant toxicity and mutagenicity on Drosophila and Salmonella. Toxicity of the extracts/essential oils and also individual compounds should be evaluated on mammalian cells to ensure their safety. The bioactivity of individual compounds aside from terpenoids should also be assessed in detail. Additionally, mode of action for the bioactive compounds should be evaluated to understand the complex pharmacological effects of these phytochemicals.     

Ethnobotany,ethnopharmacology and toxicity of Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae): A review

Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a multiple purpose plant with potential for biodiesel production and medicinal uses. It has been used for treatment of a wide spectrum of ailments related to skin, cancer, digestive, respiratory and infectious diseases. This review aims to provide an up-to-date survey of information available on botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of J. curcas. Establishing a scientific basis that explains its ethnopharmacological uses in order to facilitate and guide future research. The review covers literature available from 1960 to 2012 collected from scientific journals, books and electronic searches such as Google scholar, Web of Science and ScienceDirect. Ethnomedicinal uses of J. curcas have been reported from many countries in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East for almost 100 different types of ailments. The phytochemical studies have shown the presence of many secondary metabolites including diterpeniods, sesquiterpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, lignans, coumarins and cyclic peptides. Crude extracts and isolated compounds from J. curcas show a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, antidiabetic, anticoagulant, hepatoprotective, analgesic and abortifacient effects. J. curcas has been a widely used source of medicine for decades in many cultures. The present review reveals that J. curcas is a valuable source of medicinally important molecules and provides convincing support for its future use in modern medicine.     

The Chemical Constituents of Endophytic Fungus Trichoderma sp. MFF‐1

A fungal strain named MFF‐1 was isolated from the flower of Pyrethrum cinerariifolium. Based on the sequence at the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, this strain was identified as a Trichoderma sp. Two new compounds, including a mitorubrin derivative and its potential biogenetic precursor, together with a known compound, were isolated from the cultures of the endophytic fungus. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods and determined to be (3S*,6R*,7R*)‐3,4,5,6,7,8‐hexahydro‐7‐hydroxy‐7‐methyl‐8‐oxo‐3‐[(E)‐prop‐1‐enyl]‐1H‐isochromen‐6‐yl 2,4‐dihydroxy‐6‐methylbenzoate ( 1 ), named deacetylisowortmin, (E)‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)‐3‐(2‐hydroxypent‐3‐enyl)phenol ( 2 ), and wortmannin ( 3 ). All compounds were assayed for antimicrobial activity. Compound 3 showed activity against Candida albicans and Bacillus cereus.     

The silver lining: towards the responsible and limited usage of silver

Silver has attracted a lot of attention as a powerful, broad spectrum and natural antimicrobial agent since the ancient times because of its nontoxic nature to the human body at low concentrations. It has been used in treatment of various infections and ulcers, storage of water and prevention of bacterial growth on the surfaces and within materials. However, there are numerous medical and health benefits of colloidal or nanosilver apart from its microbicidal ability which as yet has not been fully embraced by the medical community. These include antiplatelet activity, antioxidant effect, anticancer activity, wound healing and bone regeneration, enhancement of immunity, and increase in antibiotic efficiency. Additionally silver also provides protection against alcohol toxicity, upper respiratory tract infections and stomach ailments. Although nanosilver has been proposed for various topical applications, its usage by ingestion and inhalation remains controversial due to the lack of detailed and precise toxicity information. These beneficial properties of silver can be utilized by using silver at very low concentrations which are not harmful to the human body and environment. The following review discusses the diverse medical applications of silver and further recommends human clinical studies for its in vivo usage.     

Diversity and antimicrobial activity of Pseudovibrio spp. from Irish marine sponges

Aims: To evaluate the diversity and antimicrobial activity present among Pseudovibrio spp. isolated from marine sponges. Methods and Results: Seventy‐three bacterial isolates from the marine sponges Polymastia boletiformis, Axinella dissimilis and Haliclona simulans were identified as Pseudovibrio spp. using phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. Genetic diversity among these isolates was estimated using random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), and 33 RAPD types were identified among the 73 Pseudovibrio isolates. These Pseudovibrio spp. were assayed for the production of compounds with antimicrobial activity against various clinically relevant pathogens. Sixty‐two (85%) of the isolates showed activity against at least one of the pathogens tested, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium, methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Clostridium difficile. PCR screens of the Pseudovibrio isolates also revealed the presence of potential antibiotic‐producing polyketide synthase genes. Conclusions: Marine sponges harbour a diverse population of Pseudovibrio spp., the majority of which demonstrate antimicrobial activity. The identification of several different antimicrobial activity spectra suggests that the Pseudovibrio isolates may produce a suite of antimicrobial compounds. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first study in which an extended population of Pseudovibrio isolates from marine sponges has been analysed and establishes the little‐studied Pseudovibrio as a potentially important genus in the search for antimicrobial compounds of clinical relevance.     

Antimicrobial activity,bactericidal mechanism and LPS‐neutralizing activity of the cell‐penetrating peptide pVEC and its analogs

pVEC is a cell‐penetrating peptide derived from the murine vascular endothelial‐cadherin protein. To evaluate the potential of pVEC as antimicrobial peptide (AMP), we synthesized pVEC and its analogs with Trp and Arg/Lys substitution, and their antimicrobial and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐neutralizing activities were investigated. pVEC and its analogs displayed a potent antimicrobial activity (minimal inhibitory concentration: 4–16 μM) against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria but no or less hemolytic activity (less than 10% hemolysis) even at a concentration of 200 μM. These peptides induced a near‐complete membrane depolarization (more than 80%) at 4 μM against Staphylococcus aureus and a significant dye leakage (35–70%) from bacterial membrane‐mimicking liposome at a concentration as low as 1 μM. The fluorescence profiles of pVEC and its analogs in dye leakage from liposome and membrane depolarization were similar to those of a frog‐derived AMP, magainin 2. These results suggest that pVEC and its analogs kill bacteria by forming a pore or ion channel in the cytoplasmic membrane. pVEC and its analogs significantly inhibited nitric oxide production or tumor necrosis factor‐α release in LPS‐stimulated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells at 10 to 50 μM, in which RAW264.7 were not damaged. Taken together, our results suggest that pVEC and its analogs with potent antimicrobial and LPS‐neutralizing activities can serve as AMPs for the treatment of microbial infection and sepsis. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Antimicrobial Browning-Inhibitory Effect of Flavor Compounds in Seaweeds

Since ancient times, the antimicrobial properties of seaweeds have been recognized. However, antimicrobial activities of volatile compounds in seaweeds have not been explored so far. Here, essential oils from seaweeds including green, brown and red algae such as Laminaria japonica, Kjellmaniella crassifolia, Gracilaria verrucosa and Ulva pertusa were prepared by using SDE (simultaneous distillation and extraction) apparatus. Volatile compounds in the essential oils were identified as aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, alcohols and hydrocarbons by comparison of GC-retention times and MS data with those of authentic specimens. Flavor compounds such as (3Z)-hexenal, (2E)-hexenal and (2E)-nonenal in some essential oils showed strong antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli TG-1, and Erwinia carotovora. Inhibition of browning can be achieved during either of two stages, namely, oxidation reaction by tyrosinase or subsequent non-enzymatic polymerization. Tyrosinase activity was measured by monitoring absorbance at 475 nm originating from dopachrome formed from L-DOPA. Many kinds of aliphatic carboxylic acids, aldehydes and alcohols were used as inhibitors for PPO activity. The results indicated that the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds strongly inhibit tyrosinase activity. When seaweeds are damaged or macerated, the α,β-unsaturated aldehydes such as (2E)-hexenal and (2E)-nonenal are biosynthesized via the corresponding (3Z)-unsaturated aldehydes from linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. The flavor compounds that are formed could be valuable as safe antimicrobial browning-inhibitory agents of edible seaweed origin.     

StructureActivity Relationships of Antimicrobial Gallic Acid Derivatives from Pomegranate and Acacia Fruit Extracts against Potato Bacterial Wilt Pathogen

Bacterial wilts of potato, tomato, pepper, and or eggplant caused by Ralstonia solanacearum are among the most serious plant diseases worldwide. In this study, the issue of developing bactericidal agents from natural sources against R. solanacearum derived from plant extracts was addressed. Extracts prepared from 25 plant species with antiseptic relevance in Egyptian folk medicine were screened for their antimicrobial properties against the potato pathogen R. solancearum by using the disc‐zone inhibition assay and microtitre plate dilution method. Plants exhibiting notable antimicrobial activities against the tested pathogen include extracts from Acacia arabica and Punica granatum. Bioactivity‐guided fractionation of A. arabica and P. granatum resulted in the isolation of bioactive compounds 3,5‐dihydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid and gallic acid, in addition to epicatechin. All isolates displayed significant antimicrobial activities against R. solanacearum (MIC values 0.5–9 mg/ml), with 3,5‐dihydroxy‐4‐methoxybenzoic acid being the most effective one with a MIC value of 0.47 mg/ml. We further performed a structure–activity relationship (SAR) study for the inhibition of R. solanacearum growth by ten natural, structurally related benzoic acids.     

In vitro evaluation on adherence and antimicrobial properties of a candidate probiotic Clostridium butyricum CB2 for farmed fish

Aims: To characterize the antimicrobial and adhesion ability of candidate probiotic Clostridium butyricum CB2 for farmed fish in vitro. Methods and Results: The potential probiotic Cl. butyricum CB2 had been evaluated for its adhesion capacity and antagonistic effect against two fish pathogens Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio anguillarum by the intestinal cell model. In addition, the aggregation ability and antimicrobial property on agar plate were assayed. The results indicated that the candidate probiotic Cl. butyricum CB2 have strong adhesion property and a higher antagonistic activity to Aer. hydrophila and V. anguillarum both on agar plate and cell model. Clostridium butyricum showed a higher aggregation which might be the reasons for bacteria adhesion and antimicrobial activity. Conclusions: The strain Cl. butyricum CB2 could be used as potential probiotic to inhibit pathogens growth and prevent their colonization in fish intestinal tract. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study revealed the antimicrobial and adhesion characteristic of Cl. butyricum CB2 which was selected as the potential probiotic to farmed fish.     

Chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil of Ballota hispanica (L.) Benth. growing wild in Sicily

Ballota L. comprises several relevant species largely used for their excellent therapeutic properties. Ballota hispanica (L.) Benth. is widely used in herbal medicine, and it is sold in herbalist shops for its sedative and antispasmodic properties. Considering its traditional medicinal use and the lack of scientific studies on the volatile components of this species as well as on its biological activities, in this study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of B. hispanica, collected in Sicily, was evaluated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. α-Elemol was the most abundant component of the oil (10.9%), followed by α-ylangene (8.5%), γ-dodecalactone (5.1%), and manoyl oxide (4.8%). A comparison was made of the composition of the different Ballota taxa studied so far showing a peculiar profile of B. hispanica. Futhermore, the antimicrobial and the free radical scavenging activities of the oil were determined.     

Synthesis and Spectral Characterization of Asymmetric Azines Containing a Coumarin Moiety: The Discovery of New Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Agents

Nine unsymmetrical azines containing a coumarin moiety were prepared by the reaction of the hydrazone of 4‐hydroxy‐3‐acetylcoumarin with differently substituted aromatic aldehydes. The azines were fully spectrally characterized, including a complete assignment of ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR resonances, and were assessed for their acute toxicities in the Artemia salina model. Their free radical scavenging activities were tested in the DPPH assay, and in vitro antimicrobial activities were determined against seven bacterial and two fungal strains. The azines containing a p‐hydroxyphenyl group were shown to be the most effective antimicrobial agents, and in the case of resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii, the activity was comparable to that of chloramphenicol. The derivative having a 3,5‐dimethoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenyl group exhibited pronounced antioxidant power reacting rapidly and in 1 : 1 mol ratio with the DPPH radical.     

Structure‐activity relationship studies of shortened analogues of the antimicrobial peptide EeCentrocin 1 from the sea urchin Echinus esculentus

EeCentrocin 1 is a potent antimicrobial peptide isolated from the marine sea urchin Echinus esculentus. The peptide has a hetero‐dimeric structure with the antimicrobial activity confined in its largest monomer, the heavy chain (HC), encompassing 30 amino acid residues. The aim of the present study was to develop a shorter drug lead peptide using the heavy chain of EeCentrocin 1 as a starting scaffold and to perform a structure‐activity relationship study with sequence modifications to optimize antimicrobial activity. The experiments consisted of 1) truncation of the heavy chain, 2) replacement of amino acids unfavourable for in vitro antimicrobial activity, and 3) an alanine scan experiment on the truncated and modified heavy chain sequence to identify essential residues for antimicrobial activity. The heavy chain of EeCentrocin 1 was truncated to less than half its initial size, retaining most of its original antimicrobial activity. The truncated and optimized lead peptide ( P6 ) consisted of the 12 N‐terminal amino acid residues from the original EeCentrocin 1 HC sequence and was modified by two amino acid replacements and a C‐terminal amidation. Results from the alanine scan indicated that the generated lead peptide ( P6 ) contained the optimal sequence for antibacterial activity, in which none of the alanine scan peptides could surpass its antimicrobial activity. The lead peptide ( P6 ) was also superior in antifungal activity compared to the other peptides prepared and showed minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the low micromolar range. In addition, the lead peptide ( P6 ) displayed minor haemolytic and no cytotoxic activity, making it a promising lead for further antimicrobial drug development.     

Antioxidant Activity,Total Phenolic,Tannin, and Flavonoid Content of Five Plants Used in Traditional Medicine in Penjamo,Guanajuato

In Mexico, plants are commonly used to alleviate various ailments, including controlling some chronic degenerative diseases through the regular consumption of decoctions, infusions, and teas. However, there is little scientific evidence consolidating traditional medicine within health systems. Therefore, this work determined the phytochemical profile of the most used plants to treat various ailments (Cedro rojo, Cancerina, Ortiguilla, Hierba de la golondrina, Hierba de arlomo) and their general consumption as infusions. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts were generated, while the phytochemical compound content in the extracts obtained was quantified. The results indicate that the ethanolic extracts showed the highest phenolic compound and tannin content, with the highest contents for Cedro rojo (831.04 mg L⁻¹) and Cancerina (864.80 mg L⁻¹). The antioxidant activity was also determined, and a significant difference was observed (p<0.05). The extracts with the highest antioxidant capacity were the ethanolic extracts ranging from 250 to 907 μMET mL⁻¹, while the aqueous extracts ranged from 112 to 390 μMET mL⁻¹. The compounds identified by high-performance liquid chromatography characterization on the aqueous extracts highlighted the presence of chlorogenic acid>cinnamic acid>quercetin. In ethanolic extracts, the presence of chlorogenic acid>cinnamic acid>quercetin>gallic acid>ferulic acid>coumaric acid was highlighted. The correlation between bioactive compounds, type of extract, and antioxidant activity suggests a significant affinity of these phytochemical compounds for the ethanol solvent. The results indicate that these plants are good sources of antioxidant phenolics and can be incorporated for use as functional beverages. However, more studies are needed to corroborate their beneficial effect.     

Symbiotic Antimicrobial Effects of Cellulose-Based Bio-Nanocomposite for Disease Management of Agricultural Crops

In the present work, a bionanocomposite for plant crop protection was prepared by non-toxic biocompatible & biodegradable nanomaterials (Cellulose & TiO₂) to utilize its synergistic effects against antimicrobial pathogens. The commercially available microcrystalline cellulose has been reduced to a nanometric scale regime using acid hydrolysis, while the standard TiO₂ nano-powder of particle size ~20 nm has been used to prepare their nanocomposite (NC). The antibacterial studies via agar well diffusion method demonstrated that after 72 h of incubation, parent nanomaterials Ncell and TiO₂ were not showing any activity against phytopathogens X. campestris pv. campestris, and Clavibacter while the nanocomposite's NC's were still effective depicting both bacteriostatic and bactericidal actions. However, the bacterial growth of biocontrol P. fluorescence was not affected by Ncell, TiO₂ NPs and NC after 72 h of incubation. The antifungal testing results via poison food agar assay method suggest that the nanocomposite, along with Ncell and TiO₂ NPs, exhibited strong inhibition of fungal growth of Phytophthora Spp at 0.125 mg/ml concentration while for F. graminearum, similar effect was observed at 0.25 mg/ml concentration. The nanocomposite has proved its potential by exhibiting longer & stronger synergistic effects against plant pathogens as a good antimicrobial agent for protection of agricultural crops.     

An updated review of Adansonia digitata: A commercially important African tree

Adansonia digitata L. (Malvaceae) is a majestic tree revered in Africa for its medicinal and nutritional value. The plant parts are used to treat various ailments such as diarrhoea, malaria and microbial infections. It is reported that it is an excellent anti-oxidant due to the vitamin C content which is seven to ten times higher than the vitamin C content of oranges. Baobab has numerous biological properties including antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities amongst others. Phytochemical investigation revealed the presence of flavonoids, phytosterols, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. The seeds are a source of significant quantities of lysine, thiamine, calcium and iron. Baobab is an important commodity which is integral to the livelihood of rural communities. In addition, the global demand for baobab raw material (e.g. seed oil, fruit pulp) by the food and beverage, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries has increased dramatically in recent years thereby increasing the commercial value and importance of this coveted African tree. In the past few years, there has been an increased demand for non-timber forest products (NTFPs), specifically baobab seed oil for inclusion in cosmetic formulations due to its high fatty acid composition. This review summarises the botanical aspects, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, biological properties and most importantly the nutritional value and commercial importance of baobab products.