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Monitoring in vitro antibacterial efficacy of 26 Indian spices against multidrug resistant urinary tract infecting bacteria
Abstract
Objective
To have an antibiogram of hospital acquired (HA) and community acquired (CA) enteropathogens against 16 antibiotics to assess the infection dynamics for plausible help to the antimicrobial stewardship. To check extracts of 25 lesser-known plants used by an Indian aborigine, for antimicrobial efficacy in vitro and as complementary and alternate medicines against resistant pathogens.Methods
Ten strains of enteric bacteria (Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella paratyphi, S. typhi, Shigella boydii, S. dysenteriae, S. flexneri, S. sonnei and Vibrio cholerae) were isolated from clinical samples in 6 months and their antibiotic sensitivity was assessed by the disc-diffusion method. Concentrated aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves and barks of plants were used for monitoring their antibacterial potencies, by the agar-well diffusion method.ResultsIsolated bacterial strains were invariably multidrug resistant (MDR). E. coli was the most frequently isolated organism from HA and CA samples, followed next by Klebsiella sp. From the surveillance, it was evident that the distribution of MDR strains of each was more in HA than CA isolates. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Aegle marmelos, Azadirachta indica, Cassia fistula, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Salvadora persica and Terminalia arjuna were highly effective against the all isolated enteropathogenic strains. From the preliminary phytochemical analysis, it was confirmed that both extracts of A. indica, T. arjuna and T. alata contained all the detected phytochemicals (alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, reducing sugars, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and steroids), which plausibly attributed to their significant antibacterial activity.Conclusions
Phytoextracts were highly effective against the all enteropathogenic bacterial isolates, in vitro. These 25 plants could be used further for the isolation of pure compounds for use as complementary medicines.
... Spices have been consumed as food and medicine and used as flavoring materials as well as food preservatives since time immemorial [12]. They are readily present in the household and have been applied to treat various illnesses or protect food owing to their antimicrobial and powerful natural antioxidant properties [13]. They are well-known safe food preservatives with no adverse effects [14]. ...
... The quality of the antibiotic discs was ensured with American Type Culture Collection strains: ATCC E. coli-25922; P. aeruginosa-27853; and S. aureus-25923 strains. The test was performed based on the standards of antibiotic susceptibility testing recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) [13]. ...
... Antibacterial activities of extracts of 15 common spices were performed by disc diffusion method [13]. Individual species of organism and their resistance to certain antibiotics were employed. ...
Background and Objectives: Bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common ailment affecting all age groups in males and females. The commercial antibiotics usage augments antibiotics resistance and creates higher recurrence rates of such communal infections. Hence, this study is aimed at investigating the antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of 15 common spices against 11 UTI-causing bacterial pathogens. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant potential of the methanolic extracts was analyzed as contents of total phenols and flavonoids; radical scavenging, total reducing power, the ferric reducing power assay. Urinary pathogens were subjected to spice extracts to investigate antibacterial assays. Results: Preliminary phytochemical study of spices was performed to find those containing alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and steroids that can be recognized for their noteworthy bactericidal effects. The outcome of the antioxidative potential from the four methods demonstrated the sequence of potent antioxidant activity: Acorus calamus > Alpinia galanga > Armoracia rusticana > Capparis spinosa > Aframomum melegueta. The total polyphenols and flavonoids in the studied species positively correlated with their antioxidant properties. The four most effective spices (A. calamus, A. galanga, A. rusticana, and C. spinosa) had a zone of inhibition of at least 22 mm. A. calamus, A. melegueta, and C. spinosa had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value against Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis. All 15 spices had the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value against most of the pathogenic bacteria. Conclusion: The four highly potent and unique spices noted for the in vitro control of UTI-causing pathogens could be pursued further in the development of complementary and alternative medicine against UTI-causing pathogens.
... In continuation to previous work on scientific verification of ethnomedicinal information of a group of plants from Kalahandi (Odisha) forest Rath and Padhy, 2014), the cited 9 plants were selected. These plants were too recorded in Indian pharmacopeia (Anonymous, 2014), as plants frequently used against general infectious diseases: A. acuminata is in use for UTI and skin diseases; whole plant of A. indica is used as an antiseptic; B. variegata is used against diarrhoea and throat infections; B. diffusa is used for UTI and dysentery; P. granatum is used for treating diarrhoea, dysentery and throat problems; S. febrifuga is used against diarrhoea, dysentery and UTI; T. chebula is used for diarrhoea and dysentery; T. cordifolia has anti-tubercular activity; and T. terrestris is used against UTI. ...
... One strain from each bacterial species having resistance to a maximum number of presently used antibiotics was further used for monitoring antibacterial potentiality of methanol leaf extracts with gentamicin 30 lg/ml as the reference standard, by the agar-well diffusion method, as previously detailed Rath and Padhy, 2014). Antibacterial activities were evaluated as before and results of the third repetition are presented. ...
... Each stock solution was diluted to obtain final concentrations of 0. 29, 0.67, 1.51, 3.41, 4.27, 9.63, 21.67 and 44.44 mg/ml with the DMSO solution. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the methanol leaf extracts were determined in a well on a 96-welled (12 · 8) micro-titre plate (Fig. 2), as described elsewhere Rath and Padhy, 2014). ...
Urinary tract infection (UTI) has become a more grievous problem today, due to multidrug resistance of infecting Gram-positive (GP) and Gram-negative (GN) bacteria, sometimes even with multiple infections. This study examines effectivity of 9 tropical flowering plants (Anogeissus acuminata, Azadirachta indica, Bauhinia variegata, Bauhinia variegata, Boerhaavia diffusa, Punica granatum, Soymida febrifuga, Terminalia chebula, Tinospora cordifolia and Tribulus terrestris) for possible use as source of antimicrobials for multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria, along with main-stream antibiotics. Pathogenic bacteria were isolated from urine samples of patients attending and admitted in the hospital. Antibiograms of 11 isolated bacteria GPs, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus; and GNs, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were ascertained by the disk-diffusion method, and antibacterial effectivity of plant extracts were monitored by the agar-well diffusion method. Isolated bacteria were floridly MDR to most antibiotics of the day. Methanol extracts of 9 plants were used, and extracts of 3 plants, A. acuminata, P. granatum and S. febrifuga at least caused 25 to 29 mm as the maximum size of zone of inhibition on bacterial lawns. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of methanol extracts of 9 plants were recorded. The methanol extract of A. acuminata had 0.29 mg/ml as the lowest MIC value and 0.67 mg/ml as the lowest MBC value, against MDR S. aureus, signifying effectivity; but, it had the highest MIC value of 3.41 mg/ml. and the highest MBC value of 4.27 mg/ml for the most other MDR bacteria including E. coli. Qualitative phytochemical analysis was done for these 9 plants and information on leading phytochemicals was presented retrieved from PubChem database. Thus, three effective-most plants in controlling MDR-UTI bacteria in vitro were A. acuminata, P. granatum and S. febrifuga, which can be promoted as complementary medicine.
... The available literature is so enormous that those could fill a book or two [7, 9]. However, most recently MDR bacteria isolated from clinical samples were used in similar work of monitoring of antimicrobial activities of crude plant extracts [10, 11]. Indeed, crude phyto-extracts with an array of diverse phytocompounds could never be breached upon by any pathogenic bacterium, no matter how much genetically well developed it may be. ...
... With all four organic solvent extracts of the fern, the following phytochemical analyses were done, as described previously [10, 11]. ...
... As evident in the present work, the rest other five pathogens were too amply MDR. The prime concern is that when each of these bacteria are MDR, the situation of multiple infection of two or more MDR strains could precipitate intractable episodes in public health; infant and under 5-mortality rates and decimation of slum-dwellers as well as rural rustics of the country could be of surprising standard , as noted [4, 10]. The emergence of MDR pathogenic bacteria occurred from several reasons, but the oblivious attitude of physicians to stringent antibiotic policy contributes sizably. ...
Antibacterial efficacy of the water-fern, Azolla caroliniana Willd., symbiotic with the nitrogen fixing cyanobacterium, Anabaena azollae against seven multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria were evaluated. Antioxidant and organoleptic properties of the fern were also assessed. Most Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria used in this study were highly resistant to 17 antibiotics of aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone groups, as recorded from Kirby-Bauer method. The methanolic extract of A. caroliniana generated 20 mm as the maximum size of zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, as recorded from the agar-well diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration value, 1.89 mg/ml was due to the methanolic extract against S. aureus and Proteus mirabilis, while the value, 4.27 mg/ml was against Enterococcus sp., Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The minimum bactericidal concentration value, 4.27 mg/ml was of the methanolic extract against S. aureus and P. mirabilis, while the value, 21.67 mg/ml was recorded against Citrobacter sp., E. aerogenes, E. coli and P. aeruginosa. Fifty percent inhibition concentration values of free radical scavenging activities of the fern with free radical generating chemicals, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl, as well as, 2, 2-azino-bis (ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide of the methanolic extract were 8, 10, 10, and 78.8 µg/ml, respectively. In four solvent-extracts with methanol, ethanol, chloroform and n-hexane, several common phytochemicals and phenols were present, while alkaloids and saponins were absent. Processed Azolla was tasteless but not unpalatable. Azolla
caroliniana could be used as an antibacterial as well as an antioxidant agent in complementary and alternate medicine.
... aerogenes, E. coli, Klebsiella sp., S. paratyphi, S. typhi, S. dysenteriae, S. sonnei and V. cholerae) were isolated from the in-house patients of IMS & Sum Hospital. Maintenance of clinically isolated bacteria on selected media and biochemical identifications of isolated bacterial strains were described previously [25] . Bacterial strains were ascertained to taxa with results of colony characters and biochemical tests. ...
... 2.4. Antibacterial activity test, determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values Antibacterial activities of plant-extracts (both leaves and bark) obtained with eight different solvents were recorded by the agar-well diffusion method as described previously [25,26] . Chloramphenicol 30 µg/mL with an average size of zone of inhibition of 21 mm and dimethyl sulfoxide 10% with no antibacterial activity served as reference controls. ...
... Phytochemical analyses of active extracts (both leaves and bark) were done to confirm the presence of phytochemicals, reducing sugars, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids, resins, and glycosides as previously described [25,26] . ...
Objective
To assess antibacterial activities of leaf and bark extracts of Holarrhena antidysenterica (H. antidysenterica), used by an Indian aborigine for ailments of human gastrointestinal tract, against eight extended spectrum β-lactamase producing multidrug resistant enteropathogens.
Methods
Antibacterial activities of eight solvent-extracts of the plant were monitored by the agar-well diffusion method on lawns of all bacteria. Further, minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations of the best three solvent extracts were determined by the micro-broth dilution method. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the active leaf and bark extracts were carried out.
Results
It was found that Enterobacter aerogenes was resistant to 14 of 16 antibiotics, likewise, Escherichia coli to 13, Klebsiella sp. to 14, Salmonella paratyphi to 7, Salmonella typhi to 15, Shigella dysenteriae and Shigella sonnei to 14, Vibrio cholerae to 4 of 16 antibiotics. It was found that plant-extracts with petroleum ether and n-hexane had the least antibacterial activity. Extracts of leaves with chloroform, methanol, and water registered moderate antibacterial activity, whereas bark-extracts with ethyl acetate, acetone, and ethanol had a comparatively higher antibacterial activity on all these strains. Maximum sizes of zone of inhibition due to leaf extracts with ethyl acetate, acetone, and ethanol, and on the other hand, bark extracts with ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol were recorded against these bacteria; minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of specifically these extracts were determined. Phytochemical analysis of the methanolic bark extract of H. antidysenterica confirmed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, reducing sugars, tannins, and flavonoids.
Conclusion
Data analysis revealed that leaves and bark of H. antidysenterica could serve as complementary/supplementary drugs along with suitable antibiotics to control the marauding multidrug resistant enteropathogens.
... violaceum), E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Shigella sp, and Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) are pathogens of gastrointestinal tract. Presently, these pathogens are too MDR, recorded in several reports [17] [18] [19] [20] . ...
... The emergence of VRSA is of further concern. Today, the management of the consortium of MDR strains of both GN and GP pathogens has become increasingly difficult because of the β-lactamase production by Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Proteus, Klebsiella, Neisseria, Salmonella, Haemophilus and a few more pathogens [20] , and pandrug resistance (PDR, resistance of bacteria to all antibiotics in present use) to different classes of antibiotics in GN ones [24] . Meek appreciation of failures in the control of MDR strains would be inhuman, which generates the impetus on a systematic global search for new drugs from natural resources like plants, worldwide [25] [26] ; chemicals from plants could be chosen for the control in a future crusade against MDR pathogens. ...
... Moreover, GN bacteria, Acinetobacter sp.,pneumoniae, Shigella sp, and Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) are pathogens of gastrointestinal tract. Presently, these pathogens are too MDR, recorded in several reports[17][18][19][20]. Secondly, the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics is of high clinical concern. ...
Objective
To investigate the antibacterial activity, using cold and hot extraction procedures with five solvents, petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol, methanol and water to validate medicinal uses of Butea monosperma Lam (B. monosperma) in controlling infections; and to qualitatively estimate phytochemical constituents of leaf-extracts of the plant.Methods
The antibacterial activity of leaf-extracts was evaluated by the agar-well diffusion method against clinically isolated 12 Gram-positive and -negative multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria in vitro. Values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of leaf-extracts against each bacterium were obtained in a 96-well micro-titre plate, by broth dilution micro-titre plate technique.ResultsThe presence of tannins, flavonoids, starch, glycosides and carbohydrates in different leaf extracts was established. Pathogenic bacteria used were, Acinetobacter sp., Chromobacterium violaceum, Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Shigella sp., Enterococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), methicillin resistant S. aureus and vancomycin resistant S. aureus, along with standard bacterial strains. These MDR bacteria had been recorded to have significant inhibitions by leaf extracts, obtained by cold and hot extraction procedures with five solvents. In addition, the hot aqueous extract against Enterococcus sp. had the highest inhibition zone-size (21 mm). Ciprofloxacin 30 μg/disc was the positive/reference control and the diluting solvent, 10% dimethyl sulphoxide was the negative control. Recorded MIC values of different extracts ranged between 0.23 and 13.30 mg/mL, and MBC values were 0.52 to 30.00 mg/mL, for these bacteria.Conclusions
Leaf-extracts with hot water and ethanol had shown significant antibacterial activity against all bacteria. B. monosperma leaf-extract could be used in treating infectious diseases, caused by the range of tested bacteria, as complementary and alternate medicine.
... Spices have been consumed as food and medicine and are used for flavoring as well as food preservatives for a long time [14]. They are readily present in the household and have been used to treat various illnesses or protect food due to their antimicrobial and powerful natural antioxidant properties [15][16][17]. They are well known as safe materials for food with insignificant adverse effects. ...
... They are promising substances with an extensive series of pharmacological abilities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and immunomodulatory effects [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. The main spice ingredients considered to have antioxidant properties are polyphenols and terpenes [17,21]. These secondary metabolites are potential antioxidants due to their oxidoreduction properties [20,[27][28][29]. ...
Background: Spices have generally offered a conventional way to avert and heal various communicable and non-communicable diseases due to their efficacy and safety and their noteworthy contribution towards understanding targeted drug action and drug delivery systems. Hence, the current investigation is designed to evaluate the immunomodulatory and antineoplastic efficacy of 15 spices that connect with the flavonoid and total polyphenol ingredients. This study includes the 15 adopted spices and their total flavonoid and polyphenol contents, cell viability assay (MTT), immunomodulatory efficacy (NO, TNF-α), and antineoplastic efficacy (using six cancer cell lines).Methods: The quantification of the flavonoid and phenolic content of methanolic extracts of 15 spices was performed by colorimetric assay. The immunomodulatory efficacy was studied according to their capacity to prevent NO and TNF-α synthesis in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Cell viability was observed using MTT colorimetric assay. Antineoplastic efficacy was determined with six cancer cell lines, namely liver (HepG2), colon (HT29), breast (MCF7), pancreas (MIA PaCa2), lung (A549) and blood (Raji). Results: The outcome of significant immunomodulatory efficacy of the spices was noted in the following sequences: Acorus calamus L.(Inhibition of NO-49.32 ± 4.29 µg/mL and TNF-α 96.35 ± 8.23 µg/mL)> Alpinia galanga Wild (Inhibition of NO-55.69 ± 5.89µg/mL and TNF-α 102.36 ± 8.96 µg/mL)> Armoracia rusticana Gaerth (Inhibition of NO-82.44 ± 5.98 µg/mL and TNF-α 115.69 ± 7.59)> Capparis spinosa L. (Inhibition of NO-127.59 ± 5.68 µg/mL and TNF-α 123.58 ± 8.56 µg/mL) > Aframomum melegueta K. Schum (Inhibition of NO-169.89 ± 6.89 µg/mL and TNF-α 144.59 ± 7.89 µg/mL). The remaining spices considerably inhibited the generation of NO and TNF-α. All spices studied exhibited highly significant antineoplastic effects against all six cell lines. Noteworthy biological activities were observed in A. calamus, A. galanga, A. rusticana, C. spinose, and A. melegueta which have bulk quantities of polyphenols.Conclusion: Based on the present findings, spices are possible candidates for novel antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic agents.Keywords: Spices; cancer cell lines; immunomodulatory; antineoplastic; total polyphenol contents
... The present study should help inform empiric therapy for preventing child mortality from UTI and enteric infections in India [11]. ...
... Obviously, empiric therapy is usually formulated on epidemiological data based on regional surveillance reports; however, the spread of drug resistant bacteria may undermine empiric therapy. The present study should help inform empiric therapy for preventing child mortality from UTI and enteric infections in India[11]. ...
Background: Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a consistent cause of clinical annoyance nowadays; as systemic infections, such as urinary tract infection (UTI) spearhead even in the pediatric age group.
Methods: From the total 1054 urine samples of pediatric patients, during 18 months 510isolates of pathogenic bacteria were collected using HiCrome UTI agar. Antibiotic sensitivity tests of isolated by the Kirby-Bauer’s method.
Results: Two Gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, as wellas, 7 Gram-negative bacteria, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated. Antibiograms of isolated bacteria were ascertained using antibiotics of 5 classes, aminoglycosides, β-lactams, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones and 2 stand-alones (co-trimoxazole and nitrofurantoin). Based on percent values of antibiotic resistance, isolated bacteria were in decreasing order (with number of isolated isolates): E. coli (109)> S. aureus(65)> E. faecalis(82)> E. aerogenes(64)> C. freundii(41)> P. aeruginosa(32)> K. pneumoniae(45)> K. oxytoca(50)> P. vulgaris(22).
Conclusion: In the surveillance, it was discernible that MDR isolates of 9 pathogenic bacteria were prevalent in the environment around the hospital. Thus, there is a need of a revision of the antimicrobial stewardship programme in this zone of the country, so there would be confidence of a clinician on empiric therapy, often used for UTI cases.
... Indeed, drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria has been a commonplace of infection biology, for both Gramnegative (GN) and Gram-positive (GP) ones [6,7] . Virulent enteric bacteria, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Shigella, Escherichia and a few more are active in unhygienic, marginalized communities and urban-slum ghettos in developing countries on precipitating public health episodes [8] . In parallel several GP bacteria, MDR species of Staphylococcus, Enterococcus and Streptococcus have also created frightening situations due to the development of resistance to β-lactams and several other groups of antibiotics. ...
... Additionally, several attempts on monitoring of the synergistic effects of crude plant extracts with an obsolete antibiotic for the control of MDR bacteria in vitro have been undertaken [59] . In fact, a cohort of MDR enteroand uro-pathogenic bacteria had been controlled in vitro by crude phyto-extracts from plants [8,11,70] . The exquisite stress of phyto-drugs as the natural mixture of different classes of compounds in a crude plant-extract is an unbreachable barrier; consequently, M D R b a c t e r i a h o w e v e r w e l l -s t u d d e d w i t h t h e armamentaria of multidrug resistance, could not win over the crude extract of any plant generally, and specifically if extracts were from non-edible/poisonous plants. ...
Objective: To monitor in vitro antibacterial activities of leaf extracts of 30 common and noncommon plants used by aborigines in Kalahandi district, Odisha, against 6 clinically isolated
multidrug resistant (MDR) Gram-positive bacteria of 3 genera, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and
Enterococcus.
Methods: The antibiotic sensitivity patterns of 6 bacterial strains were studied with the diskdiffusion method with 1 7 antibiotics belonging to 8 classes. Monitored plants have ethnomedicinal use and several are used as traditional medicines. Antibacterial properties were
studied with the agar-well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum
bactericidal concentration values of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of plants were determined by
the microbroth-dilution method.
Results: Ethanolic plant-extracts had the better antibacterial potencies in comparison to
their corresponding aqueous extracts. Plants with most conspicuous antibacterial properties in
controlling MDR strains of Gram-positive bacteria were aqueous and ethanolic extracts of plants,
Ixora coccinea, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Polycythaemia rubra, Pongamia pinnata and Syzygium
cumini, Carthamus tinctorius, Cucurbita maxima, Murraya koenigii, Leucas aspera, Plumbago
indica and Psidium guajava. Ethanolic extracts of most plants had phytochemicals, alkaloids,
glycosides, terpenoids, reducing sugars, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and steroids.
Conclusions: These plants could be used further for the isolation of pure compounds to be used
as complementary non-microbial antimicrobial medicines.
... For example, the Gram-positive (GP) enteropathogen Clostridium difficile with unmatchable notoriety had precipitated two public health episodes in North India alone [9,10]. Similarly, in rural Odisha, MDR Vibrio cholerae precipitated several sporadic episodes of short durations in Aborigine societies in the last decade, causing mortality in men, women, and children [11]. Further, our school has pursued studies on surveillance of common pathogenic bacteria, such as P. aeruginosa [3], S. aureus [2], Escherichia coli [12], as well as the less common strains of Staphylococci and Enterococci from community and hospital sectors [13], the results of which indicated the high levels of multidrug resistance in each pathogen. ...
... Further, our school has pursued studies on surveillance of common pathogenic bacteria, such as P. aeruginosa [3], S. aureus [2], Escherichia coli [12], as well as the less common strains of Staphylococci and Enterococci from community and hospital sectors [13], the results of which indicated the high levels of multidrug resistance in each pathogen. In addition, studies on systematic surveillance of enteropathogens [11] and uropathogens [14,15] gave pictures of the rapid infection dynamics of two classes of pathogens recently, in addition to explaining the distress experienced by aged, critical, and immunocompromised patients. Indeed, any or several species of the nine bacteria causing UTIs more frequently infect females (i.e., more than 50% of the population), as reported in our earlier surveillance of hospital sectors [15]. ...
To screen methanolic leaf extracts of 21 timber-yielding plants for antibacterial activity against nine species of uropathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples of a hospital (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa).
Bacterial strains were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity tests by the Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method. The antibacterial potentiality of leaf extracts was monitored by the agar-well diffusion method with multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of nine uropathogens.
Two Gram-positive isolates, E. faecalis and S. aureus, were resistant to 14 of the 18 antibiotics used. Gram-negative isolates A. baumannii, C. freundii, E. aerogenes, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa were resistant to 10, 12, 9, 11, 11, 10, and 11 antibiotics, respectively, of the 14 antibiotics used. Methanolic leaf extracts of Anogeissus acuminata had the maximum zone of inhibition size-29 mm against S. aureus and 28 mm against E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa. Cassia tora had 29 mm as the zone of inhibition size for E. faecalis, E. aerogenes, and P. aeruginosa. Based on the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values, the most effective 10 plants against uropathogens could be arranged in decreasing order as follows: C. tora > A. acuminata > Schleichera oleosa > Pterocarpus santalinus > Eugenia jambolana > Bridelia retusa > Mimusops elengi > Stereospermum kunthianum > Tectona grandis > Anthocephalus cadamba. The following eight plants had moderate control capacity: Artocarpus heterophyllus, Azadirachta indica, Dalbergia latifolia, Eucalyptus citriodora, Gmelina arborea, Pongamia pinnata, Pterocarpus marsupium, and Shorea robusta. E. coli, followed by A. baumannii, C. freundii, E. aerogenes, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa were controlled by higher amounts/levels of leaf extracts. Phytochemicals of all plants were qualitatively estimated.
A majority of timber-yielding plants studied had in vitro control capacity against MDR uropathogenic bacteria.
... where the Acinetobacter baumannii was found to be resistant against almost all tested antibiotics but sensitive against the methanolic extracts of spices (21.81±3.56) (22). On the contrary, S. enterica ser. ...
The systematic application of spices as natural food preservatives could be the key to withstanding different food-borne diseases and the frequent use of antibiotics could be reduced thereby. Eight indigenous spices were tested against six food-borne pathogens. The spice extracts were prepared by drying, grinding, and soaking into 95% ethanol and the antibacterial activity was evaluated by the well-diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by the broth dilution method. The feasibility of spices as natural meat preservatives was then assessed through the application. The ethanol extracts of the spices potentially inhibited the test organisms. Maximum activity (zone of inhibition-ZOI) was recorded for garlic (17.83±2.48 mm) followed by black pepper (17±8.9 mm), black cumin (15.83±10.87 mm), and ginger (15.16±7.68 mm). For pathogens, the most susceptible was B. cereus (19.57±8.05 mm) followed by Acinetobacter sp. (18.14±1.34 mm), E. coli (16.28±1.88 mm), S. aureus (14.28±9.91 mm), V. cholerae (10.85±7.94 mm) and Salmonella enterica ser. Typhi (6.85±8.55 mm). Garlic exhibited the most effective and consistent inhibitory activity whereas black cumin exhibited the highest activity against B. cereus (34 mm). These results were highly comparable to the commercial antibiotics, e.g. Meropenem (28 mm). Against the Salmonella spp., ginger, cumin, and garlic demonstrated moderate inhibition (16 mm) whereas complete resistance was observed against other spices. The lowest MIC and MBC were recorded for black cumin against B. cereus (32 mg/ml and 64 mg/ml, respectively). But garlic was found to be the best candidate due to its lowest mean MIC (85.33±33 mg/ml), and MBC (170.66±66 mg/ml). Black cumin, garlic, and black pepper were efficient in reducing the total viable count of meat at 72 hours and hence could be developed as natural food preservatives.
... The extract of these spices has also shown potent antimicrobial activity against fungal and bacterial strains. Further, two commonly used Indian spices, dalchini (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) and turmeric (Curcuma longa), have shown antibacterial activity against nine species of multidrug-resistant uropathogenic bacteria [7]. These spices are traditionally used for the treatment of urinary tract infections. ...
... Rath and Padhy tested a total of 26 Indian spices against nine MDR bacterial strains which infects urinary tract and A. sativum was found active against 6 bacterial strains, namely, S. aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, K. pneumoniae, and P. mirabilis, with the inhibition zone of 17, 17, 18, 22, 17, and 21, respectively, and inactive against remaining three bacterial strain, namely, E. faecalis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa which is contradictory to this study as the methanol and acetone extracts of A. sativum showed good activity against E. coli and P. aeruginosa which may be due to the difference in solvent used for extraction and the methods used for the analysis of antibacterial activity [22]. ...
Objective: Medicinal plants are rich libraries containing wide variety of compounds of therapeutic values. Allium sativum commonly known as garlic is a very well-known medicinal plants being used with food products. In the present study, the antibacterial activity of different extracts of A. sativum was investigated along with their phytochemical analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometery (GC-MS) to explore antimicrobial compounds present in extracts.Methods: The antibacterial activity of A. sativum was evaluated against 9 reference bacterial strains and 3 MDR bacterial strains including Escherichia coli MDREC1, Klebsiella pneumoniae MDRKP2, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MDRPA3 by microbroth dilution and agar well diffusion method.Results: The results obtained from agar well diffusion assay showed the zone of inhibition from 12 to 26 mm for different extracts. The methanol and acetone extracts were found most potent against reference and MDR bacterial strains. MIC values were in the range of 1.87–7.5 mg/ml. Further, GCMS analysis confirmed the presence of 35 compounds including dodecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and methyl ester in common.Conclusion: The varied antimicrobial activity of extracts was due to the presence of different concentrations of the identified compounds which can be isolated and used for the treatment of various infectious diseases caused by MDR strains of E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae.
... These MICs showed higher values than the MIC 90 (Table 7) required for P. paucicapitatum extract to inhibit the same bacteria strains. Rath and Padhy (2014) evaluated the effect of methanol extracts of 26 species of plants of India in MDR uropathogenic bacteria. The results showed that Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Curcuma longa were the best species to control all the studied pathogens. ...
In Mexico, in 2010, urinary tract infection (UTI) occupied third place in morbidity. Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus hauseri, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus epidermidis are included among the bacteria that cause UTIs. Currently, there is an urgent need to develop new alternatives to control antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The secondary metabolites of plants have traditionally been used to remedy the illnesses caused by bacteria. Psacalium paucicapitatum [(B.L. Rob. & Greenm.) H. Rob. & Brettell] is an endemic plant that grows in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, which is used to relieve diseases such as gastric ulcers, diabetes and hypertension, with excellent results. The aims of this study were to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of aqueous extracts of P. paucicapitatum corms against six bacteria as well as to determine the chemical composition of the extracts in order to identify bioactive molecules inhibiting bacterial reproduction. The extract inhibited six bacteria evaluated in a range of MIC90 at 2034–5238 mg/L. The antibacterial activity of aqueous extract is attributed to the identified compounds, which are: ethyl iso-allocholate; imidazole-4-carboxylic acid, 2-fluoro-1-methoxymethyl-, ethyl ester and tetra acetyl-d-xylonic nitrile. The extract of P. paucicapitatum represents an alternative to be used as a new antibacterial botanical drug which could substitutes the use of synthetic drugs.
... Recently, Rath and Padhy indicated that the MIC and MBC of methanolic extract of both clove and cinnamon against MDR-A. baumannii were 1.51 and 3.41 mg/mL, respectively [22]. The inhibition zones of tree basil and tea tree oil were indifferent; the major constituents of tree basil volatile oil have previously been identified including thymol, γ-terpinene, eugenol, and ρ-cymene [23]. ...
Aim
The aim of the study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of 10 volatile oils extracted from medicinal plants, including galangal (Alpinia galanga Linn.), ginger (Zingiber officinale), plai (Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC.), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum Linn.), tree basil (Ocimum gratissimum), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus DC.), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), and cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) against four standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and 30 clinical isolates of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR-A. baumannii).
Materials and Methods
Agar diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were employed for the determination of bactericidal activity of water distilled medicinal plants. Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) was used as positive control in this study.
Results
The results indicated the volatile oil extracted from cinnamon exhibited potent antibacterial activity against the most common human pathogens, S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii. Most of volatile oil extracts were less effective against non-fermentative bacteria, P. aeruginosa. In addition, volatile oil extracted from cinnamon, clove, and tree basil possessed potent bactericidal activity against MDR-A. baumannii with MBC90 of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/mL, respectively.
Conclusions
The volatile oil extracts would be useful as alternative natural product for the treatment of the most common human pathogens and MDR-A. baumannii infections.
... As the goal to the control of MDR (Multidrug resistance) bacteria is persuasively tough, phytochemicals are to be used with adapt as antimicrobials. Recently MDR bacteria isolated from clinical samples were used in parallel work of monitoring of antimicrobial activities of crude phytochemicals [Rath and Padhy, 2012; Dubey and Padhy, 2013]. Respiratory tract infections are the most common ailment including allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ...
... As the goal to the control of MDR (Multidrug resistance) bacteria is persuasively tough, phytochemicals are to be used with adapt as antimicrobials. Recently MDR bacteria isolated from clinical samples were used in parallel work of monitoring of antimicrobial activities of crude phytochemicals [Rath and Padhy, 2012; Dubey and Padhy, 2013]. Respiratory tract infections are the most common ailment including allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ...
The antimicrobial activity and phytochemical investigation of seeds extracts of Citrus maxima Burm. was examined against common respiratory tract pathogens. The pathogens used in this study were Streptococcus pneumoniae (MTCC 655), Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 1144), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 2474), Streptococcus pyogens (MTCC 442), Haemophillus influenzae (MTCC 3826) and two fungal pathogens Candida albicans (MTCC 227), Aspergillus niger (MTCC 921). The plant material was extracted with four different solvents i.e., petroleum ether (PET), acetone (ACE), methanol (MeOH) and water (H 2 O) with increasing polarity by Soxhlet apparatus and removed the solvent using vacuum evaporator at 30˚C. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were examined by Agar well diffusion method and poisoned food technique, respectively. The methanol (MeOH) extract was found most active as compared to other extracts. The maximum inhibition zone was found against Staphylococcus aureus (24±0.88 mm) and minimum against Candida albicans (7.66±0.32 mm). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were observed for MeOH extract between 3.12 to 25 mg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans respectively. Phytochemical analysis of plant extracts showed the occurrence of alkaloids, saponins, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, resins and phenolic compounds. The antimicrobial activity of the crude extracts of plant represents a considerable outcome for the treatment of respiratory diseases.
... Therefore, the extent of multidrug resistance in any pathogen is a significant obstacle for control in vivo. Unfortunately, virulent enteric bacteria such as Klebsiella sp. and E. coli are present in non-hygienic dwellings, and infection with these bacteria is often the cause of high infant mortality and outbreaks of infrequent epidemics in developing countries [17]. The current study provides systematic information on 445 strains of two species of Klebsiella isolated from clinical samples of patients with gastrointestinal infections over a period of 42 months in a hospital. ...
Background: The Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella pneumoniae produce the extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and cephalosporinase enzymes and are the major causes of hospital acquired (HA) infections and epidemics in non-hygienic communities in the majority of developing countries.
Methods: The prevalence of multidrug resistance among 445 strains of K. oxytoca and K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical samples of patients with gastrointestinal infections over a period of 42 months in the hospital was recorded, along with the sensitivity patterns to 23antibiotics, including third-generation cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone compounds, using the disc-diffusion method.
Results: Of 175 K. oxytoca isolates, 143 were ESBL positive and 117 were fluoroquinolone resistant. Of 270 K. pneumoniae isolates, 200 were ESBL positive and 195 were independently fluoroquinolone resistant. The HA samples yielded more isolates than the community acquired (CA) samples for each species. The K. oxytoca strains were resistant to cefepime, gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, levofloxacin and imipenem, whereas the K. pneumoniae strains were highly resistant to ampicillin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, ofloxacin, amoxyclav, ceftazidime, cefepime, cefixime, piperacillin and imipenem. The ESBL-producing and fluoroquinolone-resistant K. pneumoniae strains were more prevalent than the K. oxytoca strains in the HA/CA samples. The minimum inhibitory concentration values of the third-generation cephalosporins cefotaxime and ceftazidime and the fluoroquinolones ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin against both species of Klebsiella confirmed the resistance in the current/coveted treatment options.
Conclusions: Patients with other bacterial infections had a relatively higher probability of infection with ESBL-producing and fluoroquinolone-resistant Klebsiella strains. The data presented here highlight the alarming state of Klebsiella infection dynamics in the hospital and adjoining communities.
Background
To screen methanolic extracts of 26 commonly used Indian spices against nine species of uropathogenic bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), isolated from clinical samples of a tertiary care hospital for antibacterial activity.
Methods
Bacterial strains were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity testing by Kirby–Bauer's disc diffusion method. Monitoring antibacterial potentiality of spice extracts was done by the agar-well diffusion method with multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of nine uropathogens.
Results
The Gram-positive (GP) bacteria E. faecalis and S. aureus were resistant to 16 of the 21 antibiotics used. Among the Gram-negative (GN) bacteria, resistant patterns were A. baumannii and E. aerogenes to 12, C. freundii to 14, E. coli to 12, K. pneumoniae to 10, P. mirabilis to 11, and P. aeruginosa to 15 antibiotics of the 18 antibiotics used. The most effective 15 spices, having at least 25–29 mm as the size of the zone of inhibition, were Allium cepa, Brassica juncea, Cinnamomum tamala, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Coriandrum sativum, Cuminum cyminum, Curcuma longa, Mentha spicata, Murraya koenigii, Nigella sativa, Papaver somniferum, Piper nigrum, S. aromaticum, Trachyspermum ammi, and Trigonella foenum for at least one of the GP or GN MDR bacterial strains used. Moderate control capacity was registered by nine spices, Curcuma amada, Foeniculum vulgare, Illicium verum, Mentha spicata, Papaver somniferum, Syzygium aromaticum, Trachyspermum ammi, Trigonella foenum, and Zingiber officinale. However, the best two spices for controlling all the pathogens used were C. zeylanicum and C. longa, with the highest value of 29 mm as the inhibition zone size.
Conclusion
The most effective and unique 16 spice plants recorded for the in vitro control of MDR uropathogens could further be pursued for the development of complementary and supplementary medicine against MDR bacteria.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are potentially life threatening infections that are associated with high rates of incidence, recurrence and mortality. UTIs are characterized by several chronic infections which may lead to lethal consequences if left undiagnosed and untreated. The uropathogens are consistent across the globe. The most prevalent uropathogenic gram negative bacteria are Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia. Early detection and precise diagnosis of these infections will play a pivotal role in health care, pharmacological and biomedical sectors. A number of detection methods are available but their performances are not upto the mark. Therefore a more rapid, selective and highly sensitive technique for the detection and quantification of uropathogen levels in extremely minute concentrations need of the time. This review brings all the major concerns of UTI at one's doorstep such as clinical costs and incidence rate, several diagnostic approaches along with their advantages and disadvantages. Paying attention to detection approaches with emphasizing biosensor based recent developments in the quest for new diagnostics for UTI and the need for more sophisticated techniques in terms of selectivity and sensitivity is discussed.
The antibacterial effect of the components of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L. var. crispa (Bentham) Danert) was investigated by means of high-performance thin-layer chromatography-direct bioautography against the Gram-positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis (Bs) and Gram-negative bacteria such as a pepper pathogen Xanthomonas euvesicatoria (Xe), a luminescence gene-tagged Arabidopsis pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola (Psm) and a luminescent marine Aliivibrio fischeri (Af). Sclareol, linalool, and linalyl acetate were identified as active components of clary sage and carvone as the antibacterial substance in spearmint. Sclareol inhibited all tested bacteria, linalool and carvone showed antibacterial effect against all Gram-negative strains tested, while linalyl acetate only against Xe and Af. Some minor components of the clary sage essential oil also gave a zone of inhibition when tested on Gram-negative bacterium strains.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in vitro antibacterial potentiality of 5 ethnomedicinal plants used by the Indian aborigine Kandha, against 8 multidrug resistant enteropathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples of under-5 hospitalized children.
METHODS: Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of eight clinically isolated strains of enteropathogenic bacteria, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella sonnei and Vibrio cholerae were assessed by disc-diffusion method. Antibacterial activities of 8 solvent-extracts of leaves and bark of 5 medicinal plants were monitored by the agar-well diffusion method. Further, values of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were assessed by the microbroth dilution method. Qualitative phytochemical analyses of active plant extracts were carried out.
RESULTS: Ethanol, ethyl acetate and methanol leaf-extracts of Holarrhena antidysenterica of eight solvent-extracts were highly effective against 8 MDR pathogens in vitro. Acetone, ethanol and methanol-leaf extracts of Terminalia alata, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol leaf-extracts of Terminalia arjuna, and ethyl acetate, ethanol and methanol extracts of Paederia foetida were highly effective in inhibiting in vitro growth of 8 MDR enteropathogens. In succinct, ethyl acetate and methanol bark-extracts of H. antidysenterica, acetone, ethanol and methanol bark-extracts of T. alata, and acetone, ethanol and methanol bark-extracts of T. arjuna were highly effective. MIC and MBC values of the best 3 active leaf and bark extracts for five plants were in the range 1.56 to 50 mg/mL.
CONCLUSIONS: These 5 plants were recorded to have in vitro control over a cohort of 8 enteropathogenic bacterial strains isolated from clinical samples.
Background/ introduction
The employed antibiotic could be ineffective against acute health effect causing multidrug resistant enteropathogenic bacteria. Thus, phytodrugs could be used for its control.
Aims/purpose
Leaf and bark extracts of Terminalia alata, an ethnomedicinal plant used for ailments of the human gastrointestinal tract, were assessed for antibacterial efficacy in vitro, against eight enteropathogenic, extended spectrum β-lactamase enzyme producing multidrug resistant bacteria.
Materials and methods
Pathogenic bacteria were typified with serial biochemical steps. The double-disc diffusion–synergy test was used for the determination of extended spectrum β-lactamase producers. Sixteen antibiotics were used for determining antibiograms of eight isolated bacteria, using the disc-diffusion method. Antibacterial efficacies, of plant-extracts obtained using eight solvents, were monitored by the agar-well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of plant-extracts using solvents, methanol, ethanol, and acetone were determined by the micro-broth dilution method. Seven qualitative phytochemical tests were done with plant extracts.
Results
Of 16 antibiotics, resistant patterns were recorded with 14 antibiotics for Enterobacter aerogenes strains, 13 for Escherichia coli, 14 for Klebsiella sp., seven for Salmonella paratyphi, 15 for Salmonella typhi, 14 for two species of Shigella, and four for Vibrio cholerae. It was found that plant extracts using petroleum ether and n-hexane had the least antibacterial activity. Leaf and bark extracts using methanol, ethanol, and acetone registered the highest antibacterial activities with all these bacteria. The methanolic bark extract recorded MIC values, of 1.56 mg/mL against E. coli, Klebsiella sp., S. paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, and Shigella sonnei; 3.13 mg/mL against E. aerogenes and S. typhi; and 12.5 mg/mL against V. cholerae. The MBC values of the methanolic bark extract were: 12.5 mg/mL against E. coli, Klebsiella sp., S. dysenteriae, and S. sonnei; 25 mg/mL against E. aerogenes, S. typhi, and S. paratyphi; and 50 mg/mL against V. cholerae. Phytochemical analyses of methanolic leaf and bark extracts of T. alata confirmed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, reducing sugars, tannins, and flavonoids.
Conclusion
The antibacterial efficacy of methanolic crude extracts revealed that leaves and bark of T. alata could serve as complementary/supplementary medicines to control multidrug resistant enteropathogenic bacteria.
Objective: To investigate antibacterial properties of the terrestrial fern Lygodium flexuosum (L. flexuosum) obtained from Kalahandi district, Odisha against enteric- and uro-pathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples.
Methods: Frond-extracts of L. flexuosum were obtained by the cold percolation method using four solvents, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water. Antibacterial potencies of concentrated cold frond-extracts were tested by the agar-well diffusion method against 7 multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria of which, 2 were Gram-positives, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), and 5 Gram-negatives, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis.
Results: The cold-water frond-extract had the best antimicrobial activity against 7 MDR bacterial isolates, compared to extracts with other solvents. Values of zones of inhibition against MRSA and P. mirabilis were the highest, 29 mm. Zones of inhibition against VRE and P. aeruginosa were 25 mm, while those were 23 mm against E. aerogenes and E. coli. The least size of zone of inhibition 19 mm was recorded against K. pneumoniae. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of active frond-extracts with water, chloroform, methanol, and petroleum ether were recorded. For the water extract, the MIC value 1.562 mg/mL against MRSA and P. mirabilis, but the value 3.25 mg/mL against VRE, E. aerogenes and P. aeruginosa, while the value of 12.5 mg/mL against K. pneumoniae were recorded. MBC values were the least with chloroform-extracts, with the range 12.5 for 6 bacteria, excluding P. aeruginosa for which, the value 25 mg/mL was recorded as MBC.
Conclusions: Phytochemical analysis of the water-extract of L. flexuosum confirmed the presence of glycosides and carbohydrates, but alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids were absent. L. flexuosum, being a fern, is a suitable non-microbial source of antimicrobial for MDR strains of major enteric and uro-pathogens.
Purpose:
Diarrheal disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity in developing countries. To further understand the epidemiology of diarrheal disease among a rural population surrounding Robillard, Haiti, fecal swabs from patients with diarrhea were screened for the presence of enteropathogenic bacteria.
Patients and methods:
Fecal swabs were collected from 34 patients with signs and symptoms of diarrhea and stored in BBL™ Cary-Blair transport medium (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Sparks, MD) until transit to the USA. Swab material was inoculated on to different enrichment and selective agars for incubation. Fermenting and nonfermenting bacteria that grew on the enteric selection media were identified by the BBL™ Crystal™ Enteric/Nonferementing Identification system (Becton, Dickinson and Company). Organisms identified as Escherichia coli were further screened for the presence of virulence factors by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Results:
Of 34 patients, no Campylobacter, Shigella, Salmonella, or Vibrio spp. were isolated from swabs transported to the USA for culture. Of 73 E. coli isolates cultured from the swabs, one enteropathogenic strain of E. coli was identified by multiplex PCR. Escherichia fergusonii and Cronobacter sakazakii, both potential gastrointestinal pathogens, were also isolated from patient stools.
Conclusion:
This study was undertaken to determine if bacterial enteropathogens could be detected in the stools of patients suffering from diarrhea or dysentery and, in the absence of sufficient facilities, rectal swabs could be transported to the USA for culture. Although several genera of overt enteropathogens were not detected, one enteropathogenic E. coli and other pathogenic enterobacteriaceae were successfully cultured and identified.
Micronutrient deficiency conditions are widespread among 2 billion people in developing and in developed countries. These are silent epidemics of vitamin and mineral deficiencies affecting people of all genders and ages, as well as certain risk groups. They not only cause specific diseases, but they act as exacerbating factors in infectious and chronic diseases, greatly impacting morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Deficiencies in some groups of people at special risk require supplementation, but the most effective way to meet community health needs safely is by population based approaches involving food fortification. These complementary methods, along with food security, education, and monitoring, are challenges for public health and for clinical medicine. Micronutrient deficiency conditions relate to many chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis osteomalacia, thyroid deficiency colorectal cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Fortification has a nearly century long record of success and safety, proven effective for prevention of specific diseases, including birth defects. They increase the severity of infectious diseases, such as measles, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Understanding the pathophysiology and epidemiology of micronutrient deficiencies, and implementing successful methods of prevention, both play a key part in the New Public Health as discussed in this section, citing the examples of folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.
or infectious ailments by the aborigine Kandha tribe of Kalahandi district, Odisha state, India for urinary tract infections. Methods: Over a period of 6 months, multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of 6 uropathogenic bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), Citrobacter freundii (C. freundii), Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca), Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis), Proteus vulgaris (P. vulgaris) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) were isolated from clinical samples in a teaching hospital; their antibiograms were ascertained. Concentrated aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves and barks of plants were used for monitoring their antimicrobial potencies, by the agar-well diffusion method. Phytochemical analyses of plant parts were done. Results: All isolated bacterial strains were resistant to 15 antibiotics of 6 groups including 毬-lactams. From a surveillance of bacterial isolates, it was evident that the distribution of MDR strains of each was more in hospital acquired isolates than the community acquired ones. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of plants, Aegle marmelos (A. marmelos), Azadirachta indica (A. indica) and Withania somnifera (W. somnifera) were highly effective against MDR isolates of all these pathogens. Several plants were moderately effective during in vitro control of the pathogens. Plants, Anthocephalus cadamba (A. cadamba), Cleistanthus collinus (C. collinus) and Oroxylum indicum (O. indicum) were totally ineffective in the control of isolated MDR uropathogen. A. indica, T. arjuna and T. alata contained the full range of phytochemicals (alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, reducing sugar s, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and ster oids), which could be attr ibuted to the significant anti-uro pathogenic activities. Conclusion: Plants, A. indica, A. marmelos, Cassia fistula (C. fistula), T. arjuna, Salvadora persica (S. persica), W. somnifera and Vitex negundo (V. negundo), particularly could be useful for an use as complementary/ supplementary medicines for MDR uropathogens.
The current study includes ethnobotanical and antibacterial importance of Salvadora persica L. roots which are commonly used by different Muslim communities worldwide. Various medicinal properties are attributed to S. persica in traditional system of medicine. A detailed survey was conducted in different parts of Saudi Arabia to obtain information about the folklore uses, knowledge of local people and traditional healers about this popular plant. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that S. persica is a versatile medicinal plant used to treat different human and livestock ailments. It is used for dental care, antiulcer, and possesses anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, various parts of S. persica are being used as food, fruits and fodder. S. persica aqueous extract and methyl alcohol extract were prepared and tested against selected pathogenic microbes: Staphylococcus aureus, S. mutans, Lactobacillus acifophilus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by standard protocol. The aqueous extract showed significant inhibition in the growth of all pathogens tested in the current study. However, S. persica water extract was found to possess profound inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus species as compared to other extracts. Methyl alcohol extract was more active against L. acifophilus and P. aeruginosa. The results indicate promising antibacterial activity of S. persica root extract and recommend further study on its efficacy and safety.
Vitex negundo belongs to the family Verbenaceae. It is a large aromatic shrub distributed throughout the greater part of India up to an altitude of 1500 m in the outer Himalayas. It is widely planted as a hedge plant along the roads and between the roads. Traditionally it is having the flok claims like useful in treatment of rheumatism, insecticidal, antimicrobial, anticancer, tranquillizer, tonic, febrifuge, expectorant and diuretic properties. In the present study an attempt had been made to evaluate comparative antibacterial and antifungal principles from Vitex nigundo with some therapeutically used antibiotics. Different extracts of Vitex negundo leaves were investigated for its anti microbial and antifungal activity on five bacterial species and three fungal species these are Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis, E.coli, Pseudomonas aerugenosa and Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavon, Candida albicans respectively. Among all extracts water-ethanol (50:50) extract showed maximum anti microbial and water extract showed maximum antifungal activity against all tested species.
Objective
To access nosocomial and community accounts of multidrug resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolated by surveillance in a teaching hospital, over a period of 30 months.Methods
Clinical samples from nosocomial sources, i.e., wards and cabins, intensive care unit (ICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) sources, as well as community or outpatient department (OPD) sources of a hospital were used for isolating strains of S. aureus resistant to methicillin/oxacillin and vancomycin, over a period, November 2009-April 2012.ResultsOf a total of 1 507 S. aureus isolates, 485 strains from community and 1 022 isolates were from nosocomial sources; Out of 485 (100%) OPD S. aureus isolates, 390 (80.41%) were MRSA strains. Similarly, from wards and cabins of 564 (100%) isolates, 461 (81.73%) strains were MRSA; whereas of 458 (100%) isolates obtained from ICU and NICU, 363 (79.25%) strains were MRSA. It was ascertained with χ2-tests of independence that MRSA strains were equally distributed in community or wards and cabins or ICU and NICU sources, alike rest other drug-resistant S. aureus strains. Antibiotic sensitivity patterns of isolated strains with 16 antibiotics were ascertained. Out of 390 (100%) MRSA strains isolated from OPD, 80 (20.51%) were vancomycin resistant (VRSA) and 173 (44.35%) strains were moderately sensitive to vancomycin or called, vancomycin intermediate strains (VISA). Similarly, from nosocomial sources, out of 461 (100%) MRSA isolates obtained from wards and cabins, 110 (23.86%) strains were VRSA and 208 (45.11%) were VISA strains, whereas out of 363 MRSA isolates obtained from ICU and NICU, 61 (16.8%) VRSA strains and 164 (45.17%) VISA strains were found. A progressive increase of percent values of drug resistance to 16 antibiotics used for antibiotic profiling revealed its subtle infection dynamics.Conclusions
This study revealed the appalling state of occurrence of MRSA and VRSA in a resource-limited setting. A progressive increase of percent values of drug resistance to 16 antibiotics used revealed its subtle infection dynamics.
Background/Aims
To study the in vitro antibacterial activity of methanolic leaf extract of Combretum albidum in combination with the antibiotic ceftriaxone (CE) against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and to assess the host toxicity of the leaf extract with human cord blood-derived lymphocytes in vitro.
Methods
The synergistic/antagonistic action of the leaf extract with CE was evaluated with the checkerboard procedure. The leaf extract and the antibiotic were added into the wells of a microtiter plate in serially proportionate combinations along with nutrient broth, bacterial inocula, and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride to achieve visible growth of the bacterium. Lymphocytes from human cord blood were cultured and the toxicity of the leaf extract was assessed by both acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining method and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The test results were analyzed by the probit method.
Results
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the methanolic leaf extract and CE separately were 0.866 and 0.0384 mg/mL, respectively. The MIC value of the leaf extract with the antibiotic was in the range of 0.102–0.866 mg/mL. Synergistic results in the in vitro control were obtained in all combinations of the antibiotic and the extract (i.e., from 9:1 to 5:5); ratios 1:9, 2:8, and 3:7 caused antagonism, whereas an indifference was seen at the ratio 4:6. Individual minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of the leaf extract and CE were 4.39 and 87.7 μg/mL, respectively, whereas those of all combinations, 9:1 to 1:9, ranged from 0.33 to 3.07 mg/mL. The MBC value of the leaf extract alone was 4.39 mg/mL, whereas in various combinations with CE (at ratios from 9:1 to 1:9), the value varied from 0.70 to 3.07 mg/mL. The MBC value of CE was only 0.877 mg/mL in all combinations with the leaf extract. The plant extract level of 58.88 mg/mL was considered the lethal concentration 25 (LC25) because of its lethal effects on lymphocytes, whereas the LC25 value for CE was 380.19 μg/mL according to the AO/EB staining method. In the MTT assay, however, the LC25 value of leaf extract was 53.70 mg/mL. Therefore, we used a leaf extract concentration of 50 mg/mL, which was a little below the LC25 value of leaf extract obtained in the MTT assay (i.e., 53.70 mg/mL).
Conclusion
This study provided the result of synergistic activity of the combination of crude leaf extract of C. albidum with CE against MDR P. aeruginosa. The leaf extract was nontoxic to human lymphocytes.
To screen methanolic leaf extracts of 21 timber-yielding plants for antibacterial activity against nine species of uropathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples of a hospital (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa).
Bacterial strains were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity tests by the Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method. The antibacterial potentiality of leaf extracts was monitored by the agar-well diffusion method with multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of nine uropathogens.
Two Gram-positive isolates, E. faecalis and S. aureus, were resistant to 14 of the 18 antibiotics used. Gram-negative isolates A. baumannii, C. freundii, E. aerogenes, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa were resistant to 10, 12, 9, 11, 11, 10, and 11 antibiotics, respectively, of the 14 antibiotics used. Methanolic leaf extracts of Anogeissus acuminata had the maximum zone of inhibition size-29 mm against S. aureus and 28 mm against E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa. Cassia tora had 29 mm as the zone of inhibition size for E. faecalis, E. aerogenes, and P. aeruginosa. Based on the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values, the most effective 10 plants against uropathogens could be arranged in decreasing order as follows: C. tora > A. acuminata > Schleichera oleosa > Pterocarpus santalinus > Eugenia jambolana > Bridelia retusa > Mimusops elengi > Stereospermum kunthianum > Tectona grandis > Anthocephalus cadamba. The following eight plants had moderate control capacity: Artocarpus heterophyllus, Azadirachta indica, Dalbergia latifolia, Eucalyptus citriodora, Gmelina arborea, Pongamia pinnata, Pterocarpus marsupium, and Shorea robusta. E. coli, followed by A. baumannii, C. freundii, E. aerogenes, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa were controlled by higher amounts/levels of leaf extracts. Phytochemicals of all plants were qualitatively estimated.
A majority of timber-yielding plants studied had in vitro control capacity against MDR uropathogenic bacteria.
Background/ introduction
The employed antibiotic could be ineffective against acute health effect causing multidrug resistant enteropathogenic bacteria. Thus, phytodrugs could be used for its control.
Aims/purpose
Leaf and bark extracts of Terminalia alata, an ethnomedicinal plant used for ailments of the human gastrointestinal tract, were assessed for antibacterial efficacy in vitro, against eight enteropathogenic, extended spectrum β-lactamase enzyme producing multidrug resistant bacteria.
Materials and methods
Pathogenic bacteria were typified with serial biochemical steps. The double-disc diffusion–synergy test was used for the determination of extended spectrum β-lactamase producers. Sixteen antibiotics were used for determining antibiograms of eight isolated bacteria, using the disc-diffusion method. Antibacterial efficacies, of plant-extracts obtained using eight solvents, were monitored by the agar-well diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of plant-extracts using solvents, methanol, ethanol, and acetone were determined by the micro-broth dilution method. Seven qualitative phytochemical tests were done with plant extracts.
Results
Of 16 antibiotics, resistant patterns were recorded with 14 antibiotics for Enterobacter aerogenes strains, 13 for Escherichia coli, 14 for Klebsiella sp., seven for Salmonella paratyphi, 15 for Salmonella typhi, 14 for two species of Shigella, and four for Vibrio cholerae. It was found that plant extracts using petroleum ether and n-hexane had the least antibacterial activity. Leaf and bark extracts using methanol, ethanol, and acetone registered the highest antibacterial activities with all these bacteria. The methanolic bark extract recorded MIC values, of 1.56 mg/mL against E. coli, Klebsiella sp., S. paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, and Shigella sonnei; 3.13 mg/mL against E. aerogenes and S. typhi; and 12.5 mg/mL against V. cholerae. The MBC values of the methanolic bark extract were: 12.5 mg/mL against E. coli, Klebsiella sp., S. dysenteriae, and S. sonnei; 25 mg/mL against E. aerogenes, S. typhi, and S. paratyphi; and 50 mg/mL against V. cholerae. Phytochemical analyses of methanolic leaf and bark extracts of T. alata confirmed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, reducing sugars, tannins, and flavonoids.
Conclusion
The antibacterial efficacy of methanolic crude extracts revealed that leaves and bark of T. alata could serve as complementary/supplementary medicines to control multidrug resistant enteropathogenic bacteria.
Objective: To record nosocomial and community-acquired accounts of antibiotic resistance
in Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains, isolated from clinical samples of a teaching hospital by
surveillance, over a period of 39 months (November 2009-January 2013).
Methods: Clinical samples from nosocomial sources, i.e., wards and cabins, intensive care
unit (ICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and community (outpatient department, OPD)
sources of the hospital, were used for isolating strains of E. coli, which were subjected for testing
for production of ‘extended spectrum beta-lactamase’-(ESBL) enzyme as well as determining
antibiotic sensitivity pattern with 23 antibiotics.
Results: Of the total 1642 (100%) isolates, 810 (49.33%) strains were from OPD and 832 (50.66%)
were from hospital settings. Occurrence of infectious E. coli strains increased in a mathematical
progression in community sources, but in nosocomial infections, such values remained almost
constant in each quarter. A total of 395 (24.05%) ESBL strains were isolated from the total 810
isolates of community; of the total of 464 (28.25%) isolates of wards and cabins, 199 (12.11%) were
ESBL strains; and among the total of 368 (22.41%) isolates of ICU and NICU, ESBLs were 170 (10.35%);
the total nosocomial ESBL isolates, 369 (22.47%) were from the nosocomial total of 832 (50.66%)
isolates. Statistically, it was confirmed that ESBL strains were equally distributed in community
or hospital units. Antibiogram of 23 antibiotics revealed progressive increases of drug-resistance
against each antibiotic with the maximum resistance values were recorded against gentamicin:
92% and 79%, oxacillin: 94% and 69%, ceftriaxone: 85% and 58%, and norfloxacin 97% and 69%
resistance, in nosocomial and community isolates, respectively.
Conclusions: This study revealed the daunting state of occurrence of multidrug resistant E. coli
and its infection dynamics in both community and hospital settings.
Objective
To investigate the antibacterial activity, using cold and hot extraction procedures with five solvents, petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol, methanol and water to validate medicinal uses of Butea monosperma Lam (B. monosperma) in controlling infections; and to qualitatively estimate phytochemical constituents of leaf-extracts of the plant.Methods
The antibacterial activity of leaf-extracts was evaluated by the agar-well diffusion method against clinically isolated 12 Gram-positive and -negative multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria in vitro. Values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of leaf-extracts against each bacterium were obtained in a 96-well micro-titre plate, by broth dilution micro-titre plate technique.ResultsThe presence of tannins, flavonoids, starch, glycosides and carbohydrates in different leaf extracts was established. Pathogenic bacteria used were, Acinetobacter sp., Chromobacterium violaceum, Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Shigella sp., Enterococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), methicillin resistant S. aureus and vancomycin resistant S. aureus, along with standard bacterial strains. These MDR bacteria had been recorded to have significant inhibitions by leaf extracts, obtained by cold and hot extraction procedures with five solvents. In addition, the hot aqueous extract against Enterococcus sp. had the highest inhibition zone-size (21 mm). Ciprofloxacin 30 μg/disc was the positive/reference control and the diluting solvent, 10% dimethyl sulphoxide was the negative control. Recorded MIC values of different extracts ranged between 0.23 and 13.30 mg/mL, and MBC values were 0.52 to 30.00 mg/mL, for these bacteria.Conclusions
Leaf-extracts with hot water and ethanol had shown significant antibacterial activity against all bacteria. B. monosperma leaf-extract could be used in treating infectious diseases, caused by the range of tested bacteria, as complementary and alternate medicine.
Objective
To record hospital- and community-acquired accounts of multidrug resistance (MDR) of two Gram-positive pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), by surveillance, and to evaluate antibacterial potencies of 30 plants with information on ethnomedicinal uses for infectious ailments by the aborigine Kandha tribe of Kalahandi district, Odisha (India), against both pathogens.Methods
Over a period of 6 months bacteria/ strains of S. aureus and E. faecalis were isolated from clinical samples in a teaching hospital and their antibiograms were ascertained using 17 antibiotics of 9 different groups. S. aureus strains were further tested for confirmation if they were methicillin and vancomycin resistant, similarly, E. faecalis strains for vancomycin resistance. Concentrated aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves/barks of 30 plants were used for monitoring their antimicrobial potencies, by the agar-well diffusion method, along with qualitative phytochemical analyses.ResultsFrom the surveillance, both pathogens were found MDR and it was evident that the distribution of MDR strains was more in hospital-acquired than community-acquired samples. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of plants, Diospyrous melanoxylon, Woodfordia fruticosa (W. fruticosa), Oroxylum indicum (O. indicum), Dalbergia paniculata and Lantana camara had the most significant in vitro controlling capacity against MDR strains of both bacteria. Further, extracts of Holarrhena antidysenterica, Aspidopterys tomentosa and Argyreia speciosa had moderate antibacterial activities. Ethanolic extracts of L. camara, O. indicum and W. fruticosa contained all the phytochemicals, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, reducing sugars, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and steroids, which could be attributed to the recorded significant antibacterial activity.ConclusionS. aureus strains have been found as the most widely prevailing pathogens in nosocomial settings, than in community. Plants, L. camara. W. fruticosa, O. indicum and P. santalinus, particularly could be useful for a use as complementary/ supplementary/alternative therapeutic agents against Gram-positive pathogens.
Objective
To evaluate antimicrobial potencies of 25 plants with reports on ethnomedicinal uses for infectious ailments by the aborigine Kandha tribe of Kalahandi district, Odisha state, India for urinary tract infections.Methods
Over a period of 6 months, multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of 6 uropathogenic bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), Citrobacter freundii (C. freundii), Klebsiella oxytoca (K. oxytoca), Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis), Proteus vulgaris (P. vulgaris) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) were isolated from clinical samples in a teaching hospital; their antibiograms were ascertained. Concentrated aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves and barks of plants were used for monitoring their antimicrobial potencies, by the agar-well diffusion method. Phytochemical analyses of plant parts were done.ResultsAll isolated bacterial strains were resistant to 15 antibiotics of 6 groups including β-lactams. From a surveillance of bacterial isolates, it was evident that the distribution of MDR strains of each was more in hospital acquired isolates than the community acquired ones. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of plants, Aegle marmelos (A. marmelos), Azadirachta indica (A. indica) and Withania somnifera (W. somnifera) were highly effective against MDR isolates of all these pathogens. Several plants were moderately effective during in vitro control of the pathogens. Plants, Anthocephalus cadamba (A. cadamba), Cleistanthus collinus (C. collinus) and Oroxylum indicum (O. indicum) were totally ineffective in the control of isolated MDR uropathogen. A. indica, T. arjuna and T. alata contained the full range of phytochemicals (alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, reducing sugars, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and steroids), which could be attributed to the significant anti-uropathogenic activities.Conclusion
Plants, A. indica, A. marmelos, Cassia fistula (C. fistula), T. arjuna, Salvadora persica (S. persica), W. somnifera and Vitex negundo (V. negundo), particularly could be useful for an use as complementary/supplementary medicines for MDR uropathogens.
Members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are present in the intestines of man and animals as commensals or are important disease causing agents. Bacteria bearing multidrug efflux systems (MDR) are able to survive adverse ecological niches. Multiresistant Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae isolates from wholesome broiler carcasses were investigated for the presence of MDR. Lowering of Minimal Inhibitory Concentration for antimicrobials in the presence of a proton-motive force (PMF) uncoupler was tested as a potential display of the MDR phenotype. PCR amplification of the genes encoding AcrA and AcrB, components of a MDR system was performed. Diversity of each species was ascertained by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) of DNA digested with endonuclease XbaI. For all the isolates, except E. coli 1 and E. cloacae 9, lowering of MIC or of the growth rate in the presence of antimicrobials was observed, indicating a PMF dependent resistance mechanism. Expected products of DNA amplification with acrAB derived primers was obtained with all E. coli strains and with two of the five E. cloacae strains. Dendrogram generated shows diverse pulsetypes, confirming the genetic diversity among the strains. An important issue and related public health is the fact that different models and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance are present in a small number of non-pathogenic strains and isolated from the same origin. These may be sources of resistance genes to others microorganisms, among them, pathogenic strains.
Objective: To investigate antibacterial properties of the terrestrial fern Lygodium flexuosum (L. flexuosum) obtained from Kalahandi district, Odisha against enteric- and uro-pathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical samples.
Methods: Frond-extracts of L. flexuosum were obtained by the cold percolation method using four solvents, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water. Antibacterial potencies of concentrated cold frond-extracts were tested by the agar-well diffusion method against 7 multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria of which, 2 were Gram-positives, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), and 5 Gram-negatives, Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis.
Results: The cold-water frond-extract had the best antimicrobial activity against 7 MDR bacterial isolates, compared to extracts with other solvents. Values of zones of inhibition against MRSA and P. mirabilis were the highest, 29 mm. Zones of inhibition against VRE and P. aeruginosa were 25 mm, while those were 23 mm against E. aerogenes and E. coli. The least size of zone of inhibition 19 mm was recorded against K. pneumoniae. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of active frond-extracts with water, chloroform, methanol, and petroleum ether were recorded. For the water extract, the MIC value 1.562 mg/mL against MRSA and P. mirabilis, but the value 3.25 mg/mL against VRE, E. aerogenes and P. aeruginosa, while the value of 12.5 mg/mL against K. pneumoniae were recorded. MBC values were the least with chloroform-extracts, with the range 12.5 for 6 bacteria, excluding P. aeruginosa for which, the value 25 mg/mL was recorded as MBC.
Conclusions: Phytochemical analysis of the water-extract of L. flexuosum confirmed the presence of glycosides and carbohydrates, but alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids were absent. L. flexuosum, being a fern, is a suitable non-microbial source of antimicrobial for MDR strains of major enteric and uro-pathogens.
The scientific basis for the use of the common shrub-weed plant Lantana camara L. was investigated
by testing leaf extracts for antibacterial activity. Dried leaf powders were extracted
using a hot-solvent extraction method with eight polar to non-polar solvents in succession.
Crude extracts were tested for antibacterial activity against three multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Gram-positive bacteria: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus pyogenes,
and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE); and five MDR extended-spectrum
�-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria: Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii,
Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The MRSA strain was resistant
to 16 of 18 antibiotics, while Streptococcus pyogenes and VRE were resistant to 15 of 18
antibiotics. Similarly, A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa were resistant to 14 of 16 antibiotics. It
was found that plant extracts with petroleum ether and water had the least antibacterial
activity. Leaf extracts with dichloromethane and methanol registered the highest antibacterial
activity on all bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum
bactericidal concentration of two active leaf extracts, obtained with dichloromethane and
methanol were determined. Phytochemical analysis of dichloromethane leaf extracts confirmed
the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, and steroids,
but reducing sugars were also absent; and, in the methanolic leaf extract, alkaloids, terpenoids,
saponins, flavonoids and steroids were present, but glycosides, reducing sugars
and tannins were absent. These findings point to the potential of the plant as a probable
source of bioactive compounds and provide a scientific basis for its folklore/ethnomedicinal
uses for infectious diseases.
Methods: Gathering information on medicinal uses of plants by moving door to door for conducting personal interviews with socio-economically backward tribals (aborigine people) of kNniyoawmleadggirei whiitlhl athreea s onfo wKbaalallh atencdhin diqisuteri.c t, Odisha state, India and recording the accumulated were botanically classified. Results: Plants were identified by the users on forest floor and species belonging to This communication consists of uses of parts of 111 plant dysentery, scabies, int1e0s5ti ngaeln weroar mosf , 5g9a sptlraonint tfeasmtinilaile sd,i saogradienrsst, 6v8e nheuremaal nd iasielamseen, tgsy, ndeicaorlrohgoiceaal, dacisuotred eeryse, gininfegcivtiiotins,s ,r hfoeoutm iantfilsamm,m joaitniot np,a ifnoos,t wcroaucnkd sa,n cdu te cinzjeumriae,s ,p marotiuctuhl atrrolyu.b Tlehse, seea rp dlainsetsa saerse, tuhseesde apsl ahnertsb,a ml haenayl ianrge ssopuercceifsi,c atso at hpea rct loimf cautelt uidraeln tpirfiaecdti czeo noef aobf otrhieg inheilsl yd ofowrne stth pe aatgcehse.s A omf othneg dloisctarli cet.t hCnoicn cpleuospiolen su: sTeh pel apnretss efnrot mre ctohredi ro sf uertrhonuonmdeindgicsi,n aasl dhaetaal iinngd iscoauterdc etsh afto rt hael lb paocksswiabrld
An ethnomedicinal survey on the traditional knowledge of aboriginal tribes and other non-tribal communities of 400 sq km of Kalahandi district, Orissa and a comparison of the data with the available literature revealed that out of the recorded 111 flowering plants of 60 families, 49 plants have new uses that were not known here before. Moreover, different uses of known 62 more plants are recorded with new uses. These 111 plants are in use against 42 human ailments. They use the plant parts as infusions, decoctions and powders.
Bacterial pathogens have evolved numerous defense mechanisms against antimicrobial agents; hence resistance to old and newly produced drugs is on the rise. The phenomenon of antibiotic resistance exhibited by the pathogenic microorganisms have led to the need for screening of several medicinal plants for their potential antimicrobial activity. Thus the present study was undertaken to investigate the antibacterial activity of 15 medicinal plants used by tribals against UTI causing isolates. The antibacterial activity of aqueous , ethanol and acetone extracts of Corriander sativum, Abutilon indicum, Boerhavia diffusa andrographis paniculata, Plantago ovata, Bacopa monnieri, Bauhinia variegata, Flacouratia ramontchi, Embelia tfgerium, Euphorbia ligularia, Zinziber officinale, Terminalia chebula, Azadirachta indica, Ocimum sanctum and Cinnamomum cassia was determined against 33 UTI isolates i.e. Proteus mirabilis (10), Escherichia coli (6), Proteus vulgaris (6), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5), Enterobacter cloacae (2), Providencia pseudomallei (2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1) and Klebsiella oxytoca (1) by disc diffusion method. Our studies concluded that crude extracts of the selected plants especially the acetone and ethanol extracts exhibited significant activity against UTI pathogens. It can be concluded that these plants can be used to discover natural products that may serve as lead for the development of new pharmaceuticals addressing the major therapeutic needs.
Abstract
Aim The purpose of this study is to present the possibility of
the control of the appalling tubercle bacillus (TB) strains of
the present time with pure phytochemicals as a complementary
or palpable source of drugs.
Present problem Multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of TB
for the current first-line drugs have emerged independently
in several countries. The second-line or the reserve-line
drugs are less often used for more side effects.
Possibility Extracts and pure phytochemicals of several
plants are reported from many laboratories to have control
over TB in vitro, which indicated that phytochemicals could
be the suitable complementary candidates in the control of
the range of MDR-TB strains, along with an ongoing treatment
regimen. Extracts from plants, Lantana hispida, Eremophila,
Galenia africana, Dodonea angustifolia, Bridelia
micrantha, Achyrocline alata and Swinglea glutinosa, specifically
phytochemicals, 5,7,2′-trihydroxyflavone, carvacrol,
thymol, p-cymene, 1,8-cineole and limonene have been
reported to have promising antitubercular activity in vitro.
Pure phytochemicals should have the coveted credibility as
complementary medicines and those could lend themselves
for further manipulation before the use against TB.
Conclusion Some avant-garde drug is the need of the day
for TB, and pure phytochemicals could be considered.
Aim
The aim of the present study was to record nosocomial and community-acquired accounts of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, isolated from clinical samples of a hospital by surveillance, over a period of 18 months (November 2009–April 2011).
Subject and Methods
Clinical samples from nosocomial sources, i.e. wards and cabins and intensive care unit (ICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) sources, and community (outpatient department, OPD) sources of a hospital were used for isolating strains of P. aeruginosa.
Results
Of 368 isolated strains of P. aeruginosa, a total of 201 (54.62%) strains were from nosocomial and 167 (45.38%) strains were from community samples. There were 42 (25.14%) extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESβL) strains among the 167 isolates from the community samples. And from wards and cabins, there were 29 (23%) ESβL strains among the 126 isolates. Of the 75 isolates from ICU and NICU, there were 25 (33.33%) ESβL strains; the total of nosocomial ESβL strains was 54 (26.86%) in this study from the total of 201 P. aeruginosa isolates. In a computation of the χ2 test of independence for assessing incidences of ESβL strains among all multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, it was inferred that ESβL strains were equally distributed in wards and cabins, ICU and NICU or community, similar to the rest of the other MDR P. aeruginosa strains. Fifteen antibiotics were used for assessing antibiotic sensitivity of all isolated P. aeruginosa strains and a progressive increase of percent values of drug resistance was recorded.
Conclusion
This study on surveillance of a hospital revealed the daunting state of occurrence of MDR P. aeruginosa. A progressive increase of percent values of drug resistance to 15 antibiotics used for antibiotic sensitivity of P. aeruginosa strains was recorded.
To record surveillance, antibiotic resistance of uropathogens of hospitalized patients over a period of 18 months.
Urine samples from wards and cabins were used for isolating urinary tract infection (UTI)-causing bacteria that were cultured on suitable selective media and identified by biochemical tests; and their antibiograms were ascertained by Kirby-Bauer's disc diffusion method, in each 6-month interval of the study period, using 18 antibiotics of five different classes.
From wards and cabins, 1 245 samples were collected, from which 996 strains of bacteria belonging to 11 species were isolated, during April 2011 to September 2012. Two Gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), and nine Gram-negative bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter sp., Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated. Both S. aureus and E. faecalis were vancomycin resistant, and resistant-strains of all pathogens increased in each 6-month period of study. Particularly, all Gram-negatives were resistant to nitrofurantoin and co-trimoxazole, the most preferred antibiotics of empiric therapy for UTI.
Antibiograms of 11 UTI-causing bacteria recorded in this study indicated moderately higher numbers of strains resistant to each antibiotic studied, generating the fear of precipitating fervent episodes in public health particularly with bacteria, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus. Moreover, vancomycin resistance in strains of S. aureus and E. faecalis is a matter of concern.
Objective
To monitor the antipseudomonad activity of the weed Argemone mexicana (A. mexicana), with multidrug strains isolated from clinical samples.Methods
Antibiogram of isolated strains were done with disc diffusion method and antipseudomonad activity was monitored with the agar well diffusion method.ResultsTwenty seven strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) were isolated from clinical samples from a hospital; among them, 22 were resistant to antibiotics (μ/disc): cefotaxime-30, 16 to amoxyclav-30, 15 to ofloxacin-5, 13 to gentamicin-10, 10 to piperacillin-100/tazobactam-10, 8 to amikacin-30, 7 to gatifloxacin-30, 6 to netilmicin-30, 4 to piperacillin100, 3 to imipenem-10 and 3 strains to nitrofurantoin-300. Each strain was resistant to several antibiotics at specified levels. Of these 27 clinical strains, 15 antibiotic-resistant strains and a antibiotic-sensitive standard strain were used in monitoring antimicrobial activity of leaf-extracts using 3 organic solvents (acetone, methanol and ethanol) and water of the weed, prickly poppy (A. mexicana L.). The methanol-extract had the highest level of antipseudomonad activity both with cold and hot extracts, confirmed by separate Kruskal-Wallis H tests. With the Student's t-test it was ascertained that the hot extraction concentrate yielded promising antipseudomonad activity than the cold extraction with methanol. Values of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of extracts of A. mexicana using acetone, methanol and ethanol as solvents were 10, 8 and 8 mg/mL, respectively; corresponding values of minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were 32, 28 and 24 mg/mL for these solvents, respectively.Conclusions
This study suggests that A. mexicana leaf can be used as complementary medicine in treating diseases caused by multidrug resistant strains of P. aeruginosa.
An overview on work published on antimicrobial activity of plants indicated that very limited work is reported on antimicrobial activities against multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria, especially the tuberculosis (TB) bacillus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. But considerable work has been done with the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Active principles from the tea tree oil plant, as well as the berberine found in many plants were reported to be effective against MRSA. For the control of many MDR pathogenic bacteria including M. tuberculosis, a systematic screening of plants would be the step towards drug-development from plants that would be economically viable too in the medicinal plant trade. In developing and developed countries phytodrugs with several commercial formulations are amply available, those are economical enough. A discussion on the economics of trade on medicinal plants is done that clarifies that raw products for healthcare are almost universally popular. It is discussed that crude plant extracts as antimicrobials are preferable, since resistance in pathogens would not be easy, for an array of compounds; and drug development for MDR-TB is need of the day.
Aim The aim of the present study was to record nosocomial
and community-acquired accounts of antibiotic resistance in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, isolated from clinical
samples of a hospital by surveillance, over a period of
18 months (November 2009–April 2011).
Subject and Methods Clinical samples from nosocomial
sources, i.e. wards and cabins and intensive care unit
(ICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) sources,
and community (outpatient department, OPD) sources of a
hospital were used for isolating strains of P. aeruginosa.
Results Of 368 isolated strains of P. aeruginosa, a total of
201 (54.62%) strains were from nosocomial and 167
(45.38%) strains were from community samples. There were
42 (25.14%) extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESβL) strains
among the 167 isolates from the community samples. And
from wards and cabins, there were 29 (23%) ESβL strains
among the 126 isolates. Of the 75 isolates from ICU and
NICU, there were 25 (33.33%) ESβL strains; the total of
nosocomial ESβL strains was 54 (26.86%) in this study
from the total of 201 P. aeruginosa isolates. In a computation
of the χ2 test of independence for assessing incidences
of ESβL strains among all multidrug-resistant (MDR)
strains, it was inferred that ESβL strains were equally distributed
in wards and cabins, ICU and NICU or community,
similar to the rest of the other MDR P. aeruginosa strains.
Fifteen antibiotics were used for assessing antibiotic sensitivity
of all isolated P. aeruginosa strains and a progressive
increase of percent values of drug resistance was recorded.
Conclusion This study on surveillance of a hospital
revealed the daunting state of occurrence of MDR P. aeruginosa.
A progressive increase of percent values of drug
resistance to 15 antibiotics used for antibiotic sensitivity of
P. aeruginosa strains was recorded.
Estimation of maternal mortality has been difficult because of large sample size requirement. A study using snowball technique for identification of households where maternal death has taken place and its related causes was conducted. We present here the feasibility of carrying out the snowball technique for capturing maternal deaths as against house-to-house survey and to obtain the estimates of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in some selected States of India.
Five states representing high MMR (Uttar Pradesh), medium MMR (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttranchal) and low MMR (Delhi) were selected. A total of 8 PHCs and 3 (UFS) were covered. Study used both house-to-house survey and snowball technique to enumerate the maternal deaths in the selected PHCs in rural area and urban frame survey (UFS) in urban area.
In all, 94 maternal deaths were captured through snowball technique as against 83 through house-to-house survey. The estimate of MMR for the five States combined was 356 per 100,000 live births, as compared to assumed 400 per 100,000 live births for the country as a whole. The relative standard error of the estimate of MMR was about 10 per cent.
Snowball technique captured more maternal deaths than those in house-to-house survey particularly in rural areas. The estimates also indicated the feasibility of replicating the proposed methodology for estimation of MMR as a time and cost-effective methodology.
A current phenomenon of great concern among the medical communities in developing countries is rising multi-drug resistant organisms, and the challenges of curing the infections in children. In this study, we evaluated the multi drug resistant strains of Escherichia coli isolated from urinary tract infection in children in southern Iran. Totally, 90 strains of E. coli were collected from urine samples of the children, aged from 1 month to 14 years, referred to Motahary Hospital of Jahrom, Iran. After confirmation of the urine cultures which were expressive of urinary infection, gram stain and biochemical differential test were done for the isolates and their susceptibility patterns to different antibiotics were determined by standard disk diffusion method. The antibiogram patterns of the isolates showed a high percentage of multi drug resistance to ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and tetracycline which was repeated among 13 strains. With regard to the present data and high percentage of multi drug resistant strains of E coli, regular monitoring antimicrobial drug resistance in different areas is necessary to prevent unsuitable utilization of drugs which is responsible for the emerging multi drug resistant strains.
The review reports Ethnomedicinal use of 421 number of plants by 24 tribal communities of Orissa state, living in 11 undivided districts. This covers the use of plants for about 166 diseases. The plants so far reported are, 67 for diarrhoea; 50 for dysentery; 30 for rheumatism; 26 for fever; 24 for skin infection; 21 for cough and cold; 21 for toothache; 20 for headache; 19 as antidote for poisoning; 14 for bleeding piles; 14 for leucorrhoea; 13 for eye complaints; 12 for malaria are significant. Orissa being a diarrhoea dominated state as reported earlier also tops in ethnomedicinal exploration from diarrhoeal point of view. Interestingly plants are reported more than 7 times by different tribal communities for various diseases; but with a common utility against diarrhoea. Among the districts, the reports are from Phulbani and Boudh of 164 plants; Sundargarh 107; Bhadrak 83; Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj 82 each; Koraput 75; Bolangir 65; Dhenkanal 53; Ganjam 42; Sambalpur 40 and Kalahandi 30 in descending order. Among the tribals, the Kondh tribe is reported for 175 times; Santal 166; Munda 122; Oriya 106; Bhuinya and Kol 87 times each; Kolha, Bunda, Bathuri and Bhuian 82 times each; Tanla 53; Bondo 43; Oraon 42 and all other tribes less than 40 times with minimum report from Khariya 3 times. The medicinal values extracted from leaf are 212 times; root 210; stem bark/whole stem/stem sap/bark leachate 138; whole plant 77; seed 68; fruit 53; flower 27; latex 25; rhizome 21 and other plant parts with minor use. 27 different plant parts are used by the tribes as reported. The plants like Abrus precatorius, Achyranthes aspera, Alstonia scholaris, Andrographis paniculata, Asparagus racemosus, Barleria prionitis, Calotropis gigantea, Careya arborea, Cissampelos pareira, Cuscuta reflexa, Datura metel, Elephantopus scaber, Hemidesmus indicus and Ficus benghalensis are significant from cross cultural point of view.
The present study was conducted to isolate the most important bioactive compound from Cinnamomum zeylanicum L. (Lauraceae) bark oil. The plant essential oil was extracted via steam distillation. Cinnamaldehyde was separated using a separating funnel and identified according to Tollen’s test followed by detection on TLC plates in comparison with standard cinnamaldehyde that served as positive control. Moreover, FTIR spectrometry and HPLC analysis were used to confirm the purity and identity of cinnamaldehyde. The isolated material was investigated for its antibacterial activity against six selected pathogenic bacteria. The Gram-positive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus; Gram-negative bacteria included Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cinnamaldehyde at different concentrations (1:1, 1:5, 1:10 and 1:20) was active against all tested bacteria and the highest inhibitory effect was observed against B. cereus (zone of inhibition: 25.3 mm) using the disk diffusion method. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cinnamaldehyde was determined using a broth microdilution method in 96-well microtiter plates. MIC values ranged from 31.2 to 125.0 μg/mL. The most promising result was observed against B. cereus, while S. aureus, E. coli, and K. pneumonia ranked next (MIC: 62.5 μg/mL) followed by P. mirabilis and P. aeruginosa with a MIC of 125.0 μg/mL.
Background: Shigellosis is one of the major causes of morbidity in children with diarrhea in Iran. Integrons play an important role in the evolution and dissemination of multidrug resistance in gram-negative bacteria. The occurrence of integrons among Shigella spp. is frequently reported throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of class 2 integrons among the multi drug resistant S. sonnei isolated from Iranian children in 2005. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in two major pediatric hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Fecal specimens and rectal swab collected from patients were cultured and identified as Shigella by the conventional methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed according to the standard CLSI guideline. Multi-drug resistant isolates of S. sonnei were further examined for the presence of class 2 integron by PCR using specific primers. Amplicons were confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis. Results: A total of 83 multi-drug resistant S. sonnei strains were isolated. Of these, 45 (54%) exhibited a class 2 integron of 2.1 kbp, and 34 (41%) a class 2 integron of 1.3 kbp. Class 2 integrons were not detected in four isolates. Conclusion: The results showed an increased occurrence of class 2 integron carrying S. sonnei isolated from children in Tehran in 2005.
Methanolic extracts from fresh leaves of five Etlingera species were screened for total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (AOA), and antibacterial activity. Analysis of TPC was done using the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Evaluations of AOA included 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical-scavenging ability, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), ferrous-ion chelating (FIC) ability, and β-carotene bleaching (BCB) activity. Antibacterial activity was screened using the disc-diffusion method. Highest TPC, ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity (AEAC), and FRAP were found in leaves of E. elatior and E. rubrostriata. Leaves of E. maingayi, with the lowest TPC, AEAC, and FRAP, had the highest FIC ability and BCB activity. Ranking of TPC and AOA of different plant parts of E. elatior was in the order: leaves > inflorescences > rhizomes. Leaves of highland populations of Etlingera species displayed higher values of TPC and AEAC than those of lowland counterparts. Leaves of Etlingera species exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-positive but not Gram-negative bacteria.
Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1 is a naturally transformable gram-negative bacterium with simple culture requirements, a prototrophic metabolism
and a compact genome of 3.7 Mb which has recently been sequenced. Wild-type ADP1 can be genetically manipulated by the direct
addition of linear DNA constructs to log-phase cultures. This makes it an ideal organism for the automation of complex strain
construction. Here, we demonstrate the flexibility and versatility of ADP1 as a genetic model through the construction of
a broad variety of mutants. These include marked and unmarked insertions and deletions, complementary replacements, chromosomal
expression tags and complex combinations thereof. In the process of these constructions, we demonstrate that ADP1 can effectively
express a wide variety of foreign genes including antibiotic resistance cassettes, essential metabolic genes, negatively selectable
catabolic genes and even intact operons from highly divergent bacteria. All of the described mutations were achieved by the
same process of splicing PCR, direct transformation of growing cultures and plating on selective media. The simplicity of
these tools make genetic analysis and engineering with Acinetobacter ADP1 accessible to laboratories with minimal microbial genetics expertise and very little equipment. They are also compatible
with complete automation of genetic analysis and engineering protocols.
Aims
In Malaysia, Shigella spp. is the third most common bacterial agent responsible for childhood diarrhoea. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Shigella spp. isolated from patients admitted to the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia from January 2001 to December 2009.
Subjects and methods
A hospital-based retrospective study was used. Stool samples from patients were cultured using a standard culture method. Shigella spp. isolates were identified by biochemical and serological methods, and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion method.
Results
A total of 138 Shigella spp. were isolated from a total of 14,830 routine stool specimens, yielding an isolation rate of 0.93% that corresponded to 9.99% of the 1,381 bacterial pathogens isolated. Of these isolates, S. sonnei was the predominant species, followed by S. flexneri and S. boydii. Seasonal variation was noticed, and no significant differences were detected in the demographic data for S. flexneri and S. sonnei. The susceptibility of all isolated Shigella strains was tested against seven antibiotics. Ceftriaxone (99.1%), ciprofloxacin (98.4%), and nalidixic acid (93.8%) were effective against the Shigella strains, whereas tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole exhibited high frequencies of resistance (58.4% and 53.8%, respectively).
Conclusion
This study is important for public health education aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with Shigella spp. infection. Our results also will be helpful for paediatricians and microbiologists in the selection of appropriate antibiotics for the management of diarrhoea.
Considering the changing geographical and temporal occurrence of Vibrio cholerae, there is a continuing need to monitor the strain characteristics and antibiotic resistance patterns of this pathogen. The present study was conducted to document the changing biology of V. cholerae isolates in and around Delhi, India, and the development of antibiotic resistance.
A total of 1,424 stool samples or rectal swabs from patients with acute secretory diarrhoea admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, between January 2007 and December 2009 were processed using standard bacteriological methods. Strains identified as V. cholerae were further subjected to serogrouping, phage typing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of gentamicin and tetracycline was determined.
V. cholerae was isolated in 242/1,424 (17.0%) specimens. Of these, the majority were V. cholerae O1 serotype (98.3%) and serovar Ogawa. The drugs to which V. cholerae O1 isolates showed high levels of resistance were nalidixic acid, furazolidone, and cotrimoxazole throughout the study period, whereas strains were usually susceptible to chloramphenicol and cefotaxime. In 2007, there was a sudden increase of resistance to gentamicin and tetracycline, followed by a slow reversal to previous levels in subsequent years. The phage typing pattern (Basu and Mukherjee scheme) showed a dominance of phage type 2 throughout the study period.
The importance of reporting all cases of V. cholerae, should be greatly emphasized, with the ultimate goal of understanding the constantly changing resistance patterns of this pathogen.
Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the epidemiological, microbiological and clinical features of diabetic patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) to those of nondiabetic ones. Methods: A prospective study was performed on 490 consecutive patients with proven UTI. The patients were studied on the basis of a specific questionnaire and hospital records. Results: Of 490 enrolled patients, 89 (18.1%) had diabetes mellitus. The mean age of diabetics and nondiabetics was respectively 64.9 ± 13.2 (SD) and 54.4 ± 23.3 years. Most diabetics had asymptomatic bacteriuria and had undergone bladder catheterization more frequently than the nondiabetics. The most frequent causative agents of UTI in diabetics and nondiabetics were: E. coli (respectively, 56.1 vs. 56.8%), Proteus sp. (7.9% vs. 7.2%), Pseudomonas sp. (6.7 vs. 8.2%), Enterococcus sp. (6.7 vs. 7.2%). More than 50% of the isolated Pseudonomas sp. strains in both groups were resistant to gentamicin, piperacillin and norfloxacin. Both diabetics (52.8%) and nondiabetics (42.2%) had recurrent UTI during the follow-up period; the difference in the incidences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: No significant differences in epidemiological, clinical and microbiological evaluated features of diabetics and nondiabetics were pointed out, except for the higher frequency of bladder catheterization of diabetics than nondiabetics. However, the eradication of UTI seemed to be more difficult in diabetics than in nondiabetics.
This timely review primarily addresses important but presently undefined microbial risks to public health and to the natural environment. It specifically focuses on current knowledge, future outlooks and offers some potential alleviation strategies that may reduce or eliminate the risk of problematic microbes in their viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and Cryptosporidium oocysts in the aquatic environment. As emphasis is placed on water quality, particularly surrounding efficacy of decontamination at the wastewater treatment plant level, this review also touches upon other related emerging issues, namely, the fate and potential ecotoxicological impact of untreated antibiotics and other pharmaceutically active compounds in water. Deciphering best published data has elucidated gaps between science and policy that will help stakeholders work towards the European Union's Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), which provides an ambitious legislative framework for water quality improvements within its region and seeks to restore all water bodies to "good ecological status" by 2015. Future effective risk-based assessment and management, post definition of the plethora of dynamic inter-related factors governing the occurrence, persistence and/or control of these presently undefined hazards in water will also demand exploiting and harnessing tangential advances in allied disciplines such as mathematical and computer modeling that will permit efficient data generation and transparent reporting to be undertaken by well-balanced consortia of stakeholders.
This study was conducted to determine the etiology of diarrhoea in a hospital setting in Kolkata. Active surveillance was conducted for 2 years on two random days per week by enrolling every fifth diarrhoeal patient admitted to the Infectious Diseases and Beliaghata General Hospital in Kolkata.
Most of the patients (76.1%) had acute watery diarrhoea in association with vomiting (77.7%) and some dehydration (92%). Vibrio cholerae O1, Rotavirus and Giardia lamblia were the important causes of diarrhoea. Among Shigella spp, S. flexneri 2a and 3a serotypes were most predominantly isolated. Enteric viruses, EPEC and EAEC were common in children <5 year age group. Atypical EPEC was comparatively higher than the typical EPEC. Multidrug resistance was common among V. cholerae O1 and Shigella spp including tetracycline and ciprofloxacin. Polymicrobial infections were common in all age groups and 27.9% of the diarrhoea patients had no potential pathogen.
Increase in V. cholerae O1 infection among <2 years age group, resistance of V. cholerae O1 to tetracycline, rise of untypable S. flexnerii, higher proportion of atypical EPEC and G. lamblia and polymicrobial etiology are some of the emerging trends observed in this diarrhoeal disease surveillance.
Fluoroquinolones are potent antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of a wide variety of community- and nosocomial- infections. However, resistance to fluoroquinolones in Enterobacteriaceae is increasingly reported. Studies assessing the ability of fluoroquinolones to select for resistance have often used antimicrobial concentrations quite different from those actually acquired at the site of infection. The present study compared the ability to select for resistance of levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and prulifloxacin at concentrations observed in vivo in twenty strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. isolated from patients with respiratory and urinary infections. The frequencies of spontaneous single-step mutations at plasma peak and trough antibiotic concentrations were calculated. Multi-step selection of resistance was evaluated by performing 10 serial cultures on agar plates containing a linear gradient from trough to peak antimicrobial concentrations, followed by 10 subcultures on antibiotic-free agar. E. coli resistant strains selected after multi-step selection were characterized for DNA mutations by sequencing gyrA, gyrB, parC and parE genes.
Frequencies of mutations for levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were less than 10-11 at peak concentration, while for prulifloxacin they ranged from <10-11 to 10-5. The lowest number of resistant mutants after multistep selection was selected by levofloxacin followed by ciprofloxacin and prulifloxacin. Both ciprofloxacin- and prulifloxacin-resistant mutants presented mutations in gyrA and parC, while levofloxacin resistance was found associated only to mutations in gyrA.
Among the tested fluoroquinolones, levofloxacin was the most capable of limiting the occurrence of resistance.
Microbiologic infections acquired from animals, known as zoonoses, pose a risk to public health. An estimated 60% of emerging human pathogens are zoonotic. Of these pathogens, >71% have wildlife origins. These pathogens can switch hosts by acquiring new genetic combinations that have altered pathogenic potential or by changes in behavior or socioeconomic, environmental, or ecologic characteristics of the hosts. We discuss causal factors that influence the dynamics associated with emergence or reemergence of zoonoses, particularly in the industrialized world, and highlight selected examples to provide a comprehensive view of their range and diversity.
The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic effects of the bark of Terminalia arjuna. The plant part was extracted with methanol to yield the crude extract. The antimicrobial activity test of the methanol extract of the bark of Terminalia arjuna was done using disc diffusion method. Standard antibiotic discs of Kanamycin (30 μg/disc) were used as standard. The crude extract was used at a concentration of 500μg/disc. All the microorganisms were susceptible in various degrees to the extract. The methanol extract was found to be moderately active against Staphylococus aereus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The zone of inhibition was found from 12 mm to 19 mm. The crude methanol extract was again studied for investigating free radical scavenging potentiality and was subjected to this study with 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The methanol extract of the bark of the plant exhibited the potential free radical scavenging activity (antioxidant effect) having IC 50 value of 7.05 μg/ml. The cytotoxic activity of the crude methanol extract was determined by Brine Shrimp Lethality Bioassay. In this bioassay methanol extract showed positive results and the LC 50 was 6.163 μg/ml indicating that the some of the compounds of the extract are biologically active. From this experiment, it was reveled that the test sample showed different response at different concentrations. The mortality rate of brine shrimp was found to be increased with the increased concentrations of sample, and a plot of log of concentration versus percent mortality on the graph produced an approximate linear correlation.
Medicinal plants are widely employed in both rural and urban Brazil, many in accordance with traditional practices that were developed by the native population or were brought to the country by immigrant peoples from Europe, Africa and Asia. Their use in official public health care requires however more than traditional knowledge. Recently published laws which will come into force by the end of the century, require that scientific evidence be brought to support the popular use, that possible toxicity, especially when chronic use is contemplated, be known to the medical profession and that the raw plant material and final formulation have a chemical composition that lies within limits that can be specific and checked by analysis. Clinical evidence of efficacy should be provided and wherever possible some indication of the mechanism of action and what components of the original plant contribute to this action, are desirable. At the same time, once a plant of given chemical composition is approved for use, then its widespread production must be organized in such a way that supply of a product of established quality meets the demand.
Seven compounds, turmeronol-A (1), turmeronol-B (2), 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acid (3), 4-hydroxy- 3-methoxycinnamic acid (4), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5), 2,3,5,6-tetrahydroxyarturmerone (6) and 4-hydroxy- bisabola-2,10-diene-9-one (7) have been isolated from the carbon tetrachloride soluble fraction of a methanol extract of the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Careful interpretation of the NMR data and comparison with turmeronol A (1) allowed tentative identification of compound 6 as 2,3,5,6-tetrahydroxy-arturmerone, which appears to be a new molecule. The n-hexane, carbon tetrachloride and chloroform extractives of the rhizomes when subjected to antimicrobial screening and brine shrimp lethality bioassay demonstrated mild to moderate antimicrobial activity and strong cytotoxicity with LC50 value 1.56 µg/ml.
The methanol extract of Cassia fistula seeds was investigated for potential antimicrobial activity against medically important bacterial, yeast and fungal strains. The antimicrobial activity was determined in methanol extract using the disk diffusion technique and the broth dilution method. The extract was effective on tested microorganism and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were found in the range of 1.563- 50.00 mg/ml. Apart from that, the methanolic extract of C. fistula seeds was further tested for in vivo brine shrimp lethality test. The brine shrimp lethality test exhibited no significant toxicity (LC50 = 2.11mg/ml) against Artemia salina. The C. fistula seeds extract with high LC50 value signified that this plant is not toxic to human. Hence, this plant can be used to discover bioactive natural products that may leads in the development of new pharmaceuticals that address not fulfilled therapeutic needs.
Previous assessments have highlighted that less than a quarter of countries are on track to achieve Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4), which calls for a two-thirds reduction in mortality in children younger than 5 years between 1990 and 2015. In view of policy initiatives and investments made since 2000, it is important to see if there is acceleration towards the MDG 4 target. We assessed levels and trends in child mortality for 187 countries from 1970 to 2010.
We compiled a database of 16 174 measurements of mortality in children younger than 5 years for 187 countries from 1970 to 2009, by use of data from all available sources, including vital registration systems, summary birth histories in censuses and surveys, and complete birth histories. We used Gaussian process regression to generate estimates of the probability of death between birth and age 5 years. This is the first study that uses Gaussian process regression to estimate child mortality, and this technique has better out-of-sample predictive validity than do previous methods and captures uncertainty caused by sampling and non-sampling error across data types. Neonatal, postneonatal, and childhood mortality was estimated from mortality in children younger than 5 years by use of the 1760 measurements from vital registration systems and complete birth histories that contained specific information about neonatal and postneonatal mortality.
Worldwide mortality in children younger than 5 years has dropped from 11.9 million deaths in 1990 to 7.7 million deaths in 2010, consisting of 3.1 million neonatal deaths, 2.3 million postneonatal deaths, and 2.3 million childhood deaths (deaths in children aged 1-4 years). 33.0% of deaths in children younger than 5 years occur in south Asia and 49.6% occur in sub-Saharan Africa, with less than 1% of deaths occurring in high-income countries. Across 21 regions of the world, rates of neonatal, postneonatal, and childhood mortality are declining. The global decline from 1990 to 2010 is 2.1% per year for neonatal mortality, 2.3% for postneonatal mortality, and 2.2% for childhood mortality. In 13 regions of the world, including all regions in sub-Saharan Africa, there is evidence of accelerating declines from 2000 to 2010 compared with 1990 to 2000. Within sub-Saharan Africa, rates of decline have increased by more than 1% in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, and The Gambia.
Robust measurement of mortality in children younger than 5 years shows that accelerating declines are occurring in several low-income countries. These positive developments deserve attention and might need enhanced policy attention and resources.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Purpose: To evaluate the anti-enterobacterial potential of nine ethnobotanically selected plants traditionally used in different parts of India for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders such as cholera, diarrhea or dysentery. Methods: The methanol extracts of these plants were screened for antibacterial activity against 11 strains of enteropathogenic bacteria, including multi-drug resistant Vibrio cholerae (serotypes O1, O139, and non-O1, non-O139), using broth microdilution method. Ampicillin was used as a positive reference standard to determine the sensitivity of the strains. Phytochemical screening was carried out for phenolics and flavonoids. Results: All of these plants had bactericidal activity against at least one of the test microorganisms with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.125 to 32 mg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranging from 0.25 to 32 mg/ml. Among these, Terminalia chebula> Retz. (Combretaceae) and Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Myrtaceae) showed the most promising broad spectrum antibacterial properties, inhibiting all of the strains tested, especially Vibrio cholerae, Aeromonas hydrophila and Bacillus subtilis, with MBC ranging from 0.25 to 4 mg/ml. Phenolics and flavonoids were found to be present in the extracts. Conclusion: The findings provide support for the use of this plant in traditional medicine for treatment of diarrheoa, especially cholera.