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PeerJ 2024In the present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using neem leaf aqueous extracts and characterized using transmission electron microscopy...
In the present study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using neem leaf aqueous extracts and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Then compare its efficacy as anticancer and antibacterial agents with chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs and the neem leaf extract used for the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs. The TEM, UV-vis, and particle size confirmed that the developed ZnO-NPs are nanoscale. The chemically and greenly synthesized ZnO-NPs showed their optical absorbance at 328 nm and 380 nm, respectively, and were observed as spherical particles with a size of about 85 nm and 62.5 nm, respectively. HPLC and GC-MS were utilized to identify the bioactive components in the neem leaf aqueous extract employed for the eco-friendly production of ZnO-NPs. The HPLC analysis revealed that the aqueous extract of neem leaf contains 19 phenolic component fractions. The GC-MS analysis revealed the existence of 21 bioactive compounds. The antiproliferative effect of green ZnO-NPs was observed at different concentrations (31.25 µg/mL-1000 µg/mL) on Hct 116 and A 549 cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 111 µg/mL for A 549 and 118 µg/mL for Hct 116. On the other hand, the antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was estimated. The antibacterial result showed that the MIC of green synthesized ZnO-NPs against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria were 5, and 1 µg/mL. Hence, they could be utilized as effective antibacterial and antiproliferative agents.
Topics: Zinc Oxide; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Plant Extracts; Humans; Plant Leaves; Antineoplastic Agents; Azadirachta; Metal Nanoparticles; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Green Chemistry Technology; Particle Size; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 38948224
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17588 -
MLife Jun 2024Members of the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) protein family are ubiquitous in bacteria and play critical roles in regulating cellular metabolism and... (Review)
Review
Members of the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) protein family are ubiquitous in bacteria and play critical roles in regulating cellular metabolism and antibiotic resistance. MarR family proteins function as repressors, and their interactions with modulators induce the expression of controlled genes. The previously characterized modulators are insufficient to explain the activities of certain MarR family proteins. However, recently, several MarR family proteins have been reported to sense sulfane sulfur, including zero-valent sulfur, persulfide (R-SSH), and polysulfide (R-SnH, ≥ 2). Sulfane sulfur is a common cellular component in bacteria whose levels vary during bacterial growth. The changing levels of sulfane sulfur affect the expression of many MarR-controlled genes. Sulfane sulfur reacts with the cysteine thiols of MarR family proteins, causing the formation of protein thiol persulfide, disulfide bonds, and other modifications. Several MarR family proteins that respond to reactive oxygen species (ROS) also sense sulfane sulfur, as both sulfane sulfur and ROS induce the formation of disulfide bonds. This review focused on MarR family proteins that sense sulfane sulfur. However, the sensing mechanisms reviewed here may also apply to other proteins that detect sulfane sulfur, which is emerging as a modulator of gene regulation.
PubMed: 38948149
DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12109 -
MLife Jun 2024Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is a current global public health problem due to its increasing resistance to the most recent antibiotic therapies. One critical approach...
Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is a current global public health problem due to its increasing resistance to the most recent antibiotic therapies. One critical approach is to develop ways to revitalize existing antibiotics. Here, we show that the phytogenic compound cinnamaldehyde (CIN) and β-lactam antibiotic combinations can functionally synergize and resensitize clinical MRSA isolates to β-lactam therapy and inhibit MRSA biofilm formation. Mechanistic studies indicated that the CIN potentiation effect on β-lactams was primarily the result of inhibition of the expression by targeting the staphylococcal accessory regulator . CIN alone or in combination with β-lactams decreased gene expression and increased SarA protein phosphorylation that impaired SarA binding to the promoter element and downregulated virulence genes such as those encoding biofilm, α-hemolysin, and adhesin. Perturbation of SarA- binding thus interfered with PBP2a biosynthesis and this decreased MRSA resistance to β-lactams. Furthermore, CIN fully restored the anti-MRSA activities of β-lactam antibiotics in vivo in murine models of bacteremia and biofilm infections. Together, our results indicated that CIN acts as a β-lactam adjuvant and can be applied as an alternative therapy to combat multidrug-resistant MRSA infections.
PubMed: 38948140
DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12121 -
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational... 2024Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) can be a debilitating complication that can arise in patients who took or are taking antiresorptive (including...
Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) can be a debilitating complication that can arise in patients who took or are taking antiresorptive (including bisphosphonates) or antiangiogenic agents, leading to visible bone or a fistula that continues for more than eight weeks, without any history of radiotherapy. This clinical case aimed to describe the treatment of MRONJ with topical active oxygen therapy using bluem oral gel. A 63-year-old female patient that had been taking weekly sodium alendronate (70 mg) for four years by oral via, presented discomfort and implant movement in the #46 region, by that underwent surgical extraction of the implant. After three months the patient returned and was diagnosed with MRONJ. Initially, conventional therapies were performed, including surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy, but without success. The patient still had clinical signs of osteonecrosis six months after the implant extraction. The entire socket was then filled with bluem oral gel by topical application. The patient was instructed to continue applying the gel to the region every 8 hours for 15 days. After this period, the patient returned, and it was observed that the wound was in the healing process, with the presence of epithelialized tissue and without bone exposure. The 2-year clinical follow-up showed the lesion had healed entirely, and a new implant was installed. After the osseointegration period, the final prosthesis was placed. The patient remains under clinical follow-up. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of bluem oral gel in this clinical case assisted in the recovery of the osteonecrosis lesion.
PubMed: 38947864
DOI: 10.2147/CCIDE.S462051 -
ACS Omega Jun 2024Drug repurposing is a method of investigating new therapeutic applications for previously approved medications. This repurposing approach to "old" medications is now... (Review)
Review
Drug repurposing is a method of investigating new therapeutic applications for previously approved medications. This repurposing approach to "old" medications is now highly efficient, simple to arrange, and cost-effective and poses little risk of failure in treating a variety of disorders, including cancer. Drug repurposing for cancer therapy is currently a key topic of study. It is a way of exploring recent therapeutic applications for already-existing drugs. Theoretically, the repurposing strategy has various advantages over the recognized challenges of creating new molecular entities, including being faster, safer, easier, and less expensive. In the real world, several medications have been repurposed, including aspirin, metformin, and chloroquine. However, doctors and scientists address numerous challenges when repurposing drugs, such as the fact that most drugs are not cost-effective and are resistant to bacteria. So the goal of this review is to gather information regarding repurposing pharmaceuticals to make them more cost-effective and harder for bacteria to resist. Cancer patients are more susceptible to bacterial infections. Due to their weak immune systems, antibiotics help protect them from a variety of infectious diseases. Although antibiotics are not immune boosters, they do benefit the defense system by killing bacteria and slowing the growth of cancer cells. Their use also increases the therapeutic efficacy and helps avoid recurrence. Of late, antibiotics have been repurposed as potent anticancer agents because of the evolutionary relationship between the prokaryotic genome and mitochondrial DNA of eukaryotes. Anticancer antibiotics that prevent cancer cells from growing by interfering with their DNA and blocking growth of promoters, which include anthracyclines, daunorubicin, epirubicin, mitoxantrone, doxorubicin, and idarubicin, are another type of FDA-approved antibiotics used to treat cancer. According to the endosymbiotic hypothesis, prokaryotes and eukaryotes are thought to have an evolutionary relationship. Hence, in this study, we are trying to explore antibiotics that are necessary for treating diseases, including cancer, helping people reduce deaths associated with various infections, and substantially extending people's life expectancy and quality of life.
PubMed: 38947816
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00617 -
Cureus May 2024Pancreaticopleural fistula is a rare complication of pancreatitis. We present a rare case of pancreaticopleural fistula in a 43-year-old alcoholic male. He presented...
Pancreaticopleural fistula is a rare complication of pancreatitis. We present a rare case of pancreaticopleural fistula in a 43-year-old alcoholic male. He presented with recurrent episodes of left pleural effusion that were managed with aspiration and chest tube placement. An MRI of the chest and upper abdomen revealed a pancreaticopleural fistula. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy. The surgical approach was our first-line management due to the unavailability of octreotide and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. His recovery was complicated by an empyema that was managed by tube thoracostomy and IV antibiotics. There was no issue detected at his 3-month follow-up clinic visit.
PubMed: 38947591
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61357 -
Cureus May 2024Pyometra is a very uncommon condition in postmenopausal women that rarely improves with standard antibiotic treatments. It is usually overlooked as the patient presents...
Pyometra is a very uncommon condition in postmenopausal women that rarely improves with standard antibiotic treatments. It is usually overlooked as the patient presents with vague symptoms. Our case presented a postmenopausal woman with sepsis due to a huge pyometra. Swabs for sensitivity, tubercular gene testing, and basic blood workup were done, and the patient was started on intravenous antibiotic therapy. Pyometra drainage could not be done due to thin, friable uterine walls. When the patient had improved, a clinically total abdominal hysterectomy was done after ruling out malignant causes. Delay in the diagnosis of this condition may lead to perforation, which may, in turn, cause peritonitis, which may gravely affect the patient.
PubMed: 38947584
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61394 -
Heliyon Jun 2024Colchicine is a common therapeutic agent for inflammatory conditions such as gout, yet its narrow therapeutic range frequently results in cases of overdose and...
BACKGROUND
Colchicine is a common therapeutic agent for inflammatory conditions such as gout, yet its narrow therapeutic range frequently results in cases of overdose and subsequent poisoning. Acute colchicine poisoning can be difficult to identify due to its nonspecific clinical manifestations, posing a diagnostic challenge for emergency physicians without a clear history of colchicine ingestion.
CASE PRESENTATION
This report describes a tragic case of acute colchicine poisoning that resulted in three familial homicides. The patients presented with fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, which rapidly escalated to shock during their emergency department visits. Laboratory tests revealed a marked leukocytosis, mild elevation in procalcitonin (PCT), significantly elevated creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB levels, and liver function abnormalities. Despite treatment with carbapenem antibiotics and aggressive fluid resuscitation, the patients' condition deteriorated, marked by a progressive decline in leukocytes and neutrophils. Initially misdiagnosed as septic shock, the ineffectiveness of the standard treatment protocols led to a fatal outcome for all three individuals.
CONCLUSION
Emergency physicians should consider acute colchicine poisoning as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with shock and the following clinical indicators: (1) pronounced increase in peripheral leukocytes with a disproportionate rise in neutrophils; (2) discordance between the level of serum procalcitonin and the severity of presumed septic shock; (3) early increase in serum creatine kinase (CK) and CK-MB; (4) poor response to antibiotics and resuscitative efforts, accompanied by a continuous decrease in white blood cells and neutrophils. This case underscores the critical need for awareness of colchicine toxicity in the emergency setting, particularly when the clinical presentation mimics septic shock but fails to respond to standard treatments.
PubMed: 38947441
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32407 -
Heliyon Jun 2024In recent decades, biosynthesis of metal and (or) metal oxide nanoparticles using microbes is accepted as one of the most sustainable, cost-effective, robust, and green... (Review)
Review
In recent decades, biosynthesis of metal and (or) metal oxide nanoparticles using microbes is accepted as one of the most sustainable, cost-effective, robust, and green processes as it does not encompass the usage of largely hazardous chemicals. Accordingly, numerous simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly approaches for the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were reported using microbes avoiding conventional (chemical) methods. This comprehensive review detailed an advance made in recent years in the microbes-mediated biosynthesis of AgNPs and evaluation of their antimicrobial activities covering the literature from 2015-till date. It also aimed at elaborating the possible effect of the different phytochemicals, their concentrations, extraction temperature, extraction solvent, pH, reaction time, reaction temperature, and concentration of precursor on the shape, size, and stability of the synthesized AgNPs. In addition, while trying to understand the antimicrobial activities against targeted pathogenic microbes the probable mechanism of the interaction of produced AgNPs with the cell wall of targeted microbes that led to the cell's reputed and death have also been detailed. Lastly, this review detailed the shape and size-dependent antimicrobial activities of the microbes-mediated AgNPs and their enhanced antimicrobial activities by synergetic interaction with known commercially available antibiotic drugs.
PubMed: 38947433
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32333 -
Infection and Drug Resistance 2024Fungal infections represent a worldwide concern for public health, due to their prevalence and significant increase in cases each year. Among the most frequent mycoses... (Review)
Review
Fungal infections represent a worldwide concern for public health, due to their prevalence and significant increase in cases each year. Among the most frequent mycoses are those caused by members of the genera , and , which have been treated for years with conventional antifungal drugs, such as flucytosine, azoles, polyenes, and echinocandins. However, these microorganisms have acquired the ability to evade the mechanisms of action of these drugs, thus hindering their treatment. Among the most common evasion mechanisms are alterations in sterol biosynthesis, modifications of drug transport through the cell wall and membrane, alterations of drug targets, phenotypic plasticity, horizontal gene transfer, and chromosomal aneuploidies. Taking into account these problems, some research groups have sought new therapeutic alternatives based on drug repositioning. Through repositioning, it is possible to use existing pharmacological compounds for which their mechanism of action is already established for other diseases, and thus exploit their potential antifungal activity. The advantage offered by these drugs is that they may be less prone to resistance. In this article, a comprehensive review was carried out to highlight the most relevant repositioning drugs to treat fungal infections. These include antibiotics, antivirals, anthelmintics, statins, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
PubMed: 38947372
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S466336