Total Extract Research Articles

The Bloom Syndrome and Retinoblastoma patient exhibits two RB1 gene mutations in the germline

Purpose: To report the case of a patient with Bloom Syndrome and retinoblastoma from a genetic perspective. The patient exhibits two RB1 gene mutations in the germline. Methods: The patient underwent an ultrasound study, followed by enucleation of the left eye. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected to isolate mononuclear cells for total RNA and DNA extraction. Subsequently, cDNA synthesis and RT-qPCR were performed. The DNA was used for PCR amplification of the 27 exons. The sequence of the exons of RB1 was analysed. Results: The patient with Bloom Syndrome (BS) and retinoblastoma underwent treatment, and blood samples from the patient and a family member were analysed. The results revealed two germline mutations on exons 13 and 17. The levels of RB1 mRNA were found to be low compared to those of a healthy control and a family member. Conclusion: Without a family history of cancer, a patient with retinoblastoma and BS presents two mutations in the germline on the RB1 gene; this results in very low levels of RB1 mRNA systemically, thereby increasing the patient´s risk of developing another type of cancer throughout his life.

Anti-microtubular activity of total alkaloids and aqueous extract of Detarium microcarpum a medicinal plant harvested in Mali.

Detarium microcarpum, is a species confined to drier regions of west and central Africa used to treat various diseases including cancer. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of secondary metabolites (alkaloids) The aim of this work is to study the effect of total aqueous extracts and alkaloid fractions from D. microcarpum leaves, bark and roots on Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. 'Bright Yellow 2' (BY-2) tobacco cell line GFP-TuA3 expressing a N-terminal fusion of GFP. The plant was harvested in two different regions of Mali with a contrasting climate. The effects of the extracts on the microtubules was followed by spinning disc confocal microscopy. We showed that the anti-microtubular effect of the extracts is dose-dependent, depends of the sampling site and the part of the plant used. Total alkaloids extracted of D. microcarpum bark have more effect on microtubules than leaf and root. The bioactivity-guided fractionation should be used to screen out the biologically active compounds of the total alkaloid extracts of the bark of D. microcarpum.

Rutin and luteolin purified from Gerbera jamesonii and Chrysanthemum ‘dante purple’ flowers exert remarkable protection against the enteropathogen, E. coli O78, in poultry

Recently, the world directed to the use of natural products as antibiotic alternatives to substitute antibiotics, particularly in livestock animals and poultry to avoid antibiotic resistance and antibiotic residues in all products used for human consumption. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of Gerbera jamesonii and Chrysanthemum “dante purple” flowers extracts as well as rutin and luteolin previously isolated from Gerbera jamesonii and Chrysanthemum “dante purple”, respectively, against the enteropathogen Escherichia coli (E. coli O78) as well as, the detection of their effects on the blood parameters and the clinical signs of the treated birds. Firstly, in vitro antimicrobial activity of the total methanolic extracts, and fractions (petroleum ether or hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol) of Gerbera jamesonii and Chrysanthemum “dante purple” flowers as well as the pure isolated compounds; rutin and luteolin were tested against different pathogens. Further in vivo antimicrobial activity of the pure compounds, rutin and luteolin against E. coli was evaluated. The two pure compounds remarkably protected against the infection induced by the enteropathogen, E. coli O78, in infected chicks. This could prove the efficacy of using the two natural compounds, rutin and luteolin, as protective supplements in poultry.

Selecting a Time-Series Model to Predict Drinking Water Extraction in a Semi-Arid Region in Chihuahua, Mexico

As the effects of global climate change intensify, it is increasingly important to implement more effective water management practices, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions such as Meoqui, Chihuahua, situated in the arid northern center of Mexico. The objective of this study was to identify the optimal time-series model for analyzing the pattern of water extraction volumes and predicting a one-year forecast. It was hypothesized that the volume of water extracted over time could be explained by a statistical time-series model, with the objective of predicting future trends. To achieve this objective, three time-series models were evaluated. To assess the pattern of groundwater extraction, three time-series models were employed: the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA), Prophet, and Prophet with extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). The mean extraction volume for the entire period was 50,935 ± 47,540 m3, with a total of 67,233,578 m3 extracted from all wells. The greatest volume of water extracted has historically been from urban wells, with an average extraction of 55,720 ± 48,865 m3 and a total of 63,520,284 m3. The mean extraction volume for raw water wells was determined to be 20,629 ± 19,767 m3, with a total extraction volume of 3,713,294 m3. The SARIMA(1,1,1)(1,0,0)12 model was identified as the optimal time-series model for general extraction, while a “white noise” model, an ARIMA(0,1,0) for raw water, and an SARIMA(2,1,1)(2,0,0)12 model were identified as optimal for urban wells. These findings serve to reinforce the efficacy of the SARIMA model in forecasting and provide a basis for water resource managers in the region to develop policies that promote sustainable water management.

Total RNA Extraction from Starchy Rice Endosperm.

RNA extraction is a critical step in gene expression analysis. While numerous RNA extraction kits are commercially available, most kits cannot be utilized for RNA extraction from rice endosperm that contains abundant starch. Here, I describe a three-step RNA extraction from rice starchy endosperm. The process involves phenol/chloroform extraction, ethanol precipitation, and lithium chloride precipitation. This method yields an abundant and high-quality total RNA even from a single starchy endosperm.

Total RNA Extraction from Rice Vegetative Tissues Using Magnetic Beads.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) extraction is the first critical step in gene expression analysis. In this chapter, we describe a high-throughput RNA extraction method using guanidine thiocyanate and isopropyl alcohol (HighGI). The use of carboxyl-coated paramagnetic beads, instead of silica membrane columns, enables semi-automation using a liquid handling system and high-throughput RNA extraction for large-scale transcriptome studies. Homemade mixes of paramagnetic beads and buffers make HighGI inexpensive. In addition, HighGI-extracted RNA retains low molecular weight RNA molecules less than 200bp, which is typically lost in commercial column-based kits.

Platelet antiaggregant activity of Hypericum perforatum extracts

BackgroundIn addition to its potential use as an antidepressant, different studies have shown that Hypericum perforatum (HP) can have antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Despite this potential, most of the therapeutic bioactivities attributed to HP need further scientific support. In a previous study we found an inhibitory effect of HP in platelet activation markers. So, in the present work we investigate the effect of HP in another aspect of platelet function, platelet aggregation. MethodsFirst, the effect of different concentrations of the total alcoholic extract of HP on platelet aggregation was studied in 9 healthy donors by aggregometry methods using collagen as agonist. After that, to obtain dose-effect curves, 3 experiments were carried out independently in a single individual using collagen, adenosine diphosphate and epinephrine as agonists. ResultsOur results reveal a marked inter-individual variability and a significant dose-dependent decrease of aggregation responses induced by collagen in the presence of HP extracts (mean of minimum inhibition: 8% at a dose of 0.068 mg es/ml and mean of maximum inhibition: 43% at a dose of 0.456 mg es/ml). With the results obtained it was possible to obtained a IC50 value of 0.34 mg es/ml. ConclusionsWe can conclude that HP has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on platelet function (activation and aggregation responses), therefore, our results suggest that HP may be recognized as an herbal medicine with anti-platelet properties.

The microbiota comparative analysis of the characteristics between colorectal adenomatous polyps and normal mucosal intestinal.

The aim of this study is to systematically examine and compare the characteristics distinguishing colorectal adenomatous polyps from normal mucosal intestinal microbiota. A total of 30 specimens were obtained from patients diagnosed with colorectal adenomatous polyps (adenoma group) who underwent endoscopic removal at Wenzhou People's Hospital between September 2021 and November 2021. Concurrently, 30 normal mucosal specimens were collected from patients without adenomatous polyps (control group). Subsequently, microbiome total DNA extraction was carried out, followed by PCR amplification targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S rDNA. High-throughput sequencing was conducted using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Subsequent to sequencing, bioinformatics analysis was used to assess the diversity, composition, and functional aspects of the intestinal microbiota in both study groups. A notable dissimilarity in the microbiota structure was identified, specifically within the transverse colon, between these two groups ( P < 0.05). Species composition analysis revealed that Escherichia , Fusobacterium , and Bacteroides were predominant bacteria in both groups, with Escherichia and Enterobacter displaying significant differences at the genera level between the control group and the adenoma group ( P < 0.05). Correlation analysis and functional prediction demonstrated substantial disparities in interactions among dominant intestinal microbial genera within patients from both groups. Additionally, it was discovered that the intestinal microbiomes in patients in the adenoma group exhibited a significantly higher pathogenic potential. Upon conducting a comprehensive analysis, it was discerned that the microbiota present in the transverse colon of the control group exhibited distinctive characteristics that may contribute to the maintenance of intestinal health.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticle by Hyoscyamus muticus L. extract and study of its effect on tomato infected with Meloidogyne javanica

In this study, the aqueous leaf extract of Hyoscyamus muticus L Plant leaf was prepared using three methods: maceration (MAC), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE). Then, the extracts were used to synthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in an environmentally friendly approach. The characterization of the synthesized Ag NPs was carried out by various techniques. The XRD results confirmed the successful synthesis of nano-sized Ag crystals with spherical structure. The SEM images showed the formation of Ag NPs, which were smaller than 75 nm. The UV-Vis studies showed an obvious absorption peak for Ag NPs between 400-500 nm, with a clear peak around 450 nm for all samples. The elemental analysis using the EDS technique confirmed the presence of silver in the synthesized Ag NPs. Furthermore, the effect of different concentrations of Ag NPs was investigated on hatching and second-stage juvenile (J2s) mortality of Meloidogyne javanica, under controlled conditions. The results showed that increasing concentrations of Ag NPs led to higher percentages of inhibition of egg hatching and J2s mortality. Additionally, the Ag NPs synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted extraction with lower lethal concentration were found to be more toxic to M. javanica than the extract prepared by soaking. According to the results, Ag NPs showed a stronger inhibitory effect on M. javanica egg hatching and J2s mortality compared to the total extracts and chemically synthesized Ag NPs. Also, the lowest LC50 was observed for the Ag NPs synthesized using the plant extract as: UAE > MAE (180 w) > MAE (90 w) > MAC methods. The highest inhibition of egg hatch occurred at 0.5 % v/v of Ag NPs after 72 hours and remained consistent after 120 hours.

Characterization of soil organic carbon at profile scale in two forest soils under pine and holm oak

Context It is essential to promote soil carbon sequestration as a means to mitigate climate change. Thus, it is fundamental to know the distribution of C in the soil at profile scale, the characteristics of humic substances as indicators of soil organic matter (SOM) turnover and their relationship with other soil properties. Aims Two forest ecosystems under pine and holm oak developed under a Meso-Mediterranean climate in Spain were used to characterize SOM through the complete sequence of layers of the soil profile. Methods General soil analysis, infrared spectroscopic analysis and soil color measurements were conducted for the characterization. Key results Humus form under oak was found to be Mull mesotrophic–Mull acid while humus under pine Moder oligotrophic. The infrared spectrum determined that oxidation of the humic acids was more complete in the deeper horizons. Relationships between intensities of the main spectral bands in both soils followed similar maximum and minimum sequence values. The total humic extract (THE) color measured by reflection was found inversely related to the THE color measured by transmission. In the same way, the color spectrum between 350 and 800 nm in the THE showed an inverse relation between hue/brightness and absorbance values. Conclusions Infrared analysis and color measurements provided evidence of a different level of stabilization of humic substances from each soil, and between the different horizons. Large spatial variability in soil organic carbon quantity and quality was observed. Implications Better understanding of carbon sequestration behavior in different soil ecosystems in its crucial role within the global carbon cycle

Neurosteroids Alter p-ERK Levels and Tau Distribution, Restraining the Effects of High Extracellular Calcium

Neurosteroids are undeniably regarded as neuroprotective mediators, regulating brain function by rapid non-genomic actions involving interference with microtubules. Conversely, hyperphosphorylated Tau is considered responsible for the onset of a plethora of neurodegenerative diseases, as it dissociates from microtubules, leading to their destabilization, thus impairing synaptic vesicle transport and neurotransmission. Consequently, we aimed to investigate the effects of neurosteroids, specifically allopregnanolone (Allo) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), on the levels of total and phosphorylated at Serine 404 Tau (p-Tau) in C57BL/6 mice brain slices. In total tissue extracts, we found that neurosteroids elevated both total and p-Tau levels without significantly altering the p-Tau/Tau ratio. In addition, the levels of several enzymes implicated in Tau phosphorylation did not display significant differences between conditions, suggesting that neurosteroids influence Tau distribution rather than its phosphorylation. Hence, we subsequently examined the mitochondria-enriched subcellular fraction where, again, both p-Tau and total Tau levels were increased in the presence of neurosteroids. These effects seem actin-dependent, as disrupting actin polymerization by cytochalasin B preserved Tau levels. Furthermore, co-incubation with high [Ca2+] and neurosteroids mitigated the effects of Ca2+ overload, pointing to cytoskeletal remodeling as a potential mechanism underlying neurosteroid-induced neuroprotection.

Study the effect of Convolvulus pilosellifolius Desr. as antialzheimer and identification of its active compounds

The phenolic pattern of the plant using chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Three flavonoid and two phenolic compounds were isolated for first time from the alcoholic plant extract which identified as; Quercetin-3’-galactoside, Quercetin-7-glucoside, Quercetin −3-glucoside and two phenolic compounds identified as Methyl-trans-dihydroxy cinnamic acid and Methyl-cis-dihydroxy cinnamic acid, they were isolated and purified using classical and modern chromatographic methods; (PC, TLC, CC and HPLC); identified by Rf, UV,1H NMR,13C NMR and 2D NMR (HMQC) spectroscopy. The activity of total alcoholic extract of Convolvulus pilosellifolius as antialzheimer was investigated concerning its activity as acetylcholine esterase inhibitor. The recorded IC50 was 0.391 and 0.131 µg/mL for the extract and donepezil respectively. The activity of isolated compounds as acetylcholine esterase inhibitor were evaluated by Autodock Vina software to perform the docking protocol. This revealed that the most active compound was Quercetin-3Ì· galactoside.

Computational metal-flavonoids complexes presentation of greenly synthesized silver nanoparticles combined flavonoids from Lens culinaris L. as anticancer agents using BcL-2 and IspC proteins

Lens culinaris L., has been widely recognized for its medical applications. LC-ESI-TOF-MS identified 22 secondary metabolites including phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanidin glycosides among its total extract (LCTE). The study aimed to apply LCTE as a biogenic material for reducing and capping the silver nanoparticles (LC-AgNPs). The ynthesized LC-AgNPs were characterized using different techniques. The UV absorption was observed at λ max 379 nm. LC-AgNPs were spherical, with 19.22 nm average size. The face cubic centre nature was demonstrated by HR-TEM and XRD. The LC-AgNPs were then evaluated for their anticancer and antimicrobial potentials. LC-AgNPs showed an extremely potent cytotoxic activity against MCF-7, HCT-116 and HepG2 cell lines (IC50= 0.37, 0.35 and 0.1 µg/mL, respectively). LC-AgNPs induced significant apoptotic effects in the three examined cancer cell lines. LC-AgNPs resulted in sequestration of cells in G1 phase of the cell cycle in both MCF-7 and HCT-116 cells, meanwhile it trapped cells at the G2 phase in HepG2 cells. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of LC-AgNPs was highly confirmed against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii. Molecular docking study designated Kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside and Quercetin-3-D-xyloside as the topmost LCTE active constituents that caused inhibition of both Bcl-2 and IspC cancer targets in combination with the produced silver nanoparticles.

In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Adiantum capillus Veneris Extraction with Methanol, Chloroform, and Ether Solvents against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The increasing problem of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens is a worldwide concern, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. At the same time, medicinal plants have renewed interest because of their wide variety of bioactive phytochemicals, which could be used to develop new antimicrobial drugs. This renewed interest is partly due to the growing resistance to traditional drugs and their associated side effects. The objective of this study is to assess the antimicrobial properties of the total extract and various fractions of Adiantum capillus veneris against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The aerial parts of Adiantum capillus veneris were subjected to extraction using methanol, chloroform, and ether, and the resulting extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity against MRSA. Additionally, essential oil was obtained from the aerial parts using a Clevenger apparatus and boiling water. Furthermore, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) was utilized to analyze the phytochemicals isolated from the extracts of Adiantum capillus veneris. The essential oil was obtained through distillation and then analyzed using GC/MS. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the agar diffusion method. GC/MS analysis revealed that the composition was primarily phytol (59.9%), constituting 99.3% of phyto-constituents. However, both the total extract and the individual fractions exhibited no inhibitory effects against MRSA strains.

Novel Expression of Apical Bile Acid Transport (ASBT) More Proximally Than Distal Ileum Contributing to Enhanced Intestinal Bile Acid Absorption in Obesity

Dietary lipid absorption is facilitated by bile acids. In the Zucker rat (ZR) model of obesity, bile acid absorption, mediated by the apical sodium bile acid transporter (ASBT), was increased in villus cells from the distal ileum. However, whether ASBT may be de novo expressed more proximally in the small intestine during obesity to facilitate additional bile acid absorption is not known. For this, starting from the end of the ileum to the mid jejunum, caudal-orally, five intestinal segments of equal length (S1–S5) were separated from lean and obese ZRs (LZR and OZR). Intestinal mucosa obtained from these segments were used for total RNA extraction, RT-qPCR and 3H-TCA uptake. The results showed that bile acid absorption along with the mRNA expression of ASBT and FXR progressively decreased caudal-orally in both LZRs and OZRs but was significantly higher in all small intestinal segments in OZRs. The expression of GATA4 was absent in the distal ileum (S1) in both LZRs and OZRs, but steadily increased along the proximal length in both. However, this steady increase was significantly reduced in the comparative obese proximal intestinal segments S2, S3, S4 and S5. The expressions of bile acid-activated G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor TGR5 and S1PR2 were unaltered in segments S1–S4 but were significantly increased in OZR S5. The paradigm changing observation of this study is that ASBT is expressed more proximally in the small intestine in obesity. This likely increases overall bile acid absorption and thereby lipid absorption in the proximal small intestine in obesity.

UPLC/HR-ESI-MS/MS and GC/MS profiling of Eriobotrya japonica L. fruit in correlation to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-arthritic effects.

Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (Loquat) fruit is a subtropical edible fruit originally from China. It grows well in Egypt, but it is not widely known. In the current study, the fruit was extracted with 80% ethanol to get the total ethanol extract (TEE). A part of which was fractionated by dichloromethane to yield polar and nonpolar fractions (PF and NPF). The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the TEE were in vitro evaluated. The complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) arthritis model was used to explore the in vivo biological assessment of the anti-arthritic properties in vivo of the TEE, PF, and NPF of the fruit. Additionally, the inspected limbs detached from all animals were subjected to histological inspection. Moreover, GC/MS analysis of the unsaponifiable (USF) and saponifiable (SF) fractions of the NPF was performed. Furthermore, 64 metabolites from various chemical classes were identified using UHPLC/HR-MS/MS analysis of the TEE of the fruit in both positive and negative ionization modes. The positive ionization mode of loquat fruit allowed for the first time the detection of two kinds of lyso-glycerophospholipids (Lyso-GPLs): lyso-glycerophosphoethanolamines (Lyso-PtdEtn) and lyso-glycerophosphocholines (Lyso-PtdCho). The fruit extracts exhibited a notable in vivo anti-arthritic activity by decreasing paw thickness in the treated rats and adjusting the inflammatory mediators. The TEE showed the highest anti-arthritic activity, followed by the PF that showed an observed activity, while the NPF exhibited the lowest activity. Histopathological findings showed a marked improvement in the arthritic condition of the excised limbs. Thus, E. japonica fruit may be considered as a promising natural antioxidant and anti-arthritic agent.

Emergence of ECSA-IOL E1-K211E/E2-V264A Lineage of Chikungunya virus during Malaysian 2021 outbreak

BackgroundChikungunya cases was reported to be on the rise in Malaysia from 2019 to 2021. Although potential endemicity was described previously, genotype shift during 2008 outbreak originating from the 2004 Indian Ocean Islands outbreak presents the probability of current CHIKV spread from neighboring countries. This is due to the prevalence of the new IOL sub-lineage which consists of E1-226A wildtype or reverted strains that are circulating in the Indian subcontinent before spreading to neighboring Thailand during 2018–2019 outbreak.MethodIn this study, samples received mostly from the Tangkak, Johor were analyzed. A total 56 CHIKV positive serum samples received in 2021 by Institute of Medical Research Malaysia (IMR), were collected based on sample selection criteria. Selected samples were subjected to total RNA extraction, whole-genome sequencing as well as bioinformatic analysis such as phylogenetic, variant and mutation analysis.ResultsBased on the genomic and phylogenetic analysis, the CHIKV samples from 2021 outbreak were of ECSA-IOL genotype. Genome similarity analysis also revealed that these CHIKVs were highly similar to 2018–2019 outbreak strain from Thailand. In comparison to the 2008 outbreak CHIKV isolate, the current CHIKVs lacked the E1-A226V mutation and harbored the new E1-K211E/E2-V264A sub-linage mutation. Since the E1-K211E/E2-V264A mutation facilitates adaptation to Ae. aegypti as opposed to the E1-A226V mutation which improves adaptation to Ae. albopictus, the emergence 2021 CHIKV outbreak in Malaysia can be postulated due to vector shift. Interestingly, a novel nsP3-T441A/V mutation detected in this study, may also play a role in virus transmission, pathogenicity, fitness and vector adaptation.ConclusionIn summary, the current CHIKV outbreak are strains originated from the Indian subcontinent through Thailand which may have capitalized on vector shifting by adapting to Ae. aegypti. The presence of novel nsP3-T441A/V mutation may also contribute to the spread of this virus across peninsular Malaysia.

Biochemical and biological studies of irradiated and non-irradiated extracts of Solanum aculeastrum Dunal fruit

This study explores the impact of γ-irradiation on ethanolic extracts of Solanum aculeastrum Dunal. The anti-cancer and antimicrobial properties were investigated. The obtained results revealed that total phenol (TP) and total flavonoid (TF) of total ethanol extract (100%) (FTE) were higher than 70% ethanol extract (SE), and these contents increased after gamma radiation with 5 kGy. The results of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the Solanum aculeastrum extracts suggested that FTE and 5 kGy-irradiated FTE can be used to control and prevent skin infections caused by MRSA and endocarditis, urinary tract infections, and prostatitis caused by Enterococcus faecalis. The FTE sample irradiated at 5 kGy showed cytotoxicity for A431 and Hct-116 cell lines similar to the control sample and higher than the toxicity revealed by the samples irradiated at 10 kGy. In normal cells (Bj-1), the toxicity was decreased after irradiation (IC50 = 31 μg/ml) compared to the non-irradiated extract (IC50 = 26.1 μg/ml). Molecular docking suggested Sortase A to play a role in chlorogenic acid antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus. In conclusion, γ-irradiation can be used to enhance the phytoconstituents of Solanum aculeastrum fruit extracts and, consequently, its biological properties.

Phytochemical Analysis and Evaluation of the Antifungal Activity of Five Plants against Four Dermatophytes Responsible for Superficial Infections

This study is of great interest due to the rise in superficial infections caused by dermatophytes and the need to find natural alternatives to synthetic antifungals. The objective of this research was to determine the phytochemical composition and antifungal activity of total extracts from five plants: Zanthoxylum gilletii, Distemonanthus benthamianus, Gmelina arborea, Justicia secunda, and Anacardium occidentale against four dermatophytes, namely Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton soudanense. To achieve this, aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts were prepared and subjected to phytochemical analysis, followed by evaluations of antifungal activity using the slant double-tube method. Antifungal parameters (IC50 and MFC) were determined. The results revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, and alkaloids, in most of the extracts. Z. gilletii and D. benthamianus showed strong efficacy, with IC50 values of 0.004 to 0.00609 mg/mL and 0.018 to 0.155 mg/mL, and MFC values of 0.0975 to 0.39 mg/mL and 0.39 to 12.5 mg/mL respectively, particularly against M. canis and T. soudanense. In contrast, A. occidentale showed no significant antifungal activity. This study thus highlights the potential of plant extracts in the treatment of skin infections and justifies further research to explore their clinical application.

Preliminary Assessment of the Protective and Antitumor Effects of Several Phytoene-Containing Bacterial and Microalgal Extracts in Colorectal Cancer

The identification of new functional food constituents is a priority to improve the prognosis and prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, several bacterial and algal phytoene-enriched extracts were obtained, and their potential activity against oxidative damage and their ability to inhibit proliferation and cell migration in several human colon-adenocarcinoma-derived cell lines were assessed. The main conclusions indicate that total extracts of Sphingomonas echinoides and Chlorella sorokiniana exhibited the highest protective effect against oxidative damage. All extracts enhanced the activity of detoxifying enzymes, particularly importantly the increase of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase activity, which reached a value 40% higher than that of untreated control cells upon exposure to Escherichia coli extracts. Staphylococcus haemolyticus and transgenic E. coli extracts significantly arrested the migration capacity of both cell lines, while S. haemolyticus and C. sorokiniana extracts inhibited cell proliferation by 15 to 20% compared to untreated cells. These results point to these extracts as potential antioxidant complements able to protect cells against oxidative damage and with a moderate ability to inhibit the proliferation and migration of CRC tumor cells, paving the way to design functional foods or probiotic formulations with preventive properties against oxidative stress-related diseases, such as cancer, or as starting point for purifying anticancer compounds.