Medicinal plants contain bioactive substances that are highly bioavailable in extracts or pure molecules, making them promising for therapeutic applications and precursors for chemo-pharmaceutical semi-synthesis. Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil’s Claw) is widely recognized as one of the most potent therapeutic herbs. This study aimed to extract seeds from H. procumbens using two types of solvents and to assess both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the extracts. The two extracts were evaluated for antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities using agar well diffusion assays against four bacterial isolates and two yeast isolates. Qualitative analysis identified the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. The active components detected were: alkaloids (12.69%), flavonoids (3.25%), total phenolic compounds (24.58%), total terpenoids (8.55%), and total steroids (1.25% for methanolic and 4.55% for petroleum ether). Both methanolic and petroleum ether extracts exhibited antioxidant activities of approximately 85.33% and 74.19%, respectively, compared to ascorbic acid, which had an antioxidant effect of 67.99% at a concentration of 200 µg/ml. The extracts demonstrated a broad spectrum of activity against all tested bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes) and fungi (Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis). At a concentration of 1000 µg/ml, the seed extracts showed the highest bactericidal activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 22 mm. Moreover, both extracts exhibited greater anti-biofilm activity at 1000 µg/ml compared to lower concentrations. Our study found that seed extracts of H. procumbens possess significant antibacterial and antioxidant activities, particularly at a concentration of 1000 µg/ml.
Background: Neonatal septicemia is a major health problem in developing countries furthermore data on bacteriological profile in early onst sepses (EOS) and late neonatal sepsis (LOS) are lacking in context of continuous change in bacteriological profile and increasing resistant strains. Objectives: The study done to determine the pattern of organisms implicated in neonatal septicemia in a neonatal care unit and to measure the degree of bacterial resistance to some antibiotics.
Type of the study : cross –sectional study.
Methods: Confirmed cases of neonatal septicemia admitted at Al-Alwyia pediatric teaching hospital for the period from January 20
... Show MoreColon cancer is an abnormal growth of cells that occurs in the large intestine. Sometimes growth remains restricted for a relatively long time before it becomes a malignant tumor and then spreads through the intestinal wall to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. The study aims to estimate the effectiveness and partial purification of lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme and measure gamma-glutamyle transferase (GGT) activity in serum patients of colon cancer in Baghdad. The study included (80) case male patients with colon cancer with (50) samples of apparently healthy males (control) as comparison group. The result displayed a noteworthy increase in lipoxygenase effectivene
... Show MoreIn addition to their high quantities of active chemicals, medicinal plants are well-known for their pharmacological qualities, which include immunological modulation. T Consequently, this study aimed to examine the effects of Avena sativa and Glycyrrhiza glabra leaf extracts on immunological responses as measured by blood cytokine and liver enzyme levels. The phytochemical analysis of Avena sativa crude leaf extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids,flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, and saponins but the absence of resins and violet oils. On the other hand, violet oils, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and glycosides were detected in significant concentration in Glycyrrhiza glabra ethanolic extract, although resins and phenolic compou
... Show MoreTwo types of monofloral Malaysian honey (Gelam and Nenas) were analyzed to determine their antioxidant activities and total phenolic and flavonoid contents, with and without gamma irradiation. Our results showed that both types of honey can scavenge free radicals and exhibit high antioxidant-reducing power; however, Gelam honey exhibited higher antioxidant activity (p < 0.05) than Nenas honey, which is in good correlation (r = 0.9899) with its phenolic contents. Interestingly, we also noted that both irradiated honeys have higher antioxidant activities and total phenolic and flavonoid contents compared to nonirradiated honeys by Folin-Ciocalteu and UV-spectrophotometry methods, respectively. However, HPLC analysis for phenolic co
... Show MoreGingivitis, the initial stage of periodontal disease, is characterised by inflammation driven by dental biofilm and associated with oxidative stress. Matcha tea, a powdered green tea rich in antioxidants, has shown potential health benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Matcha tea consumption on clinical periodontal parameters and salivary antioxidant levels in patients with gingivitis.
A randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted with 41 participants diagnosed with gingivitis.
Objective: The present study aims to investigate molecular confirmation for <i>Cryptosporidium</i> species in fish handlers in Baghdad City, central Iraq. Materials and Methods: Sixty stool samples were collected between early November 2023 and late April 2024. All samples were examined phenotypically using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain and genotypically (nested polymerase chain reaction technique) based on a partial sequence of 18S rRNA genes with sequencing and phylogenetic tree analysis. Results: The total molecular results identified <i>Cryptosporidium parvum</i> with an infection rate of 45% (27/60). A higher infection rate of 51.9% (14/27) was found in the age group between 15 and 35 years, and male
... Show MoreIn present days, drug resistance is a major emerging problem in the healthcare sector. Novel antibiotics are in considerable need because present effective treatments have repeatedly failed. Antimicrobial peptides are the biologically active secondary metabolites produced by a variety of microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and algae, which possess surface activity reduction activity along with this they are having antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant antibiofilm activity. Antimicrobial peptides include a wide variety of bioactive compounds such as Bacteriocins, glycolipids, lipopeptides, polysaccharide-protein complexes, phospholipids, fatty acids, and neutral lipids. Bioactive peptides derived from various natural sources like bacte
... Show MoreA pot culture experiment was conducted at the greenhouse of soil and water resources department in College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad in Abo-Ghraib at season 2009-2010 to investigate the effects of using foliar application of some macro and micronutrients in induce antioxidant enzymes in wheat grown under salt stress . Doar85 planted under three levels of salt stress, and three combinations of foliar application were used from nutrients (K+ Ca) at 3000 and 1500 mg.L-1 respectively, and (Fe + Zn + Mn) at 30, 20, and 10 mg.L-1 respectively , and ( K+ Ca) + (Fe+ Zn + Mn). The results showed that increasing levels of sodium chloride in the irrigation of water significantly increased at p<0.05 level SOD and POD activity
... Show MoreFree radical formation in heme proteins is recognized as a factor in mediating the toxicity of many chemicals. The present study was designed to evaluate the dose-response relationship of the free radical scavenging properties of pentoxifylline in nitrite-induced Hb oxidation. Different concentrations of pentoxifylline were added at different time intervals of Hb oxidation in erythrocytes lysate, and formation of methemoglobin (MetHb) was monitored spectrophotometrically. The results showed that in this model, pentoxifylline successfully attenuates Hb oxidation after challenge with sodium nitrite; this protective effect was found to be not related to the catalytic stage of Hb oxidation, th
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