Amaranthus viridis L. belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. It is a rich source of numerous phytochemicals and amino acids. The objective of this work was to optimize Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE) based on the extraction yield and Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) profile under different conditions, to compare the optimized UAE to the Soxhlet extraction method and evaluate the cytotoxic effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of the 80 % ethanolic extract on the SKGT-4 (human esophageal adenocarcinoma), AGS (human gastric adenocarcinoma) and A431 (human epidermoid carcinoma). A one-factor at a time experiment was carefully designed to assess the influence of the following factors on the extraction: time, frequency, solid-to-solvent ratio and aqueous ethanol concentration. Soxhlet extraction using 80 % aqueous ethanol was done for defatted plant material, then fractionation using chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. Cytotoxicity of ethyl acetate fraction was evaluated using the MTT assay on AGS, A431 and SKGT-4 cell lines. The results indicated that in the UAE, the solid-to-solvent ratio has the most significant effect on yield. Soxhlet extraction proved to be more efficient than UAE in terms of TLC profiles. The cytotoxicity of the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, selecting a particular extraction method depends on the target compounds. Soxhlet is preferred for gaining certain compounds that require heat for their extraction. The ethyl acetate fraction showed a cytotoxic effect on various cell lines related to cell components and their interactions with phytochemicals present in this fraction.
Siderophores are low molecular weight organic compounds produced by microorganisms growing under low iron concentration.In this study we describe the detection, production and extraction of siderophores secreted by Acinetobacter baumannii (Multiple-drug resistant ) pathogens. One hundered twenty Gram –negative non lactose fermenter bacilli isolates have been collected from three hospitals at Baghdad city over three months. Primary identification of these isolates is performed by standard diagnostic methods (biochemical tests and API 20 NE); 19 clinical isolates of A. baumannii are cultured on CHROMagar (highly selective medium for detection of MDR Acinetobacter) as well as diagnoses is documented by using Vitek 2 system. Isolates are exa
... Show MoreThis study aimed to extraction of essential oil from peppermint leaves by using hydro distillation methods. In the peppermint oil extraction with hydro distillation method is studied the effect of the extraction temperature to the yield of peppermint oil. Besides it also studied the kinetics during the extraction process. Then, 2nd -order mechanism was adopted in the model of hydro distillation for estimation many parameters such as the initial extraction rate, capacity of extraction and the constant rat of extraction with various temperature. The same model was also used to estimate the activation energy. The results showed a spontaneous process, since the Gibbs free energy had a value negative sign.
Melatonin is a potent scavenger of reactive oxygen species or free radicals like superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. The oxidation of hemoglobin to methemoglobin (meth-Hb) by oxidizing compounds has been widely studied. The present work was designed to evaluate the ability of different concentrations of melatonin to inhibit nitrite–induced oxidation of hemoglobin. Blood samples were obtained from apparently healthy individuals from which erythrocyte hemolysate was prepared. Different concentrations of melatonin (10-9-1.0 mg/ml) were incubated for 10 min with the hemolysate, then to the resultant mixture 1 ml of sodium nitrite (final concentration 0.6 mM) was added, and the
... Show MoreA field experiment was conducted at the experimental field of botanical garden, faculty of science, university of Baghdad, in order to study the effect of plant density on growth and yield of two local cultivars of sunflower (Sin Althieb and Shumose). The densities used were 4.4 and 8.8 plant/m2. The results showed difference between cultivars in their agronomic traits and their yields. There was a significant increase in plant height and leaf area index by increasing the plant density, while head diameter, number of seeds and leaf area decreased. But the most significant effect was the increasing in yield and biological yield by increasing the plant density. There was an increase by 72% and 58% in the yield and 79% an
... Show MoreLeishmaniosis is a tropical neglected parasitic disease that is endemic in many countries, including Middle East, with no existing effective vaccines. The bite of female sand-fly transmits the causative agent, Leishmania spp., to humans. High toxicity, resistance and treatment failure of the available chemotherapy against visceral leishmaniosis demands the investigation of new anti-leishmanial compounds. Lupeol is a form of triterpene isolated from several medicinal plants and possesses an antimicrobial property. In this study, cytotoxic effect of lupeol was screened against the mammalian amastigotes form and insect promastigote form of Leishmania donovani, following three cycles of incubation at different concentrations by MTT assay. Resul
... Show MoreThe current study focuses on the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii due to its importance as a nosocomial infections source in addition to its increased resistance against antibiotics. Different clinical and hospital environment samples were collected, and cultured on A. baumannii selective media: Leed Acinetobacter agar and Herellea agar. A. baumannii have been identified by traditional methods, followed by confirmation using molecular identification to detect blaoxa-51 like gene which is considered a diagnostic gene since it is present in genome of all A. baumannii strains. The result was, nineteen bacterial isolates of A.baumannii were obtained, from twenty-seven suspected isolate
... Show More: Clobetasol propionate (CP) is a potent corticosteroid used for skin conditions but often causes side effects due its systemic absorption. To improve its solubility and reduce it side effects (like skin irritation, skin atrophy, hypopigmentation and steroidal acne), Microsponge (Msg) has been employed as a unique three-dimensional particle that can encapsulate hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs. This study aims to develop and evaluate CP Msg-loaded hydrogels. Two Clobetasol-loaded ethylcellulose-based Msg formulas were prepared using the quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method, then they were incorporated into Carbopol hydrogel. Two ratios of Carbopol 940 (1% and 1.5% w/w) were used. The prepared hydrogel were assessed for appearance, pH, dr
... Show MoreCiprofloxacin is a broad spectrum fluoroquinolone, effective in the treatment of a wide range of infections, including genitourinary tract infections.In this study, bioadhesive vaginal tablets of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride were prepared by direct compression method using a combination of bioadhesivepolymers carbopol 934P(Cp), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and sodium alginate (SA) in different ratios.The prepared tablet formulations were characterized by measuring their swelling capacity, surface pH, bioadhesive properties, and in-vitro drug dissolution. It was found that the bioadhesive force was directly proportional to carbopol 934P content in different formulae and was further enhanced by the inclusion of carboxymethylcellulose.
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