Sphingolipids are key components of eukaryotic membranes, particularly the plasma membrane. The biosynthetic pathway for the formation of these lipid species is largely conserved. However, in contrast to mammals, which produce sphingomyelin, organisms such as the pathogenic fungi and protozoa synthesize inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) as the primary phosphosphingolipid. The key step involves the reaction of ceramide and phosphatidylinositol catalysed by IPC synthase, an essential enzyme with no mammalian equivalent encoded by the AUR1 gene in yeast and recently identified functional orthologues in the pathogenic kinetoplastid protozoa. As such this enzyme represents a promising target for novel anti-fungal and anti-protozoal drugs. Given

Methotrexate (MTX), a folic acid antagonist is widely used for the treatment of a variety of tumors. In the present study, the possible protective effect of aqueous green tea extract (AGTE) in methotrexate-induced haematotoxicity was investigated.Four main groups of white Albino rats were used: control group, (MTX) group, following a single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg, i.p.) saline was administered for 5 days. (AGTE) group, was treated with 1.25% concentration of AGTE only for 12 days and the (MTX+AGTE) group, in thism group rats received different concentrations of AGTE (0.625, 1.25 and 2.5%), as their sole source of drinking water, 7days before and 5 days after MTX treatment. MTX induced significant decreases in RBC, Hb, Hct, WBC and pl

Bacteriocin is an important antimicrobial peptide that can be used in industrial and medical fields due to its characteristics of antibacterial, food preservation and anticancer activities. Fifty isolates of Bacillus sp were collected from different soil samples which were already recognized via morphological and biochemical identification process. The isolates were screened for bacteriocin production effective against Staphylococcus spp in order to select the highest producing isolate. The isolate NK16 showed the maximum bacteriocin production (80 AU/ml) which was further characterized as Bacillus subtilis NK 16 through using API identification system (API 20E and API 50CHB). Then, next step was to detect the optimal conditions for maximum

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a ubiquitous environmental organism, is a difficult-to-treat opportunistic pathogen due to its broad-spectrum antibiotic resistance and its ability to form biofilms. In this study, we investigate the link between resistance to a clinically important antibiotic, imipenem, and biofilm formation. First, we observed that the laboratory strain P. aeruginosa PAO1 carrying a mutation in the oprD gene, which confers resistance to imipenem, showed a modest reduction in biofilm formation.We also observed an inverse relationship between imipenem resistance and biofilm formation for imipenem-resistant strains selected in vitro, as well as for clinical isolates.We identified two clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from the sputum

BACKGROUND: Burkholderia cepacia adhesion and biofilm formation onto abiotic surfaces is an important feature of clinically relevant isolates. The in vitro biofilm formation of B. cepacia onto coated indwelling urinary catheters (IDCs) with moxifloxacin has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVES: To examine the ability of B. cepacia to form biofilms on IDCs and the effect of coating IDCs with moxifloxacin on biofilm formation by B. cepacia in vitro. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The adhesion of B. cepacia to coated and uncoated IDCs with moxifloxacin was evaluated. Pieces of IDCs were coated with moxifloxacin (adsorption method). The spectrophotometric method was used to check moxifloxacin leaching into tubes. Coated and uncoated tubes were i

This experiment was conducted in order to estimate azulene and apigenin in chamomile flowers. Ethanol extracts were examined singly or in combination with some drugs in their biological activity against some pathogens causing skin infection. Ethanol extract was applied at a concentration of 40 mg/ml for the treatment of induced skin infection of mice. Among the topicals used, Claforan was found the most effective on microorganisms causing skin diseases; ethanol extract was more effective than the drug Candimazole solution 1%. HPLC was used for the determination of azulene and apigenin active compounds of chamomile plant.

Uropathogenic specific protein is a genotoxic protein targeting the DNA, leading to mutations and modifications in the normal cell's DNA and subsequently, cancer development. This study aims to determine the prevalence of the usp gene in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from females with urinary tract infections and study its correlation with biofilm formation. One hundred and five urine specimens were collected from female patients (20 to 55 years old) with urinary tract infections attending hospitals. Traditional laboratory methods using selective and differential culture media were used for initial bacterial isolation and identification, and molecular techniques that targeted a segment of the 16SrRNA gene with a specific primer pa

A many risk challenge in (settings hospital) are multi- bacteria are antibiotic-resistant. Some type strains that ability adhesion surface-attached bio-film census. Fifteen MRSA isolates were considered as high biofilm producers Moreover all MRSA isolates; M3, M5, M7 and M11 produced biofilms but the thickest biofilm seen M7strain. The MIC values of N. sativa oil against clinical isolates of MRSA were between (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0) μg/ml While MRSAcin (50, 75, 100, 125) µg\ ml. All biofilms treated with MRSAcin and Nigella sativa developed a presence of live cells after cultured on plate agar with inhibition zone between MIC (18 – 15) and (14- 11)mm respectively.Yet, results showed that MRSA supernatant developed a inhibitory ef